[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/712096514813591623/716387979140137040/witchyilluminatieyepink_4.png[/img][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjg4LmZmZmZmZi5WR2hsSUZOcGMzUmxjbk1nYjJZZ2RHaGxJRVI1YVc1bklFSnlZVzVqYUEsLC4wAAAA/mikhaella.regular.png[/img][/center] [hr] [center][u][b]You are a witch.[/b][/u] Not a witch in the traditional sense, though. You are nothing like the "witches" of Salem, Christian mythology, or new-age culture. You do not have green skin and you do not wear a pointy hat (although you might do so for fun). You might not ride a broomstick or wear a black cloak, but you are a witch all the same. Witches are powerful beings with the ability to use magic- something that most lack. They resemble humans and are like humans in so many ways. But they are inherently inhuman. Witches, after all, use magic. Magic as it is used by witches has varied and unique applications. Witches can make wards and charms and potions out of herbs and other natural ingredients, yes. They use this skill to its full advantage. Crafting these magical items is a vital skill to any witch, young or old. But witches can also cast devastating, destructive spells. They can ravage the Earth with these destructive forces at their discretion. They can call down storms, earthquakes, and create fire from their fingertips with a single word. The magic of witches is dangerous, and not to be tampered with. But this magic takes its toll. Power has its cost. Magic is more of a resource than an ability- only certain beings (witches are one) can use it and generate it, but it is finite. Generating magic without a source has a steep cost. It requires sacrifice. The scale of the sacrifice depends on the scale of the spell, but it can be a devastating one. Witches may offer something as simple as blood or energy as their sacrifice, generating magic for them to use. But to produce power of epic proportions requires a sacrifice equally powerful. To do anything devastatingly powerful, a witch must give up something central to their being. Happy memories. A body part. Their ability to be happy. A piece of their life force. The life of someone else. The list of things a magical being could sacrifice to gain power is immense, but each one harms them in some way. Magic is dangerously greedy. It will devour its user and everything around them until nothing is left. However, this is not the only way to gain power. Other beings (such as vampires, werewolves, etc.) choose to use other sources only accessible to them. Some witches bind themselves to demons, an incredibly dangerous yet advantageous practice that is punishable by death. Others sacrifice the lives of others, which is also expressly forbidden. Yet the vast majority of witches choose to bind themselves to magical wellsprings. Wellsprings are extremely rare, natural sources of magic that witches have a monopoly over. They take the forms of natural features, such as lakes, mountains, swamps, and others. While bonded to them, witches don't have to give up nearly as much for their power. Not that using them doesn't have its own cost. To access this power, witches must conform to the rule of the covens. The covens are communities of witches centered around the wellsprings. They are all loosely connected into one overarching organization that has one goal- to protect humanity and themselves from other supernatural threats. The covens have stringent rules for witches that wish to be a part of them. They forbid many behaviors and uses of magic. They even hand down punishments which range from exile to execution. If a witch wishes to be in a coven, they must do work for them, too. Witches risk their lives doing the bidding of covens, and many die. They are pressured to have witch children for the coven, who are then made members upon birth. You are a young, uninitiated member of the Sisters of the Dying Branch- a coven with its wellspring located somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains. You probably grew up in your coven, surrounded by other witches. You were taught magic by someone- most likely your caretakers, whoever they may be. By now, you have a good command of magic. While you are not a master, you know various spells and can craft items with skill. For your whole life, you've been drawing on the powers of your teachers. But now it's time for you to be initiated. To be bonded to the wellspring, whatever consequences that may present. Your path depends on what you do from here on out. [/center] [hr] [center][h3][b][u]Lorebook[/u][/b][/h3] [hider=The Sisters of the Dying Branch] [hider=Region Map][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/712096514813591623/716670745715146814/unitedstatesmapcoven.jpg[/img][/hider] The Sisters of the Dying Branch is a coven