Emma Dryden

Soul Render

Height:  5’1”

Weight: 84 lbs.

Hair: Blonde

Eyes: Green

Age: 19

Notes: Following the death of her father in the mines southwest of Bastion in the small village of Kilmarren, Emma and her mother, Selina moved to the capital so Selina could seek work as a maid and washer woman. While the life was hard Emma found work cleaning fish and the pair seemed like they might be able to make a go of things.

Unfortunately Selina was run over and killed by a noble's Allicereum carriage, with the noble taking their money as payment for the damages to the carriage, leaving a 14 year old Emma to fend for herself on the streets of Bastion. Emma struggled to survive for five years before her powers as the Soul Render erupted. She is now both the most wanted and most feared human within the Empire, despite not knowing how to even access these abilities.

Kiley Shannon

Weaver

Height: 5’7”

Weight: 135 lbs.

Hair: Red

Eyes: Green

Age: 25

Notes: Born and raised in the Western Isles, Kiley is very much a tomboy at heart. Growing up in the small fishing village of Killaren she often spent her time running through the wilds hunting wolves and other predators threatening the local livestock. Unfortunately for her, her powers manifested themselves shortly after puberty and the local Order administrator brought her in as a battery. Her time spent as a battery scarred both her body and mind, but she was eventually released when the administrator deemed her "spent".

The 19-year-old Kiley fled the Western Isles for the main island of Azadora looking to join the Imperial Secret Service and prevent anyone from going through what she had to endure. While waiting to hear about her application approval she worked as a hired guard for local nobles to pay the bills. It was during one of these stints she met a kindred soul in Constance Sterling, convincing the young noblewoman to join her was a simple task and the pair have been together ever since.

Constance Sterling

Summoner

Height: 5’8”

Weight: 150 lbs.

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Brown

Age: 27

Notes: The daughter of a lesser noble, Constance rejected all attempts by her family to marry her off for the betterment of the house. Finally, her parents went behind her back and arranged a marriage with the son of a lesser Earl. Her sister volunteered to be a battery at the behest of her husband, a spoiled and deep in debt noble and, following her return was a changed woman. A shell of her former self and Constance vowed to, if not put an end to the network of batteries altogether, at least do what she could to make it humane and safer.

She met the guard for hire Kiley at a party given by her fiancé and the two quickly hit it off. Constance broke off the engagement the next day and followed Kiley into the Imperial Secret Service shortly thereafter. Given her immense talent with summoning and Kiley's skills as a Weaver the pair quickly rose up the ranks of the Imperial Hunter Squads, eventually forming the elite Regia Praetoria .

Lyriel Elhana

Artificer

Height: 4’9”

Weight: 70 lbs.

Hair: Blonde

Eyes: Blue

Age: 162

Notes: Lyriel hails originally from one of the border towns in the Mistlands between The Silvaeyn Forest and Lake Mystrale in the center of the main island of Azadora. In retaliation for the Wood Elves sacking a human village further east her village was razed by the 6th Legion. With no knowledge of the path to the cities of the Elven Court deep within the Forest and no family left Lyriel sought work amongst the humans as a maid.

First with the households of the 7 Lords and then with the Imperial Court and finally at Edgemoor in the employ of the Empress herself, Lyriel did what needed to be done to ensure her survival, all the while honing her skills as an artificer and voraciously reading every book she could get her hands on regarding history, politics, mechanical theory, and religion. Fearing the possible imminent closure of Edgemoor and being shuffled to yet another manor where she would have to start at the bottom of the household staff she attached herself to Emma as her personal servant and Lady in Waiting.

Alexandra Webb

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 156 lbs.

Hair: Black

Eyes: Brown

Age: Unknown, though at least 190.

Notes: No one is entirely sure of Alexandra’s origins. Some say she was a top tier apprentice to a Wild Witch. Some say she was little more than a talented, opportunistic grifter. Either way, Alexandra invented and built the Despair Batteries and the entire system which took the Empire from a humble, overachieving island Kingdom dependent on trade and fishing to the global powerhouse it has become. Following the Despair War, she emerged as the pre-imminent power in the Empire as the Archon of the Magi.

Alexandra keeps no council except for her own and no one is privy to her secrets. She is a hero and savior and bulwark of progress to many and a devious, sadistic, despot to many others. Her goals are the subject of great conjecture however, much like the secret to her longevity, her secrets are her own and no one else's.

Barrister Davies

Ranger – ISS Hunter Squad

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 225 lbs.

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Brown

Age: 29

Notes: Not much is known about Barrister besides the stories he himself tells, many of which become larger and more fantastical with each re-telling. What little is known is that he grew up in the small village of Athrick near the border of Wasren. At the age of 17 he joined the Legion through the local recruiting office and completed his military training in Calluire in Ruvia and was assigned to the 6^th Legion. He served admirably for 8 years before requesting reassignment to the ISS.

