[HEADING=1]They Walk Among Us: A Paranormal Investigation RP[/HEADING]
The world breathed a sigh of relief on December 21st, 2012 when - contrary to popular belief - the world DIDN'T end. The Mayans were wrong and the thirteenth Bak'tun started without issue. Instead, everyone got to enjoy a particularly normal holiday season while the world kept on spinning.
However, unbeknownst to most, it did change. At midnight on the 21st, things slipped into our mortal world; things not seen in the last thousand years. Some call them "Demons", others prefer "Extraplanar Entities" and yet others prefer the simpler term "Monsters". Whatever you call them, most agree that whatever they are, they're a threat.
Had humanity been caught unaware by the resurgence of monsters, the world really might have ended that cold December evening which makes it all the more fortuitous that humanity was prepared. The Mayan calendar was but one - admittedly popular - hint of what was to come. Nostradamus had likewise predicted their return when he said "The gods will make it appear to be humans. That they will be the authors of a great conflict: Sword and lance before heaven is observed as serene. so that on the left hand there will be great affliction." The many religions of the world had there own prophesies ready to be fulfilled. Scientists had been measuring strange fluctuations in sensitive measuring equipment during the weeks leading up to the 21st. Many had an idea of what was coming and took steps to ready themselves for the new age.
Now it's 2018. Since their return, a secret war has been fought in the shadows against the greatest threat the world has ever not seen.
[HEADING=2]The Factions[/HEADING]
Several groups independently formed to fight back the darkness. When the darkness finally reared its ugly maw, the organizations struck out; fighting for survival and forging alliances with their newly-discovered contemporaries and compatriots. So far, each group has remained separate for a number of reasons - primarily so that should a single group fall, the others can remain solvent. Different organizations have different overall goals, some of which are compatible with other organizations, some of which mutually exclusive. The organizations are as follows:
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Of course, when dark things begin making war on humanity, some people are bound to notice. Few such people survive their encounter with the darkness, but those who do are left changed forever. Many have lost loved ones to the creatures and find that everyone they turn to denies the very existence of their tale. Most realize at some point there's a global conspiracy to keep stories of the monsters, demons, and whatever else hidden. The vast majority of those affected become disenfranchised "madmen" who stand on street corners screaming about the end of the world. A few however - perhaps out of duty, perhaps out of vengeance, perhaps something entirely different - decide to fight back. Sometimes they encounter groups of like-minded people to aid them in their quest, perhaps they go alone into the breech. Regardless, most of these people die during their second encounter with the darkness. This continues out until about their fifth encounter - when only .01% remain. At this point, they've become experts at hunting and tracking the beasts and rarely fall to the darkness easily.
Inevitably, if you survive in the shadows long enough, you come face-to-face with someone from the alliance. Such individuals sometimes join a specific organization to fight back, but most feel betrayed by the giant organizations (after all, where were they the first time?) and chose to remain independent. Still, mutual need to survive forces them to work together on some level. Usually, the relationship forms like an alliance between the larger groups. The big organizations can't be everywhere for, large as they are, they're spread over too much land to fight back against everything. Instead these individuals or small groups fill the niche market; killing the threats the big guy's can't see. The larger factions in turn provide substantial bounties to the individuals for dealing with the threats and give them access to the information networks of the big guys.
The Cabal has existed for thousands of years, dating back as far as ancient Egypt. Back then, the monsters still existed upon this world. With their retreat, humans were able to form complex civilizations which in turn allowed for organizations of soldiers tasked with fighting the remaining threats to form. Without the power of technology, the organizations who would one day become the Cabal embraced the tricks and tactics of the monsters themselves. They learned ancient magics by watching their enemy and learned to use their prey to forge weapons capable of fighting the darkness.
