The Homunculus Knight

About the Strix

The Strix are among the oldest of post-Alukah Vampire breeds. While the Strigoi and a few of the eastern species might predate them by a few centuries, none of those Vampires have a recorded history as detailed as the Strix. The first three Strix were a coven of Witches (The term for people with Magi and Shaman abilities) who lived during some of the darkest days of the Sidhe invasion. Powerful human Mages were a desired commodity among the Sidhe then, and only secrecy and numbers provided any form of safety. Many covens, cabals, circles and similar existed in hiding. Isolated and ever in danger of discovery, some of these collections of Mages were... unpleasant. The use of twisted magic became more than a method of survival; it became a way of life. Many of the truly evil spells and rituals penned solely by mortal hands traces to this era.

As products of this blighted time, the original three Strix believed only monsters could thrive in a monstrous age. A theory they put to the test in their quest for power and 'ascension' past the weaknesses of mortal kind. Wandering the world, seeking knowledge, and caring little for those caught in their wake, the Strix carved a bloody imprint into the folklore of countless regions. The legends of three evil Witches are shockingly ubiquitous across Erebu and parts of Qabsu. Many simply say these stories are about the Three Queens of Goblin religion, something any faithful Goblin will fiercely deny. The Three Queens, for all their viciousness, do have noble aspects; the Strix did not, or at least nothing recorded in the stories about them. The three original Strix were often referred to as sisters, but it's unknown if they were actually related or merely symbolic siblings. In fact, very little is recorded about them aside from their names and what can be inferred from their bloodlines.

Eventually, the sisters found what they were looking for: a path to becoming monstrously powerful. After a great ritual soaked in blood and tears, the three Witches were reborn as the first Strix Vampires. The Witche's magical powers grew from formidable to staggering, and soon, ambitious Mages sought the sisters out, seeking to partake in their cursed blood. Like an infection, the Strix Curse spread through the isolated magical communities, shifting the balance of power among these invisible colleges. Soon, a silent war raged among Mages as the Strix faced an increasingly united opposition. This conflict reached its inevitable conclusion when it caught the Sidhe's attention. Both sides were decimated and decapitated, with the three sisters missing or dead. Without the original Strix to lead them, the Vampire's descended into infighting and eventually scattered. The survivors on the mortal side learned much from these events, and the connections formed between these communities became the bedrock of the later Ivory Towers of Erebu.

Ever since the final battle of the 'War of Owls,' as the conflict between magical communities ended, there have been rumors about the Strix Sisters. Of how at least one of them survived and still haunts the world. More than a few powerful Strix are rumored to be direct scions or students of a surviving sister, but there is little evidence of this. Still, the Ivory Towers have shown a remarkable interest in some of the more bombastic rumors about a surviving sister. With their being whispers the War of Owls never truly ended, only became more subtle.

All Strix are known for their obsessive tendencies and ravenous curiosity, a trait that defines them as much as the Strigoi's viciousness or a Moroi's scheming. Part nature of the curse, part nurture of selected scions, this behavior presents differently in the three true Strix bloodlines.

Nontho's Bloodline - The eldest sister and her Scions chase after an ever-growing goal with maniacal zeal. With every success or failure, the blood of Nontho will set their sights ever higher. Strangely charismatic and violently self-assured, these Vampires are known for incredible feats and discoveries, usually followed by spectacular downfalls. Isabelle is a prime example of this bloodline and demonstrates their strengths and weaknesses to an extreme degree

Lakhes's Bloodline - The middle sister and her Scions are collectors and observers. Often cautious and neurotic, these Vampires hoard knowledge and power as a way of survival. They rarely engage in great tasks or risky gambits, preferring a more subtle and secure method of existing. Wolfgang is an unusually proactive member of this bloodline, being an 'observer' to his sire, Igori's 'collector.'

Aisa's Bloodline - The youngest sister and her Scions care more for the pursuit than the victory. Fickle by Strix standards, they will chase a goal until they are satisfied and then move on. But until they achieve said satisfaction, Aisa's bloodline will show a level of grit and commitment that defies reason. Lord Johan Glockmire showed many of the traits of Aisa's blood, and so did his scion Petar.

About Titans and Demurges

The Aether has existed far longer than humanoids have on Vardis. Its cycles of waxing and waning have influenced the planet for geologic ages, mutating lifeforms into new magical species. Without higher thoughts to influence the Aether, it was a simpler, more primordial force, untouched by Gods or Sidhe, only home to primitive but powerful Spirits. In those ages of high Aetheric concentration, life evolved into configurations completely reliant on magic to survive. Their biology requiring reality to be more 'suggestible' to function. At the apex of these magical species were entities called Titans, singular organisms of incredible size and magical power. Each Titan was born from a powerful Monster, achieving a form of symbiosis with one of the primordial Spirits inhabiting the Aether. These two entities fuse and become something more, a god-beast comparable to a living force of nature. Living off of the Aether's magical currents and capable of creating or destroying geologic features and ecosystems by their mere presence, Titans were the true masters of Vardis. Even when more intelligent species evolved or arrived upon the planet, they knew to pay homage to these entities.

