World of Darkness: The Metaplot
Changeling: The Dreaming
The Courts
The Seelie and Unseelie (noble and commoner) have long been engaged in low-volume war over resources, especially freeholds, dross, fonts, and even dreamers. However, it is hardly as intense as the mages’ Ascension War or the vampires’ Great Jyhad, and most deaths are chimerical.
Secret Societies
Fae conspiracies and secret societies continue in full swing. The Cat’s Cradle bears special mention, as it is facilitating new allies among Prodigals against the true enemies of all fae. Conversely, the Shadow Court also cultivates new friends…
Monarchs
In Concordia, all of the reigning kings and queens remain, including High King David. However, there is a bit of unrest in the Kingdom of Willows. King Meilge has been undermined by another with royal claim, and she has wrested away New Orleans, the jewel of his kingdom. (It may be a water-logged jewel, but it’s a jewel nevertheless.) A stalemate between Meilge and this well-connected usurper continues.
Last Hopes
The Shanghaied Ensemble of Royalty is a secret conspiracy inspired by a particularly gifted Beaumayn visionary, who despite her lineage has been crowned a queen by the Parliament of Dreams—though what she reigns over is anyone’s guess. However, her vision and efforts may very well provide the key for fae, and fragile Sidhe especially, to survive the impending Winter.
The Sidhe
As of 2012, four to five generations of Sidhe have now dwelled on Earth since the Resurgence (not counting House Scathach, which never left). Most of the re-established Sidhe member Houses Gwydion, Fiona, Eiluned, Dougal, Liam, Ailil, Leanhaun, or Balor. Since 1999, the Second Resurgence saw other Houses arrive from Arcadia: Beaumayn, Aesin, Bukura, Daireann, Keshalyi, Tyche, and Varich. Many Sidhe spirits have figured out the changeling way, but the learning has been piecemeal and uncertain. (There is only one House Scathach. “Arcadian” and “Autumn” Scathach are rejected though the organization detailed in Book of Lost Houses is accepted.)
Perhaps more importantly, the Shining Host has begun to rebuild a strong support system among the best mortals: Sidhe Kinain, who often share qualities of their related noble Houses.
Pure Land Gallain
In recent years, the “Pure Land” fae of the world became aware of each other’s existence. They decided to meet and discuss the encroachment of the Kithain and the deepening of Banality. The Nunnehi and Menehune showed up. The Anangu (Aboriginal fae), Emere (sub-Saharan African fae), and Nahuani (the native fae of Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America) also met. This Council came to no substantial decision about any of the problems. They did, however, agree to stay in contact and send elder representatives to meet annually. Some “exchange” also took place and picked up in frequency. (The Pure Land Gallain are covered in greater detail in the linked webbook.)
Merfolk
The Mer remain isolated from the Kithain or any other Prodigal neighbors for the most part. The rare “freshwater” Merfolk of House Undine maintain amicable relationships with their fae kin in and out of the water. Merfolk kingdoms concern themselves primarily with their greatest rivals of old, the Murdhuacha. Both kinds of mer share a common ancestry and a unique language largely unknown by mortals or even other fae. Though the Murdhuacha are a kind of Thallain, they seem to have no alliance with the Shadow Court, and instead serve an entity called “Qyrl”, which has more alien rather than purely entropic intent for the Earth and its oceans.
The Merfolk commonly call their language Mere. It is universal, though there are regional and local dialects (and many Murdhuacha sound incomprehensible in any language they speak). Furthermore, it has become a kind of lingua franca for the few intelligent, supernatural critters that share the deep seas with the Merfolk. Some Rokea even pick it up. Rorqual seem to understand it perfectly (and normal cetaceans respond to it as much as they do any spoken humanoid language). Because the original architects of the language designed it to be understood underwater, surface-dwellers cannot even learn it properly, let alone speak it.
When creating a character in this setting, if no levels are taken in the Linguistics Knowledge, Mere is assumed by default. This means only Melusine easily learn even a single surface language (Syrinx and Lorelei must purchase with freebies). Undine are the exception; the local human language is their default and they must buy Mere with Linguistics slots. Even after learning it, they tend to have such a thick accent that non-Undine often have trouble understanding them.
