Heath's Worlds

Welcome ...

2011-01-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

This is where I post my ideas for backgrounds and worlds. There are no actual stories here, just the ideas behind stories, the rules, guidelines and myths from which stories emerge.

Bitter Sprites: This is a twisted world of little will-o-wisps and adventurous sprites, mean pixies and grumpy gnomes. No one is safe and everyone is magical, but sex and violence are the social norms.

Elder Gods: I always had trouble buying into the vampire myths, until Tom and I stumbled upon the idea of vampires as god-killers, minions of an elder god at war with an ancient pantheon. In this mythos, gods were mortals who became immortal mages, who then turned themselves into sentient concepts, shedding all vestiges of physical existence.

Exiles: The Fey are not cute little faeries that grant wishes and protect woodlands. They are politically competitive lords with the potential for immortality. They create kingdoms from dreams and dream of greater kingdoms. The danger comes from those that do not choose allegiances, and choose self-exile among the world of mortals.

Exiles 01: An Introduction

2007-07-11T23:00:00.000-07:00

The Fey are the faerie of legend and myth. Not even the eldest of the Fey know their true origins, although, they all have their pet theories. They walk among mortals, drawing power from the passions of men, women, and children, but they live in a world of dreams made real.

Glamour, the magic of manipulating of perceptions and emotions, is used for impressing and deceiving. Some of the Fey are powerful enough to override reality with their imaginations. They can create illusions, Seemings, which have very tangible effects on the real world. The most powerful of the Fey, the Fey Lords, can even weave the imaginations of mortals into Dream Realms, places of pure imagination, where the rules are created and changed by force of will.

To power all this magic, the Fey bask in the presence of strong emotions, absorbing the radiant energies given so freely by unknowing mortals. Once gathered, this emotional energy can be used by the Fey, or passed on to other Fey as gifts and bribes and tithes.

One of the greatest abilities the Fey enjoy is Rebirth. When one of the Fey dies, they will be reborn as one of their own direct descendents. Because of this, the Fey tend to sow their seed wide and often. This does not mean the Fey are completely immortal. Once they are reborn, they no longer have the direct physical lineage of their previous life, so they must stay hidden, until they are old enough to start their bloodlines once more.

Since a Reborn Fey can be of either sex, regardless of his or her previous incarnation, sexual relations among the Fey tend to be bisexual. They have no need of the norms or needs of mortal society, so they take to bed whoever they wish. Also, because of the longevity of the Fey, even the Half-bloods, there is the possibility of a coupling where the age difference is measured in generations. There are different philosophies among the Fey on "trimming the bloodline", which means mating within one's own lineage. They can reach degrees of genetic separation that most mortals could never see, however, so inbreeding carries less risk negative mutation.

Legends hold many stories of blood hunts against Fey criminals, as Fey society seeks out all descendents of their prey and kill them off, preventing any further births, and cutting off all hope of a Rebirth. Unfortunately, these blood hunts do not always work, and the death they leave in their wake leaves a mark on Fey society.

Exiles 02: Bloodlines

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The power of the Fey can be awesome. When the Fey mate with mortals, however, their children lose some of that power, that connection to the Dreaming. The children of full blooded Fey and mortals are known as Half-bloods. Half-bloods live much longer than mortals, but they do not enjoy the immortality of Full-bloods.

The children of two Half-bloods will be half-bloods themselves, but if a Half-blood mates with a mortal, the child will be what is known as a Touched. The Touched are mortals in most ways, although they often have enhanced powers of perception, or have longer a lifespan, but they do not have anything like the powers of the Half-bloods, not to mention the Full-blooded Fey.

Children of a Half-blood and a Full-blood will always be a Half-blood, as the mortal taint cannot be bred out of the bloodline. Half-bloods that give birth to a Full-blood know that their child is a Reborn, and will eventually regain all the memories of their past lives. A Rebirth can occur even if both parents are Half-bloods.

Half-bloods cannot create their own dream realms, but they can use glamour quite effectively. Some of the more powerful Half-bloods can create illusions strong enough to affect reality, such turning a piece of rebar into a sword that cuts, or recreating a room in a condemned building as a palatial hall. The Half-blood wouldn’t be able to make the space bigger, but the floors could be reinforced and the dull plaster walls could effectively be marble.