His application was approved, and he shortly entered ISS training. Following completion of training he was initially assigned to Regia Umbra before moving to Regia Praetoria three years later where he has been stationed ever since.

Barrister is known as something of a player amongst the others within Regia Praetoria and his appetites are universal, which can cause issues when the team is deep under cover and Barrister shows up with a nightly conquest.

Elenora Dascalu

Height: 5’7”

Weight: 112 lbs.

Hair: Blonde

Eyes: Red

Age: Unknown, though suspected to be approximately 270 years old.

Notes: Elenora has led the Sanguine Knights for the past 100 years since the death of her mother, Daniella at the hands of a Magi Seeker Squad while on reconnaissance in Bastion. She is aware her position within the group is far more tenuous than it otherwise would be as new generations of vampires forget the slaughter of the Blood Wars or, as it's called within the Knights, the Blood Crusade, 400 years prior when the Sanguine Knights were nearly wiped out and forced to flee into the wilds and ruins of Wasren along the western shores of the Isles and become filled with a dangerous sense of superiority to the common humans they once had been.

Elenora heard many stories from her mother of the slaughter and, while understanding the impatience of the younger vampires, is unwilling to risk a repeat of the Crusade, preferring to wait until such a time as the Sanguine Knights can approach the Empire as a partner with something valuable to offer in return for Wasren being officially granted them as well as a seat at the Council tables.

Grace Bennett

Height: 5’5”

Weight: 104 lbs.

Hair: Black/Red

Eyes: Red

Age: 48

Notes: Grace is a loose cannon who, through trickery, prowess, treachery, and her numerous contacts within Bastion's seedier and more dangerous groups has already become the Princess of Bastion a scant 26 years after her turn. Her age, inexperience and ambition are a source of friction between her, Elenora, and the High Circle of the Sanguine Knights. Unfortunately for the Circle they have little recourse to remove her from her position given the rules the Knights have lived by for a millennium.

Grace was little more than one of thousands of orphans and petty thieves and vagabonds before being attacked by a crazed fledgling vampire one night after walking down into the sewers she called home. Against all odds Grace survived the turning. Quickly using her physical skills and mental acumen, Grace began to move up the ranks of the Knights in Bastion, eventually killing the prince and assuming the throne.

Grace believes that timidity will do nothing but ensure disgust in the Imperial and Order ranks and lead to another Crusade so, against the rules, she has been casting a wide net to add to her loyal family. Though a large percentage do not survive the turning, a good number have and with the help of the wealth taken from the former prince of Bastion she has set herself up as a successful business owner in the city. A place where the young and wealthy come to drink the night away in opulence amongst the newest technology and, should one or more catch Grace’s eye, become a potential new family member.

Valkyrie Fox

Condenser

Height: 5’5”

Weight: 122 lbs.

Hair: Black

Eyes: Silver

Age: 22

Notes: Valkyrie grew up on the streets of Bastion with her sister, Natalie, following her parents' arrest by the Order for theft. When Valkyrie's power came to life at the age of 13, she was quickly brought into the fold. Following extensive training she became an Inquisitor with the promise she would be able to take care of her sister. Unfortunately, her sister was convinced to join a rich family in the town of Crowfall as a battery. Valkyrie suspects the Order was behind her sister's sudden decision as a way to control her and keep her on task.

Not one to be controlled easily Valkyrie's patience with the order is running dangerously thin. She will do what she is told for her sister's sake...for now.

Stella Langley

Controller

Height: 5’3”

Weight: 105 lbs.

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Brown

Age: 20

Notes: Stella was recruited by Valkyrie for her Seeker Group due to her abilities as a powerful Controller. She is inelegant, crass, and can be quite blood thirsty and utterly ruthless, all pre-requisites to be a top tier Controller. Stella's past is not something she ever discusses, what has gone before being anathema to her philosophy of living in the moment, though it is widely assumed she has strong feelings for Valkyrie's sister, Natalie.

While fond of Valkyrie and eager to learn under the older and more powerful woman she will often conveniently "forget" her orders or take liberties which can cause havoc and put her and others in danger. Though she is often easily distracted by matters of the flesh she is a talented Controller with an affinity for demis. Specifically her catgirl companions.

Astrid Calland

Weaver

Height: 5’9”

Weight: 162 lbs.

Hair: Blonde

Eyes: Blue

Age: 28

Notes: Hailing from the country of Oskea northeast of the Empire, Astrid joined the Order Seekers at a young age in search of excitement, fun and the chance to use her abilities without fear of reprisals or consequences. She quickly rose to the rank of Inquisitor and was given command of her own Seeker group before she’d turned 20.

