Please note that this is only a general summary of the world of the Helsing. Many arcane races have been left out and there are many aspects to the history and society of the Netherworld that have not been covered here. I intend to come back and update this regularly.
Spellwork
“There are technically five major schools of magic, but originally there were only four,” he said. “Each one had its own overall theory of magic and how it was done. The school of alchemy saw everything in terms of the elemental powers of Oranos, Gaia, Krenus, Oceanus, and Helios, which were supposed to be semi-divine entities which manifested in both physical and arcane forms. It also held that there were lesser elements which were each subordinate to one of the greater ones. The mystical school was mostly popular among the mages of the Germanic tribes and other barbarians, and believed everything came down to certain archetypes. There were many different kinds of archetypes, but the human ones, the ones they considered most important, were the Hunter, the Artisan, the Virgin, the Fool, the Sage, the Warrior, and the Farmer. Then there was the poetic school, which didn’t have archetypes like the earlier two, but instead believed that power and wisdom were to be found in stories. Those belonging to the poetic school would collect and memorize stories and they would base their spells off of passages from their collections. The fourth school came mainly out of the Far East, and it was called the ethereal school. That one was all about magical energy, almost like some kind of supernatural physics, although it did believe that there was raw magical energy called ‘qi’ in the East and ‘ether’ in the West, and there was also energy that was bound to some kind of archetype very much like the elements of the alchemical school. Then under Alexander the Great the documentation of all four schools began, which led to the archival school. The archival school’s emergence wasn’t completed until the rise of the Roman Empire, but it became the modern theory of magic in most of the world. It accepts the knowledge of all the old schools but it doesn’t treat any of them as comprehensive, and it focuses more on the words of power than on anything else, although it has room for many different perspectives.
“Below the schools of magic there are also the crafts and the arts, both of which go into the makeup of any spell. The craft of any given spell is determined by its method, the way that it’s cast. The major crafts are the craft of brewing (which is all about potions), the craft of wielding (which uses magical items and is most commonly applied as wandwork), the craft of thalmaturgy (a craft that uses runes and circles and symbolic items to perform ritual spells), the craft of questing (which is when you have to do certains tasks like winning the treasure of some creature in order for the spell to be fulfilled), the craft of theurgy (which calls upon or summons a magical being and then appeals to them either for power or for the full effect of the spell), and the craft of incanting (which relies upon archaic languages, the words of power, and body movements). Typically, spells will be performed through at least two crafts, and the selection depends on the skills of the mage in question and the situation in which it’s cast.
“Finally, spells are classified according to their art, which is based on their effect. The major arts are evocation, transfiguration, enchanting, divination, conjuration, illusion, healing, and charms. However, there are scores of subcategories for arts, and many of the subcategories fit into more than one of the major arts. Do you want me to get into the minor categories like pyromancy and scrying and all that?”
Dante waved a hand and said, “No, that’s good enough. I’ll quiz you on particulars later, but for now I just want to see if you know the general concepts.” He began scrubbing furiously at the accumulations of grease that the cleaning chemicals had softened up for him. “What about languages? The art of incanting is, after all, the most commonly used. Tell me what you know of that.”
“Well, it’s possible to use a modern language for an incantation, but usually you want something older,” said the wizard. “A lot of spells take at least one word of power, but for the rest of it the incantation should be made up of an archaic dialect of a mundane language or else one of the arcane tongues.”
The veteran knight nodded and said, “And the two arcane tongues of the West are?”
“Avalonian and Atlantean,” answered Daniel. “Avalonian was originally developed by the shaman and mages of Northern Europe, and it became adopted as a sort of secret tongue by many of the races of the Netherworld that considered their homeland to be within that region. Atlantean was developed by the magical scholars of the Mediterranean--meaning that it has roots in Latin, Greek, and Egyptian--and it was taken on by the Roman Empire and later the Catholic Church. There’s also D’varxi, from the region of Mesopotamia, and Ileyahi, which is a sort of arcane dialect of Hebrew. I know you only asked for the first two, but the other pair does appear in Western magic sometimes.”
Magical Races
There are many magical races, but most fall into one of the seven classes of kami, fey, yokai, djinn, grendelkin, undead, and lostlings.