Half-bloods can absorb the passions of mortals, just as any Full-blood, though they do not quite have the reservoir that the Full-bloods have. They tend to gather mortals around them that radiate emotion, so that they have a constant supply of spiritual energy to channel into their glamour. Another advantage of Half-bloods is that they can feed on each other’s emotions, and thus, they form close bonds with others of their kind.

Half-bloods can slip into the Dreaming, with training. They can learn to control their own mortal dreams and find entrance into the actual Dreaming of the Fey Lords. They can only stay for short periods as they must eventually wake and care for the bodies their left behind. However, if a Half-blood is invited into a Dream Realm by the Fey Lord, they can enter as any mortal can. Half-bloods cannot be trapped by eating the dream food, though, as they already have the ability to feed on dreaming.

Full-bloods often seed mortal society with Half-bloods in case they meet an untimely death. If they have three or four bloodlines in the mortal world, their enemies will have a harder times tracking down the next birth in an attempt to kill the Reborn and end the line permanently.

Even in Dream Realms, Fey Lords keep families of Half-blood descendents as vassals, as they can be extremely loyal. Trouble can occur after a Rebirth, however, as all other bloodlines are then cut off from the Fey Lords lineage. The blood lineage is reset after each Rebirth and the young Fey must start making bloodlines once more to ensure his own safety. Parallel bloodlines can be kept loyal, however, and whole realms of the more powerful Fey Lords are populated with armies of Half-bloods.

Fey Lords are usually the center of a Household. Small Households usually have only one extended family of Full-bloods, Half-bloods, and mortals. Larger Households include multiple bloodlines. Some Fey Lords set themselves up as the head of multiple Households. Households are usually brought together to foster loyalty and protection.

When a Lord dies, a Regent steps up to hold the household together while the bloodlines wait for the Rebirth of their Lord. Political infighting has destroyed plenty of Households, however, and many Lords have been murdered soon after their Rebirth, if they have not sown strong loyalty within their families.

Some Fey Lords support secret societies of their half-blood descendents, fostering servants loyal from birth. These societies mingle among mortals until they receive word of their Lord’s death. Then, they party in frequent orgies, giving the Lord plenty of opportunity to be reborn into this secret society.

Exiles 06: The Courts

2007-07-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

Fey society is organized into Courts. Certain Fey Lords gather around them other Fey that they trust, or have proven useful to the Lord of the Court. No one Court has official higher status than any other, but some Courts are more powerful, and thus garner more respect.

The Two Courts

Belonging to the courts is a matter of personal choice and family legacy. Houses tend to belong to one Court or the other, but there is always that Aunt who prefers the safety of the Bright Courts, or the uncle who betrayed his brother and accepted the judgments of the Dark Courts. Then, there is the intermarriage that can really confuse things

The Bright Courts

The Bright Courts are ruled by the idea that Fey Life Force is sacred. They tend to get high and mighty about this point, but they have agreed upon a set of laws and traditions to support this claim.

“Thou Shall Not Feed From Fey” is the first law. Any Fey that subscribes to the Bright Courts, and gains recognition, will be protected by the Bright Courts. Protection does not always come with respect and honor, however, as it is the law that is being protected, not the individual.

The Bright Courts also have laws concerning Fey interference with mortal society. These laws do not carry as much weight, but they can have significant consequences. They are more like misdemeanors, while laws governing Fey life force are more like felonies.

The Dark Courts

The Dark Courts are ruled by the idea that nothing is sacred. They tend to be devious and mischievous. They do not call their rules laws, as the Bright Courts do. Instead, they have traditions, which are upheld by precedence.

Since the Dark Court do not hold Fey life force sacred, the stronger are relatively free to feed upon the weak. Alliances form, and there are many factions with different interpretations of the Traditions. The value of a Fey’s life force is determined by her alliances. With careful negotiations and clever political maneuvering, even the most powerful Fey of the Dark Courts may be up for auction.

Attacks upon other Dark Courtiers may be sanctioned before the attack. This is a very strong Tradition, and is often the best way to prevent retribution, or at least know what to expect from the allies of the target.