When the young Valkyrie Fox joined her group the two quickly struck up a friendship and, soon thereafter, a relationship. Astrid’s inability to stay faithful strained their relationship and when Astrid began openly seeing Madeline Harris, the Head Inquisitor, Valkyrie broke off their engagement and moved to form her own group.

While the Weaver affinity is powerful in and of itself, Astrid’s gifts are far beyond normal with a vast pool of magical reserves to draw from, making her one of the most powerful Weavers in the empire.

Senai

Demi human

Height: 5’1”

Weight: 115 lbs.

Hair: White

Eyes: Blue

Age: Unknown

Notes: One of Stella’s demi human servants, Senai is more aggressive than her sister, Sira. An adequate marksman, Senai shines most when allowed to use her myriad cat forms to scout and stage sneak attacks from the shadows. Fiercely protective of her sister since they were separated from the rest of their family in the Mistways, the two are rarely parted. Naturally taciturn and moody, Senai enjoys little beside lying by a warm fire, snuggling with her sister, eating, combat, and resting. Motivating her beyond those pursuits is difficult to impossible, leading Stella to generally rely on Sira to get Senai going.

Sira

Demi human

Height: 5’0”

Weight: 119 lbs.

Hair: Black

Eyes: Green

Age: Unknown

Notes: One of Stella’s demi human servants, Sira is happy to do whatever is asked of her, provided she is fed and has a warm place to sleep. Her particular skill is with healing and, while certainly no match for an actual Healer or Accumulator, her skills are battle tested and, while she takes very little seriously, her attention to detail and natural ability makes her an invaluable contributor to Valkyrie’s Seeker Group.

She misses the rest of her family when she remembers, but stays close to her sister, Senai, playing the role of big sister well.

Tsubaki Watanabe

Priestess of the December Muse

Height: 5’2”

Weight: 85 lbs.

Hair: Black

Eyes: Brown

Age: Unknown

Notes: Not much is known about Tsubaki except she is a Priestess in the mysterious religion known as the Order of the December Muse headquartered high in the mountains southeast of Bastion. Her exotic features draw eyes wherever she goes, and generally not in a positive way.

Though she speaks little about herself or her past, she is generally outgoing and friendly provided she is allowed to sleep in. If she is awakened early she can be irritable and unpleasant to be around.

Celeste Victoria Josephine Sarah Belmonte

Empress

Height: 5’5”

Weight: 125 lbs.

Hair: Blonde

Eyes: Blue

Age: 17

Notes: Celeste was raised to the throne at the age of 14 following the short, mysterious and early death of her mother Empress Victoria. Many of the council who put her into power figured at such a young age she’d be easy to manipulate but Celeste is intelligent, versed in military matters and utterly ruthless when push comes to shove. With the help of her imminently talented spymistress, Charlotte Griffin and the Grand General of the Imperial Legion, Isobel Clark, she has been consolidating power and influence for the war which she knows to be coming with the Magi.

Her mother was a cautious and deliberate ruler who strove to maintain the status quo whenever possible. Perhaps to differentiate herself from her mother, but more likely due to her temperament, Celeste has championed a much more aggressive and confrontational approach toward the disparate groups vying for influence within the Empire, particularly the Order of the Magi whom she views as an existential threat. Her mother sent Celeste’s closest friend and lover, Lisette to the Order of the Magi, ostensibly to be a liaison with the Imperial Court, but Celeste believes it to be more of a hostage situation to keep her under control than anything else. Celeste finds this arrangement unacceptable and has been maneuvering to resolve the issue since taking the throne. 

Kasia Pike

Seer

Height:  5’4”

Weight: 110 lbs.

Hair: Black

Eyes: Brown

Age: 32

Notes: Kasia was born to lead, at least that’s what she was told. Growing up in one of the myriad migrant camps in the Empire’s far south she learned early and often her kind was worth little to the powers that be. Her skills as a seer, while not precise, allowed her and her traveling family to amass a bit of coin. Following the destruction of the camp and most of her new family outside Nightbrook she and the survivors fled into the wilds.

Despite not being with the family for long, upon the death of the previous regină or queen of the family the others elected her their new queen. While the election was by no means universal and facing stiff opposition from some of the more prominent members of the family Kasia began her grand plan to exact a toll on the Empire for their treatment of the Răzbunare.

She has many in her group convinced they are going to be free to live as they see fit. To her, this goal may be noble, but she only cares about burning the system down around those who decimated her people by any means necessary.

Anne Bergen

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 180 lbs.

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Brown

Age: 47

Notes: Anne Bergen hails originally from the Northern Wastes beyond the Sea of Storms and west of Oskea. An often violent and always harsh landscape of snow and ice dominated by the Volcano Roggsfjall which spews ash and fire into the air, blotting out the sun for most months of the year. Fleeing the inhospitable land following the volcano’s latest eruption, Anne’s father led her and her people to the northern lands of the Empire. Despite early gains along the jagged northernmost coasts of Sarland, the northernmost lands making up the Empire of Azadora, they were eventually battled to a stalemate by the Imperial Legion.

