ThirdWizard
First Post
There are a number of groups, both supernatural and mundane, that operate in the city. Some want to shake things up, while others want to hold onto the power that they currently have.
[toc]FORCE[/toc]
[h=2]Mortals[/h]
Mortals run the every day affairs of the city. They own businesses, create policies, and walk the streets. For every supernatural entity in Atlanta, there are dozens or more mortals. Don't take them lightly: what they lack in power they more than make up for in numbers. Mortals have long been the "nuclear option" in supernatural politics. Involvement of mortals is a dangerous game that usually involves them being sent right back at you. And, make no mistake, nowadays they have worse options than torches and pitchforks.
[h=4]Cops in the Dark[/h]
Most cops are in the dark. They don't know anything about the supernatural, and when they see it they have the normal mortal reaction to it. In other words, disbelief. In a few days anything supernatural will be explained away as sleep deprivation, drugs in the ventilation, or that knock they took to the head. In a month, they won't even think about it.
Cops, thus, aren't a great help in supernatural troubles. They can't track most warlocks, they can't fight most monsters, and they won't believe you when you say that the guy that was burned alive was done in by a guy with a magic staff. So, most people on the supernatural side take care of their own business or call in those they know that can help. But, be careful: the police don't like others investigating crimes, and those they find looking into things can quickly become suspects themselves.
[h=4]Cops in the Know[/h]
Deputy Chief John Brady is one of five deputy chiefs for the Atlanta Police Department, and the only one, as far as anyone knows, that is aware of the supernatural community. Under him are a few trusted officers who he's brought in under his careful eye, perhaps a dozen or so police of various ranks and responsibilities. Between them, they keep an eye on the supernatural goings on in the city, off their normal hours and off the record.
Brady uses his knowledge in a lot of ways. The most obvious way has started to shake up things in the supernatural community. A lot of things practitioners do or need in their practice are at least questionable in the eyes of law enforcement. They would at least pique curiosity and end up with a searched house and a lot of questions to answer, the answer to which most mundane humans would not be happy with. Brady takes advantage of this, and is a part of what most in the practicing world of Atlanta consider an extortion racket.
Of course, things are more complicated than that. He's also built up quite an understanding on how to hunt and take down rogue practitioners, ones who are genuinely dangerous, if not the more powerful warlocks. For the past two years, since the timely passing of the previous White Council Warden, there has been no Warden presence in the city, and without Brady things would be much much worse. So, he's grudgingly accepted in the supernatural community. No one comes to him for help, however, as coming into his notice is more trouble than its worth.
[h=4]Societies[/h]
Societies are everywhere, if not immediately apparent for outsiders to see (thus the "secret" aspect of most societies). Most are short lived and accomplish little beyond getting their members killed. A mortal who finds out vampires are real, for example, is just as likely to try garlic and crosses against a White Court Incubus as a Black Court Necromancer. When mortals do find success in taking part in supernatural goings-ons, they usually gain great notoriety within a certain circle, and rarely do they branch out beyond that. Therefore, the most common form of societies are things like hunters (werewolves, vampires, etc.), contract workers (assassins, security, etc.), or protective aid (the Catholic Church, the Fellowship of St. Giles, etc.).
[h=2]Practitioners[/h]
There are a slew of practitioners in the city. Most just want to keep their heads down and do their own thing. A few want to cause trouble. Without a White Council Warden looking after things, the number of the ones who want to cause trouble have been steadily rising, and Atlanta has become somewhat of a travel hub for warlocks on the run, a place to hang out and hide, and a place to search out knowledge of the darker arts. It's become such an entrenched part of supernatural society here that even the recent arrival of a new Warden hasn't done much to slow it down. The warlocks are bold and eager, unafraid.
[h=4]The White Council[/h]
There isn't much of a White Council presence in the city. The only member who lives in Atlanta is the newly arrived Eugene Thornton. He's a middle aged man, for a wizard, so perhaps between fifty and seventy, though he looks in his forties. He is a native of Scotland, and has lived in Edinburgh, the seat of the White Council, for most of his adult life. He is very strict, forthright, and those who have had dealings with him call him stubborn. There isn't much known about him beyond that, and he seems much more interested in tracking down rogue sorcerers than making friends, as typical of White Council members.
