Vampire Organization

City in Shadows

The Covenants

The vampire covens are the basic structure of the vampire society. Vampires are a highly organized species. They have live some from the very beginning of civilization they understand how the game of politics works. Vampires meddle in the politics of mundane since the dawn of times. Vampire dance a dangerous game since they are no longer alive they need living dolls to work their biding. To play the Vampire game is to play a game of shadows and masks in the world.

The Hierarchy

The hierarchy of the covenants is of high importance to the vampires. Without of such structure the vampire dominion over certain regions should have fade centuries ago. A weak link on a chain that have eons being formed can destroy an entire dynasty of vampire rule over the lands. The vampire Hierarchy of organization goes something like this. At least this what our data have recalled about such organization.

Ranks:

Newborn: Those who are either chosen or choose to become a new vampire to the ranks of the Children of the night. At this stage no visible powers are shown neither any of the usual traits of the vampire blood affect the individual. If the Newborn is a wizard its magick still works as usual. just after the change its when their magick transform or cease to work at all.

Blooded: This is the first step in vampire existence. Their power are relatively over human capabilities. Speed, Endurance, Strength, are increased. They need to feed of living blood at least once a month or their system start to fail. Also at this stage depending on the bloodline of vampire that infected the victim their traits start to show.

Acolyte: An acolyte is a vampire that started its way into a coven. the first level any aspiring vampire to enter the nights dance should take. Acolytes are usually regarded as the foot soldiers, messengers, and essentially disposable units for the Vampire society. If you finished your journey through the acolyte rites you may become a Priest for the vampire society.

Priest: Priest are the higher rank one can get inside a coven. Priest are the ones who lead all the rites and ceremonies. The knowledge to correctly perform a Blood Ritual to allow the vampire to acquire magick is only shared to those who reach such rank. As the leader of the covens also they must take responsibilities for what those under its rule do.

Regent: Regents are those who watch over certain groups of covens. They are the hands of the Royals whom are designated more by the bloodline that create them than an actual rank. Although the rank of Royal can be achieved by a Regent if clever enough to contribute to the game of shadows they play.
Regent are the hands of the Royals among the covens they must make sure Priest have their Newborns in check and their Blooded from creating a mess their first few nights. If any of them step out of line its their duty to execute them. If the matter gets too out of hand, they must give word to the Concordat to dispatch the Executioner.

Royal: This are the most ancient of the Bloodlines. Their Rank is achieved through cunning, manipulation and survival. Families that hold massive power over certain world regions. That have sleeper agents on Mundane politics. Secrets of ancient powers and legends. Royals have an honor sit among the entire society of Vampires.
Nonetheless this Rank can be acquired if the Vampire is clever enough to do a major service to the Species or give birth to many Blooded from its own blood.

Concordat: The Concordat is the highest rank coven of them all. The eldest vampires are the only allowed to be part of it and even then only if one of the sits in the concordat is empty to allow newcomers. Vampires old enough to claim that they walk among Egyptian and Sumerian gods. Only one among the Concordat can be chosen to take sit among the Council of the Six. Most importantly only the Concordat can sent the Executioner to pass justice in case of a massive threat to the society due to internal ambitions and conflicts.

Vampire Laws

- Preserve the secret

- Feed it's survival and pleasure, don't abuse

- Respect the Hierarchy

- Don't create new Blooded without authorization

- Guard the lands

- Respect the blood and those who give. 

without them you are doomed.

my30dayworld: Day 30

City in Shadows

Are the areas of your world cartographed? Which are the boundaries?

Mundane World

In the mundane world almost all areas are mapped due to the mundane obsession of know things. Although are certain areas that remain hidden because of the beings that lived there. The clearest example are many underwater regions that remain hidden due to the presence of deep old creatures that dwell on the oceans. Many mountains remain hidden because the packs guard them. There are plenty of lands out there that are still to be discovered. Yet this is all on the physical realm, our reality.

