[center][h3][b][color=000000]⊰[/color][/b][u][b]ℒ[/b]icentia [b]Ҏ[/b]ossession & [b]ℛ[/b]eproduction[/u][b][color=000000]⊱[/color][/b][/h3][/center][hider]Unlike humans or Prae who only reproduce sexual pairings, Licentia can reproduce in several fashions which, while all similar, could be considered distinct enough to require individual explanation. These three methods are detailed below. 

The first—and best documented—of these three is known simply as “Singular Soul Splitting(Sx3)” or “Parasitism,” and involves a single Licenti condensing vis into their soul core, gradually growing it over time, before splitting it in half. Once split, the secondary soul core is embedded, in some fashion, into a host body of another being. Over a period ranging from several years to several days depending on the given Licenti sub-race's average incubation period, this new soul core devours and converts the host body's vis into its own, sometimes killing them, while other times leaving them alive and merely feeding off them till fully developed. Should the soul core fully convert the host body's vis, and anima, into its own, it will overtake their body completely, turning it into a homogenous substance which can easily shift between energetic and physical states. At this point the young Licenti is considered a conscious being which has entered its firth Growth state. Conversely, should a Licenti not kill its host, the parasitic soul core will condense sufficient energy to create a body within itself, after which it will find a way to exit its host body—sometimes violently, and sometimes harmlessly—where it will then enter a short period wherein it exudes the stored vis and then enters its first Growth stage. This second method leaves the Licenti child much more vulnerable making it, all in all, less common.

Second among the known reproduction methods of Licentia is “Bonding,” which is carried out by two or more Licentia entering their Growth states willingly before temporarily merging their bodies and splitting their individual soul cores equally to form a composite core from the split off shards. These smaller shards merge within the protective embrace of their parent's Vis and upon fully bonding, the child canabalizes a portion of its parents' Vis, before the parents separate and both child and parents reform—often with the child taking on an often temporary Trial Stage form. This Trial stage form is typically similar to that of the parents'. In rare cases, this method results in the death or crippling of the parent Licentia, as the child becomes too strong and devours more than it ought to.

Last of the three is known as “Surrogate Birthing,” and is a particularly uncommon occurrence. This method of reproduction requires first that either a single Licentia possess a host and reproduce with a member of the host species opposite sex, or that two Licentia possess two hosts of opposite gender. This process of possession is functionally similar to the Prae death imbuing, but different in that the host's personality and Vis is completely overpowered by the intruding Licentia. Mechanically speaking, possession occurs when a Licenti willingly and temporarily enters its Growth state and becomes Vis, before being inhaled, ingested, and inserted into a host body. Once within the host, the Licentia's soul core takes residence near vital organs so that removal will likely cause severe damage to the body, simultaneously, the Licentia will spread its Vis throughout the body of the host, permeating them with its energy. This process overrides the individual's control of their body aside from subconscious activities such as breathing and digestion—though these may be overridden as well. Once full possession of the host is achieved, the involved Licentia will mate with another member of the host's species—whether possessed or not—and the resultant fetus will be imbued either with small shards of the Licentia's soul core, or the Licentia will split their core and impart the split off portion to the child. As a result of this the offspring, even if the Licenti departs the host body, will be impossible to abort via normal means, and will take on the traits of a Growth Stage Licentia, incubating in the mother's womb for a time, before being born. In rare cases this may result in a Licenti-human or Licenti-Prae hybrid, the second being less common than the first.[/hider][center][h3][b][color=000000]⊰[/color][/b][u][b]Ҏ[/b]rae [b]ℛ[/b]eproduction & [b]ℭ[/b]hildren[/u][b][color=000000]⊱[/color][/b][/h3][/center][hider]Much like that of humans, Prae reproduction occurs through sexual pairing between a male and female resulting in a child after an eight month pregnancy. However, unlike human children, Prae children are born with only a partial Anima, which while sufficient for survival and proper maturation, will not suffice to allow the Prae child the full extent of their abilities—specifically, a Prae child is not born with the capability to utilize their Manifest. Instead, Prae children must be taken either to an Exeo, or the God-Queen, with the latter being more common—though the former is gaining traction in recent years. Perhaps the strangest and most intriguing aspect of Prae children is the fact that while the genetic sequence of Prae differs significantly from that of humans, a Prae child who is not imbued with vis from the necessary parties is almost identical to a human aside from the typical Prae features. Just as notable is the fact that a child birthed from a pairing of two Prae in comparison to a child birthed between a Prae-human pairing are only different so long as the Prae-human offspring never receives energy from the God-Queen or her Exeo. The leading theory in regards to this lack of difference is that the imparted Vis of the God-Queen or her Exeo is so potent as to overwrite/rewrite the very genetic fabric of a Prae-human child so as to make them full Prae except in some rare cases.[/hider][center][h3][b][color=000000]⊰[/color][/b][u][b]Ҏ[/b]rae [b]ℒ[/b]ife [b]ℰ[/b]xpectancy[/u][b][color=000000]⊱[/color][/b][/h3][/center][hider]An incredibly long lived race—though not outright immortal—a given Prae, when living in their home realm of Priscus, are known to live around 800 years with them being considered old by the age of 600. However, in Medius—likely due to the less dense vis in its atmosphere—Prae are known to age more quickly, with their average life expectancy being around 300 years.[/hider][center][h3][b][color=000000]⊰[/color][/b][u][b]ℬ[/b]ridges & [b]Ҏ[/b]rae [b]ℒ[/b]aw[/u][b][color=000000]⊱[/color][/b][/h3][/center][hider]Bridges leading to Priscus are guarded heavily by the Prae on both ends—often with human  assistance so that only authorized and 'worthy,' individuals may enter the realm. By and large Licentia are totally excluded from this as they have, for all intensive purposes, been outlawed from Priscus. No one seems to know exactly why. Notably, should a human manage to wander through an unguarded gate they will likely be apprehended by Prae on the Priscus end, and promptly sent back. However, should a human remain within Priscus for longer than thirty minutes, the individual while have their memories altered or wiped before they are sent back. Licentia on the other hand will have their memories wiped, or will be killed on sight depending on their relative power or danger rating according to Prae knowledge. Should a human not wish to return to Medius, they may stay in Priscus for the duration of their lives, but will be subject to all applicable Prae laws.[/hider][center][h3][b][color=000000]⊰[/color][/b][u][b]Ʉ[/b]nique [b]ℳ[/b]aterials[/u][b][color=000000]⊱[/color][/b][/h3][/center][hider]
[u][b]Dtsen:[/b][/u] A rare substance found only in the depths of Torqueo's lower layers, this material is so difficult to obtain that it has become mere legend to most. It has the durability of diamond, the density of lead, but without the weight of either. Dtsen must be worked in very specific, very difficult ways that no normal artisan would know, let alone be capable of. Due to the difficulty in obtaining it and its relative rarity as a result, Dtsen artisans are fairly rare, nonetheless they do exist and they often double as some of the most skilled craftsman and enchanters, for the art of working Dtsen requires many disciplines. Furthermore, the material is more magically pliable and conductive than almost any other known material. Dtsen in its natural form, appears as an almost opaque silver crystalline structure, with a 'black glow' thrumming from within. The crystal structure of Dtsen is adaptive, making it form irregular shapes, something that is very uncharacteristic of crystalline materials. The material, when it is found at all, is found growing on or near the [I]'roots'[/i] of Torqueo's vis veins, or leylines, as some call them. The purer and more potent the vis vein, the more valuable and useful the Dtsen that can be harvested. While some licenti scholars, such as the eminent Edravhen, know how Dtsen grows and could likely advise others in creating it independent of true vis veins, they have always protected the knowledge fiercely...for reasons unknown.

