by Petra Landon
WIZARDS
The Chosen with the most conventional form of magic. The inherent magic in a Wizard is represented on a Magic Level Scale. At the local level, Wizard Registries in cities handle the day to day affairs of Wizards. At the global level, Wizard concerns are handled by the GCW and the First Wizard.
WYRS
The Chosen who possess a beast form, in addition to their human one. Organized into Packs with clearly demarcated territories, each Pack is led by an Alpha Protector. A Pack is usually a collection of smaller were-packs, each led by a Were-Alpha. A Wyr’s power is derived from his physical attributes. Possessed of phenomenal strength, jacked-up senses and the ability to heal from almost any injury, they are territorial, aggressive, unpredictable and paranoid, preferring to keep to their packs.
FIRST ONES
The Chosen with the oldest magic. Also known as the Ancients, they are the descendants of the very first Chosen to walk the earth. Most Ancients primarily consider themselves to be custodians of their illustrious heritage. They are also the most disparate Chosen faction, with vastly differing powers and abilities, though they self-classify into two loose groupings – Eru and Setik. As they have for centuries, the various sects of First Ones continue their ancient traditions and customs, to pass the old ways down to their descendants, reluctant to dilute their legacy, in any way or form. Enigmatic and driven to preserve the old magic of their ancestors, they tend to keep their distance from the cut-throat politicking of the Chosen world.
VAMPIRES
Organized in a hierarchical command structure, with a handful of Pure Blood Masters at the top of the food chain, they keep to themselves and away from other Chosen. Their lives are governed by social standing, elaborate customs and their Nests. The Undead are hard to kill and live a long life, but otherwise possess little magic when compared to other Chosen. Most Magicks do not regard Vampires as their brethren and some look upon them as an abomination. Vampires are also known as Blutsaugers or collectively, as the Clan.
THE FOREBEARERS
The very first Chosen to walk the earth.
SI’FFA
The term for human or non-Chosen in the language of the First Ones.
PRIMOGENITURE CANONS
The Canons are a collection of precedents, compiled over centuries, that guide how Chosen magic is classified.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Tasia Armstrong
A mysterious Wizard in an uneasy and unusual alliance with the Northern California Shifter Pack. Her bargain with the Alpha Protector safeguards her cover, secrets and abilities. In return, she helps with their investigation into the past and eschews the use of magic.
Raoul Merceau
The powerful, enigmatic and formidable Alpha Protector of the Northern California Shifter Pack. Cold, hard to ruffle, distant, and reserved, he makes for a very bad enemy and makes no bones about his dislike of Wizards.
Faoladh
The preeminent Wyr of his time, the Alpha of all Alphas. Of Irish ancestry, he believes that the continued existence of the Chosen rests on greater unity and co-operation. Also responsible for the advent of the CoC, after a decades-long effort.
Lady Bethesda
A powerful Guardian and contender for First Wizard, she was believed to have died in an explosion at the Wizard Registry in Chicago. Responsible for pulling the strings from behind the scenes in a power grab over the Chosen, based on The Prophecy.
THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SHIFTER PACK
Hawk Manotti
The Shifter responsible for befriending and bringing Tasia into his Pack. Second in the totem pole of his were-pack, with a complicated heritage.
Sara Manotti
Hawk’s twin and a reluctant Shifter.
Duncan Hawthorne
An influential English Were-Alpha with the Alpha’s ear.
Luis Beltran
A taciturn Were-Alpha trusted by his Alpha. Was once led by Hawk and Sara’s father, Stefano Manotti.
Atsá
A highly respected Were-Alpha, with Navajo heritage, he is Hawk and Sara’s estranged maternal grandfather.
Maartje
An influential Were-Alpha and Atsá’s ally. Her grandmotherly looks belie her political acumen.
Elisabetta De Luca
A beautiful Were-Alpha with a sharp tongue who has her eye on the Alpha.
Stefan Simeonov
A handsome Were-Alpha, with bright blue eyes, who makes Tasia wary.
Owen O’Brien
A Were-Alpha.
Justin Markham
A Shifter with a history with both Sara and Tasia.
Evgeny
One of Tasia’s Shifter bodyguards, the young Shifter is friendly with her.
