Realistic or Modern ~Midsummer~ Lore

[Nastarial]

• Areas of Interest::
• Rules::
• Characters::
• Organizations::
• Race Info::
• Magic Facts::

• 
  Setting:: Present day. Seattle, Washington
  
  Tel 'Urthal:: AKA The Nevernever
  The world of the Sidhe, an alternate plain of existence that coincides with the mortal world. There are sections, that matches our world completely, and unlike our world that as a definite limit, Tel 'Urthal can go on forever the only way of reaching there is with help from the supernatural community.
  
  Saint Judes Cathedral::
  The home base of operations for the organization of the Templum of Angelus. Because it is a secret organization most of the base of operations is in the basement area. The rest of the church is just that and has everything from a soup kitchen to a small shelter were homeless can stay for the night.
• 
  RPN's TOS
  
  Myself and idalie will be co-modding & co-GMing, fyi
  
  No god-moding/auto-hits (ONLY allowable with the individual's permission); no OP chars either. There is a difference between strong as hell and OP.
  
  PM all CSs to me with the title "Midsummer Dreams"; once you've been accepted, you can post your CS to the CS thread. I also accept multiples, just make sure you can handle them, but the same rules apply every time. Also, please keep all chars you own to a single post, so as not to clutter the CS thread, if you please.
  
  Plop any OOC stuff in said OOC thread or in our Discord server, which you are gently encouraged to join as well.
  
  Be Active: post at least a 2-3 times a week; if you're going to be unavailable for an elongated amount of time, please let us know
  
  Reading and Literacy: Please... for the love of whatever YOU love.... no obscenely small text.... Some of us have eye trouble and need to be able what you're writing. We also need to be able to understand what you're putting out. A few typos here and there in your posts are fine, but we shouldn't have to try to decipher every post you put out. 1-2 paragraphs (4-8 sentences) is all I'm asking for on a semi-regular basis (because writer's block does happen). And please... no pages-upon-novel length posts... that's a bit much....
  
  Language and Violence: Both are allowed! Just don't be excessive, ok? Seeing cursing every other spoken word or coming upon a brutally visceral scene for posts on end are just... in bad taste.
  
  Questions? Talk to me or idalie . We'll do our best to answer them.
• 
  These are some of the roles you're welcome to take. You don't *need* to, but if you want it, you can have it; It is a first come and first served basis, however, so be aware! This is also where you can come for a quick look on who's what, if you don't need in-depth info on another char.
  
  Lord of the Fay. Shadow Lord. Wyldfae- Lord Oberon: - Open
  
  Summer Queen, leader of the Seelie- Queen Titania - Open
  
  Summer Lady, Seelie - Open
  
  Summer Knight, Mortal Defender of the Summer Court. Empowered with the powers of Summer. - Open
  
  Winter Queen, leader of the Unseelie- Queen Mab - Open
  
  Winter Lady. Unseelie - Open
  
  Winter Knight, Mortal Defender of the Winter Court. Empowered with the powers of Winter. - Open
  
  Leader of the Wild Hunt: Erlking, Oberon's personal henchman/second in command & leads the wild hunt. Wyldfae. - Open
  
  Other Fae::
  Seelie Fae:
  Unseelie Fae:
  WyldFae:
  
  Changelings:: People who are Neither Mortals or Fay, but are born with two parents one of either race.
  
  Mortals:: Generally normal humans, but can be casters, hunters, and those of holy faith.
  
  Other:: Those who are supernatural creatures that do not fall under the category of Fae.
  