But like all reigns, that of the Titans came to an end. The Aether waned, and with it, Vardis's ability to support such impossible creatures. Some of the more wily or well-adapted Titans left the planet, using their own simple but formidable magic to find other worlds to inhabit. But the majority of Titans and their less impressive but still magically dependent kindred went extinct, their biology crushed beneath reality's rules being enforced once again. A third category of Titan, unable or unwilling to flee, adapted, doing what many species do in times of scarcity: hibernate. To survive these lean millennia, where magic became scarce, these hibernating Titans turned to an unusual food source. Magical energy reacts to crystalline matter in an odd way, becoming 'trapped' in the material, so gemstones, quartz, and similar can act like batteries of magic. Deep beneath the earth, huge deposits of crystals could hold titanic (pun intended) amounts of magic even as the Aether faded to an echo of what it once was. Some Titans burrowed deep into the earth, leaving huge cavern systems in their wake, as they sought nests capable of sustaining them during their hibernation. Sleeping away ages while passively feeding on this magical source, these Titans have managed to survive multiple cycles of Aetheric waxing and waning.

In this most recent cycle, where humanoids evolved on Vardis and started stirring up the Aether into a more complicated state, one of these ancient Titans discovered something rather curious. Cut and polished gemstones can retain more magic more efficiently than their raw counterparts. It discovered this when a tribe of Neanderthals started using a cave connected to its lair as their home. This tribe would cut/crack a local quartz deposit into shiny shapes as decorations. As the centuries went by and this tribe found itself out-competed by Homo Sapian neighbors, the Titan called to them. Its huge but simple mind offering them sanctuary and implanting a deep-set desire in these Neanderthals to find more shiny things in the depths below. The tribe survived in the cavern system sprawling out around the Titan's nest and was soon joined by other clans called by the Titan's will.

Protected and guided by their unknown patron, these Neanderthals thrived, growing into a subterranean subspecies with a universal love for gems and gold: the Dwarves. Spreading out through the subterranean world connecting the different Titans, the Dwarves expanded these caverns and entered the territory of other sleeping Titans. Now centuries later, great vaults of masterfully cut gems sit at the heart of every Dwarven hold, a point of cultural pride for the Dwergaz, a buried food cache for the sleeping Titans.

Few Dwarves are aware of the Titans; the slumbering minds of their ancient benefactor protect themselves by muddying memories and confusing explorers. Casting massive subtlety spells that act like camouflage against anything that might disturb their sleep until the Aether waxes enough for them to rise. But the Dwarven legends contain references to songs in the deep, to ancient guardians who called them below and helped their initial holds. These mysterious benefactors are given the title 'Demiurge,' but the Dwarves aren't the only ones to use this term. Scholars have adopted the word and its meaning of 'creator deity' to refer to any being who has created or 'sculpted' a species magically.

About Dullahans

Dullahans blur the line between undead and curse, being a fusion of tortured soul and witchfire. Witchfire is magically conjured flame 'tainted' by Aetheric power. While calling up flames is a very simple magical practice, infusing them with additional arcane energies is more difficult. But those capable of the feat can find many uses for altered fire, particularly because the properties of witchfire can be more easily altered. Creating 'impossible' fire that doesn't burn organic matter or is hyper-efficent to the point of candles lasting weeks or months are just some examples of witchfire's use. Magically altered or influenced flames almost always show signs of what is affecting them, like Cole's blood-powered pyromancy is unusually red, and corpses affected by necromancy often produce odd smoke. Most commonly witchfire appears a vivid green, as it's influenced by the local Aether. Other colors and 'textures' can hint at the source of magic powering the flame. Black fire usually means the Dark; silver-white means the Light, etc. Now normally, fire merely breaks the bonds between a soul and its body, providing a quick and ugly form of consecration when a Priest or similar is not around. But when certain rituals and a particularly nasty form of witchfire is involved, the rules change.

A Dullahan and some of their kindred undead are created when a soul is burned/consumed in a literally cursed act of necromancy. By separating the head from the Dullahan and casting certain spells upon it, the soul of the Dullahan-to-be is protected and prepped for the transformation ahead. Souls are collections of magical energy stretched between the Mundane, Aether, and Beyond, touching all three parts of reality, but the witchfire ritual changes this. It snaps a soul's connection to the Beyond and even transforms the soul into something akin to a spell or, in this case, a curse. Because their connection to the Beyond is severed, Dullahans can't easily receive aid or harm from that domain. So they are unusually resistant to the usual powers channeled against the undead. This separation is extremely traumatic, and it takes a very tough/developed soul to survive it. Existing in both the Mundane and Aether, the burning soul becomes a mass of sentient witchfire directed by the Dullahan. At the most basic level, this makes a Dullahan an extremely durable pyromantic entity. As long as the Dullahan's head is intact or separated from them, very little can truly destroy them. Existing as a curse in the Aether, a Dullahan can survive and 'rekindle' as long as some of their flame survives.

