On the surface, London society is as it's always been — a teeming mass of diverse classes, cultures, and accents all living side-by-side in the heart of southeast England. In a city with over 7-million people, it's easy for just about anyone to slide in to some niche or another. Of course, in the world of London: BD&L, that simply means there's more room for supernaturals to slip under the surface and thrive.
Magic in the Modern Day
There's an old saying, "Either you got it, or you ain't." When it comes to magic, there's a certain amount of truth there. Either magic's in your blood, or it's not. Anyone can write a spell. Not everyone can cast it.
The fact is, magic comes in two forms:
- Intrinsic magic — that innate gift born in the blood and honed through untold hours of practice and perseverance;
- Extrinsic magic — the hard-won outcome of carefully researched and executed rites and rituals available to anyone with the will and mind to do the right homework;
In the supernatural world, intrinsic magic almost always trumps extrinsic magic. There's a lot to be said for instinct, after all.
Thus, the nature of intrinsic versus extrinsic magic — and whether a body possesses one or the other — has a huge influence on supernatural politics. To understand how that works, however, you need to understand the various intrinsically supernatural races and extrinsic magic practitioners, and how well they play with and against each other.
The Supernatural 101
Loosely speaking, the supernatural races, those intrinsically gifted with magic, can be divided into three categories:
- Human Magi, Psychics, & Mutants — humans gifted with paranormal abilities;
- Demi-Humans — offspring of a human and non-human;
- Terrors — creatures that go far beyond normal humanity.
Each have their advantages and disadvantages, and their dispositions are as varied as their gifts and appearances.
But they are not the only supernatural forces at play. Humanity has long had a fascination with magic. There are those who, though they haven't a single shimmering shred of magic in their blood, pursue occult power with such a single-minded passion that they are rewarded by external magical entities, who permit them to borrow their might or beg a boon of them. They access this extrinsic power through study and research, the use of rites and rituals, and even worship and devotion. Thus, it often appears these Thaumaturges control magic of their own, when, in fact, they are simply allied with something more powerful than themselves.
Racial Summaries
Click on a link in the Race column to see a full, in-depth article on each race described.
Race |
Description |
Witches |
Exclusively female, Witches are women intrinsically gifted with the ability to cast spells and control magical forces. Their gifts are inherited, bred from mother to daughter. There are no male Witches, at all. In fact, it is exceedingly rare for any Witch to give birth to a boy. Whether solo-practitioners or part of a coven, they have a long-standing enmity with Sorcerers that stems from disputes dating back to the Dark Ages. As a result, Witches are far more scattered and less inclined to any sort of centralized authority. |
Sorcerers |
Always male, Sorcerers are men intrinsically gifted with the ability to cast spells and control magical forces. Their gifts are inherited, bred from father to son. There are no female Sorcerers, at all. In fact, it is exceedingly rare for any Sorcerer to father a girl . Most Sorcerers exist as part of dynastic cabals — sons helping to strengthen the power bases of their fathers and forefathers. Solo-practitioners are extremely rare. Their tendency toward a strict patriarchy is at the root of their enmity with Witches. |
Necromancers |
Among the rarest of the intrinsic magi, Necromancers are living links to the realm of the dead. Not only can they see and interact with ghosts in a manner no one else but those psychic Clairvoyants known as Ghost Whisperers can, but they can raise zombies and animate corpses as well. They are meant to be the guardians of the living, since their gifts give some measure of protection from and occasionally power over the undead. However, this isn't always the case. Many Necromancers suffer considerable mental distress due to their gifts, constantly hounded by restless spirits seeking favours or making mischief. Thus, a high percentage of them, few as they are, end up completely mad before the end. |
Psychics |
Whether male or female, Psychics possess a paranormal ability involving some sort of extrasensory perception. They possess one of three categories of gifts: Telepathy, Psychokinesis, or Clairvoyance. Typically, their gifts are passed down through bloodlines, but there's no guarantee that a gift displayed in one generation will automatically manifest in the next. |
Mutants |
