Earth 13

== Strange Phenomenon ==
Around the world people are beset by strange phenomenon. Monsters and mayhem are lurking in the shadows. Knowledge is a dangerous thing. Many choose to turn their eyes away rather than face the truth. Earth 13 is a dangerous place and superstition and fear fill the gap when science lags behind. 
This is a brief introduction to the dangers unlucky travelers may face in Earth 13. More detail can be found below.
=== Nature of Reality ===
The physical world is separated from the other realms by the veil. Sometimes enterprising mortals manage to get past the veil and glimpse beyond. Few are glad they did. 
==== The Dreaming ====
The dreaming is the realm of warped logic and twisted cognition. Time is not always linear. The same is true for space. While the dreaming is strange, it does follow its own form of logic. 
When mortals sleep they temporarily drift into the dreaming
Those wise in navigating the dreaming have used it to travel the physical realm far faster than they can otherwise. Some have even traveled to strange realms beyond the stars. 
==== The Ether ====
The ether is the spiritual realm where souls emerge from and some say return to. There is a kingdom in the Ether ruled by devils often called Hell. Reality in this realm is driven be ideals and emotions. According to the philosopher Salazar, this is the realm where platonic ideals reside.
=== Death and Undeath ===
Death is not necessarily the end, but what awaits mortals after death is often just as dangerous as the living world.
The cognitive spirits of mortals, often called souls, are uniquely potent compared to the spirits of other organisms or even spiritual beings. Mortals are the only beings with physical bodies, souls, and minds, meaning they simultaneously exist in the physical world, the dreaming, and the ether. As a result mortal souls can often linger in the physical world as ghosts. Some mortals, especially the ones who make deals with demons and devils, can find their souls trapped after they die. 
Sometimes, due to the influence of magic or daemons, when the body dies a new resident takes over. Often the souls is gone, but a copy of the mind lives on with a Daemon as its replacement soul.
=== Magic ===
Some mortals and monsters alike tap into the forces beyond our physical reality. Mortals who use their minds to tap into the dreaming to use psychic powers are called readers. Mortals who use their souls to manipulate the ether are called warlocks. Other magic relies on alchemy or ritual.
Beware. Magic always has a price. 
=== Anomalies ===
Some monsters are entirely unique. Beware. There is nothing more dangerous than something that is both powerful and unpredictable.
=== Spirits from Beyond the Veil ===
There are beings from beyond physical reality. 
Spirits from the ether are generally called Daemons. The ones who feed on human souls are called fiends. 
Daemons will often inhabit objects or the dead, creating new monsters. 
=== Dangers ===
Here are some more specific things to watch out for as you travel Earth 13
The Hallowed Time: Three days during which the veil between the living and the dead is especially thin.
* Evening of Hallows
** Ancient slumbering spirits wake up. Many are mischievous, some are malicious, but they see the world in terms of ideas instead of physical phenomenon, so they can be confused by people wearing costumes. If they are not appeased on this night with tribute (usually food) then they will stay active and become violent on the following days.
** Ghosts become more active.
* All Hallows Day
* All Souls Day
** According to legend, ghosts who have already gone beyond may
== Places ==
=== The Imperial Commonwealth of Albion ===
The exact nature of its structure is unclear. It appears to be somewhere in between an alliance and a loose tributary empire. 
==== The United Kingdom of Greater Albion ====
City State of Londinium
* Capital of the Imperial Commonwealth and largest city. Home to the worlds greatest airship port.
* The great city is marvelous to behold, but their are dark secrets hidden in its twisting alleys. While the government tries to maintain control, they must constantly face dark forces at work in the bowels of the city.
Kingdom of Angleland
* Capital: Birmingham
* Old ghosts haunt Angleland, and recently they have been more and more active. Travel at night has become increasingly dangerous unless using the Royal train network
Kingdom of Alba
* Capital: Èideann
* Their are rumors that the old giants are awakening in the highlands.
Principality of Cambria
* Capital: Caerdyf
Principality of Ulster
* Capital: Belfast
Principality of Eire
* Capital: Cork
Steadhold of the Lowlands
* Capital: Amstelredam 
==== The Commonwealth Realm of Columbia ====
The Great Republic of United Columbia
* The Great Republic is the largest economy in the Imperial Commonwealth, but their power projection has been hamstrung because their military must constantly be on guard for the Behomeths
*Capital: New Alexandria
**The most prominent buildings include the Parlimentary Palace, Somervell Castle, the Columbian Athenaeum, the Grand Lighthouse Citadel
***The GL Citadel is home to a Wizard conclave. They have a deal with the Castle to use magic to track and repel Behemoths in the West in exchange for certain favors. Jung snibef pbhyq grzcg gur Jvfr? Zbarl? Cbjre? Xabjyrqtr?
**It is located on the Potomoc, connected to the Ohio river by a series of canals.
*Everwic
**The largest city of the Grand Republic. The Columbian Colossus looks over the largest harbor in the New World.
**Everwic is a massive metropolitan city. Immigrants from all over the world gather there seeking opportunity. 
*St Botwulf - Trebizond
**A metro area made of two twin cities
**A major port city that sits on Cape Tara Bozan.
**St Botwulf, often called St Wulf by its residents, is the location of some of the best Columbian universities.
***St Wulf Technical Consortium, New College, 
**Trebizond was the sight of several notorious witch hunts many centuries ago. It is said that the ghosts of the innocent victims still haunt the town.
*Sablepoint
**The city of Sablepoint is the second largest city in the Grand Republic. It connects the heartland of Columbia to the Mishigami Sea.