-Kami are nonhuman spirits that typically reside in another world even though most are bound to some part or aspect of our world.
-The fey are faeries, and they are all gifted in magic, most of them enjoy mischief of some kind, nearly all faeries are powerless against the touch of iron, and they are fascinated by games and wagers. The social world of the faeries is dominated by the seven courts, which are the Summer Court, the Winter Court, the Court of the Sun, the Court of the Moon, the Court of the Depths, the Marble Court, and the Court of the Caverns. In addition to the courts and the houses that serve them, there are also minor powers that are independent from but still respectful to the courts.
-Yokai are a class of magical beings from the Far East that--like faeries--straddle the line between human and spirit. Most yokai have some particular aspect of the world which they represent or are bound to.
-The term djinn can be used to denote a particular species or a whole class of species. Those of the specific species are among the Ancients, are skilled in illusions and empathic magic, and tend to live in solitude. The broader class of species refers to those who are spawned either by djinn breeding with other species or else by people who have been empowered or enchanted by the djinn. Most empaths belong to this class.
-Grendelkin are the most bestial of the magical races and most are descended from some Ancient monster (thus the name). It is widely believed that grendelkin do not have magic, but this is untrue. In reality, some grendelkin have more magic that the average faerie, but this power is usually focused inward on strength, healing, senses, and other physiological qualities. Most therianthropes--werewolves and other beings that have mixed human and animal qualities--are grendelkin.
-The undead are beings that have died and have returned to the world of the living in a semi-restored state. Ghosts occur naturally, but most undead only appear if they’ve been summoned through necromancy. Many undead exist in a confused daze and those that do not need to feed on the living or be supported through magic.
-Lostlings are people of mixed magical lineage in whom no particular ancestry shows dominance. Most lostlings appear mostly human (in fact, the more arcane Netherworlders tend to view them as mundane humans that happen to hang around their neighborhood on weekends) and whatever magical traits they inherit tend to manifest only in minor ways unless the lostling in question specifically trains to use that trait. Most lostlings don’t fall into any specific subset, but over time many of them did develop into their own distinct species, the most prominent one being the Jaegers.
Werewolf- A person can be a werewolf either through birth or by being turned. At first being a werewolf is pretty much the same as the traditional stories say with the transformation coming every full moon and the subject living as a normal human for the rest of the month, but as time goes on the wolf spirit matures in strength and in its relationship to the subject. The subject slowly gains the power to draw on the strength of the wolf apart from the night of the full moon and in turn the urges of the wolf become more insistent during those times until the subject reaches a rite of passage known as the achrann. At this point the subject spends three days in the form of the wolf and at the end of it they will either come out as a vargulf--someone who follows the desires of the wolf--or a faoladh--someone who submits the desires of the wolf to their human understanding. In either case, the individual is stronger afterwards both as a human and a wolf and is able to choose to change on any night (the strongest of them can also change in the day) they choose.
Harpy- A harpy is a sort of human-bird hybrid who in his or her fully manifested form has talons, exceptional eyesight and hearing, fangs, and toxic breath. The females also have fully functional wings, but the males are flightless and instead have greater speed on the ground.
Vampire- There are three basic species of vampires, which are the nosferatu, draugr, and upir. Nosferatu are the most mystical of the three with the power enter of the minds of others and change their shape, and they also have a considerable amount of natural skill and power when it comes to magic. A bite from a nosferatu is a cursed wound that will eventually kill the victim unless it is treated magically or the victim is fed upon again, and anyone who dies from the bite will rise again either as another vampire or as a revenant. Draugr are known more than anything else for their habit of sleeping in tombs of earth or stone as well as their ability to pass through solid barriers. They also have the greatest physical strength and when fully manifested they exude an aura of cold and darkness. Finally, upir are the least magical of the three species and have the least need for the spiritual properties of blood, meaning that they can store blood without worrying about having to keep the essence of the people the blood was taken from “fresh”. While upir are typically looked down on by other vampires because of their lack of magic, they also have the fewest weakness and are more difficult to detect. Upir are most notable for their ability to withstand sunlight with only minor irritation. Other vampires can withstand sunlight as well, but only if they’re old enough and even then their power tends to be extremely limited.