Inanimae & Others
The book, Inanimae: The Secret Way, is rejected. (Inanimae are superfluous in the World of Darkness. At best, such entities would be abstractions upon abstractions, and would never find their way out of the Astral Realm or Arcadia.) Any such creatures are simply gifted and/or unique chimera. Adhene also fit into this category (especially since their arrival hinges upon the events of the Year of the Reckoning, which is entirely rejected), though certain Arts presented for the Adhene may be learned by the fae from secret sources.
Hsien
Several factions of hsien exist. The Shinma are by far the most dominant. There are only five Kwannon-jin of kamuii but actually fifteen Kwannon-jin of the hirayanu exist. Most member the Wu Hsien while their elemental “nobles” largely member the Li Shen. The Yü Courts have mostly been lost over the centuries to the depredations and Shadow Wars with the Kuei-jin and other rivals. Xian Mo, Tu Shen, and Xian Mun are not the most common of sects, but do tend to congregate together for both defense and shared wisdom.
The other major factions include the Daitya, Shu Shen, and Kura Sau. The would-be god Daitya are found only in small enclaves scattered across Japan and Korea. Most have worked out peace agreements with nearby Shinma courts. The mercenary Shu Shen have almost no holdings, instead networking with each other in more informal fashion. Finally, the Kura Sau, as the true akuma of the hsien, are insidious but luckily rare. Most work alone, keeping only dark minions.
Wraith: The Oblivion
Factions of the Dead
The Sixth Great Maelstrom has not occurred; as part of the Year of the Reckoning, it is rejected. Consequently, Charon (and the Lady of Fate) are still missing in action. The balance of power stands as it was: the Hierarchy controls Citadels the Underworld over but remains strongest in the Shadowlands of the Old World and out of Legion seats, wherever they may fall. While vital necropoli are in the hands of the Dark Kingdom of Iron in the New World, the Americas are really a patchwork of influence. Renegades, Heretics, and even ambitious Guilds control large swaths of territory, even whole necropoli at times.
This sort of variation holds true in other Dark Kingdoms, particularly the Yellow Springs (Jade Kingdom). The Empire controls most of the East Asian Shadowlands, but strong rebel contestation occurs in Southeast Asia and Japan (and rebellious sentiment remains strong in Korea). The Fist of Nippon and the Korean rebel remnants (Jalssawosseo) are the biggest threats to Yu Huang’s domestic stability, though neither faction has had any real hope of throwing off imperial occupation since the end of World War II.
Malfeans
Three kinds exist: the Neverborn and the Onceborn are the most common. Both types are extraordinarily powerful, on par with Maeljin Incarna and Demon Lords. The Neverborn are primordial forces of pure Oblivion, while the Onceborn were once mortal but grew into terrible spectres of the greatest power and will. The third type are Greater Pasiphae: the cast-out Shadows of the most powerful Ferrymen. Case in point: Gorool, Charon’s own Pasiphae, which the Deathlord defeated and was then apparently dragged down into the Sunless Sea by, where he was lost indefinitely if not destroyed, too. All three kinds of Malfeans persist not by “beating” or “outsmarting” Oblivion itself but simply learning how to deflect its inevitably entropy onto others (lesser spectres tend to bear the brunt). Most Malfeans sleep for centuries in the depths of the Labyrinth, letting their grim dreams devour the souls of the Shadow-eaten closest to them.
Renegades
Here are the major gangs still roaming the Underworld: Bayou Bushmen, Brotherhood of the Black Rabbit, Concrete Shadows, Dead Poets, Flying Column, Kan’ipo, La Cosa Morte Nostra, Lords of Valhalla, Smoky Chains, StormRiders, Sunseekers, and the Sundered Cats.
Heretics
Here are the strongest and most perverasive Heresies that pursue Transcendence in the Underworld still: the Awakeners (see below), Brotherhood of Husayn ibn Ali, Children of the Green, Cult of Bacchus, Demonics, Drachmani, The Host, Lakemen, Luakunikeahi, Magisterium, Oracles of the Kabbala, and the Speakers of the Dead.