Undercity

Mapping the Undercity is a bit harder than it may occur at first glance. Undercity connects all settlements around the world. Due to this fact it's hard to determine where you are at any exact point of the city. Also this a pretty good place to hide things. Unless you know where you want to go and how to get there you may also wander for years. Time also moves differently in the Undercity. An hour may move faster and only last a few minutes or a day can last an entire week. One must have care when traversing the Undercity. Also there are places lost in time. You may find cities of old periods of time, maybe a few years back or even centuries. There are stories of places created by spirits that can't rest. Although those are rare due to the great energy a spirit must have at the time of its death.

Undercity can  be used as an entire setting for a campaign if the placer characters are wanderers or lone heroes, or maybe a year of adventures was just a two week vacation on the mundane world. That's up to you.

The wyld realm

Where faeries dwell is an even more interesting realm. It is divided into four major ecosystems. Each one adjust to the likes of their Queens. There are entire kingdoms within each of the four major regions of Wyld. One could say five if you take into account the uncharted lands that are under the rule of the Wyld Hunt King. 

Autumn Region: This is the land where the leaves fall and the crops are meant to be picked. It's a land of constant renewal and relative peace. Its dominant element its Earth most of the faeries that dwell here and the rest of the members of this Queen Court are related to earth. Gnomes, Trolls, Sprites, you name it belong in here. Also this Queen domain its called the land of Mountains.

Summer Region: The land of intense heat and bright days. In here the ruling element its Fire . The land of the Summer Queen its one of the most extreme weathers to be endure for those that are unprepared. Salamanders, Efreets, and Pixies are part of the beings that inhabit the land of fire. There are many volcanoes in this realm without the blessing of the Summer Queen the intense heat of the land of summer can consume unsolicited guest only those strongly versed in fire magick or void energies can traverse summer without permission and remain unscarred. 

Spring Region: The most peaceful of all the realms of the wyld. The season of growth, of birth, of renewal, all those concepts are present on the land of spring. The Queen of Spring is the most benevolent being in all the wyld. Elves, Sylphs, etc... The ruling element of Spring its Air. So a peaceful breeze usually blows through all the region; but as benevolent as the queen may be remember that a sweet breeze may become a hurricane at any time. Never make one of the Queen of the Wyld mad.

Winter Region: Harsh, cold, unpredictable, that is the land of winter. The ruling element of winter is Water and its both the definition of its strength and its adaptability. The Queen of Winter is also known as the Blizzard Queen. She is as beautiful as its dangerous. Address winter with respect and it shall not make your travels harsher than they should be. Large plains of snow fields plagued with arctic beast and water spirits. There are a few frozen lakes and rivers where some of the biggest beast of wyld lurk beneath. 

The Uncharted Lands: This lands are under the rule of the Wyld Hunt. The king of the hunt is the fiercest warrior in all Wyld. This lands are called the uncharted due to their vast extension and changing nature. Not even the elder faeries know their exact layout.

The Void

The void realm is hard and its name is deceiving. This realm its everything but void. Here its the realm where The Others dwell. the entire composition its unknown. Not because lack of effort but due to lack of the ability to return from the void. Only the Void Walkers those born with the ability to channel the void are able to travel inside of it for brief periods of time. Even with that ability the void change its layout every time one enters in it. This is at the whim of the great Others. Elder gods of times prior to the universe that still lurk out there.

My30dayworld: Day 29

City in Shadows

Which is a legendary Relic of power on your world?

Following the thread of legendary artifacts discussed on a previous post, here I will post the most powerful artifact that is know to exist since times before the first incursion. Many relics were lost in the battle and the knowledge to produce them was lost with the crafters that made them. 

The Council Table: The high seat of power of the council of the six existed far before they use it as their meeting ground. The stone table is said to be crafted by the gods themselves in times lost to memory. On the table great decisions have always been made. Pacts seal, blood spilled, power remains there. Rumors told that when the first incursion happened the table itself called those who formed the first council. As warmongering as all the race were at that time, something made them put their differences aside to reach a common goal, Survival.

Devils Grimmoire: A legendary book that it is said to contain the darkest of the knowledge known to demons. It's a relic for Demons and Angels alike. It is said that it can reach out the far borders of existence itself. It's so dangerous that the order is to destroy at sight. Without hesitation.