Today, the Cabal has become the foremost authority on all things arcane; with libraries of tricks with which to identify, eliminate, and use the monsters. They've been known to bind these monsters to their will, incorporate abominable monster parts into their weapons, armor, and bodies, and use ancient magics. The Cabal has an expressed interest in keeping the secrets of magic a secret and benefit from humans being generally unaware of the horrors that lurk in the night. They tend to keep other, younger organizations at arms reach for fear of betrayal (i.e. Witch Hunts) and view themselves as the authority on monsters. They eschew modern and super-modern technology in favor of their traditions. Since the resurgence however, they've opened their books of monster fighting techniques to the younger organizations for the sake of mutual survival and to gain access to the knowledge bases of the organizations.
Where there's a resource to exploit, there's a business opportunity. The Consortium is a coalition of hundreds of different industrial complexes, all working together for their mutual benefit. Pharmaceutical interests benefit greatly from the alien matter; using it in experiments which might cure more diseases that they know. Material companies find the bio-matter of the Extraplanars to have extraordinary strength and toughness or elasticity. Of course, the Military-Industrial complex can't find an end to all the military applications for Extraplanar material. Even Media companies have gotten involved; taking exclusive footage and details for when the Extraplanars eventually become public knowledge. Some of the Bio-matter has even shown properties not found in any other material found on earth. The secrets to faster, stronger, and more potent computers and perhaps even long-term space travel might be locked in the bodies of creatures no one wants around.
Most bio-matter samples are sent to one of two projects; the Foundation labs to see what uses the bio-matter might have or to R&D labs to see if the material can be replicated for large-scale production. The Consortium has a vested interest in maintaining the secrecy of the Extraplanar threat. After all, what does it matter if they find a material capable of FTL travel if it results in the collapse of the global economy. Also, the more their competition is in the dark the better it is for them. The Consortium takes advantage of the information kicked in by the older groups and provides precisely one benefit to the alliance: obscene amounts of money. Some companies have thrown in billions of dollars for the rights to choice bio-matter. This puts them at odds with some Cabal members who use material as spell components, but Extraplanar beasts tend to have enough bio-matter to make this concern a minor one.
Note: While referenced as a single group, most businesses act independently, using mercenary and PMC's. The Consortium is just a special group of business interests acting in concert.
The Foundation is a coalition of universities and independent researchers dedicated to understanding the Extraplanars. While they share the same goals as The Consortium, the emphasis is on the knowledge gained; not the profit earned. They wish to turn the horrors from beyond the world into a warm light for all humanity. Or so they say anyway. For the most part it's true, though more than a few of the field researchers are known for less-than ethical experimentation on still-living Extraplanars. Of course no one really comments on it; after all they're monsters trying to kill humanity and destroy all it holds dear. In the face of that, who cares what they do to the beasts? This has however resulted in more than one escaped "subject" in highly populated regions. The Foundation works closely with the Consortium; with the Foundation doing much of the research (in exchange for the eventual credit for any discoveries) while the Consortium claims ownership of all eventual profits (save the kickbacks to the researchers).
The Foundation benefits from the money and knowledge of the other organizations and in turn adds enormous technical expertise to the alliance. They are particularly well known for providing prototype technology for "field testing" against the monsters. These prototypes have had mixed results - sometime they vaporize monsters in seconds while others seem to make mosters even more deadly; often with the same piece of prototype tech. The Foundation would love to publish all of their research but between the threats of life-in-prison for doing so and the fear of being ridiculed by their peers, few papers have been published.
Note: Some universities act on their own, independent of The Foundation. Their methods are even more ethically questionable than The Foundation.
One of the older organizations, the Knights Templar are a branch of the Roman Catholic Church tasked with the destruction of Demons in all their many forms. They call upon the power of their god (or their faith as the non-believers will say) to destroy demons. Ancient rituals, holy artifacts, and powerful destructive spells are what the Knights Templar bring to the table. Whatever people's stance might be on the existence of a god or gods, no one can deny the Knights Templar are perhaps the most powerful weapon against the monsters. There is a great deal of tension between the Knights and the Cabal thanks to the centuries of conflict between their groups. While they both use what most people would call magic, Cabal magic embraces the dark power of the beasts while the Knights Templar use purification magic to destroy demons down to their last cells.
