Greek, Celtic, and Scandinavian pantheons command the largest number of followers among the neo-cultists, with Native American and Hindu gods being a close second.

Cults exclude the following major religions and denominations:  Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Taoism.

Cults can be loosely classified by their beliefs:

Classical.

Greek and Roman Pagans, worshipping one or more deity or creature from the classical mythology.

Traditionalist.

Scandinavian (Viking) Pagans, Druids, Volkvi (Russian Druids), Japanese Pagans, Chinese Pagans, etc.

Sect.

Odd offshoots of major religions, rejecting the doctrine of the majority, such as Satanists and Order of Broken Cross.

Modern.

Cults based on an entirely new belief system, such as presence of extreterrestrial beings.

The proper terminology for a female or male coven member is a witch or practitioner of the craft.  Some covens refer to male members as warlocks.  Who is called what is a bone of contention between various covens.

Most witches possess expert knowledge of herbology and magic rituals involving natural objects, such as minerals and plants.  Witches do not engage in alchemy.  They’re highly effective against shapeshifters, magic animals, and other users of “natural” magic.

Each coven operates as a separate unit.  When a coven is bound together by a ritual, it becomes more powerful than the sum of the powers of its individual members.  That power separates the covens from neo-cults.

The Witch Oracle.

The Witch Oracle is the only authority that binds the covens into a faction.  It consists of three witches: Hag, Mother, and Maiden. The Oracle meets in the stone crypt in the middle of a dense wilderness that used to be Centennial Park.  During the flare, the crypt is transformed into a living turtle.

The witches of the Oracle worship Hekate, The Oracle worships Hekate, the Queen of the Night, the Mother of all Witches.   She is depicted on a wall of their meeting place as a tall woman with three arms.   The first holds a knife, the second a torch, and the third a chalice with a tiny snake winding about it.  To the left of her sit a black cat and a toad, to the right a key and a broom.

Powers:

Each of the three Oracle witches plays a specific role, symbolizing the objects in Hekate’s arms:

• The Knife - the raw power of magic, wielded as a weapon.
• The Chalice – the power of the craft, the knowledge of magic and nature.
• The Torch – the power of prophecy, the sight into the past, present, and future.

There are only three witches active at any particular time.  If one of the Oracle witches is close to death, another will be born to replace her.  The identity of the Oracle Witch is typically discovered when she reaches puberty, provided the Oracle witch she is replacing is dead.  If an Oracle witch dies suddenly, the Oracle will be crippled until the new Oracle witch matures.

The People are obscenely wealthy and seemingly interested solely in increasing their wealth. They control the largest vampire stable on the continent and are not shy about wielding their influence.

Vampires

Vampires are mindless creatures. They have no ego, no consciousness, no ability to formulate thoughts. Left to their own devices, they would slaughter every living things until nothing was left and then they would turn on each other. Because their brains do not atrophy like most of their internal organs, vampires provide an ideal anchor for a person gifted in the necromantic magic. Such people are called navigators. The navigators “ride” the mind of the vampires, experiencing the world both through their own eyes and ears and through the eyes and ears of the vampires. Vampires hunt purely by sight and hearing. They have no sense of smell.

Vampire creation is a strictly controlled process, overseen by the government. A person may legally choose to become a vampire after his death, provided they are of sound mind when they make the contract. To replenish and expand their stable, the People offer a sizeable amount of money to the prospective “vamps-to-be” and they are never short on applicants. The prospect of money usually attracts terminal patients. Once the contract is signed, the applicant may terminate the contract at will at any point. The applicant is closely monitored. In the moment of clinical death, he is injected with Immortuus pathogen. His body is then secured for the duration of the incubation, which usually takes 10-12 days. Upon undeath, the vampire becomes the property of the People.

Journeymen and Masters

To become a member of the People, one has to pass rigorous ability tests. If the applicant demonstrates necromantic ability, he is hired as a journeyman. Journeymen are assigned to a Master of the Dead, an experienced necromancer, who is able to raise and navigate the undead. The journeymen do the grunt work of the vampire care and receive instruction in navigation. Most do not possess enough talent to ever reach Master of the Dead status. Journeymen often adopt goth attire and make up with a strong preference for bright, blood-red accesories.

Masters of the Dead weild a great deal of power. They have the authority to select their own candidates for the vampires out of the pool of potential applicants. Because People pursue wealth with single-minded dedication and often own casinos, funeral homes, and security firms, most Masters of the Dead are wealthy. However, the People’s agenda runs deeper than their surface addiction to material comforts. The People are ruled by Roland, a shadowy figure unknown to laymen. Roland is rumored to possess an almost god-like powers. The People are his creation and he uses them to further his own means. What those means are, nobody knows.