Awakeners
Calling itself a Guild, Awakeners actually specialize in several Arcanoi, but most importantly they hold the secret knowledge of how a wraith may rise from the dead: that is, for the Restless to become Risen. They teach those secrets for a small price; the mere act of helping ghosts conclude their unfinished business seems to satisfy these heretics. Some suspect a darker plot; Awakeners and Oracles seem to be on unusually good speaking terms…
But a more unusual alliance actually persists between the Awakeners and certain shapeshifters who can occasionally venture into the Underworld. These werecreatures enter what they call the Dark Umbra. Passion and Rage often conjoin and a unique kind of Conduit can be formed between a willing shapeshifter and wraith entering the process of Rising. Such Risen Dead are properly called revenants. Their Conduits are living creatures, that specific shapeshifter who willingly enters the bond.
Such revenants are among the most driven and often violent Risen Dead: their Driving Passion tends to be one of revenge and punishment, tasks that the lycanthropes know much about. Though a few shapeshifters know how to enter the Dark Umbra, the Corax are the most common and the most interested in making this arrangement. While serving as a Conduit, the shapeshifter is bound into his animal form for the duration of the revenant’s mission but gains a permanent point of Gnosis as well as hefty Renown, provided the revenant’s mission coincides with the shapeshifter’s goals. The shapeshifter has free will but cannot leave the bargain; only the wraith can voluntarily release it (which ends its existence as Risen, returning it immediately to the Shadowlands) before the Driving Passion is resolved. Such shapeshifters must tolerate their limitations (but often become better acquainted with their animal form’s limits and advantages than they ever might) until that time. Should the revenant quit its quest or be destroyed, the shapeshifter loses that recently gained point of Gnosis and likely suffers Renown loss, too.
Corax, Silent Strider werewolves, the occasional Nuwisha (rare), and the very very occasional Mokolé (extremely rare) are the only kinds of shapeshifters who would enter this arrangement. A few wereravens have grown famous (or infamous) for their willingness to be repeat-Conduits for different revenants over time. All of them enter into a small multi-Fera society, sworn to secrecy, known as the Talons of Retribution.
Reborn Dead
Numerous factions of Reborn Dead exist around the world. Most of them have no connections or shared origins with the Egyptian Shemsu-Heru. Those factions include the Cabiri (European) and Ishmaelites (those who reject Horus). Bane Mummies still exist (it’s exceedingly hard to permanently destroy any Reborn, after all). Other factions include the Tlazopilli, Laikuti Koleku, Sadhya, Yongsheng, Sai-So-Hi-Shinin, and a group simply known as The Accursed. Though the Cabiri are a relatively recent phenomenon (only since the Renaissance), some ancient European Reborn have joined this faction’s ranks as natural leaders. Most of those ancients were heroes or demigods given the Spell of Life by divine beings as a reward (or punishment). Such ancients give the Cabiri faction a sense of gravitas that irritates Horus and traditional Shemsu-Heru, but more pragmatic mummies reach out to their cousins around the world. Nearly all are as interested in defeating Apophis as the Shemsu-Heru.
Dominion of the God-House
An insidiously ingenius confederacy already turns the tides against some of the worst centers of Apophic corruption. In the violent and corrupt jungles of southern Mexico, Yucatan peninsula, and Central America, dark forces like the Sabbat, Black Spiral Dancers, and Pentex once ran rampant. An alliance between Shemsu-Heru, Ishmaelites, and the Tlazopilli incorporates Ghost Raptor werewolves, Balam werejaguars, and even a clutch of Mokolé-mbembe allies alongside mages (true and hedge) from associated cults and sects, such as the Balamob and Cult of Isis. Even the Children of Osiris have answered the call. The Dominion began quietly, subverting the lost spirits of the former Flayed Lands first, then the shamans worked diligently in the wild to turn the spirits of nature to their cause. The re-conquest began in waves, with combined forces sweeping over politically destabilized areas with determined fervor. Humans, desperate for heroes, quickly (if ignorantly) allied with the Dominion against the vicious vampires and fomori mutants. The shadow war continues but the Dominion maintains the upper hand; its eclecticism and numbers seem driven by a hidden agenda, as if this territory that they carve out will server a greater purpose in the not-too-distant future…
More Metaplot