But fire likes to spread, and the type of witchfire that composes a Dullahan is no exception. Every being touched by the Dullahan's flames is marked by them, burned on a metaphysical level, allowing the headless hunter to track them. When the Dullahn finds its quarry and kills them, its flames will burn the victim's soul. Not usually destroying it unless the Dullahan really tries to, but ripping off pieces of it to join the fire. Each mauled soul fuels the flame and strengthens the Dullahan. Not to an infinite degree, a Dullahn reaches a point where its sense of self will start to be 'diluted' by excess soul stuff, leading to a type of dissociative madness. Many of these headless hunters become little more than psychotic automatons roving over a stretch of land, killing any they encounter until someone finally breaks the curse. Other Dullahans learn the true power they possess, being able to inject their flame into a corpse to animate it as a subservient lesser undead. The cursed horses of Dullahans are the most famous example of this, but old and powerful Dullahans have been known to lead 'hunts' of undead horsemen and knights. Additionally, some of the flame is used whenever a Dullahan creates/controls fire or calls upon similar abilities.

One crucial weakness keeps Dullahans from matching other undead of similar power and intelligence. They are bound to their skull, and any being that possesses the skull can easily place powerful magical chains upon them. Similarly, most Dullahans cannot travel too far from their skull; forcing them to keep to a territory. Some very lucky people have managed to escape hunting Dullahans, escaping the lands they can inhabit by the skin of their teeth. Powerful necromancers can do lots with this link, like binding a Dullahan to someone, their skull (still in use) acting as the focal point of the hunter's territory. These curious properties mean Dullahans often find themselves as bodyguards to monsters even worse than they are or as insane local legends bound to cursed land.

Only a headless undead inhabited by witchfire is technically a Dullahan, but the term is used more broadly for any decapitated undead. Those in circles with necromantic knowledge refer to true Dullahans as Cephalpyre Dullahans. A number of variants exist, with unique abilities and predilections decided by the original soul used in the ritual and said ritual details. They all share the weakness of their skull, though, being bound to it and easily destroyed by whoever possesses the skull.

About Nous and Archons

When a Mundane being reaches a level of magical saturation that its local Aether cannot support them, it is faced with a number of options. Leaving their native world and searching for another with a closer connection to the Beyond works for a time, but eventually, a truly powerful magical entity will reach the point where Mundane reality simply isn't enough. At this point, unless the being willingly cripples itself, the best option remaining is to ascend into the Beyond, becoming what mortals call an ascended and what Beyonders call a Nous. Nous are by their very nature potent beings and can easily find places among the different hierarchies of the Beyond or exist as independent intelligences, sometimes even congregating into metaphysical tribes or nations. Limited in how they can interact with the Mundane, Nous often become increasingly distant from their plane of origin, their growing understanding alienating them from what was. Still, some maintain an interest and investment in their home, acting as patrons or problems for the Mundane. As Beyonders, Nous are limited in how their power can grow as the main source of increased potency, the thoughts, emotions and souls of the Mundane is jealously guarded by the Gods. Instead, most content themselves with exploring the cosmos and working on whatever project currently interests them. But some Nous seek more than being a fish in the ocean; they remember what it was like to be a leviathan and want a return to that. This is a tricky prospect but not impossible.

A God is an anthropomorphic personification/cosmic embodiment of certain related concepts sculpted by the collective belief, emotions, and perspective of sapient life. But, these Gods are not the only beings in the Beyond with unimaginable power, below them are entities called Archons. Archons are independent intelligences that have achieved a state close to godhood but are not truly deities. At the most basic level this difference is defined by an Archon lacking a divine domain, as in a facet of reality they personify and rule. This lack of true divinity offers a number of advantages and disadvantages, most key is how Archons are more static than a true deity. A God's nature is sculpted by worship, and its power is fed by thoughts and emotions. Archons by contrast are their own master and cannot tap into the infinite wellspring of metaphysical potential that is mortal minds. Still, an Archon has the magical power and skill to do 'god-like' feats (creating or destroying a world, uplifting a species, warping reality, etc.),

