Setting
From The Veiled Kingdoms
Place: London
Time: 1888, the Victorian Era
The Veiled Kingdoms does not pretend to be entirely true to the Victorian era, but we intend to try most of the time. It is safe to assume, unless otherwise noted in the news files, that history on the game is the same as it would be in real life. However, we note that the ICly true stories for instances might not be what they appear, and those true stories may not or may not yet be included in our files.
With exception to human witches, sorcerers, animators, and necromancers, most of the preternatural world is divided into strongly hierarchical sub-cultures in a largely human world. Varying from territory to territory, sometimes these sub-cultures overlap, and sometimes they stand alone. The Veiled Kingdoms is interested in how these groups overlap and interact with one another. The focus rests mainly upon the vampires of London as, thematically, they are the most influential group, and the humans and shapeshifters they interact with.
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The Queen
The reign of Queen Victoria is a memorable one, but the life of the queen, at least not the details, is something we are not directly concerned with. Queen Victoria, great as she is, provides the setting of The Veiled Kingdoms with color and nothing more than that. The PC characters are what we're here for, yet, the PC characters should not expect to dine with Her Majesty, answer directly to Her Majesty, or bump into Her Majesty. Queen Victoria will not be emitted in scenes. If anything, she may serve as a moment in history for a character. Maybe a PC saw her once, but that's it.
We're here to explore the life and politics of the preternatural. Concepts should involve the preternatural and, hopefully, preferably, find reason to visit the East End every once in a while. You do not have to play someone dirt poor, but you might consider a concept that occasionally gets dirty, whether he wants to or not.
Act I: The Crimson & The White
The last Master of the City, Morena had settled her kiss into the most destitute section of London - the east side around Whitehall. There she could feed on the suffering swarms of poor, and in the last century, that swarm begot her an never-ending feast. It comes as little surprise that one such as she would gain the power to challenge a member of the Vampire Council for his seat and win it, although the details of how she won are opaque and vague. This is where we begin in 1888.
After Morena cut her metaphysical ties to the London kiss, the preternatural community was left in an upheaval, especially the vampires. Her temoin, Cassius, quickly seized power and attempted to force many of the other masters to blood oath to him. Lines were drawn within the kiss, and Cassius and his supporters were killed in the ensuing war.
The local clan of werehyenas were wiped out as were the small clan of werebears. The war crossed into daytime London at the docks and in the slums. This interfered with the business of the rats, and the alliance between the wererats and the 'rogue' vampires was solidified. Before the war could be completed, however, and a clear victor made, the vampire council ruled that the bloodshed in London must stop for fear of another cleansing.
The council has declared that a ternion will rule London, the most powerful city in the world, until further notice. Those three master vampires have yet to come forward, but already the lines are being drawn again. This kiss has divided into several kisses and is now called a court, although all members of the court remain within the underground nest or vampire haven.
Hopeful masters are arriving in London now. Council members, too, send their children in the hopes of having a puppet rule or spy. Humans and shapeshifters in adjunct to vampires arrive with them, too. Native shapeshifters of London brace themselves while treaties are remade or broken altogether.
The hidden underbelly of London continues in unrest, and it is sometimes felt amongst the ignorant or happily forgetful humans.
Note: The preternatural thrones reside in the heart of filthy, rotten London. There is little room for their ways of life in the rigid style of the reigning humans. In the dark, dank underworld, the preternatural can thrive or, at the very least, hide and survive. This is where most of the RP is and all of the staff-run plots are.
Vampires
While the vampires do not have any clear leaders right now, they revel the dirtier aspects of London life, although they do have investments in the gentry and bourgeoisie.
Individual vampires may have means and use these means as a front to maintain a lifestyle amongst the human populous, particularly in the interest of maintaining their food sources.
Vampires are OOCly expected to live and interact with the other vampires. ICly, there is safety in numbers, and while humans are not altogether ignorant of vampires, most humans like to pretend that vampires and shapeshifters are all just make-believe. Most vampires and shapeshifters want to keep it this way.