[u][b]Blackstone:[/b][/u] Can absorb, repel, and insulate from vis. The material is similar in physical composition to granite, but when it is broken appears to have a structure like obsidian. As its name implies, it is black in coloration. Depending on how the material is worked it will either end up opaque or somewhat translucent. The material is often used for places of internment in Torqueo so as to starve licentia of vis, and make sure that any sustenance they gain is purely from a source of their warden's choosing. This material, though less common, does exist in Medius and can be found in trace amounts in Obsidian, as well as deep in the earth. Blackstone is resistant to non-vis forms of energy and vis-manifested elemental magics, but can be compromised by introducing it either to too much vis, or to incredible amounts of physical force.

When too much vis is channeled through it, or a consistent amount is channeled through it for an extensive amount of time, Blackstone will begin to breakdown. This is due to the fact that the material is a vis forged amalgamation of other materials. When exposed to more vis, the bonds created to meld the properties of its constituent elements begin to deteriorate, until the material is reduced to a fine powder.

[u][b]Conduit Metal:[/b][/u] An alloy composed of carbon, iron, and silver, this metal is an exceptional conductor of vis. It is used in the construction of many magical implements including Foci and most enchanted items. Due to the process requiring vis be infused as well as for the metals to be combined in very specific amounts, Conduit Metal is particularly expensive.

[u][b]Verisium:[/b][/u] Otherwise known as vis-infused platinum, this material is made by bonding vis to platinum at the molecular level, refining its properties. While normal platinum is an incredibly potent material, capable of dispersing magical force and energy across its surface or channeling it if applied directly, Verisium takes such a step further. Rather than disperse vis across its surface or merely  channel it, Verisium amplifies any vis channeled through it and projects it invisibly around itself in a field. Any vis channeled through Verisium is enhanced dramatically in its potency and refined into a more focused, stable state. Due to the aforementioned traits the material is essentially toxic to licentia anatomy as it binds vis to itself, making it impossible for licentia to absorb or otherwise effect it through any 'normal' means. Like most difficult to make materials with incredibly useful properties, Verisium is incredibly expensive, moreso than either Vis Crystals or Conduit Metal on average.

[u][b]Vis Crystals:[/b][/u] A rare thing in Medius, vis crystals are generally not naturally occurring. These crystals are the result of vis being packed very tightly together until it crystalizes. The process of making them is difficult making them expensive. Vis crystals are used as “magical batteries,” to hold enchantments, raw vis, or to amplify magic making them supremely useful.[/hider][center][h3]
[b][color=000000]⊰[/color][/b][u][b]ℳ[/b]edius[/u][b][color=000000]⊱[/color][/b][/h3][/center][hider]Medius is not politically united, but is largely similar to our world. However, in Manifest Anima, the United Nations has considerably more power, as it possesses a council of elected officials who, should a world-threatening crisis loom, may take control of the countries of Medius so as to unite them against a common threat. This has only occurred twice so far in the history of Medius and is largely considered unprecedented. Aside from this, Medius is politically similar to Earth, with many of the same countries and nationalities existing—though more of them have risen to the status of first world countries than in our own world. While corruption does still very much exist in the governments of Medius, things such as power crises and global warming have been so reduced as to be largely inconsequential.[/hider][center][h3]
[b][color=000000]⊰[/color][/b][u][b]ц[/b]lna[/u][b][color=000000]⊱[/color][/b][/h3][/center][hider][h3]Summary Description:[/h3][hr]
The Ulna are an offshoot of the Precursor Humans, beings who inherited their forebears’ ability to manipulate their DNA with information contained within their Anima. 

The Ulna are possessed of a unique coalition of Anima and Body, which contains a mechanism that allows them to change the segments of their DNA relating to their Ostium, and to implement these changes immediately – the result of which is a combination of an extreme amount of pain and an ability to essentially mimic any vis-based ability that hits them and interacts with their vis. 

Though the Ulna have a great deal of control over their internal vis, and their ostium is very flexible, the genetics of the race result in their being unable to independently utilise either of these traits to perform feats of magic – so the only way for them to learn magic is to store the knowledge in their Anima and then in their DNA.

Due to the nature of their descent from the original Precursors, the Ulna lost their ability to adequately control and moderate the information that their Anima picks up, and are only able to keep instances of mimicry for so long, dependent upon their skill and age. This can be circumvented by literally ingraining the knowledge of their Anima into sections of their DNA, which permanently alter their ostium to enable the specific technique, but as a result are impossible to remove without replacing the DNA – and due to the physical nature of the change, the body of the Ulna may take on certain physiological changes due to the imperfect process of permanent retention.

