Offetstine Wiki - User contributions [en]

Template:Infobox demi-human species

2023-08-25T05:56:33Z

Discord-317484070127009793: add fields for affinity and phylogeny

<infobox>
<title source="name">
<default>{{PAGENAME}}</default>
</title>
<image source="image">
<caption source="caption"/>
</image>
<data source="kingdom">
<label>Kingdom</label>
</data>
<data source="genus">
<label>Genus</label>
</data>
<data source="subspecies">
<label>Subspecies</label>
</data>
<data source="affinity">
<label>Affinity</label>
</data>
<group>
<header>Phylogeny</header>
<data source="phyl_ancestors">
<label>Ancestors</label>
</data>
<data source="phyl_sisters">
<label>Sisters</label>
</data>
</group>
</infobox>
<noinclude>
<templatedata>
{
"params": {
"name": {
"label": "Name",
"description": "The common name for the species. Defaults to the page name. If no common name is available, prefer the abbreviated binomial name.",
"example": "Eris vampire",
"type": "string"
},
"image": {
"label": "Image",
"description": "Any pictures of demi-humans of the respective subspecies.",
"type": "wiki-file-name",
"suggested": true
},
"caption": {
"label": "Caption",
"description": "If an image was provided, any description of its relation to the subspecies.",
"type": "content",
"suggested": true
},
"kingdom": {
"label": "Kingdom",
"description": "The kingdom of the subspecies. Avoid italicizing this field. Should, barring extreme cases, be one of \"Mundanus\", \"Infernalis\", \"Aetherius\" or \"Caelestis\".",
"example": "Infernalis",
"type": "content",
"suggestedvalues": [
"Mundanus",
"Infernalis",
"Aetherius",
"Caelestis"
],
"suggested": true
},
"genus": {
"label": "Genus",
"description": "The genus of the subspecies. Avoid italicizing this field.",
"example": "Sanguis",
"type": "content",
"suggested": true
},
"subspecies": {
"label": "Subspecies",
"description": "The subspecies of the subspecies. Avoid italicizing this field.",
"example": "Erisi",
"type": "content",
"suggested": true
},
"affinity": {
"label": "Affinity",
"description": "The magical affinity, if any, of the subspecies, as it is being described in reference to a certain population.",
"example": "ignis",
"type": "content",
"suggestedvalues": [
"terra",
"ignis",
"aqua",
"aer",
"glacies",
"fulgor",
"machina",
"atomos",
"aether",
"umbra",
"lux"
]
},
"phyl_ancestors": {
"label": "Phylogenetic ancestors",
"description": "In phylogenetic studies of the species, any other taxon whose magic evolved into their own, ideally in the form of a link.",
"type": "content"
},
"phyl_sisters": {
"label": "Phylogenetic sisters",
"description": "In phylogenetic studies of the species, any other taxon that shares a common ancestor, ideally in the form of a link.",
"type": "content"
}
},
"description": "Allows you to describe a demi-human subspecies under the Émile Standard for species taxonomy. The following fields are available to specify. All of them are optional; editors are encouraged to fill them in as per their discretion.",
"paramOrder": [
"name",
"image",
"caption",
"kingdom",
"genus",
"subspecies",
"affinity",
"phyl_ancestors",
"phyl_sisters"
]
}
</templatedata>
</noinclude>

Species taxonomy

2023-08-25T05:39:41Z

Discord-317484070127009793: fuck whoever is reviewing this in particular (expand massively on "Mechanics", minor typos and fixes elsewhere)

In the world of Offetstine, [[Demi-human|demi-humans]] are usually able to identify their species, or the way the magic imbued in them affects their nature and identity, through colloquial terms such as "[[vampire]]" or "[[werewolf]]". However, due to the nature of the [[Will of the People]] in creating new species, often from folklore or common ideas prevalent in the human psyche, many colloquial terms do not unambiguously identify single species, and additional nomenclature is needed to disambiguate. '''Demi-human species taxonomy,''' often more tersely referred as '''species taxonomy,''' is the science and art of understanding demi-humans' particular natures and developing this classification.

Species taxonomy, while a recognized and reputed art and generally favored by [[Magical epistemology|magical epistemologists]], receives comparatively little attention in the field of magical research. Most demi-humans are simply content to define themselves by colloquial terms, and clarify the specifics of their nature by manually outlining them. However, the classification has is uses in biology and medicine, as well as more concrete magical studies, such as those observed in the [[Cedar Crest University#Demi-Humanity|Mage's Union]] in Cedar Crest University. Generally, species taxonomy is viewed primarily as trivia or as an academic curiosity. Most demi-humans cannot name their specific taxon under the modern [[#Émile_Standard|Émile standard]].

Despite this, certain demi-humans regard species taxonomy as important to their personal [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_(social_science) sense of identity]. In some circles, the intricate nomenclature used in species taxonomy is held in a similar merit to nomenclature used to describe gender, sexual and romantic minorities in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT LGBT] communities. The Émile standard, the current predominant schema under which species taxa are allocated, is designed specifically with the goal to prioritize personal identity over precise phylogeny, as very little extant demi-human and magical research hinges on the phylogeny.

== History ==

=== Early history ===

While modern schemata for species taxonomy had not been developed until the 1800s, the use of separate terms to identify subspecies which go by the same colloquial name may be observed as early as the 5th century AD in [[Offetstine]], England, after the [[Masquerade]] was well-established in the region. As the Masquerade prevented wide knowledge of magical and demi-human affairs in human culture, terms used by demi-humans to discuss themselves were loaned from human folklore, as many demi-humans of the time lived among humans. Due to Offetstine's comparatively high population of demi-humans to neighboring regions, demi-humans of similar subspecies would frequently convene, and would struggle to discuss their differences under the limitations posed by the nomenclature of human folklore.

Multiple [[vampire]] subspecies were prevalent at the time, and to distinguish themselves coined a system of "marks", or, in the contemporary [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_English Old English], ''mearca.'' One prevalent subspecies, perhaps related to the modern Eris vampire, ''[[S. Erisi]],'' may have referred to itself at the time as ''<abbr title="unattested">*</abbr>"þæs fȳres mearce,"'' "of the mark of fire". Another subspecies of vampire, though one whose modern parallel is not known, is recorded having used the term ''<abbr title="unattested">*</abbr>"þæs seolfres mearce,"'' "of the mark of silver", to refer to itself. The difference was less necessitated in other common species, which could usually be directly termed by a single folkloric name, and because the region at the time was not as diverse in its demi-human population as the modern [[Greater Offetstine Area]], a well-known magical hotspot in demi-human circles.

Certain earlier demi-human isolates usually termed themselves as the people of their respective region. This pattern is observed in human populations as well, such as with the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_Chinese Han people] (<abbr title="simplified">simp.</abbr>: 汉人, <abbr title="traditional">trad.</abbr>: 漢人, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulletin_board_system Pinyin]: hànrén), an ethnic group native to China, where the term "hàn" is widely used to refer to all matters pertinent to the people, and which ultimately stems from the name of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_River_(Hubei_and_Shaanxi) Han River] (<abbr title="simplified">simp.</abbr>: 汉水, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulletin_board_system Pinyin]: Hànshuǐ). The town name "Offetstine" is suspected to come from one such demi-human endonym, filtered through a now-extinct language spoken in the region, while the city name "[[Hallingmere]]" may owe its name to an ''a priori'' construction loaned into English. Novel [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endonym_and_exonym endonyms] are used both in languages spoken primarily by demi-human populations, and in human languages complementarily. To date, novel endonyms are occasionally used as common names for species with little resemblance to any folkloric precedent, though formal taxa are still assigned for clarity.

The origin of species taxonomy as an academic study, as well as a categorization tool for demi-humans, may be attributed to the medical field, where often knowing the particular subspecies of a demi-human patient is crucial in their treatment. In addition to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_Renaissance Medical Renaissance], spanning the 1400s to 1700s, in the human world, many European mages and demi-humans sought to improve the living conditions of their kind amidst the Masquerade. Many extant documents are attributed to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris Parisian] physician and polymath Carole Élise Dupont, a fervent [[Magical epistemology|magical epistemologist]] and firm believer in the combined value of science and mathematics. She is sometimes titled the "Mother of Species Taxonomy", though her works saw narrow enough scope that the claim is frequently disputed.

Records from the era show detailed studies of demi-human anatomy, derived from autopsies and clinical trials, especially using magical implements to examine the function of the living body on a deeper level. However, most documents of the era were private articles limited to a few independent scholars, and the field eventually stagnated as increasingly few doctors knew in any capacity about demi-humans, especially in intellectual and trade centers.

=== Paris-Warszawski Standard ===

The first formal standard created for species taxonomy was the Paris-Warszawski Standard, sometimes abbreviated the Paris Standard, developed by half-angel Melville Paris and human Leopold Warszawski in the late 1800s, as a means of "classifying the children of God who must otherwise cower from Their light". Unlike the later Émile Standard, the Paris Standard was primarily [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phylogenetic_tree phylogenetic], and attempted to trace the roots of magic of each species under its scope.

The standard fell out of use early after its introduction, as the religious undertones turned away many would-be contributors and the research proved broadly unhelpful. Few demi-humans were interested in a taxonomical classification tool at the time, especially one that so desperately lacked diversity in the ranks of its founding members, and the standard was broadly recognized as doomed from the very start.

The nomenclature of the Paris Standard was not standardized across languages. During their first publication cycle, the pair wrote and translated various technical documents between English, Polish and French, maintaining no version to be strictly canonical out of fear of discrimination. In practice, though, the subtle inconsistencies between the documents and necessary liberties of translation harshly impacted the precision of the Paris Standard.

After four years and nine publications, three of which annual journals on the state of demi-human taxonomy authored by Paris and Warszawski themselves, and only three of which authored by third parties, the Paris Standard died a quiet death.

=== Émile Standard ===

The Émile Standard was developed by human illustrator [[Constance Vivas]], under the pseudonym Costanza Émile from which the system took its name, in the early 1990s, and spread primarily through online bulletin-board communication over the course of the next few years. Unlike the earlier Paris Standard, the Émile Standard focused on phenotypical traits and aimed to help demi-humans understand themselves better.

Further unlike the Paris Standard, the Émile Standard was nomenclaturally, though not functionally, inspired by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linnaean_taxonomy Linnean taxonomy]. Recognizing that the lack of consistent terminology was a significant component of the downfall of the Paris Standard, Vivas proposed a naming convention based on mock Latin, interspersed with morphology derived from Latinized forms of Greek, English and others.

Rather than attempting to trace the history and origin of various demi-human species, following roots through the willful realization of fiction, the folly of avant-garde mages and the simple natural variation of magic that underpinned and facilitated demi-humanity, the Émile Standard proposed a simpler three-tiered classification that described the kingdom, order and subspecies of a given species based on their existential relation to mundane humans, and the extent to which magic affected their powers and behaviors.

To that extent, even though many species that shared similar characteristics hailed from vastly different magical sources, they were usually classified similarly. For example, most species that roughly mimic the folklore conception of the European vampire are classed ''Infernalis Sanguis.''

To accommodate the possibility of half-breed species, Vivas proposed the prefix ''Dimidium'' (abbrev.: ''Di.'') in the same spirit as the real-world prefix ''Candidatus'' (abbrev: ''Ca.'') for bacterial phyla that are yet uncultured. Whereas the common [[Eris vampire]] is classified ''Infernalis Sanguis Erisi'' (abbrev: ''S. Erisi''), the respective dhampir is classed ''Di. S. Erisi.'' Classifications are usually derived from folklore, and when a species is best described as a hybrid, especially if members do have hybrid ancestry, the taxon is usually described as a concatenation of prior gena's names.

Other early proponents of the standard included the vampire demon and [[Coalition]] member Caterina Alemagna, and human biologist afflicted with sociopathy [[Cato Umbra]]. Forums overseeing the allocation of taxa in the Émile standard primarily leverage online [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulletin_board_system bulletin board systems] and see contributions from around the world.

== Mechanics ==

The modern Émile standard uses a three-tiered classification modeled after Linnean taxonomy. Following the analogy, the uppermost tier is often referred to as the '''kingdom,''' while the lower two tiers are referred to as the '''genus''' and '''subspecies''' (as opposed to Linnean "species") respectively.

=== Theory ===

The Émile standard makes no effort to demonstrate phylogeny, and species' descriptions usually mention their phylogeny, if any, separate from their taxon itself. Frequently, species which share a common origin, such as a given [[vampire]] and [[lamia]] subspecies, may be related more closely phylogenetically, following the specific histories of their magic, but may consider themselves disparate; where the respective vampires consider themselves generally more affiliated to other vampire subspecies than the respective lamia.

As the goal of the Émile standard is to reify [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worldview worldviews], ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umwelt umwelt]'' as it exists in the magical world, and demi-humans' sense of identity and of self, these distinctions are not reified in species taxa, and instead may be described in documents about the species as auxiliary information. This is an expected and natural effect within the Émile standard, and is accepted as a necessary concession over prior systems such as the Paris-Warszawski standard. Moreover, the need for phylogenetic classification is comparatively less in demi-human species taxonomy than Linnean taxonomy, since many fields that rely on the study, such as medicine, demand a highly synchronic understanding of a demi-human's nature rather than their history; and the [[Will of the People]] enables highly convergent evolution of disparate subspecies' magics.

Despite this, there are cases where the Émile system neither shows the phylogeny nor effectual relationships of species. As the genus designated by the Émile standard makes a significant effort to reify the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emic_and_etic emic] perception of a subspecies, even if that perception is not reflected in either the phylogeny or nature of the magic that enables the subspecies, disparities can occur. Such disparities are referred to as "inversions", and may occur when the same magic develops two separate tribes of subspecies from similar magic yet disparate traits and natural alliances.

Inversions frequently occur with [[animal-folk]], for instance, when the same magic spawns a population of foxfolk and rabbitfolk, which are naturally prone to war with each other. These respective subspecies may be named ''Mundanus Vulpes Exempli'' and ''Mundanus Cuniculus Exempli,'' despite any enmity between the two populations. While this is occasionally criticized as a shortcoming of the Émile standard, many species taxonomists argue it is a necessary compromise where it is stipulated that the system demonstrates demi-humans' individual senses of reality as influenced by their species.

=== Hierarchy ===

==== Kingdoms ====

Under the Émile standard, there are a fixed set of four kingdoms which all other taxa inherit from, as follows:

* ''Mundanus,'' typically referencing species such as [[animal-folk]] which are indisputably demi-human, but usually whose demi-humanity only confers superficial traits. Demi-humans of the ''Mundanus'' kingdom are more often mages than regular humans, but are not usually affected by their nature very much.

* ''Infernalis,'' species typically associated with the [[underworld]], as if from hell. Such species as [[Demon|demons]] and [[Vampire|vampires]] are included in this kingdom, who despite their provenance are most often not inherently ideologically biased in any way, but are prone to inherently chaotic natures and who often subsist on humanity.

* ''Aetherius,'' species that may be considered ethereal, such as [[Spirit|spirits]] and some species of [[Elf|elves]]. ''Aetherius'' species are more commonly in touch with nature than some other taxa, and more commonly have magical powers extending beyond the superficial traits of their species than any other kingdom.

* ''Caelestis,'' species typically associated with gods and [[Deity|deities]], as if from heaven or the [[afterlife]]. While comparatively rare, species of the ''Caelestis'' kingdom are usually among the most powerful and often have a strong connection with nature and humanity.

==== Gena and subspecies ====

Further subdivisions are usually designated at the discretion of the researchers initially documenting the species, and subsequently reviewing the document. Occasionally, taxa are modified to accommodate the preferences of the subspecies described. Gena are typically designated based on the common name or source mythology of a species or subspecies, occasionally on the national origins of the species.

Certain gena exist under multiple kingdoms, to clarify their nature with respect to reality, such as whether their form is based on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_matter biological matter] or magic (i.e. their form is ethereal); for instance, subspecies in the genus ''Mundanus Vulpes'' correspond with the colloquial [[Animal-folk|foxfolk]], while subspecies in the genus ''Aetherius Vulpes'' correspond with the colloquial [[kitsune]]. Subspecies are designated on a per-case basis, usually leveraging symbolism that has some level of cultural prevalence in the surveyed subspecies community.

Traditionally, names are derived from Hellenic or Latinate words, the subspecies name usually being set in the Latin genitive. In cases where the subspecies name is loaned from another language and has no precedent in Latin declensions, usually a false genitive form is coined, typically with the suffix ''-i'' or ''-ae'' and primarily for aesthetic purposes, such as in ''[[S. Shakuii]].''

Nativized terms are increasingly common in modern species taxonomy, as with the exhaustion of many generic symbolistic words and phrases to lend from Latin, and with the increasing importance of direct correspondence with members of a subspecies, many subspecies are named after correspondents who provided information about their nature to researchers and aided in their documentation. Highly contemporary subspecies such as ''[[V. Sequoiae]]'' are frequently named after correspondents.

=== Prefixes ===

Certain elements are occasionally prefixed to a subspecies's taxon to clarify the nature of the taxon. Some elements are used to clarify the nature of a taxon in general, while others are used to narrow how it refers to a specific demi-human in particular.

* ''Tent.'' (from English "tentative" or, through backformation, Latin "tentativus") in reference to a taxon which has not been formally ratified, or, through analogy, which has been supplanted, such as ''Tent. S. Nymphalis'' as a former name for the modern subspecies ''[[S. Shakuii]].''

* ''Di.'' (from Latin "dīmidius", "halved") to refer to a demi-human hybrid who is, in part, human, by a taxon attributed to their whole form, such as a [[Elf|half-elf]] by their respective taxon of elf, in much the same way as a hybrid of two demi-humans may be formed through the concatenation of their respective taxa.

=== Affinities ===

Sometimes, an additional "affinity" is affixed to the end of a species name, to denote the specific magical affinity of a demi-human where it is not prescribed by higher-level classifications in the Émile standard. Typically, the suffix ''af.'' (from Latin "affīnis", "allied to", or through backformation from English "affinity") is used to denote a species' affinity. Similar to other elements of species taxonomy, affinities are typically denoted in a Latinate vocabulary, though not grammar.

For instance, the [[spirit]] subspecies ''[[P. Lapideum]],'' is defined by its ability to possess the recently deceased of most animal species, to shapeshift into people and animals and thereby lend their powers and, in certain cases, physical forms, and genetic and magical fingerprints. Despite this, ''P. Lapideum'' spirits typically have an innate magical affinity, such as fire or ice, defining the [[elemental magic]] which they are naturally empowered to use. A fire spirit may be denoted, as such, as ''P. Lapideum (af. ignis)'' while an ice spirit may be denoted as ''P. Lapideum (af. glacies).''

Common affinities include:

* Those which are named for the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_element classical elements]:
** ''terra,'' earth
** ''ignis,'' fire
** ''aqua,'' water
** ''aer,'' air or wind
* Those which are named for related concepts:
** ''glacies,'' ice
** ''fulgor,'' electricity or lightning
** ''machina,'' mechanics or clockwork
** ''atomos,'' molecular or subatomic physics
* Those pertaining to some conception of the ethereal realm
** ''aether,'' some conception of ether itself
** ''umbra,'' dark magic, as in the manipulation of the human soul
** ''lux,'' healing magic, or, more rarely, the manipulation of light

None of these terms are formally reified in the Émile standard.

== Real life ==

The art of demi-human species taxonomy is not to be confused with real-life taxonomy schemes for identifying real-world species, neither does species taxonomy in the world of Offetstine displace the in-universe study of real-life taxonomy.

Species taxonomy

2023-08-22T04:03:49Z

Discord-317484070127009793: have fun reviewing this mess (add details about species taxonomy's fringe nature, early history, and other scientists' involvement)

Veilkeepers

2023-08-08T05:05:36Z

Discord-317484070127009793: elaborate on concept of branches, decentralization and cultural interference

The '''Veilkeepers''' are a global organization of [[Magic|magically]] empowered and controlled beings, most often humans but occasionally [[Demi-human|demi-humans]], sworn to the protection of the human and demi-human communities alike, and responsible for maintaining the [[Masquerade]] Unlike other organizations in the world of Offetstine, the Veilkeepers were not formally instated nor have a traditional leadership structure; they are composed of a global, decentralized network of individuals who share the same magical powers and goals.

The Veilkeepers claim the power to selectively erase parts of history. The exact mechanism of their power is unclear even to veteran members of the organization, but it is nonetheless their hallmark ability. Upon erasing history, the world attempts to heal around the erased area, effectively allowing insurgent attempts by rogue mages and demi-humans, and unwary spectator humans, from disturbing the Masquerade. In the process, it often costs the Veilkeepers their own memory of the event, and as a result their bookkeeping is often lackluster at best.

Members of the Veilkeepers are usually indoctrinated through the [[Will of the People|Will of the People]], specifically that of local Veilkeepers branches. New Veilkeepers usually awaken to their powers and duties spontaneously, and are further introduced to their responsibilities when contacted by members of their respective branch.