of witches located on the eastern coast of the United States. The coven itself is nestled in the forests of the Appalachian Mountains, in a secluded spot overlooking a lake. This lake also happens to be their wellspring- the source of their magic power. This wellspring is closely guarded by the witches living at the lake. Access to it is limited to only those that the elders of the coven can trust, and earning their trust is difficult if someone is an outsider. This coven is one of the larger ones in witch society. It has well over 500 members spread across the region. It's also a fairly prestigious coven- its members are known for excellence in their practice, and are known for performing exceptional work. It's led by Mother Deborah Le Doux, a woman known for her strict adherence to rules and sheer magical prowess. [/hider] [hider=The Price of Magic] [img]https://41.media.tumblr.com/7d72206ac2dad29471642e5234d8b45c/tumblr_mvveesqCrY1rj3x46o1_500.jpg[/img] All witches have the innate ability to use magic, but that power does not come for free. Magic, whether small charms and wards or earth-shaking destruction magic, has a cost. If a witch allows it to, their power will take and take and take from them until there is nothing left. That being said, witches can do plenty of things to fuel their magic. They can draw power from one of the many magical wellsprings dotting the planet, sacrifice something, or even make a pact with a demon. Magical wellsprings are the main source of power for most witches. Although rare and frequently fought-over, drawing from them is the best way to practice magic. There aren’t many drawbacks involved with their use, either. They don’t take much from the user, and are even portable- a witch can take a small part of the wellspring (a leaf, a seed, a branch, a vial of lake water, etc.) from it and carry it with them until it runs out. However, due to the lack of cons and the overwhelming number of pros attributed to their use, these places are valuable land. This makes it so that many groups are constantly fighting over them- from different sects of witches to monsters, even. Witches seek to protect these wellsprings, and also to make sure that they are not overused. Another way to draw power is from sacrifice. The sacrifice must be something meaningful to the witch- blood, energy, memories, emotions, or even the lives of those they care about. Certain types of sacrifice is strictly banned by the witch community- ritual killing and the harming of others among them. Violating these laws can have dire consequences. The importance of the sacrifice is determined by the power of the spell that the witch is casting. For example, if making a simple charm or ward, a pinprick of blood or a little bit of energy, would suffice. But if casting a powerful spell such as the summoning of a powerful being or the creation of a massive fire, a deep cut or even a precious memory would be required. The last, most difficult, most powerful, and most forbidden way to gain magical power is the making of a pact with a demon. Doing this is extremely dangerous and strictly forbidden. Demons, upon making their contract, wield considerable power over the witch and will force them to do things that they may not want to. However, this is in exchange for great power, without needing to rely on a wellspring or their own blood. [/hider] [hider=A Witch’s Guide to Hunting and Exterminating: Vampire Edition] Vampires. You’ve probably heard of them. Prevalent in pop culture, they can be presented as a cute teenage crush or a dangerous creature of the night. They’re a commonly used supernatural creature in all types of fiction. But, despite human perceptions, they are very much real, and they are one of the witch’s most common enemies. They’re powerful, dangerous, and infestations of them are difficult to contain. Witches from covens around the world are familiar with vampires, and are often sent out to hunt and exterminate. Our perception of them, however, can often be tainted by humans’ descriptions. Can vampires be seen in mirrors? Can they walk into the sun? Are they vulnerable to garlic? What about silver? Do they really sparkle? Odds are, if you’re reading this, you might need to know this information sooner rather than later! [u]Vampire Basics: What They Are and Where They Come From[/u] Vampires are supernatural creatures. Vampires were once human, and may still retain features of their humanity, but don’t be fooled. They are not human, and will never be again. Vampires are created from another vampire. Vampires feed on blood to generate their power and retain their forms, which is hard to get. Three common tactics are to raid blood banks, consume the blood of animals, or assault and drain blood from humans. The third is most common. When a vampire feeds on a human, they can transmit something akin to a sickness to a human. The mortality rate of this illness is about 50%. If any infected human dies, they can be resurrected as a vampire. They just need to be given human blood, which will awaken them as vampires. Be warned, humans who have been turned into vampires are [i]no longer human[/i]. They must be put down at any cost, no matter how human they may appear. If a witch allows a vampire to slip from their grasp, more will propagate and more humans will die. The best strategy to follow is at the witch’s discretion, but do not allow a vampire to fool you. It will end in nothing but more death and destruction. [u]What Are a Vampire’s Strengths and Weaknesses?