The nature of this process, however, does wear down the Anima over time. Most Ulna live to approximately 400 (with rarer cases of around 500), and while there tend to be no noticeable downsides in the first 100 years, the continuous degradation begins to manifest in the form of less control over changes, and more physical changes taking place – which only continues into old age.

Over time, as changes accumulate in the DNA and the Anima wears away, the nature of the vis that influences the Ulna becomes more and more apparent – and if adequate control is not retained then the body can become overloaded with information from the Anima, and the DNA altering mechanism becomes unbound from the sections of DNA specifically responsible for the Ostium, moving to alter the rest of their physiology with whatever it is that they come into contact with. These changes are often brutal and unpredictable, resulting in them attempting to amalgamate as much DNA as possible with their own – this results in a brutal combination of various types of DNA that do not work attempting to mix, as well as degradation of the brain and the Anima – and the Ulna is like to become a veritable monstrosity.

Contributed by: [@Fallenreaper] Rewritten by: [@Tuujaimaa][/hider][center][h3][b][color=000000]⊰[/color][/b][u][b]ℒ[/b]esser [b]ℱ[/b]acts[/u][b][color=000000]⊱[/color][/b][/h3][/center][hider]
>The year at start of the IC is 2053.
>Curses, while rare, do exist and are typically the result of an alteration to an individual's Anima.
>Humans may invoke their magic through hand motions, incantation (or a key word), runes, or a Focus.
>Physical and Mental maturity is not at all measured by way of time for Licentia.
>Practically all Exeo are female and should an Exeo impart their Vis/Anima to a male Prae, the individual—more often than not—[i]must[/i] impart their Vis to a female Prae upon their death. There have been three documented exceptions and only one lives today.
>Magic is sometimes taught in Private schools in Medius, but more often in college. There are colleges entirely dedicated to the teaching and study of magic. Most schools at least teach children about Vis, the Anima, and Ostium as an expansion of the Biological sciences.
>Having been known to exist dating back to prehistoric cave drawings, Bridges which link the realms are correctly thought to be the reason for many myths—especially human ones.
>A Prae of decent skill and power is capable of remaining in their manifest for roughly two hours before needing to rest provided they do not use large amounts of vis within a short period of time.
>Should a Prae utilize a significant amount of vis whilst within their Manifest, it tends to last only for twenty or so minutes.
>If a Prae wishes to remain in their Manifest for longer than 2 hours, all they need do is not expend energy. As such they will only tire as much as they would from physical exercise, based on how they use their vis appendages during.[/hider][center][h3][b][color=000000]⊰[/color][/b][u][b]ℒ[/b]icentia [b]ℒ[/b]ife [b]ℭ[/b]ycle[/u][b][color=000000]⊱[/color][/b][/h3][/center][hider]First and foremost, it should be known that Licentia life expectancy is around 200-300 years even considering their predatory nature. Their kind consider an individual who has reached 400-600 years of age to have lived a full life, though they can potentially live much much longer. Should a Licentia reach the Eximius stage their life expectancy increases drastically, generally rising into the thousand range, though an individual who is merely 1000 or so would not be considered to be particularly old for an Eximius.

Beyond these facts one should note that there is an intrinsic difference in Anima composition between a Licentia's three known stages. Typically the Anima of Growth-stage Licentia is much less dense than that of a Trial stage, while an Eximius stage Licentia has a soul core, or soul cores, that have typically in some way split around its body. Conversely their soul core is exceedingly dense thus increasing the amount of vis regenerated by the Licentia in question.

[/hider][center][h3][b][color=000000]⊰[/color][/b][u][b]ℵ[/b]otable [b]Ѻ[/b]rganizations[/u][b][color=000000]⊱[/color][/b][/h3][/center][hider][hider=The Draconai Intoners][center][h3]T h e   D r a c o n a i   I n t o n e r s[/h3][/center][hr][hr]
[sub][h3][i]Background[/i][/h3][/sub]
[indent]The Draconai Intoners began as a small grouping of what humans would label Gypsy Prae thousands of years prior to the present day. Though they were not all related, this clan came together due to their sharing of beliefs. The general mantra was that in order to reach a state of complete euphoric peace, a separation from society was necessary before venturing out into the world and assimilating knowledge and experience. Simply put, the Intoners believed that they had to segregate themselves from their fellow Prae and wander the worlds, searching for personal understanding in order to reach a prophetic state of peace of the mind, body, and Anima. As the caravan wandered Priscus, the Intoners began developing their telepathic abilities. It started with communicating with one another through telepathy alone, but soon began to expand into something greater and much more specific. With time, the nature of the isolated clan became such that offspring were being born with the unique abilities of their ancestors and an entirely new subspecies was created. 

In the years following their beginnings, the Draconai Intoners morphed into more of a reclusive sort of cult rather than a caravan of like-minded Prae. A code of laws was added to accompany the status change and rumors of their wanderings and sightings began to spread amongst all races as they expanded into Medius and even Torqueo. Their mission, still one of achieving a prophetic peace, had now also become to teach others to do the same - specifically, the Licentia. After witnessing the violence of Medius and Torqueo, the Intoners took it upon themselves to become non-combative prophets and teachers of the way of pure peace. Those who were considered the most enlightened amongst the group became leaders of the movement though they did not rule over others; they measured the enlightenment of prospective Intoners and guided the younger on the path of righteousness. 