[h=4]Non-White Council[/h]
There are many practitioners in the city who live day to day lives and stay under the radar of the White Council. As long as they don't break any of the Seven Laws, they're generally fine, although they have to be careful to toe the line hard and not even appear to have broken a law in order to keep the new Warden away.
There are all kinds of practitioners, from ectomancers to diviners. Most specialize in one thing or another, and few have any kind of combat ability. They simply have talents that they can use to help pay the rent.
[h=4]Warlocks[/h]
The dangerous ones in the city are those practitioners who have decided that the best way to use their powers are to break the Laws and get what they can by whatever means necessary. Breaking a Law disrupts the psyche, and there is a taint to the person's magic from then on, making it harder and harder to resist the temptations that the power of magic can bring about.
Beyond that, many who are far fallen come to the city to hide or to seek out a teacher. Mind controllers, summoners, and necromancers are just a few of the dangerous practitioners one can find in the city.
[h=2]Vampires[/h]
Vampires are separated into three courts only loosely affiliated with each other though ancient treaties. Still, they work behind the scenes against each other constantly. Anyone in the supernatural community at least knows who the players are, though not necessarily what they're up to at any given time. Vampires usually like to work machinations behind the scenes, rarely showing their full hand. They're immortal and have the patience that comes with it.
[h=4]The Black Court[/h]
These are the dead vampires, still moving. They are incredibly powerful, but ever since their weakness were exposed by Bram Stoker, unlife has been difficult for them, and there are very few in existence. It is unsure if they are even still a Court anymore, as there aren't enough of them to have much in terms of a solidified Court structure and goals.
The Black Court tend to move around, not staying in one place for long. They're paranoid and overly cautious. Therefore, they don't have any permanent holdings in Atlanta. However, the dark magics that are practiced here often draw them to the city, and there is often one somewhere in the shadows pulling some strings or searching for something. You just never know who or what their goals might be.
[h=4]The Red Court[/h]
Red Court vampires are bat-like monsters in guises of beauty. Their saliva is narcotic, and they use that against mortals, getting them addicted and using that to control them. Beyond that, the upper echelons of their society has attained great wealth and power, and they use those mundane means as a form of exploitation as well. They are ruled by a Red King and his nobles, extremely old creatures of awesome power, in the truest sense of the word. Their power base in in Central and South America.
[h=6]The Low Caste (Newbies)[/h]
These vampires are generally fifty to two hundred years old, and many of the leaders grew up in Central America. There are a few hundred of these Reds in the city, and they have their claws in prostitution, human trafficking, and more recently drug dealing. They've created new drug based on their saliva, and they're pushing it in order to gain a new round of followers.
[h=6]The Upper Caste (Nobles)[/h]
Perhaps not the proper aristocrats of the Red Court, they're right below that level. These are vampires with the favor of the Red King himself, powerful monsters whose wealth and political influence is far and above the norm. Having one of these vampires as an enemy is a dangerous prospect. They're involved in finance and real estate, officially. Unofficially, who knows.
[h=4]The White Court[/h]
Where other vampires feed on blood, White Court vampires feed on emotions. There are several different Houses in this court, each feeding off of a different emotion.
[h=6]House Malvora Family[/h]
House Malvora feeds off of fear. They love to stalk their prey, to let them know that death is inevitable, and drive them to the brink of terror. They revel in the emotions of worry, timidity, and uncertainty, as these only amplify the fears of their prey.
Their main power base in Atlanta is in the communications industry, with an emphasis on
the news and fear-mongering. The more terrified the populace is of walking out of their homes, the more fear there is in the world, and the easier it is for them to feed. They have also grown accustomed to the power that control over the media affords them, and they've begun dipping their fingers into other areas such as politics.
There are very few Malvora in the city, perhaps only a few dozen. Most work as producers for news casts, radio shows, or even as DJs. What they lack in number, they make up for through vast information networks.