While not possessed of any spell-casting ability, Mutants are nonetheless possessed of unique powers. There is some debate as to whether these powers are truly magic, or whether they're nothing more than extremely unusual genetic aberrations. They are not X-Men or similar such comic book characters. Known mutations are narrow in scope and always physical in nature. They include Chameleons, Folders, and Vanishers. |
Race |
Description |
Half-Demon |
Children born of a human mother and a demonic father, while they retain a human appearance, are gifted with some measure of their father's abilities — and occasionally some part of his chaotic nature, as well. They are no more good or evil than any other person on the planet, but their gifts do set them apart. Those gifts are as varied as the demons that sire them, and commensurate with their father's place in the hierarchy of Hell. Their gifts, however, cannot be passed down to their own children, but die with them at the end of their very human lifespan. |
Half-Angels |
Children born of a human and a celestial, while they retain a human appearance, are gifted with some measure of their celestial parent's abilities — and occasionally some part of his altruistic nature, as well. They are no more good or evil than any other person on the planet, but their gifts do set them apart. Those gifts are as varied as the Avatars that bear them, and commensurate with their parent's place in the hierarchy of Heaven. Their gifts, however, cannot be passed down to their own children, but die with them at the end of their very human lifespan. |
Fae-Blooded |
Children born of a human mother and a fae father — more rarely a fae mother and human father — the Fae-Blooded retain the grace and beauty of their fae parent, as well as the potential for several of their glamouring and illusory magical abilities. Of course, they also inherit the fae's allergy to iron and affinity for silver, but that's rather to be expected, too. They may occasionally, but not always, inherit a measure of their fae parent's longevity, as well. They do not, however, pass on any significant fae traits to their own children, aside, perhaps, for a certain fairness of face. |
Race |
Description |
Vampires |
Creatures of the night, Vampires are unequivocally demonic in nature. Though they were once human, retaining the imprint of their human memories and personalities, their human souls have long since fled to their final reward. Seductive and mysterious, they exist on the periphery of both human society and the hierarchy of Hell, in a highly structured society of their own. They possess remarkable speed, strength, and regenerative abilities. They can cloud minds and alter memories and perceptions to varying degrees. The eldest among them possess darker powers, still, all manipulative in nature. But, they are not without their weaknesses. Silver burns them, a stake through the heart or beheading will kill them, as will sunlight and fire. And they cannot enter a private abode without an invitation. |
Shapeshifters |
Every culture has its stories of men and women that can turn into beasts. Some are monsters, some are guardians, some are tricksters. But all of them fall into one of two categories: Metamorphs and Werecreatures. The differences between the two are marginal, and yet profound. Metamorphs can transform into a wider range of creatures, while Werecreatures are confined to a single, specific species. Whatever form they take, Metamorphs never obtain any abilities greater than those that the animal into which they've shifted already possesses, and they must be intimately familiar with that animal to be able to make the transformation in the first place. More than that, they retain none of the animal's senses in their human form, nor can they settle into any sort of hybrid or partial transformation. It's all or nothing. In contrast, what Werecreatures lack in versatility, they make up for in other ways — enhanced senses, strength, and speed even in human form, and greater powers of regeneration. Some of them, rare though it is, can even maintain hybridized transformations for short whiles. All Shapeshifters share a severe aversion to silver, which burns and scars them. It can also inhibit their transformative abilities. They are also all at least partially ruled by the cycle of the moon and must transform when it reaches full. |
Infernals |
In the hierarchy of Hell there are two sorts of demons: Cacodemons and Eudemons. All of them are unrepentantly evil, however, the difference between the two may best be described as the difference between Chaos and Order. It is exceedingly rare for Eudemons, who are all about Order, to at all intersect with Humanity. They do not have children with humans, nor do they particularly care about what happens in the human world. That doesn't make them any less evil, merely indifferent. Cacodemons, on the other hand, delight in doing all they can to interfere with Humanity. It's they that most want to rule the human world and transform it into an extension of Hell. They're the ones that produce the Half-Demons in the world. They're the ones that most of the stereotypical images of demons and devils are based upon.