Changeling- A changeling is someone of faerie ancestry who doesn’t live in faerie society. All changelings have arcane power, are able to ride the wind, and have an instinctive skillfulness in matters of going unseen and unheard. Beyond that, the inherited traits of a changeling depends upon the species of their fey ancestor(s).
Siren- An aquatic grendelkin with musical abilities.
Grindylow- An aquatic fey species with long fingers, green skin, and frog-like faces known for residing in lakes and ponds.
Kappa- An aquatic yokai with a bowl in its head filled with water. If the bowl is emptied the kappa becomes powerless.
Sin-Eater- A sin-eater is an empath that feeds on sins, rather on the emotional energy behind the sins. The way in which this feeding is experienced by the other person depends largely upon whether or not that person is a willing participant. If the one fed upon is unwilling and holds to their sins then the process can be extremely damaging, but if the one fed upon is willing then the feeding takes on an element of repentance. It is still painful, but the experience is also cleansing. Sin-eaters usually find work as therapists, clerics, and exorcists.
Gorgonite- A gorgonite is a descendant of the gorgons. Gorgonites do not have the hair of their ancestors, but when fully manifested they do have scales and each subspecies has a particular ability drawn from the raw power of their ancestry.
Satyr- A satyr is a human-goat hybrid. Satyrs tend to be particularly fast but otherwise they are not physically much stronger than normal humans. While they are not themselves fey, they tend to be drawn to fey gatherings and celebrations.
Werecat- Unlike a werewolf, a werecat can transform at any time of their choosing and remain in control. They tend to have good reflexes, be quick, and possess excellent senses, but they do not have the raw strength of their lupine counterparts. A werecat must allow its animal spirit to lead it in a hunt at least once each month or else their personality starts to become more predatory.
Akki- A predatory, fanged yokai. Akki are nocturnal creatures with unusually long arms and bulging, yellow eyes that are known to feed on wandering travellers.
Djinn- A djinn is a winged, horned, semi-incorporeal being known for its power of illusion and divination. Djinn are ageless, solitary creatures that usually prefer to remain hidden.
Alux- An alux (the plural is aluxob) is a small fey creature from South America that prefers to live in the countryside.
Aobozu- A yokai of medium size with blue skin and mystical abilities. In English, the name means “blue priest”.
Baba Yaga- A particularly dangerous faerie creature that is distinguished by its legs which resemble those of a chicken.
Shinigami- In English, the word literally means “god of death”. A shinigami is a yokai that is associated with death in a number of ways, but their primary purpose is to escort lost or endangered souls to the rest of Sheol. However, many shinigami take death into their own hands and those who do are known to make excellent assassins.
Baku- A yokai that feeds upon dreams in much the same way that a sin-eater feeds on sins. Except that with a baku the process usually isn’t excruciatingly painful.
Bluecap- A subterranean faerie that often appears as a small, blue light. They are usually benevolent, but as with all faeries they can be dangerous if they think they have been insulted or dealt with unfairly.
Redcap- A highly dangerous faerie known for washing its signature cap in the blood of its victims. Some redcaps will make a permanent home at some place with a particularly morbid history, others will deceive at murder lost travellers, and others still serve as mercenaries following anyone who will pay them and allow them the opportunity for bloodshed. Redcaps are among the few fey that cannot be killed with common iron, in fact many of them carry an iron spear.
Campe- dragon-human-scorpion hybrid
Canaima-were-jaguar
Chinthe- Temple-guarding feline, similar to Chinese Shi and Japanese Shisa
Chitauli- human-lizard hybrid from the Zulu tradition
Tengu- a human-bird yokai
Drow- a small, mischievous, nocturnal faerie
Dullahan- A headless horseman; a ghost of a changeling or similar magical being executed for murder which is raised through necromancy and works as an assassin
Emere- A seer with the power to become incorporeal at will.
Encantado- a Brazilian faerie that can change from a human being to a dolphin
Ewah- human-cougar hybrid from Cherokee tradition
Huaychivo- human-deer hybrid from Mayan tradition
Jorogumo- Japanese spider-person
Kamaitachi- wind yokai
Kitsune- A yokai that can take the form of a fox or a human as it pleases or else a shape in between the two. A kitsune is not werefox, however, as it was never simply human to begin with. Kitsune are often tricksters and are well known to be skilled in magic.
