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Origins
They are born like anyone else, of a union between man and woman. They have a childhood, sometimes happy, oft times not, as mortals do. They live, eat, grow, and love like anyone else, but something sets them apart. Many are ancient (at least several millennia old) - but may go back ten or twenty thousand years, before written history, to the times of Atlantis, Lemuria or some long forgotten civilization of humans. Somewhere along the way they became immortal.

Physiology
All are able to shrug off injuries that would kill an ordinary being, but this is only a small part of what makes them special. Most feel pain as acutely as mortals do, perhaps even more so, but even the weakest of them has the stamina to withstand great physical trauma that would incapacitate a normal person. Aging wrinkles fade away restoring a semblance of lost youth and yet despite this they can still walk among normal humans without showing their preternatural nature.

How long it takes wounds to heal depends mostly on the individual, but also on the type of wound and location of the wound. It speeds up the healing process to such an extent that it happens within minutes, and the process is perfect, leaving no scars or marks as it allows the cells to access the genetic blueprint.

Severed extremities (with one exception) will grow back in a matter of days, and even nervous system damage will repair itself. At least one has survived having the back of his head blown off with a shotgun, with only a memory loss to remind them of it. Indeed, their biology seems to defy the very laws of physics, all need to eat, breathe, and sleep as mortals do, but lack of these things will not kill them, only make them weaker. All may survive underwater or without food indefinitely, only growing feebler and less lucid as the days turn into weeks, and the months turn into years.

Able to revive them from temporary death even after the main organs have stopped operating. The energy that empowers them acts like a jump start on cells and the major organs to get them going again. One way to inflict the true death upon one is to either cut off their head or atomise their body.

Progeny
Infused with the primal forces of life and vitality, and have the same drive to procreate as do mortals. However, where mortals give birth to a new generation, pass on what wisdom they can, and then return to the earth they do not naturally die nor do they have children. Despite the great passion and sensuality that nearly all possess, they are completely incapable of producing new life. Those of both scientific and philosophical inclinations have struggled with this dilemma to no avail. When tested both men and women seem to be as fertile as their mortal counterparts, and most are possessed of even stronger carnal desires, yet all attempts for them to beget children have met with failure.

The Change
The age which they first experience catastrophic bodily injury, which would cause the death of a mortal, may somehow catalyse the mechanism which arrests the aging process. Investigation has disproved this theory. No correlation has been found between their first brush with death and the apparent age at which biological decline stops. The fact they do not appear to age, is the greatest obstacle to sustaining the fiction of mortality so imperative to survival in mortal society.

Discovery
While grievous injuries can be downplayed as near-misses, and a feat that would be impossible for mortals to perform can be rationalized as the result of adrenaline or sheer luck, the lack of an Immortal to exhibit any sign of aging after several decades is more difficult to explain. Relocation can minimize the risk of discovery of their secret by neighbours or business associates, but the greatest threat in the twenty first century comes not from people, but from computers. The bureaucracy which mortals have always used to keep track of themselves has developed into a sophisticated worldwide system of terrible power and efficiency. Financial transactions, driver’s permits, criminal histories, and all manner of clerical records are monitored, sorted, and stored by the vast computer resources of the world’s governments and financial institutions.

Death
The poetry of science has begun to find words to describe the Immortal condition, though few scientists are aware of Immortals or would admit it if they were. Scholars among the Immortals, and among those mortals who monitor their activities, theorise immortals carry certain recessive genes which allow their bodies to somehow repair damage at the cellular level. Others maintain they are hosts for some unknown microscopic organism, which repairs the host’s body whenever it is injured. Those of a more mystic inclination contend that their life force has been somehow strengthened, so that it can maintain the physical shell and keep it from harm.

Most are as anxious about the afterlife as mortals are. When an Immortal dies, her life force is visibly released as a storm of energy. Is this the soul? What happens to it? The question is complicated by the fact that, when one is killed by another the survivor can absorb a part of the power and knowledge of the dead immortal in an experience called the Rapture. If this life-energy is the deceased’s soul, how can part of it be absorbed by another? What happens to the rest of it? Does the Immortal’s consciousness survive death? These questions, whether asked by mortals or Immortals, have no concrete answers in this lifetime. It is up to each one to decide what their place is in the great wheel of the cosmos.

War of Ages
It seems inevitable that beings from disparate places and times, whose lives do not naturally end in the earth as those of mortals do, would eventually find each other. Knowing the history of humankind as we do, it seems just as inevitable that these beings would fight among themselves for supremacy. Imagine how baffling it would be for you, a primitive being of ancient times, to have an enemy whose existence you find intolerable, yet whom you are unable to dispose of in the manner to which you are accustomed. Imagine the frustration you would feel as you confront each other time and again across the ages.