My30dayworld: Day 28

City in Shadows

Which Character would you play in your world?

From all the collection of character that may appear in the vast world that is City in Shadows. I'll choose to play a wizard. Why because its my favorite archetype on urban fantasy stories. There will always be monsters that lurks in the darkness. There always be Vampires, Skin Changers, and those whose patrons are angels, demons, or gods; but personally I'd like to play a character that is for all purposes like any other person but with the power to set things right.

For example sake I'll share my prototype character with you, bare in mind this is for Fate Core so, You'll be seeing aspects in here.

Full Mechanics on my setting still on construction, but the basis for this game will be Fate Core and maybe Accelerated.

Name: John A. Howler

Main Aspect: Chaos Wizard and Writer.

Main Trouble: The Rifts seems to follow me

Aspects: Always trying to do what is right.

+5

+4 Writing 

+3 Investigation, Lore

+2 Drive, Crafts, Athletics

+1 Notice, Stealth, Contacts, Burglary

Stunts:

Eyes of Chaos: +2 to investigation rolls when dealing with magickal stuff.

I have read about it: Allows the player to create an advantage when acquiring knowledge 1/scene.

Spell Books: Shadow Book, Grandma's Grimmoire, Works of the Illusionist.

My30dayworld: Day 25 to 27

City in Shadows

Which are the most misunderstood playable races?

Those who are tainted by the curses are the most misunderstood among all the playable races. The curse of a Demon place a taint over those who are in service of such patron. The curse of vampirism also make people look at them with suspicion. Those who are cursed are not well received among certain groups of entities. Some Fae are also put aside due to their mischievous nature.

Those Cursed by a Demon: One can't be born cursed by a Demon; but can be Demon blooded if the circumstances are right. Demon blooded are rare usually the product of a Demon with a Mundane produce another mundane or in the best of cases a Wizard of minor talent. This beings are not considered inherently evil despised their birth. Those who bear the mark of the Demon Pact on the other way are not look at with good eyes among others who are not their kin. The Demon Pact seals and links the soul of one being to a Demon as its new master. A demon may seal many pacts at the same time and feed of their souls as much as he wants. Those tainted by the demon start to become less and less of their former self the more they use their demon lord power. In the end those who abuse of the mark tend to become a lesser demon of the court of their Demon Lord.

Vampirism: There are a lot of versions of how the first vampire came to be. Some claim it was Cain, others that it was the son of some immortal bitten by a bat. The truth is that we can't be certain such elder vampire are either sleep or slain. Nonetheless what we do know is that they are a highly infective specie. Depending on the vampire race you may find that the infection advance faster or slower; and present various different symptoms. Ultimately those bitten by a vampire become part of such vampire race. Those who are newborn can disguise themselves as humans because they don't show any of the vampire race manifestations. There are certain concoctions wizards make that can avoid the full transformation of a newborn into a full vampire, yet the suspicion exist that many throw themselves at the embrace of such beings for eternal life in exchange of any information prior. There have been cases of wizards turning into vampires to prolong their lives and thus creating obscure branches of magic that no mortal dare to practice.

Which Deities dwell in your world? How much they interact with?

Deities no longer dwell that much in the world. Although they can be called upon. All legends in certain points of history have been truths. Celtic gods, Egyptian gods, Pagan or Norse gods existed at certain point of human history. Some may still exist others may have fade into oblivion. Gods without worshipers tend to disappear over time. Following this rule new gods may also been born in modern nights. The most overwhelming god presence that still exists to these days is the one of the Christian god which grants a power that grants its followers the power to fight the things who lurks in the dark. Such power is Faith, and true faith is something hard to acquire and maintain.

Direct interaction with the world are rare. Only when something of Doomsday proportions its about to happen Gods manifest themselves to choose or help a champion in its quest to save reality itself. The Others have been considered as gods by some cults and cultures which was how they find the way to enter our reality the first time. Thousands of years of worship empower them and they are still worship, just less notoriously nowadays than in antiquity.

