Realistic or Modern From Dusk Till Dawn [Lore]

[snakeg0dd]

• Vampires
• Werewolves
• Witches
• Hunters

• 
  Origin:
  Since the beginning of civilization, people would tell tales of terrifying creatures & supernatural beings for generations. While believed to be fables by most, only a few know the truth. You may know these beings as vampires, werewolves, and witches.
  
  It all began with Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian, the first vampire. Once a mortal and ruler of the Roman Empire, Julius Caesar sought power and immortality. To achieve his desired goals, Caesar made a Faustian blood-pact with a daemon he had summoned from Hell. In exchange for his service and possibly his soul, the daemon allowed Julius to drink from him. This would begin the lineage of vampires. The demon fulfilled its part of the deal but later betrayed Octavian and cursed him to spend eternity in Broken Tooth Mountain, feeding on travelers to satiate his thirst for human blood. Presumably from the lack of regular victims to feed on, Gaius became more aged and monstrous in appearance, with all of his teeth becoming fangs and his fingernails becoming sharp like claws. This evolution paved the way for modern-day vampires to survive.
  
  Nearly a millennium later, Julius Octavian met his savior. A Romanian man, by the name of Matteo Vasari, stumbled upon Broken Tooth Mountain. The cave in which Julius Octavian was bound would become the tomb for Matteo. Except, Caligula had devised an offer that Julius could not deny. You see, Matteo didn't just accidentally stumble upon Broken Tooth Mountain. No, he sought it out, and the Caesar knew this.
  
  Days before Matteo arrived at Caesar's cursed cave, a local oracle had told Matteo of his future. And while it was a dark and gritty one, he didn't want to prevent his fate; as in the oracle's omen, she mentioned that Matteo would acquire power beyond that of any man. And this only intrigued him. She [the oracle] continued by explaining that it would all begin at Broken Tooth Mountain, and so Matteo traveled there, searching for the next step in his destiny. However, before the session with the oracle concluded, she warned Matteo that if he chose this future, only anger, grief, pity, and hatred would follow him. However, despite her warning, he still journeyed to the mountain.
  
  At Broken Tooth Mountain, Matteo stood confidently against Caesar, listening to the offer-at-hand. The Master Vampire proposed that if he allowed Matteo to drink a sample of his blood, he'd receive the power he desired, but only for a brief time. To cement that power, Matteo would have to drink the blood of a human. By drinking from a human, Matteo would seal his power but would also free the Master Vampire from his cave. The Romanian man accepted the offer, drinking the blood of the Elder Vampire. At that moment, Matteo died but was soon reborn.
  
  Experimenting with his newfound powers, Matteo found a real thrill in having them. But he had yet to drink from a human. The newborn vampire thought back to what the oracle had said to him, and her descriptions of his future had now just struck him. It wasn't until later in the evening, on the same day he thought about his future, that he sealed his fate forever. A woman was lying in an alleyway, brutally beaten and dying, and she begged for Matteo to end her suffering. His moral compass led him in his decision to do what she asked. Matteo's eyes could see the blood flow through her veins, her heart pumping brutally. His thirst was tearing him apart, and it would be an easy kill. To end her suffering, Matteo began his. From his point of view, he was doing a commendable thing. The next day, Matteo returned to Broken Tooth Mountain in search of the Master Vampire, but he was already gone, and Matteo would not see him again for a long, long time.
  
  From there to the year 1450, the vampire population had expanded to 17,000 globally. By now, the old-bloods (Vishanti) had become the first species of vampire, but evolution was on the way. To promote democracy and order, the old-bloods formed a government. The government that would set and determine the rules and regulations for all vampires would become the Vishanti council.
  
  Now, in the year 2023, the vampire species has exceedingly passed 10,000,000 worldwide. Most of these vampires heed the laws set by the Vishanti council, but then there's also the Resistance. An underground rebellion created to defy the Vishanti Council and its rules. Established in 1790, the Resistance was built upon the foundation of hope and equality. The Vishanti had ruled with an iron grip on those who were deemed "weak". Only the rich and powerful were allowed privilege and respect, while the others had to scavenge for survival. As a result of the unfair treatment, the supernatural world was thrust into conflict; and the humans found themselves in the middle of it.
  
