Post by Capella on May 20, 2014 19:02:12 GMT -5
What Lurks in Alatus Nox
::Human::Vampire::Nightwalker::Shifter::Apothecary::Daemon::Hunter::Ghost::Nomad::
::Human::Vampire::Nightwalker::Shifter::Apothecary::Daemon::Hunter::Ghost::Nomad::
This is a collection of information about the creatures that go bump in the night here in Alatus Nox to help you on your character application! If you have any questions or ideas that don't pertain to anything in this guide, please feel free to PM me! With that being said...
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HUMAN
We are all familiar with the concept of Human because we are all human. We are a blank slate with limitless potential. Everything but the daemons start out as human, and some even question that. When creating a human character, it is important to keep their weaknesses in mind. In other settings, being soft and squishy isn't too bad. But here, one bad encounter can equal death if you aren't smart.
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VAMPIRE vs NIGHTWALKER
In Alatus Nox, there are two unique bloodsucking species (who usually do not get along at all) that each have their pros and cons. The details of each species will be laid out side by side for easy comparison!
The Vampire Origin begins with an Ancient (the first type of humanoid to roam the world, who later became gods) named Lizbetta Batory. She was the inventor of blood magic, making her the first Blood Witch, and created the vampires from humans, initially to be her slaves. Lizbetta never ascended or descended to become a deity. Some say she still roams the world.
The Nightwalker Origin has three different Ancients, all connected in some unknown way to have similar abilities.
- The Father, an Ancient beast that often shape-shifts into animals with a black pelt or coloring. He is known only by the name "Lynx".
- The Mother, an Ancient child-stealing monster named Lammia (who creates other child-stealing Nightwalkers)
- The Baron, a mortal man who corrupted himself with the blood of a Disorder God. His line is extinct, all killed by Hunters, including the Baron Himself.
The Vampire Method of Creation has the vampire draining the victim of their blood and leaving them near death (sometimes the victim does die in this process, but the method usually turns them vampire regardless). Then, the vampire feeds the victim, essentially giving them back their own blood laced with that of a vampire's.
The Nightwalker Method of Creation is very similar, but if a victim dies in the process, they are gone forever and the process is a failure. If the process is a success, rebirth can take between 12-48 hours. Note: For the Mother's line, only females can successfully turn a victim into a Nightwalker. The victim must be a child.
Vampire Traits
- They do not age past the age they were when they were turned.
- Vampires cannot sustain each other, and must feed from living beings.
- The blood of an old vampire contains healing properties.
- Vampires, as soon as they are turned, immediately gain strengths and weaknesses. As a vampire ages, they continue to grow in speed and strength, and develop new abilities.
- Note: It is not possible for a vampire to survive without feeding, though they can go a certain period of time before starving to death. That period of time is different for each vampire. For some, that time grows longer as they age, and for some it grows shorter.
Nightwalker Traits
- A nightwalker will continue to age until they hit their own unique "peak" age.
- Nightwalkers, while they are still young, can survive off the blood of other Nightwalkers. This loses effect the more a Nightwalker consumes the blood of the living.
- Nightwalkers grow in strength, speed, and ability only as they consume the blood of the living. This is also how they gain susceptibility to their weaknesses.
- Note: It is possible for a Nightwalker to pass as human if they don't feed on the blood of the living (which would negate the Nightwalker strengths and weaknesses). Those who attempt this are usually met with crippling headaches, pain, and cravings, though what each Nightwalker goes through is different.
General Vampire Strengths, a.k.a. what a vampire immediately gains upon being turned:
- Fangs and claws that come out and retract at will, or involuntarily when in bloodlust.
- Quick Reflexes / Acute Senses
- Double Speed
- Double Strength
- Wounds that aren't caused by silver will heal rapidly
General Nightwalker Strengths:
- Fangs and claws that come out and retract at will, or involuntarily when in bloodlust.
- Quick Reflexes / Improved Senses
- Improved Speed and Strength
- Most wounds, if not caused by silver, will heal quicker than normal
Vampire Weaknesses are Sunlight, Silver, Fire, and Emblems of the Goddess of Death (scythe, spool of silver thread, needle and thread). Contrary to popular belief, a vampire does not need an invitation to enter a dwelling.
