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Champs-Élysées



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Tue Sep 16, 2014 5:18 pm
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StellaThomas says...



Champs-Elysées|Elysian Fields

Elysium, also called Elysian Fields or Elysian Plain, in Greek mythology, originally the paradise to which heroes on whom the gods conferred immortality were sent.

Bienvenue à Paris

Art, architecture, fashion, culture, street cafés, boulangeries/patisseries, glorious French sun and beautiful French people.

The City of Lights, however, has a dark side.

In the catacombs, in the spiralling streets of Montmatre, in back alleys and far out arondissements, live the supernatural. Werewolves, witches, vampires. Once, they were terrors, nightmares that haunted every French citizen. But in the year 1894, the Mayor finally decided he was sick of losing young women to the clutches of a vampire, or a baby to a werewolf's jaws, and drew up The Moonlight Agreement. This gave each faction certain territories, certain priveleges, and a legal system of their own. Break the rules, face the punishment.

The Agreement is revised every ten years. Until now, it's been keeping abreast of changes. Vampires are now given blood bags straight from the transfusion centre. Werewolves have a supply of benzodiazepines to stop mania on a full moon. The witches have license to practice minor spells for tourists and locals to keep their own pockets lined.

But things are changing.

In 2004, when the mayor was elected, he'd never encountered the supernatural. He didn't believe they existed. He saw the funds being injected into the Moonlight Agreement - and he cut them. Suddenly, it came down to private contractors to supply blood to the vampires. The witches weren't receiving practising grants, they were seen as frauds and cons, and they have to make their own way in the world. The humans embroiled in the goings-on of the underworld were suddenly left without protection.

Those still involved - the witches, the werewolves, the vampires and, yes, the humans - made a shaky council of their own to make sure that Paris didn't fall to ruin once more.

The Agreement's current tenure is coming to a close, and a new document will be drawn up on the winter solstice.

But this time around, everyone wants things they can't have. Isn't it always the way?

The witches want the Council to authorise them to practise spells on people without their knowledge or consent. This is mainly to punish humans (and others) that they think deserve it, or to bestow good luck on those they like. In these days of bodily autonomy, the humans are not okay with this (not to mention the possibility they might rig a sporting event and nobody wants that), but the immortal and ageless vampires are 100% behind this, because it would be just like the olden days.

The vampires have a request that is, on surface level, not all that ridiculous. They want more medical research into their condition - in particular, into their photosensitivity. Glamour pusses that they are, Instagram in the darkness of the catacombs just isn't quite the same. Before the agreement was called off, human researchers thought that they had a way of protecting them against the sun. But if they can't get it scientifically, generations of goading has taught the vampires that the witches might have a way of freeing them from the shadows. Right now, the vampires are playing nice and fighting for witchy rights. But if the witches don't pay up soon - well, they're not afraid to take things by force.

The werewolves want something that many people desire - social status. While the witches occupy Montmatre and have overseen the city's debauchery for over a hundred years and the vampires - albeit underground - have accrued massive bank accounts that keep them in supply of Chanel and Dior, the werewolves... the werewolves live in the flats of the outlying arrondissements, with newly arrived immigrants and families who just never quite made it. Werewolves have slightly extended lifespans - 120-150 years but even with all that time, none of them have ever been able to call themselves wealthy or successful. And against all reason, many werewolves are persuaded that this is all a conspiracy by the vampires. And a lot of them are ready to fight back.

The humans want what humans have always wanted - peace and protection. And if they have to buy one faction out to protect them against the other two, they will.

Within every faction, there are rule abiders, and rogues

Rule abiders don't pick fights. They believe in politics. They believe in the Agreement. Many of them are powerful or influential because of this. Each faction has a police force to protect their citizens - and keep their citizens in line - who enforce the rules of the treaty.

Rogues don't believe in politics. They believe in the natural order. They, naturally, don't follow the rules. This includes witches who cast illegal spells, vampires who drink human blood, werewolves who pick bar fights, and humans who carry wooden stakes.

You have to decide who you'll be, what faction, and if you follow the rules, or break them.

SB Rules

Spoiler! :
-keep everything appropriate - swearing is allowed, but no graphic sex/violence
-posts should be of a reasonable length
-posts should follow a chronological order
-be respectful of other players
-don't leave massive gaps where everybody is waiting for you to post. More than three days with acceptable leave, I will kick you out of the SB.
-only character posts in the SB. Everything else to the DT.


In-Universe Information

Spoiler! :
-it's modern-day Paris. Either you moved here, or you're French.
-Witches - magic is hereditary, it runs in your family. You have a normal mortal lifespan. Some witches are naturally more powerful than others - but as a rule, the older you are, the more powerful you are. Witches in this universe can only work through other sources of power - eg. talismans, potions. They can't just cast spells with their minds. Their powers can do basically anything, and currently there's a code of conduct among witches (no killing, no torturing), but that could change any day now. No special abilities, but a talisman or charm could bestow fast healing or protection for a limited time.
-Vampires - burn in the sun, need to drink human blood (not animal blood, has to be human) to survive. Fangs. All really gorgeous for some reason. Vampires are immortal. Some adapt well, and some don't, to the changing times. To become a vampire, you need to ingest vampire blood, and then die. Vampires are super strong and super fast, the older they are, the stronger they are. Fast healers. Killed by beheading, ripping out the heart or a stake through the heart.
-Werewolves - can only change into wolves on the full moon. On the full moon they have no control - none of them have any control, apart from heavy sedation. Every other day of the month, they are very strong, very fast humans - not as strong or fast as a vampire, but werewolves tend to travel in packs and two or three could easily take on a bloodsucker. Most of them have very short tempers. Lycanthropy runs in families, but you can also be changed if you are bitten (but not killed) at full moon.The older you are, the more in control you are. Live extended mortal life spans, about 120/150 years. Fast healers. Killed by beheading, or ripping out the heart.
-Humans - you're human. You've nothing but your own weedy arms and biologically oversized brain to protect you. Humans in the SB are aware of the supernatural. The older you are, the smarter. If you don't know what a human is, I'm sorry, but you can't play.


Character Profile

Code: Select all
[b]Name:[/b] Make it French, or make them an immigrant
[b]Age:[/b] must be over 18.
[b]Species:[/b] Witch, werewolf,vampire, human
[b]Alignment:[/b] Rule-abider or rogue
[b]Personality:[/b] What are they like?
[b]Strengths[/b] both personal and physical
[b]Weaknesses:[/b] both personal and physical
[b]History:[/b]little bit about how they ended up where they are


quietly tags those who expressed interest: @SparkToFlame @Elinor%20Brynn @Lumi @Lauren2010 @Rosey%20Unicorn @Judas @Lylas @TimmyJake @SuperNintendo
"Stella. You were in my dream the other night. And everyone called you Princess." -Lauren2010








Poetry is the art of creating imaginary gardens with real toads.
— Marianne Moore