[h=6]House Raith Family[/h]
The Raith family feeds on the emotion of lust. They're sexual predators of the worst kind. There are only a handful of Raith in the city, and they are relatively newcomers in the area. They own several night clubs and strip clubs in the area and are attempting weasel their way into prostitution. This has started a problem for them with the Red Court, as they're competing against one another directly in many cases. It is only a matter of time before violence breaks out.
[h=2]Faeries[/h]
Faerie is the closest part of the Nevernever to the mortal world, and it is where the Faeries live. Don't let the name fool you, these are dangerous creatures who, if you're lucky, care nothing about you. If you aren't lucky they decide that you're interesting. Usually, however, the faerie have little interest in mortal matters, only cropping up when something directly intersects with Faerie matters. Therefore, they have little interest in human politics or intrigue the way a vampire or denarian does.
[h=4]Summer (Seelie)[/h]
Summer is the stronger of the two Faerie Courts in the South, and Atlanta is no exception. There's a reason the city has been dubbed Hot'Lanta. But, Summer is also the Court of life and growth, which are also in abundance in and around Atlanta. Usually, the Summer Court is seen as the more approachable of the two courts, but don't be fooled into thinking that they're safe. They are not.
Summer Queen: Titania
Summer Lady: Aurora
Summer Knight: Ronald Reuel
[h=4]Winter (Unseelie)[/h]
Winter is the weaker of the two courts in Atlanta, but don't think that means they just roll over. Winter pushes back even harder because they are at a disadvantage most of the time. They are associated with ice and death. Many consider Winter more dangerous, but only overtly so, or at least as overt as faerie are capable of becoming.
Winter Queen: Mab
Winter Lady: Maeve
Winter Knight: Lloyd Slate
[h=2]Other Beings of the Nevernever[/h]
Faerie is the closest domain in the Nevernever to the mortal realm, but it is by no means the only one. If you know how, you can reach other places, and there are many entities that call these other places home. Most everything that lives in the Nevernever is itself a "spirit," but that term is so imprecise as to leave too much open for interpretation that it isn't very useful.
[h=4]Ghosts[/h]
Ghosts are remnants of the living, memories of the dead made into creatures that are not who they believe they once were, but are actually merely fragments. They can manifest across realms or coat themselves in ecoplasm to give themselves physical shapes in order interact with the mortal realm. They are fueled by their memories, gaining strength from them. The more stark those memories the more like their "previous self" that they can remain.
Sometimes ghosts lose their memories or are injured in some way that leaves them wandering alone. These ghosts can turn into wraiths, powerfully mournful beings who seek only the warmth of life, even if they must destroy it to feel what it is like to live for a fleeting moment.
Individually ghosts might have goals that set them apart, if their memories and sense of self is strong enough. However, they rarely work together toward any concerted goal. Usually, they are simply impulse driven beings who crave that which they can no longer have - life.
[h=4]Spirits[/h]
When someone talks about spirits, what they usually mean are a select group of beings native to the Nevernever who have no physical being. Like ghosts they are destroyed by sunlight. Unlike ghosts, they are beings of the Nevernever through and through, they are not remnants of mortal creatures. They are usually benign, if not always helpful. However, be wary that they have no conscience. They act in accordance with their own structure, which can be very different from that of a mortal.
[h=4]Demons[/h]
Demons are evil spirits from the darkest recesses of the Nevernever. Is it Hell or is it not? No one knows. What is known is that they cannot enter the mortal realm without being summoned, and they seek to kill their summoner whenever possible. Demon summoning, thus, is not a safe occupation. The motivations of demons is largely unknown. But, due to their inability to come to the mortal realm on their own, they have thankfully little involvement in any supernatural happenings in the city.
[h=2]The Order of the Blackened Denarius[/h]
Fallen angels bound to the silver coins that are said to have been paid to Judas for turning on Christ. These creatures inhabit the bodies of men and women, either completely dominating them or working as one. There are no known denarians that make their home in Atlanta, though they are often attracted by more powerful entities that may be here, either offering them a coin to join their ranks or destroying them as possible enemies.
[h=2]Outsiders[/h]
Outsiders aren't beings who work against you. They're anathema who destroy you and everything you hold dear simply by existing. Pray you will never meet one.