  Abilities:
  
  • Supernatural Strength, Speed, Stamina — this varies depending on the individual vampire. Some may be stronger or faster than others.
  • Supernatural Senses — again, this varies by each individual vampire.
  • Regeneration — all vampires can regenerate from injury.
  • Supernatural Endurance and Durability — this is generally the same for all vampires, except between the vampire species themselves. Vishanti skin is human like and Ekon skin is hard as granite.
  • Metamorphosis — only an ability of the Vishanti Vampires. They can shapeshift into a creature of the night (i.e. a bat(s), rat(s), panther, crow, etc.) or a form of colored mist.
  • Immortality — a universal trait of all vampires.
  • Vampirization — another universal trait. Any vampire can turn someone into a vampire, if they make it through the transformation that is.
  • One Random Ability — a random ability that reflects the character of the vampire. If you need help thinking of an ability, let me know and I'll lend some suggestions.
  • Venom Production — all vampires produce venom that takes the place of their "blood". The venom is the key component in transforming people into vampires.
  • Fangs and Claws — the Vishanti have fangs and the Ekon have near-indestructible teeth, hence no need for fangs. And both vampire species have near-indestructible nails.
  Diet
  Vampires must drink blood in order to survive. Their thirst can either be quenched with the blood of a human or from an animal. However, drinking from an animal isn't as fulfilling as drinking from a human and leaves them at a MINOR disadvantage, since it doesn't fully give them the power they need. It's a fraction of difference but still a negative nonetheless. Also, drinking from animals turns a vampire's eyes to a golden-amber color, whereas those who drink from humans have a cherry red pigmentation. It's also worth noting that the thirstier a vampire gets, the darker its eyes get.
  
  Species:
  Vishanti — The Vishanti were the first vampires to exist and are, traditionally, modern. These are the vampires that have penetrable skin, retractable fangs, and fear holy regalia. Holy water burns the skin of a Vishanti vampire and the presence of a Holy cross is blinding; the same goes for Silver, where the presence of silver is disorienting and, if come into contact with, can cut and scar Vishanti skin like it's butter. It's also differentiating to know that the Vishanti have a colorful afterimage that tails them when they use their superspeed. The range of colors can vary from shades of one color to a combination of a few colors. They refer to this abnormality as a 'flit'. The Vishanti race is also affected by the Sun. If they're exposed to UV light, then they become weakened, and if they are in the exposure of those rays for too long then their skin will blister and burn. Lastly, in addition to a Vishanti vampire's random ability, they can shapeshift into a creature of the night (i.e. a bat(s), rat(s), panther, crow, etc.) or a form of colored mist. To correctly kill a Vishanti vampire, one must either decapitate the head from the body and torch the two pieces or shoot a silver bullet into the heart.
  
  Ekon — The Ekon race began in 1528 thanks to a particularly powerful witch looking to splinter the souls of a demon and herself into a mortal; and her victim, Augustus Chappelle, was the prime candidate. Successfully, the witch had created a new type of vampire, one that was improved upon and evolved from the Vishanti. Their skin, though just as pale as a Vishanti, is ten times more durable and described to be as hard as granite; only supernatural teeth & nails and silver can penetrate it. Ekon are not affected by the Sun and its UV rays. In general, they're much more charming to humans and animals, even their natural scent draws such creatures in. However, they did lose the ability of metamorphosis; well, all except the first Ekon. To correctly kill an Ekon vampire, one must decapitate the head and then torch the body and head to ensure that the pieces don't heal back together.
  
  Skalls — Skalls are, in laments terms, failed vampires. They successfully got through the vampiric transition but seemed to go deranged and underwent abnormal, physical changes. Their appearance is similar to that of the Nosferatu.
  
  Transformation:
  To turn someone into a vampire, the venom that is produced in a vampire's salivary gland must be injected or transferred into a person. Then, the person either bit or injected with the venom must die. If the venom correctly works, then they'll be reborn as a vampire. If not, the subject will remain dead. The subject could also be alive during the process but it'll the pain will be quite excruciating.
  
