About the Realm

Welcome to Eternal Darkness!!

Before you begin your life in this AU, please take some time to familiarize yourself with the setting.

Setting

Places like China, Japan, Germany, etc. do exist, though they are only vaguely similar to our ideas of the nations. Thus, anyone from a foreign land may refer to their land of origin (e.g. from Japan) or their ethnicity (e.g. Japanese). We are playing on a globe vaguely like our own, though many differences can be spotted almost immediately. The city is somewhere in Europe, though the borders of nations in the center of Europe have long since melded together or have been forgotten.

It is not known how vampires and werewolves first came to be, but many superstitions from black magic to a nuclear holocaust are passed down in lore. The world is mostly disconnected now, with large cities being primarily surrounded by forests or mountains, with only badly maintained roads between. Travelers are rare and very apparent, and there are few places that will accommodate a stranger. Buildings range from being well preserved to being dilapidated and practically uninhabitable.

Transportation is now primarily walking, with the rare horse and carriage owned by the more 'wealthy'. Still, despite these low-tech ways of traveling, some buildings still sport neon-lit signs. The city works to maintain electricity, running water, and other utilities for its people, though it is becoming harder and harder as resources become scarce. Still, with few travelers, the cities have attempted to become as self-sufficient as possible, in order to survive.

Cities formed their own Councils, in order to preserve their human idea of leadership. The Councils gathered a skilled group of fighters and called them Hunters. They serve under the Council and carry out missions for the good of their cities (though not all Hunters are 'good'). People in the cities stand divided on the vampires, werewolves, and Hunters, as well as what to do with the vampires and werewolves.

Languages

The primary language spoken is Common, though most people also know English. There may also be times in which a player (mostly vampires) will use an older version of the language, or specify in their description that it is not the Common of the day. An example is included in the conversation below.

EXAMPLE CONVERSATION:
Arthur: Ye are wont to wander, it seems. (Middle English) [not Common or an English understood by most. This is used to reflect the 'age' of the person speaking]
Kiku: Eh? Nani...(Japanese)
Arthur: Hello, I am Arthur. (Common, or English)
Kiku: "I am called Honda Kiku," He said in Japanese [used in case one does not actually know the language but wishes to use it]
Arthur: He swore in Celtic, which reminded Kiku of just how little he knew of Arthur's background. [Again, Arthur's player may not know Celtic, but if Arthur the character does, this is a way to show his use of the language that is not English or Common]

Basically, the language spoken is Common, unless specified in some way by the player by their mannerisms or by language that looks unfamiliar.

The four main settings are:

The Velvet Rope

A popular nightclub within the city run by vampires. The basement houses a dance floor and bar, while the ground floor houses a cafe. There are rooms above the cafe that can be rented out, though the primary occupants are vampires. Humans that wander into this nightclub are often those seeking the vampires for some sort of personal gratification, or those that vampires have managed to lure in for the night.

(A more detailed description can be found in the subboard)

The Chapel

A large church that can be seen towering over several buildings of the city. Set slightly apart, it remains the largest gathering place and safehouse for humans. Despite its run down appearance, the sanctity of the large building is strong enough to repel the vampires and werewolves. Humans that gather here are often those whose homes have become too hazardous to live in, and they remain in the Chapel until they can find a new place to live.

(a more detailed description can be found in the subboard)

The Forest

The Forest is said to be the gathering place of the Werewolves, though no one knows their exact location. It surrounds the city on three sides, and paths for travelers to and from the city are well-defined by signs. However, it is advised that no one travel in the late or very early hours of the day.

One can also find vampires in the Forest, though most are only there to hunt down unsuspecting travelers. Still, the Forest is an area that humans tend to avoid, unless they are there for their own specific reasons.

(A more detailed description can be found in the subboard)

Everywhere Else

The rest of the city contains various shops and homes. The HQ of the Hunters is somewhere in the city, though no one knows the exact location. The offices of the Council and the local newspaper are both contained near City Square.

All RPs that do not fit into the other settings should be done here, such as other places in town, or RPs that take place in other countries.

Weapons

Weaponry has deteriorated due to lack of resources. It is far easier to obtain metal, and so those that do carry weapons are more often inclined to carry blades. Less skilled citizens will arm themselves with anything from kitchen knives to their farming tools, while those skilled in combat will carry professionally-made weapons. Despite the high demand for blades, high-grade Swordsmiths are highly difficult to find (most likely because they were targeted). Weaponry ranges in origin and in make, and those skilled with the blades are highly dependent on their upbringing or training during their lifetime.

The Hunters possess the largest store of ammunition, provided to them by the Council. Hunters are easily distinguished by both their uniforms and the amount of firearms on their person. Hunters are not limited to handguns, and some prefer to carry knives, swords, or throwing weapons instead. However, in comparison to the rest of the population, Hunters are often more readily equipped with guns and ammunition. They are trained in combat, since their roles often have them protecting citizens.

A weapon can be blessed in the Chapel, but a blessed weapon is not necessarily stronger. Vampires and Werewolves react differently to manmade weapons, depending on their age. Many have begun to turn to more natural weapons (e.g. plants) to try to protect themselves, if they cannot manage to arm themselves with something sharp.

Vampires and werewolves (in human form) can also carry guns and blades if they choose. In wolf form, werewolves use their claws and teeth, and so often do not carry weapons to begin with in their human forms. Some vampires are rumored to be able to seduce their victims, and so do not necessarily carry weapons either.

In short, professional weapons and skilled fighters are hard to come by, and so often weapons are whatever a person can get his or her hands on.

About the Species

A detailed description of the species can be found [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

The Hunters

The Hunters are an organization formed under the Council. They are trained and highly skilled fighters that are sent on missions with various objectives. They do not necessarily all have to be humans, though a large number are. Depending on the ruling Council in the area, Hunters' jobs range from simply keeping order to actually exterminating the vampires and/or werewolves in the area. While the Council funds the Hunters, it does not always keep a close eye on their ranks. There are rumors that corrupt Hunters, often times glory-seeking fighters, will go out on their own and spread their own version of justice to the vampires and werewolves.

There are also Hunters that sympathize with the vampires and werewolves, and who utilize their small positions of power to try to find alternatives for the vampires and werewolves. Their ideas are not always well received by the Council, and so alternatives are slow in coming.

The Council

The Council consists of five members, varying in genders and opinions. The Council consists strictly of humans, and refuses applications by vampires and werewolves in fear of political corruption. The Council changes two of its members every two years, based on the current needs of the city it governs. Currently, the Council is highly divided on how to handle the vampire and werewolf population, and relies on the Hunters to keep them in check until an agreement can be reached.

Missions

The government may at times issue missions, declaring things such as states of emergency, or calling the Hunters to help them. These may be heeded or ignored, and the Council will act accordingly. The Mission will be aborted if enough time has passed or if the Council no longer feels there is a need for it. (All posts concerning the Missions, such as players who will join or who will be impacted, will be plotted out in the Plot Central board before the RP takes place.)

Questions
Any questions concerning the setting may be posted below.