When the Prae invaded Medius and took over, the Intoners found themselves firmly against the action. Though they do not act against their own kind, they do not look favorably upon those who instigate and forcibly subjugate others. While the Licenti and humanity are indeed species who look to violence above all else, the Prae occupation was an example of the wrong way to respond. Thus, the Intoners spread themselves amongst the realms and sent a special envoy to the center of the occupation, Ominar, in order to bring their teachings and remind their brethren of how a Prae should behave and what one should strive for.[/indent]
[sub][h3][i]Abilities[/i][/h3][/sub]
[indent]The Intoners derived their name from the abilities they exhibit. Draconai, translated to Dragon, refers to the fact that some of their abilities correspond to the attributes of the mythical creatures spoken of in stories or legends. Intoner refers to what is probably the main ability of the species and the one they are most famous for. Draconai Intoners are born with their abilities, but still must be taught by the older members to use them effectively. Every individual possesses the exact same ability set which is another reason why the group came together easily during their beginnings. This abnormal sort of manifestation is due to the fact that, unlike other Prae, the Anima of an Intoner can not grow more dense or larger than it already is even if other Prae die and impart their energy into one. This hinders the development of new abilities and the growth of the ones they already possess though the Intoners believe this is because if their powers were to grow, they would become far too strong and inevitably begin seeing corrupt members diverge from the path and pursue their own machinations. Also due to the unique biological makeup of their Vis and stagnant Anima, Draconai Intoner abilities cannot be copied, absorbed, or replicated by any other race or species. One must simply be born into the species in order to receive their abilities.[/indent] 
[indent][b][i]The Voice Of The Gods[/i][/b][/indent]
[indent][indent]Within their beliefs, the Draconai Intoners worship the Dragons of ancient lore. They believe that the beasts should be exalted over all and used their massive presence to issue commands to others. Eventually, the Intoners developed what would become their most famous ability though it is also one they teach their young must only be used with the right discretion. 

The Voice Of The Gods allows the speaker - a Draconai Intoner, specifically - to force others to follow their spoken commands. Initiated with the phrase "Heed my words", the command comes after must be followed by the targeted individual. Though this is the broad and simple explanation, the ability itself works in a more complex manner. The power stems from a combination of telepathic prowess and Vis manipulation - in short, the Voice of the Gods is very advanced and unique form of mind control. When an Intoner utters the initiation phrase, they subconsciously begin to assume temporary control of the target's mind, manipulating the target's own Vis by linking it with theirs - a process known as [i]tainting[/i]. Once a command is issued, the link causes the "tainted" Vis within the target to infect their brain and motivate the target to freely wish to follow said command and said command alone. Due to this process however, there a certain limitations one must take into account. 

First, an Intoner's command following the initiation phrase must equate to three words or less. Longer sentences and whole paragraphs can cause the linking of Vis within the target to overwhelm itself and break, loosening the temporary control of the speaker. Since the Intoners are Prae however, a manifested state will increase the strength of the link and increase the limit to six words or less due to the influx of power available in manifestation. 

Second, an Intoner cannot issue a command which results in the death of a target. If such a command is issued, it could result in a breaking of the link and the target regaining full sensory control once more. 

Finally, due to how the ability functions, the strongest of telepathic minds are able to somewhat fight off the urge to follow an issued command. Telepaths of an extreme skill level are able to partially block the tainting of Vis and thus severely weaken the urge that usually compels one to follow an issued command. This is usually only seen when this ability is used against other Prae, but the Intoners do not believe in using this ability against the Prae as they believe they are all brethren. This ability is strongest when used against Humans, Licentia, and Hybrids.[/indent][/indent]
[indent][b][i]Drake-Scale[/i][/b][/indent]
[indent][indent]Though the Intoners are non-combative by nature, they developed a defensive ability that would allow them endure even in the face of malice. The Drake-Scale manifests as colored scales on the skin of an Intoner. The colors vary between Intoner, but the usage remains the same. The scales are comprised of the solidification of densely packed Vis which hardens to an extreme degree and then settles as an added invisible layer of protection over the formed scales themselves. The scales act as an armor and are able to withstand both physical and magical attacks to varying degrees. 

Drake-Scale can be be activated on certain parts of the body, but can only overtake the entire body when in a manifested state. In lieu of true offensive abilities of supernatural origin, the Drake-Scale can help an Intoner survive scenarios in which they would otherwise be killed.[/indent][/indent]

[indent][b][i]Trial By Fire[/i][/b][/indent]
[indent][indent]The Trial By Fire is a moniker for an Intoner's unique healing and purification ability. When an Intoner is mortally wounded, poisoned, or in danger of being telepathically controlled, they can use supernatural flames to cleanse themselves. The flames themselves are comprised of Vis and stem from within the stagnant Anima. The flames envelope the Intoner in a cocoon of flame and slowly "burn" away any degrading effects on the body, slowly mend the body back to full healing, "burn" the energy being used to try and telepathically take control of their minds, or cleanse corrupted Vis within their own selves. The flames cannot be used in an offensive manner whatsoever and they also cannot be used on another being lest that being be burned to death. 

The Trial By Fire also acts as a sort of safety mechanism. Should a powerful telepath take control of a Draconai Intoner and force them to use the Voice of the Gods, the Trial By Fire will activate involuntarily and "burn" away the energy being used to assume control before any commands are issued. This has kept the Intoner population from being used by others to achieve chaotic or otherwise undesirable goals.[/indent][/indent]

[indent][b][i]Martial Ability[/i][/b][/indent]
[indent][indent]The Intoner's final ability is simply their physical prowess. To make up for the lack of offensive abilities using energy sources, the Intoners train their own to be formidable physical combatants. The reason for this is that though they believe in spreading their teachings of reaching a state of pure peace, and descending from the very intelligent Prae species, they also realize that the world is full of dangers and one must also live long enough to spread the teachings. The combat of an Intoner is purely hand-to-hand and heavily discourages the use of physical weaponry of any kind. For an Intoner, combat is meant to be purely defensive and for survival rather than a show of strength or dominance over another. Their flow of combat specializes in speed, agility, and reversal techniques.[/indent][/indent]
[sub][h3][i]Manifestation & Conclusion[/i][/h3][/sub]
[indent]Draconai Intoners sprout the wings of a Dragon in their manifested state. This allows them the ability glide over short distances, but not outright fly. This also increases their magical affinity and strengthens their natural resistance against telepathic control. In a manifested state, Drake-Scale can overtake the entire body and allow an Intoner to endure heavy amounts of physical and magical damage. The Trial By Fire can also resurrect an Intoner that is killed in their manifested state [i][b]exactly one time within the span of their life - this does not carry over to their life after resurrection.[/b][/i] 