***Great railroad networks connect Sablepoint with the towns of the heartland. 
**Sablepoint is a major manufacturing center. It is home to the largest Rothenburg Autombile factor in the world. 
*Black Rock
**A major city connecting the great lakes to Everwic via the Hudson river
*Chathamburgh
**Chathamburgh is a city in the heartland of Columbia. Its sits on the confluence of two rivers forming the Ohio river.
**The city is home to the steel industry
**Chathamburgh was the site of the furthest east attack by a Behemoth, the infamous seige of Chathamburgh. Since then the city has well defended walls, and though it has been more than a hundred years since the last attack.
* Barrowcity
**Often called, the gateway to the west, or the shield of the heartland, Barrowcity connects the heartland to the west. It is heavily fortified due to frequent problems with Behemoths, and is one of the home bases of the US Army Units in charge of dealing with Behemoths.
***Home to the legendary 92nd, 101st, and 169th armored cavalry regiments. The 92nd regiment are experts in tactical nuclear weapons. The 151st use airborne cavalry units. The 169th focuses on scouting. Fpbhgvat? Evqvphybhf yvr. Purpx Oenib Guvegrra. 
**Named after the mounds of the Native culture that preceded European settlement in the region by several centuries. The settlers erroneously identified these earthworks as barrows and the name stuck.
*The Devil's Doorstop
** Out in the West their is a stretch of territory called the Devil's Doorstop. Its borders are unclear, but it is known that almost none who enter survive. Every so often great Behemoths emerge from the Devils threshold and wreak havoc on the cities of the republic unless the military stops it. It is widely speculated that their is a portal in the Devils Doorstop that lets the Behomeths and other abominations enter the country.
** Some speculate that the Devils Doorstep where the Darkly Crowned King of Nightmares is trapped dreaming, and that his Behometh children will keep being summoned to him until he awakened and freed.
*The Lost Farm 
**There is a secret rift, less then 50 miles from the Republic's capital. It was found on farm and is studied by a secret government laboratory (the Columbia Observatory for Xenophysics).
***The farm still sells apple cider and corn, especially kettle corn, to maintain its cover.
***Bu vs bayl gur ernfba jnf gung fvzcyr. Purpx oenib rvtug.
**In addition to the laboratory, the farm is now home to a hidden community of anomalies.
**Many anomaly residents and the scientists who study them have joined the C.O.X. Field Research Team. A secret task force designed to investigate, engage, and neutralize dangerous anomalies. Some hope that the team will someday be able to permanently close the theorized portal on the Devil's Doorstop.
The Dominion of Acadia
* Capital: York
* Wendigos
* Duchy of Winnipeg
The Republic of Aztlan
* Capital: Heroica Veracruz
Pricipality of Belize
Dominion of Astoria
* Geography
** The dominion of Astoria is very large and development and density vary considerably. As a general rule of thumb, the region between Emerald bay and Fort Astoria (the capitol) is highly developed and fairly urbanized. The area along the Wimahl River (which is the primary corridor connecting Port Alki to the Dominion of Arcadia's railroads and thus the rest of the Commonwealth) is likewise well developed. However, the area south of the Wimahl River and east of the Cascade mountains is a much less dense frontier. Their are plenty of towns, most involved in resource extraction of one kind or another, but they are less connected to eachother and the urban core. Some are attracted to the woods of Astoria to find the mysterious and incredibly valuable mineral Cthonic Cobalt (also called Infernal Cobalt, or Infernite, or Cthonicite).
* Port Alki
** The Dominion of Astoria is home to the city of Port Alki, also called Emerald Bay
** Port Alki is the Commonwealth's only major port on the Pacific coast. It is extremely important to the Commonwealth's economy because it handles pacific trade between the Western Commowealth and the nations of the far east. Most importantly the Middle Kingdom and Nippon.
* Renatus Point
** Renatus Point is a small town south of the Wimahl river. It is situated on an important trade route for lumber and minerals, including .
** According to legend, Renatus Point is home to some of the strangest anomalies in the world.
** Harvard Spruce moved there in order to establish a secret lab to study these unusual phenomena. 
*** Supposedly his brother Harisson moved there as well, but his primary motivation was conning lumberjacks and infernite prospectors out of their hard earned cash.
Dominion of Greater Norfolk
* Capital: Williamsburg
* Greater Norfolk is Albion's largest military base in Columbia
==== The Commonwealth Realm of Bharata ====
North Ganges Republic
* Capital: Dehli
* Largest nation in the Imperial Commonwealth
Sultanate of Bengal
* Capital: Kolkata
The Gurkani Mirzarate 
* Capital: Lahore
Ceylon
* Kozhumpu
Nizamate of Hyderbad
Untied Mahrajates
==== Commonwealth Realm of Oceania ====
City State of Singapura
City State of Kowloon
Mataram Sultanate
* Capital: Kartosuro
Bantem Sultanate
* Capital: Bantem
Malacca Sultanate
* Capital: Malacca
Aceh Sultanate
* Capital:  Kutaraja
Dominion of New Holland
* Capital: Warrane
Dominion of Aotearoa
* Capital: Thorndon
=== The Red Empire ===
Legends say that the cult of the One People were inspired by the words of the Speaker of the One Mind. The cult called on ancient powers, including the Speaker, and the Bloody Fanged Bringer of Retritbution. With this power they took control of a vast empire. 
It is divided into many states and provinces:
The Crimson Metropolis
* The capital of the Empire. It was ruined during a mundane war, and wasn't fully rebuilt until the Red Empire was established. Now strange beasts and dark magics have built the city into a place of horror and splendor. Immense silver, grey, black, and red towers reach into the sky, concentric walls divide the city in strange pattern, entire districts exist as networks of tunnels and submerged buildings.
* The Red Cult rules here from the Crimson Metropolis. 
** Their current leader is the iron-hand Emperor
** According to Albion's propaganda, they worship several of the most horrifying Elders or perhaps their minds are dominated by them, but the Red Cult claims that they have a partnership with the Elders.
