Dracula, Frankenstein, Edgar Allen Poe.  Nothing is so great as the classics, and this story is about a traditional Gothic horror.  Dark thrilling mystery, the macabre,  a secret society, Nobility, the demimonde, psychic talents, and common place skills.  It will all come to play in this story.   

Our story begins in 1890 in the old and complex city of Prague.  
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The dual monarchy is established but the war has yet to begin.  The christian church is establishing a strong foothold in the area, and consigning the old pagan ways to secrecy and fading them from the public eye.  The history is unimportant so don't let that scare you, as long as it is plausible it is acceptable.    

Despite the current push for Christianity, paranormal abilities are all the rage.  You can find a séance any day of the week, a hypnotist on every street, and half-a-dozen mediums in any particular crowd of people.  High-Society adores these paranormal practitioners; a party isn't a party if it doesn't have a séance  or a display of mind reading.  Mediums and Mind-Readers are all frauds, tricksters.  As are the bulk of the mesmerists, crystal workers, and spiritualists.  Con artists using a paranormal front as a con.  But occasionally there are a few that have a genuine psychic talent using their skills in such a manner to con and deceive as well.  Or blackmail.  Or worse.   

Science is also on the rise, but it is not truly trendy, or understood yet.  Chemists, astronomers, and anatomists are rare but growing in popularity.  Genuine doctors following scientific practices are starting to become accepted.  Afternoon Salons often gather to discuss philosophy and natural history; sometimes even the women join in.  Most people with an interest in genuine science are considered eccentric, a polite word for weird, but this is a time of change and science is beginning to come into its own. 

The city is old, and full of history as well as progress.  By the river dwell the lower classes, and the rogues of the thriving underworld of the city.  As one moves from the river, up the hill, the classes change, shifting to the tradesmen, and finally the nobility.  Vivid and lively the city has all the richness and vices of any great city along side the parties, the society, and the growth of a rapidly approaching the industrial age.  Electricity has just come to the city, unreliable but fashionable.  More industrial inventions will not be far behind.   The class structure defines almost everything.  Nobility generally care only about their own; others are beneath their notice.  Even tradesmen are considered low, despite the fact the nobility rely on their trade.  Only the most exclusive businesses, those that are considered fashionable and “in” are considered of any import to the high nobility.  But those of lower social standing, tradesfolk, laborers, and the rogues often cross paths with one another in course of day to day life.   

In the thickest forests on the edge of the city dwells House Ianus. 
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A vast manor that is the secret home for the Ianus Congreatio. In the Ware family for many generations, most folk assume the building is nothing more than a huge manor belonging to old nobility.  In fact it it is much more.  Ancestral home for the Master of the Society, he has turned the manor into a welcome abode for all of the society's members.  Consisting of two parts, the above ground and the massive underground areas, few guess that the building is as massive as it truly is. 

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Above ground are the usual rooms, servants quarters, kitchens, libraries, etc.  Small (10 x 10) personal quarters are provided for every member to allow them privacy to store their research, conduct studies, even permanently live, as long as they remain a member in good standing.  A large, well trained and very discrete staff tend to the needs of anyone currently in residence at the manor.  Light meals are provided, along with studies and libraries and drawing rooms of comfortable furniture, desks, and the like.  Though electricity and plumbing are both relatively new, and unreliable discoveries, the manor is outfitted for both enabling people to work through the night should they wish and providing them with semi-modern bathing facilities.  All in all the society provides its members with discrete privacy, the basic supplies, books, and work spaces needed to conduct their research should they wish, and a simple but comfortable home if they need it.  In return members work to assist with the society's true purpose and the secrets that lie underground.  

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The underground is where the treasure of the manor lies.  Laced with complex corridors and rooms there are vault after vault of strange artifacts, libraries, Laboratories, and work spaces.  It is here the society works to study, record, and catalog all things psychic.  They debunk that which is fraudulent and study, record, and analyze the genuine.  In fact fraudulent claims of psychic practitioners is the one of two things the Society despises above all; that and those who use their psychic powers in amoral manners.  Despite the fad-love of the paranormal most people are terrified of true psychic abilities.  Ianus Congreatio despises those who, in using their talents, make it even harder for those with genuine psychic talents to be accepted.   