While an uneasy truce still exists the Lycan solidified and stabilized their fortresses and makeshift cities along the coast and in some cases even managed to push further south as the Legion’s attention wavered. Following her father’s death, Anne has taken command of the Lycan and seeks to break the stalemate by forcing the Imperial troops to withdraw, giving the Lycan unfettered access to Sarland’s lush northern plains beyond the Imperial battle lines. Given her people’s ability to shapeshift into fierce creatures and immunity to most projectile weapons she has been able to sneak through the lines into the soft underbelly of the Empire around Bastion in an attempt to find a way to draw the Legion’s eyes away from the far north and allow her people to break free of the Imperial noose while her brother maintains the ruse her father is still alive.

Adeline Young

Height: 5’3”

Weight: 116 lbs.

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Green

Age: 54

Notes: Adeline Young has been in the Church of the Gemini since she was a young girl. Showing her devotion to the tenets of the Church as well as skill in both politics and finance, she moved her way up quickly. Following a stint at the Prime Church in Crassca in the heart of Ceodris where she served as Chief Finance Minister Adeline was sent back to Azadora where she finished rising in rank until, at the age of 42, she became Matriarch of the Church. The youngest in history.

The Church’s influence in Azadora has grown exponentially since Adeline’s ascension. Managing to thread an almost impossible needle she has guided the church between the deadly shoals of the Imperial and Order demands, embedding the church in both paths but managing to keep from being swallowed by either’s demands. She knows one day she’ll have to choose, but in the meantime she has focused on increasing the Church’s vast reach and nearly limitless wealth for she knows both will be invaluable during the oncoming conflict.

“Auntie” Azraesha

Wild Witch

Height: 5’6”

Weight: 112 lbs.

Hair: Black

Eyes: Brown

Age: Uknown

Notes: No one knows much about Azraesha. Few have ever seen her and fewer still have interacted with her. Even her own memories of her life are vague. She has been in the same place for as long as she can recall. Her “mother” taught her magic and she has surpassed her in most ways. The extent of her powers and abilities is unknown, even to her.

She has kept her woods safe for years. Perhaps she was fae at one point, perhaps human, she’s not really sure. She had always been alone until taking in Elizabeth the vampire girl some ten years prior when Nightbrook was destroyed.

Azraesha knows much, suspects more and fears nothing living or dead. She simply is, has always been and, as far as she can tell, always will be.

Elizabeth Benning

Vampire

Height: 5’1”

Weight: 95 lbs.

Hair: Blonde

Eyes: Blue

Age: 18

Notes: Elizabeth was born and raised in the town of Nightbrook. Her parents owned a small tailor shop where Elizabeth would make clothes for the dolls she collected. It’s uncertain in her mind when she was turned into a vampire, but she is relatively certain it was before the town was destroyed.

Elizabeth doesn’t remember much about the night her world changed. She remembers smoke and flame and hiding from the fighting outside her parents’ shop and then the cold and smell of burnt wood and charred flesh as Nightbrook died around her.

She was found several days later by Azraesha and taken in. While she is content in Azraesha’s woods, she desperately wants to explore more of the world and perhaps find a place of her own within it.

Serafina

Pirate

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 156 lbs.

Hair: Pink

Eyes: Brown

Age: Unknown

Notes: Serafina is a notable pirate, leader of the Crimson Rose pirate group and creator of the Piratevision with the intention of bringing “truth to the masses” via a stolen Imperial Vox Caeli broadcasting station she attacked and raided the Imperial 4^th fleet to get her hands on.

She claims she’s from an island nation far to the south but her story changes depending on how much alcohol she’s had so her actual place of birth is unknown, as is her age.

While short-tempered and easily bored, her skill as a captain and ferocity as a pirate are legend, even among the pirate fleets prowling the lucrative Shattered Straits. Serafina’s informant network is legendary and a place among her crew is highly sought after because her ships always bring home gold.

Emily Banks

Pirate

Height: 5’3”

Weight: 100 lbs.

Hair: Blonde

Eyes: Brown

Age: 22

Notes: Banks usually forgets she even has a first name due to the fact she’s gone merely by “Banks” for so long it’s become unnatural to think of herself as anything else.

Banks grew up on the water in the Ruvian port city of Serasport and watched her mother and father leave the docks each morning to fish. When she was old enough Banks joined them as often as she could, becoming familiar with how the boats worked and her role on them.

