The Undying Hunt - Lore

[rissa]

THE UNDYING HUNT

INTEREST CHECK | SIGN UPS | LORE | IC

The State of the World (And Other Things)
The Connected Planes
Playable Races
Map of Pirn
NPCs
Cast & Crew

#darkurbanfantasy #supernatural #adventure #playerdrivennarrative #dontpost

MuliMiriam Libre

 

[rissa]

State of the World (And Other Things)

The Current Reality
October, 2021


This world is one of the many reflections of our own, but this reality did not experience the pandemic of 2020, it instead experienced a tremendous surge of elsewhere energy, and millions lost their lives— choking on their own sorrow, the pent up rage of their neighbors, and the overall sense of doom that clings to the global subconscious.

The origin of the surge is still unknown, even to the Elders of the Upper and Lower Planes, and the delicate balance that has kept the Mortal Plane in check for so long is upside down and sideways, in a state of disrepair as millions of Unveiled struggle to repair fractures in the Veil. In some places scattered throughout the globe the Veil was destroyed completely, and for the first time in literal millennia, mortal eyes drank in the presence of Unveiled.

Far beyond the average ill-aligned miasma, the demonic entities that have been assailing Unveiled and mortals alike are known as eidolons— physical manifestations of negative energy and emotion. Mortals are incapable of seeing them, as humans are Veiled entities. Many a tale has cropped up to explain the traumatic and unnatural deaths, ranging from the end of times to toxic ultraviolet rays. Humanity is baffled, but councils of Elders all across the globe are paranoid, wondering how much of an effect this will have in the next generation of Watchers.



The Evils That Roam


The evils that haunt the night are more than your typical vampire, rogue shifter, or demon escaped from the Lower Plane— especially since 2020. Eidolons, the literal manifestations of dark thoughts and emotions, from mortals and Unveiled's alike, have been forming with a startling frequency, gaining enough quasi-sentience to attack on sight.

While this process is not unusual, the speed in which it's occurring is. Demonic entities such as these can be formed over time naturally by a location's overall energy levels and perverse manifestations made reality by the global consciousness. It takes time though. Decades, if not centuries, and the Unveiled in the those locations usually have time to act, to reinforce the Veil and protect themselves and the mortals they stay hidden away from.

Eidolons can take the shape of anything, though behind that form is always an undulating mass of energy. They seem to "camouflage" themselves by taking on the color and texture of the environment around them. The evils that manage to take humanoid shape never have recognizable features, nor do the animal-like creatures these evils morph into look entirely... right.

If there is any plus side to this nightmare, is the fact that eidolons are relatively easy to kill. When they swarm, however, things start to get dangerous.



A Witch's Duty


The First Witch was blessed by the Patron of the Moon and her power is still revered today. Within that blessing, however, is a stipulation, a compulsion to fight evil. To fight the unnatural darkness that plagued her moonlit embrace, the Patron of the Moon instilled powerful potential for magic within her blessing, so the First Witch and every descendant thereafter would uphold the duty and keep the evil at bay.



A Shifter's Creed


Viktor Acosta, one of the most famous shifters in the modern Unveiled world, swore an oath upon his wife's death that he would slay every vampire he came across. And so he did, from that point forward in 1864 to 2005. During this time he was a mentor to many shifters during his travels across the world, and due to this influence and the conviction of his oath, even 16 years after his death, his ire towards vampires is so entrenched in shifter culture that even for generations to come, Viktor's Vendetta will continue on.



The Established Rules


The Established Rules are what all of the worlds adhere to. It consists of the laws of realities and magic, rules that govern divine, demonic, fey, and otherworldly beings, and how the natural worlds should interact with each other. It's theorized that the Veil separating mortals and Unveiled is a byproduct of the Established Rules.

Guides are known to have a 14 page long footnote describing their role and the importance of not procreating.



The City of Pirn


Located in Wolfpine County, Oregon, the city is nestled deep in the valley of Mount Pirn. Unbeknownst to most, Pirn was founded upon a place of power, positioned between three ley lines, whose rivers of energy coalesce and condense, providing an overabundant wealth of harvestable energy. Due to this tremendous build up, many an Unveiled have made the sleepy city their home.

Unlike other cities, the Unveiled who live here needn't worry about humans; ancient protections run deep, and only Watchers are capable of breaking through the toughest of them. Still— Pirn is harmonious in its chaotic ways, and the council of Elders sees to it that everything runs smoothly.

Pirn is large but sprawling, it's heart nearest Mount Pirn, but stretches all the way to the coast along the Ash River. It's downtown area is full of restaurants, shops, and bars, with tourism an important factor to its local economy. Nature walks, rock climbing, kayaking, themed gardens, and a 180 acre park that wraps around downtown is the heart of Pirn's tourism.

Pirn hosts two elementary schools, four middle schools, and three high schools. Two colleges; one public and one private. A small but profitable mine is the only reason the old railroads haven't been decommissioned. The city itself is made up of three districts: the downtown district, the business district, and the historic district, but Pirn sprawls far and wide. There are five manors, belonging to the oldest families of Pirn, seven separate and well defined living quarters, and several public spaces throughout.

Pirn is a sleepy city, where humans play by day, and powers that tremble reality play by night.