[toc]FORCE[/toc]
[h=2]Mortals[/h]
Mortals run the every day affairs of the city. They own businesses, create policies, and walk the streets. For every supernatural entity in Atlanta, there are dozens or more mortals. Don't take them lightly: what they lack in power they more than make up for in numbers. Mortals have long been the "nuclear option" in supernatural politics. Involvement of mortals is a dangerous game that usually involves them being sent right back at you. And, make no mistake, nowadays they have worse options than torches and pitchforks.
[h=4]Cops in the Dark[/h]
Most cops are in the dark. They don't know anything about the supernatural, and when they see it they have the normal mortal reaction to it. In other words, disbelief. In a few days anything supernatural will be explained away as sleep deprivation, drugs in the ventilation, or that knock they took to the head. In a month, they won't even think about it.
Cops, thus, aren't a great help in supernatural troubles. They can't track most warlocks, they can't fight most monsters, and they won't believe you when you say that the guy that was burned alive was done in by a guy with a magic staff. So, most people on the supernatural side take care of their own business or call in those they know that can help. But, be careful: the police don't like others investigating crimes, and those they find looking into things can quickly become suspects themselves.
[h=4]Cops in the Know[/h]
Deputy Chief John Brady is one of five deputy chiefs for the Atlanta Police Department, and the only one, as far as anyone knows, that is aware of the supernatural community. Under him are a few trusted officers who he's brought in under his careful eye, perhaps a dozen or so police of various ranks and responsibilities. Between them, they keep an eye on the supernatural goings on in the city, off their normal hours and off the record.
Brady uses his knowledge in a lot of ways. The most obvious way has started to shake up things in the supernatural community. A lot of things practitioners do or need in their practice are at least questionable in the eyes of law enforcement. They would at least pique curiosity and end up with a searched house and a lot of questions to answer, the answer to which most mundane humans would not be happy with. Brady takes advantage of this, and is a part of what most in the practicing world of Atlanta consider an extortion racket.
Of course, things are more complicated than that. He's also built up quite an understanding on how to hunt and take down rogue practitioners, ones who are genuinely dangerous, if not the more powerful warlocks. For the past two years, since the timely passing of the previous White Council Warden, there has been no Warden presence in the city, and without Brady things would be much much worse. So, he's grudgingly accepted in the supernatural community. No one comes to him for help, however, as coming into his notice is more trouble than its worth.
[h=4]Societies[/h]
Societies are everywhere, if not immediately apparent for outsiders to see (thus the "secret" aspect of most societies). Most are short lived and accomplish little beyond getting their members killed. A mortal who finds out vampires are real, for example, is just as likely to try garlic and crosses against a White Court Incubus as a Black Court Necromancer. When mortals do find success in taking part in supernatural goings-ons, they usually gain great notoriety within a certain circle, and rarely do they branch out beyond that. Therefore, the most common form of societies are things like hunters (werewolves, vampires, etc.), contract workers (assassins, security, etc.), or protective aid (the Catholic Church, the Fellowship of St. Giles, etc.).
[h=2]Practitioners[/h]
There are a slew of practitioners in the city. Most just want to keep their heads down and do their own thing. A few want to cause trouble. Without a White Council Warden looking after things, the number of the ones who want to cause trouble have been steadily rising, and Atlanta has become somewhat of a travel hub for warlocks on the run, a place to hang out and hide, and a place to search out knowledge of the darker arts. It's become such an entrenched part of supernatural society here that even the recent arrival of a new Warden hasn't done much to slow it down. The warlocks are bold and eager, unafraid.
[h=4]The White Council[/h]
There isn't much of a White Council presence in the city. The only member who lives in Atlanta is the newly arrived Eugene Thornton. He's a middle aged man, for a wizard, so perhaps between fifty and seventy, though he looks in his forties. He is a native of Scotland, and has lived in Edinburgh, the seat of the White Council, for most of his adult life. He is very strict, forthright, and those who have had dealings with him call him stubborn. There isn't much known about him beyond that, and he seems much more interested in tracking down rogue sorcerers than making friends, as typical of White Council members.