Nightwalker Weaknesses are only apparent when they consume blood of the living. These weaknesses are sunlight, silver, and parts of a peculiar plant called the "Gray Holland", which is said to be affiliated with the Goddess of Death.
Finally, vampires and nightwalkers who have aged and fed may learn new, powerful abilities. Vampires gain their new abilities based on age, while Nightwalkers gain theirs based on how often they feed, and how closely they are descended from either the Mother or the Father.
Vampire Advanced Abilities
- Shifting - gain an animal form. The oldest vampires sometimes have two.
- Mist Form
- Hypnotism or "glamoring"
- Control over nocturnal animals
- Moonlight Regeneration
- Shadow Manipulation
Nightwalker Advanced Abilities
- Shifting - gain an animal form
- Super Strength
- Super Speed
- Rapid Healing
- Wings - most winged Nightwalkers die, because the wings make them highly visible and attract Hunters.
- Psychic Power - such as telekinesis, telepathy, clairvoyance/sentience/audience, etc.
- Shadow Manipulation
Both beings are immortal. A short way to sum them up? Vampire pro/con: fast growth/accessible weaknesses. Nightwalker pro/con: sustainability/slow growth.
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SHIFTER
Sometimes, a human is born with the ability to transform into an animal when a certain mood strikes them. These people are called Shifters. Many humans are born with this innate talent, but only a few are ever able to access it.
Every shifter has a single animal that they can transform into, as well as a catalyst for this action. That catalyst is unique to every shifter. Essentially, it's a mood or mindset your character must be feeling in order to shift. For example, can your shifter only turn into a badger when they're really, really angry? Is the key to your hawk-shifter transforming thinking about the person she loves?
Most shifters, whether in or out of animal form, usually have senses similar to their animal (but not necessarily exactly like!). They may have the incredible sensory talents of a bloodhound, or literally be about as blind as a bat. Also, during a full moon, a shifter may find themselves struggling to keep human form, and might also experience a boost in strength, speed, and awareness.
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APOTHECARY
The Apothecary is unusual in that it isn't exactly its own species, but more of a "condition". An apothecary has studied the plants, molds, and other flora in the area to such an extent that it isn't uncommon for them to develop immunities to plant-based poisons and medicines. In some cases, if an apothecary has worked extensively with one type of plant, their blood might take on some of the plant's characteristics.
Apothecaries are the ultimate green-thumbs and green witches. They can create potions, tinctures, salves, and more from foliage and oils. They are somewhat of a commodity in Alatus Nox, too, since the region's ecosystem is still a mystery.
The question that all apothecaries must at some point ask themselves is... will you create poisons? Or remedies? As time passes, an apothecary's skin will absorb so much of the the oils in whatever plants they work with, it will be impossible to dabble in both poisons and remedies.
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DAEMON
The Daemons are sometimes a hard pill to swallow, because they are the "embodiment of evil", or are deemed as such. They are created by Gods of Disorder for a variety of purposes. Usually, this does not leave a daemon with much reason for a range of emotions, therefore it can be difficult for them to break the mold they were created with and actually behave more... well, human.
Daemons do not enter the mortal realm of their own volition. They are always ushered in by a summoning ritual performed by a mage of some sort (bonus points if this ritual goes horribly wrong and the daemon does not have to do said mage's bidding!), or they travel through a tear in the realms (these are created a number of ways, sometimes by magic gone wrong, sometimes by the gods, etc).
Several things are important when making a daemon character. The first is figuring out what God of Disorder created them in the first place. Below is a list of possibilities (but feel free to PM me if you have other ideas!).
- Shilash - Goddess of Destructive Secrets. She is the only Disorder deity that is also one of the 12 Titan Gods. She is often depicted as a black-haired harpy, and her usual worshipers are politicians and unfaithful spouses. The colors associated with her are black and purple.
- Derivachne - Goddess of Phobias and Paranoia. She is depicted with snakes for hair and a cloak that mirrors the viewer's deepest fears. She is the most popular Disorder deity. The colors associated with her are purple and dark green.
- Vektan - God of Hate, Anger, and Crime. Depicted as a tall, screaming man with fresh wounds. His worshipers usually seek to overthrow the law. No identified colors of association.