The Cardinal Republic
* Western Russia, the heartland of the empire.
The Scarlet Steppe 
* Siberia
The Persimmon Coast
* Far east Russia. Ruled by a necromantic sorceress called the Pheonix Queen
The Carmine Pass
* Georgia and Azerbaijan
The Vermillion Khanate
* Khazakstan, Uzbeistan, Turkministan
The Garnet Province
* Belarus and the Baltics
The Sângerat Court
* A Vampire oligarchy rules over Romania.
The Maroon March:
* Ukraine and Maldova
* This land was once vast a rich in food and people. No one knows what turned it to the wasteland it its today, but some say it was subjected to a horrible famine by the Gatekeeper of the Eternal Abyss.
=== Greater Europa ===
Most of Europa was devastated by The War some time ago. The mediteranean is dominated by Gallia. The East by the Red Empire. Central Europa is a patchwork of minor states.
==== Gallia ====
The most powerful state in Western Europa. Despite being heavily damaged in The War it has mostly recovered and now rules what is arguably the third most powerful empire in the world. Its most important colonies include the Republic of Iberia, Greater Italia, Maghreb, the Kingdom of Mali, the Kingdom of Kanem, and the Oyo-Aro Confederation (home to the Ibini Ukpabi).
Despite having starkly different ideologies, Gallia is currently supported by the Red Empire in a proxy war against the great Sultanate for control of Egypt, Central Europa, and the mediteranean. Their primary strategy has been to push through north Africa in order to cut off the Sultanate's control of the Sokollu Canal. 
==== The Great Sultanate ====
The Great Sultanate stretches from the Central Europa to the border of Bharat.
Its most important colonies include the Emirate of Alexandria, Wallochia, Austria, Oman, Syria, and the semi-autonomous Persian Republic and Kingdom of Abyssinia. 
The Great Sultanate is currently competing with Gallia for control of central Europa, Egypt, and the Mediteranean. The Sultanate's primary strategy has been to protect the Danube river so that they can ensure that shipping between the black sea and allied and neutral Central Europan nations is still possible. 
=== The Middle Kingdom ===
One of the largest nations in the world. 
== Power ==
=== Factions ===
==== The Four Global Mercantile Houses ====
Lee-Langstaff Consolidated Holdings: A powerful corporation with interests in applied science, energy, and defense technology.
* Company motto: lead by brilliance 
** Company philosophy emphasizes creative entrepreneurship and being flexible enough to seize opportunities.
** LLCH likes to acquire new technology by hiring visionaries (and/or mad scientists) with inventions
* Main office is in Singapura
** Company head is Olivia Lee Ching. In addition to being a brilliant entrepreneur, Olivia is a world class musician.
** VP of Global Operations is Richard Langstaff. Richard grew up in Kolkata and is fluent in five languages.
**Secretly Lee-Langstaff's officers are members of the Wise. 
***By tradition one is always a member of the Circle of the Vermillion Bird, and the other is a member of the Circle of the Silver Fawn
**The Board of Directors is actually a council of immortal former officers.
* rivals to Rothenburg Industries
Rothenburg Industries International: An international company with interests in transportation, medicine, and defense technology 
* Company motto: Excellence through industriousness 
** company philosophy emphasizes planning ahead and being methodical enough to out compete everyone else
** RII has some of the best industrial laboratories in the world.
* Main office is in Konigsburg
** Lead by Victor von Rothenburg IV. A bio-chemical engineer with an impressive aptitude for management.
**Secretly an immortal mad scientist. 
* rivals to Langstaff-Lee
Boz Koyunlu Unlimited: A trans-national business with interests in petroleum, shipping, and communications.
* Company motto: Your reliable partner at the center of the world.
** Company emphasizes negotiation and partnerships.
** The only trans-national with a license to ship to and from the Red Empire
* Main office: City of Winds
* rivals with Tsudzurao
Tsudzurao Conglomerate: A mega corporation with interests in applied science, transportation, and communications.
* Main office: Edo
* rivals with BKU
*Secretly run by kitsune
==== The Seven Circles of the Wise ====
*Five Citadels
**The five cities where the Seven circles have treaties establishing them as neutral ground
**Five Citadels: Chang'An, Constantinople, Baghdad, Londinum, Cairo
*Order of the Golden Scarab
** Planet: Sun -
** Element
**Strongholds: Cairo, Damascus, Rome, Timbuktu, Baghdad, Londinium
** Oldest surviving circle. Supposedly created by survivors of Atlantis.
*Order of the Yellow Dragon
** Planet: Saturn - Yellow Dragon
** Element
**Strongholds: Chang'An (Xi'an), Kaifeng (Bejing), Nanjing, 
**Second oldest circle. Supposedly founded by the scholars who survived the fall of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors 
*Order of the Vermilion Bird 
** Planet: Mars - Vermilion Bird
** Element: Strongholds: Chongqing, Guangzhou, Kolkata, Pataliputra, Jakarta, 
* Order of the Black Tortoise 
** Planet: Mercury - Black Tortoise
** Element
**Strongholds: Crimson Metropolis, Novgorod, Saqsin, Minsk, Sigtuna, 
* Order of the Azure Dragon
** Planet: Jupiter - Azure Dragon
** Element
**Strongholds: Nanjing, Byeokrando, Kyoto, Wuhan, Quanzhou, Hangzhou, 
* Order of the White Tiger
** Planet: Venus - White Tiger
** Element: Kashgar, Samarkand, Rayy, Baghdad, Constantinople 
* Order of the Silver Fawn 
** Planet: Moon -
** Element
** Strongholds: Londinium, Luetia, Hamburg, New Alexandria, Buenos Aries, Veracruz,
* The Independents 
** Planet: Ceres
** Element
=== Anti-Fiend Factions ===
====The Ministry of Shadows====
Dedicated to protecting civilization from supernatural horrors. They evolved from an Imperial British intelligence group which gradually became more independent. They have ties to British Secret Service, the Admiralty, and the Church.