High and Low Courts

Low Courts handle day to day minor infractions of mundane Law and Tradition. Fey Lords occasionally preside over these matters, but often, they assign a trusted advisor to see to settling disputes. Any decision can be appealed, but this puts the Lord in a bad mood, so it is rarely done except when the appealing courtier has a strong argument. Theft, assault, and deception are dealt with in the Low Courts. If someone is messing with your source, you can bring it to a Low Court

High Courts handle the more serious displays of uncivilized behaviors, such as murder, draining, or theft of House Artifacts. At least one Fey Lord will preside, but sometimes, multiple Lords will be involved, each casting their judgments, and debating the merits of the other Lords opinions. High Courts also handle more intangible indiscretions such as a lesser Fey offending a Full Fey Lord.

The Twilight Courts

Twilight Courts are universally High Courts. They deal with severe crimes that involve both the Bright Courts and the Dark Courts. An attack by a Bright Courtier upon another Bright Courtier would bring a harsh sentence. A Dark Courtier attacking another of his kind would bring about some harsh negotiations that the attacker may not be able to pay. The Twilight Courts occur when Courtiers of opposite courts interfere with each other’s lives. An attack from a Dark Courtier on a Bright Courtier or vice versa, brings the courts to bear and this is not insignificant. Basically, you are forcing the lawyers to get off their asses and stand by your side. And, they may not appreciate it, so they may not negotiate strongly

Normally, when a Bright Courtier breaks a Law, regardless of who the victim was, the Bright Courts claim jurisdiction, and met out punishment. However, if the victim has powerful alliances among the Dark Courts, the Bright Courtier may be thrown to the mercy of the dark courts. If he has his own bargaining leverage, he may find a better home among the Dark Courts. This is often the best way to change Court allegiances.

When Dark Courtiers interfere with the lives of Bright Courtiers, emissaries are sent to the Dark Courts. Many of the larger Dark Courts have ambassadors from the Light Courts. These ambassadors maintain relationships with the rulers of the Dark Courts to which they are assigned. This helps smooth the way for quick justice. The Bright Courts will take in to account any previous activities of a Dark Courtier thrown on their mercy.

The Exiles

There are some occasions when a Fey breaks the Laws or Traditions of the courts, then survives or defies the punishment proclaimed by the courts. If changing Court allegiance is not an option, there is the possibility that the Fey will lose all court status. Sometimes this happens when a Bright Courtier believes her actions were right and despises the Dark Courts, or, when a Dark Courtier breaks Dark Court Traditions, but has such a reputation with the Bright Courts that he would be put to death immediately. When a Fey is exiled, other Fey will turn their backs on you and refuse you aid, hospitality, or even acknowledgement.

While it is frowned upon by the Bright Courts to hunt individual Exiles, there are no Laws pertaining directly to this, although feeding upon the Exiles is still unlawful. The Dark Courts see the hunting of Exiles as sport. An Exile that causes trouble will see both courts setting out blood hunts, and the Exiles bloodline, including everyone related to the individual, will be hunted down or brought to trial.

Bitter Sprites: Stages

2007-05-23T23:00:00.000-07:00

Bellies: Bellies are what sprites call an unborn sprite. A pregnant sprites belly gets big and round, and other sprites can feel the energy of new life within. The little unborn sprite is about half an inch in diameter through most of this stage. This stage only lasts a month, and during this time, the mother organizes her thoughts to pass on memories to her daughter. Once the new sprite is born, it takes months for the memories to surface, but they are the basis for the newborn’s personality and understanding of the world.

Glowies: After a month of pregnancy, the mother will sit and hold onto her belly as it separates from her abdomen. It is a painless process, although there is an intense feeling of loss. As the Glowy takes its first breath of freedom, it opens one set of ephemeral wings and buzzes into the air. It is still only a ball of light about an inch in diameter. They have limited empathic communication. They drink sunlight and bask in moonlight, requiring no other sustenance. This stage lasts about two months.

Tinies: After two months of flitting around as an undefined ball with a pair of wings, the baby sprite will settle down on a branch or under a fallen tree to start the next transformation. The Glowy sack will separate into another pair of ephemeral wings, straightening and becoming rigid. The Tiny’s body is now free. She will be unstable, but she soon “remembers” how to walk. Her flight speed is reduced, but she will stand three inches tall, and she can run, climb, and swim, now. This stage lasts three months. Tinies are sexually immature, and cannot get pregnant. In fact, they do not even have sexual organs.

