The progeny are each born with a direct link to their ancestors in the form of ancestral spirits that provide insight and guidance. As a progeny ages they form a permanent, lifelong bond with one particular ancestor who provides them certain boons. Occasionally a progeny’s ancestral shade can even manifest on the material plane when their bonded progeny is in greatest need of aid.
Progeny appear as mostly human, save for the points to their ears and their pronounced canine teeth. Their skin comes in a multitude of shades from dark to light. A progeny’s hair can be curly, wavy, or straight and comes in any color from platinum blond to black or strawberry to auburn and fades to grey or white when they age. Progeny eyes range in colors from hazel to dark brown, or varying shades of grey, green, blue, or violet. Height can vary significantly from one progeny to the next, but no distinction is drawn due to that variation.
Progeny who grow up among their own typically shave the sides of their heads. As children they study their ancestors’ histories. When they reach adolescence, each progeny chooses one of their ancestors to become bonded to them. During a cultural ceremony, their scalps are tattooed to match the tattoos of their chosen ancestor with a special blue pigment that symbolically solidifies that bond. When a progeny grows up outside of their own community, the ancestral spirits themselves see to the child’s education, and it is often the ancestor who chooses the progeny based on them having similar dispositions.
- from the publisher's blurb