The Archivist - Within the Ministry is an omniscient librarian with the gift of immortality in exchange for eternal silence. Nobody is sure how old he is or even his name, but it is known is that he is from North Africa.
Even more mysterious is his frequent scrawling of confusing drawings.
====House Woden====
Carl and James Woden created a Foundation on Earth 13 to battle the abominations created by the First Unnamed War. It involved many people:
Carl Woden - Supposedly a mid level bureaucrat overseeing a scientific research team, in reality a high ranking member of the Ministry of Shadows in charge of supernatural operations against the Red Empire in the third Great Game. While loyal, he has his own agenda.
James Woden - A Ministry seer. He is also one of the Ministry's top monster hunters. 
Jordan Alexander - Ministry analyst and attaché to the Cathay Ambassador 
Sean Raymond - Captain of a submarine merchant fleet which secretly supplies information to the Ministry of Shadows. 
Jadon Villarreal - An explorer. Most famous for making a functioning map for the road of thorns, and killing a leviathan on the Abyssal Sea. 
Harvard Spruce - Scientist in Renatus Point on the American west coast keeping track of anomalous discoveries. Has a grifter twin brother Harrison, the source of his funding. Currently training his great nephew, Orion Spruce, in fighting the Undead and Evil. 
====The Consortium====
Nobody is sure who The Consortium is. Some think that it was an old laboratory made to learn about - and protect the populace from - anomalous beings. According to rumor both the Commonwealth of Albion and the Red Empire have secret deals with The Consortium allowing The Consortium to operate and seize anomalies from their territory. Their capabilities are unknown, but everyone agrees they have significant powers of Some say that they intend to use the Anomalous to seize control of Earth. That's most of what anybody knows.
Ravings of Dr. Excaecatus
* 20 years ago, the Ministry of Shadows interviewed an Arcadian scientist named Douglas Excaecatus. After working as a respected anthropologist he had dissapeared for six years before resurfacing in Singapura. He told the Ministry Officer on duty the following
* The Consortium has existed since at least the burning of the third Athenaeum. It globalized and merged with similar organizations first during the 13th century silk road and then during the age of exploration. It went through a massive consolidation and reogranization around the time of the industrial revolution. They have almost one million operatives all around the globe. The majority of which are sleeper agents. They operate by capturing and imprisoning anomaleis before studying them in secret labs to learn their weaknesses. vf gung nyy be qb gurl jnag PBAGEBY
*Excaecatus was shown the below diagram, written by Carl Woden. Woden created the document by compiling various rumors, speculation, and reports from low-level Order defectors. Excaecatus confirmed it was basically accurate. 
Document Below:
Npphengr? Gung'f abg jung Rkpnrpnghf fnvq. Zber yvxr vapbzcyrgr. Rkpnrpnghf'f zbqvsvpngvbaf fubhyq or ninvynoyr va oenib guerr.
=== Pro-Fiend Factions ===
==== Cult of Nanomine ====
Prior to the First Unnamed War, humans made contact with the Unnamed Ones. They learned how to open an Einstein-Rosen bridge to the parallel Ethereal and Infernal Planes. On October 31, 864, they did. This caused the First Unnamed War, releasing all sorts of fiendish, eldritch, and undead abominations to roam the Earth as inhabitants. 
=== Important People ===
==== Rulers ====
Elizabeth III / Elizabeth the Undying
Uncle Sasha: The extremely charismatic leader of the Red Empire. An extremely inspiring speaker and brilliant neogiator. World leaders are sometimes confused because he seems a little different each time. 
* Almost no one knows the truth. Sasha is not a long serving member of the revolutionary old guard. He is a genetically engineered super leader who is occasionally killed and recloned as new versions are developed.
Brother Vladimir: High Priest of Metropolitis 
* Depending on who you talk to he's either the power behind the throne or an empty husk and mouthpiece for the Silent Speaker. 
Baron Limburg Von Palantine
==== Supernatural Players - Global ====
Mr Magnus: A powerful crime lord. Unseen by all but his closest associates. Supposedly more than one hundred years old.
* A famously skilled negotiator and manipulator. 
** According to legend he once managed to trick a devil into signing a contract without reading the find print. 
* Smuggles magical drugs, forbidden texts, and even souls. 
** His smugglers use dangerous secret routes like Temelchester and the Abyssal Sea.
* He has spies in every government. 
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=== Supernatural Players - Londinium ===
Doctor Tiberius: A mysterious well connected researcher at King's College who claims to be a visiting professor from Temelchester University. He rarely takes off his dark sunglasses. 
* The Doctor is beleived to have connections to The Consortium
Bishop Virginia: A powerful anglican cleric who runs a network of exorcists and monster hunters. 
Carmelion Cruor: A defector from the Red Empire 
Sir Rowan Coggan: A retired Seargent of the Royal Grenadiers. He know makes a living hunting monsters and protecting the citizenry of Londinium's back alleys
Gordon Kraut: Once a Scientist who ruled a city in Central Europa, his fief was invaded and he was exiled to Londinum when he was on the verge of discovering a powerful new energy source
The Woden Brothers
=== Supernatural Players - Columbia ===
Ace the Beagle: A dog with human intelligence created by the mad scientist Von Braun for a failed mission to space. When von Braun got involved in the lead up to the War, Ace and his siblings were rescued by the mad scientist's Columbian cousin Charles. Ace ended up fighting in the War as a pilot for the Albion expeditionary force. 
