[h3][center]Available Species[/center][/h3]

[hider=Lycanthropes]
[b]Body Size Limits & Physical Description[/b]
Females- 34 to 40” (83.4-99cm) tall, 6.5 to 7.5’ (2-2.3m) nose to tail, 123 to 160lb (55.8-72.6kg)
Generally more refined looking in their canine form, thinner and less bulky than males.
Males- 43 to 50” (109.2-127cm) tall, 8 to 9’ (2.4-2.7m)nose to tail, 190 to 230lb (86.2-104.3kg)
Heavier built, less refined, broader chest and shoulders than females, larger heads, usually much larger than females. The higher ranking the male within the pack the larger they generally are. Bachelor males or males without a pack tend to be in the middle of the body scale range though some have the size to become an Alpha through an Ordeal.

Lycans are a full genetically diverse species, they have may different coat colors though the most common are variations on gray or brown though black and white wolves do occur they are extremely rare. They also have a variety of eye colors while phased into their canine form. In order from most the least common they are; brown, orange, yellow, amber, gray, green, and blue. For every 350 brown-eyed wolves, there will be one with blue or green eyes. Their upright or "human" form appears to be mostly the same as a human though Lycans are much faster and stronger than a human would be. Their vision, hearing, and sense of smell are also enhanced compared to a human though not as strong as when in their canine form. A Lycan in their upright form is roughly 1.5X as strong as a human of equal stature and health and just a little less than twice as fast as their human counterpart.

[b]Culture/Belief System[/b]
There are many legends as to how Lycanthropes came about but the one that is consistently believed throughout Lycans across the globe is a story that begins before the time of Ancient Greece when the first pyramids in Egypt were being built. There were many gods in Egypt and across the globe at this time. However, there has always been, no matter where you go, a Lunar God. The fractions that revered the moon for its pull on the tides and its beauty were the ones that would become Lycans. Many quote the story as being the group of people who worshiped the constellation and the god Orion The Hunter who was married to the moon and even in times of famine and drought and disease they remained faithful and did not curse their God. As a result of their loyalty and their love for their God his wife, the Moon, gave them the ability to transform into great beasts who could hunt and survive and thrive even in the darkest of times on Earth. Most of the European decedents follow this story and though the names change the story remains unchanged. Their devotion won them the ultimate prize. 

Many Lycans still follow this very same religion, Orion The Hunter is their primary God and his beloved wife The Moon is their Goddess. Males tend towards praying to Orion while females tend towards praying to The Moon. You can often here Lycans swear to the Moon when they are passionate about something, it is not considered a curse. You may also hear things like "Sweet Moon! Where have you been?" Sweet Moon is used much in the same context as Thank God or other phrases of this nature are used in other religions.

Lycan culture can be rather complex if you think too much about it. There are some general ground rules that do apply everywhere, though. Challenging one's character is always a bad idea unless you want to get into a fight. This may include things like calling someone a liar or a cheater or weak among various other insults. Disrespecting someone of a higher rank is also a poor idea in almost any situation, especially if that individual is an Alpha. Staring directly at them for more than a few moments, directly calling someone out, and not moving out of the way if you are able to are all signs of disrespect. 

In a pack, everything belongs to everyone generally as this lessens the disputes over property. If someone needs something done they find someone who can do it for them if they cannot do it. The pack operates on a favors system and simply does things for one another because they know one day they will likely need the other person to do something for them. There is no money exchanged within the pack. They pack has a central bank of money that everyone has access to with the Alpha Pair's permission. When someone needs something that must be gotten from outside the pack's community the merchant is given the money to go retrieve it. This money comes from the pack selling goods that they produce and do not need. This can include fruits and vegetables, horses and other livestock, and various other items like handmade weapons and furniture.

[b]Social Order[/b]
Lycans are highly social creatures operating within a pack family structure generally run by a very dominate mated pair referred to as the Alpha Pair. They have the ability to communicate telepathically at all times with their pack and link all the other members together. If they were to leave for and extended period of time, over a month or so, the pack’s mental link would dissolve and the pack would either disperse or find a new Alpha through and Ordeal. They are the central bonding force between pack members. 
They generally have an enforcer who is known as the Beta he is usually the second largest male. There are female Betas but generally, they are mated to a male who already had the rank. 
Alpha is generally a hereditary rank and is usually the strongest male and his male offspring. The eldest offspring is considered to be the Heir regardless of sex. The Heir of the pack is highly respected and has some of the ability of the Alpha though not the full power. They are taught from a young age how to fight to defend their title and keep the pack together and organized. Alphas have the ability to locate members of their pack at will and also force them from one form to another.  
Males are very volatile and aggressive when they are unmated so many packs require the previous Alpha’s heir to be mated before they take the position. Males and females are very Yin and Yang, they balance each other out and mated Lycans are much less volatile than unmated ones. 
If the Alpha dies with no heir there will be an ordeal held two full moons after their death and burial and any male may fight in the ordeal to win the spot of Alpha. Afterward females may fight to become his mate. An Alpha may also be challenged for his title by a rival male who believes he is better capable of running the pack. They must have at least three other wolves who will stand with them in support of the challenge.
Occasionally there will be a small male or female, generally an orphan that will be the Omega of the pack, they tend to get a lot of pack aggression thrown at them but they are gifted with a calming effect on the other pack members and some can turn out to be mild healers as well.

