Chasind: Ar Or-bhais

"It is possible to add to this group through in character actions and RPing."

Ar Or-bhàis - The Gatekeepers
In the darkest recesses of the wilds, in the ancient ruins of the Alamarri tribes and even the elvhen, amongst the broken towers and tombs of Tevinter are the dwelling places of the Gatekeepers. These are what some might call the "necromancers", or in the Chasind tongue, Ar Or-bhàis. This group of Chasind mages are feared and revered by their people, believed to be the Children of Scathach. It is thought that these mages know the secrets of death and of the Void, having been taught by the goddess herself and shown the gates of Twilight. They, as young initiates, were forced to stare into The Void and those who did not go mad were granted the gift of shape-changing. It is believed that they cannot shift into any other creature other than birds.

Those shifters who turn into crows or ravens are so feared and revered they are almost treated as demi-gods, chosen of Scathach and blessed by her. These mages are so heavily connected with death that the Chasind mark their own faces with ravens blood when one of these shape-changers crosses their path. If they do not then the goddess will take their souls to Twilight whether they are dead or not. This belief has arisen because of the association between Ar Or-bhàis and the undead. The Chasind believe that if they fail to honour Scathach then Ar Or-bhàis will come in the night and tear their souls from their bodies, leaving their undead corpses to devour their families. This is not so much feared as expected, for the role of these death mages in their society is to protect them from wayward souls and to serve the will of the goddess.

Necromancy and Shapechanging
There are levels within this group and depending on the mage's skill they can ascend higher in the hierarchy. As they go up another level they are taught more of the secrets of the goddess.

Seven Levels of the Gatekeepers

 * Basic mage (no skill in shifting nor necromancy - these are the initiates)
 * Fledglings (can shift into a small bird form)
 * Cadh-Catha: novices (can shift into a crow form)
 * Teathra: adepts (can shift into crow and raven forms)
 * Tàimh: Messenger of Death (is taught the basics of death magic)
 * Master (Knows all the secrets of the bird forms and death magic)
 * Ceann-Eunlainn - one of the leaders of Ar Or-bhàis