  You're welcome to add to anything you don't already see here. Various undead, cursed creatures, holy and unholy beings all exist, so go crazy, kids!
• 
  ~The Sihde Courts ~
  The two ruling courts of the Sihde, Summer and Winter and their lands occupy most of the Tel 'Urthal. Their power is strong enough to alter the change of the seasons or the weather in the mortal world and the balance is very precarious. Each court is ruled by two ruling bodies the Queen and the Lady each powerful in their own right. Although both courts are over looked by Lord Oberon. Normally Sidhe do not get involved in human affairs because Lord Oberon forbids it. But each court has a knight, a mortal champion embedded with the powers of the court appointed by the queen, who may involve himself or herself in mortal affairs unless ordered otherwise by their queen. Sidhe cannot tell a direct lie, but instead are masters of twisting words in order to convey falsehoods without actually lying. They are strictly concerned with the wording rather than the intent of agreements and will specifically place loopholes in agreements which they can exploit. In almost every case, a mortal making a deal with a Sidhe will end up causing the mortal to get the short end of the stick with any attempts to withdraw from the deal causing the mortal to become further involved with the Sidhe. Sidhe are also vulnerable to cold iron. This weakness also extends to any form or alloy of iron, such as steel blades or iron nails. The Knight of each court does not share these weaknesses, although it is hypothesized that iron or steel may bypass certain defenses or magics used by the Knight, those magics being Sidhe in origin.
  
  ~ The Summer Court (Seelie) ~
  The Summer Court is the more warm and caring side, but is just as scheming as its Winter counterpart. Summer faeries typically are more nurturing of mortals, but this is not always true. They are associated with the element of fire. Their lands in Tel 'Urthal are bright, sunny, warm, and lush with vegetation. Most of the lesser creatures of Summer are typically not malicious, but can seem so when they involve themselves in mortal affairs.
  
  ~ The Winter Court (Unseelie) ~
  The Winter Court is colder and much more merciless than its Summer counterpart. The lands of Winter resemble a tundra or frozen wasteland, with the center being, a massive fortress made of black ice. Some of the lesser creatures of Winter include trolls, goblins and fetches, spirits which feed on the fear of others. When dealing with mortals they tend to be more cruel then their Summer counterparts.
  
  ~ The WyldFae ~
  The Wyldfae are creatures of Faerie which do not belong to either Winter or Summer. Most of them do freelance work instead, capable of choosing whichever side they want in a given conflict. During full-scale conflicts, the Wyldfae feel a "calling" which drives them to choose one side or the other. If they are forced to choose sides in a war between Summer and Winter, they will align themselves with the faction most appealing to their personalities. Therefore, the nastier and more murderous aid Winter over Summer.
  
  Although technically Oberon is the direct leader of the Wyldfae, the being known as the Erlking or Elfking is probably the closest in second of command. He is a Faerie at least as powerful as Mab and it is said that he is King of the Goblins. He can be summoned by ritual to Earth in order to lead "The Wild Hunt", a massive predatory stampede in which the Erlking calls all nearby beings (mortal, supernatural, faerie, or otherwise) who consider themselves hunters to join him in his charge. The Wild Hunt will kill anything in its way unless it joins the hunt. Even though on occasion when his mood calls for it, Oberon himself has been known to lead the Hunt.
  
  ~ Templum of Angelus ~
  A mortal organization that deals directly in the affairs the Sidhe and supernatural in the mortal realm. They have made it their job to make sure the balance of power remains level and that no lasting harm comes to humans should the Sidhe step out of line. Levels of hierarchy lie in the organization which falls under High priest, priests and paladins.
  
  ~ SAiNT ~
  "Sanctifico abundans immunda nos teneo."
  To sanctify the abundant unclean we endure.
  A vigilante organization built to safeguard and protect people from evil influences, supernatural or otherwise. Not to be associated with the Templum of Angelus, it consists of code-named members acting on a self-invented system of honor and rules. They operate under cover and well out of the guidelines of normal society. For a price, these self-appointed holy hit-men, or "Paladins", as they choose to call themselves, will gladly end any unlawful or unnatural wrong-doing you may be suffering.
• 
  ~ Fae or The Sidhe: ~
  Also known as the Fair Race and make up the largest portion of the supernatural community. Powerful creatures and are generally described as human in appearance and having magical powers. All except the darker half of the Sidhe courts like the Trolls and Goblins. The fae are generally split into two classes, the Seelie and the Unseelie.
  
