3,000 years ago the various Nonhumans came to this place through the weakening veil, torn from their homes and thrust into a foreign land.<br/><br/>First, the demons forced their way through, followed closely by the Vampires and finally Shifters. Most have lived on this side of the veil for thousands of years, unable to escape, whilst others have been born on this side of the veil and call this place home.<br/><br/>These foreign beings come from savage planes; only the strongest survive in a place where blood and meat are the only currency. Non-humans struggle to assimilate into their new residence, adapting to survive and preparing to hunt their new prey, still others fight against the change tooth and nail.<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Humans</strong></span></span></div><br/>Until recently, humans were the dominate species on the planet. They are a versatile creature, but are not especially skilled in any specific field. They have an average life span of about 90 to 100 years. They run an average height of about 5 to 6ft and have tender fleshy bodies that are easily incapacitated. Skin tones range from rich dark brown to porcelain white and their hair is worn in a multitude of hues.<br/><br/>Homo-sapiens, though weak in vessel, are strong in soul and will. Some are also tremendously intelligent, gifted inventors/tinkers, and skilled fighters. Most are not aware of the existence of Non-humans, typically those that have attained the knowledge of their existence vow to destroy them, and because of their sixth sense they have acquired the skill of using signs or magic. Human beings are the only species gifted with this ability.<br/><br/>These Signs are somatic, meaning if you bind a mage's fingers, they will be unable to use magic. Furthermore, any mage can only ever Master one of these signs. Also, characters whom have mastered a spell may have one intermediate spell as well and the rest must be at beginner level.<br/><br/>Mastered Sign- 1<br/>Intermediate Skill Sign- 1<br/>Beginner Skill Sign- 3<br/><br/>Please follow this when choosing which signs you can use. And remember, it takes time to learn the signs. The more you know, the older you should be unless you can explain it.<br/><br/><strong>The Aard</strong>– In beginners this spell causes a burst of air that knocks a target off balance, intermediate users can bruise or on occasion break ribs, and when mastered this spell stuns adversaries by removing oxygen from their bodies. A single shot will not kill a foe, only removing oxygen for a moment, but if used repetitively it can cause death because of oxygen deprivation and internal hemorrhaging. However, use of this spell on such a massive scale would leave the spell caster in a state of exhaustion.<br/><br/><strong>The Igni</strong>– Flames erupt from the spell caster’s hands, in beginners the blaze is medium sized, intermediate users create fire that reaches out and licks the floor before them, and those capable of mastering the spell become proficient at manipulating the flames into a giant sphere and hurling it at their enemies. Again, a single shot will not destroy an assailant, however, a barrage would decimate any attacker. Use of this spell on such at tremendous degree would leave the spell caster weak.<br/><br/><strong>The Quen</strong>– In apprentices this spell lessens the impact of strong attacks and nullifies weaker assaults. Seasoned users generate a stronger field that deflects small blows and nullifies one massive blow. A spell caster that has mastered this ability can deflect most assaults for a short period.<br/><br/><strong>The Yrden</strong>– In beginners, this spell immobilizes unsuspecting victims in an electromagnetic field, only shifters in their shifted form can muster the energy to exit its confines. In intermediate users, the field is strong enough to administer small shocks to the target. A spell caster that has mastered this spell can lay down more than one Yrden sign at a time, which requires a tremendous amount of energy to maintain.<br/><br/><strong>The Axii</strong>– This spell allows the user to gain a small amount of control over a chosen target's mind, such as planting a thought or discouraging a decision. A skilled user would be capable of depositing complex ideas in a target’s mind. When mastered a spell caster’s mind is able to access and control three separate consciousnesses at one time.<br/><br/>None of these Signs can kill without being used repeatedly, unless the target is vulnerable to the effects, such as having a heart condition, being prone to strokes, or being soaked in an accelerant.<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Vampires</strong></span></span></div>A cherry red sun hangs overhead, pleasant rays caressing Vampire hide without searing pain or bubbling flesh. Oh how they long for the days when they walked beneath that crimson warmth! Now confined to the darkness, born without the melanin-producing gland essential to the absorption of the sun’s UV rays, and killing the gland in infected humans.<br/><br/>Coveted are the memories of expansive forests, exhilarating hunts, and no law to restrain the Vampires from their desires. Their form quickly morphed after passing through the veil to this plane, transforming from hideous demon-like beast to a more pleasurable human-like facade; the better to hunt you with my dear.