Did any people revere nature? How deeply?

The Skin Changers are the ones who are more deeply connected to the world. They are part of what they called Mother Gaia the more deep their connection the more power they can gather from it. Without going into to much detail of their deep traditions and how they interact with the world they are the ones who protect the world more ferociously from the advance of the industry and pollution. Many ambientalist groups have Skin Changers among their ranks without realizing it. Skin Changers despise all other race because they feel they are murdering the great mother. In one way or another they are right. They Welcome certain circles of wizard among them those who feel the same connection to the mother as them. Such circles are most commonly known nowadays as Wiccans although not all wiccans are true wizards. 

My30dayworld: Day 22 to 24

City in Shadows

Which important bodies of water exist in your world?

A few major bodies of water exist in this setting and they form an important part of the History and mythos of the Raven's Creek community.

The Raven's Creek: that gives the main city of my setting its name. This river although the city is of considerable size its a source of pure clean water. The water of Ravens Creek have special properties that potentiates certain spells and helps herbs grow better. The skin changers protect various points along the course of the creek that serve as their sacred grounds. Wizard circles also take place along the river and its beautiful for families to spend time camping there and in the forest that surrounds certain areas of the creek.

The Black Lake: This lake although its name may sound misleading is of pure clean water. what gives the lake its name is the black sand that forms its shores. This sand may appear like metal dust but its just a rare sand that can only be found there in the area. Commonly used for certain rituals, or to make ink this sand holds special value to some Fae whom use it in their larger than life composition due to its purity and connection to the land. 

Raven Creeks water plants: This is the only water body that isn't natural in the city; but its important to the city and their supernatural inhabitants. In this water plant many strange sightings have occurred through the history of the town. Many workers hold the stressing night shift and the large buildings responsible of the sightings of shadows running there. Among the supernatural community there are stories and legends of the water spirits making sure the water of the creek that goes in remains pure when it leaves the plant. It might be true or just a well planned prank of some supernatural ambientalistic entity. 

What's Valuable in your world?

For mundanes the coin and money are what holds more important to them. The same couldn't be said for the rest of the supernatural community on Raven's Creek in general.

In a previous post I mentioned Blood, Names, Souls and in some cases for some weird beings and wizards Dreams.

Dreams: For the entities in the Oneiros or Wizards working with dream entities the dream of people are far more valuable than to the common folk, included other supernaturals. The oracles used dreams to predict future events in the life of a person or to determine which event shaped a being into what it is now. Dreams are currency in the Oneiros( the dream realm). The lord of the Oneiros only accept dreams as payment to those who seek his advice or patronage. Dreams of greatness can boost the favor of the lord of dreams in your favor. While nightmares can be used to gain the favor of the dream when enacting revenge against an enemy. 

Which is the Tech level in your world? Does magic integrate?

Tech level is the same level we have now in our days. Cellphones, tablets, any smartphone you came to imagine. Computer, internet, cars and so on. Its interaction with magick or magick users is interesting to say the least. Skin Changers can use technology without much problem. Demons, and Angels can use it too as long as they won't project their presence to intense around it. Fae they don't bother that often with mundane tools; but to some they are amusing. To wizard most of the technology tend to misfire from time to time. As long as a wizard is not working magick or gathering its presence around technology it can work itself with as much ease as any mundane. When magick is being gathered the logic in which technology operates cause it to fail or fried in the most extreme case due to magick capabilities of bending reality when its in use. 

my30dayworld: Day 17 to 21

City in Shadows

Which races populate your world?

I already mentioned them so, talk about them again will be a bit redundant: but Vampires, Demons, Angels, Skin Changers, Faeries, Wizards and Outer dimensional godlike entities. 

Which Relics of Old shape your world?

A bunch of ancient books and relics of legends are scattered around the world. The big stone tablets written by the outsiders in the time of their first incursion are still out there. Not each tablet was recovered or even found its location. I'll mention a few of the most notable Relics and Amulets within the knowledge of the council.

