Denver, Colorado.
The supernatural denizens of Denver have kept to themselves for the most part since they claimed ground. Other than a few skirmishes when werewolves beat back a vampire insurrection, or the Brethren War between the Pure and Forsaken werewolves. Other than that, the denizens of the shadows have been on uneasy terms.
Leaving each other alone, the groups have stuck to their own. The vampires don't stick their nose into werewolf business,and the mages leave both alone unless they want to come back a corpse. The prometheans are scarce, while the changelings are secretive by nature.“Leave them alone. Don't mess with them. Don't go looking for trouble,” has been the advised course of action. Of course there are a few with a personal vendetta against the others, but that's minimal in the grander scheme of things.
Vampires are prone to their games of politics and darker mysteries. Werewolves hunt their territories of terrors that humans can't imagine. Mages search for their path to ascension. Prometheans walk through areas, attracting the ire of Nature herself. Changelings hide from the Fae that demand their servitude. And human hunters try to defend their little protectorates, wary of other hunters and the beings that stalk the night.
Now the tides are turning.
The vampire Prince was the target of an assassination attempt, barely escaping with severe burns along his body. Werewolf packs have been disappearing as spirits wreak havoc in the spirit wilds. Mages return to their homes to find them ransacked and burned. Malformed beings of promethean design drug through the shadows, clutching the unwary and dragging them away. Changelings are turning up dead or missing faster than the Courts can react. The hunters, busy as ever, are losing their own fight.
Supernaturals are finding themselves the epicenter of a multi-front war in the heart of Denver. Scrambling to reclaim a foothold they are forced to break their “no-talk” policies with each other to defend themselves. Even the hunters are brought in.
They find themselves assaulted by frenzied vampires, ravaging werewolves, mad mages, the fae lords, promethean abominations, spirit held humans, and other dark horrors from the heart of the world.
Now it's time to fight back.
Mages make deals with changelings. Werewolves plan attacks with hunter strategists. Prometheans give vampires some extra muscle.
Working together, they find themselves able to fight back and reclaim their territory, their pride, honor, and homes. If only the could trust one another.
Strap in.
Sharpen your claws.
Gather your mana.
Lock and load.
Get ready.
The World of Darkness
Is.
At.
WAR.
And now...The Supernaturals!
Vampire: The Requiem
The Kindred, the undead. These titles fit the vampire. Vampires share little with their past life after the Embrace. All emotion they could feel is nothing more than the echo of a sensation, like a hand on velvet. They go through their unlife, their Requiem, and the interactions with other vampires into an intricate Danse Macarbe.
Vampires can be killed after mere moments of exposure to sunlight or fire. Contrary to popular belief, crosses, holy items, garlic don't affect the undead, unless the person using the item has a strong case of faith. A stake to the heart doesn't kill them, but knocks them into a torpor in which their actual corpse appearance becomes plain to the observer with each passing moment, and can arise again once the stake is removed. Fire, sunlight, or other vampires, can send a vampire into a frenzy as the inner Beast rages recognizes the threat another vampire poses. Against a stronger vampire, the weaker one flees, against one of similar power, a fight breaks out. They do feast on blood, and require it not only to rise every night, but to power their supernatural Disciplines. Vampires are also obscured on recording equipment, although some can counteract this effect.
The only way to become a vampire by having your blood drained as a mortal human before receiving the blood of vampire. This is the Embrace. Being used as a “blood bank” every night won't turn you into a vampire.
Clans: Clans are ethnicity for vampires. The one who sired your character was a member of this clan, and thus, it's your birthright of sorts.
Daeva: Desirable vampires who are social advocates of the Danse Macarbe. They make their prey come to them through a combination of physical beauty and Discipline. More able to blend into high society, they can make their home in any number of social circles. Highly flexible in body and social circles, they are also more hedonistic in their actions.
Gangrel: Of the vampires that spawn the myths of shapeshifitng into bats and wolves, the Gangrel are the ones who master them all. They have a respect for werewolves, and are more feral than other Kindred. Resourceful and top predators amongst the Kindred, many Supernaturals give Gangrel a wide berth Hardy in mind and body, the Gangrel have more animal instinct, sacrificing some of their higher mental capacities for power.
Mekhet: More shadow than vampire, the Mekhet are the silent watchers and informants of the Kindred. They take more damage from fire and sunlight, their affinity for shadow weakining their resolve. Taking an interest in artifacts and ancient lore, they go where the information can be found, silent as a shadow.
Nosferato: Just like the movie of the same name, this clan is some of the more disturbing undead. Outcasts of the vampire culture, the Nosferato hide themselves from the human herd, which makes it difficult for them to eat every night. Strong physically as well as being able to hold a mental barrier, the Haunts act indifferent, despite their grotesque appearance.
Venture: The self-proclaimed rulers and Lords of the Kindred, the Venture thrive in political games and power grabbing. With a strong presence around them, they win, and the always win. Many of them find themselves in the hierarchy of Kindred society, often the Princes of a given city. They are also paranoid of what they consider to be theirs, and always wonder about any plots (real or fake) to their claims.