  The Seelie Court is seen as more beneficent toward humans. They are known to seek help from humans, to warn those who had accidentally offended them, and to return human kindness with favors of their own. Still, a fairy belonging to this court will avenge insults and could be prone to mischief. One of the most common type of Seelie Faeries are Hobgoblins. Shakespeare's character Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of the most famous Hobgoblins. While, as part of the Seelie Court, they are most well known by their love of pranks and practical jokes played upon humans. However, they never take the joke too far and can be very kind and generous. Some of the other most common faries of the Seelie Court are the Hobgoblin's Cousin, the Brownie, Ferrishyn, Selkies, and Leprechauns.
  
  The Unseelie (Unholy or Unblessed) Court consists of the malicious and evilly-inclined fairies. Like the faeries of the Seelie Court, neither are the faeries of the Unseelie court always evil. However, when forced to choose, they will always prefer to harm—rather than help—humans. Some of the most common characters in the Unseelie Court are Bogies, Bogles, Boggars, Trolls, Goblins and Banshees.
  
  ~ Changelings: ~
  A couple of things can constitute a Changeling. The first being the most common in which a child is born of mortal and Sidhe parentage. They may have odd appearances, depending on their parentage. The offspring of a human and a troll, for example, may appear as a human which is incredibly tall and broadly built with a bulky mass and well-defined jaw. Other changelings have been shown as simply having oddly colored hair, such as green. Changelings must eventually choose whether to become a mortal or a Sidhe. Upon making the choice, the changeling becomes completely either mortal or Sidhe, no longer retaining any of the characteristics of the other half. It is unknown if there is any specific time or age at which a changeling must choose, but during times of war, they are affected by the calling to choose just as the Wyldfae are.
  
  The other type is something happened in light of a mortal child's birth. Such as the parents made a deal with a Sidhe and the child was turned into a Changeling, or the parents somehow offended a Sidhe and in retaliation the Sidhe turned the child into a changeling before being spirited away to Tel 'Urthal.
  
  ~ Weres ~
  There are four types of Weres, and they do not apply only to werewolves, but any type of were creature.
  
  ~ 'Classic Were'
  The 'classic were' is someone who uses magic to change themselves into the creature of their choice. The transformation spell will work for anyone who learns it. The physical body is transformed, but the mind remains the same. This can be a disadvantage in the beginning because, although the person gains all the senses of the animal, they do not have the life experience of using them. The were must learn to use smell and hearing as their primary sensory input rather than sight, and learn to move and react to their environment as a four-legged creature. All this takes time, but the were can eventually learn to do well in their new form. The creature form has all the natural capabilities of the ordinary creature; silver is not needed to kill them and they do not heal wounds any more quickly than normal creatures. This type of were can retake its human form whenever it wishes.
  
  ~ Hexenwere
  The Hexenwere changes by the use of a talisman imbued with powerful magic to transform itself into a huge animal. The hexenwere's animal form is much larger and more powerful than any natural animal counterpart, possessing enhanced speed, strength, and ferocity. The only part of the hexenwere that is unaffected by the transformation are the eyes, which remain the same color as their human form. The talisman itself may take many forms, including a ring or amulet, but most commonly appears as a belt made from the animals pelt. The talisman engenders the transformation by providing an anchor for a spirit of bestial rage, and is activated with an incantation by the wearer. This spirit protects the human personality while in wolf form. However, the hexenwere loses all human inhibitions and runs more on primal human desires. The hexenwere can be wounded or killed by normal weapons and can be forced to transform back into human form if someone manages to remove their talisman. A hexenwere may reassume human form at will, but the power that the talisman gives the user is addictive—in many cases, this addiction begins to affect the user's mind and personality in human form, much like a drug addict needing a fix. The most seriously afflicted lose all impulse control, becoming violent and sociopathic.
  