MuliMiriam Libre

 

[rissa]

The Connected Planes

The Upper Plane

A reality of endless realities.

The Upper Planes is a kaleidoscope of infinite realities, where divine and seraphic beings oversee them all. It is not Paradise.

The Upper Planes is a reality of infinite realities, where deities, spirits, and seraphic beings reside. Outside of a few unusual circumstances, they are incapable of leaving, and if they do, their powers are significantly weakened. Due to this, the "Elders" as they're often called by the Unveiled, rarely leave their comfortable confines, opting to use Guides as intermediaries between the Upper and Material planes. Not much is known about the physical manifestation of the Upper Planes, as memory loss is a side effect of being in the presence of infinite realities.

Guides most often remember a comfortable warmth and sea of clouds. They do, however, remember the entirety of their conversations; it's simply the landscape that refuses to settle in the minds of those who are not denizens. Interestingly enough, it seems as though time moves slower in the Upper Planes, minutes up there passing by the hour on the Material.

The Material Plane

The Mortal Reality

The Material Plane is the world we all know well.

It is the land we walk upon, the air we inhale deep. It is the sun who keeps nightmares at bay and the moon who accepts all. It is the people we meet, the bonds we form, and the roots we put in place. It is the one True reality, and the only place where life can truly flourish.

It is where the beings who reign in the Upper and Lower Planes like to fiddle with the fates of Mortal and Unveiled alike.

Although it was created after the birth of the Upper and Lower realities, the Material is the necessary component in keeping balance between the triad of Connected Planes. Without its presence, the comfortable existence the major players in the Upper and Lower Planes have would cease to exist. For brightness to illuminate the path of righteousness, there must be an equal amount of darkness, debauched and perverse, whose path leads into the heart of blasphemy.

The Lower Plane

A collection of stagnant, chaotic realities.

The Lower Plane is a collection of realities, separated by pocket domains where infernal & demonic entities reign. It is not Hell.

The Lower Plane is a collection of stagnant realities, incapable of moving forward. Though literal expansion within the planes can happen (ie. construction) time has no meaning in the Lower Plane. Life, as it is, cannot exist as there is no momentum to propel it forward. Due to this, there is an innate craving to exist, to feel, and demons jump at the chance to escape and cause havoc on the Material Plane. Lower ranking demons, however, are incapable of leaving unless certain parameters are set or they're properly summoned. Higher ranking demons have the ability to leave as they please, though their abilities while on the Material is significantly lower.

MuliMiriam LibrePompiere

 

[rissa]

Playable Races

Watchers
Mortal eyes that pierce the veil.
Mortal minds capable of
harnessing the truth.
Mortals who are not so mortal…

Watchers are mortals with strong mental fortitudes, keen instincts, and natural mental resistances. Outside of a few abilities, they are relatively human. While Watchers are weak in regards to physical prowess and durability, their abilities, depending on said circumstances*, often make up for it in other ways.

There are a few abilities that almost every Watcher shares: an incredibly strong resistance against vampiric compulsion and fey subtleties, and strong instincts and/or vibes, for their ability to see within the Veil is truly their only power, something that Unveiled's oft take for granted.


* Like the quote that says, "Not every witch is created equal," so can be said for Watchers.


There are two ways mortals become Watchers:

Naturally | Being exposed to the Veil over time, especially in a place of power like Pirn, mortals— humans —can adjust to the magic permeating the area, and begin seeing through the veil that surrounds reality. Like Witches, Watchers seem to run in family lines, but unlike Witches, not every child born will be a Watcher.

Blessed (Alternatively, Cursed ) | Otherworldly beings have been known to bless humans throughout history, with the gift of foresight or truth sensing. Alternatively, some otherworldly beings have been known to curse humans throughout history, bestowing harrowing abilities like foretelling loved one's death or a glance turning someone to stone.

---- if you're interested in playing a watcher, please attach this to your full sheet ----​

blessed/cursed or familial line of watchers?

describe the type of watcher your character is. were they directly blessed/cursed, or has it traveled down through the family line? what is the blessing/curse?

power set

what is their power, other than what has been described? does it have any visual or sensory effects? what's its strengths and weaknesses, creative uses and potential for growth, if any?

what makes your watcher powerful enough to stand beside a fully unveiled character?

there are drawbacks to playing watchers, i'm aware, but what makes your character uniquely powerful? is it their power? blessing or curse? how have they learned to use it to their advantage other than just a skill set?

Guides
Righteous souls, reborn.
Given a second chance
to guide others along
the same noble path.
Healers with seraphic light.

Guides have already died and cannot truly be killed*, as they'll reconstitute after a short period of time. They are quasi-angelic beings; mortals who died in a righteous manner, one way or another, and were rewarded for their sacrifice, by helping guide future generations. It is an optional profession, one that should bring joy to the one who guides.

Strict adherence to the Established Rules is expected by every Guide, though depending on performance (and who their charges are), some things are overlooked. A few things that are not: non-platonic relationships, overzealous actions and unnecessary risks, taken by either Guide or Charge, and debauchery with demonic entities*.


* Guides can be killed by their Maker and poisoned by certain demonic rites.
* Which is incentive for one to be Recycled.