The Draconai Intoners are a species whose sole purpose in life is to spread the teaching of peace and reaching a state of pure peace between the mind, body, and Anima. Their abilities are tailored towards protecting themselves in a harsh world where much more powerful beings could take advantage of or otherwise kill them with no cause or reason. Though they are trained in a form of martial combat, an Intoner that kills - ever - is blacklisted from the movement and hunted by their fellow Intoners until they are captured and brought back to face punishment from elders. Once their training is complete and they are dispersed to a location to begin spreading the teachings, an Intoner may partake in whatever activities they choose. In effect, they are allowed to have some sort of life of normalcy as long as their actions don't violate the ethics taught to them.[/indent]

~Credit goes to [@Icmasticc][/hider]
[hider=TIAMAT][center][h3]T H E  I N T E R N A T I O N A L  A S S O C I A T I O N  F O R  M A G I C A L            A D V A N C E M E N T  A N D  T R A I N I N G[hr]T I A M A T[hr][/h3][/center]
[sub][h3][i]Purpose & True Nature[/i][/h3][/sub]
[indent]The Mission Statement of TIAMAT is to advance, spread, and police magic across the globe in the interest of bettering the lives of all humanity. However, their true nature is something else entirely, instead tying into two ancient organizations that an outsider looking in might even call cults. These two organizations, known as the Order of Athriohm and Diffugium each exist for one reason: To contain, in the case of the Order, and to spread, in the case of Diffugium, the most intrinsic principles of magic to humanity. While TIAMAT does serve a vital function in today's society, facilitating the education of new generations of mages as well as tackling greater magical threats and advancing magical research the organization, at its core, is nothing more than a front for the aforementioned. Hopefully it doesn't collapse under the weight of its founders' history.[/indent]
[sub][h3][i]Background[/i][/h3][/sub]
[indent]While none know it, TIAMAT has its origins slated in a much older and more ancient organization, one that is not only hidden from the public eye, but is not even a myth, having erased itself even from the history books. This secret society, known as the [i][u]Order of Athriohm[/u][/i], dates back to a time prior to even Sumer, the first human civilization with documented written language. This Order has always possessed one purpose, and that is to safeguard humanity's ultimate strength, something they call the Art and the leading mage scholars of our age know as Unified Magic Theory, something which they have yet to verify the existence of. Yet, to the Order this is very much a reality, and its origin is simple. As the lore goes, a man known only as Athriohm, discovered not just magic, but a magic executed through the utilization of the patterns which govern existence, patterns even more intrinsic than those found in quantum physics. However, this knowledge was not passed down, though it was written...and hidden, presumably, by Athriohm himself. Only later in the time of King Arthur did Merlin and the dread witch, Morgana le Fay discover the texts. It was then that a fracture occurred and so the Order was formed from Merlin's disciples, whereas Morgana founded an organization known as Diffugium. Since their founding these two organizations have been locked in an unseen war, one that, should either win, will shape the future of mankind for Diffugium has always wished to share the Art with man, while the Order has deemed humanity too young a species to wield such a powerful magic.

Today this [i]war[/i] is waged in the form of TIAMAT, which was founded in 1850, as it predated the Magical Registry Act by 12 years. This organization started small, but as magic spread within the ensuing years and the world adopted laws to deal with its rise to prominence, TIAMAT too was given purpose, rising to the occasion and becoming first the leading organization in Europe for the advancement of magical theory and practice, before spreading to Asia, Australia, and finally in 1868, to the Americas. Since then TIAMAT has grown into the most influential international organization associated with the betterment and spread of magic, and yet that ancient war is still wielded within its ranks as members of the Art and of Diffugium either reveal the Art, or cover it up, continuing the deadlock that has been ongoing for centuries. Perhaps one day one side will triumph. Perhaps.[/indent]
[sub][h3][i]Power Structure[/i][/h3][/sub]
[indent]Lead by a joint council, TIAMAT possesses two empty positions at the top of its heirarchy, which exist only for states of emergency and are decided upon by the councils each electing one of the other council's members. Each council is made up of one-hundred members that cycle in and out of service depending on the occasion. These councilors hail from all around the world, with a focus on skill and knowledge in magic, administration, global, and local politics they are chosen from any number of countries, developing and otherwise. Often is it that these councilors are trained from a young age, though it is just as often that they are already elderly, as there is no true age requirement.

Below the joint council are the various districts, with a single district per government, which are further split into Local Offices, one per state, major city, greater area, or province. All District Chiefs take orders from the Joint Council, but also act to keep the standards for magical learning up to par in their given domain. Additionally, they watch over the legislative process to ensure that their region is policing magic as fairly as possible. These District Chiefs have a measure of political clout in their given area and are capable of vetoing or vetting laws or policies to an extent making them capable of being involved in the political processes of their given region.

Yet still below the District Chiefs are the lowest tier in the hierarchy of TIAMAT, known as Magistrates, these positions are typically held by knowledgeable mages. These Magistrates in turn lead a small army of magi and anti-mage forces that they can deploy to handle more dangerous magical disputes or to assist local law enforcement in dealing with threats arcane. Beyond this they act as the eyes, ears, and hands of their betters.[/indent][/hider]
[hider=IHO][center][h3]The International Hunters' Organization[/h3][/center][hr]
[hider=The Tale of Founding]An organization whose origins date back to the beginning of the middle ages, the International Hunters' Organization, referred to as IHO from here forwards, came to be when a band of mercenaries decided to organize themselves in 421 AD, near the beginning of the middle ages. Lead by a man named Averey Sylverward who did so in response to a surge of what was then called 'demon' activity. Capitalizing on this surge, he hired out the services of his mercenaries to anyone who required a monster slain. As time passed they gained notoriety and grew in size, eventually forgoing all involvement with the affairs of war. Over the next one hundred years the “Warding Knights,” as they came to be called, became specialized as they gained experience hunting beasts of various caliber going from what were once normal mercenaries, to dedicated and rather famous monster hunters.