Girlz: At the age of six months, including the time spent unborn, the Tiny will go through a growth spurt, gaining about three more inches. They gain pubic hair, sexual organs, and small breasts. They become physically stronger, and tend to be more aware of their memories passed on to them by their mothers. They are fully capable of becoming pregnant, and if they find a kind gnome, they will probably enjoy it. While pregnant, sprites do not age, so there are advantages to carrying “bellies”. There is plenty of sexual activity between females, and this is considered normal.

Oldies: After four months of being a Girl, the Girl is considered an Oldie. Her body starts to change, slowly. Over the next five months, she will lose much of her feminine attributes, her pubic hair will fall out, her sexual organs slowly close up. Her wings will lose their function, and eventually fall off. This is a very emotional stage for sprites. They are facing the end of their female cycle, and the beginning of a very drastic personality change. Many try to stay pregnant while they still can, and others resort to more drastic measures of staying young.

Boyz: Once a sprite loses her wings, she is only days away from becoming recognizable as a Boy, also known as a Pixie. As a boy, his shoulders will broaden, his genitals will drop from his abdomen and hang from his pubic region. Pubic hair will return. He will be physically stronger than he ever was as a female. The greatest change, however, is psychologically. A Boyz sexual drive is greater even than hunger, and this often drives them to attacking females and raping them. They will only kill a female if the female proves to be a threat to the Boy. They usually find no use for Tinies, and Oldies are often too dangerous to approach, so Girls are the favored targets. Boys do retain some of their memories from their earlier stages, but the emotional attachments fade rapidly. Sometimes they will gather in gangs and raid stationary sprite communities, or attack wandering bands.

Gnomes: After six months, Boys grow into Gnomes. They slowly become taller, to about nine inches, become less aggressive, and are often more thoughtful and wise. They spend much of their time working on crafts, such as glass, wood, or spider silk. Gnomes are still fertile, and there are many stable communities of sprites centered around a small group of Gnomes. Gnomes are not quick, however, and a fast raid by Boyz can leave an unwary community mourning the loss of females and the death of a few Gnomes.

Ancients: When Gnomes live on for about seven months, they start to slow to the point that their feet and toes want to take root. They can still articulate, and some are still sexually capable, but their interests are more long term. They hold great wisdom and knowledge, and are sought out for guidance.

Others: Ancients remain interactive for about eight months, before they fade from consciousness. They move on to a less physical form, a spirit or ghost, something quite intangible. These free floating beings leave their bodies behind to grow into great trees, while they move on to another level of existence.

Bitter Sprites: Physiology

2007-05-23T22:58:00.001-07:00

Sprites are not made up of the same things mortal creatures are. There are no tendons, ligaments, blood vessels or internal organs. There is only flesh, bone, and skin. Skin holds everything together, and bone gives it all structure, but the flesh is solid light. When the skin is cut, the light leaks out, but once it is out of the body, it darkens and cools, becoming blood.

Sprites can survive some horrible wounds, and they heal very quickly, but there are some things that will surely kill a sprite. Decapitation is the most obvious. If a sprite looses too much light in the form of blood, they will die. Also, if they lose too much of their flesh to theft, they will also die.

Normally, sprites soak up sunlight, getting their fill throughout the day, even from ambient or reflected light. They do not eat solids, though they do need water, and drink regularly. Fortunately, dewdrops are quite enough, and there is plenty of water to be squeezed or sucked out of plants. They often chew on leaves for the flavor and moisture, tough they just spit out the fibers. They have teeth appropriate for chewing vegetation, much like humans.

Sprites also have teeth for cutting and tearing, much like humans. When sprites engage in the act of cannibalism, they rip through the skin and eat the flesh, absorbing the light and life energy it contains. As the light cools and becomes blood, it stains the skin of the sprites, but this will become absorbed eventually. The blood stains the teeth of sprites, and this does not come out. This lends sprites to the custom of smiling, showing their teeth, letting other’s see that they are not stained and are not a threat.