It's the tradition of the Knights Templar to remain in the darkness, hunting their prey wherever they might appear. They have little interest in revealing their existence to the world since it would only disrupt their flock and make them question God's power. The Knights Templar are an ancient order with large pools of resources and fighting strength, but are so few in number that they cannot fight the incoming tide of demons by themselves. They are a welcome part of the alliance due to their awesome power. The Knights Templar become more powerful as the destroy demons.
Note: This is the Roman Catholic organization. Each major world religion has their own order to combat the monsters.
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The National Biological Warfare Defense Analysis Center was an organization formed by the United States to ensure their continued prosperity in the world in 2003. Technically a branch of the Department of Homeland Security, The National Biological Warfare Defense Analysis Center draws the best and brightest from all branches of the military and intelligence agencies to act as a multi-facited taskforce against the Extraplanar Entities. Their relative youth is one of the major hurdles the organization has to overcome. They're trained to fight human enemies - not creatures which defy description - and are all but blind to the centuries of knowledge gathered by the more experienced organizations. While they're nearly fighting blind, they make up the difference with technical and logistical support. They may not know the best ways to pierce an Extraplanar's shell, but they have rocket launchers, the ability to get just about anywhere in the world in 8 hours, and more funding than some small countries.
The National Biological Warfare Defense Analysis Center is concerned with protecting U.S. citizens and have few qualms with destroying entire villages to be rid of a single threat to the U.S. while ignoring larger threats on the other side of the world. The U.S. has an interest in keeping the monsters a secret to keep the world calm. Global chaos would make their mission all but impossible and they depend on the continued success of global capitalism to fund their operations. Not to mention, voters tend to prefer their normal lives to war in the streets. The National Biological Warfare Defense Analysis Center's strategy has been to contain or destroy Extraplanar beings as encountered. The National Biological Warfare Defense Analysis Center benefits from access to the knowledge bases of the other organizations and in turn kicks in their logistical know how and technical support. Even the Cabal admits being able to get to the monsters in short time periods is a huge help.
Note: The National Biological Warfare Defense Analysis Center is the U.S. Organization. Other developed countries have similar programs with more or less the same advantages.
Special Note: The National Biological Warfare Defense Analysis Center is a real agency. I in no way suggest this is what they actually do. In fact, I can't find what they really do anywhere.
The Turned are monsters who - for one reason or another - have joined the side of humanity. Some were infected by human magics, forcing them to the human way of thought. Others were affected by humans on an emotional level, making them join out of desire to protect. Yet others were tamed by human tricks into little more than pets. Either way, they have become allies. Turned have it perhaps the hardest; they threw away whatever their life was before to hunt and kill their brothers and sisters while standing beside creatures who would kill them without a second thought. They must spend most of their time away from humans unless they are able to take human form (and even then the other organizations tend to frown on this blending).
The Turned benefit from the alliance in only one way; so long as they behave, the alliance agrees not to harm or experiment on them. If you're turned and not known to the alliance, you're prey just like the rest of their ilk. Of course, these benefits come at a cost: they must fight. Fortuitously, these demons have proven proficient at the art of killing and become more powerful by consuming the flesh of their fallen siblings.
Where The National Biological Warfare Defense Analysis Center and its contemporaries are national efforts to protect themselves from the threat of the Extraplanars, the United Nations Security Counsel realizes that not all threats to the individual nations will appear in developed or opened-border nations. What happens when the world ending monstrosity takes refuge in Somalia? What about North Korea? Or Iran? What's to stop the Extraplanar from building up its strength in places beyond individual national reaches. What more, even if every nation had a The National Biological Warfare Defense Analysis Center, would the Democratic Republic of Congo's The National Biological Warfare Defense Analysis Center be as well maned and funded as a developed nations force? The obvious answer is no, so the obvious solution to the problem was U.N.I.T.E.D. - a global organization built to stop the threats wherever they appear and to whomever they threaten. Of course, the organization wasn't a perfect solution; it's shear size and diverse interests combined with many nations distrust of U.N. efforts hamper it's power a great deal; to the point where despite being larger than some national program, its less effective.