Sometimes one of you would be victorious, sometimes the other, but the war would never end, because neither you nor your enemy could die. Imagine your shock and exhilaration when you discover the secret, the one way to inflict true death. Imagine the ecstasy you would feel as your enemy’s life force flows into you, making you stronger and wiser than you were before. This scenario has been playing itself out repeatedly since Immortals first found each other. It would seem that beings that live so long and experience so much would learn to rise above such petty concerns as power, wealth, or dominance, but it is sadly not so. Immortals are no less influenced by these worldly motivations than their mortal brethren, and they might be even more susceptible to these base desires. Even pacifistic individuals gain the proficiency with weapons necessary for survival.

Additionally, the beliefs held by many are no more universal or unchallenged than those cherished by mortals. Often social upheaval in the mortal sphere has been but an echo of disputes among Immortals. The Age of Faith and the Age of Revolution were periods of great strife in both societies. As they learn of new ideas and new ways of doing what has always been done “the old way,” lines of contention are drawn and debates rage. Disagreements sometimes turn to violence, as traditional ideas and methods are challenged by new and untested theories.

Rapture
The death of one is a momentous occurrence. The energies released from their worldly existence are wild and potent, erupting through and around the corpse. Arcs of electricity may play across metal beams or the bodies of automobiles, bursting light bulbs and motivating electrical machinery, while waves of heat and light shimmer in the air, shattering windows and knocking over nearby objects. Gravity itself may run amok, lifting the dead body into the air, while the storm of released power rages around it.

If another immortal is nearby, the forces released by the death will flow into them, filling them briefly with all the power, knowledge, and experience, the very life force of the immortal’s passing the rage of energy heralds. This eruption of power is accompanied by an ecstasy, a crystalline awareness of cosmic proportions. For a moment, all too brief, the individual is one with all life on earth; their consciousness taking in all things, all the joy and sorrow, the pleasure and pain, felt by everything which lives in, on, or under the surface of the earth. No other experience can compare with this, and no one who has once felt it can ever forget it, for this is the Rapture.

Should no other immortals be nearby, this pyrotechnic display will expend itself in a few moments, dissipating into the environment – some claim to have seen it enter the bodies of pregnant women only for the immortal to be born again - although, this could be where tales of the Immortals and Reborn conflict. Perhaps this is where the Reborn originate from? Speculation is rife, but as is true with many things, no one truly knows.

Nor does the Rapture pass completely, for as each is killed, a small part of the power and knowledge remains behind with the one that absorbed the death. Thus, with each death, the remaining Immortals grow in power until the War of Ages culminates in Ragnarok, when those who have survived the past centuries shall cross swords, until only the Last Immortal remains.

Ragnarok
It is said that when the end of this age of humankind is near, great catastrophes shall sweep the earth. Earthquakes shall swallow cities, and tsunami shall wipe away coastlines. Fires and floods shall rage out of control, and humankind shall begin tearing at itself with bestial fury. The forces of nature shall run amok, heralding the end of an era and the beginning of another. Among Immortals this legend has many names, but the term most commonly used is Ragnarok.

The myth is a common one, and nearly every culture has some version of it. Some reject the idea of Ragnarok and the Conclave (the final meeting of the surviving Immortals) completely. They assert that their fate is not governed by ancient legends, but by their own decisions. The destiny of mortals and immortals lies in their own hands and hearts, they maintain, and they are not simply sheep to accept the pronouncements of prophets long dead as the only future available to them.

Thus, they are no more in accord in their interpretations of Apocalypse legend than are mortals. Many of those born recently (last two hundred years) tend to dismiss it entirely as the result of elder immortals’ superstition and fear. Even those that profess a belief in the veracity of the Ragnarok legend are divided about its significance. However, most versions of the legend seems to centre around the figure of the Last Immortal.

Last Immortal
At the end of this Age, so most of the stories say, those that have survived the previous centuries of war and tribulation shall meet in a place of darkness, an ancient battlefield. At this time, called the Conclave, the War of Ages will be concluded decisively. When all Immortals have met on the field of battle, the lone survivor, the Last will be heir to all the power of all that have ever trod the earth. What the Last Immortal will do with this power, often called the Legacy, is again a matter of some contention.

Some place a sinister cast about the myths of Ragnarok and the Legacy, saying it portends the end of mortal civilization. Those that accept this interpretation sometimes call Ragnarok the Apocalypse. The world is at an end, they say, and it will be up to the Last Immortal to judge humankind, weeding the worthy from the unworthy, the wheat from the chaff. Those deemed worthy will be allowed to live, to serve the Last Immortal for the rest of time. The Last will rule humankind, as a parent rules children, enforcing rules and inflicting punishment for disobedience.