• 
  Origin:
  Since the beginning of civilization, people would tell tales of terrifying creatures & supernatural beings for generations. While believed to be fables by most, only a few know the truth. You may know these beings as vampires, werewolves, and witches.
  
  Meanwhile, as the world of Vampires and immortality thrives and grows, Lycaon of Arcadia was serving an omniscient deity for dinner. The meal? the flesh of his son, Nyctimus. In a fit of rage at the mortal's inhumanity and vile actions, the deity cursed Lycaon and all surrounding guests to transform into hulking, wolf-like beasts. This divine being made it to be that the moon would hold great power over these beasts and could send them into a frenzy on the nights of a full moon. The curse continued after the deity left, and the newly made monsters suffered in damnation.
  
  Tormented by their host's actions and the curse bestowed on them, Lycaon's guests plotted and schemed against the beast. The plan was to kill Lycaon and make him pay for what he did. However, they underestimated the power that Lycaon had. As such, Lycaon ended up killing three of the ten wolves. This was the birth of the first Alpha. And the others soon learned what it meant to fall in line when their Alpha demanded it. As the pack grew, responsibilities were divided amongst the pack to help make it run more efficiently. Lycaon established a hierarchy system that was quickly adopted by his pack and other debuting packs as well. At the top-of-the-chain was the Alpha, then the Beta, then the Zeta, then Delta, and finally, Omegas.
  
  However, Lycaon and his pack still longed to be humans again; and they were now in search of Witches. Witches, humans who were highly connected and attuned to the mystical forces of the Universe, were the only solution to their problem. The pack did soon find a coven of witches, and with their combined magicks, they were able to contain the Curse of the Beast. Yet, their power couldn't control it fully. These were in the rare cases of Alphas, who could shift when they wanted to; those with a strong enough willpower to overcome the containment spell; and on the nights of a full moon, when the curse was at its peak.
  
  Throughout history, the wolves and vampires would act as rivals against one another, since they tended to be the most physically powerful. Boundaries were drawn and one side could not cross over, unless they had a death wish. But, that all changed when the Vishanti Council sprung an ambush on the wolves and sought to enslave the species—which they successfully did.
  
  Nowadays, the wolves remain bound to the Vishanti Council and are forced to abide by their laws. They're forced to battle each other in death matches as a way to entertain the vampiric aristocracy. Some wolves had managed to escape the Vishanti and join the fight with the Resistance or simply hide from the war. For the unlucky, however, they must continue to kill their own brothers and sisters.
  
  Abilities:
  
  • Supernatural Strength, Speed, Stamina — varies depending on status and rank. Features become enhanced when in wolf form.
  • Supernatural Senses — universally similar to the vampires.
  • Supernatural Endurance and Durability — varies depending on status and rank. Features become enhanced when in wolf form.
  • Shift Transformation — Full beast transformation only occurs if the Wolf is an Alpha or has the willpower to overcome the magic blocked; otherwise, full Wolf shift occurs during the full moon. Lesser ranks are limited to a minor shift in which they grow elongated teeth, nails (for claws), hair, their ears become more pointed, and their brow becomes ridged.
  • Regeneration — much like vampires, Werewolves can heal from injury much quicker than humans.
  • Curse Bestowal — when a werewolf bites a person on the night of a full moon, in their full beast form, then the curse may be passed on to whomever they bite.
  • Pain Transference — werewolves have the unique ability to absorb and take the pain of others—and it doesn't have to be physical pain. It's more potent with pack members, but they can still absorb the pain of mortals.
  • Submission Roar — really only an ability that Alphas possess, but some lesser ranked werewolves have proven to use this ability. Essentially, it makes a werewolf submit to the will of the one who roars.
  • Power Absorption — by killing another werewolf, one can absorb their "spark" and add to their own power.
  • Memory Transference — by using their claws, and inserting it into the spinal cord at the base of one's neck, a werewolf can access the memories of their victim.
  • Power Enhancement — by being in a pack, werewolves enhance their physical abilities.
  Weaknesses:
  
  • Silver — Werewolves, much like vampires, are highly susceptible to silver. A commonality between these two species.
  • Lunar Eclipse — during a lunar eclipse, Werewolves are left powerless and can not shift into their forms.
  • Mistletoe — much like a normal human, mistletoe is toxic to Werewolves.
  • Wolfsbane — wolfsbane holds up to the fabled lore behind it, in which it is highly toxic to Werewolves.
  Rankings:
  Typically, the darker the coat of fur that a werewolf has, the higher up in the pack they are. Any werewolf can rise and fall to any of these positions.
  