Covenants: With the clans being family, the Covenants are like political parties/nations/religions. A group in which a member tries to gain membership into and can gain access to some of their darker abilities. If one doesn't join a Covenant, they are part of the Unaligned.
Carthian Movement: A group which is both the youngest Covenant, and the most politically motivated. Honest in their passion and integrity, they use their ideas to shake up the status quo and bring change to a static world.
Circle of the Crone: Claiming a natural origin for the Kindred, invoking mythological and religious persona into their own dogma. They also practice several rituals and spend their lives being a victim no more than they wish to be.
Invictus: The aristocrats of the undead, the Invictus takes pride in the feudal system established in may cities around the world for maintaining order within the Kindred society. Reaching the pinnacles of aristocrats: claiming equal opportunity without the reality of such a thing.
Lancea Sanctum: Differing from the Invictus, the Lancea Sanctum believes they are the true rules of the Danse Macarbe. Just because their Covenant holds more members isn't a concern. They follow the mythos that Longinus, the roman soldier who speared Jesus, was the progenitor of the Kindred, and thus the undead are cursed by God's own blood. It doesn't discriminate against any initiates, so long as they are willing.
Ordo Dracul: They believe that the curse of blood is merely and obstacle to overcome. With their Coils of the Dragon, the Order of the Dragon seeks to transcend vampiracy. They also trace their foundation back to Vlad Tempes; Dracula.
Allies:
Danielle Ferguson: A high class hooker with a killer brain and body. She has slowly worked her way through Kindred society without so much as taking an official office. A representative of the Ordo Dracul, she knows things about the vampires (and even others) that would cause an uproar if it got out. She tries not to play politics too much, but knows enough of the game to get what she wants from prospective “clients.”
Main Protagonists:
Kindred have a Covenant spoken in whispers to concern themselves with. VII. This group is focused solely on the murder and death of any undead within the city. Not to mention other horrors of the night.
Werewolf: The Forsaken
Werewolves are shapeshifters at the heart of our own fears, creatures of spirit and flesh. They stalk the streets in packs through the darkness, in the guise of human skins. Pledging a vow to the moon goddess, Luna, they protect their territories from threats from the physical, and the shadow. Forsaken by their spiritual patron for the slaughter of their father (her lover) they have a long way to go before being forgiven. They've started on the path, as some of Luna's boons have given them better means to police the Shadow at the disdain of the spirits themselves.
The Uratha, as they call themselves in the language of spirits, are at once the same and different from their legendary counterparts. They have access to five forms for which to do their duty to Mother Luna. Hisu, the human form. Urhan, the wolf, an increase in senses and stamina, but a reduction in size. Dalu, the near-man, granting increased strength and durability, growing two feet in height. Urshul, the near-wolf, a large dire wolf body and the fastest of any form, with enhanced senses like the wolf form itself. Gauru, the wolf-man, the 9-foot-tall-snarling-deathbeast of legend and nightmare. While in any of the other forms, werewolves have complete mental control, although an inner Rage still burns beneath the surface. In Gauru, the Rage is unleashed, clouding his mind, only able to tell enemy from friend until their cut down. It's called the War Form for a reason, and can only be held for a short time. They can shapeshift at will and are not limited by the phase of the moon.
Silver burns their skin when forged into a weapon. Wearing silver as jewelry doesn't affect a werewolf except for a mild discomfort. Werewolves neither lust for the taste of human flesh or desire it, as doing so sends them down the path of spiritual destruction. However, the act can have them regain their spiritual power if they do so, the same if the devour the flesh of wolves. Uratha cannot mate with one another, as the action causes a spirit abomination that will kill the parents upon birth, while the physical child is a malformed still birth. When a human sees a werewolf in any of his forms besides human or wolf, he's affected by Lunacy, a mental barrier that protects the humans mind from the terrors they've seen. While they might not run on site at a Dalu or Urshul werewolf, Gauru will send them screaming into the night.
As half spirit and half flesh, the Forsaken have access to the Hisil, the Shadow Realm, the world of spirits. The earth's shadow is a twisted amalgamation of the physical world, where actions and emotions on one side, can distort and change the other. The Uratha have gained this responsibility from Urafarah, Father Wolf, who was a guardian of the Gauntlet separating the two worlds. One can't exist without the other, and the Forsaken have their work cut out for them. Werewolves can only cross the Gauntlet at places where it is thinner, such at loci, places of spiritual resonance. This can also be dangerous as spirits lay claim to loci and may not take to kindly to the wolves using the loci as their own. Uratha use essence, the energy of the spirit world for shapeshifting, healing, and using their Gifts.
Gifts are spiritual power bestowed upon the werewolves by spirits. It gives them a command over the shadow of the world, leading to some of the werewolves famous influences.