- Sceles'Mal - God of Torture, Insanity, and Mutilation. He is one of the most feared Gods of Disorder, and is depicted as a slender male, but often changes forms. Colors of association are black and white.
- Orchia - Goddess of Destructive Magic and Curiosity. Her followers can be marked by a tattoo of an engorged snake, which symbolizes the destruction of evidence. She is depicted as a dark-haired female who can turn into a magpie. Her associated colors are black and orange.
- Slahorne - God of Self-Indulgence and War. He is depicted as a charming, highly attractive man with elegance and a high-demeanor. This god demands a daily bloodletting in his honor from his followers. He also prides himself on his army of daemons and has a high standing in the Inner Circle of the Hell Planes. Associated color is red.
- Tryst'An - God of Thievery, Mischief, and Lies. He often takes the form of human flesh on the Mortal Realm and wanders the land with bands of highwaymen to cause uproar. No identified colors of association.
- Lishirii - Goddess of Vanity and Spite. She is the jealous twin sister of the love goddess, Ashenlaa. She is depicted as being dark and beautiful, but her reflection shows a snarling beast. Generally, Lishirii is non-violent, choosing to be only sharp of tongue. She is sympathetic to those who pray to her, and they will know she is listening when they cry tears of emerald. Color of association is green.
- Newryn - Goddess of Sadness, Misery, and Conflict. Depicted as an elf with black tears running down her face. Many turn to her in times of tragedy, only to be answered by being plunged into insanity. No identified colors of association.
- Nardale - God of Plague and Decay. Depicted as a mound of rats or a swarm of flies in humanoid shape. Legends say that Nardale gave Seemick the Untouchable (orderly god of disease) his condition because he could not have El'Mina's (goddess of cures) love.
- Sheyborn - God of Cowardice and Deceit. Depicted as small and scrawny, Sheyborn instructs his followers to live shamelessly and without honor, though he sometimes bestows gifts of illusionism.
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HUNTER
The Hunter may actually be the easiest concept to grasp here on Alatus Nox. They can be any species at all, but their sole purpose for living is to VANQUISH ALL CHAOS. They will stop at nothing to kill vampires, nightwalkers, daemons, ghosts, and in extreme cases even shifters and nomads.
The reason for adopting this doctrine is what makes a hunter unique. For some, a loved one may have been killed or turned by one of these loathed creatures. For others, a hunter may have been strictly raised this way. Reasons are infinite.
Regardless of what weapons are in a hunter's repertoire, their favorite method of vanquishing chaos is to cleanse with fire. After all, anything can be burned...
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GHOST
While it is perfectly acceptable to create a ghost character right off the bat, if one of your other RP characters dies (which must be agreed upon OOC by killee and killer!), they may choose to come back as a ghost. A reaper character (like Maya nox Noctis ) will come to alleviate your character of their life.
All ghosts have a "haunt" - one board (and its sub-boards) that they manifest on. This does not necessarily have to be the board that they died on! The exception to this one-board rule involves a ghost coming in contact with a character with talents in Necromancy. Until the necromancer loses consciousness (sleep, battle, etc.) a ghost may travel freely beside them once they make initial contact. However, as soon as the necromancer is out, the ghost returns to their haunt.
Ghosts have animosity towards their killer. On a full moon, it is possible for a ghost to make a full physical manifestation, or gain powerful poltergeist abilities.
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NOMAD
Surprisingly, nomads are the newest addition to the Alatus Nox roster, even though they are the reason why it exists in the first place! Nomads are very in tune to the natural world and may even be able to cast a few spells here and there, using goods from the land.
Then there's the curse. Every nomad carries at least one curse that was placed upon them at birth. The first nomads on the board were a pair of bloodslaves, cursed to have blood that was extremely appetizing to vampires. If they did not drain themselves of their own blood occasionally, they would grow sick.
Most nomads can sense each other easily, but to anyone else, they appear to be human, with some odd mannerisms. Most nomads also know about the curse on Alatus Nox, but none are quite sure on how to reverse it.
In the Nightwalker book series by AJ Gala (aka Cappy!) nomads come from the Mirivin Mainland, and live on the Western Archipelago and the Riverlands. They have many different tribes, and not all of them are on amicable terms, but the one thing that draws them together is the bloodslave curse that finds its way to so many of their people.
Ready for the Next Step?