Shapeshifters

To understand Pack one has to understand the shapeshifters.In every shapeshifter, a monumental struggle is taking place, a battle between man and beast. When a beast wins, the shapeshifter becomes a loup, a homicidal maniac. Loups feed on human meat. They revel in cruelty and commit atrocities. They are irrational and incapable of leading a life within the human society. They die young and don’t leave pretty corpses. If a loup is sighted and apprehended, it is killed. There is no rehabilitation and no going back.

When a human wins, he does so through Code, a collection of writings which the shapeshfiters treasure. The Code outlines principles of shapeshifter behavior, teaches control and discipline through mental exercise. The shapeshifters who follow the Code view themselves as free of the burden of the Beast and refer to themselves as Free People of the Code.

The individuals who emerge from that crucible practice restraint in all things. They exist in a very regimented Pack structure. The Pack is segregated into clans according to the species of the beast. Within each clan there is an alpha male and an alpha female and a beta male and a beta female. The alphas rule the clan with absolute authority. They also bear the ultimate responsibility for the welfare of their clan. Should the clan be threatened, the alphas will be the first to fight and the first to die.

The betas assume position of second in command and will step in and assume the alpha status and responsibilities should one of the alphas die or become unable to perform their duty. More often than not, the alphas are married to each other. The exception is the Rat Clan, which is currently headed by Robert Lonesco. Lonesco is openly homosexual and his spouse, Thomas, is considered to be a beta male.

The alphas makes up the Pack Council, the function of which is to assist the Pack Alpha in governing the shapeshifters. The Atlanta Pack Alpha is known as Beast Lord, due to the unusually large size of the Pack. Currently the position of the Beast Lord is occupied by Curran, who rules the Pack with an steel hand. While the Council has the power to influence Curran, they can’t challenge his authority or override him.

The life of the shapeshifter is difficult. If they survive the hormonal surge of puberty without going loup, they become members of the Pack. Young shapeshifters quickly find out that not all humans welcome them and most come in contact with prejudice sooner or later. While the Pack rules of conduct may seem draconian, this lifestyle works for most because within the Pack they find warmth and understanding and safety. The alphas care about their people and will, and do, lay down their lives to keep them secure.

While each clan has their own base, they come together at the Keep, a huge fortress built specifically for the Pack over the course of two decades. No modern machinery was used during the construction, and the Keep is magic-proof. Besides the Keep, the Pack owns several large tracts of land, including a huge forested region in Virginia they call the Wood. The Pack also keeps several offices within Atlanta. Because the Pack’s influence is increasing, the People view them as rivals and the animosity between the two factions grows with every day.

Clans

• Clan Wolf: The largest of the clans and the most disciplined. Wolves are warriors. They work well in groups and prefer a team approach to most problems. Wolves also have the largest percentage of pups who turn loup at puberty: almost one in four. The pups who turns loup have to be killed. Wolves are maniacal in their loyalty to Curran.
• Clan Rat: Second largest of the clans, the rats are scouts, spies, and deadly assassins. Due to an unusually high metabolism, they eat continuously. The rats are prone to shakes, a crippling fit that results from severe depletion of nutrients. Like wolves, they work well in a group or on their own.
• Clan Hyena: Counting only two dozen members, hyenas, or boudas as they like to be called, still weild a fair amount of influence. Boudas are extremely violent fighters. They are prone to berserk rages, and other clansmen learn the hard way to steer clear. Boudas are also notoriously adventurous in their sexual explorations. Just like in nature, women dominate this clan, with men taking the secondary role. Boudas don’t play fair. Common Pack wisdom says that if you make an enemy of the boudas, you will never be forgiven. They will smile in your face and break your neck the second you look away.
• Clan Cat: Clan Cat consists of large and small felines. By nature, cats are loners. They bind into a clan only out of necessity, so they can have a representative on the Council. Of all the clans, cats are the most lethal and the most independent. They occasionally balk at orders simply because they can. They are also prone to cruelty. Currently Clan Cat has forty members.
• Clan Jackal: Clan Jackal is a quiet clan. The jackals are known not for their superior fighting abilities, but for their cunning. They are family-oriented and are peaceful. However, occasionally the long-standing rivalry between Clan Jackal and Clan Wolf rears its head. Like hyenas, jackals are susceptible to frenzy.
• Clan Heavy: Clan Heavy includes all of the shapeshifters with large beast forms, who do not fit into any other clans: bears, boars, moose, badgers, etc.
• Clan Nimble: Clan Nimble includes all of the shapeshifters with small beast forms, who do not fit into any other clans: mink, stoat, wolverine, fox, etc.