Note: This is solely an NPC race and is not open to PC application. |
Celestials |
The hierarchy of Heaven is not without its denizens. There's no dark without the light, after all. Angels are heavenly messengers and divine warriors. They don't often interact overtly with humans, acting, instead, as invisible guardians and occasional guides. They are focussed and implacable in their tasks, always obedient to the needs of the Greater Good, no matter what the cost may be. Avatars, on the other hand, though they often serve many of the same functions as Angels, have greater autonomy and diversity in their reactions. In many ways, they are 'more human' than their Angelic brethren.
Note: This is solely an NPC race and is not open to PC application. |
The Fae |
Of all the supernatural races, the Fae are the most unpredictable, most capricious, most diverse. No single race embodies the whole of magic the way the denizens of the Twilight Realms do. Indeed, they range in temperament and form from the elfin, sometimes-arrogant Sidhe to the stunted, often-vicious Red Cap goblins, from the diminutive demifey known as pysks and pixies to the stone giants of the Welsh mountains and the water peoples of lochs and moors. Most of the Fae eschew the human world; there's too much iron and steel, too few green spaces for their liking. Still, some do cross the Twilight Marges into the modern world, bringing with them all the adventure and intrigue their kind is so famous for.
Note: This is solely an NPC race and is not open to PC application. |
Spirits |
Good and evil spirits abound throughout mystic lore. The fact is, though, most of them are simply manifestations of various Infernals or Celestials. Still, there are some few genuine instances of hauntings and possessions. The most common spirits that aren't some sort of Infernal, Celestial, or Faerie manifestation, include Ghosts, Phantoms or Specters, and Poltergeists or Phantasms. Ghosts are souls caught in Limbo or on the Astral Plane, stranded outside their rightful place in the afterlife. Sometimes, this is intentional on their part, other times it's entirely unintentional. In either case, however, it's because they have unfinished business and either refuse to or simply can't cross over until it's been resolved. Phantoms and Specters are psychic imprints left behind by Ghosts or other astral entities, an echo of consciousness or the Ghost's nature and personality that lives on after the soul has crossed over. Poltergeists and Phantasms, however, are build-ups of energy — magical, psychic, or creative — that develop a sort of rudimentary consciousness and independent action. They're not intelligent, not in the way a Ghost or Phantom might be, but they are dangerous.
Note: This is solely an NPC race and is not open to PC application. |
Myths & Monsters |
Centuries of myths and legend tells us that there are far more races and creatures out there than the scant few already touched on. From the Centaurs and Gorgons of Greek myth to the Nagas and Apsaras of India, the Vodianoi of Slovakia, and the Valkyries of Scandinavia, there are hundreds, possibly thousands of supernaturals hidden away from the prying eyes of modern-day humanity. Which of these appear on-camera and which remain hidden remains to be seen.
