[i][b]"There are many lies in this world, and so few hold any truth. This lie is true. For it is true there was a time when our world was newly born and the Sun was red and rain was black and the Moon shone with a golden darkness. And it is true that humanity fell from Heaven, but not the Heaven of any God we know. Wary and Wise are those who keep their minds ignorant of these truths, for those few who learn how the world was, they pine for it like the kiss of a lost lover. Nights of golden moonlight. And storms of black rain."[/b][/i]

Houses of the Blooded is a fantasy rpg focusing on a pre-atlantean civilisation called the ven (it is contested as to whether they actually existed). Specifically, it shows them as they are shown in ven literature - capable of incredible feats of strength and cunning, but doomed only to use their gifts to follow their own desires. What about the good guys? The heroes? Tragedy. It's inevitable.

The players are nobles, known as Blooded, from one of the six Houses of Shanri (Shanri is the ven word for "world". Interestingly, it can also be translated as "great enemy"). They'll attend marriages and funerals, fight in duels of honour by word of insult or by sword. All the while, they'll be watching out for a dagger through the ribs. But of course, why wouldn't they give their enemies something similar to worry about, in repayment?

High casual standards expected, with three exceptions. These exceptions represent the way the ven themselves speak and write. Firstly, the ven like to use one-word sentences, for effect. Effect. Secondly, they often capitalise Important words. Thirdly, they use repetition again and again. And again. And again. However, it's considered uncreative and completely lacking in Style to overuse any of these, including among the ven, so don't.