The World of God Complex
A modern world haunted by its own forgotten mythology — where immortals walk in disguise and the past refuses to stay buried.
The Shroud
Centuries ago, powerful human mages erected the Shroud — a barrier that banished the Fey and other outsiders and monsters to another realm. The ritual cost many of those mages their lives. With it ended the age of magic and myth, as mysticism slowly gave way to science and reason.
The Shroud did not end the supernatural entirely. Vampires, Therians, ghosts, and beings with closer ties to mortals remained. But it changed the world forever. Magic became legend, and legend became myth.
The Immortal Inquisition
Less than a thousand years ago, the Inquisition spread across the land, and mortals no longer viewed the Elysians with reverence. Instead, they hunted them. As inquisitors tracked down and killed some of their kind, the rest were forced into hiding.
A grand assembly convened and determined that, for the world to survive the coming ages, humanity would need to forget. The Elysians went underground, adopting new names and new lives in the cultures and societies that surrounded them.
Generation & The Cycle
Every few centuries, a new cycle of Elysians begins. Seemingly ordinary people awaken to power and are granted everlasting life. It is a time of upheaval and uncertainty, when the old powers struggle to maintain their influence against the rise of the new.
Each cycle is referred to as a Generation, marked roughly every 400 years. The figure known as Apollo, for example, began as Ra in ancient Egypt, gained the Powerset of Fire by slaying Amon to become Amon-Ra, and later became Prometheus in Greece. Today he is known as Apollo — a name that has stuck with him for nearly two thousand years.
The Deathless Ones
Blessed with power and immortality. Hunted in the open. Whispered about in shadow.
Gloriae
Gloriae is the Essence of an Elysian — the source of all supernatural power. It fuels Abilities, can be spent to bend the world to your will, and is replenished through Reverie — a ritual of engagement with the character's Domain.
The Mantle
Every Elysian radiates a Mantle — an aura that other Immortals can sense. Anciently called the watchman's alarm, it broadcasts warnings to nearby Elysians. Older, more powerful beings can be detected from greater distances, and silver dampens the Mantle.
Domains
Each Elysian is responsible for a Domain — a concept or area of influence tied to the legends of old. Anubis had Domain over Death; Aphrodite over Romantic Love. The Domain is what an Elysian tends to replenish their power.
Silver
Elysians are vulnerable to silver, which weakens their abilities, prevents accelerated healing, and reduces the Mantle they project. A thin chain is a minor irritation; being wrapped in silver chains is a death sentence.
Culling
The slaying of one Elysian by another is called a Culling. The victor absorbs some of the fallen's power, gaining their Powerset and a portion of their Generation. Forbidden by the Grand Assembly except as punishment for the most serious crimes.
Humanity
Elysians who maintain their Humanity can resist the Hubris that plagues them. Those who let their grip slip risk developing a full God Complex — a permanent loss of self to overwhelming ego and power.
The Supernatural World
The Elysians are not alone.
Vampires
The Children of the Blood, the Crimson Court. Humans afflicted with a curse that ties them between the living and the dead. They have their own hierarchies and are often used by Elysians as muscle.
Therians
Werewolves are the most known, but Were-Hyenas, Were-Jaguars, Were-Bears, and Were-Rats all exist. Most keep to themselves, though some are born into ancient bloodlines.
Fey
Creatures of magic from a vast collection of beings — pixies, elves, satyrs, mermaids, goblins, and trolls. They consider themselves stewards of the natural world. Their morality can seem alien.
Demons
The Children of the Void. Bestial creatures of rage and violence, though some are clever and manipulative. They seek power through force or deception and are to be avoided if at all possible.
Celestials
Beings of light and benevolence — sometimes called angels. They rarely appear in the mortal plane, instead acting through dreams, visions, and chosen champions.
Mages
Mortals with reliable command of magical power. With the death of Emrys (Merlin) and the great Mages of the Shroud, magic has waned — but a revival has begun in the last century.
Ghosts & Spirits
Souls of the dead that linger, unable to move on. Anchored by sorrow, injustice, rage, or unfinished business. Many are benign, but some grow into something more dangerous.
Aberrations
Monsters created by gods, magic, or curses. Minotaurs, Harpies, Hydras, Manticores. Few have found their way back into the mortal world — but when they appear, they must be dealt with.
The Altered
Mortals cursed, altered, or possessed by supernatural means. Specific outliers in contrast to the general afflictions of vampirism and lycanthropy.