New branches of the Veilkeepers are created by the magic of the Masquerade itself, in response to a threat to the Masquerade along some information front. Branches are typically relatively small local organizations, which work to prevent the exposition of magic across a local area, primarily using their power to undo events that threaten the Masquerade on a good-faith basis, and using their mundane influence to reinforce the importance of the Masquerade among mages and demi-humans. In other cases, however, branches arise to address a global concern.

== Branches ==

{{Infobox company
|name=Veilkeepers of Offetstine
|cognomina=Veilkeepers
|logo=[[File:Veilkeepers logo.png]]
|industry=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_services Financial services] ''(front)''
Maintaining the [[Masquerade]] ''(private)''
|owner=[[Clarise Ledford]]
|num_employees=Approx. 100 (<abbr title="circa">c.</abbr> 1998)
}}
The Veilkeepers are not a centralized organization or effort, but instead a collection of loosely associated branches associated by their subjection to the same magical forces and, thus, their shared magical powers and ideology. New branches of the Veilkeepers are created by the magic of the Masquerade itself, in response to problematic areas where the Masquerade is habitually threatened, or on a global scale to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_security information fronts] which similarly threaten it.

Branches are typically relatively small local organizations, which work to prevent the exposition of magic across a local area, primarily using their power to undo events that threaten the Masquerade on a good-faith basis, and using their mundane influence to reinforce the importance of the Masquerade among mages and demi-humans. In other cases, however, branches arise to address a global concern. These branches operate locally with the stated goal of protecting the demi-human populations of individual districts. Members of local branches are usually civilian humans, usually exhibit more mellow and supportive sentiments, and collaborate more habitually and openly with other branches.

Other branches of the Veilkeepers instead operate on a global scale, and attempt to regulate information pathways and telecommunications networks such as radio and internet communications. Due to the scope of these branches, they often deal with events which their magic, the power to erase events from history, may not be effective or possible, or may not address the root cause. Global branches of the Veilkeepers, as such, tend to adopt a more proactive and [[#Cultural impact|cultural]] approach, and attempt to instill practices in their constituent body which will itself ensure the Masquerade is upheld, such as the use of encrypted telecommunications. These branches are often born from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_agency intelligence agencies] and are more likely to adopt stricter [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_tolerance zero-tolerance] approaches to enforcement.

=== Veilkeepers of Offetstine ===

The Veilkeepers of Offetstine are the respective branch of the network in the [[Greater Offetstine Area]], headquartered in [[Offetstine]]. They are led by [[Clarise Ledford]], a human mother who was first introduced to the demi-human world through her husband, a werewolf. In order to operate effectively in the otherwise treacherous environment created by [[Criminal organizations|gang warfare]] in Offetstine, they maintain a corporate front nominally focused on stock trading. Many other branches of the Veilkeepers are comparatively more subversive or grassroots.

The Veilkeepers of Offetstine generally worked closely with the [[Coalition]], and presently with the [[Ringleaders]], both criminal organizations that focus on the importance of the Masquerade to facilitate their respective goals. Both organizations cite the importance of protecting the Masquerade in allowing them to continue to rule from the shadows. While Ledford has personally opposed this move, citing the unintended consequences of allying with criminal organizations, the move has previously been reinforced as despite the threat the organization poses, the actual Veilkeepers branch lacks power on its own to safely effect its influence.

To this extent, the Coalition and later Ringleaders frequently engage in "cleanup", the task of ensuring rogue demi-humans and mages do not leave behind overt traces of their nature in otherwise human establishments. Notable figures in the demi-human community have received direct consultation from Coalition or Ringleaders members in the past, including [[Eliza Teak]], vampire and founder of [[Eliza Teak#Sophos_International|Sophos International]]. The agreement between these organizations and the Veilkeepers is not overt; in fact, most members of the Coalition and Ringleaders remain unaware of the existence of the Veilkeepers. However, it is argued that it is through external influence that the foremost ideology in these organizations is to uphold the Masquerade rather than to fight it.

== History ==

Little is known about the exact history of the Veilkeepers, although one common origin myth is largely accepted by individuals both in and out of the organization who are aware of its existence. As the myth is propagated primarily by oral tradition, several variations on the tale exist, but common threads exist between all iterations of the story. The exact location of the story is unknown, although it is often posited to have taken place in modern-day [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India India] or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China China].

=== Creation myth ===

As per the myth, in approximately the third century BC, a relatively powerful human witch adopted and cared for a number of demi-human children. While the group was ultimately benevolent and harmless, they faced continued antagonism from the local people citing prior encounters with more vengeant demi-humans. (Depending on the specific version of the tale, these vengeant demi-humans are usually cited to be [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakshasa rakshasa] or, more abstractly and especially in western iterations, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogre ogres].)

Due to the persecution increasingly endangering her family, the witch grew isolated from the local human population and, eventually, unable to resist it much longer and adamant on protecting her children, used her power to separate local mundane and magic civilization. Again, the exact fate of the witch or her children vary by version. While the effect was initially local, it spread over the course of centuries to most corners of the world through the [[Will of the People]]. Rather than being upheld by nature itself, nature called upon people to uphold the nascent Masquerade, and they dubbed themselves the Veilkeepers.

Demi-humans who travelled and traded on the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk_Road Silk Road] vied particularly for the Masquerade, and by about 300 AD the Masquerade was present across the majority of Europe and Asia. Over time and with increased global trade, it became a global phenomenon, though, all the while, entirely unbeknownst to humans. Many regions were initially resistant to the Masquerade, although it usually spread along with the introduction of writing. This is usually attributed to the notion that, as written communication posed the greatest threat to the Masquerade, it carried the strongest form of the magic with it.

As the Masquerade spread, many more branches of the Veilkeepers appeared across the world, and their culture as an organization developed primarily during this period. The specific ideology of each branch of the Veilkeepers derives from when they adopted the Masquerade, and under what circumstance. For instance, branches in England generally focus primarily on written communication and ally with local organizations, often of criminal nature, such as the [[Coalition]] to prevent rogue demi-humans and mages from outing their existence. Branches in the region generally make liberal use of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda propaganda] to further the importance of demi-human and magic [[Magic#Secrecy|secrecy]].

=== Modern effects ===

The Masquerade is an often frowned-upon aspect of the history of the world of Offetstine, even from within the membership of the Veilkeepers. However, as the Veilkeepers are magically bound to their duty, they do not as individuals have the power to release the Masquerade. Some scholars argue the Masquerade is a consequence of a broader tradition of demi-human isolationism, disregarding the common origin story. While the Masquerade arguably accomplishes its stated purpose of protecting demi-humans, it is often considered overwrought and tyrannical even by demi-humans and Veilkeepers.

Some analysts suggest the Masquerade has limited the scope of scientific and technological progress in Offetstine, by preventing advancements in the world of magic from tricking back to the world of mundane science. Furthermore, many analysts suggest the Masquerade has exacerbated the fundamental problem of discrimination and fearmongering about demi-human populations, and prevented humans from coming to terms with the world exactly as it is.

==== Cultural interference ====

Members of the Veilkeepers are generally implicated in the propagation of the cultural realization of the Masquerade. Analysts recognize that without the cultural interference of the Veilkeepers, the broad sentiment in magical hotspots such as the [[Greater Offetstine Area]] would be that the Masquerade is undue and oppressive. While some demi-humans and mages ascribe to the Masquerade for their own perceived safety, and the popular creation myth suggests the Masquerade arose for the safety of weaker demi-humans, it is often considered unnatural that the Masquerade would be self-sustaining for so long.

For instance, the Veilkeepers of Offetstine are generally noted as responsible for enabling the [[Coalition]] and later [[Ringleaders]] to gain its tenure in the Offetstine underground, by erasing the events that would have led to the dominance of riskier organizations. Though the Veilkeepers of Offetstine are not themselves criminally affiliated, it is widely regarded that they implicitly supported the Coalition and Ringleaders for their attitude in enforcing the Masquerade, most prominently observed in the Ringleaders' [[Ringleaders#Cleanup_crews|cleanup crews]] and advocacy for demi-human independence.

Certain branches of the Veilkeepers are furthermore implicated in the strong sentiment of privacy and information security seen in demi-humans. The Veilkeepers of Offetstine are also recognized as responsible for the popularization of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End-to-end_encryption end-to-end encryption] in the Coalition and Ringleaders in the form of [[CREST]], again through the same methodology, preventing more typical means of communications vulnerable to surveillance from arising. From the perspective of the respective organizations, there is no noted difference aside from the successful and widely accepted solution usually being the one which enables the Masquerade the most readily.

== Culture ==

Veilkeepers are often entirely willing to permit individual encounters between humans and demi-humans, in part because it would be a meticulous ordeal to strike every such happening from the historical record, and partly because it is broadly understood that exposure to the demi-human world on a per-person basis is not antithetical to the spirit of the Masquerade. This belief is especially pertinent in the Veilkeepers of Offetstine, where their leader [[Clarise Ledford]] was herself a human married to a werewolf before being indoctrinated into the organization. This belief usually goes hand in hand with [[magical epistemology]], the belief that magic and mundane science have an inherent duty to benefit each other even if they cannot overtly communicate.

Veilkeepers often show a caring and motherly disposition to humans and demi-humans alike. Some branches of the Veilkeepers go so far as to formalize the filial relationship between them and their subjects, addressing human populations regularly as their "children".

The color blue is symbolically important to most branches of the Veilkeepers. Following the original creation myth, it is stated that the witch who was initially responsible for the Masquerade had vibrant blue eyes. However, the veracity of this claim is disputed, as the myth is largely held as fiction to begin with. Many branches of the Veilkeepers that operate out of a corporate front often prescribe blue uniforms, including the Veilkeepers of Offetstine.

Eliza Teak

2023-07-18T04:32:37Z

Discord-317484070127009793: fix links

{{Very long}}

{{Infobox person
|gender=Female
|pronouns=she/her
|race=[[S. Erisi|Eris vampire]]
|status=Alive
|born={{Date and age in years|1965-11-04}}
|reborn={{Date and age in years|1996-10-31}}
|nationality=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England English]
|occupation=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teacher Teacher]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematician Mathematician]
|relatives=Krystal ''(right hand)''
}}

'''Eliza Teak''' is a [[vampire]] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teacher teacher] at the [[Offetstine Secondary School]]. She is somewhat infamed for her eccentric, megalomaniacal personality, and often views herself as akin to a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_officer military general]. Attributed to her vampirism and under the control of the magical energy she harbors, she believes her destiny is to colonize the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix-like Moon] and establish herself as the ruler of the land she claims. To that extent, she sometimes refers to herself as the Empress of [[Fidelia]].

In addition to her role as a schoolteacher, Teak is a somewhat reputed and published mathematician with studies primarily in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discrete_mathematics discrete mathematics], such as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Set_theory set theory] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_theory category theory]. In addition to her involvement in the pure mathematics, she is also involved in the sciences and is a staunch [[Magical epistemology|magical epistemologist]].

As her plans to colonize and inhabit the Moon depend on a means of efficient space travel, she has extensively studied the field of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrophysics astrophysics] and has developed numerous computer simulations to help herself and her team of astrophysicists, enlisted primarily through [[S. Erisi#Compulsion|compulsion]], understand the necessary concerns, develop models and facilitate space travel. In the process, Teak developed [[SophOS DCS]], then known as the Lunar Research Framework, as a private supercomputer architecture to facilitate efficient [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_stealing work-stealing parallelism] necessary for physics simulations. Eventually, to fund her research, she began to distribute SophOS mainframes, servers and workstations to small businesses.

== History ==

Teak was born as a human on 4 November 1965 in [[Offetstine]]. From a young age, Teak was deeply fascinated with mathematics, throughout her enrollment in [[Offetstine Secondary School]]. Despite this, she noted an overwhelming frustration with the way it was often taught, claiming it was too dry to genuinely teach students. When she graduated, she attended [[Cedar Crest University]] in [[Winthorpe]] to formally study mathematics and education. She graduated with high recommendations for her diligent and motivated style, and her high level of synergy with students.

Teak eventually reapplied to Offetstine Secondary School as a teacher. Even as a human, Teak notes that she was motivated by a fiercely competitive, though usually lighthearted, nature, though this trait grew more pronounced since she became a vampire. To this extent, she often lightly skirmished with other teachers in the department, especially her own former teachers, to demonstrate to them she could teach the same classes with comparatively less friction. Teak maintained pride in her teaching style, focused on the assumption of good faith in students, and the heavy use of projects and real-world analogy.

Even during this stage in her life, Teak was occasionally infamed for minor altercations with other staff in trying to effect policy changes. Despite her fiery nature, she was generally a well-appreciated teacher and saw minor acclaim from her colleagues and students. She further remained involved in the mathematical community outside of pedagogy. While her scope as a teacher primarily encapsulated early secondary school affairs such as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algebra algebra] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometry geometry], Teak studied [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Set_theory set theory] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_theory category theory] in further detail during this period.

=== Vampirism ===

On Thursday 31 October 1996, Teak called in to school reporting her inability to come, citing an extreme headache. Later that evening, she paid visit to the [[Offetstine Castle]]. She explains that she was guided to the location by an [[Afterlife|ethereal]] energy, and that her judgement was clouded at the time. She was led to the location herself, though finding herself unable to gather the will to leave, she remained on premises for a period of time. She eventually wandered to the uppermost floor, an observatory with a glass-paneled ceiling, against her better judgement.

Teak does not recall the exact circumstances of her experience, though she notes that her transformation could probably be attributed to some [[Afterlife|celestial event]] ("I don't know of any local happenings, but stuff happens in space every day"), that she felt a shock of magical energy surge through her and that the transformation into a [[vampire]] was instantaneous. She explains she took the next day off, and did not recover until the following Monday. She notes that this period is when she came to terms with her newfound nature, including her imperative to feed on blood and to colonize the Moon, and her eccentric personality. She continued her work as a teacher, though without much regard to her appearance, and grew even more poorly reputed for her conduct.

All the while, she began her study of astrophysics, under the presumption that the foremost goal in colonizing the Moon would be to establish an efficient means of travel to the Moon and back. As a [[magical epistemology|magical epistemologist]], she made it a practice of augmenting traditional scientific discoveries with her magic, and developed a rigorous understanding of the mechanisms of her magic. Her temper was also the least stable during this period, often finding trouble in her eccentric manner of feeding. In one particularly notable case, on 12 December 1996, in a failed attempt to evade police after a botched attempt at feeding, she [[Shapeshifting|took the form]] of the officer who tried to apprehend her, and wrecked multiple police cars before being arrested under the officer's identity.

The incident drew the attention of the [[Coalition]], who until then had ignored Teak for her chiefly innocuous nature. She was interviewed and harshly reprimanded by [[Modeste Daniau]], a high-ranking Coalition member then responsible for investigating incidents which threatened the [[Masquerade]], in particular those involving violence and attempted feeding. Daniau managed to have Teak released, though not within the auspices of the police station, and the framed officer was forced to flee Offetstine, as she was wanted for Teak's crimes under her identity. Understanding her eccentric nature was growing untenable, and in a somewhat strange turn of events, Teak opted to enlist a human servant named Krystal, who was initially to guide her in managing her nature and controlling her bloodlust. As Teak's attitude eventually mellowed, Krystal continued to serve her as her right hand to the throne of her lunar colony, which she dubbed Fidelia.

== Ventures ==

=== Lunar colonialism ===

''Main article: [[Fidelia]]''

Since becoming a vampire, Teak has claimed an incontestable imperative to colonize the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix-like Moon] and establish herself as the monarch of the nation she founds. In recent months, she notes she somewhat laments this imperative, but notes she [[Will of the People|lacks the power]] to contest it. To this extent, she has, through the years, developed numerous computer simulations to help herself and her team of astrophysicists, enlisted through compulsion, understand the necessary concerns, develop models and facilitate space travel. In the process, she developed SophOS DCS, then known as the Lunar Research Framework, as a private supercomputer architecture to facilitate efficient parallel programming.

Teak refers to her prospective nation as [[Fidelia]]. While she suggests she wishes to rule over it as a military dictator, she explains she feels a significant responsibility to her citizens and intends to still set up democratic infrastructure. Despite this, she fervently denies all claims that she intends to establish a democracy. She frequently refers to Fidelian government architecture with military terminology, identifying her prospective cabinet members as "generals". She intends to remain the sole "empress" of the nation for the span of her life, and is immortal as a vampire. Despite this, she refuses any government responsibilities besides diplomacy, instead delegating it to her cabinets. Due to her background as a mathematician and teacher, she explains, she finds it hard to disregard the genuine needs of her citizens even though she is "supposed to be evil".

While Teak is keen on the use of her magical power to ease engineering constraints, and is personally heavily involved in research considerations, her research often struggles from budget constraints. As many of her team, despite being compelled to serve her, does not maintain any other job, she is unable to pay for their living expenses solely though her own job as a teacher, let alone equipment for her research. To this extent, she has attempted multiple business ventures in parallel with her teaching job.

=== Teak Industries ===

Teak's first, and patently short-lived, attempt to fund her research was Teak Industries, a chemical supplier company headquartered in Offetstine. She used her magic to streamline the process of purifying and distributing chemical samples competitively with large firms, though this proved largely ineffective. She saw very little business, and eventually closed Teak Industries after the success of a parallel business venture of hers, Sophos International.

=== Sophos International ===

Teak's second attempt to fund her research was Sophos International, a technology company targeting enterprise users and marketing a family of workstations built on [[SophOS DCS]], an in-house [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system operating system] developed by Teak for efficient parallel processing, and [[SophOS DCS#Virtua|Virtua]], a custom [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instruction_set_architecture ISA] designed with efficient multicore and instruction pipelining in mind. While SophOS workstations and servers remained a small portion of even the local market, many customers did report a significant uplift in performance compared to other contemporary offerings.

Despite the overwhelming majority of the market at the time advocating the use of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix-like UNIX-like] "open" systems, including their use being codified in certain government regulations, Sophos actively estranged their use in favor of the novel DCS standard, which was declared free for use by other companies. Despite this, SophOS DCS remains the only implementation compatible with the standard. Teak maintains the Sophos brand and handles most financial affairs of the company, though most hardware and software engineering has been maintained primarily by the rest of her team in recent months.

While Teak Industries struggled with Teak's poor management skills and a lack of market penetration, Sophos International proved far more successful. Teak eventually sold her assets in Teak Industries, allowing her to focus primarily on her job as a teacher and as the head of Sophos International. Despite Sophos's comparatively small market share, especially compared to rising open-source offerings, Teak explains she does not see any threat from them, as the goal of Sophos is to provide for people who already know what they stand to gain from a bespoke computing architecture, and furthermore, that Sophos's salesfront is second to its role as the software and hardware behind Teak's lunar colonialism endeavors.

Masquerade

2023-07-18T04:23:37Z

Discord-317484070127009793: /* History */ steal relevant details from Veilkeepers

The '''Masquerade''' is the common name for the trait about the world of Offetstine that while individual humans are frequently personally indoctrinated into the worlds of [[magic]] and [[Demi-Human|demi-humanity]], the general public remains broadly unaware of this development. While the effects and applications of magic thrive, especially in cities with an unusually dense concentration of magical energy such as in the greater Offetstine area, only a select few individuals and organizations are privy to the very existence of magic.

To an untrained eye, it seems natural, although closer inspection would reveal that the specific nature of the Masquerade in Offetstine, especially when combined with the chaotic and explosive nature of some demi-humans, is artificial. While there is fierce debate over the ethicality and practicality of the Masquerade, it remains one of the most potent aspects of magic in the world of Offetstine as it stands. While most mages and demi-humans remain content to not disturb the Masquerade, no attempt to disrupt the peace appears to succeed.

In practice, the Masquerade is perpetuated by the [[Veilkeepers]], an organization of magically empowered and controlled people, predominantly human, with the power to erase parts of history and the sworn duty to protect civilian humans, mages and demi-humans alike from disrupting their respective societies.

== History ==

''Main article: [[Veilkeepers#Creation_myth|Veilkeepers § Creation Myth]]''

The exact history of the Masquerade is unknown, as by its inherent nature, it resists documentation. Accounts of its origin, however, are extant in the form of mythological oral tradition passed down by the Veilkeepers, the organization responsible for perpetuating the Masquerade. The commonly accepted creation myth of the Masquerade is often posited to have taken place in modern-day [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India India] or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China China], and tells the story of a witch in approximately the third century BC.

The witch, reputed for her power among the local human population, adopted and cared for a number of demi-human children. While the group was ultimately benevolent and harmless, they faced continued antagonism from the local people citing prior encounters with more vengeant demi-humans. Due to the persecution increasingly endangering her family, the witch slowly grew isolated from human society, and eventually used her power to create a barrier separating human and demi-human society.

While the effect was initially local, it spread over the course of centuries to most corners of the world through the [[Will of the People]]. Demi-humans who travelled and traded on the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silk_Road Silk Road] vied particularly for the Masquerade. Over time and with increased global trade, it became a global phenomenon. Many regions were initially resistant to the Masquerade, although it spread primarily through the introduction of writing. The Masquerade was prevalent across the majority of Europe and Asia by about 300 AD, and took further centuries to become completely and unequivocally global.

== Real life ==

In real life, “masquerade” refers to a [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Masquerade common trope] in speculative fiction wherein the very existence of an often vast society that underpins a story is veiled from the general public.