Joaquim
Tasia’s second Shifter bodyguard, he is older and more taciturn.
WIZARDS
Caroline Hamilton
Tasia’s friend and a powerful Wizard in her own right.
David Hamilton
Caroline’s father and the ranking wizard in San Francisco.
Sienna McAlister
The daughter of Lady Bethesda and the Oracle, she walked away from her heritage to make a life away from the Wizards. Offered sanctuary in the Pack Lair by the Alpha, she works with the team investigating the past and her mother. Like her father, she is a Seer who has had visions that involve Tasia. The visions have only been shared with Jason LaRue.
Scot McAlister
An influential Guardian and husband of Lady Bethesda, he’s a respected Seer known as the Oracle. One of the contingent of Guardians sent to Chicago to question Lady Bethesda, he was killed by the explosion at the Registry. His many predictions include the Council of Chosen and The Prophecy.
Jason LaRue
A Guardian hand-picked by the First Wizard to liaise with the Shifters investigating Lady Bethesda. He’s also responsible for Sienna’s protection. The son of two Guardians who perished in the explosion in Chicago, he’s an old acquaintance of Sienna’s from high school and is the only one aware of her vision.
Lady Esmeralda
A Guardian, she defeated Lady Bethesda to become the First Wizard and now represents her brethren on the Council of Chosen. She is Lady Bethesda’s twin and Sienna’s beloved Aunt Minnie.
Gabriel Azevedo
A Guardian who defected from the GCW to work with the Lombardi Vampires now allied with Lady Bethesda. He is believed to have been killed by the Clan when he rejected them to run away with one of their prisoners. Very few know that he is Tasia’s father and the prisoner he helped rescue from the Vampires was her mother.
Ted Anderson
A Guardian responsible for unleashing Shifter mercenaries to terrorize low level Wizards in San Francisco, as a means to ferret out a Chosen. He was once best mate to the erstwhile Gabriel Azevedo and the Alpha suspects that the Wizard Anderson seeks is Tasia.
Sebastian Thorne
A senior Guardian, at odds with the First Wizard. At Wizard Headquarters in San Diego, he led the Guardians who refused to give up Anderson to the Pack, insisting that any trial of a compatriot be conducted by the GCW.
VAMPIRES
Franciszka
The Mistress of the local Vampire Nest in San Francisco. She has a relationship with the Alpha and his Pack, but not with the other local Chosen factions in her city.
Monseigneur
The powerful, influential and brutal Master of the Pure Blood Lombardi Family, with his seat of power at Venice. He is allied with Lady Bethesda.
Rafaelo Bianchi
A shrewd, canny and ruthless Vampire who serves Lady Bethesda, at the command of his Master, the Pure Blood who leads the Lombardi Family in Venice.
FIRST ONES
ElThor
Represents the First Ones on the Council of Chosen. His moniker means The First One, in the Ancient tongue.
TorElnor
A First One who leads the Setik in North America.
Roman Durovic
Handpicked by Tor
Elnor to be his successor, Roman is involved with the investigation into Lady Bethesda. Due to his missteps with her, he also has a prickly relationship with Nandini.
DiZeyla
The leader of the First Ones in San Francisco.
JaRol
DiZeyla’s deputy in San Francisco.
SivoTar
An influential Eru leader and a friend of Tribhuvan Rathore.
Nandini Rathore
The daughter of Lady Bethesda and her second husband, the Indian First One, Tribhuvan Rathore. She’s believed to be the second daughter from The Prophecy.
Tribhuvan Rathore
A powerful First One and leader of a mystical sect believed to worship and receive their powers from a Snake God. Their group (referred to as a Kabila) is headquartered in Nagalok at the foothills of the Himalayas in India.
Mahen Rathore
Nandini’s twin and heir to the Kabila.
ElDarZin
A powerful First One, once investigated by the Elders. Was known to be working with the Venice Nest when he disappeared under mysterious circumstances. He’s believed to be the father of the third daughter from The Prophecy.
ElMorad
A legendary enforcer of the Elders’ decisions, with a reputation for slipping into fortified castles to mete out justice to powerful Magick immortals.
SirekVin
The Setik leader of southern Europe.