One day her mother and father left early while Banks was helping at the Imperial counting house and never returned. Banks tried for several months to get hired on to a ship, any ship, to support herself but her age made it difficult to get any position beyond day help. Serafina arrived in port aboard the Wren and changed Banks’ life. The older woman saw in Banks a keen mind, eagerness to learn and skills beyond her years and hired her on.

Banks has been with the Crimson Rose pirates ever since. She moved up until she is now Serafina’s first mate, chief engineer and passionate devotee.

Phoebe Chatwyn

Notes: The last Soul Render to be born in the world, Phoebe Chatwyn was a mysterious figure when she was alive, and that mystery only grew once she vanished. There are no records of where she was born or grew up. She simply appeared one day during the height of the Despair War. No one knows her true motives or what she hoped to accomplish and most of the stories about her are third or fourth hand. No one who ever stood against her returned to tell the tale of their battle.

All that is known for sure is she was killed during an explosion at the ruins of Darkshore supposedly researching a way to get past the wall and into the ruins of Phaedithia. As with most things in her life, no one was there to witness her end. She is, for all intents and purposes, more myth and legend than she ever was flesh and blood

Formed in IY 1052 by Savannah Byrne was named the first Archon of the Order of the Magi with five prominent mages of her time tabbed to be her advisory and administrative board, the Grey Council. At the behest of Empress Grace, the Order of the Magi was initially tasked with creating safeguards against the spate of problematic magic users causing destruction and death due to ignorance of magic, it’s uses, the consequences of discharges, and the actions of unscrupulous magic.

In an effort to stamp out dangerous wild magic users as well as to better inform the uses of magic the Tower of the Magi was built on the Mirrored Cliffs south of the city of Bastion and the Order of the Magi Seeker Corps was created with its squadrons of Seekers with Inquisitors overseeing the disparate groups. Additionally local level Watcher offices were built and manned by administrators and clerical staff to better deal with dangerous discharges and to bring girls into the order’s ranks faster once their powers manifested themselves without needing direct action by the Order itself.

For hundreds of years the Order and the Imperial throne worked in tandem to keep the proliferation of magic controlled and as harmless as possible. However, in IY 1560 the Merchants’ Incident between an ISS Hunter and Order Seeker squad turned deadly and the first serious crack in the relationship between the Order and the Imperial throne opened.

Those tensions increased until, on 12 Juenelius 1680 after ever-increasing incidents between the Imperial Secret Service (ISS) and the Seeker Corps came to a head and Empress Gwendolyn addressed the Council of Equals and demanded the dissolution of the Order. The Council, being little more than an Imperial rubber stamp with no real power, agreed and on 13 Juenelius the Order of the Magi was dissolved.

The Order, led by Archon Rosalee Burress, refused the order of dissolution and on 14 Juenelius the Despair War began on the Mirrored Cliffs outside the Tower of the Magi. With the power of the Imperial Legion behind it the Imperial forces waged fierce combat against the Order, quickly pushing the Order’s forces back at every turn.

It was into this environment that the Soul Render, Phoebe Chatwyn entered the battle on the side of the Order (though there is no evidence to suggest she supported the Order cause in the conflict). While entire companies of Legion soldiers and ISS Hunter Squadrons were dispatched to bring the Soul Render to heel, they were all devastated, in many cases to the last man or woman. However, the Soul Render couldn’t be everywhere at once and within Bastion the Legion made steady gains and the Tower of the Magi itself was under siege.

When the Archon, Rosalee Burress plunged from her chambers atop the tower to her death all signs pointed to the end of the Order of the Magi. That was, however, not to be the case when the Grey Council appointed a young Mage, inventor, and researcher previously in the employ of the Empress herself to the post of Archon. That young woman was named Alexandra Webb.

While the tide turned gradually, it did eventually turn in the Order’s favor and thirteen years later, on 9 Mairelius 1693 The Order and the Imperial Court signed the Windshell Accords ending the Despair War. Ostensibly not much had changed, with both the Imperial Family and the Order still in position. However, the Council of Equals had been disbanded and the Citizens’ Council, Council of Elders and High Council had taken its place, effectively stripping much of the power from the Imperial Throne and increasing the Order’s importance and power within the Empire.

Since the end of the Despair War Alexandra Webb has been Archon of the Order of the Magi, her longevity and lack of aging a hotly debated topic in back rooms and secure homes safe from the ears of the Order Seekers.

Under the Archon’s guidance and with the Grey Council nothing more than puppets, the Order’s numbers swelled, and they now have a presence in every city, town, and hamlet in the Empire. Training new mages, research, enforcement of magical policies and its initial mission of helping stem the tide of magical discharges is still, at least in theory, the Order’s primary functions. However, the Order’s “recruitment” of every young woman of significant power to be useful to its cause and providing a steady supply of less talented magic users for the Despair Batteries powering the Empire has eclipsed those missions.