Cannibalism will stop the aging process of a sprite. Bellies offer only a day’s reprieve from aging, and glowies stop aging for a few days. Tinies give a week. Girls and oldies give a whole month’s worth of time. Boys also offer a month, but they are not as tasty, though gnomes extend life by two months, if a sprite can choke down the tough flesh. Ancients are not edible.

Elder Gods: Vampires

2007-05-18T20:55:00.001-07:00

Long before there was civilization, men and women foundered and struggled in a world that was more vicious and brutal than they were. There were a few, however, that learned the rules of reality, and they began weaving their own rules of creation. They led their people far and wide, creating different tribes that spread throughout the globe.

Eventually, these individuals grew so powerful, they forgot what it was like to be human. One, The Predator, said to be the oldest, became something more than human or beast. The Predator became the ultimate predator, losing form and became a sentient concept. It embodies avatars of hunters, existing for no other plan than to continue the hunt.

Over several millennia, there have been many individuals that became Elder Gods. Pantheons of Great Heroes and Mighty Leaders have risen, and fallen into obscurity. For a while, it seemed that only The Predator, and the Emissary, would experience true immortality.

The Emissary was actually a council of elder tribesmen that bound themselves together in a vow of enlightenment. They traveled the world, seeking knowledge and wisdom. Eventually, they shed their bodies and passed into the realm of spirits. They are one and many, but their purpose is to act as diplomats and liaisons between the other Elder Gods.

Then, about ten thousand years ago, there was a shift in culture. The tribes started to build more permanent settlements. In this time, there was a man called Cain, who threw off the traditions of nomadic life and promoted the high technology of agriculture. His tribal brother, Able, did not wish to see his extended family separate, nor the wisdom of tradition abandoned. They fought, and Able was killed.

The other Elders of that time wished to punish Cain, but he fled, hiding among his followers. When the Elders showed no restraint and killed Cain’s followers, Cain used his powers to become part of his fallen people, giving them life once more. In the dead of night, he turned himself into liquid shadow and poured into the dead bodies of his farmers.

They started a guerilla war with the tribes, stealing children and raising them in towns, which grew into cities. With the power of farming, they controlled their fates through droughts and long winters. When the Elder Gods came, they welcomed them, but they let Cain’s kindred hide among them.

When the Elder Gods were comfortable with their victory, Cain’s kindred struck, killing many of the gods, hunting those that fled, and erasing all but the most powerful. One of these gods had learned to control the power of the sun. This one god still lives within the idea of the Sun’s rays, and seeks to burn out the shadow of Cain where ever he can reach.

Another Elder God, called Yaweh, sought to follow Cain’s path, but with an improvement. Instead of becoming one with the blood of the followers, Yaweh became one with the hearts of the people, becoming part of their faith. He became a concept that could be felt, not in a physical way, but in a spiritual way.

Cain and his people could hide in the darkness and had full nights to live their lives. In this way, they could avoid Ra and his bright rays of light. However, Yaweh could hide among the people, and he promised truth and justice and peace. Through him, the people could live forever, for he will remember all their memories and they will become part of him.

Cain was smart, though, and he used logic and deception to create argument among the followers of Yaweh. Yaweh’s people split into two groups, one path Jewish, the other path Islamic. Yaweh would have won the war if he were not distracted by this war with himself.

Thousands of years, this secret war continued, but Yaweh saw a solution to his problem. He focused his attention on two men, one of Islamic faith, and the other of Jewish faith. These two men, acting as one, would show that the two faiths can work together, and they would be the saviors of humanity, binding them in one faith, a fusion of the two halves.

Cain, however, was either smarter, or luckier. He discovered the plot, and he was able to kill one of the Yaweh brothers. Jesus traveled the world, but he was never able to find his other half. He returned to his birth place to mourn the failed plan. Under Yaweh’s direction, he became a martyr, giving himself to the cause. This did not work, as it created a third major faction. Over the centuries, Cain continued to splinter the mind of Yaweh as each faction splintered yet again into the various denominations of each religion.

Cain had found a home in South America, but Yaweh had created a world of high civilization and growing technology. He manipulated Columbus and found where Cain was hiding. Then he sent Cortez to destabilize the New World.