Auspice: When Luna decides you should change, you really don't have a choice. The world around the human before the Change is chaotic, fluctuating, stressful until they're forced to shift to meet it. The moon phase of which you have Changed is known as your Auspice and gives you access to certain responsibilities and duties. Since Luna forgave the Forsaken by the gift of Auspice, dividing Father Wolf's duties into the Stalker, Shaman, Judge, Dreamer, and Warrior, a pack isn't complete without all of them represented.
Irraka: New moon. The Irraka is the stalker, the wolf in sheep's clothing. Using her Gifts and skills of evasion she can sneak into enemy territory and get out without even being noticed. Tied to Luna the Unseen, they have a greater spiritual awareness than even the shamans.
Ithaeur: Crescant moon. Changed while Luna is a sliver in the sky, the Ithaeur are the shaman and spiritual powerhouses of the Forsaken. They learn, create, and practice the spiritual rituals that aid the pack and territory. Summoning spirits for Gifts and rites, banishing humans from the shadow when they've strayed too far. Other werewolves can learn rituals, but the Ithaeur have a knack for it.
Edoloth: Half moon. Light and dark. Spirit and flesh. Man and wolf. The Half moons are the living embodiment of the werewolf predicament. They see the balance in all things, and often act as the judge and negotiator between packs and the spirits. Their balance gives them a bit of a better part in negotiating with the spirits of the Hisil.
Cahalith: Gibbous moon: Full with passion and energy, the Cahalith is the embodiment of Luna the Dreamer. Pregnant with ideas and passion, the Cahalith is the howl that pierces the night, calling her packmates to her side or rouses them for battle. Though all her passion, her gift from Luna is both a blessing and a curse. Often the Gibbous moon is wracked with prophetic nightmares that immediately endanger her pack or family. When awoken from these dreams, they often have a drive to do something about it, or die trying.
Rahu: Full moon. Bursting with Luna's fury, the Rahu are the first to go into battle and the last to leave. While not just mindless berserker's and fighters, the Rahu is also a tactician, general, planning out the battle in his head before stepping into the fight. The Full moons are able to perceive the physical strength of something they make eye contact with. While not always active, and not always truthful about how the match would go in a different circumstance.
Tribes: Extended networks of ideals and history that thrive through werewolf society. They give the Uratha a greater meaning. Any who doesn't wish to join a Tribe is a Ghost Wolf, sometimes viewed with pity. Each follow a ban, another part of the Uratha Oath of the Moon that they must uphold.
Blood Talons: When a werewolf fights, they draw upon martial prowess. The Talons help and relish in the sensation that battle brings, and are some of the most dangerous opponents one could ever come across. Their ban is Offer no surrender you would not accept.
Bone Shadows: Bone Shadows are the ones who dive into the mysteries and politics of the Spirit. Their knowledge is invaluable to any pack, providing it's for the right price. The Bone Shadows deal much with spirits, whether they sneak across the Gauntlet or reside in the territory. Such dealings with spirits is enforced in the ban Pay each spirit in kind.
Hunters in Darkness: Of all the tribes, the Hunters are more concerned with areas of spiritual influence in the world, as such they're the ones to be the most wary about. Experts in stealth and shadow, the Hunters can follow an intruding werewolf far into their territory, then strike silently as death. Though not limited to the woods, many Hunters blend into the cities almost better than the Iron Masters. Their ban is Let no sacred place in your territory be violated.
Iron Masters: City dwellers who revel in change and new challenges, the Iron wolves blend into human society and take charge over the new spirits born from advancing technology. Dirty fighters, and quick thinkers, the Iron Masters are a good tribe to go calling for some information or to cover your tracks. Honor your territory in all things.
Storm Lords: Leaders of the Uratha, the Storm Lords try to lead not by word, but by example. No stronger on the hunt for spirit or flesh than any other, if they aren't alpha of a pack, then they excel at what gifts Luna has given them. Striving for perfection, not for themselves, but for the strength of their pack. They follow Allow no one to witness or tend to your weakness.
Allies:
Vincent Nelson: A werewolf that seems to know anything and everything going on in and around Denver, he's the one detective everyone wants to hire (and kill). His methods of deduction rival the great detectives in history, and his services are highly sought after. Not much to playing politics with the Storm Lord and Iron Masters, he's been silently building support from several of the local packs that he trusts. He's also been the main envoy to the other supernaturals around Denver, representing the werewolf side of things, hoping to make some kind of truce between them all. Maybe even join sides if something goes wrong and they need everyone working together. Someday all that time and energy will be well spent. He hopes.
Packs: There are several werewolf packs in and around Denver. As the Uratha's strongest influence is there, and many of them have quarrels over territory, loci, and even human resources.
Main Protagonists:
While the Forsaken have had issues with the Pure, a group of zealouts dedicated with the eradication of the Forsaken, the two have forged an uneasy alliance with each other to deal with a bigger threat.
Bale Hounds corrupt everything they touch. Werewolves who made deals with ancient beings of vice and destruction, they are at the front of this massive attack on the Uratha.