[/u] Vampires are some of the strongest enemies a witch will face. Vampires are strong, fast, and hard to hurt. If they’re well-fueled and have drank enough blood, they can even reattach a limb in a relatively short period of time, or even a head. Body parts take a long time to heal though- if cut in half, a vampire can take upwards of 30 minutes to stitch themselves back together. Heads take even longer. They heal fast, and most normal gashes won’t hurt them. This is, however, dependent on what kind of material you use. For whatever reason, silver creates wounds that are more difficult to heal for vampires. So, if you’re looking for something that’ll hurt a vampire, silver will do it. Silver knives, bullets, and other weapons can probably be found in your coven’s armory. Stakes driven through the heart of a vampire can help with reducing their healing abilities, too, but it won’t kill them. Or, if you’re so inclined, there are spells and potions that can reduce a vampire’s healing abilities. Vampires are also immortal, so, if they are not killed, they will never age and never die. Vampires are also quite strong. Moreso than a normal human, certainly. The average, well-fueled vampire can lift objects such as cars with only the amount of exertion a regular, in-shape human could use to lift a 50-pound weight. They’re also incredibly fast, and can run at speeds faster than a cheetah chasing prey could. To combat this, a witch can use their powers to make themselves as strong or as fast as a vampire is. Now these are, of course, dependent on the amount of blood a vampire has consumed. Without blood to consume, they slowly lose strength and speed and are sapped of their powers. Eventually, if left without blood for over a month, a vampire will die for the second time of something akin to starvation. But be warned- if a vampire’s body is discovered by other vampires, they can be resurrected multiple times. The only true, fool-proof way to kill a vampire is with fire. They are extremely sensitive to heat, including the Sun’s rays. Vampires can’t go outside during the day, lest they risk sun damage and a quick drainage of their energy reserves. If left in the sun for a long period of time, a vampire will appear to experience extreme pain and burning, and will be depleted of their powers until brought into the darkness and given more blood. If left in the sun for upwards of 6 hours, a vampire will start to burst into flames and eventually die by the end of the day. Even if they only go into the sun for a short period of time, their skin cannot handle the Sun’s rays, and they will experience pain. The advantage of fire while hunting vampires is that, once you burn up a vampire’s body, the witch has permanently killed them. Vampires cannot heal or be resurrected from a pile of ashes, which makes fire the perfect way to kill them. The best way to go about this is to first kill or disable the vampire in some way, and then light the body on fire. Some vampires have a special magical gift that allows them to do things others can’t. These can include seeing into the future, telepathic communication, mind control, mind reading, and more. Most vampires who develop this sort of gift are old vampires- creatures that have been alive for centuries. As a vampire becomes older, they become harder to kill. Other miscellaneous weaknesses are their mild repulsion to garlic and their tendency to all gather in one space. They will commonly come in large groups of vampires descended from the same vampires- also known as a “clan” in English. This creates a weakness because they’re easier to find and kill this way. Miscellaneous strengths include super hearing and good sight during the nighttime, although you can replicate these effects with spellcasting. [u]Debunking Vampire Myths[/u] -Vampires can be seen in mirrors. -Vampires can come inside without being invited. -Vampires are not vulnerable to Catholic “holy water”. -Vampires are not repulsed by the Christian cross. -Vampires do not “sparkle” in the sunlight- they burn up. -Vampires do not make for good romantic partners. If you kiss one, you will get bit. -Vampires do not kill everyone they bite. They can choose to spare the lives of their victims, and not every victim will be infected. However, the illness if infected is very deadly. -Vampires cannot turn into bats. -Vampires don’t originate from Transylvania. -There is no such thing as a “vegetarian vampire”- every vampire harms a human in some way. -Vampires do cast shadows. -Vampires cannot be killed through a stake in the heart- only injured beyond normal. -Vampires cannot be fixed, cured, or reformed. The only way to get rid of a vampire is to kill one. [u]How Do I Identify a Vampire?