All Guides have access to the following abilities:


Dematerialization | Guides have the ability to dematerialize and rematerialize wherever they wish, in one of three planes of reality: the upper plane, the lower plane, and the material plane. The older and more experienced a Guide is, the more people they can dematerialize with them. Talented and experienced Guides can merely wave a hand and transport large swathes of people from one location to another, but newer and intermediary Guides must travel with, and must have some form of physical touch. While newer Guides might have trouble dematerializing quickly, experienced Guides and disappear and reappear within seconds.

Healing | With hands that spawn seraphic light, Guides are innately capable of healing their charges and those of pure hearts. They cannot, however, heal themselves, or those completely demonic. Attempting the latter would cause discomfort. Healing is a relatively quick process, though it does depend on the extent of the injury they are trying to heal. They can heal someone on the brink of death, but they cannot heal those already dead. Nor are they capable of reviving someone. Every Guide has a unique trigger that they must learn for themselves in order to "unlock" their seraphic gifts.* They are usually one of the three cardinal virtues: faith, hope, and love.

* This is said to be a failsafe in case demonic entities somehow snatch a Guide's powers.

Telepathic Sensing | Guides are able to telepathically sense their charges and other guides, as long as they are on the same plane of reality. They're able to sense their location, emotions, and wellbeing. If their charge is hurt, a psychic-relay is transmitted back onto them, making them vulnerable to traps where their charges are used as bait. Talented and experienced Guides, have learned to expand this connection farther, allowing this one-way transmission to become two in needed circumstances.

---- if you're interested in playing a guide, please attach this to your full sheet ----​

is your guide young in the ways of guiding or are they experienced?

depending on your answer, your guide will have anywhere from 1-3 charges (witches, watchers, and future guides), who they are bound to protect. while ideally charges will be other pc (or npcs of mine) feel free to create 1-2 npcs of your own!!! (not mandatory though!!!) it also decides the range your character's powers will be according to the above

strengths and weakness regarding their power set

which ability are they most comfortable with? which do they struggle with? do you have any creative ideas on how your character uses them or suggestions to add?

what are the visual and sensory cues of your characters powers?

as there are several different classifications of seraphic beings, you're free to create the subtle effects that individualize your dematerialization and healing abilities. does your seraphic light give off a warm, solid glow, or is it almost too bright for ones eyes? do you poof in particles of light or vanish with a small pop of light? do you leave after-images of rainbows? whatever it may be, it must be of or relating to seraphic beings.

what is their cardinal trigger? how does it affect their healing abilities?

(if you wish to reveal this in character, pls attach to the pm you send me)

Hybrids
Brittle, split souls,
neither wholly unveiled
nor veiled. An amalgamation
of unchecked power.
Justifiably nebulous.

Hybrids are half-mortal, half-unveiled creatures. And as they come in many different shapes and varieties, it's hard to put a solid lock on them. Suffice to say, however, they are generally weaker than their fully unveiled parent, and physically (and/or magically) stronger than both humans and watchers, though they do share some of the same abilities as the latter, not including the ones bestowed by their unveiled side. Hybrids, for the most part, don't usually "fit in" anywhere; it's up to them to set up shop and let roots grow. Pirn is such a place that Hybrids like to settle down.

Like watchers, Hybrids have a natural resistance against fey subtleties and vampiric compulsion, and they often sport similar, superior survival instincts compared to mortals.


Common Hybrids:

Practitioner Witches | With their witches blood so far removed, practitioner witches are those who can use ritualistic practices to produce very limited effects, sometimes even faulty ones. Street psychics and Wiccans who produce limited magic by means of the natural magic around them. However, they lack the innate active powers that witches do.

Demon Hybrids | Is your mom or dad a demon? Did he seduce your mother under the guise of a rich tycoon and vanish into thin air until you came into your powers? Did she even bother to show and explain your newfound abilities? As there are a variety of classifications of demons, their actual skill set will vary. Usually, however, demonic offsprings will inherit dematerialization that allows them to freely travel to the lower and material planes, and some kind of active power in regards to their demonic heritage. Depending on the type, sunlight sensitivity may incur.

Dhampir | The rarest of the three most common hybrids, dhampir's are of mortal and vampiric descent. They have sunlight sensitivity, but are not destroyed by the sun's rays when fully submerged within it. The "purity" of the vampiric blood within a Dhampir will usually decide how uncomfortable they are in the sun, ranging from mild irritation to severe sunburn. They have enhanced instead of superhuman physical abilities, though well above a human's, and like vampires, the older one gets, the stronger they become. Oddly enough, for the rare few Dhampir, their ability to Compel is quite strong; it's said that a special dhampir whose only a century old could out-compel a vampire of the same age.


Rare Hybrids:

Changelings | It's taken the fey awhile to catch up to our modern ways, and as such, changelings that make it back to the material plane happen about once per century. Due to their time elsewhere changelings are trapped in a reality flux, where they neither age nor deteriorate by natural means. They are, however, weak to ashwood and iron, and while they are supernaturally fast and agile (rivaling shifters), their bodies are quite frail. Changelings don't remember anything from their time in elsewhere and simply remember waking up in the mortal plane, with a natural desire and a will to survive. Most are fully grown by the time they arrive.