Nahual- basically a were-jaguar
Obake- Japanese shapeshifter
Rokurokubi- long-necked Japanese tricksters
Ragana- an Eastern European being with magical powers and knowledge
Shunoban- Japanese red-faced ghoul
Bultungin- werehyena
Yobuko- Japanese mountain-dwelling creature
Yowie- human-ape hybrid
Yuki-onna- Japanese snow spirit
Ghoul- A ghoul is what happens when someone becomes touched with the curse of undeath but only to a partial degree. Something of a necromantic infection becomes part of them, giving them strength, arcane senses, and a hunger for raw flesh. The flesh need not be human, but if they draw on their strength without feeding they will go mad.
Jaeger- A Jaeger is a particular bloodline of lostlings known for hunting monsters.
Nobles- Nobles are lostlings with ties to ancient royalty as well as a claim to authority which is recognized by the fey or other magical beings.
Camazotz- A camazotz is an undead, bat-like humanoid native to South America. The creatures mostly dwell in the region of Underland known as Xibalba, and they were often called upon by Mayan priests as servants of their gods.
Cuco- The cucos (female cuca) are among the most feared supernatural beings in Latin America. Like most Netherworlders they usually appear human, but when their power is manifested they have leathery skin; a thin layer of fur; tall, thin ears; sharp, round teeth that mostly aren’t very long except for two fangs in the lower jaw that are almost tusks; and strong, slightly hooked claws. Cuco can live for centuries and they are known for being uniquely vicious.
Government
Gwendolen- The Senate governs arcane society in the US, Canada, and parts of Latin America. It is based out of a town called Gwendolen located in Ohio. The Senate itself doesn’t do a lot of direct governing, but is instead focused on maintaining balance between the various factions. In keeping with this, there are separate chambers within the legislature each representing a different social group within the Netherworld and organized in order to ensure that none of them are marginalized. Additionally, the Senate is lead by the Quorum, which is made up of representatives from a handful of Netherworld towns, two senior Sentinels (the equivalent of FBI agents), a few ageless fey who were present at the founding of the Senate, an archmage from the oldest magical academy in the New World, the Archduke of Gwendolen, and four additional members elected from the General Assembly.
For the most part, the Senate functions by making contracts with regional leaders acknowledging their authority and endowing them with certain responsibilities. The main benefit that it provides is the presence of a few bureaucracies established to bridge the legal gaps between the Netherworld and the Topside, the support of the Sentinels in times of crisis, and the balance provided by Senatorial courts. Many magistrates and governing councils bemoan the interference of the courts in public, but in reality the courts are of great benefit to them since they provide someone else to blame when a particular group feels itself wronged. While even the largest bureaucracy directly serving the Senate has less than two hundred members total, all the statistics indicate that areas under the authority of the Senate are significantly more stable than those that remain independent.
The Legions, many knightly orders, and the Jaegers have contracts with the Senate which guarantee their support as long as the warriors agree to abide by the regulations and the occasional orders handed down from the legislature. Additionally, among those of arcane nobility living under the authority of the Netherworld there are five dukes, each with authority over a different major city and with responsibilities to support the rule of law at large.
Atlantis- Atlantis is one of the oldest centers of Netherworld society in the world. Today it rules over Europe, most of Africa, and portions of the Near and Middle East. Like Gwendolen, the Parliament of Atlantis is designed to represent all the paranormal societies under its rule, yet it tends to give the most power to the nobles, the guilds, and the magical academies. Regions under the control of the Parliament are governed by a council made up of a high-ranking noble, a sage sent by the nearest academy, three publicly elected representatives, and two representatives of the Atlantean government. The government set up by Atlantis was seriously damaged by the World Wars, and when the Cold War came along it lost all power of any nations behind the iron curtain. Atlantis is still struggling to restore order in many places, and the balance of power within its own structure is still shifting as it tries to find its place in the modern world.
The Peacekeepers- The organization was formed at some point during the Middle Ages while the Vatican was still the main authority in the European Netherworld. After much dispute between the faerie nobles, the Church, and the more powerful kami in the region it was agreed that the Netherworld and the Topside should be two distinct societies, and the Peacekeepers were founded to keep the Netherworld hidden from mundane eyes. Members of the organization are equal parts mage, lawyer, and diplomat as they conceal magical activity, provide cover stories, and deal with anyone that they feel presents a serious threat to the secrecy of the Netherworld.