[/u] Vampires look much like humans- sort of similar to how a witch is nearly indistinguishable from a human appearance-wise. So how do you spot them? Well, they do have some differences. While difficult to identify, vampires do have some key characteristics that distinguish them from humans and witches. As reanimated dead bodies, vampires look… well, dead. They’re often pale or ashen-looking, drained of blood. If you touch one, you’ll find that they’re clammy and cold, far from a human or a witch’s natural body heat. But you don’t need to touch them to see this. Use a spell to see thermographically or to detect heat coming off of someone- odds are, if it’s a vampire, they won’t have any heat coming off of them. Their most identifiable feature, however, are fangs. Used to suck blood from victims, nearly every vampire has them. Over the first few days of reanimation, a vampire quickly develops these fangs. They emerge from the gums and can eventually jut out over the lips. However, most vampires do their best to shave down their fangs so they are not quite so visible. If someone you see on the street has fangs, odds are they’re a vampire. Or just a counter-culture person. One rare feature on vampires is different-colored eyes. Most vampires have the eyes they were born with, but many older vampires have eyes of colors like red, purple, and black. It’s an easy way to identify those more powerful, older vampires that are difficult to kill. Make sure to only fight these in a group. Vampires are typically found in groups of 5 or more- known as clans in English. A vampire clan is typically descended from one or a group of leaders, known as matriarchs, patriarchs, or some other title. If settled in an area, they can live apart, but typically move around with frequency and so live among each other. These groups are typically easy to spot, but can often disguise themselves as families or people living in an apartment block. Vampires can sometimes carry false identification on them to fool authorities. Even one vampire can make an entire clan on their own. Infighting is common among clans, and you’ll often find them breaking apart and forming new ones. [u]What If I Get Bit?[/u] Oh no! You were fighting a vampire, and then, suddenly, it got ahold of you and bit into your neck with its fangs. The energy slowly drained from your body along with your blood, and, once the vampire was done with you, you found yourself exhausted on the floor, confused. Or maybe it was something less severe than that. What happens next? Will you die and become a vampire? Fear not. Witches cannot become vampires, as a witch’s body is incompatible with vampirism. However, you will most likely become very ill, depending on how much blood was sucked from you. With proper care and a proper environment, a witch will not die of this infection. In fact, it can be relatively mild depending on how badly bit you were. This infection is not contagious. Depending on how badly you were bit, you may experience a time between getting bit and falling ill. However, if you are bit, you should immediately go and rest- not keep fighting or continue the hunt, even if you're not experiencing symptoms. Witches who are bit may experience extreme fatigue, sensitivity to sunlight, aches and pains, headaches, a change in taste and smell, fever, delirium, and confusion. There are many remedies to ease the symptoms of this sickness, both magical and non magical. Tea is a common non magical remedy, but it can be enchanted. There are many potions, salves, and spells that ease the symptoms and can even cure the illness if done right. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids, stay in a dark place away from sunlight, and keep someone around to take care of you as you experience the illness. While you are ill, do not exert yourself beyond what’s necessary, and take care not to go around any vampires lest you be bit a second time while sick. That might kill you. [u]Tips and Tricks for Fighting Vampires[/u] [b]TIP 1:[/b] Attack from the behind! That’s where the fangs aren’t, and vampires don’t typically have eyes in the back of the head. Just make sure to be very quiet and not to be detected by the vampire, lest they’re ready for you- you can use spellcasting. [b]TIP 2:[/b] Attack in a group. You should never go fight a vampire alone- groups of two or more work best. More is preferable. If you’re solo, there’s more of a chance that many can overwhelm you. If you know a vampire is in the area, even if it’s just one, use the buddy system- never, ever go alone at night, under any circumstance. Where there’s one vampire, there’s bound to be more. [b]TIP 3:[/b] Come packing. While spellcasting should always be your main line of offense and defense, guns, knives, flamethrowers, chainsaws, and other weapons come in handy for when your energy is depleted. Remember to try to use silver when possible. And you can always enchant weapons or drip them in poisons. Get creative! [b]TIP 4:[/b] Use fire. If in a developed, crowded or heavily wooded area, use with caution, but fire kills vampires quickly. [b]TIP 5:[/b] Never leave a vampire’s body without first burning it or its head. That’s the only way to kill it. [b]TIP 6:[/b] When you’re attacking large clans, make sure not to leave even a single vampire alive. If even one survives, you can have 20 more fledglings within a matter of months. When a vampire’s clan is eradicated, they often quickly look for new vampires. [b]TIP 7:[/b] Always have an exit plan. Never allow yourself to be cornered by a vampire. [b]TIP 8:[/b] Rely on your teammates, not only yourself. This is a general rule for witches, but still counts. While on the hunt, you should put your full trust in your teammates. Everyone should be carrying their full weight, or the whole team could be in a bad strait. [/hider] [/center] [hr] [center][h3][b][u]Locations[/u][/b][/h3] [hider=The House] [img]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/a7/b4/8b/a7b48b9a884f3f953a0144c8db93d911.jpg[/img] A large, gothic Victorian-style house nestled in a remote part of the state of Virginia. The only road leading into and out of the property is a secluded one-lane dirt road winding through the mountains. The nearest civilization is 30 minutes out. The house is certainly a strange sight to see- it's located on a giant property, and is surrounded by mostly trees. To any outsiders, it would look out of place. Fortunately, not many outsiders make it here. This house acts as the center of the Sisters of the Dying Branch coven. It serves as a meeting place for the witches spread across the region, a center of magical knowledge, and even a home for select members of the coven. Mostly coven elders live here, but there are numerous witchlings (witch children) residing here as well. Most that live here are witchlings without parents or those that needed a little... extra attention that only the coven elders could give them. However, any witch can choose to live here if they wish. Most just prefer to have their own home rather than live under the scrutinizing eyes of the elders. [/hider] [hider=The Wellspring] [img]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/8a/c7/d2/8ac7d216c3cd6d21090dff6c43176176.jpg[/img] The wellspring is a sacred place to the Sisters. It appears as a normal lake to most, but magical creatures know that this is only an illusion. Instead, it's a nearly unlimited deposit of magic power- and one completely controlled by witches. The sisters of the coven protect it fiercely, to the point where few uninitiated witches ever set their eyes on it. Even members of the coven rarely get to see it. The elders of the coven are charged with its maintenance and protection, and they are loathe to fail at their job. It's located a little ways out from the house. There's a long, winding path to follow down to it, and you can only enter accompanied by an elder. This secret place is also where witches are initiated into the coven, although the process is a closely guarded secret. [/hider][/center] [hr] [center][h3][b][u]General Information[/u][/b][/h3][/center] [center][hider=Rules] Haha, yes, the boring part. 1.) [b]My word as GM is law.[/b] When I say something doesn't go, it doesn't go. Period. Don't constantly badger me with something if I have already said no. When I say something needs to be fixed, please fix it, or we will have issues. I'm a generally nice person, but when I say something I usually mean it. 2.) [b]Somebody else's humanity is never up for debate.[/b] I mean this in terms of OOC. Please don't be disrespectful to your fellow players about their identities and opinions, no matter what they may be. This also means not to bring IC drama into OOC or vice versa. 3.) [b]This is a high casual roleplay.[/b] That means I expect you to have a good command of grammar and at least 2-3 paragraphs per post. I understand that no one's perfect. I certainly am not! But this is not a one-liner roleplay, and I do not accept one-liners. I can understand if a post is shorter if there wasn't much to say, but I do accept a good level of literacy. 