A less ominous and more recent interpretation places the last as the mentor of humankind during the next step of human development: the exploration of the stars. As the repository of all the wisdom the immortals since the beginning of this epoch, the Last will use the Legacy to guide humanity and serve as an advisor. In this version of the legend, they would serve not as a parent but as a sibling to humankind. Another name for this interpretation of Ragnarok and the Legacy is called the Apotheosis.

A markedly different but no less common depiction of the Ragnarok myth places a twist upon the Legacy bestowed upon the Last. In this version, they will be granted the only thing denied them; mortality. When the Last stands alone above the last adversary, they will begin to age at a normal rate, to eventually grow old and die as a mortal human being. At that moment, when the combined life force of all the Immortals of history is released, the cycle shall begin anew and a new age of humankind will have begun. The War of Ages will begin again, as new Immortals are born and humanity continues to evolve.

Loneliness
This life has its costs, and chief among these is peace of mind. An Immortal can never forget that there are enemies that will stop at nothing to see them dead. The most peaceful rest, the most idyllic vacation, is marred by the fact that her foes may strike at any moment. Another factor that must be considered is that, while most will not deign to kill mortal bystanders to an Immortal battle, there are many who are not so fastidious. There are some that actually seek out the mortal friends and allies of another Immortal, hoping that by slaying friends their adversary will be weakened and easier to defeat.

Moreover, it is not easy to find meaningful companionship among mortals, for the gift of immortality is also a curse. Mortals can never truly understand the pain of repeatedly watching lovers and friends inexorably grow old and die. Any relationship which one becomes involves in is doomed; too soon, mortal beauty fades and mortal friends return to the earth, leaving the Immortal only memories and sorrow. A painful riddle of the Immortal’s existence, and a source of endless frustration is their loved ones, is the inability of Immortals to bear children. None of either sex has ever conceived a child. Advances in medicine have had no success in resolving this puzzle. Immortal men and women seem to be as fertile as their mortal counterparts, and they seem to have an even greater willingness and desire to procreate, yet all of their efforts have been in vain.

Friendship
One way to have traditionally been able to find companionship is in the training of another, less experienced Immortal. It is a painful truth that the student may someday become strong enough to return and slay their teacher; yet one Immortal may be willing to train another to become a more lethal adversary in return for that Immortal’s friendship. This illuminates a truth of the Immortal condition: the rewards of friendship are worth the risk of betrayal.

Ties of family mean little to one who has seen generations come and go, and national loyalties are meaningless when one has seen the rise and fall of nations and ideologies, but the friendship and trust of another is a sacred thing. Among many, friendship is the highest bond that can exist between two people, surpassing restrictions of mortal law or cultural loyalty; no sacrifice is too great to make to avenge a friend. It is, perhaps, the great loneliness that comes with immortality that causes them to treasure friendship so.

Again and again, most will seek comfort in the company of others whose lives are measured in centuries rather than years, but even this pleasure is tainted. One can never be entirely at ease with another of her kind; each will wonder if the other can be trusted, if the other is even now planning to make the final cut. It is possible for Immortals to grow close, and eventually to trust one another, but there is no way to forget that in the end, but one will survive

Tradition
Like all of humanity, immortals are social animals. As such, rules of etiquette have developed which have facilitated their interaction over the centuries. Some of these customs are simply considered good manners, like the Introduction, while others are considered sacred and are passionately enforced, like Sanctuary. In general, older Immortals take tradition more seriously than do their younger counterparts, but there are exceptions on both ends of the age spectrum. Some ancients sneer at the various conventions of modern immortal morality, deeming themselves above such trivial concerns, while younger ones that have had the benefit of an honourable upbringing respect the various protocols which have evolved over the long history of Immortal society.

Even so, the elders are the ones that are usually more concerned with propriety and the observance of established tradition. As age follows age and society changes ever faster, traditions which once were simply convenient or pragmatic become symbols of stability in an unstable, rapidly transforming world. Tradition is the archenemy of change, and is viewed by many elder Immortals, particularly those born before the European conquest of North America, as one of the few allies they have. Those that have violated the various dictates of etiquette many times over the ages, and will doubtless continue to do so. The chastisement they receive on these occasions is based upon who is aware of the transgression and upon how flagrant the offender is about her acts. Also, as in mortal society, individuals who are either favoured or feared get away with more than those who are neither.

Introduction
They are able to sense each other’s life forces over short distances. This sense of another’s presence is called the Foreboding, and it has saved the lives of many Immortals over the ages. The ease with which one can detect another’s proximity is directly related to the power of the other to be detected and upon the strength of will doing the detecting. Those that have gained great power over centuries of life and experience cast a much greater Foreboding than do those that have yet to live a single century. This has done much to protect younger ones from the depredations of elders that would kill them before they are old enough to be a threat.