They were always led by a descendant of Averey and they sought to protect whomever asked, regardless of their blood, so long as they were paid. As they began to assist more and more countries with their supernatural troubles, the Knights became rather infamous in medieval Europe until they were wide spread enough to have bases in multiple regions, as well as funding for their exploits. All in all, things were going well for the Warding Knights, that was of course until the witch hunts began, targeting even the prestigious Knights despite their fealty to the people and tendency to slay what mankind then knew as 'demons' and beasts of depravity. So it was that the fall of the Knights began, as they too turned on one another, fighting in what amounted to religious wars for the first time in hundreds of years. Brother turned on brother, sister on sister, mother on child as the great order fought on multiple sides, some taking the side of the church so as to survive, while others rejected their teachings.

By the end of the 12th century the prestige of the Knights was all but forgotten. With their numbers reduced to but a fourth of what they had been just fifty years before, most went into hiding or pledged their service to the church. Things stayed this way for over one hundred years, until a spike in supernatural occurrences again took hold of the land. 'Demons' roamed the earth almost in earnest, and the people were cowed by religious superstition and fear.

It was at this time that the last living descendant of Averey, a certain Garrick Sylvard emerged from the shadows, bringing with him those few who had sworn themselves to his family since the founding days of the Knights. Across Europe they traveled, laying waste to any nefarious beast they came upon even while the people spurned them and the church hunted them down with those that had descended from their brothers. Still, even hunted, Garrick's following grew rapidly as others came out of hiding to fight for their families and for their friends against the rising tide of 'demonkind' and their monstrous servants.

As they rose, despite the church's efforts to constantly denounce them, a new name was bestowed upon them, and so it was that the term 'Hunter' was born in its present day use. Time went on and Garrick's Hunters fought to protect their own, eventually finding solid backing in the nobility thus beginning the process of unseating the church from its position of power. 

This time, the Hunters rose above their predecessors, taking boats to other countries where they would come to establish themselves as well. Then in 1436 AD at what seemed the peak of their growth when they were firmly established, two of the humanity's great mysteries were solved as the 'angels' and 'demons' of religious text revealed themselves to the world and offered—rather than a holy war—a helping hand.

Over the next couple hundred years what had been Garrick's Hunters gradually grew and was eventually officially turned into what is today known as IHO, by a man named Draestn Katela. While his family no longer runs the organization and its leadership has long since been shrouded in mystery, the International Hunters' Organization has become one of the modern pillars of civilization, protecting the citizens of Medius from the things that go bump in the night.

Let's hope they continue to do so.[/hider]
[hider=The Creed]While most organizations run themselves through the laws of the countries they exist in and a set of internal rules and regulations, IHO gives the world the appearance of doing these things, while in actuality only adhering to what its members call 'the Creed.' While acting similar to a set of rules, the Creed is effectively a series of oaths and pledges that a Hunter swears to upon their entrance into the organization. The most notable aspect of this Creed is perhaps that it is not absolute, allowing a measure of wiggle room for the organization's many members.

Below is written the Creed in its original form:

[quote=Draestn Katela][i][b]“Hold fast against the raging tide,
The tide of blood shall wane in time,
When wane it does, their time will come,
Let that be the night that our vengeance is done,
Hold fast and steel your minds,
For we are the bastion against dark times,
Be it demon, beast, angel or man, let it be ours who reclaim or protect the land.
Sworn to our brothers and sisters are we,
Never back down, and never let the Enemy see the weakness of ye,
Through turmoil and the blood moon's rising,
We will stand, steadfast, bulwark to their violent writhing,

Hold fast shall I to brothers and sisters both,
For tonight I swear before Him a bloodoath,
My hand shall never strike mine kin,
My blade, or tongue, shall never turn against him,
If ever I slay my siblings grim,
Let the judgment day come upon me,

Even apart, our souls are joined,
Even apart are bodies fight as one,
We are the shadow hidden light,
We are the culling knife,
If my arms fail me and I should fall,
Let my kin yet stand tall,
Have my arms, my vis, my flesh,
And let them serve to fight again in my stead.

Yet, while I know we are strong,
Know that even we can only fight for so long.
So it is that should we fail,
That I hope others will find hope and prevail.
As without guardian our Will,
Cannot hold this Enemy,
Still I hope he sleeps,
Still we hope he remains below.
So that the land can live and never know.”[/b][/i][/quote]
While the last stanza is seldom spoken and the entirety of the Creed remains hidden from outsiders, the whole of it boils down to a number of simple rules which are as follows.
[list]
[*]Do not slay other hunters, for doing so will more often than not make you become the hunted.
[*]Do not intentionally slay innocents uninvolved in ones contract(s).
[*]Do not speak of IHO's leadership or reveal its secrets.
[*]Avoid needless collateral in general.
[*]Do not hold political station.
[*]Remain loyal.
[/list][/hider]
[hider=Prestige and A Hunter's Career]Risk, a Hunter's entire career from the moment they join the organization to the moment they retire—provided they make it that far—is defined by this concept. Great risk for great rewards. Great power and for most reasonably mature Hunters, great responsibility. After all, it is said—first and foremost—that a Hunter's duty is, after themselves, to the people. Namely to make sure they are defended against those heinous beings who prey upon them be it from the shadows or in plain sight. While some Hunters may be assassins or mercenaries, even they often hold in their hearts, the faces of those they wish to protect.

It is said that those without kin do not survive long in the business, for without things to care for and protect, one often loses the drive to protect oneself.

[sub][h3]Entrance[/h3][/sub][hr]
Joining the Hunter's Organization is in actuality a rather simple process with a minimal amount of paperwork. Essentially an individual locates one of their establishments—which can be found practically anywhere around the world, including even the smallest most dilapidated villages. Then it simply a questionnaire/short test, a submission of one's legal information, and then a brief 10-20 minute wait while the information is processed and looked over by operators in HQ. Once accepted, a Hunter is given either a probationary or official Hunter's License based on their skillset, background check, and any existing past exploits. Most Hunters are classified as “C class,” upon finishing what amounts to their registration.

[sub][h3]The Hunter's License[/h3][/sub][hr]
As mentioned above there are at least two common forms of Hunter License, known as the Probationary and Official Hunters Licenses these two differ in the following ways, which are laid out below.

