Something dark is lurking in the shadows of Luminous, the City of Light.
It all started with the bodies. Mangled and torn up corpses began washing up on the banks the river. The Temple of Shadow has been known to use human sacrifices in the past so fingers were quickly pointed at the Shadow Priests. Upon investigation, nothing was found.
As the months went by more and more bodies were being found and not just in the river. Soon more victims were being found in the alleys and streets of Luminous’ western districts, the slums of the bright city. The western district lies across the Kalaka river that runs north to south through the city. Its taverns, brothels, bars and shabby housing sprawl out from the western bank of the river. Most of those found among the dead were human Gravitiri, the working class population of the city, but corpses of some aristocratic Levitiri began cropping up as well. Because of the brutal and bloody nature of the killings, voices began crying out against the non-human races of the city. Some Raegai, a lupine humanoid race from the southeast, and Ursai, a great Bear-like bipedal race from the north, were trialed and executed for the murders at the testimony and witness of humans; but the numbers of dead found didn’t cease. Only one thing linked the murders together: the bodies were discovered in the highest numbers at the dawn after a full moon.
Rumours of lycanthropy spread through the city like wildfire. People of the western district flocked to the Temple of Light to plead with the Hierophant for help. As the head of both the church and state they hoped He would provide a miraculous solution to their monstrous problem. Their pleas however fell empty on his ears. The Church simply released a volunteer application for extra guards to be on duty at night. After some of the guards in the western district disappeared, not many other volunteered.
The Temple of Shadow issued Black Knights, the temple’s personal guard, to being patrolling the streets on the nights that one of the moons was full. This however, did not improve the situation. Mobs soon began to form in the streets at night, fueled by religious zealots looking to purge the city of the unclean plague brought upon the city. Extreme racism for half-human or non-human races in the city was already very common, but now the people are being stirred to violence.
With the Church and State not being willing to aid the commonfolk of the city and more and more deaths occurring closer to the centre of the city where the Levitiri reside, what can be done about this rising problem? Some seek to eradicate the problem, others to find a cure. Some are trying to find the source of the lycanthropy and proverbially cut off the head of the snake. Whatever happens must happen quickly or the city will soon fall into chaos.
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Through this story I hope to explore issues of racism, patriarchy, xenophobia and tyranny through intolerance while keeping it fun and exciting for the characters.
The setting of the story is an alternate late nineteenth century urban environment. Elements of urban fantasy, classical fantasy and (in small doses) steampunk will predominate the story.
The story itself will be violent, dramatic, gritty and (hopefully) character driven.
NOTE: I am open to the creation of new strength, weaknesses and subplots for your characters, especially if this is to pursue a deeper and more unique character. I would prefer the characters’ nature to be from the ones I have provided, unless you have something in mind that is close to the parameters provided. Expect revision requests if you’re creating new content.
Hosted and narrated by:
justcoopit
Started 05/28/14.
Scenes played: 2
License: Community License