The Enemies Gate:  This is the name given to stone tablets inscribed with the Others glyph, rites and incantations that will help them get into our reality. Some of them were found in Germany near the end of World War II when the first Incursion was repelled. There are rumors of many more out there but their locations remain unknown for many of the low ranks of all the races. Only the council and their inner circles are the ones with knowledge about them.

The Abominations Tome: Written down by a Wizard with an unholy interest in transgressions against the patterns of life on earth. Within its pages the secrets to create the most unholy aberrations are contained. One of the creations of this Dark Wizard was the inspiration for a certain book in which pages a mad scientist dreaming of perfection created something unholy. 

The Six Swords: The swords of the Executors of the council are on of the most renown Relics in the entire world. All the races know about the swords. They were forged with the remains of an ancient dead god and imbued with the power of the first council members. This swords are meant to cancel the powers of one of the races. Each is possessed by the personal Executor of the representative of such race in the Council to avoid any member to become power hungry and disrupt the order, that is fragile at best.

Other relics will be mention later. For the time this are some of the most relevant ones. 

How are Taxes and Tributes collected in your world?

Not much to mention here. Urban Fantasy reflects our world so many of the taxes are collected as usual in our world. Tributes among the races are not that much of a thing except when doing rituals or summoning them. Topic for another day.

Are there evil races in your world?

Good and evil are within all the races, although one could say an slight exception of this rule are Angels and Demons. Nonetheless the truly evil race seeking for the destruction of everything in existence are the Others, The enemies. Besides them all the races have the potential to play good and evil. Their nature is based in their personality not in their race. The first conflict in heavens proved us that not all angels are free from darkness and many demons aid humanity through the ages proving that not their entire race is free from the capacities of doing good. 

Are there many Underground locations beneath your world?

There exist a place that is called Undercity created out of the mix of magical energies from the various individuals of their cities and the constant presence of the void trying to break through into our reality. within this place lay a great place in which various races established merchant guilds, information brokers nets and many more things under the cities of the mundanes. Finding entrances to the Undercity is hard and in most of the cases you need to be invite to the Undercity if you want to find it. Not all the races now where it is. Not all members of each race are allowed in the Undercity. All of those who are within are meant to protect the city and those who invite new members to the city are responsible for their guest actions until membership is extended upon them. 

My30dayworld: Day 14 to 16

City in Shadows

How safe is to travel in your world?

Travel in the City in Shadows world can be as safe or dangerous as it is in the real world. it may occasionally become such an horror trip to those poor mortals that are unlucky enough to get across the supernatural can lead to interesting stories. Even prepared wizards or dangerous skin changers can end up meeting gruesome fates when traveling and got entangled with Cultist or their own natural predators. 

Which mystical material is valued in your world?

In the City in Shadows exist a few valued materials each with very interesting applications depending on who get its hands or claws on it. 

Names: names are the highest valued currency one can give, sell, and possess. With names you can command, force or curse any being you can imagine. The only way a being can obtain a true name is when is given to it by the owner of such name. Because of such situation many wizards change their names when among others supernatural creatures. Among humans names are given so casually that it may seems they have lost their value but the truth is otherwise. Any common human may have the ability to cast magic using the names of powerful ancient creatures or get consumed by them when calling them without proper preparations. Common mundane don't need to worry giving their names among them due to most of them can't do anything with such knowledge; but when they are in doubt of supernatural beings it's better to keep them secret.

Souls: This currency applies mostly to Angels and Demons. They feed on souls or depend on them to work in places they can't trespass. Yes there are places where Demons and Angels have no jurisdiction and must intervene to ensure their machinations. Wizards can't do much with souls, it's not their domain, although when a soul is offered to a wizard it may generate a bond that isn't easy to break or bargain out.

Blood: Blood contains power, and in one way or another it's as powerful as someone true name. Blood potentiate vampires and allow them to live their undead existence, however don't give them power over those whom they feed. If used in Rituals the attack against the owner of such blood can't be avoided unless they prepare themselves a huge protection circle and even then it's hard to avoid its full effects. Also if certain creature blood is used to potentiate one spell it can create bigger and stronger results than the blood of common animals or mundanes. Blood is powerful, don't waste it or leave it where it can be stolen with ease by some unwanted being.