Veilkeepers

2023-07-18T04:17:36Z

Discord-317484070127009793: fix typos

Veilkeepers

2023-07-18T04:07:44Z

Discord-317484070127009793: tentatively revise to help clarity, as to the fact the Masquerade was not instant, and that the Coalition/Ringleaders had their hand in upholding it

Cato Umbra

2023-07-16T22:12:45Z

Discord-317484070127009793: add pronunciation

{{Infobox person
|gender=Male
|pronouns=he/him
|born={{Date and age in years and months|1978-01-01}}{{Amend}}
|occupation=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology Biologist], [[Species taxonomy|Species taxonomist]]
|relatives=Lucas Umbra ''(brother)''
}}

'''Cato Umbra''' (/ˈkæ.toʊ ˈʌm.bɹə/) is a human scientist researching demi-human [[species taxonomy]] and [[magic]], especially the human study and use of it, in [[Offetstine]]. He has gained somewhat significant notoriety in communities aware of his nature for his unethical method of experimentation. His work as a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology biologist] involves experimentation on live human and demi-human subjects, who often do not willingly elect to participate in his studies. His means are readily considered abusive, often leaving his victims with substantial psychological trauma, and he is eschewed by most of the [[magical epistemology|magic epistemological]] community who understands his means.

While nominally, Umbra refuses to take the lives of any of his subjects, his means are often likened to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torture torture]. He is known for his heavy use of deceptive tactics in general communication. Umbra is widely considered sociopathic and the real-life equivalent of the [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MadScientist mad scientist] archetype in fiction, especially by members of the research community in Offetstine. Despite this, he is able to evade both the complete ostracization of the community and legal consequences in the human world, due to the [[Masquerade]] and the secretive nature of his practice, rarely publishing in reputed demi-human journals nor ever disclosing his particular technique.{{Amend}}

== History ==

Umbra has maintained his interest in the natural sciences and his proclivity for unethical experimentation since youth. He was ostracized from his ancestral town after he was discovered experimenting on people and animals alike. He was expelled from his university and forced to discontinue his [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctorate#Post postdoctorate] studies, forced to move to [[Offetstine]] as a result, and maintains a laboratory in the [[Northbrook Woodland]] where he presently conducts his studies.

Among his victims was his brother, Lucas Umbra, who he captured and directly experimented on without prior consent or knowledge. In an attempt to empower Lucas as a [[Magic|mage]], he instead died from the trauma of the experiment. Despite his death, he was subsequently revived as a [[Magic#Necromancy|zombie]]. As such, it may be surmised either that the experiment was partially successful, or that he was a direct subject of the [[Will of the People]].

== Character ==

Umbra is keenly manipulative, and regularly attempts to build falsified rapports with demi-humans and human mages alike. His knowledge of the demi-human world is limited, and it may be surmised the magical energy itself in Offetstine recoils as Umbra. Despite the amoral nature of magic as per the Will of the People, Umbra may be understood as someone who wishes to hurt the respective side of the world itself, and the magical energy in Offetstine thereby resists him. Despite his express attempts to seek them out, he is often far less successful than other [[Species taxonomy|species taxonomists]].

Umbra often seems to put himself in harm's way in pursuit of his studies. He works in the human scientific community under the guise of a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbiology microbiologist]. Although he is barred from many journals for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_misconduct grave misconduct], he remains sufficiently unknown that he often has no trouble assuming his own identity and a bogus profession to win the favor of others he works with. His limited knowledge of the demi-human world allows him to investigate largely without playing a character, only sparing the fact of his prior interest in magic. For instance, despite being the most prevalent demi-human genus in Offetstine, his documentation on [[Vampire|vampires]] remained tenuous prior to his exposure to one at [[Rainbow in the Moon]], a demi-human exclusive bar and lounge.

Umbra rarely maintains genuine friendships, though he frequently maintains the pretense of kindness in order to lull people toward him. He is highly prone to seeing any acquaintance as a potential test subject, as an extension of his sociopathic character. Despite his relatively unknown status, he is occasionally alluded to by legend, tales wherein a strange man, of diminutive stature and owllike glasses, shall attempt to lure unsuspecting individuals into the forest wherefrom they never return.

Werewolf

2023-07-14T02:23:57Z

Discord-317484070127009793: werewolves are not animal-folk 😅 this was incredibly dumb of me. also add usage notes on the terms "lycanthrope" and "therianthrope"

'''Werewolves,''' also known as '''lycanthropes,''' are a diverse group of [[demi-human]] species capable of [[shapeshifting]] between human and canine forms. In their canine form, they strongly resemble rabid [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf wolves], although certain subspecies may display unique traits that deviate from typical canine characteristics, such as a bipedal stance or the lack of a tail.

Even in their human form, werewolves exhibit physiological traits similar to wolves and share a profound cultural association with them. Known for their strong interpersonal bonds and loyalty, werewolves form packs with other members of their subspecies. These packs serve as the core of their social lives, and individuals often consider close relationships outside the pack, including those with humans, as honorary pack members.

Werewolves are usually classified within the ''Infernalis'' kingdom of the [[Species taxonomy#Émile_standard|Émile standard]] for demi-human taxonomy, due to their cultural connection with the [[underworld]] and the influence of the [[Will of the People]]. Werewolves are rarely considered [[animal-folk]] as despite their adjunct nature between human and mundane animal, their animal traits are not merely superficial. The generalized form of werewolves, which may shapeshift between a human and any other particular animal, are generally referred to as '''werebeasts''' or '''therianthropes,''' and share much in common with their respective species of werewolves, aside from the specific animal they transform into and inherit behaviors from.

Though second to [[Vampire|vampires]], werewolves are among the most populous species in the [[Greater Offetstine Area]] and globally, accounting for approximately 2–3% of the global demi-human population.

== Physiology ==

Lycanthropy in many werewolf subspecies is congenital, such that the offspring of two werewolf parents are likely to be werewolves as well. Additionally, a werewolf parent and a human parent have a high chance of producing a werewolf child. Lycanthropy can also be transmitted through infected wounds, usually occurring when a werewolf attacks a human. This transmission process is analyzed as akin to disease [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemiology epidemiology].

Werewolves typically have the ability to transform at will, although some subspecies are compelled to shift into their canine form under specific circumstances, particularly during the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_moon full moon]. Transformation can vary across subspecies, with some experiencing autonomous shifts beyond their control, while others can smoothly transition between human and wolf forms, retaining full consciousness. Certain subspecies have distinct identities in both human and canine forms, with disjoint memories and personalities, where their canine forms align with their inner sense of freedom as a human.

== Culture ==

Culturally, werewolves typically form tight-knit packs, often symbolizing relationships between sires and exhibiting a strong sense of kinship and territory. These packs are not always familial, but often consist of close relations like family members, romantic partners, and other trusted individuals. Pack members are expected to be allies in combat, as werewolf packs may skirmish with each other, and relations between packs are often quite vitriolic. Being included as an honorary pack member is regarded as a significant honor and symbol of trust.

Lycanthropic culture is often likened to a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Band_society band society], where pack members view each other as equals. While most werewolf packs do not have designated leaders, occasionally one is chosen for conflict resolution or to facilitate efficient combat operations, as a fully egalitarian model can lead to unwanted bureaucracy. Pack members share a strong fraternal bond and rarely hold persistent anger or disdain towards each other, often drawn together by the magic of their lycanthropy. Many werewolves perceive their canine form as an extension of their identity and hold strong cultural ties to wolves and other canine creatures. Consequently, they consider themselves born of the wilderness and believe they are closer to nature than humans.

== Real life ==

In the real world, the term "lycanthropy" (as a truncation of "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_lycanthropy clinical lycanthropy]") is commonly used to refer not to a werewolf as the notion exists in fantasy fiction, nor as it exists in Offetstine in particular, but to a human individual who believes, due to a psychological affectation, that they exhibit such traits.

Furthermore, in the real world, the term "[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/therianthrope therianthrope]" is occasionally used by the furry community to denote individuals who have a strong spiritual or psychological association with a particular animal.

[[Category:Species]]

Magic

2023-07-14T02:09:29Z

Discord-317484070127009793: fix links

'''Magic''' is a broad and diverse concept that underpins the primary diversion of the fictional world of Offetstine from the real world. Practicioners of magic, often referred to as '''mages,''' form a diminutive yet significant subset of the total population of the world of Offetstine.

== Practices ==

Various magical practices exist in the world of Offetstine that usually have parallels to real-life pseudosciences or schools of magic in fantasy fiction. In many cases, the same name refers to a family of independently derived practices, which are often quite different in nature. Due to the fundamentally underground nature of magic as per the [[Masquerade]], developments in magic very rarely trickle back to human science, although the fields are nonetheless considered pivotal to each other in their shared quest for applied, empirical knowledge.

While it is impossible to offer a comprehensive list of magical practices, for the same reasons as it is impossible to offer a comprehensive list of demi-human species, as the art of [[species taxonomy]] nonetheless aims to create. To that extent, this list is incomplete.

<blockquote>'''Editor's note:''' This section is ''very'' incomplete. There is no world in which the two most important fields of magic are "alchemy" and "necromancy". Fix urgently.
</blockquote>
=== Alchemy ===

''Full article: [[Alchemy]]''

Named for the real-life pseudoscience of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchemy alchemy], often understood as the forebearer to modern chemistry, and its subsequent reifications in fantasy fiction, alchemy refers to the diverse set of magical arts in Offetstine that focus on the craft of potions and other materials that bear magical properties.

=== Necromancy ===

''Full article: [[Necromancy]]''

TODO

== History ==

Magic is typically understood to have originated from demi-humans in prehistoric times, coinciding with the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolithic_Revolution Neolithic Revolution]. Common myths state the initial practitioners of magic were demi-humans who unknowingly used the power to guard their interests, such as through the [[Illusion magic|illusion]] of [[animal-folk]], to hide their inhuman traits and uphold the Masquerade. These demi-humans are said to have expanded on their practice and developed it into serviceable general-purpose forms that augmented the technology of the time, and as such passed the practice down through generations.

Magic practices are said to have eventually spread through certain isolated human communities who were already exposed to magical energy, although since the practice of magic is predicated on that exposure, most humans were unable to take up the practice. Even to date, mages remain a highly exclusive circle of individuals, far overshadowed by demi-humans who are either magically empowered or controlled but do not practice a general-purpose form of magic. However, especially at the time, mages were frequently opposed by mundane humans to whom they demonstrated their powers, and the practice of general-purpose magic was largely vilified even in communities where demi-humans were accepted.

The precise cause of this effect is unknown, although the vilification is commonly attributed to the malicious portrayal of mages in common superstitions which stem from religious myth. The source of religious myth in Offetstine varies, either being born of interpretations of demi-humans such as spirits and deities, or of entirely mundane means, though despite the prevalence of magic in Offetstine, even mages and demi-humans lack consensus as to the particular truth of any particular religious myth. However, in part because of this persecution, magic is often viewed by mages as a secular art, detached from the doctrine of any particular faith.

== Culture ==

Mages are generally known to form isolated communities when possible. Magic is often considered a carefully guarded secret, in part by virtue of the Masquerade, but even to the extent that demi-humans who do not practice a general-purpose magic are excluded from communions of mages. The Masquerade is varyingly recognized as either imperative statute to the continued and safe existence of magic in Offetstine, or archaic and discriminatory legislation that stunts the scope and pervasiveness of the practice. As many members of the [[Veilkeepers]], the organization responsible for upholding the Masquerade, are themselves mages, conflicting perspectives are even more pervasive from within the organization.

Mages occasionally form underground communities in regions where magical energy is abundant, as presence in such areas further empowers them. For instance, one such location is [[Cedar Crest University]], a university built around an ancient cedar tree commonly recognized to amplify magical energy. While due to the Masquerade, the university cannot openly acknowledge its openness to demi-humans or mages, its founder, the mundane human [[Erin Hazell]], has previously privately acknowledged the magical community which sprung up around her institution and given it her blessing.

Due to the nature of the Masquerade prohibiting overt communication, societies of mages and demi-humans have historically favored the use of telecommunications gear to facilitate communication. The use of ciphers and encryption traces back to the roots of magic in Offetstine, where grimoires were frequently written in high-entropy ciphers or mystical languages unknown to humans, and ephemeral messages were often communicated in cant. In modern times, criminal organizations such as the [[Coalition]] and [[Ringleaders]], both of which limit their membership to demi-humans, have created encryption toolkits for private use. One such framework, [[CREST]], has found use across the [[Greater Offetstine Area]] for computer-aided secure communications between mages.

=== Secrecy ===

Mages generally express mixed perspectives with regards to the Masquerade in Offetstine. While some mages note the benefits that magic has to the broader scientific community, a perspective especially shared by [[#Magical epistemology|magical epistemologists]], others argue that the continued existence of the Masquerade is critical for protecting magical civilization from mundane human oversight.

The exact motives for the Masquerade vary by individual. Generally, the most prevalent belief is fear of persecution. Mages and demi-humans frequently rationalize that through the exposure of their secret, humans will launch military-scale attacks out of fear. As many schools of magic pose threats that mundane humans are plainly unequipped to deal with, such as the [[Psychic magic|mind control]] of many [[Vampire|vampires]], such a hypothetical war is suspected to end in a conclusive victory for demi-humans and mages. Despite this, such a victory is projected to herald the casualties of, among others, humans who are falsely suspected to be mages, demi-humans such as many subspecies of [[Harpy|harpies]] who are weaker than humans, and mages who are genuinely interested in the betterment of humanity such as magical epistemologists.

Another common belief that is often used to justify the Masquerade, though often frowned upon from within and without, is the notion of supremacy conferred by magical powers, especially demi-human nature. Certain communities of mages view themselves as inherently superior to humans by virtue of their powers and through their exclusive nature. This belief is typically countered by the viewpoint that the ability to wield magic is a skill, and thus is not a privilege, but rather the result of innate ability, with no inherent difference between the average human and a mage. Despite this, it remains the foundation of the [[Coalition]], a defunct criminal organization in Offetstine, which during its height was exclusive to demi-humans and quite prevalent.

== Concepts ==

=== Demi-humanity ===

''Full article: [[Demi-human]]''

'''Demi-humans''' are a rare and diverse class of magical species that roughly demonstrate some form of humanity, usually in the form of sapience and humanlike bodies. While their exact nature is difficult to pinpoint, demi-humans are most often the result of magic affecting the body of an otherwise biologically human individual (such as with [[Vampire|vampires]] and [[Harpy|harpies]]), or causing a humanlike entity to manifest in a human-populated area (such as with [[Spirit|spirits]] and [[Deity|deities]]).

While demi-humans are magical in nature, only a subset of them are themselves mages. Most demi-humans have magical abilities and powers, commonly including shapeshifting and various psychic powers, and they are generally not considered to be mages in their own right. Only some demi-humans are able to command a full, general-purpose school of magic and are considered mages.

=== Magical epistemology ===

'''Magical epistemology''' is the idea, named for its respective branch of philosophy, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistemology epistemology], that magic is a fundamental branch of the pursuit of knowledge as it pertains to humanity and demi-humanity. Many fields of science (especially anthropological and humanitarian, such as archeology and medicine) and magic regularly overlap in scope, and to that extent, it usually benefits mundane humans and mages alike to ensure that information and knowledge is exchanged between the two parties.

While no overt relations can exist as a consequence of the Masquerade, and under threat of the endangerment of many humans at the hands of more powerful mages, and vice versa, mages of the belief of magical epistemology often attempt to communicate knowledge and best practices across the barrier.

Despite this, due to the fact that magic often has a knack for violating certain laws of physics, especially [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_of_energy those of thermodynamics], and the exact nature of this relation prevents many magical innovations from reaching the human world, or even being used to affect large swathes of people.

Some mages have used their talent to excel at human arts, such as the somewhat infamous schoolteacher, mathematician and aerospace researcher [[Eliza Teak]], who has markedly used her magic to aid with space travel, chemical production and engineering and silicon fabrication. However, this is a niche use case and magic remains a largely private art.

=== Will of the People ===

One of the most prevalent ideas of magic in Offetstine is that concepts are often reified by nature that are prevalent in the minds of people, often referred to concretely as the '''Will of the People.''' Many concepts in the world of Offetstine, including magical species such as [[Spirit|spirits]] and [[Deity|deities]], are usually considered to be born only because of their prevalence in the minds of people.

Similarly, many common species, especially those that have notable ties to folklore such as most subspecies of [[vampire]] may usually trace their progeny back to a time and place in which the folklore was especially culturally prominent, such as in fictional storytelling, religious mythology or superstition, again implying that they were "willed into existence", as it were, by the people.

The exact mechanism of this phenomenon is still unknown, and notoriously difficult to harness despite the abundance of humans who have attempted to leverage this known phenomenon to confer magical power unto themselves. The relation of this power to social concepts of ethics and sympathy is unknown.

Magic

2023-07-14T02:07:17Z

Discord-317484070127009793: expand on history and culture

'''Magic''' is a broad and diverse concept that underpins the primary diversion of the fictional world of Offetstine from the real world. Practicioners of magic, often referred to as '''mages,''' form a diminutive yet significant subset of the total population of the world of Offetstine.

== Practices ==

Various magical practices exist in the world of Offetstine that usually have parallels to real-life pseudosciences or schools of magic in fantasy fiction. In many cases, the same name refers to a family of independently derived practices, which are often quite different in nature. Due to the fundamentally underground nature of magic as per the [[Masquerade]], developments in magic very rarely trickle back to human science, although the fields are nonetheless considered pivotal to each other in their shared quest for applied, empirical knowledge.

While it is impossible to offer a comprehensive list of magical practices, for the same reasons as it is impossible to offer a comprehensive list of demi-human species, as the art of [[species taxonomy]] nonetheless aims to create. To that extent, this list is incomplete.

<blockquote>'''Editor's note:''' This section is ''very'' incomplete. There is no world in which the two most important fields of magic are "alchemy" and "necromancy". Fix urgently.
</blockquote>
=== Alchemy ===

''Full article: [[Alchemy]]''

Named for the real-life pseudoscience of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchemy alchemy], often understood as the forebearer to modern chemistry, and its subsequent reifications in fantasy fiction, alchemy refers to the diverse set of magical arts in Offetstine that focus on the craft of potions and other materials that bear magical properties.

=== Necromancy ===

''Full article: [[Necromancy]]''

TODO

== History ==

Magic is typically understood to have originated from demi-humans in prehistoric times, at the approximate beginning of the [[Neolithic Revolution]]. Common myths state the initial practitioners of magic were demi-humans who unknowingly used the power to guard their interests, such as through the [[Illusion magic|illusion]] of [[animal-folk]], to hide their inhuman traits and uphold the Masquerade. These demi-humans are said to have expanded on their practice and developed it into serviceable general-purpose forms that augmented the technology of the time, and as such passed the practice down through generations.

Magic practices are said to have eventually spread through certain isolated human communities who were already exposed to magical energy, although since the practice of magic is predicated on that exposure, most humans were unable to take up the practice. Even to date, mages remain a highly exclusive circle of individuals, far overshadowed by demi-humans who are either magically empowered or controlled but do not practice a general-purpose form of magic. However, especially at the time, mages were frequently opposed by mundane humans to whom they demonstrated their powers, and the practice of general-purpose magic was largely vilified even in communities where demi-humans were accepted.

The precise cause of this effect is unknown, although the vilification is commonly attributed to the malicious portrayal of mages in common superstitions which stem from religious myth. The source of religious myth in Offetstine varies, either being born of interpretations of demi-humans such as spirits and deities, or of entirely mundane means, though despite the prevalence of magic in Offetstine, even mages and demi-humans lack consensus as to the particular truth of any particular religious myth. However, in part because of this persecution, magic is often viewed by mages as a secular art, detached from the doctrine of any particular faith.

== Culture ==

Mages are generally known to form isolated communities when possible. Magic is often considered a carefully guarded secret, in part by virtue of the Masquerade, but even to the extent that demi-humans who do not practice a general-purpose magic are excluded from communions of mages. The Masquerade is varyingly recognized as either imperative statute to the continued and safe existence of magic in Offetstine, or archaic and discriminatory legislation that stunts the scope and pervasiveness of the practice. As many members of the [[Veilkeepers]], the organization responsible for upholding the Masquerade, are themselves mages, conflicting perspectives are even more pervasive from within the organization.

Mages occasionally form underground communities in regions where magical energy is abundant, as presence in such areas further empowers them. For instance, one such location is [[Cedar Crest University]], a university built around an ancient cedar tree commonly recognized to amplify magical energy. While due to the Masquerade, the university cannot openly acknowledge its openness to demi-humans or mages, its founder, the mundane human [[Erin Hazell]], has previously privately acknowledged the magical community which sprung up around her institution and given it her blessing.

Due to the nature of the Masquerade prohibiting overt communication, societies of mages and demi-humans have historically favored the use of telecommunications gear to facilitate communication. The use of ciphers and encryption traces back to the roots of magic in Offetstine, where grimoires were frequently written in high-entropy ciphers or mystical languages unknown to humans, and ephemeral messages were often communicated in cant. In modern times, criminal organizations such as the [[Coalition]] and [[Ringleaders]], both of which limit their membership to demi-humans, have created encryption toolkits for private use. One such framework, [[CREST]], has found use across the [[Greater Offetstine Area]] for computer-aided secure communications between mages.