  ~ Lycanthrope
  A lycanthrope is someone who is a natural channel or medium for a spirit of rage. The lycanthrope is born with this ability; it does not allow them to physically change into the animal, but grants them a beast-like strength. When this spirit takes over, the lycanthrope becomes stronger, more aggressive, and more resistant to pain, injury and sickness. They heal wounds rapidly and tend to congregate in groups much like packs with an Alpha leader. Although harder to hurt or kill than an ordinary person, lycanthropes can be killed with ordinary weapons.
  
  ~ Loup-garou
  A Loup-garou is the closest to the monsters of legend. These weres have been intentionally cursed by someone, usually by one of the Faerie Queens to be possessed by an animal like demonic entity at every full moon. They become near-mindless killing machines with supernatural speed, strength and ferocity. They recover from injury almost instantly, are immune to poisons as well as any kind of sorcery that attacks the mind. They can only be killed by a weapon made from silver which has been inherited—not just purchased. The curse of the loup-garou can be hereditary if the one who placed the curse specified it as such. Usually the person afflicted with the curse is aware of their condition and will have enough sense to isolate or shield themselves from society to prevent the horrible damage they would inflict on the rest of the people with the next full moon. As such, Loup-garou attacks on the populace are thankfully rare.
  
  ~ Mortals ~
  Mortals, Humans, descendants of the Ethereal Ones, Homo sapiens. Mostly they are looked down as weak, pathetic, hopeless, greedy and disgusting by the supernatural community. Nothing more then pointless creatures with short lives and even shorter brain capacities. Or at least they were, before some of them started getting themselves into the affairs of Tor 'Urthal.
  Even among the Sidhe, there are different classes of humans:
  
  ~ Average:
  The every day to day mortals who go about their lives.
  
  ~ Magic Users:
  The humans capable of magical powers without an outside source.
  
  ~Paladins:
  Humans with strong powers usually built on faith and considered holy warriors, although many can claim to be paladins of a higher order, there are technically only three who are True Paladins and are under the employ of the group called the Templum of Angelus. The True Paladins are empowered with ethereal strength, power and foresight. Usually these Mortals are chosen because of their exceeding faith in a greater power. Not necessarily 'God' but something greater then themselves.
  
  ~ Ethereal ~
  Ethereal or better known as Angels, haven't been heard of from Humans or Sidhe in centuries. And either they were wiped out centuries ago, are to busy in their own affairs or just don't care. Although the new arise of the Paladins has greatly shifted that belief among the Sidhe. Ethereal are human in appearance, tall and described unworldly beautiful, illuminated from an inner light that can make it seem like they glow brighter then the sun when their powers are accessed. Most have large feathery wings and fight with large angelic broadswords and other ethereal powers.
  
  ~ Uther Worldly ~
  The Uther Worldly, or Daemons, are the counterparts to their Ethereal brothers. And are considered the other end of the scale, much like the Winter Court it to the Summer. And Just like their Ethereal brothers, where they have Feathered wings they have large leathery ones and permeate a darkness when their powers are engaged. Though Both are capable of assuming Human appearances, though most don't bother because both have not been heard of in centuries.
  
  ~ Vampires ~
  Vampires are separated into two classes by characteristics. The White, Red courts. Though both hold some of the same principles.
  
  The White court:
  Are similar to succubi and incubi, feeding off the emotions and life force of their prey. They are born to their vampiric state, rather than being created (as is the case with Red Court). They are for all intents and purposes human until their vampirism manifests sometime around the age of their maturity. As with the Red Court, their first feeding (with its subsequent and almost inevitable kill) usually marks their full transformation. However, under specific circumstances, individuals descended from White Court vampires may curtail their transformation into vampires by simply deciding to walk away and remain human, though that takes a tremendous amount of will power to avoid making that first kill.
  
  There are generally three types of White court vampires depending on how they feed, there are:
  Sexual Predators: using their supernatural good looks and psychic aura to attract both men and women. During intercourse, or any direct physical contact where emotions like lust are heightened, they feed off their prey. ----------Victims of the feedings grow to enjoy the experience and become bonded to their predator like a drug addiction. ( Much like Red Court)
  --Feeding off Fear: Most prefer very strong fear such as that of being in a potentially deadly situation, but some satisfy themselves with smaller scares like those created by horror and slasher movies.
  --Feeding off Despair: preferring to drive a victim into the depths of depression and in many cases driving them to suicide.
  