Unlike a true God, there is no set qualification for being an Archon; it is simply a designation given to beings of godly power but not Godly nature. As such, the origin, abilities, and goals of Archons are incredibly varied. Some are Nous, who managed to claim unfathomable power and keep it. Others are Sidhe, Seraphs, Demons, or similar, now strong enough to exist independently from their court or God. Truly ancient Dragons and other more alien enitites can also reach this state as well. The process for becoming an Archon is equally varied, with few consistent paths to this state. Knowledge and information is power in the Beyond, just as much as thought and emotion are. But they are considerably less contested by divinities, so many prospective Archons collect as much data as they can, becoming hoarders of secrets and mysteries. More aggressive methods do exist, like stealing power from other Beyonders, and even consuming them; but that opens one up to predation. Rarely an entity can ascend into the Beyond as a true Archon instead of Nous, but this requires extraordinary circumstances. For example, a very canny Dragon might find a way to let their 'magical exhaust' accumulate in great hordes of gemstones scattered across different worlds. So when said Dragon finally ascends, they do so in a ritual that sucks in all the stored power, turning them into a lesser Archon. Or, more horribly, a being might devour the souls of its native world or even the planet's Aether in a ritual of twisted sacrifice.

A few miscellaneous facts about all this.

Mortal-born Seraphs, and some types of Demon are basically Nous created with Godly aid. With a God giving a dead soul an injection of (un)holy power and making them a valued servant/slave. Saint usually refers to a person who has become a Seraph after death. (St. Mira and a few others are exceptions)

Gods of knowledge and wisdom have domain over the emotional and mental aspects of information, not the actual data. So Aunt Seeress has purview over someone sitting down and reading a book, while an Archon might gain power from the book's contents.

Archons do occasionally attempt to become Gods, and they sometimes even succeded.

The Pantheon and other more benevolent deities have been known to absorb worthy (and willing) Archons into themselves. Some aspects of a God didn't start as cultural interpretations but Archons who chose this fate.

Similarly, less pleasant deities have hunted Archons with the right 'resonance' to add their power to themselves. More than one Archon has turned the tables on a prospective predator and parasitized their consumer until they were the guiding intellect of the God.

Pretty much none of this will be plot relevant to HK, since the Gates Beyond keep Archons from having much influence on Vardis. Archons aren't limited or controlled by the gate's debt system but instead must contest the authority of a very powerful Archon with divine support. (The Gates themselves)

The tides of the Beyond and Aether saturation are not constant inside a universe, typically varying between planets or solar systems bearing life. The Gates Beyond limits only the Vardis solar system's magical saturation.

About Trolls

I'd intended to send Cole and company troll-hunting in the Deeps at one point but the plot went elsewhere. Still, I figured I'd share a little about them.

Trolls in HK are a species of great ape that adapted to the Deeps. Physically they resemble bald, fat chimpanzees with thick hide-like skin and and an usually large nose. This nose helps amplify their calls and allows for trolls to be heard across kilometers of tunnel. While not particularly smart by primate standards, trolls are adaptive and durable. They possess a supernatural regenerative factor and can survive all but the most traumatic injuries if given time and calories. This regeneration, when combined with their dense bones, muscles, and skin, means trolls are exceptionally durable creatures. While mostly hairless, trolls often have colonies of most and fungus growing upon their skin, acting as camouflage and in a pinch food. Aggressively omnivorous, trolls will eat anything they can, displaying a intense gluttony that ensures their body has large fat reserves to power their regeneration. As a side effect of this hunger, trolls are usually migratory, wandering the Deeps and surface constantly searching for food.

Short lived, as a side effect of their regeneration, trolls rarely reach twenty-five years before senescence and cancer leads to their deaths. Trolls are also naturally hermaphroditic and aggressive, so mating and territory clashes are often one and the same. Adolescent trolls start at roughly a meter in size and grow quickly. A well-fed adult troll can easily reach two or three meters depending on environmental factors. But a number of sub-species both larger and smaller than the typical troll do exist. The short lifespans and adaptive nature of trolls mean that most regions of the Deeps and surface have some variant of troll inhabiting it. Surface-dwelling trolls have almost armor-like skin, as their pigment-less skin hardens into thick calloused plates of sun-burned leather. Trolls native to tighter cave systems will have thinner builds, and hyper-flexibility of their joints. Northern fjords where key tunnels meet the ocean often have algae-covered sea trolls nesting among their spray-soaked crags.

No one has ever successfully domesticated a troll. They've occasionally been trained as beasts of battle or controlled by magic, but little else. Generally, trolls are viewed as a dangerous pest, requiring immediate action before they cause serious damage to whatever humanoid settlement they've wandered near. The surface of Vardis is riddled with far more caverns and tunnels than its people would like to imagine, and hungry trolls often wander to the surface, taking routes unknown to even the most knowledgeable dwarven prospector. Because of this, some mercenaries make a good living off hunting trolls, patrolling regions with high numbers of caves, waiting for some unfortunate village to need their help. Dwarves, as a rule, detest trolls, viewing their existence with an almost instinctual disgust. Old dwarf legends speak of trolls as primordial rivals for control of the Deeps and attest to worryingly intelligent subspecies that stalk the deepest caves of Vardis.