U.N.I.T.E.D. benefits from working with other organizations willing to share resources and information in that it allows them to focus on acting on information rather then hunting it down. In turn, U.N.I.T.E.D. provides easy lines of communication between the diverse groups and - perhaps more importantly - access. With so many nations as members they can get forces nearly anywhere - legally - without much fuss. Even isolationist nations like North Korea are willing to let in "U.N. inspectors" when they place enough pressure. U.N.I.T.E.D. is one of the few organizations against the maintenance of Extraplanar secrecy, but the security counsel and their allies are less-than willing to go public so they maintain the secrecy for the time being. U.N.I.T.E.D. focuses on the destruction or containment of monsters wherever they appear.
[HEADING=2]Arcana[/HEADING]
The magic of the Cabal and some mystically-adept individuals, Arcana uses the power of the monsters to their advantage. These can take three different forms, each with it's own advantages. Crossover isn't unheard of, but it is rare since it requires splitting focus between multiple fields and reducing your ability with each.
Spellcasting: By using rituals stolen from monsters and pieces of their flesh, bones, and blood, a human can channel energies from beyond the universe and turn them to the caster's will. Spellcasting is limited by the components on hand, the ambient mystical energy, and the casters own creativity. Knowing the properties of monster-material requires years of intensive learning, but most components have obvious uses. For instance, a dragon's blood has flame-magic properties and is used to create fire-based spells. At the same time, it has properties which could increase the users physical abilities (dragons are strong) or grant flight (dragons can fly) - less obvious uses. There are other even more obscure uses for materials.
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Binding: This form of Arcana uses a special ritual to take command of a monster's thoughts and deeds, binding the monster to the will of the caster as a sort of familiar. The stronger the monster, the harder it is to bend their will. Some creatures are effectively immune to this power (anything above Type III or with special mental powers). These creatures lose all sense of sapience as a result, making more magical based familiars all but useless. Most binders start by capturing a mundane but powerful creature (such as a lion) which they use to capture a Type I. This continues on until they cannot control or capture the next highest Type. A Binder can only control one creature at a time: further creatures tax the Binder's mind to thoroughly.
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Augmentation: The most questionable of techniques, Augmentation involves grafting monster flesh and bone to your own body and crafting weapons and armor from the rest. It allows the Augmenter the ability to use some of the creature's powers (all be it much reduced in power). Augmentation requires a powerful ritual and several hours to perform, but once complete the flesh becomes fully attuned to the user. Only physical creatures can be used for Augmentation and there are obvious size limitations. Body Augmentations grant you a creatures mystical properties (such as a dragon's fire breath), Weapon Augmentations allow the user to cut through monster flesh and bone more easily, and Armor Augmentations allow the user to defend against more potent attacks (i.e. a Giant can pull apart a tank, but opening a monster-suit can be almost impossible). Augmentation can only be used on simple items and the caster's body
[HEADING=2]Divinity[/HEADING]
Divinity magics allow the user to call on the mystical energies of the universe without material components, but it's uses are more limited. Unlike Arcana, crossover between fields of study is common since each group of magic is so limited. It can be used by Knights Templar, other religious orders, and some faithful individuals/small groups.
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Purification: Purification is the bread and butter of the divine spells. It calls upon the power of your god to smite your enemy. This usually manifests in a way befitting your faith (Christians get big bright white lights in the shape of crosses, Olympians might get a bolt of lightning from the sky, etc). This magic has the power to tear a demon apart at the molecular level; sundering it from the inside out. This power is limited by the users ability to channel mystical energies. This form of magic can also be used to perform exorcisms of humans (who are never negatively affected by this divine power).