Changelings are innately capable of changing their physical form, morphing into someone else. With this ability, however, comes the unfortunate side effect of taking on the personality traits of the person they're morphing into. Before 1103, when changelings were somewhat common, it was a shared belief that ancient changelings created a new life with every shift, as they weren't bound by the same consequences current changelings are. In addition, changelings have a singular ability, halfway between a spell and an active power, that grants them minimal control and manipulation over one of the following: mists, plants, storms, and animals.

Fairies | Fairies on the Material Plane are the descendants of Aes Sí— powerful fey guardians that protected the wild whims of nature and the natural wellsprings of the Old World. When the Many Realms threw shut it's doors, most of the ancient fey left, the wonder and glory not worthy of never being able to return home. There were a few who decided to stay and those that did came together and gathered their remaining strength. In 703, they simultaneously fractured themselves enough times over to be able to guard as many natural wonders as they could, no matter how big or small.

The Fairies you encounter nowadays are much more humanlike in appearance than the startingly beautiful allure of the Aes Sí. Due to the nature of being guardians of the natural world, there are many different kinds of fairies; their forms adaptive and transformative, taking on aspects from the environment in which they guard. Fairies are innately capable of magic, though their magic is relatively weak when compared to a witch.

When they reach maturity, however, Fairies gain the ability to transform, granting themselves more power and mastery over their abilities. It also gives them wings, turning their innate levitation into flight. This transformation does eat up a lot of energy, but similarly to a shifter, the more time they spend transformed, the less energy it will require to maintain in the long run.

To an extent, fairies are quasi-immortal, not ever truly dying.* When their sacred environment becomes nonexistence, they will simply fall asleep and wake up elsewhere, with no memories but the drive and desire to protect the space they're in.

Unless they're impaled with ashwood or iron, in which case, the elsewhereness inside them implodes.

Fairies are incredibly agile, being able to levitate or hover a foot or two off the ground almost indefinitely. While all fairies have the potential to learn all three of the following abilities, they usually specialize in one:

Glamour | The ability to create simple to complex illusions, based on the fairy's innate but subtle manipulation over light. Like shifters, they can also affect other unveiled creatures. Glamour can span anywhere from going invisible to changing wardrobes, or completely changing the interior of a room.

Tongues | The ability to speak and understand any language, almost unconsciously or without thought. This includes human languages, animal speak, and though it's shattered countless of eardrums, the language of gods.

Sight | Due to the innate connection to nature and the earth, some fairies have the ability to sense out a location's history, often revealing old wounds and trauma. This is another reason even modern fairies stay to themselves and their sacred groves; free of the residual thoughts and emotions of all those who passed through.

Berserkrs | With tragic origins, the Berserkrs are one of the rarest races of Hybrids to exist-- as they shouldn't be able to. Kidnapped by a Keeper of the Flame, a dhampir woman was bred, experimented upon, and brutalized to produce heirs who could fulfil the prophecy of the ancient order.

And thus Berserkrs were born.

They are fierce and fearless warriors who wield the magic of Witches and the innate strength and savagery of Dhampirs. Their token and prized ability is their innate Rages, a trance-like state of mind similar to a vampire's unchecked Thirst, that boosts their physical capabilities sevenfold. Within this state, Berserkrs have access to their victim's most vulnerable points, thought to be an unintential boon of the latent dhampir ability to compel.

Raging takes years to master. Entering a rage at will isn't something done before adulthood, and even then, depending on the temperament, could take several decades to be able to enter and exit it at will. Young Berserkrs have a hard time controlling their volatile emotions and often fall into Rages that knock them out for hours, as the process is incredibly hard on the body. While it does become easier with experience, it will nonetheless cause the body to lag regardless of age.

Berserkrs are incapable of feeling pain whilst in a Rage, causing undue amounts of damage to themselves. Thankfully, for smaller fights and shorter Rages, their Dhampir healing is oft good enough, but Berserkrs are known for killing themselves; going and going and going until finally, once they exit their Rage, they fall dead and lifeless, bones broken, body emptied of blood.

While half-Witches by blood, the magic that was used to create Berserkrs caused a quirk within their ability to produce and expel magic. Berserkrs (and only some at that) are only capable of casting magic through a written medium: wards, signs, runes, etc. A novice Berserkr would have 2 or 3 wards they've created or learned, while masters (rare, as they often die before reaching the title of master) have anywhere between 6 to 9.

---- if you're interested in playing a hybrid, please attach this to your full sheet ----​

hybrid classification: name your classification (if something other than the 3 listed)

define your unveiled parent, who and what are they (if you wish to reveal this in character, pls attach to the pm you send me)

racial features

list any features that your character gains from their otherworldly parentage. for example, dhampir's and certain demon hybrids have sunlight sensitivity. some demonic hybrids may have another form they shift into; while this could be a part of their power set (and listed under both), it stems from their infernal ancestry. do they have horns or unusual colored eyes?

power set

please include a description of your characters power(s), including any sensory details, including any visual effects, if applicable. as well as ways you think the power can grow. include strengths and weaknesses in regards to this ability: are they a demon hybrid who doesn't quite have mastery over their dematerialization or are they a dhampir struggling to learn how to compel? be creative! even if they're experienced, what are some quirks your characters have in regards to using them?

changeling specific // what is your ability? what is your natural desire? what are your characters thoughts about elsewhere?