With numbers reaching into the hundreds of thousands the Order’s forces are more than a match for the Imperial Legions and many feel Alexandra Webb is merely looking for an excuse to bring war back to the Empire, this time with the ultimate goal of destroying the Imperial Court entirely and being crowning Empress.

The vampiric Sanguine Knights are uncertain of their own origins. Some say vampirism is a curse passed down from generation to generation handed down by the Goddess herself while others depict their condition as a gift bestowed on a select few by one of the Twins. Others claim it is simply a mutation of an early strain of the Blood Plague which swept the Island of Azadora a thousand years before the Empire was founded. Or possibly even an experiment of the Phaedithians gone wrong. Whatever the root cause of the Knights’ condition, the one thing for certain is they have been a force on Azadora for many thousands of years.

The Elves mentioned them initially some 2700 years before the future Imperials arrived from Ruvia in trading documents written at the time and their interactions seem to have been sparse and generally neutral. Their interactions with the human invaders were decidedly less peaceful, with skirmishes at first leading to outright hostility on both sides.

Centuries have gone by since the vampires held any real sway in Bastion or Azadora as a whole. Following a bloody, tragic campaign by the combined might of the Tower of the Magi and Imperials the Sanguine Knights were pushed from Azadora proper and forced to retreat into the ruins of the castles strewn across the wilds of Wasren to the far west of the island. The signing of the Blood Treaty ended the Crusade and left the Sanguine Knights severely weakened. While not an active participant in the Despair War the Knights began to take their first tentative steps back into Bastion during that period. Now, 200 years later they are once more getting bolder.

Unlike with the Empire, males do, from time to time, hold higher ranking positions within the knights, though most vampires of either sex, particularly men don’t survive the turn with their minds intact. Each region is ruled over by a Prince or Princess who has been able to rise through the ranks through a form of ritual combat often resulting in the deaths of one or the other of the participants.

The Bastion regional Princess, Grace Bennett, is playing a dangerous game, however, and has gotten sloppy on more than one occasion by not keeping a tight rein on some of the younger and undisciplined covens who have killed farmers and ranchers. Though the Imperials have other issues to deal with they have begun to take notice of the presence of Vampires once again, against the terms of the treaty agreed to four hundred years prior and the High Circle fears another Crusade against the Vampires may be on the horizon with Grace’s increasingly bold moves at the heart of it.

Initially created by the first Archon of the Order of the Magi, Savannah Byrne to hunt down Wild Witches and magic users approaching discharge, the Corps quickly grew, becoming a paramilitary group and information gathering service to rival the ISS.

Under Alexandra Webb the Seeker Corps expanded once more to act as the enforcement and retrieval arm of the Order of the Magi. Charged with keeping magic users under control in the disparate areas of the Empire and to bring in rogue magic users who the Order deems interesting.

Ostensibly under the direction of the Head Inquisitor Madeline Harris, the corps has long taken its orders directly from the Archon herself and is widely seen within the Order as the Archon’s fetch and ferry service.

Each Seeker group is made up of 10 members, 2 Inquisitors, a senior and junior, who oversee the operations, 6 Seekers who act as the brute force of the group and 2 cleaners who make certain the operations remain quiet after their conclusion.

One of the myriad of new religions which always seem to pop up during troubled times, The Order of the December Muse is different from most in that they have managed, despite the rigorous requirements to join, to thrive.

Nonexistent up until two years ago the Order is based high in the mountain peaks southeast of Bastion. The religion has four primary members who take turn each month being what they call the “Prophet.” The buildings they’ve constructed are strange with sweeping roofs and many doors and windows, despite the high altitude and often fierce weather.

There is a book which few have ever seen written in a strange language that seems to be the center of the religion. The main and, in fact, only actual tenet seems to be centered on the emotional, spiritual, and physical relationship between women and how to leverage those bonds to live happily in a troubled world.

For whatever reason that basic guiding belief has resonated with others and their numbers have increased dramatically with many making the pilgrimage to see the Prophet. While there are other beliefs they seem to be enforced and discarded at random with no explanation given. The only hard and fast rule is that men are not allowed.

With the shocking accuracy of the Prophet’s (whomever it happens to be that month) visions the religion has become the go-to source for soothsaying and comfort in troubled times.

The Imperial Court has seen far better days. For almost 2000 years the Island of Azadora has been ruled by a continuous line of Emperors and Empresses descended from the former second son of the Count of Ruvia Basile Belmonte. Basile would go on to found the Empire of Azadora and from that moment to this the Empire has stood.

Beginning with the abdication of Emperor Ashton in IY 59 each successive ruler of the Empire has been female by law. Males may not inherit or be raised to the throne. While the rules regarding children were initially very strict, those rules have been relaxed over the years to ensure a female is available to ascend to the Sapphire Throne.