Dane: Ace's nephew. He travel's around Columbia with a group of young paranormal investigators. 
=== Historical Figures ===
Reynold Cartwright
* A late 19th, early 20th century occult investigator and explorer. He traveled further beyond the veil than any mortal since the ancient days.
* He lived a dangerous life. Making deals and playing games with and against almost every major faction. He eventually became a member of the Wise, joining the Silver Fawn branch, though supposedly he went independent after an argument with the leadership.
* His greatest contribution to modern scholarship was the creation of the Dream Atlas.
* He dissapeared only a few years before The War. No one is quite certain what happened to him.
== Unearthly Artifacts and Locations ==
The Road of Thorns
Temelchester 
* A chilly walled town where it is always night or dusk but never day. Sometimes in rains, sometimes it snows, and sometimes ash falls from the sky. It has three gates. One gate leads to old ruins in an isolated part of Britain, another gate opens up in in valley in the Himalayas, the final gate leads to a seemingly infinite coast with beaches of obsidian sand that lie on the Abyssal Sea.
The Abyssal Sea
* In general 
** The sky over the Abyssal Sea is always dark. The water of the sea is has an inky blackness to it. Storms are common, as are sea monsters. Sometimes the only light is the faint glow of souls drifting through the water
** They say it is the sea between worlds, connecting the mortal lands and the realms of the dead.
*** Souls and spirits use the Abyssal sea to travel between various underworlds and mysterious lands. 
** The geography of the Abyssal 
** Mortal Sailors
*** On rare occasions, mortal sailors may find themselves in these seas by accident, but they must beware, for if they sail to far they will never be able to return, being forever trapped on the Abyssal sea unaging until they are trapped on one of the underworld shores, or are killed by a massive leviathan. The farther you go into the Abyssal sea, the farther you will be trapped away from mortal lands.
*** Some mortal explorers purposefully sail the Abyssal sea, looking for treasure or trying to cheat death. 
** Nightmares
*** If you have a nightmare while on the Abyssal sea, whatever fear you dream up is often manifested. As you might guess this leads to a terrifying vicious cycle.
** The Island of Ghosts
*** They say that some souls with a strong enough will to live, will rest on this island before being dragged off to their destinations. Sometimes, intrepid explorers will try to find their recently deceased loved ones on this island and take them back to the lands of the sun. Most fail. 
** Whitelead Island
*** A pale craggy island dominated by rocks of lead ore. Small trees cling to the windy rock. Adventurers visit the island because many of the rocks contain silver and flecks of high purity Rhodium. 
*** Their is a driftwood house on the northwest hill. An old man with one gold eye lives there. If he gives you advice, listen. 
** The Ghost Lands
*** They say if you venture to far from mortal shores, you can return to the world of the living by dwelling in the ghost lands, a ring of continents constructed by the nightmares of the living and the memory of the inhabitants. The souls of the ghost lands are trapped between worlds. 
** The Styx Delta
*** If you go far enough into the Abyssal sea you may find a plutonian shore with a vast river that empties into the Abyssal sea. The river is wide enough for boats, and if you travel up it you may find yourself in one of the underworlds; however, no one is certain, for if you travel up the Styx far enough to reach the true lands of the dead, you will never be able to return to the mortal world. 
** The 
== Major Rifts (In descending order by size) ==
# Shawneetown Rift - 1821
# Pacific Rift - time immemorial
# Dejima Rift - 1945
# Klodzko Rift - 1799
# Khuldara Rift - 1814
# Black Forest Rift - 1388
# Amazon Rift - time immemorial
# Aokigahara Rift - 864
== Major Monsters ==
=== The Living ===
==== Humans (also known as the Unclaimed) ====
* Explanation: These creatures evolved from primates, losing much of their hair and gaining an extremely high level of intelligence.
**According to magical theory humans are modeled as a body and a soul bridged by a mind.
* Created: They propagate through sexual reproduction.
* Traits: Many are fearful of other monsters, and this pushes them to craft counters to many of the other monster species out there.
* Abilities: They are extraordinarily intelligent and competent at crafting weaponry, allowing them to build weapons to defeat many other monster species. In addition, they have the most powerful of energies available to them: the Soul. It is what most monster species crave in humans, and fuels the ability to transform into different species with specific rites or actions.
* Weaknesses: They are weak individually, and rely on prep time to build their specialized weaponry. Surprise attacks on these guys usually work.
==== Readers ====
* Explanation: Humans whose minds are partially untethered to their mortal bodies. They are able to perceive things without using the body's senses.
* Created: Theoretically any human can untether their minds and become readers, but some humans are born with natural talent and much greater potential. 
** In order to activate the strong form of their abilities, readers must be temporarily or permanently deprived of their bodily senses.
**Scanners wear earplugs to stop their hearing. Empaths wear masks to keep from speaking. Precogs take drugs that inhibit their sense of time or go into sensory deprivation. Seers wear blindfolds to obscure their vision. Autosciencentists wear thick gel gloves to obscure their sense of touch. Remote Viewers meditate or are blindfolded, spun around, and kept in the dark to obscure their sense of direction. 
**Some cultures disfigure young readers to bring out their powers. Thankfully under the Peking accords this is considered a crime against humanity and is internationally prohibited.
** 
* Traits: Readers study hard to master their powers. Most will also lean into scientific study in order to maximize their understanding of the world.
* Abilities: Scanners can hear the surface thoughts of those around them as if they were whispers; powerful ones can project their own thoughts. Empaths can sense strong emotions; powerful ones can project or sooth emotions. Precogs can see flashes of possible futures; strong ones see clear visions outlining the ramifications of certain decisions. Seers can sense minds and see hidden truths; powerful ones can anticipate what someone or something will most likely do in the next few seconds. Autoscientists can sense their own body to an incredibly precise and accurate degree, powerful Autoscientists can use mind over matter to control their bodily functions. Remote Viewers see images of the present elsewhere in the world.