how do they use it? what visual and sensory clues, if any, happen upon its use? what are its strengths and weaknesses as a power, and what are your characters strengths and weaknesses using it? are they comfortable with it? the natural desire can be anything; as your characters have little backstory prior to their "reawakening" (they're basically amnesiacs) where they're but hollow shells with a singular burning desire. up to you to decide what their natural desire is and how far they've come to fulling it. and along the way, what kind of person have they become? timid, shy and easily confused? readily startable and prone to bouts of paranoia? someone meticulous in remembering everything from here on out? to an extent, all changelings know about their time in elsewhere but something makes it incapable of actually being communicated, be it through thoughts or words or written languages. how does your character feel about this?

fairy specific // which is your dominant ability? what 'natural wonder' or grove do you reside in? how up to date with the modern times are you? fairies prolly have 1 or 2 spells they learn over the course of their lives, what have you learned?

whats the easiest way for them to use their abilies? why? what are its visual and aesthetic cues? how modernized are you? why are you stuck in the past or why are you staying up with the times? have you created a botanical garden, becoming a taboo and allowing others to witness its natural wonder or are you secretive, frolicking in the woods alone? similiarly to vampires, who can use all 3 of their mental abilities, so too do fairies, they're just usually really good at one and not so great at the others. how does your character feel about this? have they tried to mitigate it in some way?

berserkr specific // what are your wards/signs? how easy/hard is it for you to enter your rage? similarly to dhampirs and vampires, berserkrs have a 'specialty' in one of the physical enhancements (strength, speed, agility, durability, healing, and senses), which is yours?

did you create the signs yourself or were they passed down to you? what was your training like? did you escape the keepers or are you still there? are you still with the keepers of the flame or are you someone who grew up outside of their domineering grasp? do you like them? do you want to escape? include any sensory details of your signs or how your berserkrs rage appears.

Witches
Maidens and Masters
of the Moon.
Old World psychopomps,
New World heretics.
Reality binders
blinded by Reality.

Witches are separated from Witch Practitioners by having an active power— which stems from having ample amounts of blessed blood within them. Witches are humans who have been blessed by different patrons of magic, though the Patron of the Moon claims ownership over the First Witch, the most powerful, who now has over fourteen "separate" branches that span globally. There are an incalculable number of different patrons for witches, however, and the only true difference is in their scope of power, moral alignment, and visual and sensory aesthetics.

Witches are capable of warping reality, with their spells, rituals, active powers, and potions. Most do not reach the true, nigh-immortal potential as ancient witches did, but they are still plenty powerful, with a wide range of abilities in which to handle difficult situations. If morally aligned positively, young witches are given Guides— to oversee their blossoming magic and make sure it isn't corrupted by evil.

Witches who are predominantly active in the field may be blessed with a Guide regardless of age, and those who may be precious to their Patron may be given a personal Guide to watch over them.

Strengths, Weaknesses, and Peculiarities

Due to the arsenal bestowed upon them, witches are generally respected and in some cultures, revered by others within the Unveiled community. They perhaps have the most antagonistic relations with vampires*, but after the Covenant of 1673, tensions have slowly eased, and in communities like Pirn, nearly non-existent, unless perhaps a personal grudge.

* Vampires have hunted witches since their first spawn, as their blood creates euphoric feelings and enhances their mental abilities nearly twofold. However, it is highly addictive, and too much consumption of witch blood will cause a vampire to burst into particles, as they're incapable of processing the innate blessing within the blood.

Interestingly enough, witches are hierarchical by blood, with first borns often being born far stronger than their siblings. It is not completely understood, but common belief states it's so that the eldest sibling can protect the younger ones. Funnily enough, only children seem to bear no boon or consequence and are about as strong as their lineage would provide them to be.

Witches of a positive moral alignment are duty bound by an ancient oath to do no harm to and protect innocents from evils beyond the veil. While personal gain isn't strictly monitored, the powers that be can and will "mute" active abilities, if too often and severely abused. If a Witch falls from positivity, and revels in negative energies, they're oft "adopted" by patrons of lesser-to-somewhat-equal power of the opposite spectrum. Sometimes, however, active powers can be removed, leaving them nothing more than a Witch Practitioner. "Fallen Witches" as they are dubbed, are stripped of their rights to a Guide, as well as any protections or boons bestowed upon them by their previous patron.

Witches have a certain amount of energy they can expend on spells, rituals, and active powers within a day. If pushed past their limits, witches will be rendered unconscious as a precaution to their bodies, as expending too much energy can be fatal.

A witch's life expectancy varies wildly, depending on the patron behind their blood's blessing and the access to a Guide to heal injuries from the never-ending evils that assail them. The average is human+ or 120 years, though some lineages are known to live well beyond two centuries. A witch and their abilities will always scale proportionally in regards to their life expectancy.

For example: there are two witches, both aged 50. The first will only live to be 120 years old, the second will live to see 300. The first witch will be more powerful (as she has lived more of her life) than the second.

Active powers are revealed (usually) around 3-5 years of age. Late bloomers are common, especially in lineages containing other Unveiled blood. The full depth of a witches magical potential, however, is not bestowed upon them until they reach their physical and mental maturity between the ages of 19 and 25.