While trolls are not clever enough to properly use magic, they often experience mutations because of being exposed to large amounts of magical energy within the Deeps. Like with most creatures, the more stable mutations result in sub-species, but trolls unusually hardy physique can allow them to survive with more drastic alterations. Trolls with extra limbs, eyes, and even chimeric body parts haunt the campfire tales of many dwarven miners. Some of these stories even speak of other more harrowing mutants, like Dire Trolls so large and durable they can live for decades as piles of angry tumors. Or the infamous Boneless Troll that can slip through fist sized cracks in the rock. Other tales speak of ancient trolls with Jotunn blood who grow into hill-sized masses of calcified flesh.

About Eclipse Dancers

(To celebrate the Eclipse that went across the USA, I'm going to tap-dance on a mine field!)

So I need to preface this with some context and ass-covering. I'm a straight cisgendered dude but I have friends who are gay and trans. So, as with polyamory, I'm probably not the best or worst person to write about this sort of thing. I'm also a student of history, anthropology and psychology who tries not to shy away from the myriad aspects of life in my writing. Homosexuality, transexuality/gender and non gender conforming people have been a historical fact and constant element of human civilization in its myriad forms. A fair number of historical and scientific estimates seem to show something like 10% of people across cultures belong to one of these demographics. Yet for reasons I'd rather not get into outside a political forum, the existence and identity of these populations is controversial in some people's minds. I'm not a fan of that type of thinking and am trying to avoid erasing/ignoring queer people in my story. Bluntly fantasy and lots of other fiction types seem to either pretend these demographics don't exist or hyper-focus on them. I'm trying to do neither, and hope to succeed.

Alright onto the topic at hand. In places where the Pantheon is the dominant religious element, the Sun and Moon are associated with feminity and masculinity respectfully. As such, the conjunction of these two celestial bodies provides a unique metaphysical opportunity. Certain rituals and spells are only possible or feasible during an eclipse. The Eclipse Dancers are a religious order who follow both Sister Sun and Brother Moon that specialize in these spells. Of the eclipse rituals, the most common and well known is a form of sanctified flesh-crafting that allows a person's body to be 're-aligned' with their soul and mind. This rite can be performed during a solar or lunar eclipse, and is unique among all forms of flesh-crafting. The scope of magic is extremely precise and stable, which is uncommon for flesh-crafting. Those who undergo the eclipse rite become who they 'should' be, not what they 'want' to be. Their basic biological make-up and genetic structure is mostly unchanged, simply replaced with a version of themselves that 'should' be. So a person born male who undergoes this ritual will gain a body akin to what their body would be like if they'd been born female. Same eyes, same hair, same basic everything, almost like an opposite gender twin. Once the ritual finishes, its subject will be biologically stable and not experience the usual side-effects of such extensive flesh-crafting. This leads some Magi to think the ritual is less about resculpting an existing body but replacing it with an alternative version taken from another universe. While not common, people who have 'done the dance' aren't unheard of in most places, with most communities accepting their lost son/daughter back as a new daughter/son.

Eclipse Dancers themselves are selected from two distinct categories of people, neither of which conform to gender norms. The first are those who experience a mixing of sexual characteristic when undergoing the eclipse rite. These dancers are the more common type and some will undergo the ritual every eclipse they can, their bodies shifting to match their fluid minds; while others take on a singular genderless form. The second category of prospective dancer are children born during an eclipse. These are the true dancers, and their legendary forbearers were the first to discover and record these rituals. True dancers are mild shapeshifters, able to change their sexual presentation in any way they wish and have a unique ability to detect those who might benefit from the ritual. Most true dancers who aren't members of the order keep their nature somewhat private. As flesh-crafting and humanoid shapeshifting are both taboo magics and for good reason.

Aside from the dance of genders, there is another well-known ritual the Eclipse order practices. This one is more difficult and requires a solar eclipse or the captured light of such an event. When undertaken by a same-sex couple who are in love, the ritual allows them to conceive a child. The rarity of solar eclipses and the potential complications of such a intense ritual mean it is not common. Only noble families or members of magical bloodlines will usually undertake the rite for reasons that are often more political than romantic. Lesbian couples have an easier time with the ritual, while gay couples need to rely on alchemical or flesh-crafted aids. (Artificial wombs are an experimental but promising side-effect of homunculus research) The offspring of these unions often suffer mild to major health issues, but otherwise are normal and often display mild savantism of magic related to Sister Sun and Brother Moon.

Outside of their ritual importance, Eclipse Dancers are also potent priests who can combine the magic of their two gods in unique ways. These abilities come in useful for the lesser known duties of the Eclipse Dancer. The metaphysical implications of an eclipse are more than just the intermingling of masculine and feminine. Rituals and magics related to shadows, darkness, and corrupted light are possible beneath an eclipse. Keeping these rites hidden and stopping those who'd use them also falls under the Dancer's purview.