4.) [b]Real life and realistic art face claims only.[/b] This might just be me being a little nitpicky, but I do not want you to use anime face claims. If you're not sure if a face claim will be acceptable, please PM me! Likewise, if you need help finding face claims, I can help too. 5.) [b]Posting requirements.[/b] I would like it if you'd post at least once a week, preferably more if you're involved in an interaction. However, I understand that real life happens and I'd be willing to puppet if you can't write a post. 6.) [b]Communicate.[/b] I understand that real life happens, and real life definitely comes above this roleplay! However, it's disrespectful to everyone if you ghost this roleplay and leave us hanging. If you cannot continue or need to take a break, please tell me. I'm an understanding person! Just don't ghost me. It gives everyone else a bad impression of you as a roleplayer. Communication also means that I'd love it if you'd join the Discord. I promise I don't bite! 7.) [b]I reserve the right to refuse your CS for any reason.[/b] This might be a little mean, but if I believe you might cause issues in the roleplay, I will not allow you to join. Fortunately, I'm a forgiving person, so that applies to few if any people. I also reserve the right to refuse your CS based on standards of neatness and quality. [/hider][/center] [center][hider=Character Sheet] (FACECLAIM HERE) [b]Name:[/b] [i]Self-explanatory.[/i] [b]Gender / Preferred Pronouns:[/b] [i]Witch is a gender-neutral term. Feel free to be whatever you want.[/i] [b]Age:[/b] [i]Also self-explanatory. Characters should be around 15-22, but I prefer characters to be around 18. If you're on either extreme, you'd better have a good reason.[/i] [b]Birthday:[/b] [i]Month and day only.[/i] [b]Sexuality:[/b] [i]Also self-explanatory![/i] [b]Appearance:[/b] [i]Give me a short paragraph (or a couple) describing your character beyond the face claim. Weight, height, mannerisms, wardrobe... anything you can think of.[/i] [b]Personality:[/b] [i]What are they like? How do they act? What are their greatest fears, their greatest weakness? Their strengths? Their preferences? What do they act like towards friends versus acquaintances?[/i] [b]Biography:[/b] [i]Where are they from? Who were they raised by? What happened in their life leading up to this point?[/i] [b]Notable Rumors:[/b] [i]Something is said about everyone At least one rumor that might be whispered about your character, be it good, bad, or random.[/i] [b]Greatest Fear:[/b] [i]Don't give me any of that 'fear of being alone' B.S. Something real: like the dark, snakes, spiders, or heights.[/i] [b]Magic:[/b] [i]Magic in this universe is very general, and nothing is exclusive, but everyone has their skills and weaknesses. What kind of magic do you like to practice? Potions? Charms? Elemental magic? Healing? What are you not good at?[/i] [b]Other:[/b] [i]Anything else you might want to add. Got a pet? Have allergies? Literally anything else? Add it here! Also, color codes, please.[/i] [/hider] [hider=Relationship Sheet ][center] [hr][hr][h1][b][i][color=6ecff6]Relations[/color][/i][/b][/h1][hr][h2][b][i][color=6ecff6]Character Name[/color][/i][/b][/h2][img]Character Image[/img] [hr][hr]⟢ 🎆Respects ⟡ 🌓Neutral ⟡ 👋Acquaintance ⟡ 🙇It's Complicated ⟣ ⟢ 💛Friend ⟡ 💙Good Friends ⟡ 💜Best Friends ⟡ ❣️Ex-Friends ⟡ 😈Frienemy ⟣ ⟢ 💘Infatuation ⟡ 💓Loves ⟡ 💗Couple ⟡ 💕Basically Family ⟡ 💞Family ⟡ 💔Ex-Lovers ⟣ ⟢ ♨️Tense ⟡ 💀Dislikes ⟡ 😡Hates ⟡ 👿Enemy ⟡ 👹Absolutely Loathes ⟣[hr][hr] Symbol [b][color=6ecff6]Character's Name[/color][/b] Symbol [i]"Quote on Character"[/i] Relation Details [hr] Symbol [b][color=6ecff6]Character's Name[/color][/b] Symbol [i]"Quote on Character"[/i] Relation Details [hr] Symbol [b][color=6ecff6]Character's Name[/color][/b] Symbol [i]"Quote on Character"[/i] Relation Details [hr] Symbol [b][color=6ecff6]Character's Name[/color][/b] Symbol [i]"Quote on Character"[/i] Relation Details [hr] Symbol [b][color=6ecff6]Character's Name[/color][/b] Symbol [i]"Quote on Character"[/i] Relation Details [hr] [/center][/hider][/center] [center]You can have as many as characters as you'd like, but I'd recommend a maximum of two. More might become a bit of an issue for you to manage, and I wouldn't want you to get bogged down with posts and slow down the roleplay. Of course, you can also have NPCs that you can manage when you need to! PM me if you want to add any of your characters to the main storyline- odds are I'll say yes! [hr] I will be progressively adding to this as I write more lore. I look forward to reading sheets! Please contact me if you have any questions or ideas! -[i]canaryrose[/i][/center]