There are three cardinal realities that a witch cannot alter, warp, or bind:

01. Time

02. Death

03. Love


All witches have access to the following abilities to some degree:

The ability to cast and create spells, perform rituals, and brew potions that alters, warps, or binds reality.

An active power which may or may not be related to their Patron.

A Guide that will oversee their magical potential once it fully blossoms, usually between the ages of 18and 22.

With the blessing of their patron, comes a limited, but significant increase to their durability and healing factor, both of which are abnormally high for a human, but weaker than a shifter.

---- if you're interested in playing a witch, please attach this to your full sheet ----​

we're going to treat spells similarly to d&d; depending on how powerful your character's bloodline, you'll have x-amount of spell slots to use between gm posts. with that being said, characters can have up to six spells "at the ready", with differing levels of power and expertise that increase or decrease the amount of spell slots used.

the opportunity to learn new spells in character should be expected with time! active powers, in the context of d&d, are like cantrips: free to use whenever, though witches will eventually run out of energy and need to recoup.


what is your character's active power?

has it been passed down through your family for generations, or is it an amalgamation of different powers? is it something unique to your character? describe it: what it looks like and smells like, if applicable, what it does and what it doesn't, its strengths and weaknesses and any quirks your character may have while using it.

how many spells does your character know? what are they?

name of spell, description, range, needed components, including somatic, verbal, and material. does your grimoire come with instructions on how to perform it? or did your character figure it out on their own? did they create it? if so, how? remember you can have your witch start with up to six spells, but if they're younger than 80, realistically, they'd have about four, along with near mastery over their active power.

like shifters and vampires, witches have an affinity for one of the three inherent abilities: casting and creating spells, brewing potions, or performing rituals. which is your character more attuned to?

do they have a love for cooking or perhaps a green thumb? prolly a witch who feels most comfortable working with potions. are they creative, rhythmic, and natural orators? then perhaps they're most comfortable writing and casting spells. is your character meticulous and precise, able to remember difficult steps in order to create something otherworldly? than perhaps they vibe with rituals. neither is truly stronger than the other, they all have their own pros and cons, lemme know how yours is influenced!

Shifters
Savants of
primal urges.
Neither one
nor the other, but a
composite of the two.
Inevitably animalistic.

Shifters are Unveiled creatures who have the innate ability to transform into an animal. Like Witches and Watchers, this gene travels in the familial line, though unlike Witches, not every child born will be a Shifter. While only one myth surrounds the origins of Shifters, it is widely hailed as the truth— though the "truth" differs between cultures.

In cultures around the world, it's widely accepted that some trickster deity created the first Shifter.​

There is a short period of time in which the shift can occur, and unlike many Unveiled whose abilities are determined innately, a Shifters transition period is determined by how often they do it. In other words, practicing and training are key components to a shifters regime.

Strengths, Weaknesses, and Peculiarities

Similarly to other Unveiled, the older a Shifter is, the more powerful they are. This is mostly attributed to muscle memory, a clear understanding of their capabilities, and the knowledge and instinct to do so in combat (or other necessary situations).

Every Shifter has a limited amount of time in their shifts, although this increases with practice and age. As a Shifters life expectancy is double a humans and their bodies similarly halt in the reality that their body is fully grown in, those younger than 80 can spend about 4-12 hours in their animal form at max before needing to shift back to recuperate energy. Those older than 130 can usually spend an indefinite amount of time within their animal form.

Shifters are limited to one animal form. They retain their animal instincts and strengths in their human form, rivaling dhampirs in strength, agility, and durability. Some Shifters also attain what's known as the Animal's Blessing, which usually happens when a Shifter comes of age— about 40 years old — which gives active access to what was always unconsciously there. As some animals have the ability to detect or sense forms of energy, so too do Shifters. This blessing varies from animal to animal, and unlike Vampires, Shifters are capable of using these Animal Blessings on other Unveiled.

Due to the animalistic nature or the magic that created them, Shifters have an enhanced healing factor— weaker than Vampires, but stronger than Witches.

The myth states that a young maiden, lost in the woods and being chased by something unseen, happened upon a hooded figure who granted her one wish, whatever her heart desired. In return, the hooded figure asked for a single lock of her beautiful chestnut brown hair. The maiden agreed, and asked for a way through the woods. In turn, the hooded figure took a lock of her hair and turned her into a doe, free to frolic her way through the woods. In fright, the maiden took off through the underbrush, becoming a doe in every ounce of her being with each bound.

---- if you're interested in playing a shifter, please attach this to your full sheet ----​

token animal: must be an animal that is currently exists

how do they feel about their token animal?

do they like the kind of animal they shift into or are they scared or disgusted of it? if so, what will it take for them to come to terms with it?

what is your character's animal blessing? how active of a power is it?

can they use it consciously or are they still working on mastering it? have they even discovered it yet? how much energy does it take to use? do they have to be in one form or another (or both?) for it to work?

unlike witches who have an unspoken duty to either create or destroy evil, shifters are not bound by any such ancient oaths. if they fight for good, why do they?

some cultures, or tight-knit communities like pirn, that foster progressive ideologies within the unveiled world, call for everyone to join forces when something goes wrong. it could be as simple as that or a private vendetta against evil creatures from other planes. ]

Vampires
Deceased and
desecrated vessels.
Compulsive hunters, blessed
with otherworldly abilities,
cursed with
several achilles heels.