(Dear readers, please don't make me regret this bit of world-building and universe expanding. Also, some of its not just fluff, I intend to do something with dark eclipse magic eventually and the Dancers working with Cole and Natalie to stop it)

About Wereblood Transformations

Long centuries of experimentation and practice have helped the Wereblooded peoples, be they beast or kin, master their animalistic power and use it successfully. Full Werebeasts have the innate ability to turn into their curse beast, and a hybrid form. But this formidable power comes at a cost with Werebeasts constantly struggling to balance their two facets and keep their predatory aggression under control. Those Werefolk who've been bitten by a Werebeast but not fully transformed can only channel the curse beast's power into some parts of their body, but are much less influenced by the beast's instincts and desires. This has the unusual effect of allowing Werefolk to gain a level of control and understanding over their curse-mutated flesh. Werekin can often tap into their powers with finesse that even the most attuned Werebeast would struggle with. For example, a skilled Werekin might be able to enhance their senses to animal heights and combine that with humanoid logic and reasoning to gather more information and better conclusions than a Werebeast whose mind would be more occupied keeping their bestial nature contained. Similarly, a Werekin could strengthen a single limb, gaining denser muscles and bones (and possibly arm hair) without needing to fully transform into a hybrid like a Werebeast. Of course mature and balanced Werebeasts can use these techniques of partial transformation, but will inevitably lack the experience and specialization a Werekin who's been doing this since they were a teenager would.

Werekin can have some level of control over what type of partial transformations they develop, by selecting where they are bitten upon coming of age. Many clans of Werefolk have preferred locations, as dictated by tradition and practicality. Techniques to 'draw' the curse to a specific body part do exist, but are tricky and require Magi and Shamans trained in this art. These rites allow for sensory organs and other sensitive tissue to be enhanced without it actually getting bitten. But most times, the bite is typically deep enough to reach a major artery or vein, allowing the curse/virus easy access. As such, only the most controlled Werebeasts are chosen to inflict the bite.

With training and experience, Werekin can tap into two basic types of transformation. Both are physically and mentally draining, requiring robust bodies and focused minds to work properly. By transforming, Werekin can mildly increase their own healing, as the magic bleeds over into their body, helping cell growth and tissue repair.

Internal- The curse's power enhances muscle tissue, bone density, and organ functionality. When done properly, an internal transformation is virtually undetectable without medical or magical examination. But often an internal transformation will have an external bleed over, the extent of which depends on the Werekin's state. Extra body hair, changed skin pigmentation, and even slight shifts to muscular and bone structure are the most common. (Cat-Eyes gets leopard spots along her back and even some fur)

External- New physical structures are grown or existing ones extremely mutated by the curse. External transformations are anything but subtle and are also usually somewhat painful. The growth of claws, snouts, tails, or even wings are common examples of this type of transformation. External transformations are almost always accompanied by a request internal transformation, and they can be considered a 'second stage' transformation. But some Werefolk lack useful external transformations and don't use them. (Cat-Eyes doesn't have much desire to grow a slightly stumpy tail in an experience she lovingly compares to 'shitting out your spine')

Werebeasts at their most basic level can turn into their curse beast and a hybrid form. But the exact details of the beast and hybrid form can vary. Even being modified and exaggerated by potent Werebeasts. This is how Gruopa Honey-Drinker could turn into a gigantic dire bear during the riot. His curse is so potent and his control of it so effective he can transform into an enhanced form. Other more specialized hybrid forms or magical abilities can be gained by Werebeasts willing to strengthen the curse affecting them. Devouring the heart of a magical being is the easiest way to increase the curse's potency, and many Werebloods take to hunting Direbeasts and other monsters for this reason. Of course, humanoid hearts and those of other Werebloods also work... In fact a Werekin can devour a Werebeasts heart to become one, in an act that is taboo among some clans and required among others. With elder Werebeasts dying by ritual combat, there heart consumed by a victorious relative. In general, duels like this are common among Werebeasts, with rivals claiming the power of their fallen foe and receiving tattoos marking their victories. But this practice of increasing the curses potency is very much double-edged, granting new abilities and strength while also intensifying the bestial instincts. It's not unheard of for greedy Werebeasts to glut themselves and lose control, becoming a feral monster whose kin are honor-bound to slay.