=== Secrecy ===

Mages generally express mixed perspectives with regards to the Masquerade in Offetstine. While some mages note the benefits that magic has to the broader scientific community, a perspective especially shared by [[magical epistemologists]], others argue that the continued existence of the Masquerade is critical for protecting magical civilization from mundane human oversight.

The exact motives for the Masquerade vary by individual. Generally, the most prevalent belief is fear of persecution. Mages and demi-humans frequently rationalize that through the exposure of their secret, humans will launch military-scale attacks out of fear. As many schools of magic pose threats that mundane humans are plainly unequipped to deal with, such as the [[Psychic magic|mind control]] of many [[Vampire|vampires]], such a hypothetical war is suspected to end in a conclusive victory for demi-humans and mages. Despite this, such a victory is projected to herald the casualties of, among others, humans who are falsely suspected to be mages, demi-humans such as many subspecies of [[Harpy|harpies]] who are weaker than humans, and mages who are genuinely interested in the betterment of humanity such as magical epistemologists.

Another common belief that is often used to justify the Masquerade, though often frowned upon from within and without, is the notion of supremacy conferred by magical powers, especially demi-human nature. Certain communities of mages view themselves as inherently superior to humans by virtue of their powers and through their exclusive nature. This belief is typically countered by the viewpoint that the ability to wield magic is a skill, and thus is not a privilege, but rather the result of innate ability, with no inherent difference between the average human and a mage. Despite this, it remains the foundation of the [[Coalition]], a defunct criminal organization in Offetstine, which during its height was exclusive to demi-humans and quite prevalent.

== Concepts ==

=== Demi-humanity ===

''Full article: [[Demi-human]]''

'''Demi-humans''' are a rare and diverse class of magical species that roughly demonstrate some form of humanity, usually in the form of sapience and humanlike bodies. While their exact nature is difficult to pinpoint, demi-humans are most often the result of magic affecting the body of an otherwise biologically human individual (such as with [[Vampire|vampires]] and [[Harpy|harpies]]), or causing a humanlike entity to manifest in a human-populated area (such as with [[Spirit|spirits]] and [[Deity|deities]]).

While demi-humans are magical in nature, only a subset of them are themselves mages. Most demi-humans have magical abilities and powers, commonly including shapeshifting and various psychic powers, and they are generally not considered to be mages in their own right. Only some demi-humans are able to command a full, general-purpose school of magic and are considered mages.

=== Magical epistemology ===

'''Magical epistemology''' is the idea, named for its respective branch of philosophy, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistemology epistemology], that magic is a fundamental branch of the pursuit of knowledge as it pertains to humanity and demi-humanity. Many fields of science (especially anthropological and humanitarian, such as archeology and medicine) and magic regularly overlap in scope, and to that extent, it usually benefits mundane humans and mages alike to ensure that information and knowledge is exchanged between the two parties.

While no overt relations can exist as a consequence of the Masquerade, and under threat of the endangerment of many humans at the hands of more powerful mages, and vice versa, mages of the belief of magical epistemology often attempt to communicate knowledge and best practices across the barrier.

Despite this, due to the fact that magic often has a knack for violating certain laws of physics, especially [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_of_energy those of thermodynamics], and the exact nature of this relation prevents many magical innovations from reaching the human world, or even being used to affect large swathes of people.

Some mages have used their talent to excel at human arts, such as the somewhat infamous schoolteacher, mathematician and aerospace researcher [[Eliza Teak]], who has markedly used her magic to aid with space travel, chemical production and engineering and silicon fabrication. However, this is a niche use case and magic remains a largely private art.

=== Will of the People ===

One of the most prevalent ideas of magic in Offetstine is that concepts are often reified by nature that are prevalent in the minds of people, often referred to concretely as the '''Will of the People.''' Many concepts in the world of Offetstine, including magical species such as [[Spirit|spirits]] and [[Deity|deities]], are usually considered to be born only because of their prevalence in the minds of people.

Similarly, many common species, especially those that have notable ties to folklore such as most subspecies of [[vampire]] may usually trace their progeny back to a time and place in which the folklore was especially culturally prominent, such as in fictional storytelling, religious mythology or superstition, again implying that they were "willed into existence", as it were, by the people.

The exact mechanism of this phenomenon is still unknown, and notoriously difficult to harness despite the abundance of humans who have attempted to leverage this known phenomenon to confer magical power unto themselves. The relation of this power to social concepts of ethics and sympathy is unknown.

Offetstine:Needs work

2023-07-14T01:08:31Z

Discord-317484070127009793: Add point of interest: Lamia

'''Have some time to spare?''' Consider contributing to one of these pages.

You can quickly link to this page with the shortcode [[OW:NW|<code>OW:NW</code>]].



== Areas ==

* [[Northbrook Woodland]]
* [[Stenbrook River]]

== Cities ==

* [[Hallingmere]]
* [[Offetstine]]
* [[Winthorpe]]

== Concepts ==

* [[Afterlife]]
** [[Soul]]
** [[Underworld]]
* [[Greater Offetstine Area]]
* [[Magic]]
** [[Alchemy]]
** [[Elemental magic]]
** [[Illusion magic]]
** [[Necromancy]]
** [[Psychic powers]]
** [[Shapeshifting]]
* [[Masquerade]]
* [[Shadow politics]]
* [[Species taxonomy]]

== Events ==

TODO

== Institutions ==

* [[Cedar Crest University]]
* [[Golden Chalice]]
* [[Offetstine Primary School]]
* [[Offetstine Secondary School]]
* [[Rainbow in the Moon]]

== Media ==

* [[CREST]]
* [[SophOS DCS]]
* [[Zagreus Cross]]

== Nations ==

* [[Fidelia]]

== Organizations ==

* [[Criminal organizations]]
** [[Chiennes d'Armes]]
** [[Coalition]]
** [[Hunter's Guild]]
** [[Major Arcana]]
** [[Ringleaders]]
** [[Serpents]]
* [[Veilkeepers]]

== People ==

* [[Cato Umbra]]
* [[Clarise Ledford]]
* [[Constance Vivas]]
* [[Dia Silver]]
* [[Eliza Teak]]
* [[Erin Hazell]]
* [[Evi Snijder]]
* [[Melia Pepper]]
* [[Modeste Daniau]]
* [[Numa]]
* [[Raja]]
* [[Sonia Versace]]
* [[Vincent Rosier]]

== Species ==

[[Demi-human]]

* [[Animal-folk]]
** [[Kitsune]]
* [[Deity]]
* [[Elf]]
* [[Demon]]
* [[Dragon]]
* [[Harpy]]
* [[Lamia]]
* [[Nymph]]
* [[Spirit]]
** [[Elemental]]
** [[Revenant]]
* [[Vampire]]
** ''[[S. Erisi]]''
** ''[[S. Shakuii]]''
* [[Werewolf]]

Shapeshifting

2023-07-14T00:47:35Z

Discord-317484070127009793: remove Tentative tag, change "self-inflicted" to "autonomic" due to risk of being mistaken, /* See also */ add section

'''Shapeshifting''' is a school of [[magic]] involving the ability to transform oneself between multiple forms, often of which one is recognized as one's "true form", and of which at least one is akin to a human; or the ability to transform a target into a form other than their own. The former is common as an innate ability of many [[Demi-human|demi-humans]], including [[Werewolf|werewolves]] and [[Dragon|dragons]], while the latter is most common in human mages. Shapeshifting specifically excludes the adoption of superficial traits as seen in many [[animal-folk]] or in [[Vampire|vampires]] who draw blood through retractable fangs, as well as [[illusion magic]].

== Autonomic shapeshifting ==

=== Duomorphism ===

Most commonly, shapeshifting encapsulates the ability to transform between one of two forms. This form of the power is occasionally known as '''duomorphism''' and practitioners as '''duomorphs,''' to differentiate it from [[#Polymorphism|polymorphism]]. This power is seen either voluntarily or involuntarily, as in many werewolf subspecies, which may usually transform between a human form and canine form, either on their own accord or forcibly under the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_moon full moon]. Involuntary transformations associated to one's demi-human species are usually correlated to astronomical events or environmental conditions. Furthermore, involuntary transformations usually involve excruciating pain to their subject.

Voluntary transformations are the most common form of duomorphism. In such cases, the shapeshifter will be able to transition between one of two forms, usually one that is reminiscent mostly or entirely of a human, and one that resembles another animal, commonly identified as their "true form". A voluntary duomorph may often feel most comfortable in their true form, and may exhibit traits of their true form even while in their human form. The specific build of one's true form does not necessarily need to directly parallel the species it derives from.

For instance, many werewolves' true forms, they may appear significantly different from the real-life [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf grey wolf], often having a far broader musculoskeletal frame and heavier build, a bipedal stance, and sometimes lacking a tail. Despite this, the closest real-world analog for the motifs of their form, such as their facial structure and muzzle, is the grey wolf, and to that extent their form is defined as canine and they are defined as a werewolf.

=== Polymorphism ===

A rarer form of shapeshifting wherein a shapeshifter may choose their form at will is commonly known as '''polymorphism'''<ref>In fantasy fiction, polymorphism often functions as an alternate term to shapeshifting in general. In Offetstine, however, the term is used more specifically.</ref> and its practitioners as '''polymorphs,''' as distinct from [[#Duomorphism|duomorphism]]. In many cases, polymorphism is a skill of [[Elemental|elementals]] and other [[Spirit|spirits]]. Polymorphs often have to come in direct contact with the species they wish to take the form of, and, when transformed, may either retain features from their original self or completely and indistinguishably embody their target. Species that have an innate ability to polymorph are commonly amorphous and have no single true form, although they may find the most comfort in a particular form or forms as they are core to their [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_(social_science) personal identity].

The ability to polymorph without a living being as reference is considered a highly elite form of magic and is very rare among mages. Polymorphism is further considered distinct from the ability for some demi-human species to possess a living host, though the powers do often appear in tandem with one another. A possessed host that retains their consciousness through the process of possession is likely to express agony through any transformation encompassed within shapeshifting, and is likely to be psychologically distraught through the process.

== Transmogrification ==

The practice of a [[Magic|mage]] causing another individual, often a human, to embody another form, is known as '''transmogrification.''' This power is most commonly found as a learned magic, and is rarely innate to any demi-human species, though it is closely related to certain conditions certain demi-humans can inflict, such as the ability of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorgon gorgons] to turn human victims to stone upon eye contact.

== See also ==

* [[Illusion magic]]

== Notes ==

<references />

[[Category:Schools of magic]]

Illusion magic

2023-07-14T00:29:43Z

Discord-317484070127009793: initial

'''Illusion magic''' is a school of [[magic]] involving the ability to create artificial images either in individual people's perceptions of the world, or one's appearance in any physical property except one's literal, actual form. In the former case, when it affects individuals' perception, illusion magic may be considered a form of [[Psychic powers|psychic magic]]. Illusion magic is closely related to [[shapeshifting]], the art of morphing one's own form through the use of magic, and together form the basis for maintaining the [[Masquerade]] by demi-humans who have forms that belie their ostensible humanity.

Depending on the form of illusion magic at play, it may be applied either to a target whose form is to be masked (the '''"altered"''') or a target (either animate or, in the case of [[#Mirages|mirages]], inanimate) which is to behold the illusion (the '''"illuded"''').{{Amend}} These terms are not standard, but still useful insofar as the "target" of illusion magic may otherwise be ambiguous.

== Forms ==

As with most magic, different mages and demi-humans have derived various independent practices of illusion magic, most of which coexist with no additional complications. Though illusions are commonly attributed to light, or to its sensory counterpart in animals, vision, illusions may span across any number of physical properties and senses. Different forms of illusion magic account differently for factors such as the discrepancy between the altered's actual and perceived forms.

=== Psychic illusions ===

The most common form of illusion magic is '''psychic,''' wherein the practitioner creates an image in the minds of illuded targets through psychic powers. The power may be used to form a comprehensive image of an otherwise ethereal being in an illuded target's mind, a common practice with [[Spirit|spirits]]. Furthermore, psychic illusions are commonly used by demi-humans to veil their inhuman traits from humans.

As the latter case introduces the risk of the [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GlamourFailure effect being broken] if the illuded target, for example, if they make contact with an appendage the demi-human intends to hide, such as a [[vampire]]'s pair of fangs or the tail of a [[lamia]], psychic illusions commonly motivate the illuded target to subconsciously ignore all such discrepancies. Many forms of psychic illusions are entirely psychological and do not affect the senses of the illuded target whatsoever, although extensive subjection to such forms of illusion magic may impart a dreamlike quality to any experiences or memories while under illusion magic.

Psychic illusion is usually only self-inflicted and unlike [[Shapeshifting#Transmogrification|transmogrification]] in shapeshifting, more often than not cannot be applied to others. Despite this, some practices do allow mages to mask the appearances of objects other than their own, although it is generally not useful as combat magic.

=== Mirages ===

Aside from psychic illusions, '''mirages''' refer to illusions that affect how altered targets appear to any illuded object, including sapient animals, humans and [[Demi-human|demi-humans]] to which magic usually applies; but also including cameras, mirrors and other equipment to which psychic illusions often do not affect.

The name derives from a common [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirage real-world phenomenon] wherein light may, in certain cases, refract to produce a false reflection of certain objects above or below themselves. The phenomenon, unlike, for example, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallucination hallucinations], is tangible and fully visible to all imaging equipment; though when in effect, the actual physical objects at play are not accurately depicted through light. To this extent, the term is also used for the magical practice in Offetstine.

Mirages are used by some demi-humans to hide their forms, although this use is less common than psychic illusions and shapeshifting. More commonly, mirages are used as combat magic, to deceive illuded opponents into behaving in such a manner that they endanger themselves. While mirages are generally considered more robust than psychic illusions, they are usually more complex to maintain than their psychic counterparts, and cannot rely on the illuded target's own sensibilities to make up for discrepancies between the illusion and real world. Furthermore, though illusion is commonly associated with light, mirage illusions often need to span multiple physical properties to create a congruent image.

== True sight ==

'''True sight''' refers to the immunity of an individual to all forms of illusion magic. Usually, true sight is itself a magical skill, although some demi-humans and magically empowered humans also have this power innately. Variously, an individual with true sight may neither see nor recognize when another mage or demi-human manifests an illusion before them, or may be able to recognize the failed attempt and see through it. True sight is generally considered a fairly rare and powerful skill.

Certain forms of illusion magic may be vulnerable to more mundane means. For instance, when one's entire form is illusory, a common paradigm for [[Species taxonomy#Émile_system|''Aetherius'']] demi-humans, the form may be fully invisible in one's reflection, in film or to photosensors such as cameras. This is fairly common with [[Revenant|ghosts]] and [[Spirit|spirits]], although very rarely applies to any demi-human species that has a biological form, such as [[Vampire|vampires]]. Despite this, species that have biological forms are still vulnerable to exposition if their illusion is [[#Psychic_illusions|psychic]].

== See also ==

* [[Shapeshifting]]

[[Category:Schools of magic]]

Offetstine:Needs work

2023-07-05T01:20:32Z

Discord-317484070127009793: Add point of interest: S. Shakuii

'''Have some time to spare?''' Consider contributing to one of these pages.

You can quickly link to this page with the shortcode [[OW:NW|<code>OW:NW</code>]].



== Areas ==

* [[Northbrook Woodland]]
* [[Stenbrook River]]

== Cities ==

* [[Hallingmere]]
* [[Offetstine]]
* [[Winthorpe]]

== Concepts ==

* [[Afterlife]]
** [[Soul]]
** [[Underworld]]
* [[Greater Offetstine Area]]
* [[Magic]]
** [[Alchemy]]
** [[Elemental magic]]
** [[Illusion magic]]
** [[Necromancy]]
** [[Psychic powers]]
** [[Shapeshifting]]
* [[Masquerade]]
* [[Shadow politics]]
* [[Species taxonomy]]

== Events ==

TODO

== Institutions ==

* [[Cedar Crest University]]
* [[Golden Chalice]]
* [[Offetstine Primary School]]
* [[Offetstine Secondary School]]
* [[Rainbow in the Moon]]

== Media ==

* [[CREST]]
* [[SophOS DCS]]
* [[Zagreus Cross]]

== Nations ==

* [[Fidelia]]

== Organizations ==

* [[Criminal organizations]]
** [[Chiennes d'Armes]]
** [[Coalition]]
** [[Hunter's Guild]]
** [[Major Arcana]]
** [[Ringleaders]]
** [[Serpents]]
* [[Veilkeepers]]

== People ==

* [[Cato Umbra]]
* [[Clarise Ledford]]
* [[Constance Vivas]]
* [[Dia Silver]]
* [[Eliza Teak]]
* [[Erin Hazell]]
* [[Evi Snijder]]
* [[Melia Pepper]]
* [[Modeste Daniau]]
* [[Numa]]
* [[Raja]]
* [[Sonia Versace]]
* [[Vincent Rosier]]

== Species ==

[[Demi-human]]

* [[Animal-folk]]
** [[Kitsune]]
* [[Deity]]
* [[Elf]]
* [[Demon]]
* [[Dragon]]
* [[Harpy]]
* [[Nymph]]
* [[Spirit]]
** [[Elemental]]
** [[Revenant]]
* [[Vampire]]
** ''[[S. Erisi]]''
** ''[[S. Shakuii]]''
* [[Werewolf]]

S. Shakuii

2023-07-05T01:18:14Z

Discord-317484070127009793: add display title. other than that, the article looks great!

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''S. Shakuii''}}{{Stub}}{{Infobox demi-human species|kingdom=Infernalis|genus=Sanguis|subspecies=Shakuii}}

'''''S. Shakuii''''' is the [[Species taxonomy#Émile standard|Émile]] taxon for a species of [[vampire]] prominent in [[wikipedia:Japan|Japan]]. The name comes from [[wikipedia:Japanese_language|Japanese]] 爵位 ([[wikipedia:Hepburn_romanization|Hepburn]]: ''shakui,'' <abbr title="literally">lit.</abbr> [[wikipedia:Imperial,_royal_and_noble_ranks|peerage]]) symbolizing the tendency of ''S. Shakuii'' to often act as nobility, or for the subspecies' pervasive nature in the nobility of Japan during its imperial era. The species is not native to Japan, though it was studied most extensively there by a human student at the [[wikipedia:University_of_Tokyo|University of Tokyo]]. The taxon in the [[Species taxonomy#Émile standard|Émile standard]] for species taxonomy was chosen directly by a correspondent of the subspecies, and popularized through online forums frequented by members of the underground [[demi-human]] research community.

== History ==
Despite its name, ''S. Shakuii'' did not likely originate in Japan. As it is reflective primarily of [[wikipedia:Vampire_folklore_by_region#Medieval_and_early_modern_Europe|European vampire mythos]] and due to the [[Will of the People]] and its ways in spawning demi-human species, and surveying its popularity around the world, though statistics are somewhat lax as demi-human research is not a well-endowed field, it is estimated that the actual origin of ''S. Shakuii'' would have been in England, born from fears of [[Revenant|revenants]] and ghosts in the 12th and 13th centuries. The cause of the species' translocation is unknown.

Earlier documents describing the subspecies used the tentative taxon ''S. Nymphalis'' after the Linnean taxon for [[wikipedia:Nymphalidae|butterflies]], although this has been mostly retired due to the use of the genus ''Aetherius Nympha'' for [[Nymph|nymphs]]. Some documents still refer to the subspecies with the term "''S. Shakuii (tent. S. Nymphalis)''" primarily for this reason. The conjugate term "Shakuii" is formed as a faux Latin genitive, following the tradition both in Linnean and Émile taxonomy to affix "-i" to foreign proper names which taxa carry in honor.

todo :3

== Physiology ==
Vampires of the subspecies ''S. Shakuii'' appear nearly identical to humans. Visibly, they are marked by subtly glowing eyes, often of a warm color, and fangs in their mouth. They often have a distinctive pallor similar to [[wikipedia:Pallor_mortis|pallor mortis]] and a somewhat doll-like appearance. Their eyes diminish in brightness when they are physically weak or incapacitated, such as when they are asleep or unconscious, and flare up when they are excited or rejuvenated, especially when they have freshly eaten. Ocular luminescence can roughly correspond to [[wikipedia:Oxygen_saturation_(medicine)|blood oxygen level]] and generally flares up along with a rush of adrenaline.

''S. Shakuii'' does not have an alternate form, though some members of the subspecies practice [[magic]] and are able to shapeshift into forms such as a fleet of bats or cloud of mist. The rules for such a transformation are beholden to the school of magic employed. Despite their lack of innate magical power, ''S. Shakuii'' commonly have sorcerous traits that allow them to veil their fangs and eyes, especially in front of humans to help uphold the [[Masquerade]]. While their form is veiled, they still demonstrate pale skin. This illusion magic does not take much effort to uphold, although some vampires of the subspecies believe it is untrue to their nature. The natural illusion gives members of the subspecies an affinity for [[illusion magic]] if they ever wish to study the craft.