Note: This is solely an NPC race and is not open to PC application. |
Race |
Description |
Druids |
Far from being the forest-dwelling hermits of folktales and fantasy stories, Druids can be found in all walks of life. They owe their allegiance to at least one of the gods and goddesses of the Celtic pantheon — who, nowadays, are recognized as the various Lords of the Fae, the royalty of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. The type and strength of a Druid's power directly correlates to the personality and power of the deity he (or she) venerates. Further, the relationship between a Druid and his Patron depends on just how many Patrons he solicits. A Druid devoted to a single Patron will have a narrow range of aspects available to him, but the strength of those manifestations will be great. His singular devotion earns him special favour with his Patron. A Druid that divides his devotion among several Patrons will have a wider range of aspects available to him, but none will manifest with the strength or power available to the singularly devoted Druid. He becomes more a 'Jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none'. Of course, the greatest weakness of a Druid is the natural capriciousness of his Patron. The Fae are notoriously fickle. As much as they like the flattery, and are usually charmed by it, there are times when, due to mood or whim, they may not give their worshiper quite what he expects… or may even ignore him entirely. |
Shamans |
Shamans come from a myriad of belief backgrounds, but the one thing they all share in common is the solicitation of a Companion — a spirit guide and guardian that is the source of much of the Shaman's power. Companions have both substance and form, and may be visible or invisible at will. They take on the form of a totem animal that holds significance for the Shaman with whom they are allied, usually acting as a reflection of the Shaman's core personality. They are also inevitably the opposite gender to that Shaman, so a male Shaman will have female Companion and vice versa. The Shaman always knows exactly where his Companion is and, through that Companion, can sense the whereabouts of other spiritual entities — particularly other Companions. However, while a Shaman can exert considerable influence over his Companion, he cannot override its free will. Further, a Companion's strength and well-being is directly proportional to the Shaman's own, and is heavily affected by the strength of his belief. |
Magicians |
The term Magician is given to a variety of extrinsic spell-casters who must use some form of ritual to perform any sort of magic. They are not spontaneous spell-casters, as Witches and Sorcerers are. Everything they do must be prepared ahead of time. This doesn't necessarily make them less powerful, however; merely, less-inclined to improvise. Magicians have a particular fondness for using and creating artefacts, amulets, and charms, which can be used to store and release spells. Without such objects, however, they are entirely powerless. |
Interracial Politics
With such a diversity of supernatural expression, it's actually amazing the mundane world isn't more aware of the existence of the paranormal world than it is. The fact remains, however, that byword of the supernatural is secrecy. It doesn't matter who they are, to which race they belong, every Magi, Thaumaturge, Psychic, Mutant, Demi-Human, and Terror knows that their survival absolutely depends on remaining hidden, both from the mundane world and the prying eyes of other supernaturals that might wish to steal or manipulate their power.
Of course, this is more true of some races than others, but even so. It is the one principle every single one of them rely on to keep them safe from harm.
Consequently, most races keep to themselves and truly trust only other members of their own kind. There are exceptions, of course, but they are few and far between. (For instance, both Vampires and Sorcerers will employ members of other races to help in their operations, but it is rare for them to give such individuals access to their innermost circles.)
Recently, however, there has been some effort by certain supernatural individuals to create a sort of 'United Nations' of the supernatural world. They haven't gotten very far; many races won't participate and even those representatives that do sit on the Interracial Council can't claim to speak for everyone like them. So, at present, it's a very localized movement. It's longterm influence, however, could be huge, depending on what happens in the near future.
Alliances & Enmities
A summary of the major supernatural alliances and enmities can be found below:
You'd think, given they're essentially flipped sides of the same coin, that Witches and Sorcerers would work well together. Nothing could be further from the truth, however.
The dispute between them stretches back to the Dark Ages when, thanks largely to the rise and fall of Rome, early matriarchal societies shifted to become patriarchal in nature. The greater the separation was between home and state, the deeper the divide grew. Enterprising Sorcerers, eager to protect their standing and influence in society, would hand Witches over to the mundane magistrates, blaming them for their own mistakes or any other societal ill requiring a scapegoat. This created a certain vicious circle, really, that both precipitated and then resulted because of the rise of persecution against supernaturals exemplified by uprisings such as the English Witch Hunts and Spanish Inquisition.
This, of course, forced the Witches into hiding. Their covens, when they were brave enough to form them at all, were kept small and secret; their magic became defensive and protective in nature. The solo practitioner or familial coven has become the norm. Meanwhile, Sorcerers formed cabals, cartels, and secret brotherhoods modelled after mundane guilds and lodges. Their magic became aggressive and manipulative. For them, their protection lay in building commercial (and sometimes criminal) dynasties that can now influence and potentially control whole communities, states, and nations.