[h=4]Non-White Council[/h]
There are many practitioners in the city who live day to day lives and stay under the radar of the White Council. As long as they don't break any of the Seven Laws, they're generally fine, although they have to be careful to toe the line hard and not even appear to have broken a law in order to keep the new Warden away.
There are all kinds of practitioners, from ectomancers to diviners. Most specialize in one thing or another, and few have any kind of combat ability. They simply have talents that they can use to help pay the rent.
[h=4]Warlocks[/h]
The dangerous ones in the city are those practitioners who have decided that the best way to use their powers are to break the Laws and get what they can by whatever means necessary. Breaking a Law disrupts the psyche, and there is a taint to the person's magic from then on, making it harder and harder to resist the temptations that the power of magic can bring about.
Beyond that, many who are far fallen come to the city to hide or to seek out a teacher. Mind controllers, summoners, and necromancers are just a few of the dangerous practitioners one can find in the city.
[h=2]Vampires[/h]
Vampires are separated into three courts only loosely affiliated with each other though ancient treaties. Still, they work behind the scenes against each other constantly. Anyone in the supernatural community at least knows who the players are, though not necessarily what they're up to at any given time. Vampires usually like to work machinations behind the scenes, rarely showing their full hand. They're immortal and have the patience that comes with it.
[h=4]The Black Court[/h]
These are the dead vampires, still moving. They are incredibly powerful, but ever since their weakness were exposed by Bram Stoker, unlife has been difficult for them, and there are very few in existence. It is unsure if they are even still a Court anymore, as there aren't enough of them to have much in terms of a solidified Court structure and goals.
The Black Court tend to move around, not staying in one place for long. They're paranoid and overly cautious. Therefore, they don't have any permanent holdings in Atlanta. However, the dark magics that are practiced here often draw them to the city, and there is often one somewhere in the shadows pulling some strings or searching for something. You just never know who or what their goals might be.
[h=4]The Red Court[/h]
Red Court vampires are bat-like monsters in guises of beauty. Their saliva is narcotic, and they use that against mortals, getting them addicted and using that to control them. Beyond that, the upper echelons of their society has attained great wealth and power, and they use those mundane means as a form of exploitation as well. They are ruled by a Red King and his nobles, extremely old creatures of awesome power, in the truest sense of the word. Their power base in in Central and South America.
[h=6]The Low Caste (Newbies)[/h]
These vampires are generally fifty to two hundred years old, and many of the leaders grew up in Central America. There are a few hundred of these Reds in the city, and they have their claws in prostitution, human trafficking, and more recently drug dealing. They've created new drug based on their saliva, and they're pushing it in order to gain a new round of followers.
[h=6]The Upper Caste (Nobles)[/h]
Perhaps not the proper aristocrats of the Red Court, they're right below that level. These are vampires with the favor of the Red King himself, powerful monsters whose wealth and political influence is far and above the norm. Having one of these vampires as an enemy is a dangerous prospect. They're involved in finance and real estate, officially. Unofficially, who knows.
[h=4]The White Court[/h]
Where other vampires feed on blood, White Court vampires feed on emotions. There are several different Houses in this court, each feeding off of a different emotion.
[h=6]House Malvora Family[/h]
House Malvora feeds off of fear. They love to stalk their prey, to let them know that death is inevitable, and drive them to the brink of terror. They revel in the emotions of worry, timidity, and uncertainty, as these only amplify the fears of their prey.
Their main power base in Atlanta is in the communications industry, with an emphasis on
the news and fear-mongering. The more terrified the populace is of walking out of their homes, the more fear there is in the world, and the easier it is for them to feed. They have also grown accustomed to the power that control over the media affords them, and they've begun dipping their fingers into other areas such as politics.
There are very few Malvora in the city, perhaps only a few dozen. Most work as producers for news casts, radio shows, or even as DJs. What they lack in number, they make up for through vast information networks.