Spirits come in any shape and form. Hateful of the werewolves for their self-placed duty of policing the Gauntlet, many Spirits join the attack against the Half-spirit bastards. Some take the indirect route of going after family members or taking loci, while others will attack the moment the Uratha step into the spirit wilds. Some of the most dangerous beings a werewolf can face. Usually making a human Ridden, with the spirit's perception, humans body, and spirit's powers, slowly taking over the consciousness.
Hosts are worse. They come in either the Spider Hosts (Azlu) or Rat Hosts (Beshilu), and both are a danger. Spirit shards from the most powerful spirits Father Wolf ever hunted, the Hosts can make any fight a hellish one. Azlu strengthen the Gauntlet in their search for essence, the fuel and form of many spirits, often leaving the areas spiritually drained and dead. Beshilu gnaw at the Gauntlet in a frantic, frenzied, panic allowing spirits to cross over to the other side. There are rumors of other Hosts, but no one wants to consider such a reality.
Mage: The Awakening
Magic is everywhere. If you know where to look. Mages are those special humans who can tap into the power of the Astral Realm. Five paths of power radiate down through those who have Awakened to true power. Granted power when the dragons left Atlantis, the Mage's own hubris brought the city down and separated them from the supernal realm. For a while at least. Occasionally a human embarks upon the path to one of the five Watchtowers in the Astral, and once singing his name onto the tower, he returns to reality, Awakened to a higher power.
Once there was Atlantis that shined like a beacon in the darkness. Humans from all over the world traveled here under its shining light. Those who saw it, were Awakened to the world and mages had arrived. They had access to the Supernal Realm, the binding forces that allowed manipulation over the world. Hubris had clouded their judgement, as a group of mages sought to limit that power from anyone below them. After building a ladder to the Astral Plane, they destroyed it. The resulting conflict brought the Abyss between the Supernal Realm and the Fallen World, where we are now. As the Exarchs and Oracles battle in the Supernal World, mages on earth are left to their own devices for power and knowledge.
Mages manipulate reality as easily as one breathes. This power doesn't come without a price. Flamboyant spells pack a backlash called Paradox, which can either hurt or mark the mage, but can sometimes summon a beast from the Abyss to the Fallen World. The spell can backfire, he can become deranged in his actions, create an anomaly, or draw the ire of a demon from the Abyss. So mages have to be careful when using and showing their power. Too many witnesses and Paradox could kill the mage. Using spells that are obviously from the mage itself could also exist in a massive backlash of Paradox, so the mage has to use some degree of self restraint and discipline.
They can use mana, their fuel, to stave off Paradox. But only for so long. Mages have access to ten Arcana, or spheres of magic: Death, Fate, Forces, Life, Matter, Mind, Prime, Spirit, Space, and Time. Since there is power in words, all mages take a Shadow Name, a nickname so that a rival mage won't curse or affect them from a powerful sympathetic spell.
Paths: A path is the road upon which a mage walks. When they are Awakened they travel to the Supernal realm as magic flows around them, altering their perception. Those with strong wills are able to sign their name upon a watchtower in the middle of the Supernal Realm and return to the Fallen World, Awakened to power.
Acanthus: Wild and vibrant, those on the Path of Thistle have a tie to the Supernal Realm of Arcadia, home to the Fae. They see awe in the world and their magic takes the form in uncanny good luck. For the Enchanter's Path, there's always a second chance and the odds are never unbeatable. This may make them come off as flaky to other mages though.
Mastigos: The Path of Scourging may make some of the most trustworthy mages. But it also makes some of the more manipulative ones. Viewing the world as hidding all kinds of secrets, the Realm of Pandemonium draws its mages to point out flaws and weaknesses in others, so that they can better themselves. They may also have personal strict codes of conduct rivaling monks.
Moros: Mages along the Path of Doom sign their names in the realm of Stygia. Commonly seen as necromancers or dealers of death, the Moros can Awaken after a near-death experience. Their tranquil disposition bellies their spells over death and transmutation. They are obsessed with edges of where one thing ends, and another begins.
Obrimos: The self prolcaimed leaders of “the Divine” those on the Path of the Mighty are a blast of righteous lighting and thunder. They have a conviction that makes them seem like zealots. It's a combination of compassion and drive that moves them forward after signing their names in Aether.
Thyrsus: Living life for the thrill of it, the Path of Ecstasy gives access to vitality and creative drive. They speak to the spirits, acting as shamans and healers. They are hearty and healthy and always welcome in a mage cabal. Healing the body and the soul makes a big difference in a dangerous world.
Orders: Support is necessary when the Supernal world allows you in. Other mages seek the power one possesses. As such Orders offer a network of protection and similar ideals that give mages access to information and resources he wouldn't have on his own.
The Adamantine Arrow: The Awakened strong forces, the Arrows encompass both weapons of death and life. Practicer's of other types of warfare besides physical, the Arrows are a welcome addition to any group. While they view life as a war itself, they also honor enlightenment and adaptability as characteristics to hone.