While enjoying a long and successful period of absolute power the Empire thrived or ebbed depending on the individual abilities and policies of the Empress which sat at her head. That reign of supreme power ended with the signing of the Windshell Accords at the conclusion of the Despair War in IY 1693.

With its power shattered, the Imperial Court has seen a steady and precipitous erosion of its influence and prestige. While the first few Empresses had struggled against the newly created limits imposed by the Accords, they began to realize that the threats to their individual rule came not only from without the court, but also from within.

With the other noble houses having a say on the High Council and the ability of the Council to hold a vote of no confidence suddenly the position of Empress became one fraught with challenges. With many cousins and former rivals, the Belmonte hold on the throne weakened dangerously. Victoria, the previous Empress, survived two challenges to her rule from distant cousins attempting to usurp her position. When Victoria died her daughter, Celeste, was raised to the throne with even more uncertainty than her mother faced.

Where once the Imperial family had buoyed the finances of the entire Empire with their personal fortunes, they now find it necessary to close many of their far-flung holdings to save money where they can.

With the bickering, backstabbing nobles plotting around her, the family’s finances in dire straits and the ever-present threat of the Order of the Magi, Celeste has been forced to navigate dangerous waters. However, she is not alone. While the Imperial Court has seen better days, they still command the might of the Legion and the stealthy Imperial Secret Service. Celeste may have her back to the wall, but she is far from alone in the struggle to claw back the power she feels the Sapphire Throne needs to regain its rightful place as the undisputed head of the Empire of Azadora.

The Răzbunare are a group of wandering immigrants from the continent. Many are fleeing the constant wars enveloping the larger nations far to the south and east of the Imperial Isles. While generally welcoming of immigrants the Răzbunare have proven problematic wherever their carts have taken them. Accused of tempting wives and husbands into debaucherous acts as well as theft, murder and any of a dozen different crimes the Răzbunare are generally a source of strife in the towns near where their brightly-colored wagons end up parked.

After many incidents the Empire passed new laws about how the Răzbunare were to be handled, eventually rounding most of them up into camps, with the more traditionally troublesome or dangerous peoples organized at the fringes of the larger encampment to minimize damage should they begin to act out. The largest and most unruly of these groups of people were the Romarii. Several of the larger Romarii groups banded together and vanished from the larger Imperial camps, hoping to break through into the relatively tolerant lands of the Seven Lords to the north and on north toward Sarland.

The Legion met and rounded them up near the town of Nightbrook, re-organizing them into a single large camp while the High Council decided what to do with this particularly rebellious group.

After several incidents, including the robbing of one of the lesser nobles’ emissaries and complaints from some of the citizens of the town of wives and husbands being seduced and shops being stolen from, the decision was made to send the Romarii back south for removal from the Empire. The situation escalated quickly, breaking down into an all-out battle. The majority of the Romarii were slaughtered in the ensuing melee and resulting fire, including women and children and the elderly and the bands and town of Nightbrook itself were all but destroyed with the few survivors fleeing into the woods and hills southeast. 

Lycanthropy itself, the disease which causes and enables transformation from human to beast form is little understood, similar to the creation of vampires. Most theories center around some sort of magical contamination causing cellular level changes within the afflicted's body allowing at will transformation to a pre-determined beast form but, yet, ironically, blocking all usage of magic in the process. There are also theories that long ago vampires created the Lycan as a sort of cattle to be used as a food source with a higher pain threshold and ability to survive extreme blood loss. While there are apocryphal stories supporting of this happening the wide diversity and spread of the disease to far flung corners of the planet don't support this theory.

 There are many different kinds of shapeshifters: bears, wolves, foxes, even snakes. Unlike the transformation of a demihuman,  the process for a lycan is an agonizing one and can leave all but the most determined and hardy Lycan writhing in agony for minutes once complete due to the physiological changes taking place during the transformation. However, even with their ferocity Lycan are generally more intelligent than demihumans and retain more of their human qualities once transformed with greater control over their tactics and abilities and reasoning they can fight with purpose and determination rather than rely largely on instinct like most demihumans.

The Lycan society is largely pack based with the alpha being in charge and the others following the hierarchal rules. Leadership of the pack and often is contested by combat with the winner taking over or maintaining their position while the loser is exiled. Since the disease prevents the use of magic Lycan society is dependent on physical ability rather than leaning one way or the other with gender.

Lycan were treated as slaves by vampire society for hundreds of years and the two have groups have an innate hatred of each other based on their shared history. 

The Church of the Gemini formed long before the founding of the Empire of Azadora in the holy city of Crassca in the nation of Ceodris where the Moon Goddesses Caesonia and Demaelia, which the church is named after, sent their children to keep them hidden from Aliri.