Blessing: Blessings call upon the mystical energies to enhance people or objects. Each blessing is unique and chosen at casting. Maintaining a blessing takes nearly all the casters concentration - they cannot cast other spells or even move while blessing people, though they can still speak. Blessings come in a number of forms including: Increases to a person's strength, speed, stamina, or other physical ability. When used on objects, the blessing acts as a ward to prevent demons from entering - acting as a sort of force field - or enhances its natural abilities (extending the range of a radio for example). Particularly powerful demons can overcome blessings. Augmented, Bound demons, and Turned are never affected by blessings and may even be expelled by a ward if they aren't powerful enough to over come it or too heavily augmented.
Prayers: Prayers are calls to your god or gods to send you a mercy. These mostly take the effect of a healing spell, though they can take other forms. Unlike blessings, prayers require no maintenance once cast, but require time to cast (you need to say the full prayer) and multiple prayers can exhaust the caster's ability. Prayers have no affect on monsters - including the bound - but can affect Turned and Augmented (because prayer empowers the target's "soul")
[HEADING=2]Advanced Technology[/HEADING]
Used by The Foundation, The National Biological Warfare Defense Analysis Center, U.N.I.T.E.D., The Consortium, and most individuals/small groups; Advanced Technology is the same mundane technology we use today. Rifles, radios, planes, rockets, etc. If it has moving parts, it's Advanced Technology. This tech is less effective against monsters than other kinds of weapons - such as Augmented or Extraplanar Technology - but is cheaper, infinity replaceable, and better than basic tool like a sword or spear. They can be affected by Blessings and Prayers and cannot corrupt the user. I won't go into specific details of Advanced Technology since it's similar enough to today's technology that there should be no difficulties.
[HEADING=2]Extraplanar Technology[/HEADING]
This technology are the prototype tools constructed by The Foundation. It is constructed of the bio-matter of Extraplanars killed. Unlike Augmented weapons and armor, it uses only the physical properties of the material. These properties are emphasized and enhanced by mundane technology to create powerful tools against the Extraplanar. Extraplanar technology can be used by The Foundation, The National Biological Warfare Defense Analysis Center, U.N.I.T.E.D., The Consortium, and particularly affluent or connected individuals.
No person has enough resources to gain more than a handful of pieces of Extraplanar Technology since it has yet to be mass produced and what few pieces are in short supply and high demand. That said, the extraordinary number of possible devices producible allows for almost any tool to be created. Examples include:
Certain kinds of monster have proven to have unique properties applicable to weapons technology. For some, this can be bullets able to pierce mutli-foot steel blocks with ease. Others include portable, hand-held railguns and directed-energy weapons. Yet others include extraordinarily small and powerful explosives.
Some Extraplanar skin is harder than steel, more flexible than spandex, and as breathable as Egyptian cotton while filtering out toxins all at feather weight. Some have interesting optical properties, allowing for human-sized meta-materials capable of refracting light around the wearer making them functionally invisible. Some pieces of bone can be forged in riot shields capable of deflecting explosive forces up to nuclear weapon levels.
Some large Extraplanars have provided the basis for advanced vehicle systems - enhancing speed, handling, acceleration, and/or millage. Sometimes vehicles have other Extraplanar tech grafted into it - making it tougher and/or giving it superior weapons tech.
[HEADING=2]Incorporation[/HEADING]
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Incorporation is a skill unique to monsters. While the augmentation process prevents incorporation, The Turned and Bound creatures retain this power. A Monster can eat some of a creatures bio-matter to take its power. Unlike Augmentation which can only make an incomplete copy of the power, a monster's incorporation absorbs all of the creature's power. Like Augmentation, it takes some time before it can take effect (about a day for most Turned), but once the power is incorporated, it's yours. Some powers are more difficult to incorporate (such as a Kaiju's size), while others are easy (such as the claws of a werewolf). Monsters have been seen doing this to each other at times and it appears that's how the particularly power monsters are formed.
This power works on monsters and humans.