  • Alpha — the leader of a pack.
  • Beta — the second-in-command.
  • Zeta — a trusted guardian of the pack. they are, spiritually, the most developed of the pack.
  • Delta — an enforcer of sorts.
  • Omega — the lowest member of the pack and, sometimes, a lone wolf.
• 
  Origins:
  Since the beginning of civilization, people would tell tales of terrifying creatures & supernatural beings for generations. While believed to be fables by most, only a few know the truth. You may know these beings as vampires, werewolves, and witches.
  
  The first of the supernatural to ever emerge in the world, Witches have been roaming the Earth since Lucifer's fall from Heaven. Through Lilith, the Mother of Demons, and the First Witch, harnessing the power of mystic energies of the Universe was taught to Humans; of course, at the expense of signing one's name in the Book of the Beast.
  
  In the beginning, Witches were limited to casting spells through rituals and hand movements. As human linguistics began to develop and flourish, Witches would soon form spells that required verbal incantations. These specific spells were limited to the language of Latin since the official vampiric language—Vishul—was created in opposition to Latin. The Council, though seeing the Witches as a resourceful tool, did fear their power. It was essential to find a way to control them, and fast. Hence, the creation of Vishul.
  
  Vishul was "blessed" by Cevius, a Lord of Hell, enting the Witches into only using Latin. Cevius had a strong dislike for Witches—and the Vishanti Council feared the Witches' power, so keeping them from evolving their spells and magicks was most advantageous.
  
  Three original bloodlines, all descended from the Goddess Hecate, are the only beings who transcend the limitations Cevius had placed on them: the de la Croix's, the Bayarsaikhan's, and the Ghazali's. These three lineages were primarily matriarchal and could perform great magicks with simple hand gestures.
  
  Magic itself is diverse and has no limitations. However, the greater the spell—or use of magic—the more chaos the Universe must implore in order to balance the scale of order.
  
  Specializations
  Witches are not limited to only magicks pertaining to these specializations, but rather these are their strongest suits.
  
  • Vita Vitalum — these Witches focus on the magicks that can heal mortal and immortal wounds. Necromancy included.
  • Conjuring — Summoning Witches are highly skilled in daemonology and summoning those from another dimension. The practices of these witches are dangerous but do require a lengthy amount of time to perform.
  • Concilium — another powerful, and useful, specialty that the Vishanti Council seek in Witches. Concilium deals with compulsion and telekinesis; forces that cannot be seen or physically blocked.
  • Clairvoyance — these are your Oracles and Soothsayers. They are incredibly useful to the Vishanti Council.
  • Divination — Divination is the act of surpassing the mortal world and entering another dimension and/or surpassing space-time.
  • Transmutation — the act of transfiguring one's body into another person, species, object, etc.
  • Elementalist — the final specialty class. Simply put, they can influence the four natural elements.
• 
  Origin:
  Humans. Mortals. Earthborn beings with no direct affiliation to the Supernatural. Though not supernatural, humans were here long before any supernatural creature.
  
  These are the beings caught in the entanglement of the secret war that hasn't stopped brewing for centuries. They may be fragile and at a comparative disadvantage, but they are a seemingly intelligent population with a knack for being resourceful.
  
  Hunters are either the epitome of physical or mental well-being by human standards.
  
  Hunters are well-funded and well-equipped with the most modern technology and supplies. They come outfitted with a range of armors that can provide protection, mobility, or even both. Armors can come plated in titanium fibers or with silver plating to ward off the supernatural effects.