The Stygian Fellowship- The Fellowship is something like a governing body for the undead. It is composed by an elite group of vampires who and was originally formed in the fourth century when the wars by Rome and the Church against the more malevolent nations of the Netherworld reached their height. Certain vampires correctly concluded that they could not survive a state of open warfare. Fortunately, it was just as apparent that they would never be completely eradicated, and the enemies of the undead chose to enter an agreement with the Stygians. Officially, the Stygians do not take blood from unwilling innocents, however they are well known for working behind the scenes to fight the knights and hunters or else to make it easier for their kind to feed freely. They have even been known to found cults from which they can take blood at their leisure.
The Wizengamot- Given how dangerous wizards can be, the Wizengamot was formed as a diplomatic forum through which they and other particularly powerful mages could could meet. Since many wizards wind up serving competing factions, the Wizengamot usually is too much divided against itself to be anywhere near as active in Netherworld politics as many conspiracy theorists suspect. However, the council does act to promote the rule of law, preserve and facilitate the growth of magical knowledge, and limit the fallout of Netherworld conflicts.
Mages
The term mage refers to any practitioner of magic. Most mages are born with some measure of power, but many draw most of their strength from other sources. In regards to the source of their power, mages are divided up between those with great inherent magical ability such as those that have a considerable amount of fey or djinn blood in their ancestry, those who are bound to some magical artifact (this doesn’t have to be bound to the individual mage; many arcane treasures are made to lend their power to anyone of a particular bloodline), those who call upon another being such as a kami or a faerie, and those who use potions and artifacts to draw in power from the world at large. Ultimately, however, this arcane strength all goes into the savanos of the mage in question. Every mage has three sources of power, which are the mage’s animus (the internal power which is bound up with their soul, physical health, and mental faculties), their savanos, and the energy of the external world, and most of the power of a given spell comes from the last of these. The mage’s savanos is kind of like an extra limb which is used to manipulate and sense arcane energy, and the power of the mage in general depends upon the two factors of how substantial the savanos is (which determines how much of it they can afford to burn up for fuel as well as how much power they can handle) and how complex or “flexible” (one metaphor is just as bad as another) it is (which determines how effectively they’ll be able to use whatever power they have).
While it is true that anyone who uses magic is a mage, in academic circles one who is still in early levels of training is called a mageling. The first complete level of education for a mage is the title of “master”, which indicates expertise in a particular craft or art, fluency in at least one arcane language, a comprehensive grasp of eleven words of power, and a solid grasp of magic in general. After achieving mastery in three fields, fluency in two arcane languages, and a comprehensive grasp of twenty-seven words of power, one gains the title of sage. When a mage gains mastery in seven fields, fluency in three arcane languages, and a comprehensive grasp of sixty-four languages words of power they gain the rank of archmage. Of course, these standards are somewhat flexible so that if one is lacking in one area but excels in another it is still possible for advancement, and an arcane language can be replaced by two or more major mundane languages, but for the most part the above measures are the standard.
There is also a distinction to be made between normal mages and witchcraft. While it is not actually illegal under many Netherworld governments, witchcraft is often taboo as a form of magic and it is widely referred to both by its adherents and its critics as “the art of power.” There are three characteristics that define witchcraft, which are the forceful taking of blood, the forbidden invocations (this can refer to the use of particular words of power in a specific way, the act of calling upon certain evil spirits, or the use of certain sigils), and the desecration of the sacred.
Monster Hunters
The Four Legions- The legions were originally formed in Ancient Rome out of those in the military who were particularly privy to or involved in the Netherworld. The legions gathered mystical loot from across the empire and used it in a ceremony to secure their power, and from there on they continued to serve the law in one form or another until the modern day. Each of the legions plays a different role, with the first legion being largely covert and dedicated to gathering intelligence and manipulating events rather than exercising strength directly, the second legion being made up of actual soldiers dealing with supernatural mayhem in war zones, the third legion is mostly made up of police and private security, and the fourth legion draws from the FBI and similar agencies.