[i][u]Probationary Hunter's License:[/u][/i] A license given to Hunter Entrants who have no prior exploits and a negligible amount of experience doing the sort of work that Hunters specialize in. Additionally, any minor is more likely to receive a probationary license than they are to receive an official one. If a minor is below the age of 16, but above the age of 10 they may receive a Probationary license so long as their guardian approves. This license gives a Hunter access to the same resources as an Official License would—within reason—but limits the Hunter to contracts of C class and below. A Hunter may, after two weeks, apply for an Official License, but they will only be accepted if the organizations deems their skillset, skill level, and/or accomplishments deserving of such. It should be noted that a Probationary License does [i]not[/i] afford a Hunter the right to kill, but does protect them from most other laws.

[i][u]Official Hunter's License:[/u][/i] The form of identification given to most Hunters, this license affords Hunters nigh unrestricted access to the entire Hunter database as well as the resources and a measure of influence that the organization can bring to bear. Hunters are given this license if they have either notable experience, prior exploits, or have proven themselves that they are worthy of it through the completion of contracts or assistance in emergency situations. Additionally and unlike the Probationary Hunter's License, this license is effectively a license to kill so long as it is in the interest of completing a contract and/or within reason. Individuals below the age of 16 may not receive an Official Hunter's License and those below the legal age in their country of residence and/or origin are more likely to receive a Probationary license—though there are the occasional exceptions.

[sub][h3]Contracts and Prestige[/h3][/sub][hr]
In short, Hunters and the Contracts they take or ranked by a similar system, which they refer to as the Class Rating System(CRS). This system, for Contracts, gives a Hunter a basic idea of the difficulty, complexity, and necessary level of skill involved in a given job; whereas for Hunters the CRS gives a general idea of the combat proficiency, expertise, experience, and number of jobs completed as well as their notoriety in general.

[I]*It should be noted that the higher the class of a Hunter, the more they are likely to be paid for any given contract. Meaning that a Hunter of higher rank is likely to get paid far more for the same contract than a lower ranked Hunter.[/i]