The Free Council: Seekers and political activists at a glance, the Council wants to turn this time of chaos into Awakened wisdom. Free thinkers cast out from the other Orders, they find a home in the Council. Rebels and revolutionaries they fought against some of the other Orders through subvert means and against the Seers of the Throne with guns, bombs, and magic.
Guardians of the Veil: The Eyes of the Dragon, the Guardians are the secret keepers and judges of the mages. They keep secrets from the other mages. Prizing humanity over power. They walk among the sleepers, planting seeds of doubt to any magic they've seen, and keep the darker secrets hidden from the other Orders. A necessary evil, but a useful resource.
The Mysterium: Seeking pure magical power, this Order are librarians and professors. Seeking knowledge at every turn and shunning mundane rises to power. They consider the Fallen World full of secrets from Atlantis waiting to be found again, even if they shouldn't look.
The Silver Ladder: They view humanity as the rightful power in the world, seeking to upset the Exarchs in the Supernal Realm by using humans to their advantage. While it used to rule mages, the Ladders have bound together various mage groups after the Fall. They try to awake as many Sleepers as possible, to weaken their enemies resources.
Allies:
Dungeon Master: He goes by several names. Kain, the Dice Man, Fatespinner, and even Basard. Whatever DM's original name was, everyone's forgotten it, even himself. As a Mage weilding Spirit, Time, and Fate Arcana, he's become an epicenter of Natural Successes and Critical Failures. Using dice to determine an outcome, he treats everything like a game. Every being a piece with certain rules and regulations they have to abide by. Easily a great strategist, if only he wasn't an asshole to everyone else.
Main Protagonists:
Seers of the Throne: The Fallen World's extension of the Exarchs, the Seers want to keep humanity oblivious to magic. Powerful mages who have joined in the fight to keep humans ignorant.
Abyss: With each Paradox backlash, the Abyss grows wider, separating father the space between the Fallen and Supernal Worlds. Strong Paradox could manifest a demon around the mage, often attacking or causing trouble for its duration in the Fallen World. Now, even without Paradox, they're coming through and leaving a wake of terror and destruction in their wake. Many hope that they aren't staying for long.
Exarchs: Powerful mages residing in the Supernal Realm after the fall of Atlantis. Their goals are to sever the Astral Plane from the Fallen World, leaving them the supreme masters of all magic. None of them have been reported to have returned to the Fallen World... yet.
Promethean: The Created
Golems made of flesh and mud, tied together with Pyros, the alchemical fire burning within. Unlike the other supernaturals who have the change forced upon them or bound by blood: Promethean are made. Created by other Promethean in a perverted version of enlightenment. They dabble in alchemy, giving life to dead flesh and inorganic soil. Most often, their experiments fail, creating twisted abominations of chemicals and flesh. Once in a while they make another Promethean, although it drives them closer to the monstrous drives they try to hide.
The Created try to ascend back to humanity, regaining the soul that they never had. Rejected by Nature herself, Prometheans leave a wake of dying and destruction in their presence. Humans fear and stay away from them. Even other Supernaturals are wary of the Created. The world seems to reject the Promethean because of its very existence. Tormented by their drive into alchemy, the Disquiet of the surrounding area, and even the fear of creating another with the Divine Fire.
Promethean use alchemy Transmutations to preform dazzling effects that by-pass the laws of physics. Lightning blasts from their bodies, changing their bodies, and seeing auras. Using the Pyros to fuel these abilities can reveal the true appearance of the Created, and make the humans fear them even more.
Lineage: Since a Promethean is drawn to make more and more of it's kind along it's path to mortality, each Lineage is a long line of the Created to the present day.
Frankenstein: Stitched from stolen limbs and organs, the Frankenstein follow the path of the monster created by the mad scientist of the same name. While distant from humans, and their drive to be human, the Wretched find themselves frustrated to a insatiable fever with their inner fire as they use their abilities and unholy strength.
Galatea: Created of beauty, the Muses are the conundrum of attractive beauty and distant admoration. They know their beauty and inspire optimism in other Prometheans. They claim a divine origin from an Greek mythos, but are no less susceptible to the drive of the Divine Fire. Made from the corpses of beautiful young humans with crushed pearls and preserved in vinegar for days.
Osiris: Calm and collected, the Nepri command an air of respect with their actions. They also believe that they deserve that respect. Their origin is from the Egyptian God who returned from the dead, while the process of making another is the same. Soaking a body in a river with herbs before dicing it up and sewing it back together.
Tammuz: Without a soul, the Golems consider themselves to be slaves, while everyone else is truly free. Created from the earth, usually as servants and slaves, the Tammuz embark on their Pilgrimage to gain a soul and be free themselves. When pushed to the edge, their anger is a whirling dervish of rampage and destruction, as vengeful as the Earth itself.
Ulgan: Shamans among abominations, the Riven are torn between wanting to be human and their dealings with the spirits. Torn asunder by spirits and then placed back together, these Promethean have one foot in the physical and one foot in the shadow. Doing a job they don't want to do, but can't escape.