Holy Orders- The Vatican, the Anglican Church, and several other religious groups with serious infrastructure support military groups committed to fighting supernatural evil. Most of these groups have a particular relic or sacred site which is connected to both their power and their purpose. The footsoldiers of the Vatican are known as Vagabonds, and at the other extreme end of the spectrum are the Templar Knights. Members of the Templar are drawn from other Catholic orders and they are generally considered the most elite soldiers the Church has at her disposal.
Jaeger Clans- The Jaegers are held together by tradition and familial ties rather than the rules and regulations of most groups, and as such their organizational structure is rather loose. Social and political power within the clans comes down to skill, reputation, and charisma. There’s also a lot of power attached to the estates which serve as strongholds and training centers for the clans, but when conflict does arise it has been shown in the past that public support trumps ownership of an estate.
Helsing Knights- The Helsing were first organized by Merlin in ancient times. Trainees and temporary recruits or allies are given the title of zealot, fully trained members are called knights, and above that are the paladins. Whereas most knights are attached to a particular keep, paladins are relatively independent and tend to wander wherever supernatural evil is most present. Typically it is from among the paladins that the captain and minister of each keep are drawn, although it is not necessarily so.
Not counting the many safehouses the order maintains in periods of strength, the infrastructure of the Helsing begins with keeps, of which there are at most fourteen. For each of the keeps there is a well of power bound to the heritage of the knights as well as a door leading to Caer Hreohnes. The headquarters of the Helsing is located in the Veil, and in addition to housing the most ancient and sacred treasures of the order it is also the home of the Munin, a group of mages and clerks that handles all the intelligence, records, and major artifacts of the order; the Embers of Carmel, a group of craftsmen skilled in alchemy and enchantments who forge and maintain the weapons, armor, and fortifications of the Helsing; the Star of Solomon, a group of scholarly mages trained in healing, theology, exorcisms, and similar fields which serves to provide blessings, heal the wounded, and engage with the theological and philosophical issues of the day; Hugin, the official spies of the order; the Wearda, who are the servants and watchmen of the castle; and the Thains, who command the forces of the castle and make up part of the ruling council. Of course, the Embers and the Star exist more to preserve the unique knowledge and skills of the Helsing rather than to participate in fieldwork since each keep is supposed to have knights trained in all the same areas in which the members are experts. In addition to the Thains, the council is also made up of the captains of the keeps, and above them all there’s the position of the Steward of the Seat of Merlin, which is only occasionally filled.
In order to become a knight, a zealot must be trained to a certain point in stealth, medicine, swordplay, at least one other form of combat, and a certain set of spells unique to the Helsing (the spells are directly tied to their arcane heritage). There’s also a fair amount of academic training involved, and all training is based on the Ways of Trembling and Exultation. The Way of Trembling focuses on repentance, meekness, and grief while the Way of Exultation focuses on joy and fury, and the two are an essential part of the philosophy of the knights. When a zealot meets these standard and completes a rite of passage, they not only go up in terms of ranks but also are transformed by the magical heritage of the order. They become stronger, faster, more powerful, and harder to kill.
Other Worlds
The Veil- This is the collection of worlds that form the border between the mortal world and Faerieland. There are four worlds, which are Underland (the world of caverns), Sylvana (the wild world), Memaoqim (the world of water), and Shembala (the world of streets). The geography of the Veil is largely a mystery to outsiders since the only way most people are able to find their way through is by following the arcane paths that connect various portals. Some claim that each of the worlds are actually distinct regions within a single spatially consistent realm, whereas others believe not only that each one is a distinct universe (i.e. no matter how far you walk in Shembala the only way you’ll ever get to Sylvana is if you go through a portal) but that the four worlds are each collections of pocket universes with enough portals and similarities in magical essence to look like they’re a single reality. There are many portals into the Veil, but most require some degree of magic to use and it’s never certain what will be at the other end. The vast majority of magical beasts either live in the Veil or else migrate to it on a seasonal basis.