**Most readers can only use one ability. A reader is considered an Adept if they can use two (or in rare cases more) of the above abilities.
**The Albionian Commonwealth Military employs Adept-Scout readers: readers who use a combination of Seer and Scanner abilities to locate enemies.
**According to rumor the French Prime Minister is an Adept-Master reader; allegedly he uses a combination of Empath and Scanner powers to control people.
*Weaknesses: If a reader's senses are overwhelmed their powers can be countered. It is hard for readers to forget the things they perceive while Reading, often resulting in severe mental damage.
==== Warlocks ====
* Explanation: Humans who's souls are untethered from their mortal bodies. They can channel etheric forces to impact the world around them.
* Created: With enough meditation and mystical study any human can learn to untether their soul, but some are born with innate talent.
* Traits: Warlocks often lean into mystical or spiritual explanations of their powers. Many will visualize the manifestation of their powers as spirits or familiars.
* Abilities: Warlocks use their untethered souls to reach out to the ether. They must gather up etheric energy in order to channel the ether. Etheric energy is usually gathered through mystical rituals or sacrifices, but it can also be gathered by focusing strong emotion. Their are seven etheric skills associated with seven elements. A warlock who can use an etheric skill can also learn to channel their respective element (they gain telekineisis which applies only to their own element). Most warlocks can only channel one element (and use the respective skill). A warlock who can channel two or more elements (and use both skills) is called a Mystic. 
**Etheric Energy gathering rituals can often be quite dangerous and might require some rather horrifying sacrifices.
***Human sacrifice is not uncommon of, which is one reason why warlocks are feared around the world.
***Some warlocks make deals with Devils in exchange for etheric energy. Some legends even speak of warlocks making deals with the Nameless 
**Earth: warlocks who channel earth can use etheric energy for Fortification, strengthening their muscles and toughening their skin. 
**Water: warlocks who channel water can use etheric energy for Jaunting, the ability to move themselves or other objects almost instantaneously to another point (Jaunters must use etheric energy to change their potential energy to match the target destination, in addition the amount of energy needed to Jaunt is proportional to the square of the distance). 
**Fire: warlocks who channel fire can use etheric energy for Catalysis, accelerating chemical and electrical reactions. 
**Air: warlocks who channel air can use etheric energy for Levitation, ignoring gravity and hovering above the ground. 
**Void/Space: warlocks who channel void can use etheric energy for Projection, interacting directly with the Ether and its denizens in an astral form. 
**Wood: warlocks who channel wood can use etheric energy for Healing, accelerating the an organisms natural repair process. 
**Metal: warlocks who channel wood can use etheric energy for Magnesis, telekinetically causing objects to attract and repel each other. 
* Weaknesses: Etheric channeling can be grounded by cold iron or running water. If a warlock is stabbed by an iron blade their power will be inhibited.
==== The Wise ====
* Explanation: Humans who have mastered both Etheric and Psychic arts. They combine the scientific philosophy and perceiving power of the readers with the mysticism and energy powers of warlocks.
* Creation: It takes decades of study to master both arts and become one of the Wise. There are probably no more than a thousand across the entire world.
* Traits: The wise have a tendency to be very mysterious. They are preternaturally long lived. When a student ascends to the Wise they are granted a unique title by one of the Circles. They are often called Wizards, but only be outsiders. 
**The wise are divided into seven circles. Each of the seven circles follows as quasi-religious ideology called the Path of the Erudite, which teaches that the Nameless were all extremely powerful Wizards from ancient days who ascended beyond humanity. By giving up their names and taking a title the Wise are imitating the Nameless.
***Some circles worship the Nameless. Others just venerate them. Others treat them as extremely dangerous, and even evil, but potentially helpful if one is careful.
**Some legends say that in order for a human to join one of the seven circles and fully master both Reading and Warlockery, their minds must be opened by an old Nameless called the All-Knowing Scribe of the First Tome. It is said that when one ascends to one of the seven circles they make a deal with the All-Knowing Scribe and a piece of their souls in exchange for their minds being opened. Some wizards give up their human empathy, or their rationality, or their ability to speak.
***Others say that what really happens is that the Wise make some other deal with the All-Knowing Scribe, but one of the side effects of having their third-eye opened is that their minds are warped as a side effect. 
* Abilities: The Wise combine Reader and Warlock powers. The wise can use etheric energy to charge their reader powers, and they can use the scientific discipline of reading to control their elemental powers.
** The Unbowed Champion used Metal Channeling and Magnesis to develop an incredibly powerful martial art of swordsmanship. When he added Seer combat clarivoyance they were unstoppable.
**The Hunter of Shadows used Empath powers to locate enemies and Catalysis to manipulate gunpowder and preform incredible feats of gunplay.
** The Hand of Mercy used a combination of Seer powers and Healing to perform incredibly precise surgeries.
**The Unfettered Blade used Remote Viewing and Jaunting to find and assassinate her enemies.
**The Taker of Truths used Air Channeling and Levitation to fly past enemies and incredibly speeds and then used Scanning to hear their thoughts and steal secrets before they knew what was happening. 
**The Deliverer of Retribution used Autoscience and Catalysis to accelerate the chemical reactions of her metabolism and move incredibly fast.
**The Speaker of Images used Scanning and Projection to deliver images of his astral projection en mass. 
**The Vessel of Vastness used combined Remote Viewing and Empath powers to channel the emotions of vast groups elsewhere in the world. She used that emotional power for gathering etheric energy. When she used this etheric energy for Earth Channeling and Fortification she was nigh unstoppable.
