Supernatural Bloodline

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Those of supernatural breeding on the island of Kith Kanaan

The Fae

Creatures of faerie are the embodiment of style over substance, as they are bound into their appearance physically and their mannerisms and behavior by what they are comprised of. A fae needs definition to survive as anything more than a mass of creative wild energy without personality, purpose or intellect. One definition and the most common is that of Courts. The faerie courts are divided by season (Spring, Summer, Fall/Autumn and Winter) and intent (Seelie versus Unseelie). Within are various other sub divisions and sects, but these are the most encompassing. Fae love titles and rank, for named ranks and nobility also give them defined purpose, and for the faerie, purpose is tantamount to power.

True Fae covet creativity, either inspiration or instinctual, and most can harvest these sorts of emotional "vibes" as a source of sustenance. True Fae need never drink, eat, or sleep to maintain their existence, however without access to a font of creativity, they begin to lose cohesion, clinging to their definitions to remain whole. Those of the Seelie court prefer to inspire dreams, artists and performers are their most common prey, and their presence can be as a muse or trickster, encouraging their current victim to behave in a fufilling manner (to the fae at least, oftentimes the victim would wish a life free from such machinations). The Unseelie, however, prefer methods of fear and simply take the desired sustenance through methods of terrorizing, harming or even destroying things precious to the victim. They are not above murder to gain their nourshiment, in spite of this, they maintain a degree of twisted sensibilities that hold blatant bloodshed to feed as being unseemly.

A common description in dealing with the fae is, "Don't." Typically the moral of faerie tales are cautionary stories in making deals with creatures that are primarily comprised of illusion and glamour, and giving up too much to gain something that is temporary, ephemeral or even non-existent. Faerie love to bargain, play pranks and cajole others so that they get what they desire, typically nourishment, but sometimes a retainer or slave, indebted to the fae by magical geaes, unable to leave servitude until some specific conditions are met. When one does perform a transaction with the faerie, it is hardly ever for minted coin. Fae prefer to take performances, dreams, memories, terms of servitude and things considered invaluable by the individual seeker. Information is often bartered with a tale or song, but woe be to the customer who uses the same tune twice with the same merchant. Likewise, many a family heirloom is found to be in the possession of a goblin merchant who had a careless buyer come for their wares.

Fae sometimes breed with mortals, and the child is both blessed and cursed with a life to be filled with chimerical creatures and sights always being out of the corner of their eyes and their imaginary friends being quite real. To them at least. Faerie blooded gain no true sustenance from inspiration, though they are often drawn to such people or occupations, as their mortal nature still requires the common amenities of life. A fortunate (though this may be questionable depending) half-blood may find themselves adopted into one of the faerie courts and granted title and purpose within their circles. Indeed many Unseelie fae enjoy tricking families into raising a child that they think is their own, by replacing the actual babe with a rather troublesome fae doppelganger for a time, before snatching the true fae child away and lavishing the mournful sorrow left in the wake. The kidnapped mortal is often groomed as a sort of messenger and aide of the court that took them in. There are whispers that certain stalls deep within the darkest alleys of the goblin market even sell these kidnapped youths to those seeking a court plaything, or the heartbroken parents of the child eager to have their progeny returned unto them.

As mischievous or malevolent as the faerie are portrayed, many carry on in stately fashion within the confines of the nation of Carcassonne, a land filled with glamour and legend, where courtly and noble behavior maintain civility in the streets. The capital harbors fae of various courts, but primarily those of the Seelie and among that number, the Spring and Summer are almost exclusively in positions of authority or prevalence. Only at night and in the darker corners of the streets would one typically encounter fae of Unseelie mein and Autumnal or Wintery bearing. The woods that surround the nation are nigh impermeable by conventional means, as those who seek entry are either tricked into ending up back on the roads they thought they left to enter the nation, or never heard from again, lost amid the dark boughs and shadowy copses. Only the Peacekeepers of the Shirelands are granted any degree of amnesty to travel these haunted ways, and those within their custody and escort granted similar hospitality. Thus it is rare for outside nations to send ambassadors and diplomats into Carcassonne, though a fair amount make their way across the island, often involving themselves in the affairs of state in various other nations, even their long seated rivals in the nation of Tarantis.