[hider= ][table][row][cell]Class[/cell][cell]Hunter[/cell][cell]Contract[/cell][/row]
[row][cell][h1][b][i]F[/i][/b][/h1][/cell][cell]N/A.[/cell][cell]A rating only given to contracts, the 'F' designation is typically used to describe a job of minimal difficulty. Generally, contracts of this nature are exceptionally minor, including investigations of minor disturbances, or body guard duty that has the lowest chance of anything happening. Practically all F class jobs do not offer pay, and those that do offer minimal pay.[/cell][/row]
[row][cell][h1][b][i]E[/i][/b][/h1][/cell][cell]The lowest rating that can be assigned to a Hunter, this designation is given to those with essentially no exceptional skills or abilities. Individuals of this rating typically posses very weak, or no magic at all, with the latter being more common. Additionally, these individuals typically have no martial experience or significant skill in the use of firearms. The lowest common denominator, Hunters of this rating are not common in the least and typically include individuals of average human physicality, possessing no magic, and negligible skills of any kind.[/cell][cell]Contracts of this rating tend to be minor low impact, low threat reconnaisance—such as scouting out a non-threatening area for a future operation. Occasionally paranoid people with far too much money will hire a hunter as a bodyguard. Such a contract—provided their paranoia is unlikely to be justified—would be a good example of your typical contract of this rating. Pay for these jobs is typically below $100-250.[/cell][/row]
[row][cell][h1][b][i]D[/i][/b][/h1][/cell][cell]Hunters of this designation, while typically unknown, have a measure of experience and expertise—most likely in one rather limited field. These individuals are often physically fit and/or somewhat skilled with magic. It is not uncommon to see individuals with some small measure of experience with firearms. However, it is never all of the above.[/cell][cell]Minor Contracts that involve a small amount of expertise, typically only in one area. These contracts, if they involve any danger, are typically very easily handled even by hunters of this same designation. Possible contracts include scoping out an area with a low threat level, such as a ghetto or slum; a stake out; or dealing with a very minor creature of licentia barely capable of defending itself or equivalent to a moderately sized wild animal such as a crocodile or cougar. Most contracts of this rating stay within a $300-700 range when it comes to pay.[/cell][/row]
[row][cell][h1][b][i]C[/i][/b][/h1][/cell][cell]The average class rating of most Hunters in IHO and the average rating of most new entrants, this designation typically describes individuals with at least enough combat experience to hold their own against a novice mage, average martial artist, or in a gunfight involving less than 4 people. These Hunters typically either have minor magics, considerable weapons technology, or an enhanced physical form. Conversely they may dabble in all of the above, but only minorly. Those of the C class are most often the individuals being tasked with contracts, but are not individually that famous with some exceptions due to the sheer number of them.[/cell][cell]The second most common sort rating for contracts, these often include beings with some measure of magical ability and who normal civilians or those below this rank would be incapable of dealing with. Such contracts often involve scoping out moderately dangerous locations, such as small licenti or monster nests or perhaps radioactive zones. They include semi-rare item acquisition, escort missions, and a few body guard contracts here and there for those who are themselves the targets of violence or dangerous trickery. Jobs of this rating often pay $800-1700 on average.[/cell][/row]
[row][cell][h1][b][i]B[/i][/b][/h1][/cell][cell]The third most common class of Hunter, those of this designation are experienced in two of the three ways of combat—Martial, Magical, and Technological—but have not mastered them fully. They are often experts in their field of choice and are sent out to deal with monster infestations, dangerous artifacts, and to Hunt down those that prey on the innocent and/or unwary. Individuals of this rating are often somewhat well known in the regions they frequent most, but are more often the sort who have names or titles that you do not remember, despite you knowing who someone is talking about.[/cell][cell]The most common contract rating, such contracts often include the hunting of more dangerous licentia and the rare magical beast. Individuals can be expected to enter zones containing multiple lesser hostile entities, animals, or magical phenomena. They can be expected to infiltrate locations of medium security such as prisons, and they are sometimes tasked to search for certain classes of magical artifacts which are not rare, but not common either. Contracts of this class, on average, pay $3500.[/cell][/row]
[row][cell][h1][b][i]A[/i][/b][/h1][/cell][cell]Containing the best of the best, most Hunters do not progress past this rating, yet despite this it is the second most common class. These individuals are drastically more experienced, infamous, and powerful than those of B class. They are capable of combating multiple experienced magi, or a single grandmaster mage. They are martially adept or highly trained with firearms and/or other magical weaponry. These individuals are typically very knowledgeable and they are common knowledge in most parts of the world, you probably know their titles, if not their names. These individuals are exceptional.[/cell][cell]Contracts of this class are difficult and exceptionally dangerous. Only individuals of a high caliber, meaning some B class Hunters, and most A class, are allowed to take them. These involve rare artifacts capable of causing severe damage to an entire region, beings capable of devastating towns or cities—if given time or left to their own devices. It even includes missions that would take a Hunter outside of Medius though these are less common. These contracts often pay above $15000+[/cell][/row]
[row][cell][h1][b][i]S[/i][/b][/h1][/cell][cell]Where A class Hunters are infamous in their own right, it is those of S rank and beyond that truly [i]everyone[/i] has heard of. When their names come up people pay attention, politicians make calls, and people make their jobs as easy as possible. These are people a cut above the rest. They are those who have been recognized by those of the SS class, who themselves were chosen by IHO's mysterious and enigmatic leader. Individuals of this rating are capable of handling three or four grandmaster magi, they are people with training in all three forms of combat, and they are those with access to a greater pool of resources than every hunter beneath them. These hunters, in most cases, have worked for the organization for over 30 years and, as proof of their dedication, are awarded this rank, which affords them access to the usually restricted second and third floors of IHO Regional Headquarters. There are less than 12 individuals of this rank at this time.[/cell][cell]While no contract designations exist beyond S class, contracts of this rank are essentially shared among the top three ranks of IHO, though some A rank individuals, or groups of A class Hunters, may be assigned contracts of this difficulty level. In essence, S class contracts involve threats that have the potential to do meaningful damage to cities or large towns or anything that goes beyond such a level. An individual who submits a S class contract may—through the inclusion of certain details—request that a Hunter of S class rating or above take the job rather than someone else. Additionally, jobs of this threat level typically pay around 1.5 million or more depending on the Hunter(s) who take it and the resulting difficulty of the assigned tasks. More often than not, S class contracts are given to IHO by large businesses, organizations, or governments—though occasionally the exorbitantly rich.[/cell][/row]
[row][cell][h1][b][i]SS[/i][/b][/h1][/cell][cell]Individuals capable of almost unimaginable feats, Hunters of this class are chosen by the leader of IHO himself and are very few in number. In fact, it is said that there are less than 10 at current time. The identity of these Hunters is typically unknown, though their aliases are known worldwide by practically anyone who matters—and many on the lower rungs of society as well due to the magnitude of their work. Should one of these illusive individuals be assigned to a contract, you better hope that it wasn't to deal with you.[/cell][cell]See S Class.[/cell][/row]
[row][cell][h1][b][i]SSS[/i][/b][/h1][/cell][cell]Individuals who have risen through the ranks and reached the highest position in IHO's ranks, these Hunters are almost never seen active on contracts out in the world. Their aliases or names—to those few who might know them—elicit shivers and despite them not being recognized by their appearance or the like by the common folk, these are the sort of people that bedtime stories are told about—not that anyone knows those stories are about them. These individuals take their orders directly from IHO's elusive leader, and it is said that the leader of IHO is among their very small number. After all, there are only four people of this rank...or at least only four who are part of the organization.[/cell][cell]See S Class.[/cell][/row][/table][/hider]
[sub][h3]Discharge, Defection and Retirement[/h3][/sub][hr]Due to the dangers of serving as a Hunter, any individual of any class is automatically enrolled in a retirement plan of sorts, mostly using a small measure of IHO's private funds to start an account for their members. This allows any Hunter, after serving for at least five to ten years, to live somewhat comfortable lives after their stressful time as Hunters of the organization. However, it should be noted that the higher the Hunter's class when they retire and/or the longer they remain active, the more luxurious their retirement tends to be. Additionally, Hunters may retire at any time after their first five to ten years, regardless of the laws of the country they decide to live in. Hunters are also afforded benefits for more or less the same reasons.

Beyond this there are only two other ways to leave the organization and they are known as Defection and Discharge. To be Discharged is to commit an offense to the Creed sufficient enough to revoke your license—either for a time or permanently—but not so severe as to require your incarceration. This often includes abuse of hunter privileges, resources, or rights in some way or the partial breaking of the Creed. Defection on the other hand is a far more serious offense and typically occurs when a Hunter makes the intentional decision to break the Creed, rendering them outlaws and criminals on the spot. These individuals may be hunted and captured, or outright killed with impunity. After all, one does not simply betray one's family and expect to walk away unscathed.

Beyond this it should be noted that even should a Hunter die on duty or turn against the organization, their families—should they have any—will be taken care of in their absence as IHO takes care of their own.[/hider]
[hider=Purpose, Influence, and Political Standing]As may have been fairly clear, the International Hunter's Organization has a worldwide presence and is incredibly well integrated with the societies of almost every country on the planet. They are almost universally accepted as the best at what they do and that is to say protect the innocent, slay the deserving, and succeed at almost any task given to them. While the record of their individual Hunters are not flawless, theirs is and they have been monumentally useful in a number of global crises in the past not to mention having stopped their fair share from ever having happened—often without the knowledge of the public. As such, the words of higher class Hunters are more likely to be heeded than those of a politician in almost any manner. Furthermore, when IHO decides to throw its weight around, the world moves. Yet, one might be asking, how have they not become corrupted by such a level of global influence?

Well, I'd say, because when you serve everyone's interests to some degree and also protect the world from a threat long forgotten...well, it makes the minor struggles sort of...fall away, and the power worth it if only to keep everyone safe so that no one will ever have to fight what dwells under their watchful eyes again.[/hider][/hider][/hider]