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Read more: The Witch/Sorcerer Civil War
Relations between Vampires and Werecreatures are touch-and-go, at best. Some Vampires possess abilities that allow them tremendous influence or control over certain types of animals. The most powerful of them can use those abilities to influence and command Werecreatures of the same species, and frequently do.
Of course, many Werecreatures resent such control, considering it a form of enslavement. This makes them decidedly unfriendly toward those particular Vampires, even if they can't do anything about it.
Having said that, there are some Werecreatures that willingly enter into mutually beneficial pacts with the Vampiric powers-that-be in the places where they hold territory. It depends largely on the nature of the Alpha Weres and Master Vampires.
There is, however, one particular breed of Werewolf, known as the Canis Caelestis — the Hounds of Heaven — who are believed to have been created by God specifically to combat demonic forces, both Vampiric and Demonic. They are completely uncompromising and implacable in their opposition to those forces.
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Read more: The Tumultuous History of Vampires and Werewolves
The battle between Angels and Demons is eternal. On the scale of Good and Evil, they are diametrically opposed to one another. They don't work well together; never have, and never will.
Circumstances may, occasionally, force them to set aside their immediate desires to send each other into Oblivion, but never for very long. It's pretty much guaranteed that a Demon will, sooner or later, find a reason to double-cross an Angel, or that an Angel will lash out in righteous anger to smite a Demon.
Interestingly enough, however, this enmity doesn't automatically spill down into any Demi-Human children they may have. Regardless of the source of their inherited abilities, the natures of those Demi-Human children are taken from their human parents, not their Infernal or Celestial parents.
Read more: When Heaven Meets Hell
Pacts & Agreements
Most of the currently known pacts and agreements out there, respected among supernaturals, are highly localized. However, the most important ones are as follows:
Where Worlds Collide
One of the reasons the supernatural world is so secretive, however, has nothing to do with their own political machinations. It has everything to do with the fact that, by-and-large, they're vastly outnumbered by the denizens of the human world, most of whom would view them as a threat. Indeed, human history is replete with examples of humanity's tendency to destroy that which is different or that it doesn't understand.
Regardless, the human world is not entirely ignorant of the supernatural world. There are some humans, who, for one reason or another, are entirely aware that the supernatural exists. That doesn't mean, of course, that they know all there is to know about it, but they won't deny it's real, anyway. And, when confronted with it, not all of them try to reason it away.
Humans In-The-Know
For some, it's an academic fascination, for others it's a matter of life and death. Some respond quite favourably to the idea there's more out there than meets the eye, others… not so much:
From Jason the Argonaut to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, humanity has a long tradition of monster hunters and demon slayers. Though they might occasionally fall heir to occult weaponry or artefacts, contrary to what's seen in pop culture, these hunters have rarely been supernaturals, themselves.
Most monster hunters are highly trained fighters, true. But, they're still only human. Their knowledge and training depends largely on what they're fighting, and why. Some are part of ancient orders that trace their history back hundreds of years, devoted to the eradication of their chosen foe wherever they may be found. Others are solitary hunters, out to avenge some wrong — real or imagined, personal or principled.
What they share in common, however, is the conviction that the supernatural threat they hunt must be stopped by any means necessary.
Read more: Playing a Monster Hunter
There are some humans that are acquainted with the supernatural through a largely academic lens. Perhaps they don't have the temperament to fight, or perhaps they're simply more curious about how this strange world works than anything else. Some, of course, are in the employ of orders and agencies that exist to hunt and destroy 'creatures of the night' and other such terrors. Others are independent researchers who've built reputations as Loremasters in their own right — whether in an academic career or 'alternative journalism'.
The thing about Loremasters, however, is that they're always useful — to humans and supernaturals alike. Of course, if they spread their knowledge around too far, or to the wrong people, they can find themselves on the wrong end of a supernatural hit list pretty fast, so it's not a path without its risks. But, for some, knowledge is its own reward and the risks pale in comparison.