  The White Court is not endowed with as much physical strength as the Red court under normal circumstances; usually, their physical performance levels (standing jump heights, endurance and so on) are slightly better than those an ordinary human of equivalent size and health, but they can channel unused emotional energy as fuel for performance boosts of limited duration. On the other hand, they make up for it by having far fewer vulnerabilities. Symbols of faith do not harm them at all. Their power derives from an internal demonic essence they call the "Hunger" which acts like a battery. If they refrain from feeding for too long, the "Hunger" drives them into a frenzy where they must feed (almost always killing their victims), and can drive them permanently insane. When needed, they tap this store of energy to augment their strength, speed, resilience, and healing ability far beyond normal; while doing this, they radiate waves of cold, their skin whitens, and their eyes turn an unnatural silver. White Court vampire blood is pinkish instead of red and has an euphoric effect if ingested.
  
  Their largest weakness is true love: people who are, or have recently been, in real, affectionate and sacrificial love are highly resistant to White Court control, and can even physically burn and blister vampire skin. Also, White Court vampires are born, not turned like Red and Black Court vampires; if the offspring of a White Court falls in love with someone that feels the same way before feeding for the first time, the love can destroy the demonic side before it can manifest allowing the person to live a normal, mortal life.
  
  The Red Court:
  Are basically just like your common vampire beliefs that we have today. With some differences. They are incredibly strong and fast, and can shake off any injury quickly. The Red Court is not vulnerable to sunlight, but is to having their bellies cut open, which can spill the blood they have drunk and eventually kill them. And they are vulnerable to symbols of faith such as crosses and holy water, but also any strong symbol of faith that a person has enough will to believe that it will protect them, like a pentagram or a Jewish star etc.
  
  Their saliva contains a potent magical narcotic which gives the prey a euphoric feeling and is highly addictive, allowing the Red Court to control their victims rather easily. The narcotic lowers the victim's inhibitions while dulling the pain of the vampire's bite. Addicted humans will go to great lengths to protect their vampiric masters, and willingly provide information from the mortal community as needed.
  
  The Red Court is also capable of transforming ordinary humans into vampires in a two-step process: the human is first infected with the vampiric thirst for blood (gaining supernatural speed, strength and endurance in the process) and then completes the change into the demonic form upon killing a human victim in their first feeding and drinking their lifes blood as it's called. Infected humans with sufficient strength of will can refrain from feeding for an indefinite length of time (magical bonds, and avoiding physical intimacy all help), but there is no cure.
• 
  Magic is universal. It is in the air we breathe, the food we eat, the clothes we wear. Magic is essentially everywhere we look, hear, experience, touch, taste, smell. It's who we are, what we become, Even those who don't use magic or don't believe in it are protected by it. The world is run by magic. Not in the physical sense like a president or anything, but there are rules that have to be followed. Like physics or gravity... or... Karma...
  
  Another small thing about magic, it's a belief thing. If you don't believe in the magic you are using, it wont work. It's all about wills and belief. And I don't mean belief like faith in God or something.
  
  There are all types of magic, There are the lesser powers like tarot reading, psychics, palm readers, and then some of the stronger powers such as Faerie Magic. Magic is generally inherited through family, from either parent, or even a grandparent, some times magic can skip a generation, don't know why. I don't make the rules. I just know them.
  
  But there is also laws that are generally followed out of common courtesy: Most of this magic is considered dark and forbidden by most civilized society. But that doesn't mean people still don't tend to dabble in it every once in a while.
  
  The Rules are:
  
  Thou shalt not kill by use of magic: Unless its in self defense... or if it's to kill something from Tel 'Urthral... or a vampire or werewolf... but other then that killing another living person with magic is frowned upon.
  
  Thou shalt not invade the mind of another.: Messing with anyone's mind with magic is generally frowned upon. As it takes away free will and generally caused severe damage to the persons mind, soul and emotions.
  