[b]Bloodline Information[/b]
Lycan blood always breeds true, the genes that cause the ability to shift forms and cause accelerated healing among other things are genetically dominate over human blood and essentially anything else as well. Lycan males are allowed to take human wives because of the low number of Lycans and the need for fresh bloodlines. Pregnancy in with Lycan pups is a short one, only 4 and a half months. Some women go a full five months but this is rather rare. Human women do not handle the carriage of offspring as well as a Lycan female would. However, there have been significant leaps in the care for pregnant human wives. A member of the pack must always be present with the woman as the pups can shift forms from the 2-month point on and doing so can cause significant damage internally. They are also vastly stronger than human babies and can break ribs, which is very common. During the last months, rest is very important and the pups are now large enough to do serious damage if the woman is left unattended. Multiples in Lycans are very common, usually, twins and mostly male though a few will be one male and one female and even fewer will produce two females.

[b]Growth Rates & Aging[/b]
Pups less than the age of twelve can be forced between forms by adults in the pack which is how they prevent them from changing in the womb. The younger the pup the easier it is to force between forms, they can also be soothed by adults. Lycans are considered to be grown and an adult at the age of 20. However, because of their place in the ecosystem much like other predators, their growth from birth to adulthood is very rapid body wise. They age in much the same fashion as a puppy though slightly slower. By one they are walking and talking and potty trained, by 2 they are the size of a three and a half-year-old, by 4 they appear to be 6, by 6 they look as if they are 10, by the time they are 10 they appear to be 15. It is believed this may also be a defense function so that pups are vulnerable for a shorter amount of time that human babies are. A 2-year-old pup can outrun the average adult human in their canine form. Once the pup is fully grown, around 16 or so the rapid growth slows continuously until they age at an extremely low rate. They will appear twenty or so until they are nearly 45 years old.

[b]Health Information[/b]
Lycanthropes, much to the dismay of the general public, seem to have mostly bred out the allergy to silver. Pure silver most often leaves a red itchy spot and as long as there is not prolonged exposer of the blood to pure silver there is minimal damage done. Only beheading or severing the spinal column will kill a Lycanthrope as will puncturing the heart for an extended period of time. Due to their accelerated rate of healing Lycans are very hard to kill. It is believed now that this is due to an increased speed and efficiency in the cycle of cells, this speed also contributes to their speed and strength. This also seems to be the reason behind their extended life span. Lycanthropes seem to be immortal though many die in accidents or in fights with other Lycans and some are killed by hunters. 
There is a single disease that haunts the population, it is known as ICED or Interrupted Cell Efficiency Disorder and this results in a slowed cell process that leads to death eventually though it may take up to 40 years. This still significantly reduces the lifespan of any Lycan. Lycans with ICED are often kicked out of the pack as the disease is selectively contagious. The susceptibility to ICED is thought to be genetic, only those with certain genes are capable of contracting the disease but no one is sure what genes those are or how to remove them to eliminate the disease.[/hider]

[hider=Vampires]
[b]General Information[/b]Vampires are supernatural beings that came about roughly during the middle ages or the dark times in Old Earth. No one is sure if it is simply a genetic disorder or a virus. When put into a lab setting it mutates quickly and can result in very dangerous beings. They appear human for the most part through many of them appear to be very pretty humans, generally born vampires have a paler complexion than most humans have.
Unlike many humans believe Vampires can be both born and created. Genetic vampires born with the “disease” so to speak age normally as a human would until puberty when for one reason or another their bodies begin to produce cells at a more rapid rate that a human would. This prevents them from aging as well as catching human born illnesses. This only sets in once the vampire has reached his or her full genetic potential of growth which means the age can vary greatly and females generally change before males. 
Vampires are what one might consider mental warriors, most of their battles are not physical but mental. They have the ability to create waves of energy that can throw another individual through several walls if the other is not paying attention. They can be swatted away by another vampire of course. These do have a significant drain on the energy level of the vampire using them, however, this power is most often used by high-powered vampires who have extensive energy to expend. Vampires who are are extremely strong have innately higher energy levels than weaker ones. In Created vampires, this level of energy is correlated to the amount of struggle that that was put up while their blood was being drained directly prior to the change being finalized. In genetic vampires, it is a result of bloodlines.