Refinements: In order to become human a Promethean goes on a personal quest, the Great Work or Magnum Opus. They strike out on a personal quest to become what they once were, and no longer be tormented by memories.
Aurum: In spending time with humans can a Promethean truly understand the soul he craves so much. This Refinement has the Promethean interact and understand what it means to be human so that he can attain it himself.
Cuprum: Trying to understand the rejection Nature has to the Promethean follows down this path. They stick to the wild places, finding solace with their Tourment.
Ferrum: With a Refinement of the body can one command the soul. These Created are warriors and athletes that strive for physical strength and thus regain their soul in the process.
Mercurius: Tests made and limits past. These Promethean test the limits of alchemy itself. After all, if a body can be created, surly a soul can as well.
Stannum: In the Torment of being separated from Nature, those that follow this path are on a path of vengeance and violence towards their creators. Rather than control their inner urges, they embrace them at the drop of a hat.
Allies:
Kyle: A promethean with a strong left hook and devastating right, Kyle wishes to help, but can't stay for very long. His power corrupts the land quickly, and he has to keep moving to ensure that it doesn't destroy everything his allies have worked for. Well read and tested with the Created's Transmutations, he's a wealth of information on the abomination's existence, and even those of the Pandorians. Finding him isn't that difficult, but surviving the ravages of Nature is another matter entirely.
Main Protagonists:
Pandorians: When the act of creating another Promethean goes horribly wrong. Flux, a choatic force, can rip the body apart, turning every organ and fragment into skittering monsters. Desperate for the Divine Fire to fuel themselves, they attack Prometheans with a feeding frenzy mentality. Without it, they lie dormant until they sense the Azorth emanating from the Created. If a Pandorian has survived a long time, they can become some of the most feared beings for Prometheans. Mockeries of themselves that will devour all they have acomplished.
Changeling: The Lost
Faeries are real. But they're not the stories of helpful creatures. Oh no. These are much darker entities. Alien in nature, creed, and purpose, the Fae reach to the world of men and pluck their choices through the thorned Hedge. Maybe some get lost in the Hedge itself, a lifetime changing moment as the thorns cut away at their humanity. Chained to the will of a god-like figure, used for their pleasure and curiosity. Somehow, the escape is possible, and they run back to their homes, only to see that their lives have been taken over, destroyed by their Keepers.
These are the changelings.
The changelings have been given access to Arcadia, the realm of the Fae, where the seasons hold sway over the world, and change is as much emotional as it is inevitable. Words have power with the fae, though it's not like the mage's magic, it's expressed in deals and pledges. Their powers take form in Contracts with objects and ideals, while Glamour fuels these abilities. Glamour itself is distilled emotions filtered through Arcadia, and the changeling can use it in a number of ways.
Regaining Glamour works around harvesting the raw power of emotions, dreams, pledges or bounty from the Hedge itself. The changelings live in fear of their Arcadian masters. Often many escape after prologued capture, while the very few are released willingly by their masters. Servents or the Keepers themselves come after the changed human, ready and willing to drag them back to Arcadia.
The Hedge has also changed them physically. Changelings have characteristics that make them seem alien or different. Maybe horns sprout from her head, or her feet are tree roots. Perhaps her skin is more like ice. Mortals and other supernaturals don't notice this difference, however other fae can, and see the changeling for what she really looks like, even if she can't.
Seemings: The time spent with a master of Arcadia has left an impact on the human's soul. Environment, the way the Fae's alien actions and desires affect the changeling. Where they appear more like the characteristics that made their Keepers who they were. Every Seeming has Kiths or abilities akin to their stay in Arcadia, and each Kith has its own abilities that others of the same seeming don't.
Beasts: Changelings of sensuality and instinct, the Beasts represent a zoo of animal types and behaviors. They live on the edge of their animal desires and human logic and have an animal magnetism around them, while they may fail at some mental tasks. Kiths: Broadback, Hunterheart, Runnerswift, Skittersulk, Stepscrambler, Swimmerskin, Venombite, and Windwing.
Darklings: Tied with the shadows and dark places of the world, the Darklings take a greater pride when making deals. Many were stolen when they had trespassed in some fashion upon a Fae, and end up having a nimble mind as well as body. However, with their affinity for shadows and darkness, the fae Contracts become difficult to use during the day, and even more in sunlight. Their Kiths include: Antiquarian, Gravewight, Leechfinger, Mirrorskin, and Tunnelgrub.
Elementals: Desired, kidnapped, and turned into slaves, the Elementals are the group of changelings who now embody the elements themselves. Forged by desires and forces, these changelings are the hardest to understand, they also have a difficulty in socializing with humans. Kiths: Airtouched, Earthbones, Fireheart, Manikin, Snowskin, Waterborn, Woodblood.
Fairest: With an air of arrogance and self loathing, these changelings really DO believe they are the Fairest of Them All. When taken to the Faerie, some are made lovers, others objects of sensuality that shifts to fleeting moments of terror before ecstasy washes over them again. Their seeming has robbed them of the normal emotions they once felt, making their mental stability rather wavering. Bright-One, Dancer, Draconic, Flowering, and Muse are their Kiths.