Members of the Order are called knights. When asked, the knights state their mission as simply “Protection of mankind.” The knights are lethal, honorable, and unfortunately, convinced that they are always right. Like the Guild, the Order protects humanity against the magic dangers, but unlike the Guild, the Order charges according to income, meaning that if an indugent person petitions the Order for help, the knights will assist him pro bono. The Order has a strange semi-official status and is considered to be a part of the Law and Order triumvirate, which also includes Military Supernatural Defense Unit (special forces of U.S. Army) and Paranormal Activity Division (police).

Knights

To become a knight, one usually has to pass the Order Academy’s legendary entrance exams. Upon acceptance, the prospective knight is given the rank of Squire. Squires live and study within Academy’s walls for four years. They are not permitted to leave the grounds for longer than 24 hours even on holidays.

The course of study is strenuous and includes weapon and magic training and extensive mental conditioning. The Order isn’t simply interested in producing effective knights. These knights must also be true believers of the Order’s cause.

Only one in eight squires last long enough to graduate and be knighted as knight-defender. Of those, one in twelve will die within the first year and of the remaining, only one in three will make it to the retirement.

The knights are ranked according to their ability and experience:

• Knight-Defender. The rank-and-file of the Order. Knight-Defenders usually have 2-10 years of experience. If in that time they fail to distinguish themselves in a way that would permit the Order to assign them a new classification, they assume the rank of Master-Defender.
• Knight-Questor. Once called knight-inquisitors, the questors specialize in investigations. They often enter the ranks of the Order after having served in the military or law enforcement.
• Knight-Diviner. Knight diviners derive their power from faith. Buddhist monks, Taoists, Christians, Pagans, and scholars of Torah were all know to serve as knight-diviners. Like all magic users, knight-diviners project their own magic field. This field is the reason why strong knight-diviners are particularly effective against vampires. When confronted with the human divine magic, the vampiric pathogen, which fuels vampires’ insatiable thirst, fails to recognize the source of magic as human. In other words, vampires view knight-diviners as moving pieces of scenery rather than targets.The knight-diviners act as counselors and psychiatrists. The Order recognizes their special status and the Codex bestows protection onto petitioners who come to see knight-diviners: they do not need to identify themselves, nor do they have to disclose the reason for their visit to any other knight.
• Master-at-Arms. Masters-at-arms are knights distinguished by their supreme knowledge and ability with weapons. Masters-at-Arms have a specialized designation according to their chosen weapon: “Master-at-Arms, blade”, “Master-at-Arms, blunt”, “Master-at-arms, firearm”, etc.
• Master-at-Craft. Masters-at-craft are knights who possess exceptional magical knowledge and ability. Like Masters-at-arms, they are distinguished by their specialization: “Master-at-Craft, medicine”, “Master-at-Craft, conjuration”, “Master-at-Craft, battle”, etc.
• Knight-Crusader. Crusaders have a special rank. Unlike most knights, they are not tied to a certain chapter, but are free to travel as they see fit. Crusaders are the Order’s equivalent of a lancet. Got a nasty boil ready to rupture? Throw a crusader at it. He will take care of the problem and move on. Deadly fighters, the crusaders are extremely dangerous and unpredictable. They are the most shadowy of the knights and tend to be loners, who value their privacy.
• Knight-Protector. Knight-protectors spearhead the individual Order Chapters. They are skilled leaders and proven fighters.

Each merc is assigned a “zone”, a small geographical area that is their territory. Mercs are grouped into “chains”, according to their ability and location. A typical chain has 8-10 links.

The day-to-day Guild business takes place as follows:

1. The admin division receives a trouble call, which may come by phone, in person, or by some other means.
2. The admins evaluate the call, making sure that the Guild is authorized to take the job and that no other agency or individual have been simultaneously employed to handle the same problem. Mercs are a violent lot, and the primary function of the admin division is to keep detached body part count to a minimum. If the Guild is clear to proceed, the trouble call is logged in as a “gig”.
3. The admins determine into which zone the gig falls and alert the mercenary assigned to that zone. If the merc declines the gig, the job is passed on to the next person in their chain. Occasionally, the job is too difficult for a single merc, and the “owner” of the gig may choose to team up with another merc. It is up to the individual mercs to determine how they want to split the bounty.
4. The merc performs the job and delivers proof to the admins. In cases where the job was done remotely, the person who has made the trouble call or the local police agency usually has to confirm that the problem has been resolved. The merc then collects the bounty, 30% of which goes to the Guild to pay for medical and dental insurance for the mercs, admin maintenance and salaries, lawyer fees, and other various expenses. Most mercs also contribute up to 10% of their bounty to their pension fund. Nobody has yet gotten rich enough to live in style on their pension, but it has kept a few retirees off the streets.

Merc Staff: Solomon Red, Mark, Clerk.

Known mercs: Jim Black, Kate Daniels.