Secret Wars of New Metranus

PART I

Era/Year/Age/Epoch/Eon: Roughly modern times
Location: New Metranus, an extremely large pseudo-realistic modern city. It grew up around a set of medieval gothic structures, and much of the architecture took on these features until the new city is almost indistinguishable from the old
Genre: Adventure Sci-fi (modern vampire setting)
Source: Loosely based on the movie Underworld
Characters: [unless otherwise noted, characters are not yet approved]
Vampires are organized into separate groups called Covens. Covens range from as few as 4 to as many as 30 individual vampires. Some of the major Covens and their roles are listed below.
Sonticus - One of the larger covens, Sonticus is lead by the mysterious yet charismatic [name]. He is obviously working towards some goal, though it is unknown to anyone but himself. Wherever he leads them, his coven follows his unfailing leadership obediently.
Dominorus – Another large coven, Dominorus believes that Vampires should be the dominant force in the world. They see humans as inferior beings and seek to enslave them. They know that they cannot dominate the human race on their own, so Dominorus have reduced themselves to simply waiting for an opportunity to destroy human civilization and providing outspoken rhetoric to any other vampires that will listen.
Inusitatus – These strange vampires revel in their own immortality. Since they cannot die by normal means, these vampires have not only become accustomed to pain, but now enjoy it. Their members can be easily recognized because they are all covered in tattoos and piercings. This masochistic coven is generally looked down upon by the other covens.
Praepinguis – Also reveling in their own immortality, Praepinguis take a different approach to infinite lifespans. They spend all of their time lounging in their elaborate apartments endulging in material pleasures. Drug use and sex are rampant among this group.
Dignatus – The vampires of this coven are almost all survivors of a bygone time. They believe in honor and valor, much like the knights who used to hunt them. All of these vampires are trained in the use of the sword and often get into duels, both with each other and with other vampires.

Lychantropes are loosely organized into “dens” that often are based on a central lair deep below the city streets. These communities are often drenched in the smell of blood and urine. The lychans are not organized enough to develop differing social groups, so the dens are based on little more than location.

PART II

New Metranus is a city teeming with life. Millions of people roam the streets every day, living, dying, and going about their lives. Unbeknownst to the populace, the humans are not the only ones in New Metranus. At night, a whole new type of life emerges….

Each night, the windows of dozens of ancient structures across the city open wide. Out from these windows step scores of pale-skinned and black clad figures. The figures leap from building to building as if a distance of a dozen feet were but a step. At night, the city belongs to the vampires.

Even the vampires, however, don’t venture below their rooftops. Below the streets of New Metranus breeds another type of evil, the lychanthropes. The lychans, as they’re called, live in squalid dens deep below the city streets. These wolf-men are true beasts. During the day, they appear as normal, albeit unusually muscular, humans. But when angered or touched by the rays of the full moon, the lychans transform into hulking beasts with ferocious temperaments and insatiable appetites. Not even a vampire will stand up to an enraged lychan.

The vampires and the lychans have inhabited this area for centuries. They have been at a sort of silent war since as far back as either side can remember. The animosity between the two groups is intense, though they tend to keep it in check to avoid detection by the humans. Both sides know that if the humans in the city ever found out about their existence, they would both be hunted to extinction.

Metranus was a great city, even back in its beginnings. Build during a darker time, the architecture of the original city reflects the dark and brooding attitude with which its monkish founders viewed the world. It is not clear how vampirism started in Metranus, only that the vampires appeared shortly after the town was settled. After a bloody civil war, the humans almost entirely abandoned the city. The forest grew in around it, and soon the lychans moved in. History at this point becomes muddy, but it is clear that from the very beginning the lychans and the vampires were at war. Over the next few centuries, both sides battled for supremacy and control of Metranus. Then, the humans returned.

Centuries after abandoning Metranus, humans returned to reclaim the lost city. They brought rapid and irrevocable change to the isolated community. When the humans appeared, the vampires and lychans had to hide themselves, for fear of being persecuted. When they were eventually able to poke their heads out from their hiding places, they were amazed to see the change that had overcome their haven from humanity. Nearly overnight, the abandoned ruins had turned into a sprawling human city. The humans brought with them technology that the ancient races had never seen before. Adapting to the new technology, the old ones were able to resume their ancient war. The lychans and the vampires fight today on a new battleground: The streets of New Metranus.

PART III

Game Mechanics: (these aren’t rules, per se, but just some details about the environment)

Anyone bitten by both a vampire and a werewolf will die. (Remember, this is only loosely based on Underworld)
Weapons are modern, so guns and things are common. Military grade weapons like rocket launchers and automatic weapons are MUCH harder to come by. Also keep note that it is a secret war, and a rocket launcher is not very practical at keeping a low profile. Some older vampires, especially those from Dignatus, still use medieval weapons for close combat.
Humans infected by a lychen’s byte slowly begin to gain muscle mass, hair, and animal-like instincts. Their human form begins to look much more like the animal they can become.
Lychans turn on the full moon or when enraged. Some have learned to change at will by focusing their anger.
The above names are loose translations from latin. I don’t speak the language and don’t pretend to, so they are probably very bad translations.

Actual Rules:

1. None of this bloodline stuff that was in the movie. It makes for an overpowered character. If you didn’t see the movie and have no idea what I’m talking about, good. Just follow what I said above and you’ll be fine. No half-vampires (i.e. Blade) either. Again, overpowered characters make the game less fun for everyone else. Go for a level playing field here.
2. Make up a good name (and/or nickname). Names like “Ub3r48” will be denied outright. Latin names are good, and also don’t be afraid to use something unique. Just try to be original. Here are some good/bad examples: Good: Berinatus, Gnarr, Blackjack. Bad: LinkTheMighty, Barbarian of Doom, Bob.
3. When in doubt, PM me. If you don’t understand something or want to make some sort of major change to the world or whatnot, it is better to PM me first so that the game flows smoothly.

#1 THeadlessone

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Secret Wars of New Metranus

#1 THeadlessone

#2 THeadlessone

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