[HEADING=2]The Monsters[/HEADING]
The monsters take many forms. Some hide among humans, slowly feasting upon them and growing stronger. Others live in the still-dark places, biding their time until just the right moment to strike. Some are intangible apparitions who feast upon the souls of their targets, while others take a more physical approach - drinking the blood or eating the body. Some are so small they act more like a disease than a demon, possessing and growing like a virus. Others are sky-scraper sized monsters hiding in the oceans, feeding on whales. Others are so alien they cannot be properly described in a generalized way. Finally, some take recognizable forms from mythology - Vampires, Werewolves, Minotaurs, Dragons, and so on.
Due to the shear diversity of the monsters, describing them by physical characteristics has proven next-to impossible. Instead, they are organized by threat level - Type I through Type V
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The most common of monsters, Type I's are the weakest. They often serve more potent monsters as servants or hide in regions far away from large populations. These creatures take many forms, but all are roughly as strong and fast as an Olympian athlete with some deadly natural weapon and no supernatural powers. Their intelligence can vary from little more than animal to genius level intellect (though no initial scientific knowledge). Most Turned come from this type.
Mythological examples include a non-replicable Zombie, an Elf, or an Orc.
This level of monster is usually physically tougher and more intelligent than a typical Type I and has some sort of supernatural power which sets them above the common ilk and drastically increases their threat level. Such powers are limited by the use of rare components or available energy. These powers usually take the form of arcane spells on par with mid-level Cabal mages.
Mythological examples include Vampires, Werewolves, or Gorgon/Medusa
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Type III's pose a significant threat to national sized areas. If they have a physical form, its usually a powerful one able to tear tanks apart on whims and survive bombing runs. Some take a more subtle approach, hiding among humans infiltrating their institutions and taking command of enormous resources. Others at this level have no physical form, instead taking an intangible form with great magical powers at or above the most powerful human levels.
Mythological examples include Giants, Lich, or Skin Walkers
Type IV's are deemed continental or global threats. Type IV's with a physical emphasis can reasonably level a city in hours or minutes. More subtle versions have taken positions of such power that they can reasonably direct humanity to self-inflicted destruction (such as thermonuclear war). Magical Type IV's have powers vastly exceeding human mages and are capable of bending reality itself to their whims.
Mythological examples include Dragons/Kaiju, Dopplegangers, or Djinn
Type V is reserved for a creature capable of so significantly damaging the universe that it can only be described as an omnipotent god. No Type V has ever been observed
Mythological examples include Chronos, Osirus, or Amaterasu.
All creatures can be harvested for supplies - for Foundation/Consortium study, for Cabal arcana, for Turned incorporation, for U.N.I.T.E.D. and The National Biological Warfare Defense Analysis Center containment/destruction, or for Knights Templar eradication.
[HEADING=2]The Game[/HEADING]
This game will be a series of adventures. The first mission will be sending you to Boston on the hunt for an unknown Type I or II who's been on a killing spree.
[HEADING=2]Character Sheet[/HEADING]
Name:
Gender (if applicable) & Age:
Appearance: May use pictures, but please include a textual description
Faction: Which team to you fight for?
Biography/History: What's your story. Please include any personal goals here.
Personality: How do you think?
Arcana/Divinity/Extraplanar Tech: How do you fight back against the darkness?
Notable Skills: Anything you are particularly skilled at?
Other:
Please also include how your character came to Boston and how you'd like your character to be introduced. Characters may have shared backstories and/or may be allied at your discretion, but I may not accept your partner's character so keep that in mind.
Gender (if applicable) & Age:
Appearance: May use pictures, but please include a textual description
Faction: Which team to you fight for?
Biography/History: What's your story. Please include any personal goals here.
Personality: How do you think?
Arcana/Divinity/Extraplanar Tech: How do you fight back against the darkness?
Notable Skills: Anything you are particularly skilled at?
Other:
Please also include how your character came to Boston and how you'd like your character to be introduced. Characters may have shared backstories and/or may be allied at your discretion, but I may not accept your partner's character so keep that in mind.
*Note: None of the above images were made by me and I don't know who made most of them. I in no way take credit for them.*
Special Note: I'm in the market for a Co-GM. If you are interested, please contact me.
