Society

In the world of Demonic Atomic, society functions differently depending on the race in charge.

### **Vampiric Society**

   Vampires often rule in a traditional feudal system format. While generally speaking there are no kings or queens (the only entity that would be close enough to such a title would be Lord Vlad Dracula Von Tepes, however his whereabouts are currently unknown, assuming he's even alive still), vampires of higher rank still control land and rule over their subjects based on territory. Most vampire lords live and rule independently from each other, and are held accountable only by the Ecclesia Tenebris. However, allegiances between various vampire lords often arise for simple reasons; either from sharing a vampiric bloodline (kin shouldn't fight amongst kin), or forming coalitions to improve survivability.

**Vampire Courts**
While many vampire lords are independent, there are far more lords and ladies that hold allegiance to a specific vampire court. These courts are generally widespread, each holding smaller holds spread across the world. For example, the Vampire Court House Tepes has multiple lords spread across the globe in various regions. While each lord from House Tepes may control their own holds, they still convene with other House Tepes Lords when summoned to do so, and may share resources, information, or offer support when requested by other House Tepes lords. For independents that don't have a specific court they yield to, oftentimes they may have bloodlines that they may regard to a certain degree. That said, not all Lords and Ladies will cooperate with others simply due to a shared court or bloodline.

#### **Holds and Providences**

Each independent Lord or Lady holds dominion over their declared territory, called Holds. Lords may assign or further break up their territories into providences, to which may be regulated by Dukes, Duchesses, or Knights. Smaller settlements are often watched by Overseers, who are chosen by the immediate ruler above them, whether it be the Lords/Ladies themselves or their selected Duke/Duchess/Knight. All humans within a hold or providence owe tithe to their respective vampire ruler, and all mutants, dhampirs, and vampire subjects are expected to serve their immediate ruler when called upon.

Lords and Ladies that band together to share resources form Coalitions. In each Coalition, Lords and Ladies continue to rule their own holds, but work together to help protect and aid one another's populations.

#### **Crypts**

Crypts were the original strongholds created before the demonic invasion and nuclear apocalypse. These fortresses are often used as capitals for whichever hold happens to include them in their territory. Not all holds have a Crypt, but it is always extremely advantageous for a Vampire Lord/Lady to reside within one, as they're nearly impenetrable when sealed. However, there are multiple Crypts that have been destroyed, either to natural elements, demonic invasion, or even from the flooding that occurred during the nuclear ice age.

#### **The Ecclesia**

The Ecclesia is present in most vampiric holds. As a religious establishment, the Ecclesia is often the driving force between positive human/vampire relations due to their taught belief system that humans and vampires are a relationship of codependency and duty. Humans owe their lives and their blood to their lords, and lords owe humans their protection and civil servitude/guidance.

The Ecclesia have multiple strongholds scattered across the Eastern Lands. These massive cathedrals are often used to train clerics, inquisitors, and warpriests of the Church, and are regarded as safe havens to those who are weary.

Often times, the only holds/providences that do not have the Ecclesia's presence are often due to the nature of the lord/lady wishing to express true dominion over their human subjects. Generally speaking, those are not nice places to live.

### **Human Society**

Independent Human Societies are generally few and far between; these are groups of people who have decried the forced relationships between humans and vampires. Oftentimes, due to the continuous hunting of these people by Vampiric society, purely human settlements are nomadic, relying on mobile, vehicular towns or cities that are consistently on the move.

#### **Los Discípulos**

Some of these humans dedicate their lives to hunting vampires, working to "expose the lies of the Ecclesia". These humans are known as Los Discípulos. The Disciples are seen as mad cultists by those in vampire society, viewed as a threat to proper society even to other humans.

#### **Mortal Engines**

Many "human only" societies reside on gargantuan vehicles to which all the residents live. These are dubbed "Mortal Engines".

### **Mutant Society**

Mutants come in many forms, and their variance in societies reflect this. Overall, however, most purely mutant social groups are tribal in nature, having originally formed before the Crypts were initially unsealed. Despite this, many mutants have their own technologies, some of which has been appropriated by vampiric and human societies alike.

### **Languages**

* Common
* Abyssal
* Celestial
* Sign Language
* Druidic
* Necril
* Infernal

Mutant Languages:

* Aquan
* Auran
* Ignan
* Terran
* Amphian
* Vegean