Rustic
Drunken Bumpkin
The Dying World Beneath
Humans and supernatural creatures have never meshed well. If you read folktales, or read old religious texts, than you might already know why. In the times they've interacted, things have never ended well. That's why, long ago, supernatural creatures began retreating underground. Some already lived there, most relocated, but over time, it became home to almost all of them. The underground civilization they built never received an official name, but eventually became referred to as 'The Dying World Beneath'. Nowadays, though, most just call it all the 'Beneath'.
A sect of the Beneath's federal government, the Mythological Preservation Alliance (MPA), has been scrupulous, and controversial, in it's work of cleaning up traces of supernatural existence from human society. In fact, in the modern day, it has managed to succeed almost entirely. Few humans exist with knowledge beyond myth of the supernatural, and those who do face risk, failure, and futility in attempts to share it. After all, if magic exists, why hasn't anyone found proof of it before now?
In this way, human and supernatural societies successfully divided themselves off. Even races who exist off of humanity have been able to live mostly apart from them. This arrangement, though harsh at times, has kept both factions safe, and the supernatural public has, mostly, become complacent. They have almost every luxury that the surface does, after all - and some, even, that it doesn't. So, most asked, why would they want to leave?
Until the demons appeared, anyway. Now Hell's rising up from the ground and Heaven's coming down to Earth, in an unscheduled apocalypse. To save their homes, supernatural and human societies are going to have to work together. But will it finally be possible, after all this time?
Deepvale
Situated beneath London, Deepvale is one of the largest and oldest communities of the Beneath. Supernatural creatures of this city are much like any other, living mundane lives that much mirror the world on the surface. The fake sun rises in the east, the government is tight on it's borders, and almost everyone's looking for love. That last point in particular is an important point: finding love. To that end, there's the dating program.
The Dating Program
'Love' means something different to everyone, but the dating program that has been set up all across the Beneath is mostly focused around the procreative part.
You don't necessarily have to have children. You don't even have to be looking for a committed relationship. But the stated goal for the program is the bolster the supernatural population, which, in many species, has been dwindling as of late. There are plenty of reasons, but the biggest one is that's simply an undertaking, with travel across the Beneath being limited and no legality in trying on the human-centric Internet. So, as you might expect, between that big hurdle and a myriad of smaller ones, a major, stream-lined effort like the Dating Program been considered revolutionary. Many supernatural creatures have flocked to be included in it, and while some races have a surplus, almost all of them have a shortage, and that can be a problem when picking who's allowed in these early stages. Especially for races that have fight to be considered worthy of preserving in the first place.
With that, the currently limited seating, and the sometimes contentious ways candidates are chosen, not everyone's so happy with how it's turning out. Though public perception of it has been mostly positive, there few who aren't are growing more restless each day, and tensions about it are quickly coming to a head.
Hunter's Guild
For much of history, there have been human groups dedicated to the eradication of supernatural creatures. However, in the modern day, where proof of their existence is carefully kept from the public, and supernatural interaction with the mundane has been tightly restricted, those groups have become far and few between. Enter the Hunter's Guild, situated unwittingly on the surface above Deepvale. It's currently the top dog organization dedicated to that cause of eliminating supernatural creatures, and probably the only one you'll ever hear about if you have a serious interest in hunting. Only a small percentage of humans are aware of supernatural presence enough to have an opinion on it, but a small percent of billions still adds up to more to a little more than the MPA can handle, and...
You see, the few humans who do have run-in's with the supernatural generally don't have good experiences. Members of the underground interact as minimally and discreetly with humanity as they can, so when a human finds themselves brushing up against the supernatural, it's probably one of the few who refuse to comply with the underground's walls and rules. And that usually means trouble for whoever's unlucky enough to stumble across one them. As a result of unfortunate incidents caused by these rogue elements, and information spread by the Guild, most humans aware of the presence of supernaturals generally don't view them favorably, and commonly seek to keep others safe from them however they can.
It's also worth mentioning, though: the pay for the Guild is pretty good, largely due to the courtesy of the Hauer family. So, some hunters are just in it for the money. That's also just how some people find the Guild and learn about supernaturals, too; following a promising job lead that ends that changes their understanding of the world as they knew it. All the same, the guild doesn't discriminate. For whatever reason you're interested in helping end the presence of aberrant forces that plague good London, you're welcome in the Guild.