[b]Genetic Vampires[/b]
Before the change young vampires function much like humans, they can eat solid foods but require an alarming amount of iron in their diets. After the change occurs they must rely on either animal or donated blood from other supernaturals or humans.
The change normally takes two to three days and during this time the body consumes its own blood and the blood is then replaced with some other much more pliable substance very similar to blood but it moves much quicker through the body and thus allows the vampire to move much faster with less exertion than a human. Their brains also undergo changes that are not completely understood that enable them to think and thus react much quicker than a human being would be able to.
Born vampires have many advantages that created vampires do not share. Born vampires may build a tolerance level to the sun as they age and grow stronger, many can fully tolerate sunlight with some sunblock or a parasol by the age of 80 or so depending on the genetics involved. They also can start and stop their aging when they reach roughly 40 years of age, this is how born vampires are created the male and female must both enable their aging to take place for the duration of the conception and pregnancy.

[b]Created Vampires[/b]
Created vampires are very different from their genetic counterparts. They are created as a result of a vampire taking the majority of if not all of a human or other creatures blood and then having them drink or ingest vampire blood. These “night children” undergo the same changes genetic vampires go through during puberty but in a much shorter time, usually less than 24 hours and it is extremely painful. Created vampires generally are forcefully changed as the amount of struggle you put up while your blood is being drawn from you directly correlates to the level of strength you will have as a vampire after the change is complete. 

Vampires who are created are also subject to a certain amount of control from their "Sire" or parent vampire. The parent can what might be equated to breaking and entering into the mind of their "Childe". The word childe is used to refer to a vampire one has created. It can be a term of endearment in some occasions. Most vampires have very poor relationships with their Sire due to the circumstances under which they were changed. It is usually a very traumatic event, after time most human memories fade but their changing does not ever seem to fade. 
This link between the Sire and his or her childe seems to be a result of having the same blood. This is generally handy as if a created vampire finds themselves in trouble their Sire will innately know because of the connection and can intervene on their behalf. 

Unlike born vampires created ones keep their skin tone of the time they died so many of them have diverse backgrounds and thus have various skin tones. These vampires do not adjust well to sunlight and it may take them hundreds of years to reach a tolerance level that would allow them to go outside during the day. They also lack the ability to progress their aging and remain the same as the day they were changed.[/hider]

[hider=Druids]
Druids tend to be thought of as forest spirits and they are in a way. They are environmental caretakers and monitor the health of the forest. There are various body types that druids can appear in but they all share some commonalities. Druids will always have skin in shades of green and their eyes are always some pastel shade be it blue or purple or pink. 
Another telltale sign a creature is a Druid is their hair. Female Druids and males alike bloom in the spring, summer, or fall. Their hair is generally a shade of brown or fawn and during a certain time of the year, this usually depends on where they are from originally, their hair grows rapidly and begins to flower. These flowers will always match the color of the Druids’ eyes. 
During this time of flowering is when Druids can mate and conceive children, during any other time of the year they are barren. As a result, most are only formally mated to those who flower at a similar time as them. Druid children are quite rare as most do not feel the need to have a mate or conceive a child.

Druid culture is somewhat less complex than some of the others. Each belongs to a tribe of sorts based upon the area in which they live. They are loosely associated and encounter one another only briefly and usually during the spring. There is the existence of mated pair who once mated formally rarely separate from each other for more than a few hours at a time. 
There is little known about how Druids gain their rights or rank among others though there does appear to be some system in place for how to treat one another under most circumstance. 

Druids are essentially highly complex sentient plants, due to this they do develop diseases similar to plants. The most common of these is a disease referred to as downy mildew or mold and it occurs from being wet for too long of a period. It is especially common in Druids from warmer drier climates than where they currently reside. This has a rather simple fix of bathing with a special soap produced by witches.
Another common problem in Druids is dehydrations, if they spend extended periods of time in the sunlight without consuming water they become parched much quicker than a human would. In such circumstances, Druids will often resort to their plant-like nature and take root the ground. Their feet and ankles will sprout roots and burrow into the soil to obtain nutrients. 
This is also how Druids sleep, their bodies become encased in bark and their feet grow into the ground as a means of both protection and obtaining nutrients. 
Druids are capable of eating regular food and digesting it but they need very little and also need very little sleep. Due to the fact that they are plants, they need a different variation of nutrients than a human or other creature would need.[/hider]

[hider=Faeries]
Fae are supernatural beings that are generally humanoids though some have less human characteristics than others. Many have wings though some do not and they are known for their ability to weave complex glamours, a type of magick that conceals their true form from most onlookers. They are unable to be seen by mortal human eyes unless they wish to be. Some of the more powerful Fae are able to conjure other types of magicks, generally those closely related to nature. 