[h=6]House Raith Family[/h]
The Raith family feeds on the emotion of lust. They're sexual predators of the worst kind. There are only a handful of Raith in the city, and they are relatively newcomers in the area. They own several night clubs and strip clubs in the area and are attempting weasel their way into prostitution. This has started a problem for them with the Red Court, as they're competing against one another directly in many cases. It is only a matter of time before violence breaks out.
[h=2]Faeries[/h]
Faerie is the closest part of the Nevernever to the mortal world, and it is where the Faeries live. Don't let the name fool you, these are dangerous creatures who, if you're lucky, care nothing about you. If you aren't lucky they decide that you're interesting. Usually, however, the faerie have little interest in mortal matters, only cropping up when something directly intersects with Faerie matters. Therefore, they have little interest in human politics or intrigue the way a vampire or denarian does.
[h=4]Summer (Seelie)[/h]
Summer is the stronger of the two Faerie Courts in the South, and Atlanta is no exception. There's a reason the city has been dubbed Hot'Lanta. But, Summer is also the Court of life and growth, which are also in abundance in and around Atlanta. Usually, the Summer Court is seen as the more approachable of the two courts, but don't be fooled into thinking that they're safe. They are not.
Summer Queen: Titania
Summer Lady: Aurora
Summer Knight: Ronald Reuel
[h=4]Winter (Unseelie)[/h]
Winter is the weaker of the two courts in Atlanta, but don't think that means they just roll over. Winter pushes back even harder because they are at a disadvantage most of the time. They are associated with ice and death. Many consider Winter more dangerous, but only overtly so, or at least as overt as faerie are capable of becoming.
Winter Queen: Mab
Winter Lady: Maeve
Winter Knight: Lloyd Slate
[h=2]Other Beings of the Nevernever[/h]
Faerie is the closest domain in the Nevernever to the mortal realm, but it is by no means the only one. If you know how, you can reach other places, and there are many entities that call these other places home. Most everything that lives in the Nevernever is itself a "spirit," but that term is so imprecise as to leave too much open for interpretation that it isn't very useful.
[h=4]Ghosts[/h]
Ghosts are remnants of the living, memories of the dead made into creatures that are not who they believe they once were, but are actually merely fragments. They can manifest across realms or coat themselves in ecoplasm to give themselves physical shapes in order interact with the mortal realm. They are fueled by their memories, gaining strength from them. The more stark those memories the more like their "previous self" that they can remain.
Sometimes ghosts lose their memories or are injured in some way that leaves them wandering alone. These ghosts can turn into wraiths, powerfully mournful beings who seek only the warmth of life, even if they must destroy it to feel what it is like to live for a fleeting moment.
Individually ghosts might have goals that set them apart, if their memories and sense of self is strong enough. However, they rarely work together toward any concerted goal. Usually, they are simply impulse driven beings who crave that which they can no longer have - life.
[h=4]Spirits[/h]
When someone talks about spirits, what they usually mean are a select group of beings native to the Nevernever who have no physical being. Like ghosts they are destroyed by sunlight. Unlike ghosts, they are beings of the Nevernever through and through, they are not remnants of mortal creatures. They are usually benign, if not always helpful. However, be wary that they have no conscience. They act in accordance with their own structure, which can be very different from that of a mortal.
[h=4]Demons[/h]
Demons are evil spirits from the darkest recesses of the Nevernever. Is it Hell or is it not? No one knows. What is known is that they cannot enter the mortal realm without being summoned, and they seek to kill their summoner whenever possible. Demon summoning, thus, is not a safe occupation. The motivations of demons is largely unknown. But, due to their inability to come to the mortal realm on their own, they have thankfully little involvement in any supernatural happenings in the city.
[h=2]The Order of the Blackened Denarius[/h]
Fallen angels bound to the silver coins that are said to have been paid to Judas for turning on Christ. These creatures inhabit the bodies of men and women, either completely dominating them or working as one. There are no known denarians that make their home in Atlanta, though they are often attracted by more powerful entities that may be here, either offering them a coin to join their ranks or destroying them as possible enemies.
[h=2]Outsiders[/h]
Outsiders aren't beings who work against you. They're anathema who destroy you and everything you hold dear simply by existing. Pray you will never meet one.