<br/><br/>However, in the throes of hunger the beautiful disguise dissolves spontaneously into a horrendous abomination, the visage of their true form from back home, ready to sink its teeth into tasty flesh.<br/><br/><ul class="bbc_list"><li type="disc">Live an eternity without aging.</li><li type="disc">Vampires are not born on this side of the plane and can only occur through infection of a human host.</li><li type="disc">Can be killed by being beheaded, silver through the heart, or over exposure to the sun.</li><li type="disc">Churches or other communal, high traffic areas are avoided by Vampires, because the high energy levels and human bodies make it hard to control their thirst.</li><li type="disc">Heightened Senses make them weak to loud noises, bright lights and strong smells.</li><li type="disc">Vampires are sensitive to Electro Magnetic Fields.</li><li type="disc">Vampires have a UV Allergy, which will cause blisters as well as begin to weaken the Vampire after about an hour in sunlight and overexposure to the sun can cause death.</li></ul><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Shifters</strong></span></span></div><br/>Shifters originated from a plane very similar to that of the Vampires, a place lacking in technology, currency or government. The land is brimming with lush wildlife, untouched land and dangerous fauna.<br/><br/>Shifters are the dominant species in their plane; magnificent beasts of various races and size. When they first entered this dimension, their appearance was some place between beast and man, because of the overwhelming energy levels on this plane they were incapable of shifting to their beast form.<br/><br/>Their abnormal appearance caused them to be labelled as monsters and hunted mercilessly. The shifters quickly adapted to protect themselves, evolving to match the appearance of their adversary.<br/><br/>Due to an over abundance of energy stored within the Shifters, they must transform regularly, at least once a month, to prevent an over production of energy. If they do not change on schedule, it can lead to a very gruesome end.<br/><br/><ul class="bbc_list"><li type="disc">Age only 1 year for every 50 years alive after the age of 18.</li><li type="disc">Shifters come into being through birth or can be made by blood exchange on a massive scale.</li><li type="disc">Killed by being beheaded or staked in the heart with silver.</li><li type="disc">High traffic areas like churches are avoided by shifters, because of high energy levels which overload their bodies and make them feel sick or can on rare occasions force a transformation.</li><li type="disc">Heightened Senses make them weak to loud noises, bright lights and strong smells.</li><li type="disc">High energy levels make them a little more susceptible to spells like Quen and Yrden.</li><li type="disc">Shifters are weak against Aconite, a wreath of Aconite will prevent a shifter from being able to morph into their other form.</li></ul><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Demon Possessed</strong></span></span></div><br/>Demons are the only Nonhumans out of the three races to have made the conscious decision to enter this plane. They originate from a world swarming with voracious inferno, teeming with horrible beasts, and it promises nothing but agony to its occupants.<br/><br/>Unlike the other species of Nonhuman Demon cannot enter this plane in the physical form and must use a human host in order to occupy this plane.<br/><br/>Though a demon possession extends the life span of the infected, after one hundred and fifty years the demonic taint begins to scar the body with frightening black markings that grow and spread across the body as time passes. The Demonic taint acts almost as a finger print, specific to the demon possessing, and each is unique in its execution.<br/><br/>These non-humans have telekinetic abilities, but they can only be manifested once the host has a certain level of acquaintance with the demon, whether that be by having been possessed for a long period of time before, or the current demon not having left the body in decades.<br/><br/>These abilities are limited by their physical strength and ability. Meaning, essentially, a demon cannot effect more than two objects at a time, and the 'range' for these abilities is thirty feet. Up to that point, but no further, a demon can exert the same amount of force on an object as he or she could with it's hosts hands. That means, also, that a demon could not throw a person the length of a football field with telekinesis, only across the room. Nor could they flip a car, or do other such feats reserved only for the strongest of shifters.<br/><br/><ul class="bbc_list"><li type="disc">Live for a maximum of 200-300 years.</li><li type="disc">Only come into being through possession</li><li type="disc">Die by beheading or silver through the heart</li><li type="disc">Churches or high traffic areas are avoided by Demon, because of the high energy levels in these areas. The high energy levels overload their bodies and disrupt their control over their host.</li><li type="disc">Demon Possessed are vulnerable to all energy based spells due to the electromagnetic energy required to maintain possession, which also makes them sensitive to said electro magnetic energy.</li><li type="disc">An EMP or Axii spell will knock a demon out of its host.</li></ul>