***She was so powerful that it took an alliance between all Seven Circles, the Albion Expeditionary Force Combat Reader Corps, and the Red Empire's Special Warlock Unit to hunt her down. vf gung ernyyl jung unccrarq, nfx nycun sbhe
* Weaknesses: Less than Readers or Warlocks. Instead of undergoing sensory deprivation, they replace their sensing organs with simulacra animated by etheric energy (traditionally eyes are replaced by glass, marble, or obsidian; ears are replaced by ivory; tongues are replaced by silver). Because they can use Reading to shape their channeling they are much more efficient and consume less etheric energy. However, do to their extended age and incredibly power, they do trend toward arrogance and can be rather set in their ways.
==== Pumpkin Monster ====
* Explanation: Parasites infect pumpkins. They form bodies out of whatever is nearby, usually vines or human skeletons.
* Created: Pumpkin seed planted from a pumpkin monster will grow to be pumpkin monsters themselves.
* Traits: Most are aggressive toward humans. If they live long enough they can gain sentience and are sometimes quite friendly.
* Abilities: They can generate fire, but are limited by their pseudo candles.
* Weaknesses: If the candle is blown out the monster will go dormant.
==== Witches ====
* Explanation: They appear to use some kind of runic equations in order to manipulate reality in very strange and specific ways.
* Created: They have a specific cult, which kidnaps small children and inducts them into their clan, teaching them the mysterious arts of witchery.
* Traits: Fond of tattoos and hallucinogens taken around a circle. Attitudes towards normals vary by group--some merely want to be left alone, while others enjoy tormenting humans and creating fear for their own amusement.
* Abilities: Again varies by particular cult: The Incendiary Cult, for instance, specializes in fire runes. There are cults for Necromancy, Divination, Naturomancy (manipulation of nature like plants and the weather), and several others. Abilities common to most witches include minor telepathy, minor illusions, and the ability to fly on broomsticks or carpets.
* Weaknesses: Again varies by cult association: Fire is weak to water, Necromancy to life magic, etc. However, most witches (with the exception of Fire witches) are weak to fire, and pretty much all witches are weak to the power of holy symbols not associated with their order.
==== Deep Ones ====
* Explanation: Primordial fish people who live in underwater cities.
* Created: Some say they are forgotten ancestors of humans. Due to intense inbreeding, there has to be 1 human parent every three generations to preserve fertility.
* Traits: A civilization from at least 4000 years ago. Their population and technology has declined ever since one of their land travelers caught the black death in the 1600s.
* Abilities: Stronger than humans. They can operate underwater easily.
** Advanced Technology: They wear scaly green armor made from lightweight polymers than can stop bullets. They use genetically engineered creatures resembling tentacles/whips that project electricity. They have a genetically engineered slime that can seep its venom into a human's bloodstream through the skin creating a powerful addiction.
* Weaknesses:
** They don't use traditional projectile weapons since those don't work very well underwater. Their vehicles are almost all underwater based. They are very susceptible to fire.
==== Sea Monsters ====
*There are many terrifying creatures who haunt the ocean depths. 
Supernatural Serial Killers
* Scholars have noticed that individuals who are criminally insane seem to be able to draw energy from nearby rifts, increasing general endurance.
=== The Dead ===
* Ghosts
** Explanation: The lingering corporeal remains of someone's soul, able to see, hear and sometimes talk, as well as be seen and heard by select people
** Created: Someone dies before they can complete a task they were set on completing. Their soul lingers and drifts around the material plane, continuing progress on the task until it is complete.
*** Everyone becomes a ghost when they die, but most pass on "beyond the veil" upon the next sunrise after their death. People who lead especially virtuous or content lives sometimes go beyond instantly. 
** Traits: Often vengeful and delusional, they tend to attack anyone who reminds them of wrongs done in the past.
** Abilities: Floating, invisibility, incorporality, telekinesis, illusions, shape changing.
** Weaknesses: Can be sent to the beyond with an exorcism spell, or misdirected at a harmless target with a spell of confusion. Will also cease to exist on this plane if their unfinished task is completed.
* Skeletons
** Explanation: Human skeletons, or skeletons of any kind, really, but usually human, that can walk and interact with the world with a level of sentience--often used as slaves/servants to magic-users.
** Created: With certain arcane runic rites, witches can raise the ancient dead to serve as servants. They are powered by the long-lost souls from beyond the rift, which is used for energy by the transparent fungus like exoplasm (not to be confused with ectoplasm) that holds the joints together. The exoplasm can reform after being separated, making skeletons very hard to permanently kill. 
** Traits: Intelligence, subservience, speaking only through writing or hand signs, servile snarkiness.
** Abilities: Hand signing, intelligence, functional immortality so long as the spell is working.
** Weaknesses: They lack free will in most cases as part of the rite that made them. The rite is a rune inscribed indelibly on the skull of the skeleton. Change the rune in specific ways, and you can give the skeleton free will, or dissipate the soul keeping it together, functionally killing it.
=== The Undead ===
* Werewolves
** Explanation: Human hosts are controlled by an alien parasite that originally infected wolves.
** Created: When two werewolves have a child, that child will be a potential werewolf. If a werewolf has a child with a non werewolf, the child will only become a potential werewolf if it kills someone. Potential werewolves become full werewolves after they first die.
** Traits: Werewolves are unable to feel empathy for humans. They feel intense pleasure at killing and eating humans.
** Abilities:
*** Their most famous feature is their ability to transform from human form to a powerful wolf human hybrid under certain conditions. 
***During human form they have improved senses and reflexes. They can heal any wound, even amputations (roughly thrice as fast as a human).
*** While in their lupine form, werewolves have increased speed and strength. Their senses and reflexes are even more impressive than in human form. They can heal any wound at incredible speed.