=== Feeding ===
''S. Shakuii'' feeds on human blood about once every one or two weeks, although metabolisms vary significantly between vampires. Generally, members of the subspecies experience a rush of [[wikipedia:Adrenaline|adrenaline]] during the hunt. The hunt may be defined as the process of isolating a human from their crowd and appealing to their sensibilities, perhaps through the use of [[S. Shakuii#Miryoku|miryoku]] or simply through their allure as an individual, or cornering them in combat after a fight.

Generally, ''S. Shakuii'' do not particularly savor the taste of blood, but it does further increase adrenaline and it is often difficult to stop feeding once one starts. Some members of the subspecies lament that this leads to unwanted fatalities in humans, although this sentiment is uncommon as members of the subspecies are [[S. Shakuii#Culture|usually encouraged]] to revel in their nature. Members of the subspecies report [[wikipedia:Tachycardia|tachycardia]] during the process of hunting and feeding on humans, in both themselves and their targets, and note that the fear of the target human only excites them more.

=== ''Miryoku'' ===
One of the most notable powers of ''S. Shakuii,'' though one of their less distinctive ones, is their ability to "charm" humans, a limited form of [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CompellingVoice mind control] common in vampires. The effect itself itself referred to as "charm," or by its Japanese name ''miryoku'' ([[wikipedia:Japanese_language|Japanese]]: 魅力, <abbr title="literally">lit.</abbr> charm, glamour), and is frequently used by members of the subspecies to placate humans or elicit their servitude. Unlike many other forms of mind control, hypnosis and entrancement in vampires, ''miryoku'' does not make the target human follow a specific order or command, but instead makes them more prone to suggestion from the vampire and is commonly analogized to falling in love.

Due to the subtle effect of ''miryoku,'' vampires of ''S. Shakuii'' are generally not afraid of using it on humans. Since no overt command is given, humans do not often understand they are under a human's control, but may exhibit symptoms of intoxication such as slurred speech and unnatural calm, as though they are [[wikipedia:Sedation|sedated]]. Usually, before it can be used by the vampire, ''miryoku'' requires physical and emotional closeness or eye contact, at which point a target human may already be acquainted with the nature of the vampire. However, ''miryoku'' does not require a shared spoken language or any other formality, unlike ''[[S. Erisi]],'' the most common vampire subspecies in the [[Greater Offetstine Area]] with a similar ability, compulsion.

''Miryoku'' is sometimes used to turn humans loyal to a vampire, occasionally using it to radicalize them and make them forgo existing social bonds to serve a vampire exclusively. Under this state, they take their loyalty to their vampiric master as granted. If they recognize their own behavior, they do not believe it requires justification and feel a sense of adoration for their vampire master that the rest of their actions stem from. In more extreme cases, humans under the charm of ''S. Shakuii'' vampires often envision themselves as consorts of the vampire. Despite this, the power cannot be used to make them follow any specific order. Even human servants under the control of ''miryoku'' still exhibit their own will, and it takes both the [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MoreThanMindControl charm and emotional investment] of a vampire to fully control a human.

== Culture ==
todo :3
[[Category:Species]]

SophOS DCS

2023-07-01T04:00:02Z

Discord-317484070127009793: Add {{Very long}} disclaimer

{{Very long}}

'''SophOS DCS,''' previously known as the '''Lunar Research Framework,''' is an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system operating system] designed by [[Eliza Teak#Sophos_International|Sophos International]] in order to meet the requirements of its founder, [[Eliza Teak]], with regards to parallel computation and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercomputer supercomputing] necessary for astrophysical simulations and research.

According to Teak, SophOS DCS specifically eschews the long lineage of "open" [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix-like UNIX-like] systems and other existing architectural standards, in order to ensure robustness from the ground up and prevent performance barriers caused by outdated assumptions about software which both operating system implementors and userspace developers must work around. To accomplish this, SophOS DCS bills itself as the reference implementation of the '''DCS,''' or '''Distributed Computing System,''' standard.

Critics have noted that especially on existing ISAs, SophOS DCS offers little to no performance benefit for most software over other operating system architectures, and there is little to no extant data comparing the performance of SophOS to other operating systems on [[#Virtua|Virtua]]. As of 1998, SophOS DCS remains the sole implementation of the DCS standard.

== Features ==

SophOS DCS offers a number of features distinct from prior offerings, though the exact value of those features have been called into question on multiple occasions:

* Native scheduling primitives that directly wrap the Virtua ISA hardware scheduler interface, though their performance benefits are usually limited to systems that heavily leverage concurrency and [https://wiki.osdev.org/Multitasking_Systems#Preemptive_Multitasking preemptive multitasking].

* Cross-machine synchronization primitives, enabling multiple SophOS DCS systems to exchange data in flight describing parallel workloads, with fairly little intervention from developers. Many developers note that in order to tune performance, significant intervention is necessary regardless and the synchronization primitives do not provide tangible benefit over existing offerings.

* Native [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Containerization_(computing) containerization], though it is noted that code implementing containerization in SophOS DCS was lent mostly wholesale from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreeBSD_jail existing offerings] of similar scope, as part of the open-source kernel.

* DCFS, a custom filesystem billed to provide low-latency read-write performance while implementing immutable layers (akin to real-life [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSTree OSTree]) transparent snapshots, compression and encryption (akin to real-life [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZFS ZFS]). Marketing material claims DCFS is "the best filesystem for ''any'' database", although this claim has been called into question.

== DCS Standard ==

[[File:Lunar Research Framework.png|thumb|A mockup of the Lunar Research Framework, an early iteration of what would eventually be commercially released as SophOS DCS.]]

TODO

=== UNIX compatibility ===

SophOS DCS provides best-effort compatibility through a kernel provision to map custom [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_call system calls], and the userspace software package <code>ix</code>, which implements a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POSIX POSIX-compatible] environment as far as is allowed under DCS security provisions, as well as an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Window_System X11 server] which natively integrates with the SophOS windowing system. Sophos marketing promotes <code>ix</code> as a zero-overhead solution to integrate legacy applications into a DCS environment. Despite this, critics have noted that <code>ix</code> does not properly implement features such as shared memory and does not efficiently implement process initialization, leading to significant overhead for multiprocess software.

<code>ix</code> is primarily used on developer workstations to provide access to UNIX software under DCS, similar to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Subsystem_for_Linux Windows Subsystem for Linux] in real life. Developers have noted that while the applicability of SophOS DCS to the server and mainframe is limited, DCS workstations are generally more stable and comfortable than most popular UNIX-like offerings. Sophos also bills this as one of its strengths in advertising documents: claiming that since the standard is open, they have no reason to make their software intentionally difficult to use in order to artificially create a market of trained system administrators. Critics have noted that this is not the principle on which monopolies operate, and that intuitiveness is a common selling point insofar as promoting developer productivity.

== Virtua ==

Sophos Virtua is a processor [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instruction_set_architecture instruction set architecture] designed to facilitate efficient multiprocessing, and a line of processors implementing the ISA from Sophos International under the same brand. Virtua is regarded as an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_standard open standard], though the trademark guidelines prescribe any other processor implementing the standard must bill itself as "Virtua-compatible". As an early multicore design, Virtua treats individual cores as fairly distinct with fabric interconnects, placed on the same die primarily to minimize latency and manufacturing costs, rather than to offer any technical benefit over earlier multiprocessor designs.

To this extent, Virtua chip designs for servers and mainframes usually contain 8 or 12 cores, while individual workstations usually contain 2 cores, as the primary cost of a core is die space and heat output. This approach has been criticized as a poor attempt to compensate for poor single-core performance, although Sophos marketing notes that sustained and multithreaded performance is more important for commercial applications than burst and single-threaded performance. Furthermore, Virtua chips often suffer from inefficient memory controller architecture.

The Virtua ISA prescribes a native [https://wiki.osdev.org/Context_Switching#Hardware_Context_Switching hardware scheduler] that attempts to minimize downtime which results from loading resources from memory, and further implements a native [https://users.cs.utah.edu/~ald/pubs/interrupts.pdf interrupt handler cache] in order to minimize time spent during page faults in memory-mapped I/O. To this extent, Virtua establishes a distinction between physical and logical cores, in which logical cores often significantly outnumber physical cores, and physical cores usually only consist of a single execution unit, so multiprocessing and instruction pipelining may be handled by the same on-die logic.

While Sophos chip designs report an unremarkable edge in efficiency in workstation contexts, Virtua is lauded by Teak as the "core of her research", a pun used frequently in marketing material, and one advertising campaign emphasized the low computational overhead of Virtua by superimposing a cutout image of a Sophos mainframe over a single performance statistic in bold lettering (for example, "2.25 <abbr title="billions of floating point operations per watt-second">Gflops/W</abbr>. Enough said."){{Amend}}

The Virtua ISA actively does not expose [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_instruction,_multiple_data SIMD] or vector instructions in favor of implementing such optimizations at a CPU level, considering execution units are automatically delegated even to single-threaded tasks by the hardware scheduler. Compiler developers are motivated to keep loops short in order to allow the instruction decoder to identify cases where operations may be parallelized. Critics have noted this trait prevents software developers from leveraging the hardware fully, and leads to a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing_issues#Performance_interference_and_noisy_neighbors "noisy neighbor"] situation.

SophOS DCS

2023-07-01T03:58:18Z

Discord-317484070127009793: initial

'''SophOS DCS,''' previously known as the '''Lunar Research Framework,''' is an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system operating system] designed by [[Eliza Teak#Sophos_International|Sophos International]] in order to meet the requirements of its founder, [[Eliza Teak]], with regards to parallel computation and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercomputer supercomputing] necessary for astrophysical simulations and research.

According to Teak, SophOS DCS specifically eschews the long lineage of "open" [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix-like UNIX-like] systems and other existing architectural standards, in order to ensure robustness from the ground up and prevent performance barriers caused by outdated assumptions about software which both operating system implementors and userspace developers must work around. To accomplish this, SophOS DCS bills itself as the reference implementation of the '''DCS,''' or '''Distributed Computing System,''' standard.

Critics have noted that especially on existing ISAs, SophOS DCS offers little to no performance benefit for most software over other operating system architectures, and there is little to no extant data comparing the performance of SophOS to other operating systems on [[#Virtua|Virtua]]. As of 1998, SophOS DCS remains the sole implementation of the DCS standard.

== Features ==

SophOS DCS offers a number of features distinct from prior offerings, though the exact value of those features have been called into question on multiple occasions:

* Native scheduling primitives that directly wrap the Virtua ISA hardware scheduler interface, though their performance benefits are usually limited to systems that heavily leverage concurrency and [https://wiki.osdev.org/Multitasking_Systems#Preemptive_Multitasking preemptive multitasking].

* Cross-machine synchronization primitives, enabling multiple SophOS DCS systems to exchange data in flight describing parallel workloads, with fairly little intervention from developers. Many developers note that in order to tune performance, significant intervention is necessary regardless and the synchronization primitives do not provide tangible benefit over existing offerings.

* Native [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Containerization_(computing) containerization], though it is noted that code implementing containerization in SophOS DCS was lent mostly wholesale from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreeBSD_jail existing offerings] of similar scope, as part of the open-source kernel.

* DCFS, a custom filesystem billed to provide low-latency read-write performance while implementing immutable layers (akin to real-life [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSTree OSTree]) transparent snapshots, compression and encryption (akin to real-life [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZFS ZFS]). Marketing material claims DCFS is "the best filesystem for ''any'' database", although this claim has been called into question.

== DCS Standard ==

[[File:Lunar Research Framework.png|thumb|A mockup of the Lunar Research Framework, an early iteration of what would eventually be commercially released as SophOS DCS.]]

TODO

=== UNIX compatibility ===

SophOS DCS provides best-effort compatibility through a kernel provision to map custom [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_call system calls], and the userspace software package <code>ix</code>, which implements a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POSIX POSIX-compatible] environment as far as is allowed under DCS security provisions, as well as an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Window_System X11 server] which natively integrates with the SophOS windowing system. Sophos marketing promotes <code>ix</code> as a zero-overhead solution to integrate legacy applications into a DCS environment. Despite this, critics have noted that <code>ix</code> does not properly implement features such as shared memory and does not efficiently implement process initialization, leading to significant overhead for multiprocess software.

<code>ix</code> is primarily used on developer workstations to provide access to UNIX software under DCS, similar to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Subsystem_for_Linux Windows Subsystem for Linux] in real life. Developers have noted that while the applicability of SophOS DCS to the server and mainframe is limited, DCS workstations are generally more stable and comfortable than most popular UNIX-like offerings. Sophos also bills this as one of its strengths in advertising documents: claiming that since the standard is open, they have no reason to make their software intentionally difficult to use in order to artificially create a market of trained system administrators. Critics have noted that this is not the principle on which monopolies operate, and that intuitiveness is a common selling point insofar as promoting developer productivity.

== Virtua ==

Sophos Virtua is a processor [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instruction_set_architecture instruction set architecture] designed to facilitate efficient multiprocessing, and a line of processors implementing the ISA from Sophos International under the same brand. Virtua is regarded as an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_standard open standard], though the trademark guidelines prescribe any other processor implementing the standard must bill itself as "Virtua-compatible". As an early multicore design, Virtua treats individual cores as fairly distinct with fabric interconnects, placed on the same die primarily to minimize latency and manufacturing costs, rather than to offer any technical benefit over earlier multiprocessor designs.

To this extent, Virtua chip designs for servers and mainframes usually contain 8 or 12 cores, while individual workstations usually contain 2 cores, as the primary cost of a core is die space and heat output. This approach has been criticized as a poor attempt to compensate for poor single-core performance, although Sophos marketing notes that sustained and multithreaded performance is more important for commercial applications than burst and single-threaded performance. Furthermore, Virtua chips often suffer from inefficient memory controller architecture.

The Virtua ISA prescribes a native [https://wiki.osdev.org/Context_Switching#Hardware_Context_Switching hardware scheduler] that attempts to minimize downtime which results from loading resources from memory, and further implements a native [https://users.cs.utah.edu/~ald/pubs/interrupts.pdf interrupt handler cache] in order to minimize time spent during page faults in memory-mapped I/O. To this extent, Virtua establishes a distinction between physical and logical cores, in which logical cores often significantly outnumber physical cores, and physical cores usually only consist of a single execution unit, so multiprocessing and instruction pipelining may be handled by the same on-die logic.

While Sophos chip designs report an unremarkable edge in efficiency in workstation contexts, Virtua is lauded by Teak as the "core of her research", a pun used frequently in marketing material, and one advertising campaign emphasized the low computational overhead of Virtua by superimposing a cutout image of a Sophos mainframe over a single performance statistic in bold lettering (for example, "2.25 <abbr title="billions of floating point operations per watt-second">Gflops/W</abbr>. Enough said."){{Amend}}

The Virtua ISA actively does not expose [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_instruction,_multiple_data SIMD] or vector instructions in favor of implementing such optimizations at a CPU level, considering execution units are automatically delegated even to single-threaded tasks by the hardware scheduler. Compiler developers are motivated to keep loops short in order to allow the instruction decoder to identify cases where operations may be parallelized. Critics have noted this trait prevents software developers from leveraging the hardware fully, and leads to a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing_issues#Performance_interference_and_noisy_neighbors "noisy neighbor"] situation.

File:Lunar Research Framework.png

2023-07-01T03:55:59Z

Discord-317484070127009793: A mockup of the Lunar Research Framework, the antecedent to modern SophOS DCS

== Summary ==
A mockup of the Lunar Research Framework, the antecedent to modern SophOS DCS

Eliza Teak

2023-07-01T02:32:14Z

Discord-317484070127009793: initial

{{Very long}}

{{Infobox person
|gender=Female
|pronouns=she/her
|race=[[S. Erisi|Eris vampire]]
|status=Alive
|born={{Date and age in years|1965-11-04}}
|reborn={{Date and age in years|1996-10-31}}
|nationality=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England English]
|occupation=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teacher Teacher]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematician Mathematician]
|relatives=Krystal ''(right hand)''
}}

'''Eliza Teak''' is a [[vampire]] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teacher teacher] at the [[Offetstine Secondary School]]. She is somewhat infamed for her eccentric, megalomaniacal personality, and often views herself as akin to a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_officer military general]. Attributed to her vampirism and under the control of the magical energy she harbors, she believes her destiny is to colonize the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix-like Moon] and establish herself as the ruler of the land she claims. To that extent, she sometimes refers to herself as the Empress of [[Fidelia]].

In addition to her role as a schoolteacher, Teak is a somewhat reputed and published mathematician with studies primarily in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discrete_mathematics discrete mathematics], such as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Set_theory set theory] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_theory category theory]. In addition to her involvement in the pure mathematics, she is also involved in the sciences and is a staunch [[Magical epistemology|magical epistemologist]].

As her plans to colonize and inhabit the Moon depend on a means of efficient space travel, she has extensively studied the field of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrophysics astrophysics] and has developed numerous computer simulations to help herself and her team of astrophysicists, enlisted primarily through [[S. Erisi#Compulsion|compulsion]], understand the necessary concerns, develop models and facilitate space travel. In the process, Teak developed [[SophOS DCS]], then known as the Lunar Research Framework, as a private supercomputer architecture to facilitate efficient [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_stealing work-stealing parallelism] necessary for physics simulations. Eventually, to fund her research, she began to distribute SophOS mainframes, servers and workstations to small businesses.

== History ==

Teak was born as a human on 4 November 1965 in [[Offetstine]]. From a young age, Teak was deeply fascinated with mathematics, throughout her enrollment in [[Offetstine Secondary School]]. Despite this, she noted an overwhelming frustration with the way it was often taught, claiming it was too dry to genuinely teach students. When she graduated, she attended [[Cedar Crest University]] in [[Winthorpe]] to formally study mathematics and education. She graduated with high recommendations for her diligent and motivated style, and her high level of synergy with students.

Teak eventually reapplied to Offetstine Secondary School as a teacher. Even as a human, Teak notes that she was motivated by a fiercely competitive, though usually lighthearted, nature, though this trait grew more pronounced since she became a vampire. To this extent, she often lightly skirmished with other teachers in the department, especially her own former teachers, to demonstrate to them she could teach the same classes with comparatively less friction. Teak maintained pride in her teaching style, focused on the assumption of good faith in students, and the heavy use of projects and real-world analogy.

Even during this stage in her life, Teak was occasionally infamed for minor altercations with other staff in trying to effect policy changes. Despite her fiery nature, she was generally a well-appreciated teacher and saw minor acclaim from her colleagues and students. She further remained involved in the mathematical community outside of pedagogy. While her scope as a teacher primarily encapsulated early secondary school affairs such as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algebra algebra] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometry geometry], Teak studied [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Set_theory set theory] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_theory category theory] in further detail during this period.

=== Vampirism ===

On Thursday 31 October 1996, Teak called in to school reporting her inability to come, citing an extreme headache. Later that evening, she paid visit to the [[Offetstine Castle]]. She explains that she was guided to the location by an [[Afterlife|ethereal]] energy, and that her judgement was clouded at the time. She was led to the location herself, though finding herself unable to gather the will to leave, she remained on premises for a period of time. She eventually wandered to the uppermost floor, an observatory with a glass-paneled ceiling, against her better judgement.

Teak does not recall the exact circumstances of her experience, though she notes that her transformation could probably be attributed to some [[Afterlife|celestial event]] ("I don't know of any local happenings, but stuff happens in space every day"), that she felt a shock of magical energy surge through her and that the transformation into a [[vampire]] was instantaneous. She explains she took the next day off, and did not recover until the following Monday. She notes that this period is when she came to terms with her newfound nature, including her imperative to feed on blood and to colonize the Moon, and her eccentric personality. She continued her work as a teacher, though without much regard to her appearance, and grew even more poorly reputed for her conduct.

All the while, she began her study of astrophysics, under the presumption that the foremost goal in colonizing the Moon would be to establish an efficient means of travel to the Moon and back. As a [[magical epistemology|magical epistemologist]], she made it a practice of augmenting traditional scientific discoveries with her magic, and developed a rigorous understanding of the mechanisms of her magic. Her temper was also the least stable during this period, often finding trouble in her eccentric manner of feeding. In one particularly notable case, on 12 December 1996, in a failed attempt to evade police after a botched attempt at feeding, she [[Shapeshifting|took the form]] of the officer who tried to apprehend her, and wrecked multiple police cars before being arrested under the officer's identity.

The incident drew the attention of the [[Coalition]], who until then had ignored Teak for her chiefly innocuous nature. She was interviewed and harshly reprimanded by [[Modeste Daniau]], a high-ranking Coalition member then responsible for investigating incidents which threatened the [[Masquerade]], in particular those involving violence and attempted feeding. Daniau managed to have Teak released, though not within the auspices of the police station, and the framed officer was forced to flee Offetstine, as she was wanted for Teak's crimes under her identity. Understanding her eccentric nature was growing untenable, and in a somewhat strange turn of events, Teak opted to enlist a human servant named Krystal, who was initially to guide her in managing her nature and controlling her bloodlust. As Teak's attitude eventually mellowed, Krystal continued to serve her as her right hand to the throne of her lunar colony, which she dubbed Fidelia.