Read more: Playing a Loremaster
To some, the difference between a Thaumaturge and a Cleric is slim at best. After all, both are ritualists, aren't they? Both rely on extrinsic magic, don't they?
Not quite.
While priests and clerics of many non-mainstream cults and religions are effectively Thaumaturges, those belonging to the more mainstream religions (specifically the monotheistic Abrahamic religions), see the world differently than Thaumaturges do. Thus, they respond to the supernatural differently.
Belief in the One True God, however they conceive Him, precludes acceptance of most magical frames of reference. In fact, most of the supernatural — from Witchcraft and Sorcery to Vampires and Shapeshifters — is considered an abomination in the eyes of their God, and thus rejected out of hand. Too, while these religions do have their rituals, most of them are not constructed with the intent of channelling mystical energies or diverse spiritual forces in mind.
Nonetheless, it is precisely this single-minded devotion that gives the clergy of the Abrahamic religions considerable supernatural strength. It's not innate; their faith lends it to them. They can pray, expecting Angels to aid and defend them… and it happens. They can raise their holy symbols before a Vampire and keep him at bay… at least for a little while. And, remarkably, they are the only ones who can perform a successful exorcism.
Nevertheless, these mighty prayer warriors are not always successful. If their faith falters or if the Angels defending them are forced to retreat, they can quickly find themselves in dire straits. Still, they live with the confidence that, whatever happens, it's God's will… even if it kills them.
Note: Most Clergy are not consciously aware of and cannot physically see the supernatural at work any more than any other purely mortal human can. However, they always see the world through the theological lens of their particular faith group or denomination — thus, they inevitably interpret supernatural occurrences as part of the larger God vs. The Deceiver cosmic battle. So, in their eyes, they don't command supernatural forces themselves, but are rather witness to God acting on their behalf for His own Purposes. Consequently, Clergy are not supernatural in nature, despite the fact some may see their faith in the God of Abraham as roughly analogous to that of a Druid's in his Patron.
Read more: Playing a Cleric
Red Tape & Bureaucracy
Of course, where society flourishes — whether magical or not — bureaucracy follows, as does commerce and industry. Whether it's governments trying to keep tabs on the hidden denizens of society, corporations working to keep ahead of their competition, religions tending to the needs of their congregations, or activists fighting against opposing points of view, it's inevitable that organizations and factions will crop up, one vying against the other. Some of these organizations are exactly what they seem. Others are merely fronts for other purposes. Even the Good Guys hide behind screens, once in a while.
Important Agencies, Organizations, and Factions
Click on a link in the Organization column to see a full, in-depth article on each organization described.
Organization |
Aim |
Scope |
Status |
The Department |
The monitoring and/or control of supernaturals. |
The Department is one of those clandestine government agencies that officially "don't exist". Buried so deep in the bowels of MI5 and MI6, it's virtually its own entity, effectively independent — aside from funding — from both intelligence branches. |
Black Ops/Top Secret |
Interracial Council |
To promote cooperation between supernaturals, regardless of race or faction. |
Currently consisting of a covenless Witch, a rogue Sorcerer, a couple of Demi-Humans, and maybe a Psychic or two, the Interracial Council is more of a Grand Experiment than a Working Reality. Until they can get buy-in from either the Vampires or Werewolf Pack, and convince more of their own people that some sort of a central forum where disputes between races and overall threats to the supernatural community as a whole can be dealt with cooperatively is actually a good idea… well, let's just say it's doubtful they'll get very far. Still, miracles do happen. |
Secret — unknown to most people, both supernatural and human alike. |
Organization |
Aim |
Scope |
Status |
The D. L. Alexander Foundation |
To serve and protect the Psychic community. |
Established in 1968, 'The Foundation' (as it's colloquially called) is recognized across the UK, Ireland, and Europe as a well-respected non-profit organization dedicated to mental health and well-being, early-childhood development, private and post-secondary education, general psychological research, and related technologies. It is also recognized as a formidable non-govermental think tank on public policy concerning such diverse issues as education, mental health and well-being, as well as (perhaps surprisingly) privacy and exploitation.