  Thou shalt not enthrall another.: Enthrallment is the term for magically dominating another through binding their will to one's own. It is not the same as compelling supernatural creatures through deals or summoning spells. As long as they do not alter the mind of the being it it not considered enthrallment.
  
  Thou shalt not reach beyond the Borders of Life.: This Law prohibits both research into and the practice of necromancy, described as the summoning, binding and exploitation of the unwilling dead. The Law applies specifically to human necromancy, though it is implied that the distinction for use upon animals is all the same frowned upon. It is unknown if this rule would apply to dead non-human sentients, such as beings from Tel 'Uthral.
  
  Other Magic Facts that are handy:
  
  Names: Names have a power of their own. Giving any magic user your name from your own mouth gives that magic user any amount of control over you they wish. They can summon you, control you, even kill you if they wish. Though true names are harder to acquire then just speaking. It's all about pronunciation and syllables, You get one bit wrong and the spell usually blows up in your face. Names make up who we are as a person, describe you in some way. Human names are harder to use then most supernatural names. Humans change themselves all the time. So the meaning of their names change to reflect that.
  
  Everything in the whole world has its own name. Names are unique sounds and cadences of words that are attached to one specific individual-sort of like a kind of theme music. If you know something's name, you can associate yourself with it in a magical sense, almost in the same way a wizard can reach out and touch someone if he possesses a lock of their hair, or fingernail clippings, or blood. If you know something's name, you can create a magical link to it, just as you can call someone up and talk to them if you know their phone number. Just knowing the name isn't good enough, though: You have to know exactly how to say it. Ask two John Franklin Smiths to say their names for you, and you'll get subtle differences in tone and pronunciation, each one unique to its owner. Wizards tend to collect names of creatures, spirits, and people like some kind of huge Rolodex. You never know when it will come in handy.
  
  Threshholds: Homes are protected, don't know what it does. But supernatural creatures and magic users cannot enter a home without permission without losing a big chunk of their power while they are inside the house. But the house has to be a home. With a family, love, a sense of protection. Bachelor pads don't seem to cut it.
  
  Objects & DNA: Items of value, something that belongs to someone or was passed down from generation to generation. Have important value. They can be a form of protection, magic in their own right if you believe in them. Also, for a magic user like a wizard, it can be a connection to that person. A way to find them if they are missing, best for location spells. Or in darker circles for spells to kill them. The same thing goes for anything that is a part of the person, hair, blood, clothes, fingernail clippings and such. Get into the habit of throwing them out, I do.
  
  Magic-circle theory: Most magic involves a circle of one kind or another. Drawing a circle sets a local limit on what a wizard is trying to do. It helps him refine his magic, focus and direct it more clearly. It does this by creating a sort of screen, defined by the perimeter of the circle, that keeps random magical energy from going past it, containing it within the circle so that it can be used. To make a circle, you draw it out on the ground, or close hands with a bunch of people, or walk about spreading incense, or any of a number of other methods, while focusing on your purpose in drawing it. Then, you invest it with a little spark of energy to close the circuit, and it's ready.
  One other thing such a circle does: It keeps magical creatures, like faeries, or even demons, from getting past it. Neat, huh? Usually, this is used to keep them out. It's a bit trickier to set up a circle to keep them in.
  
  Third Eye or The Sight: The sight is an ability magic users learn to use and acquire to their advantage. It allows you to see the truth of things, how things really are. Like aura's, truths, the real person.
  The kind of things you see when you learn how to open your Third Eye could be blindingly beautiful, bring tears to your eyes-or they could be horrible, things that made your worst nightmares seem ordinary and comforting. Visions of the past, the future, of the true natures of things. Psychic stains, troubled shades, spirit-folk of all description, the shivering power of the Nevernever in all its brilliant and subtle hues-and all going straight into your brain: unforgettable, permanent. Wizards quickly learn how to control the Third Eye, to keep it closed except in times of great need, or else they go mad within a few weeks.