The Fel Blooded

There exist worlds beyond the scope of Creation, inhabited by beings comprised less of substance and more of purpose or intent. These alien vistas are sometimes visited by those with the means, and there are few areas where they converge with reality itself, sometimes fleetingly, sometimes in permanent residence. There is one such alternate world, where few dare or desire to venture. It is, perhaps inaccurately, called among the masses in Kith Kanaan, "Hell". Why such a place exists or for what purpose is a place of speculation for scholars and theologians alike, but one thing that can be agreed upon is that the environment is hostile to the average mortal being and it would be ill advised to travel there, or to seek to bring the native denizens into Creation. Yet, there are those who do, and the result is like attempting to mix oil and water.

Beings from Hell are defined by their purpose. They are agents of chaos, change, destruction, tyranny, evil, violence, bloodshed, mystery and control. Very few, if any, of those traits will engender such a creature in the lawful and orderly lands of reality itself. Demons are, by their very being, creatures driven to change and chaos. Static and mundane do not suit them and their home world is one of mutable forces on grand scale. Volcanoes erupt and the land shakes, waves crash with tidal force and the winds rip and tug. Things are always in flux, always moving for the demonic host and to be shackled into Creation's rigid definition of reality rankles them. While an average demon may not bear any honest ill-will to the more mundane folk of Kith Kanaan, lashing out with violent behavior or undermining carefully laid plans delights their primeval essence and appeals to their intrinsic nature. As such, the demonic blooded are regarded with open faced hatred by the majority of institutions and are feared for their, often times overt methods, of satisfying their temperament. Rare are the times where a demonic being can find a measure of instability that is suitable in Creation without being too disruptive to others, but such instances are rare at best.

These beings can breed with mortals, often making children who are abhorred by their peers for having too violent and uncontrollable or too shrewd and possessive behaviors. The fel-tainted child may not entirely manifest all of their supernatural lineage's qualities, but they are always regarded with wariness and concern, especially by those in nations who have laws expressly forbidding the congress of mortal and demonic or infernal. The land of Cordona once openly allowed such pairings, and in hushed tones it was even suggested that the nobility often provided their fel agents with sacrifice to produce these tainted heirs for use in long-term schemes.

The Divinely Blessed

No mortal can fathom the whim and dealings of the gods themselves and those who claim otherwise are blinded by hubris or ignorance. There are several facts about the divine, however, known by every living, breathing being. The first is that they are absolutely real, their actions are felt upon Creation each and every day. The second is that they rarely if ever, act in person. Instead they use agents to act on their behalf, from the mortals ordained in their respective faiths being granted a mere mote of the divine power to be able to enact miracles in their name up to their left and right hands, the angels and archons.

The precise difference between these creatures is a matter of debate and speculation, however they share many similar qualities. One is that they are the will of a deity made manifest, they are utterly unmistakable as anything else. The next is that they are driven by purpose, much like elementals, fae, demons and devils, this divine role fuels them, binds them and grants them their power. When an angel speaks it is not with their voice, but their creator's, when an archon acts it is ultimately to fulfill the wishes of the divine force that brought them into existence. The celestial are made to serve, often as either messengers or flaming brands, less often as guardians or guides, and never as anything else. To do otherwise would bring about dissonance to their being, ultimately harmful to their continued existence.

The home of celestial entities is largely a mystery, for the Gods do not share their domains with mortals lightly. Each God is said to have a space that befits their personality, shaped by them to their design. There is speculation about how much power a god may have and how much influence they have in the material world are correlated. To create an angel or an archon means a divinity has to impart some of their power into a form. It is interesting to note that such creatures can actually interbreed with mortals, and from such unions are created some of the most well known heroes of the modern times. Some sects of faith actually desire to have their gods impart such a union and seek half-celestial births to join their order. Others have prophecy and liturgy about the divine being born into Creation itself through various ritualistic conceptions.