In fact, it was established by Psychics for Psychics. It seeks to quietly identify Psychics and provide them with a safe haven where they can learn to control and develop their gifts. |
Generally trusted by the public, who know nothing about its Psychic agenda. Many Psychics find the Foundation helpful and supportive. A few wonder if there's a hidden agenda. Some are as clueless as the rest of the non-Psychic world. |
Novagen Biotechnia |
To scientifically study supernaturals, figure out what makes them tick, and learn how to replicate and control it so they can monopolize the medical market. |
Novagen Biotechnia is one of the leading biotech firms in the world. They specialize in pharmaceuticals and genetic engineering. Remarkably enough, it is not controlled by supernatural forces (most particularly any of the Sorcerer Dynasties). However, they have a top secret research division that is specifically and entirely dedicated to capturing and studying supernaturals, with the hope that they will be able to find some sort of scientific means of replicating their magical abilities. Most people, including most supernaturals, are entirely unaware of this. Indeed, the only supernaturals that do know about that are those that have had some sort of personal run-in with a Novagen R&D team. And most of them never get out of the research facilities alive. |
Publically, Novagen is an upstanding corporate citizen. Very little is know about their clandestine operations. |
Reese International |
To dominate international commerce and, secretly, further the aims of the Rhys Sorcerer Dynasty. |
Reese International, Incorporated (a.k.a. ReeseCorp) is one of those huge European conglomerates with holdings all over the world. They're particularly active in the media, technology, and finance sectors, though they certainly maintain their share of companies in the lucrative sectors of medicine, processing, and manufacturing as well. Basically, they've got their fingers into just about everything. Not all of it's legal, either — though nothing short of the exposure of their supernatural roots would ever betray that. |
Publicly, Reese Corp is an upstanding corporate citizen. Supernaturals, however, know it is the heart of the Rhys Dynasty and only the most foolish or most powerful of them are stupid enough to cross the Reeses. |
Organization |
Aim |
Scope |
Status |
The Order of St. Patroclus |
To defend the innocent against the Forces of Darkness. |
Founded in the middle the Byzantine Era, in the Westphalian city of Soest (Germany), the Order of St. Patroclus has always dedicated itself to protecting the innocent and helpless from demonic supernatural forces — particularly from Vampires, most Shifters, and Infernals (though they aren't any too friendly with any of the other supernatural races, either). It began as a small cadre of church knights, soldiers, and religious scholars, dedicated to St. Patroclus, whose name was often invoked to protect the innocent from demons. Originally, only men were permitted to join the order — men who would be trained as holy warriors against darkness. And no supernaturals of any sort were permitted, the medieval mind seeing all such aberrations as demon-spawn. In time, however, the Order made finer distinctions between Light and Dark. As long as a priest sanctified a supernatural and pronounced their gifts to be 'of God', they were welcome. Since the Age of Enlightenment, it's even permitted women within its ranks. Today, the Order masquerades before an unsuspecting public as a Catholic charity, offering aid to the poor, sick, and marginalized. In fact, however, its mission has never changed. It still exists to hunt and harass demon-spawn wherever they raise their evil heads. |
The Order's status as a religious charity and social services provider is well-known and widely accepted as their only work. The clandestine nature of their operations, however, is known only to the most powerful of their enemies and allies. |
The Fellowship of Light |
The complete eradication of supernaturals. |
The Fellowship of Light is largely considered to be a far-Right Christian cult. They're more popular in the Southern USA, than in the UK or Europe, but that doesn't stop them from having small international chapters. (They consider it 'missionary work'.) They take a militant hardline against all forms of the occult and supernatural. These are the folks that burn Harry Potter books on the front lawns of public schools in the name of 'upholding family values' and loudly condemn just about anything that isn't born of Fundamental Christianity (especially if it comes in the form of witchcraft, homosexuality, or Biblical heresy). Generally, their sort doesn't really impact British society, which is far less fundamentally religious than the Americans. So, most people — including most supernaturals (except, perhaps, Vampires, who see the world differently than everyone else) don't really give them much thought, dismissing them as 'Bible-thumping loonies'. What most people don't realize, however, is that they are very well-funded by several North American mega-churches and have at their disposal the financial and technical resources to field a remarkably well-equipped paramilitary force whose sole mission is to seek out and destroy supernaturals of all any and all natures (except, possibly, Celestials). |