As adherence to the Church’s doctrine grew, so did their influence. The Church of the Gemini is deeply ensconced in the courts and decisions of all the nations of the known world, Azadora being no exception.

While the Church officially takes no position on matters of politics, it is well known within the circles of power that where the church leans so, too, does the state.

The church’s functions include rituals honoring the Twins, Caesonia and Demaelia as well as spreading the tenets of faith. They also have near exclusive domain over the true healers of each nation. Their healers are in great demand since it is said they can heal almost any ailment. With the obligatory tithe from its followers as well as the fees paid to the church for its healers and scholars the Church of the Gemini has become wealthier than many of the nations they serve.

The Crimson Rose fleet is based out of the mostly lawless port city of Levally on the far southern coast of Azadora. While many pirates call Levally home during the fierce weather, there are none more infamous and respected than the Crimson Rose.

Begun nearly 10 years ago by Serafina the fleet varies in number between 3 and 8 depending on their haul. The three ships, the frigates Tavvy and North Bay and the armored cruiser Wren are always the heart of the Crimson Rose fleet.

With over 250 members the Crimson Rose is also one of the largest pirate fleets prowling the waters surrounding Azadora. Each member is loyal to Serafina and once accepted into the fleet, rarely if ever leave except to retire.

Fierce, determined, and intelligent, the Crimson Rose is a match for most smaller Imperial fleets. Despite a hefty bounty for her, Serafina continues to terrorize the shipping lanes and exasperate the Imperial patrols trying to keep them safe.

Barton Cain never had a good or

decent life. Spending time from an early age in the prisons throughout Bastion

he was constantly reminded about his place in the world. Just as it seemed he

was destined to live a life of no consequence, begging for his daily bread, and

sleeping in dark alleys or beneath the streets in the extensive sewer system

below Bastion he met Jackson Ferrell. While no great genius Jackson had a gift

for chemistry and creating substances.

Jackson had managed to synthesize a

variation of the outlawed drug Antaphasia which had once nearly paralyzed the

Empire before Celeste’s grandmother, Elaine, outlawed it. While true Antaphasia

had been made from distilled vampire blood, the lack of Vampires had made

changes necessary. Using the adrenal gland and some variation of distilled

Roelest plants that grew on the high plains east of Bastion Jackson had created

a synthetic version of Antaphasia.

With Jackson’s chemical knowledge and

Barton’s contacts within the seedier areas of Bastion soon the pair had created

an entire network of dealers and entire hidden warehouses where Synthesia as

Barton renamed it, was created.

While maintaining some of the original

drug’s abilities such as slightly extending the user’s life, Synthesia was a

powerful and toxic hallucinogen that if taken in high quantities or for long

enough eventually created a form of death where the brain had rotted to the

point of losing the capacity for most rational thought, creating a husk which

hungered for Synthesia or, failing that, the adrenal glands of living humans.

Jackson managed to create a second drug

called Rapture, a derivation of Synthesia designed for the wealthier members of

Bastion. While maintaining Synthesia’s life lengthening properties to a much

lesser extent, it was less immediately toxic with a milder and lengthier period

of intoxication and could be mixed with alcohol to create a sense of euphoria

and complete destruction of inhibitions. It was, however, exponentially more

addictive. Shortly after creating Rapture, Jackson was found dead in his lab.

Though many suspected Barton, none who were in a position to investigate cared

provided the drugs continued to flow.

Barton now runs the drug trade, silently

and slowly building a legion of mindless Synthesia husks and addicts as well as

nobility beholden to the need for Rapture he calls The Dregs. He has no fear,

morals, or discipline, given to falling into fits of rage or despair at the

drop of a hat, his own brain slowly sliding toward the abyss Synthesia tends to

open in its users.

Following the attempted assassination of Empress Laura by agents of the nobility and traitorous ministers in IY 68 the Imperial Secret Service was born under the auspices of Anika Campbell, the head of the Royal Maids.

Initially taken exclusively from the maids under the impression that maids knew how to serve and be loyal as well as their ability to distill information during their duties the ISS quickly expanded and by IY 94 their numbers were swelling.

With the creation of the ISS training facility in Camroux the ISS left their maid duties behind them and became the hidden arm of the Empress in charge of information gathering and defense of the royal family.

As the years passed the ISS further organized their operation, finally creating the Hunter Squads in use today. 

The Hunter Squads are organized around a ten-person group. At the head of the Hunter Squad are the Wardens, talented magic users and fierce combatants. There are two female Wardens per squad in charge of seeing their duty is done. There are also 8 Hunters who could be either men or women who are skilled in combat to act as support for the Wardens. There are also cleaning crews which help to keep their operations under wraps.

The total number of Hunter Squads varies from year to year but there are generally 2-300 of these squads operating within the Empire at all times.