Factions

### House Tepes:

The House of Tepes is, historically, the Vampire Court from which Dracula hailed. They are renowned scientists, using their studies of the natural world to produce technology and medicine. However, since the initial demonic invasions, a fair amount of technology has been lost or has lost functionality due to infrastructural damages (such as satellite-based technology). Regardless, most "modern" weaponry and tools commonly used are thanks to House Tepes. Typically, there is a "Chief Researcher" who acts as the House's figurehead. Ever since the passing of Dracula, there has yet to have been an official replacement as the leader, as it is commonly believed by the inhabitants of House Tepes that Lord Dracula may still return.

### Circle of the Full Moon:

The Circle of the Full Moon is a druidic order that has helped heal the radioactive landscape in the days passed after the demon invasion. These druids are commonly referred to as Law Givers by other Vampire Courts, and act as individual cells as opposed to acting as an overarching organization. They are oft very protective of their land and distrustful of non-vampires, generally refusing entry to humans and mutants without vampiric chaperones.

### Ecclesia Tenebris:

The Ecclesia Tenebris is the formal Church for the Vampire Courts. Established back when the Crypts were first employed, the Ecclesia Tenebris has been the primary force which has kept humanity in check by being forced upon the Crypt's inhabitants. Since then, the Ecclesia Tenebris is the most populous religion in the known world. Their focus has always been the inclusion of vampires and humans, framing vamp-kind as the saviors of humanity. Lord Vladimir Dracula Tepes has been exalted as the being who held off the demonic forces as the Crypts were filed, and that if not for the actions of vampires, all sentient , worthwhile life would be extinct. All sentient beings are part of a "Divine Plan" in which all must accept the price of survival, to which humans now owe their lives and blood to their vampire lords. For the most part, this exchange has been positively received as humans continue to benefit from the protection the vampires offer in this dangerous world.

### Dusk Legion:

The Dusk Legion is, by common understanding, the primary militia force for the vampiric fiefs. The Legion doesn't have it's own territories par se, but are instead enlisted and spread throughout the Vampire Court's territories. Their primary employment is on settlements nearby Demon Wastes and enemy territory lines. The legion employs Clerics, Warpriests, Inquisitors, and certain Oracles, all of which have sworn allegiance to the Legion and Ecclesia Tenebris.

## OTHER FACTIONS

### The Order of Infinities

An ancient order of Monks, the Order of Infinities (also called the Ordem Infinitaus) are a mostly peaceful group which seeks to spread enlightenment and immortality, both spiritual and physical. First and foremost, the order collects knowledge and seeks to continue the tradition of recordkeeping, attempting to construct a modern history of sorts. These efforts would be going much more efficiently if initiates wouldn't keep dying so often.

In order to transcend their frail limitations, many elders have transposed themselves into mechanical bodies to which they can continue to ponder and receive enlightenment for as long as their bodies hold. Their initiates, however, tend to still be fleshy as they are sent throughout the world on pilgrimages to learn what they can and bring this knowledge back to the Order. Most initiates into the order are social outcasts, and very few have received honors to transcend and join the inner sanctums.

### El Discípulos de Jefe:

El Discípulos de Jefe, otherwise known as the Boss's Disciples, are a group of human-first religious monster hunters. They take grand inspiration from Jefe Jezeus, a legendary slayer and allegedly the first recorded Vampire Hunter from before the bombs falling. Stories tell of Jezeus's heroic actions and miraculous happenings, including being able to cure those suffering undeath from their afflictions and staving off demonic forces for long journeys that would be impossible for any mortal man. These miracles are preached in small circles and often shared as little more than children's tales, however the actual religion is seen as a heretical cult by the Ecclesia Tenebris. The Disciples themselves are religious zealots, often treating vampires and other non-humanoids as little more than target practice, spitting on the Ecclesia's "Divine Plan". They particularly loath the undead, and it's not unheard of for the Disciples to go back on truces and ceasefires whenever it suits them, which leads many to label the Disciples as untrustworthy, blood-hungry rioters and nothing more.

### The Horde

The Horde consists of a coalition of Demons and monsters that has existed since the reemergence of humans and vampires. During the initial demonic invasion, the demon's enjoyed the nuclear wastelands which resulted with the Earth's early ruination. However, as the innate radiation levels eventually began to drop back to livable conditions, the demons receded back into the most irradiated parts of the planet, holing up in abandoned power plants and nuclear silos in order to maintain and continue to proliferate their most reliable source of energy.

Once the crypts began to open, most of the demonic forces had already receded into fairly small territories as the planet healed. As humanity and the vampires reclaimed their position on Earth's surface, the demons found themselves at a disadvantage; their exposure and adaptation to nuclear energy became a physical reliance, and thus most demons found themselves unable to travel long distances from their nuclear strongholds as time had gone on. In order to hold control over lands they could no longer keep a constant presence at, the demons enlisted/enslaved various "species" of mutants and monsters to hold control and limit the spread of humanity and vampires. As such, it is considered that most monsters that can be found in the Wilds are associated with the Horde. At this current time, nearly all of the remnants of Europe and Japan are havens for demonspawn, and are considered inhospitable by any other living species (even most mutants). If there is an hierarchal structure to the Horde, it is unknown. Demons, while ferocious, are not mindless, and have been known to run from fights they feel aren't worth the risk. That said, the constant radiation emitted from them make them fearsome to overcome for the unprepared.

### The Blaqkened

The Blaqkened are a legion of monstrosities devised of machinery and the dead. Their order is seemingly unknown. Generally the Blaqkened prefer to simply snatch dead bodies they come across for "repurposing", however it is not uncommon for Blaqkened raiding parties to capture living "recruits" should they come across them. They fight with seemingly no regards to their own wellbeing, and are driven by a hive-mind like intellegence. There does appear to be some sort of hierarchy based on purpose within the ranks of the Blaqkened, however very little is actually confirmed as it's really hard to talk to mecha-zombies.