== Ventures ==

=== Lunar colonialism ===

''Main article: [[Fidelia]]''

Since becoming a vampire, Teak has claimed an incontestable imperative to colonize the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix-like Moon] and establish herself as the monarch of the nation she founds. In recent months, she notes she somewhat laments this imperative, but notes she [[Will of the People|lacks the power]] to contest it. To this extent, she has, through the years, developed numerous computer simulations to help herself and her team of astrophysicists, enlisted through compulsion, understand the necessary concerns, develop models and facilitate space travel. In the process, she developed SophOS DCS, then known as the Lunar Research Framework, as a private supercomputer architecture to facilitate efficient parallel programming.

Teak refers to her prospective nation as [[Fidelia]]. While she suggests she wishes to rule over it as a military dictator, she explains she feels a significant responsibility to her citizens and intends to still set up democratic infrastructure. Despite this, she fervently denies all claims that she intends to establish a democracy. She frequently refers to Fidelian government architecture with military terminology, identifying her prospective cabinet members as "generals". She intends to remain the sole "empress" of the nation for the span of her life, and is immortal as a vampire. Despite this, she refuses any government responsibilities besides diplomacy, instead delegating it to her cabinets. Due to her background as a mathematician and teacher, she explains, she finds it hard to disregard the genuine needs of her citizens even though she is "supposed to be evil".

While Teak is keen on the use of her magical power to ease engineering constraints, and is personally heavily involved in research considerations, her research often struggles from budget constraints. As many of her team, despite being compelled to serve her, does not maintain any other job, she is unable to pay for their living expenses solely though her own job as a teacher, let alone equipment for her research. To this extent, she has attempted multiple business ventures in parallel with her teaching job.

=== Teak Industries ===

Teak's first, and patently short-lived, attempt to fund her research was Teak Industries, a chemical supplier company headquartered in Offetstine. She used her magic to streamline the process of purifying and distributing chemical samples competitively with large firms, though this proved largely ineffective. She saw very little business, and eventually closed Teak Industries after the success of a parallel business venture of hers, Sophos International.

=== Sophos International ===

Teak's second attempt to fund her research was Sophos International, a technology company targeting enterprise users and marketing a family of workstations built on [[SophOS DCS]], an in-house [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system operating system] developed by Teak for efficient parallel processing, and [[Sophos DCS#Virtua|Virtua]], a custom [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instruction_set_architecture ISA] designed with efficient multicore and instruction pipelining in mind. While SophOS workstations and servers remained a small portion of even the local market, many customers did report a significant uplift in performance compared to other contemporary offerings.

Despite the overwhelming majority of the market at the time advocating the use of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix-like UNIX-like] "open" systems, including their use being codified in certain government regulations, Sophos actively estranged their use in favor of the novel DCS standard, which was declared free for use by other companies. Despite this, SophOS DCS remains the only implementation compatible with the standard. Teak maintains the Sophos brand and handles most financial affairs of the company, though most hardware and software engineering has been maintained primarily by the rest of her team in recent months.

While Teak Industries struggled with Teak's poor management skills and a lack of market penetration, Sophos International proved far more successful. Teak eventually sold her assets in Teak Industries, allowing her to focus primarily on her job as a teacher and as the head of Sophos International. Despite Sophos's comparatively small market share, especially compared to rising open-source offerings, Teak explains she does not see any threat from them, as the goal of Sophos is to provide for people who already know what they stand to gain from a bespoke computing architecture, and furthermore, that Sophos's salesfront is second to its role as the software and hardware behind Teak's lunar colonialism endeavors.

Template:Very long

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{{Mbox|notice|Very long article|This Offetstine Wiki article may contain excessive detail. Please consider removing information that does not meet [[OW:GNG|the notability guidelines]], or splitting it into multiple articles. Feel free to ask about this article on [https://discord.gg/PCDjjjQETQ Discord], or [{{fullurl:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|action=edit}} edit this page] to improve it.}}

Offetstine:Needs work

2023-06-30T22:09:45Z

Discord-317484070127009793: Add point of interest: Illusion magic

'''Have some time to spare?''' Consider contributing to one of these pages.

You can quickly link to this page with the shortcode [[OW:NW|<code>OW:NW</code>]].



== Areas ==

* [[Northbrook Woodland]]
* [[Stenbrook River]]

== Cities ==

* [[Hallingmere]]
* [[Offetstine]]
* [[Winthorpe]]

== Concepts ==

* [[Afterlife]]
** [[Soul]]
** [[Underworld]]
* [[Greater Offetstine Area]]
* [[Magic]]
** [[Alchemy]]
** [[Elemental magic]]
** [[Illusion magic]]
** [[Necromancy]]
** [[Psychic powers]]
** [[Shapeshifting]]
* [[Masquerade]]
* [[Shadow politics]]
* [[Species taxonomy]]

== Events ==

TODO

== Institutions ==

* [[Cedar Crest University]]
* [[Golden Chalice]]
* [[Offetstine Primary School]]
* [[Offetstine Secondary School]]
* [[Rainbow in the Moon]]

== Media ==

* [[CREST]]
* [[SophOS DCS]]
* [[Zagreus Cross]]

== Nations ==

* [[Fidelia]]

== Organizations ==

* [[Criminal organizations]]
** [[Chiennes d'Armes]]
** [[Coalition]]
** [[Hunter's Guild]]
** [[Major Arcana]]
** [[Ringleaders]]
** [[Serpents]]
* [[Veilkeepers]]

== People ==

* [[Cato Umbra]]
* [[Clarise Ledford]]
* [[Constance Vivas]]
* [[Dia Silver]]
* [[Eliza Teak]]
* [[Erin Hazell]]
* [[Evi Snijder]]
* [[Melia Pepper]]
* [[Modeste Daniau]]
* [[Numa]]
* [[Raja]]
* [[Sonia Versace]]
* [[Vincent Rosier]]

== Species ==

[[Demi-human]]

* [[Animal-folk]]
** [[Kitsune]]
* [[Deity]]
* [[Elf]]
* [[Demon]]
* [[Dragon]]
* [[Harpy]]
* [[Nymph]]
* [[Spirit]]
** [[Elemental]]
** [[Revenant]]
* [[Vampire]]
** [[Eris vampire]]
* [[Werewolf]]

Shapeshifting

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Discord-317484070127009793: initial

{{Tentative}}

'''Shapeshifting''' is a school of [[magic]] involving the ability to transform oneself between multiple forms, often of which one is recognized as one's "true form", and of which at least one is akin to a human; or the ability to transform a target into a form other than their own. The former is common as an innate ability of many [[Demi-human|demi-humans]], including [[Werewolf|werewolves]] and [[Dragon|dragons]], while the latter is most common in human mages. Shapeshifting specifically excludes the adoption of superficial traits as seen in many [[animal-folk]] or in [[Vampire|vampires]] who draw blood through retractable fangs, as well as [[illusion magic]].

== Self-inflicted shapeshifting ==

=== Duomorphism ===

Most commonly, shapeshifting encapsulates the ability to transform between one of two forms. This form of the power is occasionally known as '''duomorphism''' and practitioners as '''duomorphs,''' to differentiate it from [[#Polymorphism|polymorphism]]. This power is seen either voluntarily or involuntarily, as in many werewolf subspecies, which may usually transform between a human form and canine form, either on their own accord or forcibly under the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_moon full moon]. Involuntary transformations associated to one's demi-human species are usually correlated to astronomical events or environmental conditions. Furthermore, involuntary transformations usually involve excruciating pain to their subject.

Voluntary transformations are the most common form of duomorphism. In such cases, the shapeshifter will be able to transition between one of two forms, usually one that is reminiscent mostly or entirely of a human, and one that resembles another animal, commonly identified as their "true form". A voluntary duomorph may often feel most comfortable in their true form, and may exhibit traits of their true form even while in their human form. The specific build of one's true form does not necessarily need to directly parallel the species it derives from.

For instance, many werewolves' true forms, they may appear significantly different from the real-life [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf grey wolf], often having a far broader musculoskeletal frame and heavier build, a bipedal stance, and sometimes lacking a tail. Despite this, the closest real-world analog for the motifs of their form, such as their facial structure and muzzle, is the grey wolf, and to that extent their form is defined as canine and they are defined as a werewolf.

=== Polymorphism ===

A rarer form of shapeshifting wherein a shapeshifter may choose their form at will is commonly known as '''polymorphism'''<ref>In fantasy fiction, polymorphism often functions as an alternate term to shapeshifting in general. In Offetstine, however, the term is used more specifically.</ref> and its practitioners as '''polymorphs,''' as distinct from [[#Duomorphism|duomorphism]]. In many cases, polymorphism is a skill of [[Elemental|elementals]] and other [[Spirit|spirits]]. Polymorphs often have to come in direct contact with the species they wish to take the form of, and, when transformed, may either retain features from their original self or completely and indistinguishably embody their target. Species that have an innate ability to polymorph are commonly amorphous and have no single true form, although they may find the most comfort in a particular form or forms as they are core to their [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_(social_science) personal identity].

The ability to polymorph without a living being as reference is considered a highly elite form of magic and is very rare among mages. Polymorphism is further considered distinct from the ability for some demi-human species to possess a living host, though the powers do often appear in tandem with one another. A possessed host that retains their consciousness through the process of possession is likely to express agony through any transformation encompassed within shapeshifting, and is likely to be psychologically distraught through the process.

== Transmogrification ==

The practice of a [[Magic|mage]] causing another individual, often a human, to embody another form, is known as '''transmogrification.''' This power is most commonly found as a learned magic, and is rarely innate to any demi-human species, though it is closely related to certain conditions certain demi-humans can inflict, such as the ability of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorgon gorgons] to turn human victims to stone upon eye contact.

== Notes ==

<references />

[[Category:Schools of magic]]

Category:Schools of magic

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Offetstine:Needs work

2023-06-30T20:41:07Z

Discord-317484070127009793: Break /* Species */ into own section, add schools of magic,

'''Have some time to spare?''' Consider contributing to one of these pages.

You can quickly link to this page with the shortcode [[OW:NW|<code>OW:NW</code>]].



== Areas ==

* [[Northbrook Woodland]]
* [[Stenbrook River]]

== Cities ==

* [[Hallingmere]]
* [[Offetstine]]
* [[Winthorpe]]

== Concepts ==

* [[Afterlife]]
** [[Soul]]
** [[Underworld]]
* [[Greater Offetstine Area]]
* [[Magic]]
** [[Alchemy]]
** [[Elemental magic]]
** [[Necromancy]]
** [[Psychic powers]]
** [[Shapeshifting]]
* [[Masquerade]]
* [[Shadow politics]]
* [[Species taxonomy]]

== Events ==

TODO

== Institutions ==

* [[Cedar Crest University]]
* [[Golden Chalice]]
* [[Offetstine Primary School]]
* [[Offetstine Secondary School]]
* [[Rainbow in the Moon]]

== Media ==

* [[CREST]]
* [[SophOS DCS]]
* [[Zagreus Cross]]

== Nations ==

* [[Fidelia]]

== Organizations ==

* [[Criminal organizations]]
** [[Chiennes d'Armes]]
** [[Coalition]]
** [[Hunter's Guild]]
** [[Major Arcana]]
** [[Ringleaders]]
** [[Serpents]]
* [[Veilkeepers]]

== People ==

* [[Cato Umbra]]
* [[Clarise Ledford]]
* [[Constance Vivas]]
* [[Dia Silver]]
* [[Eliza Teak]]
* [[Erin Hazell]]
* [[Evi Snijder]]
* [[Melia Pepper]]
* [[Modeste Daniau]]
* [[Numa]]
* [[Raja]]
* [[Sonia Versace]]
* [[Vincent Rosier]]

== Species ==

[[Demi-human]]

* [[Animal-folk]]
** [[Kitsune]]
* [[Deity]]
* [[Elf]]
* [[Demon]]
* [[Dragon]]
* [[Harpy]]
* [[Nymph]]
* [[Spirit]]
** [[Elemental]]
** [[Revenant]]
* [[Vampire]]
** [[Eris vampire]]
* [[Werewolf]]

Offetstine:Needs work

2023-06-30T18:16:03Z

Discord-317484070127009793: Add points of interest: Elf, Nymph, Werewolf. Update link

'''Have some time to spare?''' Consider contributing to one of these pages.

You can quickly link to this page with the shortcode [[OW:NW|<code>OW:NW</code>]].



== Areas ==

* [[Northbrook Woodland]]
* [[Stenbrook River]]

== Cities ==

* [[Hallingmere]]
* [[Offetstine]]
* [[Winthorpe]]

== Concepts ==

* [[Afterlife]]
** [[Soul]]
** [[Underworld]]
* [[Demi-human]]
** [[Animal-folk]]
*** [[Kitsune]]
** [[Deity]]
** [[Elf]]
** [[Demon]]
** [[Dragon]]
** [[Harpy]]
** [[Nymph]]
** [[Spirit]]
*** [[Elemental]]
*** [[Revenant]]
** [[Vampire]]
*** [[Eris vampire]]
** [[Werewolf]]
* [[Greater Offetstine Area]]
* [[Magic]]
** [[Alchemy]]
** [[Necromancy]]
* [[Masquerade]]
* [[Shadow politics]]
* [[Species taxonomy]]

== Events ==

TODO

== Institutions ==

* [[Cedar Crest University]]
* [[Golden Chalice]]
* [[Offetstine Primary School]]
* [[Offetstine Secondary School]]
* [[Rainbow in the Moon]]

== Media ==

* [[CREST]]
* [[SophOS DCS]]
* [[Zagreus Cross]]

== Nations ==

* [[Fidelia]]

== Organizations ==

* [[Criminal organizations]]
** [[Chiennes d'Armes]]
** [[Coalition]]
** [[Hunter's Guild]]
** [[Major Arcana]]
** [[Ringleaders]]
** [[Serpents]]
* [[Veilkeepers]]

== People ==

* [[Cato Umbra]]
* [[Clarise Ledford]]
* [[Constance Vivas]]
* [[Dia Silver]]
* [[Eliza Teak]]
* [[Erin Hazell]]
* [[Evi Snijder]]
* [[Melia Pepper]]
* [[Modeste Daniau]]
* [[Numa]]
* [[Raja]]
* [[Sonia Versace]]
* [[Vincent Rosier]]

Werewolf

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Discord-317484070127009793: initial

'''Werewolves,''' also known as '''lycanthropes,''' are a diverse group of [[demi-human]] species capable of [[shapeshifting]] between human and canine forms. In their canine form, they strongly resemble rabid [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf wolves], although certain subspecies may display unique traits that deviate from typical canine characteristics, such as a bipedal stance or the lack of a tail.

Even in their human form, werewolves exhibit physiological traits similar to wolves and share a profound cultural association with them. Known for their strong interpersonal bonds and loyalty, werewolves form packs with other members of their subspecies. These packs serve as the core of their social lives, and individuals often consider close relationships outside the pack, including those with humans, as honorary pack members.

Werewolves are usually classified as [[animal-folk]] within the ''Mundanus'' taxon of the [[Species taxonomy#Émile_standard|Émile standard]] for demi-human taxonomy. However, due to their cultural connection with the [[underworld]] and the influence of the [[Will of the People]], they are occasionally classified in the ''Infernalis'' kingdom. Though second to [[Vampire|vampires]], werewolves are among the most populous species in the [[Greater Offetstine Area]] and globally, accounting for approximately 2–3% of the global demi-human population.

== Physiology ==

Lycanthropy in many werewolf subspecies is congenital, such that the offspring of two werewolf parents are likely to be werewolves as well. Additionally, a werewolf parent and a human parent have a high chance of producing a werewolf child. Lycanthropy can also be transmitted through infected wounds, usually occurring when a werewolf attacks a human. This transmission process is analyzed as akin to disease [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemiology epidemiology].

Werewolves typically have the ability to transform at will, although some subspecies are compelled to shift into their canine form under specific circumstances, particularly during the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_moon full moon]. Transformation can vary across subspecies, with some experiencing autonomous shifts beyond their control, while others can smoothly transition between human and wolf forms, retaining full consciousness. Certain subspecies have distinct identities in both human and canine forms, with disjoint memories and personalities, where their canine forms align with their inner sense of freedom as a human.

== Culture ==

Culturally, werewolves typically form tight-knit packs, often symbolizing relationships between sires and exhibiting a strong sense of kinship and territory. These packs are not always familial, but often consist of close relations like family members, romantic partners, and other trusted individuals. Pack members are expected to be allies in combat, as werewolf packs may skirmish with each other, and relations between packs are often quite vitriolic. Being included as an honorary pack member is regarded as a significant honor and symbol of trust.

Lycanthropic culture is often likened to a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Band_society band society], where pack members view each other as equals. While most werewolf packs do not have designated leaders, occasionally one is chosen for conflict resolution or to facilitate efficient combat operations, as a fully egalitarian model can lead to unwanted bureaucracy. Pack members share a strong fraternal bond and rarely hold persistent anger or disdain towards each other, often drawn together by the magic of their lycanthropy. Many werewolves perceive their canine form as an extension of their identity and hold strong cultural ties to wolves and other canine creatures. Consequently, they consider themselves born of the wilderness and believe they are closer to nature than humans.

[[Category:Species]]

Demi-human

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Discord-317484070127009793: fix links

'''Demi-humans''' are a rare and diverse class of [[Magic|magical]] species that roughly demonstrate some form of humanity, usually in the form of sapience and humanlike bodies. While their exact nature is difficult to pinpoint, demi-humans are most often the result of magic affecting the body of an otherwise biologically human individual (such as with [[Vampire|vampires]] and [[Harpy|harpies]]), or causing a humanlike entity to manifest in a human-populated area (such as with [[Spirit|spirits]] and [[Deity|deities]]).

The [[Masquerade]] critically prevents the existence of demi-humans from being common knowledge among humans. While many demi-humans choose to readily divulge the truth of their nature to humans they live and work with, the same magic that grants demi-humans their form or ethereal characteristics also limits the scope of knowledge about their true nature. While demi-human nature sometimes serves as an inspiration for folklore, it is never parsed as reality except by ungrounded, fringe analyses.

=== History ===

TODO

=== Culture ===

There is no single demi-human culture to speak of, since demi-humans are ethnically diverse and often derive their culture from the community they are surrounded by, whether human or also demi-human. While a small subset of demi-human species are innately driven to exhibit certain behaviors, most are offered the full gamut of human emotion.

While there are some demi-human species, most notably elves and dwarves, and certain spirits, that commonly form their own isolate societies, most demi-humans either live on the outskirts of human society or hide their nature and attempt to integrate. Some demi-human species are specifically unable to live among humans, by virtue of having a completely distinct form from anything natural, and as such usually gather in magical fountain locations such as enchanted forests.

Due to the mandatory isolation from humanity prescribed by the Masquerade, demi-humans commonly exhibit a distinct camaraderie. It is common for demi-humans to wear their respective folklore or taxon as a badge of pride, and underground locations such as [[Rainbow in the Moon]] strive to facilitate socialization, along with promoting understanding and encouraging acceptance, within demi-human communities.

=== Taxonomy ===

''Main article: [[Species taxonomy]]''

TODO

Clarise Ledford

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{{Infobox person
|gender=Female
|pronouns=she/her
|race=Human ([[Veilkeepers|Veilkeeper]])
|cognonima=Clarise Hollins ''(former)''
|status=Alive
|born=1964-04-02
|nationality=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England England]
}}

'''Clarise Ledford''' is the current leader of the [[Veilkeepers|Veilkeepers of Offetstine]] and its main headquarters. She is married to a [[werewolf]] named Aron Ledford, and has two children: a human son, Philip Ledford, and a werewolf daughter, Abigail Ledford. Due to her background, she has a strong sense of duty and compassion for demi-humans and humans alike. Her style of leadership is lauded by many members of the Veilkeepers organization, but criticized by some other branches for being too lax about upholding the [[Masquerade]].

== History ==

Clarise Ledford, née Hollins, was born on 2 April 1964 in [[Offetstine]] and attended [[Offetstine Secondary School]] where she first met Aron and learned of his [[Werewolf|lycanthropic]] nature. She graduated from secondary school at sixteen and began studying business administration at university, which led to her employment at a local corporate firm. To her surprise, Aron had applied for the same firm, and their romance flourished over the course of several years after they reconvened. Eventually, they married and had two children together: Abigail, who was born in 1988, and Philip, who was born in 1990.

Ledford was eventually laid off from her position at the corporation following an economic downturn, and in the months to follow, she sent out a number of applications to various companies fairly indiscriminately out of desperation, noting she had children to care for and little in the way of savings. One such company was the corporate front of the Veilkeepers, where she applied as a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_adviser financial advisor]. She was eventually admitted into the company as an employee, although she was eventually deemed privy to its internal affairs after she noted her familiarity with [[Demi-human|demi-humanity]] through her husband Aron. She eventually built a rapport with the inner members of the organization.