About Vampire Bloodlines and Houses

The curse of vampirism mutates those inflicted with it physically, mentally and spiritually. Each species of vampire displays distinct changes to these categories, reflecting its primogenitors nature and origin. But the primogenitors are not the only ones who leave 'echos' of themselves in the curse. Magic is rarely a one-way road, especially in the matter of curses like vampirism. Old and powerful vampires pass something of their talents and predilections to their scions, creating a bloodline within the bloodbreed (species.) This factor, combined with more mundane transmission of knowledge between sire and scion, leads to unique abilities and practices within a bloodline. Some bloodlines possess bizarre mutated versions of typical vampire powers, while others merely inherent quirks and aptitudes from their sires. Since vampires usually choose to sire people who are compatible with them and their goals, bloodline features are self-reinforcing as nature and nurture are united. Members of potent bloodlines are often sought after by various vampire courts and other organizations; since the power and pedigree of these elite scions is valuable. Because of this, many vampire bloodlines are scattered across the duchies, its members seeking opportunities beyond their kin's shadow.

Vampire bloodlines that stay unified and cooperative (by leech standards) are known as houses. While once rare as large scale 'infestations' of vampires were reason enough for mortal enemies to unite against them, houses are becoming more common as the Duchies provide a perfect environment for them to flourish. Usually, a house is ruled by a singular ancient leech, often the founder or their successor/usurper. But situations where councils of elders share rulership aren't unheard of; usually during periods when the founder is hibernating. United out of fear, respect, loyalty and pragmatism, large houses form some of the most dangerous power blocs in the duchies. Vampire houses are extremely hierarchical, even by duchy standards, with age and generational proximity to the founder deciding status. Because of this, many mature vampires who lack opportunities will leave the house to seek their fortune elsewhere. This is accepted by all but the most insular and domineering houses, with the stipulation that the wayward scion be willing to aid their kin if they are called upon. So its not unheard of for the eldest houses to have branches across the duchies who exist in a mix of alliance and rivalry.

On top of these internal bloodline structures, vampires are also organized into courts. While most courts are built around a singular noble and their scions, few are solely composed of that bloodline. Even the courts of a house founder will be more than their kin. Possessing a diverse collection of vassal vampires is considered a sign of status and sanity among the leeches. As such, vampire courts are usually composed of a few different linages, all vassals of the court's ruler. Houses are usually named after its founder, with it acting as a family name for its more senior members. Some houses only allow direct scions of the founder to hold the name, while others have elaborate requirements for who can use the family name. The surname prefix Gens is common among the oldest houses of the Duchies, being a relic from the Iskan Imperium. Houses that use Gens were either founded by an imperial noble who simply kept the old name, or were awarded it by Dracon in his role as Archduke. Vampires able to use Gens in their name are members of a respected bloodline and considered the elite of the Duchies.

- Isabelle was the third head of House Gens Silva when it was destroyed. Her bloodline specialized in enhancing the brain and memory palace. Developing techniques to learn more efficiently and even have multiple simultaneous thought processes.

- Direct scions of primogenitors have a harder time creating a bloodline but are known to grow in strength faster than most vampires.

- Wolfgang is too young to use his bloodline abilities.

- The initial strength of a newly sired vampire can be effected by their sire investing more potent blood into them. Because of this some vampires rarely sire, only producing strong and well-groomed vassals. While others prefer large numbers of easily controled spawn.

- Johan Glockmire was too young when he sired Petar to form a bloodline, and Natalie's accidental siring meant she had very little power invested in her. This is part of why the Alukah so easily replaced her strix heritage.

- The oldest and most powerful vampires have been known to devour members of other bloodlines to gain their abilities, but this practice is not only risky and unpredictable, it is also one of the few true taboos in the duchies.

About Demons

Demons are non-physical organisms that exist within the myriad Hells within the overarching metaphysical domain known to mortals as the Dark. While demons have myriad origins and natures, they are defined by their alignment to the Dark and feeding habits. The thoughts, emotions, and memories of mortal kind constantly flow into the Beyond, gravitating towards the Light, Dark or Grey becoming part of them. This is especially true when a mortal dies, and their soul is cleansed for reincarnation, all that they were spills out into sympathetic parts of the Beyond. Nasty spiritual effluvium flows into the Dark, joining a Hell. Each Hell was originally a physical world that drowned in the Dark and became a nexus for a certain type of sin or pain. Some are broader, existing as reflections of cultural ideas of evil and suffering; where others are more focused domains revolving around a particular concept. In these Hells, are demons, who feed upon the constant flow of metaphysical darkness and the occasionally intact soul that arrives.

While the exact details change between Hells, each is home to a complicated ecosystem where different parts of the effluvium/sins are consumed by different types of demons. Since they are Spirits of a sort and, in essence, living myths/stories, demons can more easily feed upon emotions/thoughts connected to their nature. Existing in constant competition, demons fight each other to claim sins they can consume or to grow their 'story' by devouring weaker but related demons. So a demon born from jealous romantic rage might devour a demon of angry romantic betrayal to strengthen themselves and get better access to sins. This comes at a cost though, and the more stretched out a demon is the easier a rival might tear a piece off of them. This never-ending struggle and balancing act defines the existence of most demons and is in part why the Mundane appeals to them so. For interaction with mortals offers demons all manner of opportunities.