Morpheum- This is the world of dreams and spirits, and it forms the border between the mortal world and Sheol. Morpheum is harder to enter than the Veil, and aside from sites of particular spiritual or magical significance the regions within it are usually not linked to any specific locations within the mortal world. Morpheum is made up of countless tiny worlds, most of which are home to a particular spirit for whom the world in question is the seat of their power. There are also a handful of larger worlds that run throughout Morpheum like the lines on a stained glass window, at once bordering and binding together the subordinate universes. Each subordinate universe has a wellspring of power and being at its center, and the farther one goes from that wellspring the more insubstantial the physics and material of the world becomes the person in question reaches a point at which the fabric of the world is too weak to contain a living soul and the wanderer is consequently zapped into one of these connecting worlds. The most notable of the connecting worlds is Styx.
Some Historical Notes
- In ancient times there were a handful of centers of supernatural authority based upon the legacies of major heroes and the political power of various empires. In Europe, Northern Africa, and the Near and Middle East there was a line of empires starting with Assyria and ending with Rome that collected both arcane treasures and knowledge. As these empires gathered mages, monster hunters, and the bastard children of supernatural beings (many of whom knew little to nothing about their heritage) they provided fertile ground for the growth of arcane society. Atlantis had already existed as a meeting place of mages long before Assyria first began its campaign of conquest, but their knowledge of the world at large was mostly limited to folklore before the empires came around. With numerous magical artifacts to examine and firsthand accounts to hear, the mages of the empires were far more able to gain firm understanding of the arcane. By the time Rome came to power, the society that started in the palaces of Assyria and Babylon had grown enough to build a vast wealth of knowledge, set laws for magical beings, and establish orders to fight the arcane beasts that often terrorized humans.
When Rome fell, the Catholic Church picked up where Ceasar had left off. The arcane knowledge of paganism was mostly focused on how to appease or make deals with major magical beings, but the Abrahamic religions were concerned with the Creator of not just this mountain or this forest but of everything, including the beings that pagan religions worshiped. As such the symbols, relics, and writings of the Abrahamic religions had deep and primal power that was particularly dangerous to many of the darker creatures of the Netherworld. There was a relatively brief period of a few centuries between the time that the Vatican secured its power over the Netherworld in Europe and the point at which authority slipped back to Atlantis, but the structure of Netherworld society in the West was ultimately cemented by their efforts.
- If it seems like most of this has been highly eurocentric, it’s because it has been. The Far East, Africa, and the Americas all had their own centers of arcane society, and the Chinese Netherworld in particular had a rich heritage easily able to rival Atlantis in every way. However, many magical strongholds in China and the Muslim world were laid to waste when the Mongols rolled through Asia, and the creatures that fed upon the resulting carnage were a plague in their own right that remained for decades afterwards. Of course, the Mongols themselves were interested in collecting the arcane treasures of the conquered nations so they didn’t destroy the magical societies they came across so much as throw them out of balance. It was the rise of colonialism in Europe that did the rest of the work.
The Colonial Period lead to the collapse of many arcane establishments in the world at large and the spread of the Atlantean system. It also meant a continuation of the period of civil war among the European monster hunters that had begun with the Reformation. Since supernatural evil is drawn to those places where human sin is most clearly manifest, many orders of knights and hunters were forced to face the full reality of slavery and the exploitation of conquered peoples. The situation was a unique conundrum for the warriors, especially when the natives started calling upon supernatural beings to fight the conquerors, and many political factions formed over the issue of how to deal with the various issues that emerged.
- The World Wars and the Cold War all had serious repercussions in the Netherworld. For one thing, many factions that had formed from the Renaissance onward tried to take advantage of the conflicts in order to rise to power, destroy their rivals, or achieve whatever other goals they might be founded on. Additionally, nations on all sides of the conflicts started secret paranormal projects that ranged from integrating magic into technological weaponry to attempting to summon ancient and dangerous beings. Finally, there were the monsters that emerge and multiply any time large-scale carnage occurs. Many old and dangerous creatures had chosen to either enter a state of hibernation or else to retreat into other worlds around the Industrial Revolution when the rapid growth of civilization and bureaucracy made it increasingly difficult to prey on humans while remaining hidden. A large portion of these creatures became once more active when the rampant bloodshed of the World Wars made food much easier to come by. Additionally, vampires and other similar monsters were often recruited by communist and fascist governments for their strength, knowledge, and ability to deal with any paranormal resistance that might emerge. As a result, the Soviet Union (which was cut off from the rest of the world on an arcane level as well as on a mundane level) became almost a breeding ground for such things until it fell.