This familiarity with the organization primed her as one of the first targets for the [[Will of the People|magic]] that underpinned the Veilkeepers. Ledford explains she was initially formally indoctrinated to the organization by the former leader on the night of his death. He had been fatally attacked by a renegade [[vampire]] and member of the [[Coalition]], who claimed that the freedom of demi-humans to profess their identity before humans would be integral if demi-humans were ever to rule in human society. Ledford arrived too late to perform any first aid, but the former leader nonetheless bestowed his powers on her in hopes she would continue his legacy. When paramedics eventually arrived on the scene, he was declared [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_on_arrival dead on arrival].

In the decade after this experience, Ledford rose quickly through the ranks of the Veilkeepers, ultimately becoming the leader of the Offetstine branch after being elected in place of its provisional interim leader. As a result of her experiences with both the Coalition and the Veilkeepers, she remains intensely compassionate towards demi-humans and humans alike. She attempts to maintain a spry and cheerful demeanor and values the freedom to have interpersonal relationships over the ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_jure de jure]'' form of the Masquerade. Ledford explains she has since soured on the Veilkeepers, worrying if they do more harm than good, but notes she cannot resign so long as she is under the control of the magic she wields, and can only try to be a fair leader for those under her.

Offetstine:PRI

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#REDIRECT [[Offetstine:Primary source]]

Offetstine:Primary source

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Discord-317484070127009793: initial

{{Official policy}}

'''The Offetstine Wiki is a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_source primary source].''' This is opposed to most reference wikis, which are [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tertiary_source tertiary sources] (see also [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research#Tertiary Wikipedia's policy] on the same topic) and thus require reputable citations for all novel claims. Many wikis serve as a centralized aggregate of established information, and do not reserve the right to establish their own claims. The Offetstine Wiki, by contrast, is a repository for consensus on worldbuilding affairs in Offetstine.

== Rationale ==

Unlike sources which document existing works of fiction and may defer only to concepts put forth by the respective authors (a common paradigm seen in, for instance, [https://www.fandom.com/ Fandom.com]), Offetstine Wiki represents a living document used to help organize the ideas proposed by worldbuilders and roleplayers in Offetstine. As ideas are proposed and realized in real time, it is often difficult to judge the value of codifying a proposal upfront. Despite this, the Offetstine Wiki ethos maintains that rigor and clarity are invaluable resources in sound worldbuilding.

To this extent, novel ideas may be proposed directly on the wiki, rather than hashed out in detail between characters or roleplayers first. As usual, contributors accept that their writing shall be scrutinized and edited mercilessly when they submit to Offetstine Wiki, which allows reputability to be established through rigorous peer review rather than citations. This is, of course, more becoming of a primary or secondary source than a tertiary source, hence the delimitation and claim of this policy.

== Effects ==

=== Weasel words ===

As a primary source, Offetstine Wiki has a number of policies which differ from online encyclopedias and knowledge bases such as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Wikipedia]. As the preferred tone of the Offetstine Wiki is in-universe, contributors may need to attribute claims to in-universe characters which are not formally defined, due to their lack of [[OW:GNG|notability]]. Furthermore, the wiki does not gain anything by carrying the names of individual characters to whom such claims must be attributed.

To that extent, the Offetstine Wiki '''explicitly allows [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Words_to_watch#Unsupported_attributions weasel words]''' as inline attributions for claims which stem from an undefined in-universe source. For instance, on the article for the town of [[Offetstine]]:

<blockquote>Estimates suggest that as many as 1 in 600 people in Offetstine are demi-human, as opposed to a much more lax estimate of 1 in 20 000 worldwide. However, these statistics are presented weakly by virtue of the [[Masquerade]].</blockquote>

This claim is preferred to an attribution of a particular in-universe statistician or [[Magical epistemology|magical epistemologist]] (e.g. [[Constance Vivas]]) if it cannot be traced back to a specific character. As the claim, of which some variant was proposed on [https://discord.com/channels/809184885485994016/869459339566514237/869459992368005120 27 July 2021], predates the introduction of Vivas's character on [https://discord.com/channels/809184885485994016/809190417970233374/916791598900215819 4 December 2021], it is not sensible to attribute it to her. Unsourced claims which an author is not fully confident about may be suffixed with the transclusion [[Template:Amend|<code><nowiki>{{Amend}}</nowiki></code>]].

=== Declassification ===

Despite its in-universe tone, the Offetstine Wiki does not preclude the use of an '''encyclopedic tone,''' similar to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Writing_better_articles#Tone what Wikipedia prescribes]. The Offetstine Wiki is not the [https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/ SCP Foundation]. Articles should be written from the perspective of a resident of the world of Offetstine, but only insofar as the tone helps legibility. Information that would not be commonly available in-universe does not need to be restrained from readers, and editors need not contribute any reflection of the biases of in-universe characters.

Articles that contain information that is classified in-universe '''may document it rather fearlessly,''' and maintain a neutral tone as if written by an omniscient in-universe character. For instance, on the article for [[Raja]], the former leader of the [[Coalition]]:

<blockquote>
During his tenure in the Coalition, Raja enlisted several humans as his "proxies", turning them into vampires and using his magic to elicit their loyalty. At the tail end of his tenure in the Coalition, his proxies disbanded, either disappearing with him or returning to their prior lives and claiming no knowledge of the man.

It is known that the magic that Raja used to enthrall his proxies brought the side effect of exaggerating flaws and eccentricities in their personality; for example, while Raja succeeded in turning the formerly peaceful Lucinda sufficiently cruel and ruthless for Coalition affairs, he also exaggerated her childish nature, driving her to envision herself as an adolescent and other Coalition members as her caretakers.
</blockquote>

Information about Raja's particular nature was withheld even from high-ranking members of the [[Coalition]]. It is reasonable to claim that this information is completely unknown to all currently accepted characters in Offetstine. Despite this, it serves as a useful worldbuilding asset, and to that extent is documented in the Offetstine Wiki.

Raja

2023-06-23T17:23:58Z

Discord-317484070127009793: ASCII quotes

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Demi-humans]]
{{Infobox person
|gender=Male
|pronouns=he/him
|race=[[Vampire]]
|ethnicity=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Indians British Indian]
|status=Deceased
|nationality=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England English]
|affiliation=[[Coalition]]
}}
'''Raja''' (from Hindi राजा ''rājā,'' "king")<ref>While "Raja" is a somewhat common given name in many Indian languages, it is commonly understood that Raja's name is a pseudonym, chosen etymologically, hence the lack of a surname.</ref> was a [[vampire]] and the leader of the [[Coalition]] from its inception in 1833 to his disappearance and the fall of the Coalition in 1997. Due to meticulous efforts to protect his identity, very little information about Raja is public. In lieu of interacting directly with his subjects, Raja enlisted the help of numerous "proxies", humans turned vampires and sent to do his bidding.

To date, here are no known surviving photographs, voice recordings, handwriting samples, or other identifying documents of Raja, although a few seemingly reputable accounts have surfaced from alleged eyewitnesses of the vampire. Many accounts state that Raja attempts to either kill or subjugate anyone he comes in direct contact with. While the name "Raja" is well-known in the Coalition, it is understood as a honorific rather than his actual name, and any other name he has used remains unknown.

The exact subspecies of Raja is undocumented, although his superficial traits have been documented well through eyewitness accounts. Common claims state that Raja was a powerful mage, and sported pale grey skin, luminescent red eyes, and a pair of large, batlike wings. His proxies also exhibited pallor of the skin, but could otherwise pass for human.

During his tenure in the Coalition, Raja maintained King's Court Law, a front for the criminal organization that provided legal consulting services to humans and protected the interests of often malicious demi-humans enlisted in the Coalition when faced with prosecution from humans.

== History ==

Raja was born as a human to an English mother and Indian father during Indian colonial rule by the British in the year 1814. His father had moved to England in hopes of granting Raja a better education and more economic opportunities than what was available at the time in India.

As his family proved uncaring, inattentive and abusive, he eventually turned away from them and developed strong independent predilections, turning to the underground to facilitate his survival and growth. Due to his diminutive age, while he was human, he was barred from many opportunities.

A common story claims that Raja initially started the Coalition to protect humans in a similar situation to him, shunned from the rest of the world due to their young age withholding essential rights from them, but was eventually corrupted by a desire for power over the Offetstine underground. The veracity of this story is unknown, although many of the attempts by the Coalition for corporate and political power may be traced back to its management.

TODO

=== Proxies ===

During his tenure in the Coalition, Raja enlisted several humans as his "proxies", turning them into vampires and using his magic to elicit their loyalty. At the tail end of his tenure in the Coalition, his proxies disbanded, either disappearing with him or returning to their prior lives and claiming no knowledge of the man.

It is known that the magic that Raja used to enthrall his proxies brought the side effect of exaggerating flaws and eccentricities in their personality; for example, while Raja succeeded in turning the formerly peaceful Lucinda sufficiently cruel and ruthless for Coalition affairs, he also exaggerated her childish nature, driving her to envision herself as an adolescent and other Coalition members as her caretakers.

Most of his known proxies were employees at King's Court Law, aside from Nere Szwedko, who was still in secondary school from when she was turned to when the Coalition disbanded. Not much is known about many of Raja's proxies. Raja's proxies were separated into two teams, titled Team A and Team B. Each team had three known members and served a different purpose: while Team A was primarily concerned with field work and acted as detectives for King's Court, Team B served as Raja's personal bodyguards and acted as lawyers.

Team A's known members include '''Tatanka Cokes, Linda Boulos,''' and '''Nere Szwedko.''' Among the three, Raja is known to have been in an intimate relationship with Tatanka, a proxy in his twenties who prided himself on having completely succumbed to corruption. Furthermore, Nere is the only member of Team A who returned to her old life, opting to continue her education after Raja's disappearance.

Team B's known members include '''Lucinda Kramer, Gertraud Sauer''' and '''Merle Robson.''' Little is known about them, aside from the fact that they were skilled dark mages who used their powers both to defend Raja, and in the courts to manipulate human lawyers and judges.

== Notes ==

<references />

Magic

2023-06-21T04:55:54Z

Discord-317484070127009793: fix links

Offetstine:Needs work

2023-06-21T04:33:00Z

Discord-317484070127009793: mention shortcode

'''Have some time to spare?''' Consider contributing to one of these pages.

You can quickly link to this page with the shortcode [[OW:NW|<code>OW:NW</code>]].



== Areas ==

* [[Northbrook Woodland]]
* [[Stenbrook River]]

== Cities ==

* [[Hallingmere]]
* [[Offetstine]]
* [[Winthorpe]]

== Concepts ==

* [[Afterlife]]
** [[Soul]]
** [[Underworld]]
* [[Demi-Human]]
** [[Animal-folk]]
*** [[Kitsune]]
** [[Deity]]
** [[Demon]]
** [[Dragon]]
** [[Harpy]]
** [[Spirit]]
*** [[Elemental]]
*** [[Revenant]]
** [[Vampire]]
*** [[Eris vampire]]
* [[Greater Offetstine Area]]
* [[Magic]]
** [[Alchemy]]
** [[Necromancy]]
* [[Masquerade]]
* [[Shadow politics]]
* [[Species taxonomy]]

== Events ==

TODO

== Institutions ==

* [[Cedar Crest University]]
* [[Golden Chalice]]
* [[Offetstine Primary School]]
* [[Offetstine Secondary School]]
* [[Rainbow in the Moon]]

== Media ==

* [[CREST]]
* [[SophOS DCS]]
* [[Zagreus Cross]]

== Nations ==

* [[Fidelia]]

== Organizations ==

* [[Criminal organizations]]
** [[Chiennes d'Armes]]
** [[Coalition]]
** [[Hunter's Guild]]
** [[Major Arcana]]
** [[Ringleaders]]
** [[Serpents]]
* [[Veilkeepers]]

== People ==

* [[Cato Umbra]]
* [[Clarise Ledford]]
* [[Constance Vivas]]
* [[Dia Silver]]
* [[Eliza Teak]]
* [[Erin Hazell]]
* [[Evi Snijder]]
* [[Melia Pepper]]
* [[Modeste Daniau]]
* [[Numa]]
* [[Raja]]
* [[Sonia Versace]]
* [[Vincent Rosier]]

Offetstine:NW

2023-06-21T04:31:36Z

Discord-317484070127009793: Redirected page to Offetstine:Needs work

#REDIRECT [[Offetstine:Needs work]]

User:Discord-317484070127009793/Modeste Daniau

2023-06-19T03:20:35Z

Discord-317484070127009793: /* Rebirth */ minor errata, /* Affiliations */ add details about Modeste's history

{{Profile experiment}}
{{Infobox person
|name=Modeste Daniau
|gender=Female
|pronouns=she/her
|race=[[S. Erisi|Eris vampire]]
|status=Alive
|born={{Date and age in years|1968-03-12}}
|reborn={{Date and age in years|1991-06-24}}
|nationality=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England English]
|affiliation=[[Coalition]] ''(former)''
Civilian
|occupation=Assassin ''(former)''
Chef
|relatives=Serena Markov ''(former identity)''
Clément Daniau ''(adoptive father)''

Eve Stafford ''(partner)''
}}
'''Modeste Daniau''' is a [[vampire]] and former high-ranking member of the [[Coalition]]. She currently works as a chef at her adoptive father's restaurant. Her current identity was assumed after an amnesic frenzy on the date she was turned into a vampire.

== History ==

Serena Markov, born in [[Offetstine]] to a Russian father and English mother, grew up with a passion for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_science computer science] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptography cryptography]. She became a skilled programmer and was an early advocate for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_security cybersecurity cybersecurity], and identified with the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypherpunk cypherpunk] movement. Markov was commissioned by the [[Coalition]] to develop an encryption toolkit called [[CREST|CEST]] (later known as CREST), unaware of its true purpose.

When she discovered the truth, she resigned and was marked as a human dissenter. A bounty was placed on her head, and she was confronted by her vampire overseer, known best by her online handle <code>kami</code> or pseudonym Athena, who turned her into an [[S. Erisi|Eris vampire]]. Failing to elicit her cooperation as a programmer and dissatisfied to simply cut her losses, Athena bet on turning Markov into a ruthless and unfeeling assassin for the Coalition. Markov's memories were erased, and she was left for dead in a dumpster outside Daniau's Restaurant.

=== Rebirth ===

Markov was reborn on 24 June 1991. Initially in shock from her transformation and starved for blood, the nascent vampire searched for anyone to satisfy her hunger and get her bearings. She eventually latched onto Clément Daniau and attacked him for his blood, biting his neck before pushing him away in an attempt to preserve his life. She fervently apologized to Clément in fear, accidentally [[S. Erisi#Compulsion|compelling]] him to grant her forgiveness in perpetuity. While neither of them initially realized what she had done, Clément offered to invite her home and take care of her, understanding she had nowhere else to go.

Clément eventually became the vampire's formal caretaker and adoptive father, granting her the name Modeste Daniau which she assumed as the core of her identity. He helped her regain her forgotten societal and cultural knowledge, as well as life skills and professional experience. As the owner of Daniau's Restaurant and a skilled chef, Clément also trained Modeste in the culinary arts. After a year under his tutelage, Modeste officially joined the restaurant's staff.

In the meanwhile, a member of the Coalition and [[Animal-folk|arachnid centaur]] named Wisp was sent after Modeste to recruit her formally as an assassin. He approached Clément offering to give Modeste a place to explore her vampiric identity, and Clément, not familiar with [[demi-human]] affairs, accepted to have her daughter grant Wisp an audience. While the Coalition was a criminal organization, Clément did not oppose the idea of Modeste joining, under the presumption that human and vampire morality were free to diverge.

Modeste eventually did join the Coalition, and during her early years, ascribed to the cold and ruthless personality that Athena had groomed her for. Despite her recent recruitment, she quickly rose up in the ranks due to Wisp's and Athena's lobbying, confident that she would become one of the organization's most effective members due to her lack of human memories. However, she eventually grew disillusioned with the cruelty she had adopted and made a vow to abstain from assassination jobs in 1995, maintaining her stance until the Coalition's collapse in March 1997.

=== Affiliations ===

In February 1996, Modeste contracted [[User:Discord-191999893978480641/Clover|Clover Lamont]] to investigate the death of her close friend, Dara Bauers. She discovered Bauers had been killed by Robin, a [[Spirit|fire spirit]] and Coalition defector, whose own body had grown weak. He planned to use Bauers's body instead, though with the collaboration of Lamont, Modeste managed to intercept the operation and prevent Robin from ousting her mind. Bauers currently lives on as a fire spirit and remains a friend of Modeste's.

In January 1997, Modeste was instated as the manager of the [[Golden Chalice]], a since-defunct demi-human owned casino in [[Hallingmere]]. The casino was affiliated with the Coalition and held a monopoly on the gambling market in the city. However, due to the death of its founder and then president, Eleanor Remington, Wisp assigned Modeste to the title. She temporarily withdrew from her title as a chef at Daniau's Restaurant, and remained the president until August 1997, through the fall of the Coalition, noting a particular disdain for the organization.

Lamenting the extortive and monopolistic business practices of the Golden Chalice, Modeste orchestrated a plan to dismantle the organization from within. She anonymously contacted her own office to deliver a message demanding a large sum of money under threat of detonation of the Golden Chalice building. Knowing the organization would be able to survive neither, she eventually followed through with the latter plan, detonating the building in collaboration with Lamont. She eventually resigned her title as the president of the Golden Chalice after the building was bombed.

She was briefly pursued by Renata de la Cruz, a succubus and employee at the Golden Chalice, on suspicions of intentionally campaigning for the death of the Golden Chalice. During this interim, she was aided by Lamont and the owner of a hotel associated with the former Golden Chalice brand, Eve Stafford. However, these charges proved unsuccessful and Modeste eventually returned to Daniau's Restaurant in November 1997.

== Character ==

Modeste is a kind and soft-spoken lady who expresses a level of self-consciousness about her vampiric traits. She is markedly ashamed of her power to [[S. Erisi#Compulsion|enthrall humans]], and is a firm believer in the sanctity of the human mind. She is often opinionated and is a staunch advocate of indiscriminate kindness and respect. She is able to communicate with many nonhuman animals to a limited extent, and sympathizes readily with them.

Modeste remains unaware of her former identity as Serena Markov. Despite this, she treats her former identity with a great deal of respect, often talking in grandiose terms of the sacrifices they must have endured to enable her present life. She considers herself a conclusively different person, and bears a similar respect for her own name, especially her surname, as she believes it is earned from Clément.

Modeste is 5′8″ (173cm) tall and has brown eyes which glow purple when she bares her fangs. She often carries a brown satchel and wears a brown leather jacket. Her hair is long and brown, and falls straight down, giving her an overall unassuming appearance that allows her to blend in easily. Despite this, she does not often venture into daylight. She has a neutral smile and generally pleasant demeanor.

From her tenure in the Coalition, Modeste possesses a great wealth (in excess of £1 million, though little of which in liquid) that is not reflected in her often frugal lifestyle. She is seemingly desperate to offload this wealth through philanthrophy, as she believes it is ill-wrought from the destruction of others' lives.

Raja

2023-06-19T01:26:25Z

Discord-317484070127009793: update mention of high school to secondary school

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Demi-humans]]
{{Infobox person
|gender=Male
|pronouns=he/him
|race=[[Vampire]]
|ethnicity=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Indians British Indian]
|status=Deceased
|nationality=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England English]
|affiliation=[[Coalition]]
}}
'''Raja''' (from Hindi राजा ''rājā,'' “king”)<ref>While “Raja” is a somewhat common given name in many Indian languages, it is commonly understood that Raja’s name is a pseudonym, chosen etymologically, hence the lack of a surname.</ref> was a [[vampire]] and the leader of the [[Coalition]] from its inception in 1833 to his disappearance and the fall of the Coalition in 1997. Due to meticulous efforts to protect his identity, very little information about Raja is public. In lieu of interacting directly with his subjects, Raja enlisted the help of numerous “proxies”, humans turned vampires and sent to do his bidding.

To date, here are no known surviving photographs, voice recordings, handwriting samples, or other identifying documents of Raja, although a few seemingly reputable accounts have surfaced from alleged eyewitnesses of the vampire. Many accounts state that Raja attempts to either kill or subjugate anyone he comes in direct contact with. While the name “Raja” is well-known in the Coalition, it is understood as a honorific rather than his actual name, and any other name he has used remains unknown.

The exact subspecies of Raja is undocumented, although his superficial traits have been documented well through eyewitness accounts. Common claims state that Raja was a powerful mage, and sported pale grey skin, luminescent red eyes, and a pair of large, batlike wings. His proxies also exhibited pallor of the skin, but could otherwise pass for human.

During his tenure in the Coalition, Raja maintained King’s Court Law, a front for the criminal organization that provided legal consulting services to humans and protected the interests of often malicious demi-humans enlisted in the Coalition when faced with prosecution from humans.

== History ==

Raja was born as a human to an English mother and Indian father during Indian colonial rule by the British in the year 1814. His father had moved to England in hopes of granting Raja a better education and more economic opportunities than what was available at the time in India.

As his family proved uncaring, inattentive and abusive, he eventually turned away from them and developed strong independent predilections, turning to the underground to facilitate his survival and growth. Due to his diminutive age, while he was human, he was barred from many opportunities.