Publicly, the FoL maintains religious status as a church and religious lobbyist organization. |
Organization |
Aim |
Scope |
Status |
The Hyde Park Pack |
The principle Werewolf pack of London. |
The Hyde Pack is the strongest of the Shifter/Werecreature groups in the city. While others may be larger (the Piccadilly Wererat Swarm, for instance), the Pack consider themselves the enforcers of the Shifter world. They have traditional treaties with most of the other large Werecreature groups, though some of them are little more than a mutual non-aggression pact than anything else. Still, if trouble rears its ugly head in the Shifter community, it's very likely the Wolves that will step in to police it — whether the other species and groups like it or not. |
Known mostly to Shifters/Werewolves, and Vampires. Other supernaturals may be aware it must exist, but most won't know who its major players are. Very, very few non-supernaturals know of its existence at all. |
The Piccadilly Swarm |
The principle Wererat swarm of London |
The Piccadilly Swarm is the largest of the Shifter/Werecreature groups in the city. They're respected generally on account of their large numbers, not on account of their character. This isn't to say they're evil. Just a little chaotic. They tend to be the collectors and fences of the supernatural world, however, with a vast information network at their fingertips, thanks to both their ubiquitousness and their ability to go undetected where a lot of the larger species would otherwise be caught. |
Known mostly to Shifters/Werewolves, and Vampires. Other supernaturals may be aware they exist, but most won't know who its major players are. Very, very few non-supernaturals know of its existence at all. |
Footnotes
Points to Cover
- Modern-Day Magic
- Supernatural Races
- Human Supernaturals
- Magic-Users
- Witches
- Sorcerers
- Mancers
- Necromancers
- Pyromancers DROPPED
- Aeromancers DROPPED
- Geomancers DROPPED
- Hydromancers DROPPED
- Thaumaturges
- Druids
- Shamans
- Magicians
- Voudoun DROPPED *Perhaps introduce later.
- Psychics
- Telepathics — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Telepaths — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Empaths — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Kinetics — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Telekinetics — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Cyberkinetics — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Biokinetics — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Clairvoyants — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Seers — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Psychometrists — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Ghost Whisperers — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Mutants
- Chameleons
- Folders
- Vanishers
- Demi-Humans
- Half-Demons
- Demi-Angels
- Fae-Blooded
- Terrors
- Vampires
- Shifters
- Animal Shifters — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Werecreatures — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Canis Caelestis — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Infernals (NPC race)
- Celestials (NPC race)
- The Fae (NPC race)
- The Seelie Court — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- The Unseelie Court — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- The Wild Hunt — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Spirits (NPC race)
- Ghosts — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Phantoms — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Poltergeists — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Myths & Monsters (NPC race)
- Ghouls — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Zombies — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Dark Creatures — ADD TO CLASS PAGE
- Inter-racial Politics
- Alliances & Enmities
- Pacts & Agreements — ADD INFO
- Non-Supernatural Agents
- Hunters & Slayers
- Researchers & Watchers
- Ritualists & Cultists DROPPED IN FAVOUR OF MAGICIANS
- Priests & Clerics
- Important Agencies, Factions, & Organizations
- Governmental, Intergovernmental, & Pan-Governmental
- The Council of Races
- The Department
- Corporate & Civil
- Religious & Theocratic
- The Order of St. Patroclus
- The Fellowship of Light
- Secrets & Revelations DROPPED — FOLDED INTO CLASS & ORG PAGES