The Mythlogical Preservation Alliance (MPA)
A branch of the government tasked with the responsibility of upkeeping the secrecy of the supernaturals. At the beginning of the Beneath, they were afforded many special rights and privileges in the interest of making the Beneath safe that they have kept to this day, making them a fearsome force to both human and supernaturals alike. On a whole, while weary of their power, the people of the Beneath largely see them as a necessary evil. It's members are generally thought highly of, except among races who their restrictions and misuses of power usually effect. They are responsible for protecting the borders, erasing evidence of the supernatural, and bringing back those who leave the Beneath, but they also have sub-branches and programs dedicated to just general preservation efforts, one of which the Dating Program sprang from.
Preservers of the Old Ways (POW)
A mysterious terrorist organization. The group was virtually unheard of by the public until very recently, after it's disruption of the Single's Gala thrown by the MPA. It's purpose, as it's name implies, is to 'preserve' and bring the way supernatural creatures used to live, presumably from before the exodus to the underground. While many of their apparent goals are controversial, the group has a surprisingly extensive and capable following.
Heaven & Hell
Heaven is the peaceful realm God and his angels call home. It's the final resting place of all good and faithful souls, a long way away from the conflicts of mortal life. Though, it has come decidedly closer in the wake of it's oncoming war with Hell. Ultimately, however, God has decided it is not the time for the world to end, and is looking to bring an end to the fighting, for the sake of his mortal flock.
Hell is Heaven's opposite - a massive place with a long, bloody history, filled with demons. Many of it's residents are Wraith Demons, but there's a surprising amount variety to be found. Lucifer, and his second in command, Aeshma, are currently marching their armies on the world, hoping to bring about judgment day early.
Supplemental Information
Humans and supernatural creatures have never meshed well. If you read folktales, or read old religious texts, than you might already know why. In the times they've interacted, things have never ended well. That's why, long ago, supernatural creatures began retreating underground. Some already lived there, most relocated, but over time, it became home to almost all of them. The underground civilization they built never received an official name, but eventually became referred to as 'The Dying World Beneath'. Nowadays, though, most just call it all the 'Beneath'.
A sect of the Beneath's federal government, the Mythological Preservation Alliance (MPA), has been scrupulous, and controversial, in it's work of cleaning up traces of supernatural existence from human society. In fact, in the modern day, it has managed to succeed almost entirely. Few humans exist with knowledge beyond myth of the supernatural, and those who do face risk, failure, and futility in attempts to share it. After all, if magic exists, why hasn't anyone found proof of it before now?
In this way, human and supernatural societies successfully divided themselves off. Even races who exist off of humanity have been able to live mostly apart from them. This arrangement, though harsh at times, has kept both factions safe, and the supernatural public has, mostly, become complacent. They have almost every luxury that the surface does, after all - and some, even, that it doesn't. So, most asked, why would they want to leave?
Until the demons appeared, anyway. Now Hell's rising up from the ground and Heaven's coming down to Earth, in an unscheduled apocalypse. To save their homes, supernatural and human societies are going to have to work together. But will it finally be possible, after all this time?
Deepvale
Situated beneath London, Deepvale is one of the largest and oldest communities of the Beneath. Supernatural creatures of this city are much like any other, living mundane lives that much mirror the world on the surface. The fake sun rises in the east, the government is tight on it's borders, and almost everyone's looking for love. That last point in particular is an important point: finding love. To that end, there's the dating program.
The Dating Program
'Love' means something different to everyone, but the dating program that has been set up all across the Beneath is mostly focused around the procreative part.
You don't necessarily have to have children. You don't even have to be looking for a committed relationship. But the stated goal for the program is the bolster the supernatural population, which, in many species, has been dwindling as of late. There are plenty of reasons, but the biggest one is that's simply an undertaking, with travel across the Beneath being limited and no legality in trying on the human-centric Internet. So, as you might expect, between that big hurdle and a myriad of smaller ones, a major, stream-lined effort like the Dating Program been considered revolutionary. Many supernatural creatures have flocked to be included in it, and while some races have a surplus, almost all of them have a shortage, and that can be a problem when picking who's allowed in these early stages. Especially for races that have fight to be considered worthy of preserving in the first place.
With that, the currently limited seating, and the sometimes contentious ways candidates are chosen, not everyone's so happy with how it's turning out. Though public perception of it has been mostly positive, there few who aren't are growing more restless each day, and tensions about it are quickly coming to a head.
Hunter's Guild
For much of history, there have been human groups dedicated to the eradication of supernatural creatures. However, in the modern day, where proof of their existence is carefully kept from the public, and supernatural interaction with the mundane has been tightly restricted, those groups have become far and few between. Enter the Hunter's Guild, situated unwittingly on the surface above Deepvale. It's currently the top dog organization dedicated to that cause of eliminating supernatural creatures, and probably the only one you'll ever hear about if you have a serious interest in hunting. Only a small percentage of humans are aware of supernatural presence enough to have an opinion on it, but a small percent of billions still adds up to more to a little more than the MPA can handle, and...