Today, both Yaweh and Cain fear the neopagan movement. It brings back the cultural belief in magic, and if this path is followed, centuries down the road, new gods will emerge.

Elder Gods: Clans of Cain

2007-05-18T20:30:00.000-07:00

There were Seven Clans. Now there are only Four.

The Clan of Watchers

Spies, informants, hackers … all trained in magic and mundane ways of discovering and protecting secrets. Need your Name encrypted? Need to know something about someone’s ancestry? Contact a Watcher. Because they are merely observers, they stir the social and political waters little. They travel unnoticed, but they notice everything.

Their houses are everywhere, small and informal, disguised as simple places, or social places. Their people are quiet and polite, thoughtful and aware, and often hiding in plain sight.

The Clan of Whispers

Advisors, counselors, aides … They know how the mind works and how to own it. They master their own mind as well as the minds of others. They do not control the crowds, but they do control the masters. They whisper in the right ears at the right times, and their will is done.

Their Houses are prestigious to match their positions of trust and influence. Their words are gold, and their assistance is fought over. Their people are assertive, intelligent, and even tempered. They speak well and often, but it is their timing that gives them power.

The Clan of Guardians

Bodyguards, enforcers, protectors … They hone their bodies to be temples of stone, able to withstand direct physical punishment. They will survive the harshest hardships, and are, at once, the biggest threat and the safest asset The Secret has. They may shrug off bullets, but they can withstand the Sun’s glare the longest.

Their houses are military academies and sports camps. Their people are athletes and soldiers. They live by strict codes of behavior, and they do not appreciate being manipulated. ALL of their contracts have end dates, including the one protecting you from them. You have been warned.

The Clan of Shadows

Runners, messengers, couriers … They slip through society unnoticed, bringing news and packages to their targets. When a Shadow comes calling, however, always know who sends them. Sometimes, a Shadow brings death. They excel in evasion and escape tactics, and have bested the Guardians more than once. They are humble, however, and they know that not even shadows are invulnerable.

Their houses are ninja families, espionage safe houses, and abandoned buildings. They are even more hidden than the Watchers. While the Watchers hide in plain sight, the Shadows go where no one else will.

The Clan of the Forge

Blacksmiths, mechanics, tinkerers … They could build anything, it was said, and their devices were the stuff of legends. Some still exist in the vaults of the Great Houses, nearly as precious as the Ancient Ones themselves.

There are no more Houses of the Forge, for the Forgers are gone. None have been seen in centuries. Not since the last Great Cleansing has a Forger been reported, though it was with their devices that the four remaining Clans survived the Great Cleansing at all.

The Clan of Unity

There was once a clan that promoted unity of mind, focusing their power and knowledge into a communal overmind. They became a powerful ally in the Secret War, able to coordinate attacks matched only by today’s modern communications technology.

Then something went wrong. They lost touch with their bodies, and Cain’s blood could no longer hold them or sustain them. One of the Other Elder God’s had corrupted or seduced the United Ones. Now, Cain’s blood boils at their touch.

They can animate corpses, but the corpses begin to rot, so they must seek out new corpses. Cain’s Kindred are prime targets. It is not known what their agenda is, but they are now called the Wraith. Even the slightest hint of the Wraiths presence in a city is enough to call a Conclave of Houses.

The Clan of Therianthropes

These are the skin walkers, the shape changers. They found a way to transform their bodies into beastly shapes. They became powerful warriors, but they also corrupted Cain’s will, numbing their minds to His calling. They breed like living beings, but they are feral and vicious. They have forgotten all kinship with Cain’s Kindred.

They did this through breaking one of the Laws of Cain: “Drink deep the blood; Eat not the flesh.” They feasted on the bodies they had drained, finding power in the fresh flesh. It is said that they have been corrupted by The Predator, one of the most ancient of the Elder Gods, but Cain’s Wisdom has not yet revealed the Truth of this matter.

The shape changers go by many names, and have many tribes, but they no longer live under the rule of law, or the Code of Houses. The only reason they have not wiped out Cain’s own is that the shape changes fight amongst themselves as often as they fight outsiders. In the Great Cleansing, they were led by a charismatic leader, a great unifier. Their armies were held at bay only by the power of the artifacts of the House of Forge, and their leader was killed at great cost.