The Fae Folk’s governing system involves two Courts, Seelie and Unseelie, otherwise known and light and dark. Each has a monarch, currently, the Seelie King is Keenan and the Unseelie Queen is Moriganne. They were believed at one time to be the balancing system of Old Earth where seasons were concerned. There is no evidence to show for this being true though no one is sure of much when the Fae are concerned. 
They are generally highly social creatures and there are many types of Fae though some are more prominently found in one court opposed to the other. Seelie Fae generally feeds on fruits and natural substances their bodies cannot process foods that have seen too many hands or have been away from their source for very long. Unseelie Fae can eat foods but it is mostly for the pleasure of doings so, their bodies receive its sustenance from dark emotions; fear, jealousy, lust, envy, anger and so on. 

Neither court can exist without the other. The Seelie Fae are joyous and lavish in their lives and dance and drink and are merry and sensual beings. The Unseelie seek to balance this, they feed of the jealousy and the lust and encourage bad behavior among each other and among the Seelie Fae and as such their relationship serves as an indication of the world’s workings on a smaller scale. Some Fae walk a fine line between which court they truly belong in. 
They are very close to nature and are highly allergic to Iron and other metals containing Iron. Only the Monarchs are capable of touching Iron and only the strongest of Fae can be in its presence though generally not for long. They generally live for thousands of years, they are some of the longest living supernaturals. Many however do not look their age and appear to only be in their twenties or thirties.[/hider]

[hider=Pixies]
Pixies are yet another example of humanoid or human looking supernaturals. They are generally on the smaller side though ranging in height from about 4’ 5” to around 5’ 5” with very angular facial features and tend to be slim, very athletic, and lithe. 
Often times they have pastel colored skin not the typical pale tan of humans. Pixies also may or may not have wings, their wings tend to be thin and less extravagant than those found on Fae and generally look like something from nature, be it leaves or flower petals and very rarely butterfly wings. They may have as many as three sets of wings, two directed upwards and another set pointed down. 
These supernaturals are easily identified even when they have a glamour on by their slitted eyes that look very much like a feline’s or a venomous snake depending on who you’re asking. For one reason or another, this feature cannot be covered up with a glamour regardless of the rank or power level of the Pixie. Their eyes can be any number of colors, practically any color you could imagine. Heterochromia or having two different colored eyes is also very common in Pixies.
They do have a Queen but she is simply referred to as Her Majesty or High Queen, it seems no one is quite sure of her name. These supernaturals are closely related to the Fae Folk but they do not generally associate themselves with the Fae. Pixies are more commonly found in the city as they lack the allergy to Iron that limits Fae in their choice of living spaces. 
They are quite the little fashion fiends and are particularly skilled in the art of making clothing and new fabric materials. Many of them have chosen to put their magick to use weaving fabrics with magical properties or that are simply beautiful. Besides their passion for clothing Pixies also have a strong love of dance and are widely considered to be the party animals of the mythical creatures. 
Though these supernaturals have a reputation for being mischief makers they seem to have mellowed out though they can be known to pull a prank or two occasionally. Pixies appear to be rather immortal, there hasn’t truly been a record kept of any deaths. If a Pixie does die they simply turn to dust and are blown away by the winds.[/hider]

[hider=Shape-shifters]
Closely related to Lycans or werewolves Shape-shifters are just as common. They appear to be human most of the time but they always have at least one more form and occasionally have two. It’s always an animal and they are always either a prey animal or a predatory animal, never both if they have two animal forms. If they have two forms they will almost always have a wild and a domestic version of their animal form. If they have a wolf then their third form would be that of a medium or large sized dog. Occasionally, though, someone will come along and they have two different animals completely, say a badger and a mountain lion. 