***When werewolves eat humans while in wolf form, they are able to absorb some of the human's memories and power.
** Weaknesses:
*** Wounds created by silver heal at human rate.
*** Have to struggle to not fall back on instinct instead of human ingenuity during combat.
* Vampires
** Explanation: Parasites from beyond the rift that inhabit the region between the human heart and brain. It has two central nodes, one dispersed web in the host brain, and one in the host heart. Transmitted via blood.
** Created: If a human ingests vampire blood and dies within three days they will rise again as a vampire.
** Traits: Vampires must drink human blood to survive. The older they are, the more powerful they are.
** Abilities: Varies depending on age.
*** 0-7 days (nenorocit): Parasite is still growing and changing it's host. Human levels of speed, strength, senses, and reflexes, but without any psychological barriers.
*** 7 days to - 5 years (sclav): Heal at accelerated rate. Can heal amputated arm over the course of a day. Slightly faster, stronger, and better reflexes than humans. Much better senses.
*** 5 - 20 years (Picior): More than twice as fast and strong as humans. Can heal amputated arm over the course of several hours. Total night vision.
*** 20 - 60 years (Ghera): More than three times as fast and strong as humans. Can heal amputated arm over the course of an hour. Can sense other consciousnesses. Can transform into dire wolf over the course of three days.
*** 60 - 140 years (Amorsa): More than five times as fast and strong as humans. Can heal amputated arm over the course of 15 minutes. Can communicate psychically. Can transform into giant bat or dire wolf over the course of seven hours.
*** 140+ years (Maestru): More than ten times as fast and strong as humans. Can heal amputated arm over the course of an 1 minute. Can dominate psychically. Can transform into giant bat, or dire wolf over the course of half an hour.
** Weaknesses:
*** 0-7 days (nenorocit): Parasite is still growing and changing its host. Poisoned and killed within 30 minutes by direct sunlight or Garlic. Wooden stake through heart kills them. Decapitation or incineration kills them forever. Controlled by vampire who sired them.
*** 7 days to - 5 years (sclav): Poisoned and killed within three hours by direct sunlight or Garlic. Wooden stake through heart paralyzes them and slows healing. Decapitation or incineration kills them forever. Controlled by vampire who sired them.
*** 5 - 20 years (Picior): Poisoned and killed within 1 day by direct sunlight or Garlic unless it feeds enough. Wooden stake through heart paralyzes them and slows healing. Decapitation or incineration kills them forever. Cannot touch or look upon religious symbol without great pain.
*** 20 - 60 years (Ghera): Poisoned and killed within 3 days by direct sunlight or Garlic unless it feeds enough. Wooden stake through heart paralyzes them and slows healing. Decapitation or incineration kills them forever. Cannot touch or look upon religious symbol without great pain.
*** 60 - 140 years (Amorsa): Can stand direct sunlight but cannot use physical powers during sunshine. Garlic makes them very sick and depletes their powers. Cannot touch or look upon religious symbol without great pain.
*** 140-1000 years (Maestru): Can stand direct sunlight but cannot use physical powers except for healing during sunshine. Garlic makes them slightly sick and depletes their powers. Cannot touch or look upon religious symbol without great pain.
*** 1000+ years (Millenia Maestru): Can use all physical powers in direct sunlight. Garlic only depletes their powers. Can look upon religious symbol with ease. But for some strange reason, they have a compulsion to count tiny objects spilled in front of them. A small "family" of these is stuck on the beaches of California, counting all the grains of sand and feeding on any human hapless enough to encounter them. 
* Zombies
** Explanation: A hive-mind parasitic mutation of rabies called the Undying Plague. Most infectious between humans.
** Created: When a human is infected with the Undying Plague.
** Traits: No thoughts other than feeding. Can survive indefinitely post-infection. Pale-green, slightly translucent "faded" skin.
** Abilities: Drunk humans but more energetic, some wonder if the Undying Plague forms chloroplasts underneath the skin
** Weaknesses: Fire, dehydration, blades
=== The Fiends ===
* Devils
** Explanation: Twisted beings from beyond the rift, they evolved to sentience roughly contemporaneously with humans, but evolved to feed off human soul energy. 
** Created:They, like any other creature, emerge from sexual relationships with members of their own species. Can also breed with humans, creating Half-Demon hybrids called the Hellions.
** Traits:Manipulative and cunning, they often acquire souls through offering deals.
** Abilities: Reality manipulation, Extreme Lawyerish sneakiness in deals
** Weaknesses: Generally have a giant fucking ego--they will always accept a challenge or wager, even if it means death for them if they lose. Not to mention: they cannot cheat or break a deal or wager as written--doing so would result in their death. 
* Demons
** Explanation: 
** Created: 
** Traits: 
** Abilities:
** Weaknesses:
=== The Nameless ===
(Main Article: The Unnamed Ones) 
Earth 13 is the only non-prime Earth on which people know about the Unnamed Ones. They managed to make contact and send out fiendish and undead abominations. The Elders, as the Unnamed Ones on Earth 13 are called, have titles instead of names. 
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==== Important Nameless ====
The Unyielding Steward of the Blinding Throne (some say it lives in the sun, others say it is the sun, other still say it was the first star and is every star)
The Prince of the Blinding Chorus
The Silent Watcher in the Divine Darkness
The Unfettered Chanter of the Heights
The Darkly Crowned King of Nightmares
The Blind Priest of the Crimson Eye 
The All-Knowing Scribe of the First Tome 
* Legends say it invented writing, and now knows every piece of information mortals have ever written down. 
The Bloody Fanged Bringer of Retribution
The Deafening Speaker of the One Mind, (also called Drinker of the One Blood)
The Implacable Gatekeeper of the Eternal Abyss
== Economics and Technology ==
=== The Global Hydrocarbons Dilemma ===
=== Cthonicite ===