Ogres: Broad stances, monsters who broke their shackles of fear and abuse, Ogres are brutes among the changed. Captured and tortered with violence, may of these changelings find themselves used to the violence that once sparked fear into their hearts. Now they use that as an asset, whether physically, or socially. They seem to be physically adept but are also weak-willed. Common Kiths are: Cyclopean, Farwalker, Gargantuan, Gristlegrinder, and Stonebones.
Wizened: Alien abductions and child thieves, those taken by the Fae find themselves experimented upon as odd beings. Not thought after for knowledge or even for fun, they are slowly turned into those that took them. Intellectuals, mechanics, artists, the Wizened take places within the Courts where their skills are useful, they find it difficult to get past the spite in social situations. Artist, Brewer, Chatelaine, Chirurgeon, Oracle, Smith, Soldier, and Woodwalker are the Kiths of this seeming.
Courts: For supporting and aiding the changelings, the Courts are formed. Many Courts are tied to the four seasons, each with requirements and attitudes directing a changeling's nature. Such binding to the seasons gave the changelings a chance against the Fae that still strive to return their wayward captives.
Spring: Lost in a time of desire and fertility, the members of the Spring Court retie themselves to humanity that they were torn from. Rather than be made a victim, the Spring Court tries to bring the beauty of the Fae into the human world. They also make Desire, part of themselves.
Summer: The Iron Spear and emotions of Wrath. The Summer Court are the fighters among the changelings, because who else is going to fight when the Fae come calling? Burning with heat and a Wrath that roars in everyone, the members of the Summer Court benefit from inducing the feeling in humans around them. Fueling their own fires.
Fall: The Summer Courts may be brawlers and warriors, the Fall Courts turn the powers of the Fae back onto their captors. Using the Contracts and pledges made with the world around them, they fight using the Fae's own alien sorcery as well as manipulation and subterfuge. They gain strength from the emotion of Fear.
Winter: Afraid of being sent back to Arcadia, the Winter Court is so subtle that the entire Court hides when the Hunt has come. Some may call this paranoia, but there's a good reason for such meticulous actions to avoid attention. Rather than solve a problem, the Silent Arrow would rather avoid it, leaving it for someone else to solve while they try to live their own lives. Enacting Sorrow onto others to give them a momentary release from their burdens, it's an act of kindness foreshadowed by malevolence.
Allies:
Cerine: A member of the Court of Spring, Cerine is at once the most immature, pleasure induldging, light-headed girl you could ever meet. Spinning her world with the Contracts and the desire around her, she has a hard time not helping someone indulge in a vice or two. Behind the air-headed behavior is someone who does feel a deep drive and desire to see life lived, and not just blind lust.
Main Protagonists:
True Fae: The beings who live in Arcadia and often kidnap or seduce mortals to join them. Alien beings with their own mentalities, only Cold Iron can injure them profusely. Sure a gun can do a decent bit, but the Fae shun cold iron with a tenacity similar to a vampire's aversion to sunlight and fire.
Fetch: A being created to replace the Stolen humans. Something is always off about these meshes of twigs, spider silk, and twigs, and they recognize changelings for what they are. Sometimes they act as the beacon for the True Fae to return their childe, others may fight with all the cunning of a lone hunter. Either way, running into them, isn't good.
The Lost: The changelings themselves can become their own worst enemies. Driven mad from their experience in Arcadia, their motivations differ from human understanding. Some are Loyalists who are wittingly (or unwittingly) spies for the True Fae and may not be under their own control.
Souless: Broken, with no concept of morality. These changeling are the closest to the True Fae's alien thought processes, but not quite their power. Usually they stick to some kind of ritual routine, an activity that is depraving, yet invigorating to them.
Hunter: The Vigil
Creatures stalk the night. But then again you knew that. You could see the things that others feared and ignored. You have limited resources, but there are others in the night carrying the light in the darkness. You are a hunter, and you will go down fighting.
Hunters are the humans who take it upon themselves to carry the light and defend their homes, jobs, businesses, and turf against the things that hide in the shadows. They lack any supernatural powers, but they realize that they can't sit back and wait for the vampire to bleed them dry, or the werewolf to tear his home apart.
There are some larger hunter groups with their own ideals and such, but most of it is a collection of rag-tag groups of people who just want to save their spot on earth.
Allies:
Tracer: At 14, Tracer is the youngest hunter in the Denver city limits. His group killed by a Slasher, he holed himself up until help arrived. In the form of a supernatural thinking the Slasher was something else. He works behind the scenes and is the information guru of the local defensive. While Tracer maybe trying to contact other hunter units in Denver to try and receive their aid, he's also collecting as much information on the supernaturals as possible. So far his electronic library is fairly large and kept in several secure locations. But what he'll DO with that information, however, is still up in the air.