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[hider=Character Info:]

Characters are established members of the society in good standing; either recruited because of their talent or children of members as psychic talents tends to be hereditary.  They can be from any walk of life, any profession, any gender, any lifestyle.  Maybe you know others in the society, maybe not.   The society does not judge your life; only in how you use psychic abilities.  If you use to cause harm, defraud, or similar that they will not allow.       

[hider=Character Sheet:]

Birth Name: Self Explanatory
Other Names: nicknames, fake name you invented for yourself, etc

Gender: self explanatory
Age: self explanatory

Rank/Titles/Social Class:  Birth standing as well as your current social standing if you have gone up or down in the world.  Official titles? Social rank? Anything along these lines goes here.  

Appearance:  Physical appearance, preferred dress, etc.  Paint a vivid picture and include an image if you so desire.  

Personality: Strongest personality traits, easy to get along with or difficult, what piques your interest, do you have any great fears or great loves, do you hold strong political or religious views, how do you view the world, anything you think might apply here to help us know your character better

Psychic Talent:  Keep the scope of the powers simple but detail on how it works or what you can accomplish will be helpful in tailoring parts of the story to your character, using a psychic power is often taxing, and requires training, give a description as well as a few examples of how your character might have used their power in the past.  Creativity here is much appreciated. Maybe you can read another's aura?  Maybe you can feel the history of an object in a simple touch? Maybe you can touch a dead person and see the last few seconds of their life?  Maybe you are a scientist and your ability enhances your scientific skills?  Or...the options here are plentiful.  Mediums (those who claim they can contact any ghost you choose and ask it questions) and mind-reader's (those who claim to see what you are thinking) are fakes...but often psychic skills can be used to make the common folk believe this is what you are doing.  Maybe you have a spirit guide who talks in riddles but can reveal secrets about people you talk to...this could allow you to pass yourself off as either a medium or a mind reader.      

Skills: what skills have you developed in your life, these are non-psychic but things you might have developed in your research or studies or just to make a living.  Limit yourself to 6 or so.  Are you a chemist? Do you have a flare for languages? What about sewing? Do you have a knack for research or finding things? Are you really good in bed?  Can you cheat at cards? Are you a pick pocket? Do you have a head for investments and business? These are the sorts of things that go here.   

Weapons/Fighting: Do you have a fighting skill? Sword? Revolver? Knife? Boxing? Etc.  Such skills go here.  Be reasonable both in quantity and likely-hood you would know said skill.  There were very few ninja wandering around Prague for example; you want to learn such styles of fighting you had better have a good story to go with it.

History: Give us a good feeling of your character's life and how they have learned to adapt to it as well as cope with their talent.  How do they make money/survive? Do they have a family? 

Random: Want to add anything more? Maybe you have some possession that means the world to you? Maybe you have a great animosity for all things pink? Do you have an existing relationship (romantic, friendship, enemy, etc) with another player character? Do you have a personal butler NPC? whatever.  
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[hider=Rules & Notes: Please Read]

1:All of RPGs rules. 
2:Respect other RPers…this is non-optional
3:No Godmodding...none. Period.
4: GM’s word is Law but I welcome suggestions and ideas for your character/story…please always feel free to PM me. Are you interested in helping me co-GM? Let me know
5: Quality & Quantity—this story focuses on character depth and development, inter-character relationships, as well as projecting the right atmosphere.  There is no posting minimum but about 1x/week is preferred. Co-posts are also welcome. I can rarely post more than 2x/week so if you are looking for a fast moving RP this might not be for you. 
6: Warning—Psychic talents are not always a blessing.  There may come a time when it's nothing more than a curse, or you have to pay a great price for using it. 
7: if you intend a length of absence PM the GM, in this story one can easily be lost and recovered later.  This is a series of mini-mysteries; aside from the first one everyone may not be involved in solving the same mystery
9.) I use PMs regularly to convey information, hints, clues, trouble…things unique to your character.  I also love visual aids and will use the first couple posts of the OOC and the Characters tabs to keep images of settings, people, npcs, etc. 
10.) On the occasions I am gone others may be drafted to keep the story moving. If you are interested in helping out with this please leave a note at the bottom of your character sheet and I’ll keep you in mind.  Or if you are interested in running a mini-mystery of your own let me know.   I'd love to see what some of you come up with for a short Gothic horror story.
11.) what number in the rules is missing? Please write it at the bottom of your character sheet to indicate you have indeed read the rules and notes.  
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