The tradition of the Introduction grew out of the Foreboding. When one senses another for the first time, it is considered good manners to approach the other and introduce one-self. This custom is practiced inconsistently, at best, but it is usually safe to exercise in public places. Attacking another during an Introduction is considered terribly rude, but the Immortal committing such a breach of etiquette probably will not care.

Noblesse Oblige
According to this custom it is incumbent upon older and more powerful to be generous and merciful to younger, weaker Immortals. It also implies that all should be magnanimous in their dealings with mortals. The most common form took in years past was the sparing of an opponent’s life if the challenger was significantly less skill in combat. The concept became popular during the High Middle Ages, a part of history some refer to as the Age of Faith. It was accepted throughout most of Europe that because nobles had immunity from nearly all outside authorities and were restricted only through their obligations to their sovereign, they had certain rights and responsibilities not required of commoners. These responsibilities included respect for other nobles and the dispensation of justice among the common people. These concepts eventually grew to become the chivalric virtues associated with medieval knighthood. Although the idea was once a point of great pride among nearly all, its observance has long since declined. The modern world has little room for kindness to one’s enemies, and those who practice the principles in the twenty-first century should not expect the favour to be returned in kind.

Sanctuary
The tradition is one of the most debated, yet one of the most inviolate, rules of etiquette. It is also perhaps the most ancient custom, pre-dating written records. The law states that no violence of any kind is permitted against another immortal on holy ground. There are no exceptions, and anyone who violates the law will find herself completely without allies, and in the possession of a great number of new enemies. The roots of the tradition are clear enough, stemming from primitive humanity’s obsession with omnipotent and vengeful gods.

It seems that immortals were no less susceptible to this perception of the universe, and might even have been more inclined to accept it. After all, ancients had direct experience of the power of the gods in the form of their own bodies. In modern tradition, holy ground is accepted as any place where the worship of any deity is practiced on regular occasions. A Catholic cathedral, an Islamic mosque, and a Native American prayer lodge would all be accepted as legitimate regions of sanctuary, while cemeteries or ancient burial mounds would not be unless someone were using these locations for their place of worship. Most have an innate or supernatural sense of what is and is not holy ground. Typically, the location is obvious to the casual observer, such as with the case of a Jewish synagogue or a Buddhist shrine. It is safer to live to fight another day than to risk violating the law of Sanctuary.

Single Combat
This tradition is the single most fiercely defended observance of etiquette. When one faces against another in combat, no interference from mortals or Immortals is brooked by either side. The roots of this behaviour are not clear, but it has a keen effect upon the War of Ages. Contempt for those that violate the rule is almost universal. Those who are honourable and fair-minded support it as the only impartial way to resolve disputes among Immortals.

Even those with no respect for others tend to view this with arrogant protectiveness, since it ensures that the strong will always overcome the weak. In fact, those who defy the principle risk being hunted down by the most selfish and powerful of Immortals, since these are the individuals most threatened by those who violate this tradition. So strong is the tradition that many older immortals are loath to involve themselves with another’s plight even when it is in their best interests to do so.

There are many beings, both natural and supernatural, which bear enmity toward them. There are even mortal groups and institutions, known collectively as Monitors, which scour news sources for clues of their activities, spying on and tracking persons they suspect of being one. Woe to anyone careless enough to fall into the grasp of these diabolical hunters. Yet one fleeing from such forces may find it difficult to obtain refuge or assistance from other immortals. If the Immortal being hunted has been careless enough to draw the attention of the Monitors, helping would only draw their attention to the would-be defender. If being hunted by other entities or by the unearthly beings anyone who would render assistance risks the True Death, or worse.

• Name
• Appearance: Insert picture of celebrity
• Gender: Obvious.
• Birth: Everyone is born around 1516, so which part of the world?
• Narrative Hook:
• Mental talents: like quick-wittedness, strong memory, mathematical aptitude.
• Personality: Humour, vengefulness, or determination.
• Physical Training: like rock climbing, football, or karate.
• Fields of knowledge: These are current up-to-date fields, not say a physics degree done in the 1900’s.
• Occupations: like martial arts instructor, archaeologist, starship pilot.
• Possessions: magic sword, giant robot, bullet-proof vest.
• Weapon (s): This is your weapon of choice, and need not always be a sword
• Broader resources: 30 Million (Everybody starts with this – and it includes a nice 500k house, and reasonable car too)
• Cultural background: Inuit, Brazilian, English, etc.
• Powers: 10 points

* Talents: You are all assumed to be able to do general stuff, these are things you do better than most others, and also be in the peak of health to enable you to keep up with the kind of fight scenes I’m envisioning.