Those of Siren's Cove in Tarantis who belong to the Joshuite Faith accept the angelic as influences in their affairs, as the clergy dedicates themselves to the principles espoused by specifically named angels. For those of the Arin faith in lands like the Shire, they have witnessed archons rise up from their mortal stock, and it is a speculation whom may end up as an agent of the divine through their actions. Likewise in the Shirelands, those of the Kijian faith know their gods fled their disintegrating world along with their earliest travelers.

The Elemental Planes

Ask any classically trained mage or scholar about the idea of elements and you will receive differing theories that contain a common thread, that there are four primary elements divided among Air, Earth, Fire and Water. It is argued that living beings are a balanced composition of these elements, held in place by some nebulous force (some would call it soul, others a fifth element), but no matter the argument the fact remains, each of these primary elements have a world of existence all their own, inhabited by creatures comprised of these elemental forces and with mannerisms and behaviors common among them.

Those of the Plane of Air are mercurial, subject to flights of whimsy and almost never stationary. It is difficult to have the attention of a spirit of Air for long, for they often grow bored in short time, seeking something new to do or a place to be. Those who use the Air spirits frequently enough may become a favored play thing of theirs, and find their hair and clothing subject to pranksterish ruffling and styling. All Air spirits can fly, either by virtue of their composition or having wings. Air spirits are often intangible and invisible, and those what possess a more solid form appear as mists, clouds or winged beings. Air magic is also the province of weather magic, so spirits of storms are linked into the Plane of Air as well.

The Plane of Earth is a steady, sedentary location of solid rock, dirt, soil, metal ore and gems. Thus are its native spirits, creatures that think in the long term, because they observe the world in such a matter. The passing of mortal lives are brief in the life span of a mountain. Earth spirits are difficult to rouse into conversation, and when they do deign to impart their knowledge, it is often delivered with slow, careful and tedious cadence. Those who deal with frequency with the spirits of the Earth are typically taciturn and thoughtful themselves, though the spirits of stone and metal can be helpful for working arms and armor when motivated. Sometimes magic of plants and nature blends into the elements of Earth, as all plants come from the soil and ground, though there are varying philosophies on wood being an element all its own.

The beings that inhabit the Plane of Fire are creatures of passion, intelligence, short temper and rapid action. Most are simply composed of flames made animate, and those that have a more physical form are hot to the touch or billow out ash and smoke as features. Naturally Fire spirits are suited to destruction, burning down all manner of things. Fire also combines with existing elements in the form of lightning strikes from the sky, molten lava from the earth, or hot steam that boils up from geysers. Individuals who truck with Fire spirits adopt the do it in the now, act rapidly and decisively mannerism of the Fire spirits, though sometimes finding attire that can withstand the lick of flame can be a constant struggle. Within the Plane itself is the famed City of Brass, home to a race of fire-based beings of magical power known as efreeti, and a marketplace of untold delight and imagination where everything and anything can be found for the right price. As fire provides illumination, so to does the sun high up in the sky, and magics dealing with solar energies can be the province of Fire as well.

Spirits of the Plane of Water are adaptive and capable beings, curious and inquisitive yet also relaxed and easy going. Sealife of all sorts inhabit the waters of the plane itself, an ocean without depth, likewise merfolk dance and play about the waves or tease those who inhabit the sparse islands upon the water surface. There is an ancient, undersea kingdom that was once great but now lies in ruin, its name all but forgotten save for the few references found upon ancient stone slabs rumored to herald the end times should it ever rise to power once again. Those who maintain relations with the Water spirits frequent shores and beaches, often finding aquatic locales more their liking and wear little, for ease while swimming. Water magics mingle with those of Air for purposes of creating dour weather such as rain and thick clouds. Also the chill of ice and snow is primarily the province of the Plane of Water, and creatures associated with such are found along with it.

Other Resources

There have been prior write-ups about the Races of Kith Kanaan collected here. Additionally there's an in-character treatise on the nature of the cosmology provided here.