You see, the few humans who do have run-in's with the supernatural generally don't have good experiences. Members of the underground interact as minimally and discreetly with humanity as they can, so when a human finds themselves brushing up against the supernatural, it's probably one of the few who refuse to comply with the underground's walls and rules. And that usually means trouble for whoever's unlucky enough to stumble across one them. As a result of unfortunate incidents caused by these rogue elements, and information spread by the Guild, most humans aware of the presence of supernaturals generally don't view them favorably, and commonly seek to keep others safe from them however they can.
It's also worth mentioning, though: the pay for the Guild is pretty good, largely due to the courtesy of the Hauer family. So, some hunters are just in it for the money. That's also just how some people find the Guild and learn about supernaturals, too; following a promising job lead that ends that changes their understanding of the world as they knew it. All the same, the guild doesn't discriminate. For whatever reason you're interested in helping end the presence of aberrant forces that plague good London, you're welcome in the Guild.
The Mythlogical Preservation Alliance (MPA)
A branch of the government tasked with the responsibility of upkeeping the secrecy of the supernaturals. At the beginning of the Beneath, they were afforded many special rights and privileges in the interest of making the Beneath safe that they have kept to this day, making them a fearsome force to both human and supernaturals alike. On a whole, while weary of their power, the people of the Beneath largely see them as a necessary evil. It's members are generally thought highly of, except among races who their restrictions and misuses of power usually effect. They are responsible for protecting the borders, erasing evidence of the supernatural, and bringing back those who leave the Beneath, but they also have sub-branches and programs dedicated to just general preservation efforts, one of which the Dating Program sprang from.
Preservers of the Old Ways (POW)
A mysterious terrorist organization. The group was virtually unheard of by the public until very recently, after it's disruption of the Single's Gala thrown by the MPA. It's purpose, as it's name implies, is to 'preserve' and bring the way supernatural creatures used to live, presumably from before the exodus to the underground. While many of their apparent goals are controversial, the group has a surprisingly extensive and capable following.
Heaven & Hell
Heaven is the peaceful realm God and his angels call home. It's the final resting place of all good and faithful souls, a long way away from the conflicts of mortal life. Though, it has come decidedly closer in the wake of it's oncoming war with Hell. Ultimately, however, God has decided it is not the time for the world to end, and is looking to bring an end to the fighting, for the sake of his mortal flock.
Hell is Heaven's opposite - a massive place with a long, bloody history, filled with demons. Many of it's residents are Wraith Demons, but there's a surprising amount variety to be found. Lucifer, and his second in command, Aeshma, are currently marching their armies on the world, hoping to bring about judgment day early.
Supplemental Information
Disguises - Supernaturals that go out into the world above are required to conceal any traits that would suggest their true nature. Those that cannot naturally disguise themselves with their abilities do so through various methods. Fairy glamour was the only choice for most for awhile, and it used to be more expensive until potions of glamour were able to be synthesized. Glamour potions are relatively cheap for their valuable effect, but the cost of them add up overtime, especially to those who have to leave the Beneath often. Recently, though, there has been a sort of 'cloaking device' released to the public. It is marginally more expensive, and most residents are unable to afford it, but using it can those who utilize it an exorbitant amount of money over time, including the government. Therefore, government employees or members of government programs dealing with the surface receive these devices at a heavily discounted rate, and they are occasionally loaned out.
Outsiders - Supernaturals living on the surface are regularly brought back for trial or removed in the field by the government, though, the amount of supernaturals that are estimated to be on the surface are likely much greater than what the government of the Beneath would claim. The world is a big place, after all.
Leaving - Normally, you'd have a hard time trying to get out of Deepvale, even legally. If you have to leave, you'll be watched. If you want to leave, there's a mountain of paperwork. And if the MPA doesn't trust you? Good luck. Getting out illegally is even harder, with teams ready and willing to track you down. Humans don't even know about the Beneath to try and get into it. Or, they didn't, until recently.
Outsiders - Supernaturals living on the surface are regularly brought back for trial or removed in the field by the government, though, the amount of supernaturals that are estimated to be on the surface are likely much greater than what the government of the Beneath would claim. The world is a big place, after all.
Leaving - Normally, you'd have a hard time trying to get out of Deepvale, even legally. If you have to leave, you'll be watched. If you want to leave, there's a mountain of paperwork. And if the MPA doesn't trust you? Good luck. Getting out illegally is even harder, with teams ready and willing to track you down. Humans don't even know about the Beneath to try and get into it. Or, they didn't, until recently.
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