Pandora's Kiss

The young man knew that he was in trouble the moment the door slammed shut behind him. Two tall men with long, black hair pulled back in ponytails and dressed in perfectly tailored suits fell into position, flanking his sides, as the woman who had answered the door lead the way into the huge house.

It was risky, and he knew it, but there was no where else to turn. All he could think of was the dark figure who had saved his life, her voice, and the one thing she had said to him...

A soft ding brought him back to the present as a concealed door slid open, revealing a large, dimly lit elevator. The technology was in stark contrast to the age of the house, and the young man's mind was blown by the very thought of the amount of money it must have taken...

The elevator door slid shut, and they began the descent. It felt like they were falling into the very depths of hell and all of eternity was passing before the elevator slowed and finally came to a stop. The door opened smoothly, revealing a dark, torch lit hallway, the walls interrupted sparsely by antique-looking doorways, some wooden, others metallic fit with bars. He tried to catch a glimpse of what lay beyond those bars as he passed, but they moved too quickly and nothing showed in the darkness. There was no sound other than the crackle of flame from the torches and the four sets of feet walking down the hallway. It was unnerving to the young man, how quickly and quietly these people moved through the gloom of the passageway.

He had to stop suddenly to avoid running over the guide in front of him. She reached in her pocket for an old silver key and unlocked the massive double doors before them. A slight sweat broke out along the young man's spine as he trembled slightly, fearing what lay beyond the doors. The woman knocked slowly three times, the reverberations booming beyond the closed doors, before she opened them...

A cavernous chamber opened before his eyes. The vaulted ceiling was decorated with black and white billowy drapes, which also hung along the walls. Candelabra were placed along either side of the chamber, providing the only source of light for twenty feet... everything else was lost in darkness. Luxurious couches were gathered around an empty fireplace, and a find dining room set took up the other near corner.

"Mistress, he has come," the woman's low, raspy voice broke the silence.

A slight stirring from off in the darkness made him jump as a figure materialized from the shadows. It was her, just as he remembered. The long, flowing hair, the perfect porcelain skin, the flawless lips, the full, voluptuous figure...

"You finally came." Pandora's voice rang out, smooth and serene. "This plague has gone on long enough. I see the people of this city struck down by disease, their minds destroyed so that their bodies may be used by this nameless force... This is no accident. Chaos is slowly taking over this city... my city. We will need all the help we can get, and I need you to act as my eyes. Are you willing to do this for me?"

Slowly, the young man nodded, wondering if he really knew what he was signing up for...
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Name:
Gender:
Age: (or apparent age...)
Species: (human, vampire, lycanthrope, or other... any species of lycanthrope are allowed. Other species must be OKed seperately.)
Physical Appearance:
Personality:
History:
Powers/Weapons/Fighting Techniques:
Other:


Vampires: Under the leadership of Pandora, legal vampires in the city adhere to the laws that govern them, whether the laws are human-made or originate with Pandora herself. Drifters and outlaws follow their own rules, but must be careful; should they break code, they will be hunted down and exterminated, either by the human law enforcement or by Pandora's foot soldiers. Blood can only be taken from a willing donor, and may not result in death; use of vampiric powers against a human for any reason is also forbidden.

Lycanthropes: Each species has it's own social structure, but alliances between groups are not uncommon.
Pard (leopards), Lukoi (wolves), Rodere (rats), Pride (lions), and werehyenas are all tied together through pacts, and are allied with the vampire kiss.
Werehyenas are strictly matriarchal.
Other groups may or may not have alliances. PM for further details. I'd prefer to keep it to leopards and wolves, but I will allow the others.

Terminology taken from Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novels. Listing found here... Yeah, I'm a shameless thief.

Post or PM any questions... I know that I'm setting things up a little differently, so don't hesitate if you're confused.