Are construct common in your world?

Not anymore. In the modern nights there are no great constructs as they may have been in the past. Although some wizards that choose to live secluded create small golems to serve as assistants or guardians of their lairs. There is always the possibility of the occasional Necromancer playing Dr. Frankenstein and creating such a chimeric being and releasing it upon the world. However such occurrences are scarce. Mundane authorities will notice any grave robber with ease. Sights of Huge clay like monstrosities roaming through the woods also won't go unnoticed for too long. Nothing stop the Wizards to play god and create such beings but it's at their own risk.

my30dayworld: day 13

Who dominates the political sphere of the world?

In the City in Shadows there are various forces at play. Each faction have their own political power among their race. their inner structure will be further explored later. Here I will mention the overarching structure of each political party.

Vampire Covens: Vampire gather themselves in Covens all around the world. in each city more than one coven could coexist with another assuming the city is big enough to hold to vampire lords in it. The hierarchy of Covens depends on its leader, and its extension. There are weird cases in which a small cove that houses many elders can be considered part of the Concordat. In many cases vampires play a sort of mockery of the Catholic Church taking a sort of political structure similar to theirs. In many cases The eldest coven takes the Seat of Power and the position as representative in the Council of the Six. There have been some cases in which the eldest coven refuses to participate in the council and designates one of those in the Concordat to take the position instead. The game vampire dance is one of many secrets and intrigues and anyone who dares join the dance may as well have eyes on its back. 

Fae Courts: The political structure of the faeries resembles that of the medieval times. Various dukes, earls, etc... under the ruling of a king. There exist four major kingdoms among the faeries. Each kingdom rule over one of the four stations of the mortal realm. The court of Spring, The court of Summer, The Court of Autumn and The Court of Winter. Each court also represent an element of nature. Spring represents Air, Summer represents Fire, Autumn represents Earth, and finally Winter represents Water. The machination of the faeries are cruel and mischievous as its their nature. Faeries can't break a vow, their word is their bond. Faeries can't lie but that doesn't mean they always respond clearly what you ask of them unless you ask them three times. It's sort of taboo for them, and bond a fairy to respond by asking three times its considered rude. Walk with caution among the faeries or you may as well be selling your soul to something worst than the devil.

Wizard Circles: Wizard gather in circles of power, they craft their magic in circle; for them calling their groups circles is only fitting. The circle are classified in levels, The closer you are to the one or first circle, the greater your skills have been recognized by the Eldest Wizards. The first circle is the one from which candidates to the seat of the Council are elected. The high circle of wizard are the wisest among them all. They are the ones who have the register of all the events that have occurred in the world, their powers are also humongous. The lowest circles are mostly conformed by new gifted association or low talents those whose talents only allow them to perform a limited amount of spells but they are masters at those.

The Wyld Pack: Formed by the strongest of the Skin Changers they rule among them all. The wyld pack may or may not contain individuals of all races at the time because it's a matter of strength not of politics or democracy. They are the ones who determine which lands are free to roam and by whom. The wyld pack also determines appropriate punishment for those who broke the laws of the wyld and endangered their survival. The High alpha is the one who always take the seat in the Council of the Six. There are only two ways in which the Alpha may change. It can be when the Alpha dies, or when it looses against a stronger contender. In just one occasion an Alpha choose to surrender its position for the well being of the pack, this can happen; but in wizards regard there is just one occasion registered in the archives.

Demon and Angels: These two factions are a mirror of each other. They work in hierarchies the lower a Demon or Angel is in the hierarchy the lower its power and influences are. The seven virtues and The seven sins are represented on the seven great lords of each faction. The only major difference between these two factions and the others is that their seat in the council are occupied by designates by mutual accord of the seven rather than one of the seven taking the seat. In the Angels case this is not hard to agree upon a worthy candidate; but in Demon case the one who holds the seat must show a bit of each demon lord in his soul to be allowed to take the seat, this is hard to achieve. Because of that fact many designates of the demon lords are granted longevity as they train a suitable replacement for it.