Vampires are Unveiled creatures who have befallen the vampiric curse— reanimation of the body after death, with human blood necessary for survival thereafter. At the very least, upon the moment of reanimation, a sip of human blood must be consumed within 24 hours or the creature dies again, the curse shredding itself through limb and vein and bone, furthering their traumatic existence. The true origins of the curse remains unclear, and though the Patron of the Moon does not claim ownership, she does shield them within her moonlit embrace.

The older a Vampire is, the stronger they are. On top of that, blood purity is a fascinating subject within vampiric societies, as it also decides how innately powerful a Vampire is. While there is no master/slave relationship between a vampire and it's maker, strong emotional bonds can be formed when a vampire wakes and has it's first feed.

There are four bloodlines considered most pure, though none have been directly descended from these lines in over seven generations: the Morelli's, the Valacari's, and the La Roque's*.

* Leaving one open for anyone to create an ancient bloodline. Please note, even if your bloodline is accepted, your character will not be a direct descendant, as your powers might be too powerful for me to scale.

Strengths, Weaknesses, and Peculiarities

Vampires are incapable of going out into the sun— their flesh will sear and burn instantly. Though superficial wounds will heal with time, complete exposure will reduce them to ashes.

To survive, vampires need to consume human blood. The length between each feed depends entirely upon the vampire, though there's an average of two weeks per half gallon of blood consumed. Some will be able to stretch an extra week in, while others won't be able to last half that.

When a vampire has not fed, the Thirst will eventually overcome them, turning them into deadly hunters whose only compulsion is the innate craving for blood. The Thirst is not sustainable, however, though many believe to be at their strongest while under its effects— which is partially true. Like mortals who experience adrenaline rushes and are capable of unthinkable feats, vampires too undergo drastic changes when the Thirst overtakes them. They are reduced to nothing more than perverted primal urges, who feel almost no pain, and are single minded in their lust for blood.

While nigh immortal, as a vampire will continue to age while remaining physically halted in the reality they died in, there are a few ways they can be killed. That short list consists of direct sunlight, a wooden stake through the heart, complete incineration by fire, and a rare, magical variant of oleander known as neriun.

Only vampiric females are capable of conceiving and giving birth to dhampirs. It is a long and arduous process, however, and not something just any Vampire is capable of without having an abundance of expendable resources. Female vampires must mate with a human* male and then spend the typical 9 months of pregnancy being completely satiated in thirst. In essence, as close to "human" as possible, with fresh, warm blood circulating through her veins.


All Vampires have access to the following abilities to some degree:

The power within the curse bestows superhuman physical abilities. This includes super strength, speed, agility, durability, senses, and a healing factor that matches.

Compulsion | The hallmark power of the vampiric society, Vampires have the ability to influence and alter the emotions, behavior, thoughts, and/or alter or erase the memories of humans*. Unless incredibly old and incredibly powerful, vampires cannot usually compel other Unveiled beings, save for the occasional Watcher.

* Those who specialize in altering and erasing memories are oft deficient in influencing emotions, behavior, and thoughts. Like the physical aspects of the vampiric curse, every Vampire has one of the four that feels most "natural".

Telepathy | A rudimentary yet intermediary ability that not many Vampires bother learning until they have full mastery over their compulsion, which can take upwards of two centuries. Those who do decide to delve into this ability, will find themselves capable of sending or receiving flashes and emotions to those nearby and eventually, across vast distances.

---- if you're interested in playing a vampire, please attach this to your full sheet ----​

how did your character die as a human? what were the circumstances of their rebirth?

how long ago was it? did they know they'd be transformed into a vampire when it happened? if so, were they attacked without being compelled or a human somehow in the know? if so, what were the circumstances surrounding it? what happened when they awoke?

every vampire has a dominant physical trait, which is yours?

some vampires have incredulous strength, whereas others are significantly faster. still, some are keen of sight, hearing, or smell, even more so than their vampiric peers.

what are your characters strengths and weaknesses, outside of (or in spite of) what's already been written?

do they have a particularly hard time resisting the urge to feed? if so, how do they overcome this? do they have a blood bank hustle or run a blood donation charity? have they located one of the nine ancient rings, forged by the ancient witch morena, that lets them deny natural order and walk in the sunlight? do they have trouble tolerating the sight of blood, the smell? are they new to vampiric life? if so, they might be unaware of how strong they truly are!!

of the mental abilities listed, which is your character more intune with? what are their strengths and weaknesses?

remember, the older a vampire gets, the stronger its abilities are. this goes for their mental abilities as well, though it's possible one's physiology preferred one over the other upon reanimation. powerful mental abilities for lesser physical ones. what do they find easy to do? difficult to attempt?