Name: While rather unoriginal, he's known as "Danse Macabre", or usually just Danse; his true name is unknown.
Gender: Male
Age: Appears to be mid-twenties; is really over 900 years old.
Species: Vampire, rogue; he's not one of Pandora's people, which marks him as an outlaw in her territory.
Physical Appearance: Aside from the stereotypical "tall, dark, and handsome" like so many other vampires, he has light green eyes, the color of budding leaves in the spring and long, straight, black hair that falls below his shoulder blades, which he normally wears loose. His body is long and slender, which is often mistaken for lack of physical power. He can put his fist through a steel wall without breaking a sweat anyway. His wardrobe is (you guessed it!) all black and very expensive; he stalks the night in style. Usually a flattering black suit set of jacket and pants over a black dress shirt. The dress shirt is never buttoned all of the way, giving a slight peek at his pale upper chest.
Personality: He's very quiet, which is sometimes mistaken for arrogance on his part. He prefers to watch and think before acting, if he even does get as far as acting. If one spends enough time around him, they will find that he's calm, collected, even-headed, and very dangerous. Mystery surrounds him, and he wears it to his advantage.
History: Mostly unknown. He is pure-blooded, meaning that both of his parents were vampires, and that he is an aristocrat. His mother was a very powerful elder, though she disappeared many centuries ago. He looked for her for many years, though he never told anyone what he found. His father was killed within a century of Danse's birth. He has come to Pandora's territory for unknown reasons, though all he seems to feel inclined to do for now is watch.
Powers/Weapons/Fighting Techniques: His telekinetic powers are through the roof, something that he gained from his mother. He's very quick; he can move so fast that he hardly needs to cloud the mind of his opponent to appear to move faster than the eye can see. Strength, he has plenty of, though he doesn't look it. He has no need for weapons, for he is one himself.
Other: He's quite the ladies' man around town, though the people who track him (mostly on the orders of Pandora) can never seem to catch him. His animal to call is unknown.


Name: Pandora
Gender: Female
Age: Unknown; like many vampires in positions of power, she doesn't let on to her true age
Species: Vampire
Physical Appearance: She's not tall, about 5'4, with hair that falls to her knees and is so black it is nearly blue. Born in a long ago time, she doesn't have the skinny, bony body that is so popular today; her figure is fuller and would have been the epitome of womanhood in her time. She is still beautiful by today's standards, though. Her eyes are a warm and rich brown, though when she is angered, excited, or uses her power, they darken so much that they become nearly black. Otherwise, she looks like a porcelain doll, perfect, beautiful, and immortal.
Personality: She can play the kind, benevolent leader when she needs to, but for all of her games, she is still a vampire at heart. She rules with a fair hand, and does care for her people, but doesn't feel much in the way of remorse when she has to make what would otherwise be a difficult decision. She tries to act for the good of all without undermining her power structure too much, because any weakness can and will be exploited by those who desire her position. She knows the reality of this all too well, and acts accordingly. Survivalist first, then protector of her people; however, she knows this plague will cut down any and all in its path, and seeks to root out the reason for it first.
History: She's a vampire from the Old World (aka Europe), and though her lineage goes back pretty far, it's obvious that she's come from a powerful line. She's head of her own line, meaning that she has power over any vampire that has descended from her, though that power is weaker over vampires that have pledged to different masters. Her line is marked by powerful telepathy skills.
Powers/Weapons/Fighting Techniques: Telepathy, which she uses to protect her people, though should she use it against an enemy, they'd best beware. She has the super strength, speed, and other such powers of a vampire in her position, and the more vampires she has blood-oathed to her, the more powerful she is. Her animal to call (an animal that a master vampire has power over) is the leopard; she has a special pact with the Pard in her city, which lends her one of their people to boost her power, and gives them special protection from the other lycanthrope groups in the city.
Other:

If anyone would like to be her animal to call, it's open to any character who's a wereleopard.


Vampires:
Pandora, Master of the City (Drusie)
Charles "Rudy" Rudolf Barton (Master Rudy)
Ahkruke (SmearGal)
Leonard (Not really SmearGal)

Danse Macabre, outlaw (Drusie)
Gael, unknown (Samchu)



Lycanthropes:
Lukoi
Ulfric (Male leader): Vincent Belkon (Mystic Clown)
Lupa (Female leader):
Note: there are other positions within the Lukoi; look at the link I provided above for more info...

Pard
Nimir-Raj (Male leader):
Nimir-Ra (Female leader):


Other:
Charlie Hazzard, Human (Charlie Hazzard)
Aias, Doppelgänger (Crystal Tears)


Reserves:
Asilynne (Lukoi?)



Feel free to post... I feel horrid that I can't muster the oomph to do so myself at the moment. I may attempt to do so later tonight, though I do need to get up even earlier than usual tomorrow morning (I need to be at work by 5:30 AM), so it's unlikely that I will be able to do so. I am checking messages regularly, though, so don't worry about me disappearing. And if no one wants to start things off... that's fine, too. I just didn't want my crazy schedule to hold anyone else back.

Haffun, kids... and remember, Drusie's watching you... XP