The most basic of these opportunities is raw souls; mortals in their entirety. A seized soul can be torn apart, the incompatible portions traded while the demon gluts itself on their chosen sins. Or with a little time, a demon can break a soul, torturing/mutilating it into a much more palatable configuration. Souls more aligned towards the Light are said to give better results when broken this way, so many more intelligent and devious demons seek to claim innocent or righteous souls for this purpose. Aside from the glut of sins a demon might claim from the Mundane, there is another benefit to leaving the Hells. A demon's story/nature becomes more solid as it acts in the Mundane. By following their nature, and inflicting their evil upon mortal minds, a demon gains stability and durability. The sins and horrors of that demon become more 'stuck' to it by the glue of perception, letting the Hellkyn more easily grow its diet and be more protected from rival's predations.

But entering the Mundane isn't without issues, it requires focused magical power, Aetheric resonance, a prepared body, and on Vardis, mortal consent. Pulling a Beyonder into the Mundane takes magical energy, with stronger Beyonders requiring more energy. Tuning the Aether to the Beyonder's nature can help lessen the magical threshold; so rituals and places of power are often used during summoning. Being spirits, Beyonders like Hellkyn need a body to inhabit, usually possessing a mortal or their corpse. More powerful demons require durable bodies or risk burning through their host. So the various Archdemons of the Hells covet forms capable of containing their power. Unscrupulous alchemists and other artificers have been known to gain great boons in exchange for building a Archdemon a durable body.

While the exact details of a demon's host body can vary radically, they must have a magical medium as a major component, be it precious metals or living tissue. The Gates Beyond also require a mortal's direct agreement, with them initiating the summoning and setting forth terms. While a clever demon can negotiate and only agree to the summons after getting a better deal, it falls to the mortal to start the summoning. Being pulled into the Mundane compresses a Beyonder's being and magical bindings can be placed upon them during the summoning, which is how a demon can be controlled. But these bindings are never perfect, and Hellkyn can escape their leash via strength or cunning. Once summoned, a Demon exists in the Mundane until it is banished, which is the most important part of any binding put upon them. In ages past, before the Gates, a demon could pull itself into existence using magical sympathy. So places of great pain and evil could bleed demons into reality, or even possess unstable mages who worked great spells while in the grip of negative emotions.

Overwhelming force can damage a demon's body enough that their connection to it is severed, and a variety of magics exist to forcefully drive them out of a host. Priests in particular can tap into their God's power to weaken a demon's hold on the Mundane. With the Priests faith and ability to win the contest of wills/metaphors being key. But driving out a Hellkyn from its host is not the only option. While they are in the Mundane, demons are also uniquely vulnerable. Outside of the Hells they can more easily encounter banes, which are usually emotions and memories anathema to their nature. Exposed to its bane, a demon's existence becomes fragile, and damage that might normally wound or banish them will destroy the Hellkyn. Still, this is much easier said than done, as demons cultivate and collect their favored sins. Surrounding themselves with environments, mortals and magics that make producing the bane emotions difficult.

Fell Gods exist in an interesting place in the hellish ecosystems. Where demons are narrow in their scope and only able to feed from the sins washed away in reincarnation (without entering the Mundane); the Fell Gods encompass a broad theme of evil and drink from every mind and soul experiencing that theme. This even includes demons, who in essence pay a tax to the Fell god they exist under. This odd relationship means most demons exist as servants of a Fell God. Some deities merely tolerate the Hellkyn as disposable servants and potential food; absorbing the most potent and attuned demons into themselves. Others rule over legions of Hellkyn, using them to grow their power and influence. The strongest of the Fell Gods claim entire Hells for themselves, taking the metaphysical territory as their own to use as they see fit.

A basic infernal hierarchy.

Fell Gods- Gods of the Dark, cosmic embodiments of evil filtered through mortal perspective.

Hellish Archons- Singularities of magical power existing in the Dark, often existing as a semi-independent Hell or piece of one.

Arch Demons - Ancient, stable, and phenomenally dangerous. Their myth is carved into cultures as an archetype of evil. These are the apex predators of the Hells, often ruling over an entire breed of demon.

High Demons - Potent horrors that have amassed enough strength and wiles to not just survive but thrive. Gaol-gru-Mapa was one of these, but much reduced by his hibernation beneath Vindabon.

Middle Demons - Capable enough to survive the hungry hells reasonably intact but not much else. These Hellkyn viciously defend their sins of choice and eagerly seek chances to grow. Hernev-hut-Orn and Wodwo-ge-Nomos are both stronger than average examples of these demons.

Low Demons - Weak and starving, often barely more than a confluence of similar sins. Often subject to predation by their superiors or fellows, they are tattered scraps of malice. The demons Scapino summoned at the Ball were these; and they are often what are called forth by mages seeking simple but vicious monsters.