Male Shape-shifters are easily identified by their mating marks. When males reach maturity, generally around 20 years old or so, they gain what is referred to as a mating mark. It generally runs from just under their ear and jawline over their shoulder and either down their arm or onto their chest and then ribs. The stronger the male the more intricate the mating mark, no one mating mark is the same as another. Some are smaller while others may reach all the way up onto the male’s jaw and to their temple. These are generally higher ranking males within their social groups and tend to be very dominate in their behavior. 
Females are a little less easy to identify, it is thought that they do not gain mating marks until they are mated to give males insight as to who is and who isn’t very thoroughly guarded. It reduced fights among males which prevented injuries and fatalities that could have been avoided. This was also thought to protect the precious few females that were present on old earth from being harassed by other races when they didn’t have mates to protect them as they tend to be very slender and delicate. 

All Shape-shifters are much stronger than they appear to be and have accelerated healing rates and are rarely sick but males tend to be much stronger than females and much larger. Most males are well over six feet tall while females tend to be around 5’ 6” though rarely taller than 5’ 10”. 
Shape-shifters are born with a destined mate, when they meet this mate the attraction is almost instant and the closer they become the more visible and prominent the mating mark will be on the female. It will solidify when the mating ceremony is performed and often becomes brilliantly colored and almost metallic looking and the males will color to match allowing other females to know he is taken.
Unlike Lycans, Shape-shifters do not have to “phase” or change forms on the full moon though many of them do because of tradition.[/hider]

[hider=Witches]
Human-like creatures with an innate relationship to the energies of the earth. Generally, each is very closely aligned with one particular element or craft in which they excel at. This could be healing, herb potions, elemental magicks (no more than one each), and very rarely soothsayers or seers. Some of the magicks performed require “energy words” to give them power and life but not all, these are generally very old magicks that were developed when the relationship between witches and the earth was less understood than it is in modern times.

Healing is one of the less common magicks of Witches but there are generally very powerful but their endurance for healing large injuries is not very extensive. Potions, however, is an extremely common magick among witches and nearly all of them can produce basic potions. Potion making is the magick of combining herbs and other things and purifying them and meshing their energies so that the drinker of the potion receives the intended purpose, generally they boost immunity, give energy, though some of the more powerful witches and warlocks are capable of producing invisibility potions and poisons as well as many other complex potions like shape-shifting potions. 

Elemental magick is one that is not well understood just yet but it seems to be common in babies born on equinoxes and solstices. There are Five main elements as far as witches are concerned and they are Water, Earth, Fire, Air, and Energy. Energy is much less common and even less understood, users of this magick are often volatile and do not live long. Within each of the five elements, users may specialize in doing certain things like plants or animals for earth or solid or liquid water. 

These supernaturals are an offshoot from the human ancestry tree, no one is quite sure when they came about but they are fairly common in numbers and often dwell in large groups amongst one another in groups called Covens or Groves simply for the reason of being around others of their kind. They are generally a very peaceful bunch but there is the occasionally rotten apple every once a hundred years or so. Generally, females are more prevalent than males in theses supernaturals. Usually a ratio of 1:2 
Witches are taught from a young age to respect nature and to be as in tune with it as possible. Theses supernaturals have an extended life span as well, they can live to be around 200 or so years old. The oldest recorded Witch was around 250 years old when she died, her name was Elise Stone.[/hider]

[hider=Elves]
Aside from Witches, Elves are the most closely related species to Humans. These supernaturals do not have very high numbers in modern times, there are two varieties of Elf and they have a long-standing feud though it has settled down in recent years and there has been peace.
There are Light Elves which tend to be tall and thin with angular features and fair or pastel skin and hair, they have classically pointed ears some of the higher ranking Elves have the ability to manipulate light. 
Then there are Dark Elves, they are still tall but more broad shouldered and tend to be of a heavier build. They have darker colored skin and hair which varies widely in color. The high ranking officials can often control shadows or darkness. The one thing all elves have in common is their elongated, pointed ears and their gemstone colored eyes. 

Elves are some of the best craftsmen in the known worlds. They can craft almost anything and it is of superb quality. Each family or line of elves tends to specialize in a certain craft be it certain types of foods, furniture, weapons, and clothing. Their clothing is often times more basic than what is produced by Pixies which is usually more fashion oriented. 

Elves also have the ability to put “wishes” on the items they craft though these items take extensive time to make and very few are produced because they take so long and the art of producing items with Wishes takes so long to learn. They are worth a lot of money but are well worth it. Wishes are exactly what they sound like, when producing the item the Elf concentrates on what he wants the item to be able to do. If it is a bow one can wish that it always shoots straight and true. 
There is a catch to items with wishes, though. The wish only works for the intended person, sometimes the wish works for someone the Elf does not even know yet. Some items simply have people destined to have them. If someone other than the person the who the wish works for has the object it will only work as well as whoever has it can work it, as if there is nothing special about it at all. If the item is destined for a certain being it will often find its way to their hands through any means necessary.[/hider]