MuliMiriam Libre

 

[rissa]

 

[rissa]

NPCS

MIRI ROZEL

witch | 27 | librarian
main npc

most know of miri as the sweet, but sometimes manic librarian (and director) of pirn's hall of knowledge.

she was born and raised within pirn, oregon. as such, she's a common face around town. though she enjoys the serenity of books and the silence of the library, she does frequent coffee shops and Le Duchamp quite often, where papers and ledgers can be seen scattered across the booth as she eats.

to the veiled members of society, miri is a blossoming young woman, ready to take on the world-- or at least their little slice of it. many veiled come in and out of the hall of knowledge (pirn's famous 3.5 story library two blocks from central downtown) on a daily basis, and though it may be surprising to some, she holds no prejudice towards them, and acts as friendly and kind to them like she would any other unveiled.

to the unveiled members of society, miri is the eldest daughter of mr. rozel, former chairman of the council that governs the unveiled within pirn, and someone who others have very high expectations for. some of the older unveiled might have found it odd that she didn't show any interest in following in her father's footsteps, but those who know her know that she opted to do what she loved instead.

LORRAINE FRAISER

watcher | 44 | council chairwoman
npc

the council chairwoman is a force to be reckoned with, inside or outside of the unveiled council. an active member of pirn's local politics, as well as the parent teachers association, lorraine is a busy woman, though she handles it exceedingly well. if she's not seen by the mayors side hashing out details over the next festival, or beside shan at their local wednesday barbeque, she's seen with her husband, lane fraiser, and their three kids at the crescent lake or hiking across the many nature trails.

within the unveiled society, she's seen as both a pillar of strength and an annoying hag who dares to regulate them.

SHAN PATEL

hybrid | 37 | councilwoman
npc

shan patel is a member of the unveiled council within pirn, as well as the PTA head for the three elementary schools. she's a close friend to lorraine fraiser, and the two can be seen on the weekends with their children downtown or hosting get togethers at lithia park.

she's often the one who handles punishment and rewards in the unveiled society within pirn; if someone steps out of line and the council deems it fit for action to take place, shan is usually the one who handles it. seen as an incredibly powerful unveiled, her abilities are still shaded in mystery, and those who may step a toe or two out of line usually give her a wide breadth.

MARCUS STALVEY

watcher | 48 | mayor of pirn
npc

a busy man with an even busier schedule, marcus stalvey is the mayor of pirn, who somehow balances the veiled and unveiled world with ease. though his abilities are lacking compared to the other notable watchers in pirn, he makes do with a smile on his face.

he has a noticeable relationship with the chairwoman of the unveiled council, though no one is quite sure whether its positive or negative; they seem to butt heads as often as they work together and when they do work together, they seem to produce spectacular results.

MAKAYLA JONES

shifter | 22 | barista
npc

everyone's favorite girl to hate, makayla jones was born and raised in pirn. the jones family farm is well known and well loved, but their youngest daughter has always caused a racket; whether it be unable to control her shifting while growing up or her holier than thou attitude. though she's eased up with age, makayla still has a sharp gaze and an even sharper tongue.

she works at the local coffee shop instead of her family's farm and seems to enjoy the independence that it brings her.

MALACHAI REYNOLDS

dhampir | 42 | blood bank owner
npc

malachai "mal" reynolds is a dhampir of unusual make, able to walk in the sunlight with only a twinge of pain from his exposed skin. mal is well known, though not always for the best of reasons. when he first arrived in pirn, about twenty or so years ago, he caused a lot of trouble-- so much so that mr. rozel attempted to ban him from the city. but after saving his daughter from a deranged vampire seeking more witches blood, the witch hunt was ended and he was allowed to stay.

in the following years, mal has created a legitimate business to help aid those who suffer from the thirst, as well as mortals who may need blood transfusions and the like. it is well known that mal will hand out blood bags to any vampire who needs their fix, with only one stipulation: stop attacking humans. the business is highly profitable, with veiled clients coming by from all over oregon and washington, and unveiled clientele coming from all over the world to purchase or plead for blood.

he's often seen checking in on miri at the hall of knowledge and seeking ancient tomes from the underground library.

NOAH PARKER

guide | 189 | maven of the upper planes
npc

while not a permanent resident of pirn, noah frequents the town on occasion, to check on his protégé and his appointed charge.

considered a maven in the guiding sphere, there is a strange juxtaposition about him; his face and demeanor are exceedingly friendly, and his presence, especially around other good-aligned unveiled, has a tendency to make others feel warm and comforted.

and yet, despite that, he is a stoic man, with little room for idle chit chat. his speech is blunt and his tone is dry, and for those who actually know him, they're aware that he's analytical and methodical in his duties.

LAYLA WILLIAMS

watcher | 26 | bakery shop owner
npc

layla is well known among the denizens of pirn, as her family's bakery has been in the heart of downtown for nearly 70 years. as her parents have passed on, the business has fallen to layla and her younger sister, who is currently out of town and away at uni. she has a love for all things sweet, which includes non-edible things as well. breads, desserts, and sweet goods are sold at william's bakery, all freshly made.

she greets everyone with a smile, regardless of whether or not they're entering her shop or passing them by on the street.

 

[rissa]

Cast & Crew

The full Character Index can be found here.

THE MARKED ONES

LOSE AN EYE FOR THE ACHROMATIC GLOOM AHEAD​

Aisling
Alexandra Lykaios
Araceli
Elouan Montagu
Jilliel Baal
Louis Hayes
Maria Fernanda González Ramos
Morgan Owain
Seren Rhiannon o Annwn

THE UNVEILED OF PIRN

LOSE SOME BLOOD FOR THE SIPHONS OF IRE EXPECTED​

Daniel Morin
Wyatt Whitlock