Main Protagonists:
Supernatural creatures: The denizens of the World of Darkness can be a hunter's prey. They don't necessarily trust such beings, as they're more monster than man. However, recent times call for drastic measures, and some hunters have aligned with the supernaturals to keep their lives from being broken apart.
Slashers: Humans who have gone off the deep-end, participating in some psychotic drive and desire that no one can comprehend.
Hunters: Hunter groups can be a danger to themselves and others.
Geist: The Sin-Eaters
(coming Soon)
Powers
Supernaturals have many powers, abilities,and resources that they can draw upon
For your character, when you pick your main Supernatural Type and Group, I'll work with you to help pick our your powers and such.
Sign-ups!
Now down to the Nitty-gritty.
For MY sakes as well as trying to help everyone get used to such an odd system.
This is your Character sheet/Sign-up. Basically this has your character's stats and such, that helps with some... conflict resolution as well as adding a bit of fear into your characters. After all, a character with low strength can't really bend metal bars or be an effective fighter now can they?
So start with a Concept, a short two-three word description of the character. Then pick their main stats.
Players have 5/4/3 points to spend in a Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Attributes, whatever they deem is the more important. The Attributes are broken down into Mental (Intelligence, Wits, Resolve), Physical (Strength, Dexterity, Stamina), and Social (Presence, Manipulation, Composure). Everyone starts off with 1 point in all Attributes, and getting a fifth dot in any Attribute is going to cost you an extra point.
After picking your Attributes you have 11/7/4 points to spend in your Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Skills. The Skills break down like such Mental (Academics to Science), Physical (Athletics to Weaponry) and Social (Animal Ken to Subterfuge). To start no skills above three points okthxbai.
Mertis are some advantages your character has. Like languages, certain fighting styles, of course the Supernaturals and Hunters have their own specific Merits you may want to look into, and I'll help you with your picks for that. Just remember you have 7 points for this.
Flaws are character quirks, plain and simple. Roleplaying them in the game can give you some extra experience at the end of a session on the Table Top, but I'll be running Experience a bit differently for this. Just to give you a sense of accomplishment and growth.
Health is determined by adding your Size to your Stamina. This is just a general idea of how much damage your character can take before death or getting knocked out. All adult humans are a size 5, despite the differences in build, or they take a Merit.
The rest of the sheet is adding up your stats basically, as I have marked.
Initiative is how fast on the draw are you in combat. Speed is how many yards you can run in 3 seconds at a good pace (which can be doubled if sprinting). Defense is how well you can dodge attacks coming at you (Excluding firearms), Armor is a little extra cushioning read like this (Melee/Firearms), and act as some protection. It's not out of the way to have some reinforced clothing, but not everyone should be wearing kevlar under their shirts. Willpower is how focused you are on the task at hand, and for Hunters, it comes in handy to resist the mental blocks and fear caused by working with Supernaturals.
Supernatural Advantage and Powers will depend upon the Supernatural type, birthright, and organization you choose for your character, and thus could require you to get in touch with me and we can discuss about the powers, their limitations, and what you can do with said powers. As well as any other questions you may have.
Name:
Sex:
Age:
Concept:
Supernatural Type:
Birthright: (Clan, Auspice, Path, Lineage, Seeming)
Organization: (Covenant, Tribe, Order, Refinement, Court)
Attributes: Intelligence 1, Strength 1, Presence 1, Wits 1, Dexterity 1 , Manipulation 1, Resolve 1, Stamina 1, Composure 1.
Skills: Academics 0, Computer 0, Crafts 0, Investigation 0, Medicine 0, Occult 0, Politics 0, Science 0, Athletics 0, Brawl 0, Drive 0, Firearms 0, Larceny 0, Stealth 0, Survival 0, Weaponry 0, Animal Ken 0, Empathy 0, Expression 0, Intimidation 0, Persuasion 0, Socialize 0, Streetwise 0, Subterfuge 0.
Merits: (Mental abilities, Fighting Styles, Social aspects, PM me for an idea of what you have planned and we can work it out for you. These can always be bought later, but some are only available when the character is made.)
Flaws:
Health: (Size + Stamina)
Size: 5 (For a human adult)
Speed: (Str + Dex + 5)
Initiative:: (Dex + Composure)
Defense: (Lowest of Dex and Wits)
Willpower: (Resolve + Composure)
Supernatural Advantage: (Blood Potency, Primal Urge, Gnosis, Azoth, Wyrd) 1
Powers: (Disciplines, Gifts, Arcana, Transmutations, Contracts, Rituals)
Equipment: (list of basic equipment)
History: (The first change, the Embracing, being stolen by the Fae, who was your character before they opened their eyes to the world and what are some of their accomplishments.
Physical Description:
Personality:
Relationships:
Other:
Stereotypes: (Optional, how does your character view the other supernatuals? Others of its own kind? Humanity?)
Any Questions? You know where to find me.
Let the drums of war ring...
~*~World of Darkness: Tides of War (Sign-ups!)~*~
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