A common story claims that Raja initially started the Coalition to protect humans in a similar situation to him, shunned from the rest of the world due to their young age withholding essential rights from them, but was eventually corrupted by a desire for power over the Offetstine underground. The veracity of this story is unknown, although many of the attempts by the Coalition for corporate and political power may be traced back to its management.

TODO

=== Proxies ===

During his tenure in the Coalition, Raja enlisted several humans as his “proxies”, turning them into vampires and using his magic to elicit their loyalty. At the tail end of his tenure in the Coalition, his proxies disbanded, either disappearing with him or returning to their prior lives and claiming no knowledge of the man.

It is known that the magic that Raja used to enthrall his proxies brought the side effect of exaggerating flaws and eccentricities in their personality; for example, while Raja succeeded in turning the formerly peaceful Lucinda sufficiently cruel and ruthless for Coalition affairs, he also exaggerated her childish nature, driving her to envision herself as an adolescent and other Coalition members as her caretakers.

Most of his known proxies were employees at King’s Court Law, aside from Nere Szwedko, who was still in secondary school from when she was turned to when the Coalition disbanded. Not much is known about many of Raja’s proxies. Raja’s proxies were separated into two teams, titled Team A and Team B. Each team had three known members and served a different purpose: while Team A was primarily concerned with field work and acted as detectives for King’s Court, Team B served as Raja’s personal bodyguards and acted as lawyers.

Team A’s known members include '''Tatanka Cokes, Linda Boulos,''' and '''Nere Szwedko.''' Among the three, Raja is known to have been in an intimate relationship with Tatanka, a proxy in his twenties who prided himself on having completely succumbed to corruption. Furthermore, Nere is the only member of Team A who returned to her old life, opting to continue her education after Raja’s disappearance.

Team B’s known members include '''Lucinda Kramer, Gertraud Sauer''' and '''Merle Robson.''' Little is known about them, aside from the fact that they were skilled dark mages who used their powers both to defend Raja, and in the courts to manipulate human lawyers and judges.

== Notes ==

<references />

Hunter's Guild

2023-06-19T01:24:25Z

Discord-317484070127009793: schooooools

{{Tentative}}
{{Infobox criminal organization
|name=Bishops
|insignia=[[File:Bishops_logo.png]]
|caption=The insignia used by the Bishops following its rename from the Hunter's Guild.
|cognomina=Hunter's Guild ''(former, colloquial)''
Guild ''(abbrev., colloquial)''
|date_founded=
|founder=[[Evi Snijder]]
|num_members=8 ''(outer circle)''{{Amend}}
26 ''(inner circle)''
|admittance=Excluding [[Vampire|vampires]]
|relations=[[Serpents]] ''(rival)''
}}

The '''Bishops,''' formerly and colloquially known as the '''Hunter's Guild,''' are a [[Criminal organizations|criminal organization]] and guild of [[vampire]] hunters in [[Offetstine]]. It is split into two halves, the "inner circle" consisting of humans that have full knowledge of the state of the organization and target vampires directly, and the "outer circle" consisting of mixed human and [[demi-human]] recruits, naturally excluding [[Vampire|vampires]], who behave as a more traditional criminal organization.

== History ==

Despite its present incarnation being a criminal organization the likes of the [[Serpents]] or [[Ringleaders]], the Hunter's Guild was initially exclusively a guild of vampire hunters.

=== Inception ===

The Hunter's Guild was founded by Hera Kraus and a loose collective of fellow vampire hunters, Agnes Lenz and Lewis Pickering, operating in Offetstine over 120 years ago, where one of the predominant vampire subspecies at the time, ''<abbr title="Infernalis Sanguis">S.</abbr> Consili,'' was especially prolific. ''S. Consili'' was inherently predisposed to evil and at the time was directly responsible for a large portion of violent crime in [[Offetstine]]. Despite this, they were able to evade police capture under the auspices of the [[Masquerade]], making them a prime target for underground organizations such as the then-nascent Guild.

When one of its founding members, Lenz, was turned into an [[Eris vampire]], ''S. Erisi''<ref>Unlike ''S. Consili,'' vampires of the subspecies ''S. Erisi'' are not morally predisposed in any way, and are often benign.</ref>, and another, Pickering, was deemed compromised by Lenz's compulsion, they were subsequently assassinated by Kraus, leaving her the only remaining founding member of the guild. Despite this, in her death, Lenz specifically implored Kraus to continue her work in the Guild. Kraus remained as a vampire hunter until her retirement to entrust the guild to her progeny, and eventual death to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumonia pneumonia] in 1937.

During its foundation, the Guild was purported to have a flat structure. However, as it grew larger, the guild required leadership to keep it on track. At the time, Hera Kraus, being the de facto leader, was entrusted with the title. Upon her retirement, the title was passed down hereditarily through a series of near-unanimous votes by the members of the Guild. The last of these hereditary leaders was Duško Kraus, a controversial leader who was known for his belief in [[magical epistemology]] and his practice of recruiting hunters fresh out of secondary education, including [[Evi Snijder]], then a fresh graduate of [[Offetstine Secondary School]], who he saw as his foremost protégé.

Duško Kraus eventually voluntarily turned himself into a ''S. Consili'' vampire and attempted to capture and sexually assault Snijder, at which he was killed by her after a fierce altercation. The Guild bestowed the title of leader upon her unanimously in light of Kraus's passing, citing sympathy for the events that transpired and her lasting injury, and her fierce character that suited her to leadership.

=== Reestablishment ===

Eventually, the Hunter's Guild came to target [[Sonia Versace]], leader of the [[Serpents]], another criminal organization in Offetstine. As this was after the fall of the [[Coalition]], the Serpents had amassed significant tenure across Offetstine, claiming most of the town's northern half as its territory. As it was otherwise impossible to directly do combat with Versace due to her shielded nature, Snijder decided to reestablish the Hunter's Guild as a criminal organization to ensure their chances of success.

At the time, the Hunter's Guild consisted of 26 members including Snijder herself, hairstylist and Guild spy Regina Winters, and former security guard and Guild frontliner Felix Seward. Snijder came together with with Winters and Seward to form the "outer circle" of the Hunter's Guild, a criminal organization set to compete with the [[Serpents]] from without, allowing human recruits to take the fall on investigative missions in place of Snijder and her "inner circle".

Publicly, the Hunter's Guild was initially proposed as a strategy to "fight fire with fire" and mitigate the rise of gang warfare in Offetstine, which has been especially prevalent since the fall of the [[Coalition]]. Despite their stated purpose, the outer circle is known for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeering racketeering] and, to an extent, violent crime targeting civilians. The organization is known for its boisterous nature and habit of overstepping its territory, specifically under the guidance of Snijder and Seward, in hopes of getting close to Versace.

=== Renaming ===

As the "Hunter's Guild" moniker eventually grew stale and did not fit the prescribed brand of the outer circle, the Guild was renamed to the Bishops a few months after its founding. The new name draws from its eponymous piece in the game of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess chess], wherein each player starts with two bishops which may each only travel to half the squares on the board, and are restricted to a single [https://www.chessprogramming.org/Color_of_a_Square color complex]. Furthermore, it draws from the term for a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop type of clergyman], under Snijder's characterization of the inner circle as an organization that rids the [[Greater Offetstine Area]] of the purported evil of vampirism, and the outer circle as an organization that rids it of the purported evil of [[Criminal organizations|gang warfare]].

Under its new name, the Bishops use an insignia of their respective chess piece. The symbol is not widely recognized in the outer circle, but used in official communication all the same.

== Notes ==

<references />

Offetstine:Needs work

2023-06-19T01:23:59Z

Discord-317484070127009793: schooooools

'''Have some time to spare?''' Consider contributing to one of these pages.



== Areas ==

* [[Northbrook Woodland]]
* [[Stenbrook River]]

== Cities ==

* [[Hallingmere]]
* [[Offetstine]]
* [[Winthorpe]]

== Concepts ==

* [[Afterlife]]
** [[Soul]]
** [[Underworld]]
* [[Demi-Human]]
** [[Animal-folk]]
*** [[Kitsune]]
** [[Deity]]
** [[Demon]]
** [[Dragon]]
** [[Harpy]]
** [[Spirit]]
** [[Vampire]]
*** [[Eris vampire]]
* [[Greater Offetstine Area]]
* [[Magic]]
** [[Alchemy]]
** [[Necromancy]]
* [[Masquerade]]
* [[Shadow politics]]
* [[Species taxonomy]]

== Events ==

TODO

== Institutions ==

* [[Cedar Crest University]]
* [[Golden Chalice]]
* [[Offetstine Primary School]]
* [[Offetstine Secondary School]]
* [[Rainbow in the Moon]]

== Media ==

* [[CREST]]
* [[SophOS DCS]]
* [[Zagreus Cross]]

== Nations ==

* [[Fidelia]]

== Organizations ==

* [[Criminal organizations]]
** [[Chiennes d'Armes]]
** [[Coalition]]
** [[Hunter's Guild]]
** [[Major Arcana]]
** [[Ringleaders]]
** [[Serpents]]
* [[Veilkeepers]]

== People ==

* [[Cato Umbra]]
* [[Clarise Ledford]]
* [[Constance Vivas]]
* [[Dia Silver]]
* [[Eliza Teak]]
* [[Erin Hazell]]
* [[Evi Snijder]]
* [[Melia Pepper]]
* [[Modeste Daniau]]
* [[Numa]]
* [[Raja]]
* [[Sonia Versace]]
* [[Vincent Rosier]]

Offetstine:GNG

2023-06-18T04:12:17Z

Discord-317484070127009793: Redirected page to Offetstine:Notability

#REDIRECT: [[Offetstine:Notability]]

Offetstine:General Notability Guideline

2023-06-18T04:10:16Z

Discord-317484070127009793: initial

#REDIRECT: [[Offetstine:Notability]]

Offetstine:Notability

2023-06-18T04:08:50Z

Discord-317484070127009793: initial

{{Official policy}}

'''Notability,''' or the '''General Notability Guideline,''' abbreviated '''GNG''' refers to the criterion on which articles should be included or deleted from the [[Main Page|Offetstine Wiki]]. This is akin to its [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Notability namesake policy] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], wherein articles are included based on their relevancy to the real world. As Offetstine is a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worldbuilding worldbuilding] interest group and a [[Offetstine:Primary source|primary source]], the criterion for inclusion differs somewhat from that of its antecedent.

This guideline is upheld in the interest of allowing the wiki to ''guide new roleplayers'' and allow them to digest the important concepts of the world. As juxtaposed to the earlier version of this wiki, since defunct but hosted graciously by the team at [https://miraheze.org/ Miraheze] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20220509005356/https://offetstine.miraheze.org/wiki/Main_Page archive]) the new Offetstine Wiki is ''not'' a location to elaborate gratuitously on concepts that do not have broader relevance to the world. Users are encouraged to add idiosyncratic articles to their [[Special:MyPage|user page]], which shall not be policed on the GNG.

== Criteria ==

Articles in the Offetstine Wiki ought to be kept if they serve a significant interest to the community, whether to facilitate future worldbuilding, roleplay, or community discussions. Furthermore, articles ought to be included if they have significant historical interest, even if they may not have further present influence.

* '''Metafiction,''' herein referring to works of fiction which exist in-universe but not in real life, such as [[Zagreus Cross]], may be included insofar as it contributes to a wider interest. For example, metafictional works may encourage roleplayers to define their characters as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fandom fans] of the work. However, among works that do not deserve to be included are ''Venus' Riches,'' a metafictional mystery novel coined [https://discord.com/channels/809184885485994016/866015897167462441/872961299821248542 in passing] solely to facilitate a single roleplay.
* '''Historical events''' deserve to be included by default as long as they have affected a sufficient number of roleplayers. For instance, events such as the fall of the [[Coalition]] are well deserving of elaboration, as well as the criminal organization itself, despite its defunct nature. Among events that do not warrant inclusion are the ''Foggiest Night of Offetstine,'' an early (21 October 1996) community event which saw little to no participation, and remained irrelevant to all or most character stories.
* '''Landmarks''' may be included if they serve public interest. For example, [[Rainbow in the Moon]] ought to be included insofar as it is a public location and has been used by a number of roleplayers. Landmarks which only single characters have vested interest in, such as ''Versace Heritage Butchery,'' a corporate front to the [[Serpents]] owned by [[Sonia Versace]], may be mentioned on their respective character's page if their character has an article.
* To that extent, '''concepts''' including people ([[Constance Vivas]]), places ([[Winthorpe]]) and in-universe principles ([[magic]]) may be included on the same criteria, public interest.

As it may be unclear whether or not an article matches the criteria of the GNG, contributors may expect to defer to moderators for a formal statement on whether or not an article may be included.

=== Beta exception ===

While the wiki is in beta, administrators are encouraged to abide by an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deletionism_and_inclusionism_in_Wikipedia inclusionist] policy, in order to develop a sufficient corpus to be further pruned and refined. As the wiki enters stable classification, extraneous articles are expected to be pruned or moved to the '''User:''' namespace as subpages of their respective creators' pages.

Offetstine:Mod Handbook

2023-06-18T03:34:05Z

Discord-317484070127009793: initial, stub

{{Official policy}}

The '''Moderator's Handbook,''' alternatively the '''Mod Handbook,''' is a document defining how members of the Offetstine staff should moderate the community, including guidelines for chat moderation, profile review and roleplay moderation. The document is public by design, for the sake of transparency, and so governance decisions made in Offetstine are clearer.

The document is currently incomplete. Any questions and concerns may be raised with staff, especially [[User:Discord-317484070127009793|Eunakria]], on Discord.

Upon its completion, all staff are expected to read the handbook and demonstrate their understanding. The handbook is subject to updates to reflect changing guidelines and consensus, and to incorporate precedent. Staff members are encouraged to track edits to this page and its subpages.

----

(not a proper navbox yet. one step at a time 🫠)

* [[Offetstine:Mod Handbook/Community moderation|Community moderation]]
* [[Offetstine:Mod Handbook/Community engagement|Community engagement]]
* [[Offetstine:Mod Handbook/OC profile review|OC profile review]]
** [[Offetstine:Mod Handbook/OC profile review/examples|Examples]]
* [[Offetstine:Mod Handbook/Roleplay moderation|Roleplay moderation]]
* [[Offetstine:Mod Handbook/Referenda and consensus|Referenda and consensus]]

Template:Official policy

2023-06-18T03:13:40Z

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<includeonly>{{#ifexpr:{{#ifeq:{{NAMESPACE}}|Offetstine|1|0}} or {{#ifeq:{{{force}}}|yes|1|0}}
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Constance Émile

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#REDIRECT: [[Constance Vivas]]

Costanza Émile

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Discord-317484070127009793: Redirected page to Constance Vivas

#REDIRECT: [[Constance Vivas]]

Constance Vivas

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[[Category:People]]
{{Stub}}
{{Infobox person
|gender=Female
|pronouns=she/her
|race=Human
Half-[[siren]] ''(pseudonymous)''
|cognomina=Costanza Émile ''(pseudonym)''
|status=Alive
|born={{Date and age in years and months|1972-06-09}}
|nationality=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England English]
|occupation=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illustrator Illustrator]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Writer Writer]

[[Species taxonomy|Species taxonomist]]
}}

'''Constance Vivas,''' also known by her pseudonym '''Costanza Émile,''' is an illustrator, writer and [[Species taxonomy|species taxonomist]] living in [[Offetstine]]. Under her identity as Vivas, she primarily works [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freelancer freelance] and has previously created a number of artworks for primarily local clients. Per her own account, her artistic endeavors have proved largely unsuccessful, but she perseveres as it is where her talent lies.

As Émile, however, she is reputed in the [[demi-human]] research scene as the creator of the [[Species taxonomy#Émile_system|Émile system]], a taxonomical scheme for demi-human species primarily spread through underground networks, aiming to document the practical effects of [[magic]] on a human's body or mind, or in [[Magic#Will_of_the_People|realizing]] humanlike entities. She identifies herself as a half-[[siren]] to protect her identity, and her research is aided by a magical artifact, a ring with a small sapphire center stone, which allows her to detect and identify the nature of demi-humans.

== Real life ==

Vivas was previously known as "Constance Émile", while her character was written by [[User:Discord-317484070127009793|Eunakria]]. As tenure of and rights to her character were bestowed upon [[User:Discord-191999893978480641|Tato]], her name was changed to "Constance Vivas", and "Costanza Émile" was set as her pseudonym.

Offetstine:Needs work

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Discord-317484070127009793: update Constance's name

'''Have some time to spare?''' Consider contributing to one of these pages.



== Areas ==

* [[Northbrook Woodland]]
* [[Stenbrook River]]

== Cities ==

* [[Hallingmere]]
* [[Offetstine]]
* [[Winthorpe]]

== Concepts ==

* [[Afterlife]]
** [[Soul]]
** [[Underworld]]
* [[Demi-Human]]
** [[Animal-folk]]
*** [[Kitsune]]
** [[Deity]]
** [[Demon]]
** [[Dragon]]
** [[Harpy]]
** [[Spirit]]
** [[Vampire]]
*** [[Eris vampire]]
* [[Greater Offetstine Area]]
* [[Magic]]
** [[Alchemy]]
** [[Necromancy]]
* [[Masquerade]]
* [[Shadow politics]]
* [[Species taxonomy]]

== Events ==

TODO

== Institutions ==

* [[Cedar Crest University]]
* [[Golden Chalice]]
* [[Offetstine High School]]
* [[Rainbow in the Moon]]

== Media ==

* [[CREST]]
* [[SophOS DCS]]
* [[Zagreus Cross]]

== Nations ==

* [[Fidelia]]

== Organizations ==

* [[Criminal organizations]]
** [[Chiennes d'Armes]]
** [[Coalition]]
** [[Hunter's Guild]]
** [[Major Arcana]]
** [[Ringleaders]]
** [[Serpents]]
* [[Veilkeepers]]

== People ==

* [[Cato Umbra]]
* [[Clarise Ledford]]
* [[Constance Vivas]]
* [[Dia Silver]]
* [[Eliza Teak]]
* [[Erin Hazell]]
* [[Evi Snijder]]
* [[Melia Pepper]]
* [[Modeste Daniau]]
* [[Numa]]
* [[Raja]]
* [[Sonia Versace]]
* [[Vincent Rosier]]

S. Erisi

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Discord-317484070127009793: update Constance's name

[[Category:Species]]
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''S. Erisi''}}
{{Infobox demi-human species
|name=Eris vampire
|kingdom=Infernalis
|genus=Sanguis
|subspecies=Erisi
}}
The '''Eris vampire''' ([[Species taxonomy#Émile_standard|Émile]]: '''''S. Erisi''''') is the most common [[vampire]] subspecies in [[Offetstine]], known for its fairly unassuming appearance and inherent conduct, making it uniquely well-suited for the [[Masquerade]]. The name derives from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eris_(mythology) Eris], the Greek goddess of strife and discord, and was coined by Vivas, the creator of the Émile standard and herself an Offetstine resident, as one of the foremost taxa of her then-nascent system. Eris vampires are typically immortal and propagate by turning humans into their kind, conducting a sort of ad-hoc blood transfusion through their fangs.

== Physiology ==

Eris vampires closely resemble humans, making it easy for them to pass as one. They feed on blood, preferably human, using retractable fangs that replace their canine teeth. Their skin appears slightly pale or gray under certain lighting conditions, while their eyes luminesce any of various colors while their fangs are bared. These colors range from warm yellow or red to less common hues like purple, blue, or green. Eris vampires commonly exhibit [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterochromia_iridum#Sectoral sectoral heterochromia] while their fangs are bared.

Eris vampires' magic aggressively rejects foreign organic tissue and viral matter in their bodies, providing them with a strong immunity to human pathogens, although it may cause complications similar to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transplant_rejection transplant rejection]. Fledglings may experience gastrointestinal discomfort and lose their appetite for human food as their [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gut_flora gut flora] is purged.

Eris vampires possess remarkable [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regeneration_(biology) regenerative] abilities, healing superficial wounds within minutes, except for traumatic amputations or injuries that sever the brain or heart. Eris vampires may quickly repair avulsions on their body by holding the detached body parts, or equivalents lent from human donors, to the site of the injury and letting it reattach through their magic. In addition to their resistance to physical trauma and immunity to diseases, Eris vampires are functionally immortal and do not age. Many Eris vampires in [[Offetstine]] have lived for several centuries.

=== Feeding ===

Eris vampires typically require about 400 milliliters of human blood per week, equivalent to 800–1000 mL of blood from other mammals. They can extract this amount of blood nonlethally through their retractable fangs, although many vampires choose to kill their human prey. When they bite, they secrete a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemostasis hemostatic] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_anesthetic locally anesthetic] magical agent from venom sacs located above the gumline.

Some human victims experience [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedation sedation] or drowsiness after being bitten, likely due to blood loss. The bite may also cause a cooling sensation, commonly attributed to the lower body temperature of Eris vampires. This effect helps manage the puncture wound, which can be quite large, and is only effective when the victim remains still. Agitation during feeding can cause intense pain.

After drawing the required amount of blood in 1–3 minutes, the wound quickly clots and heals when exposed to air. Eris vampires have sterile saliva that lacks genetic and pathogenic material, thanks to their magic's resilience to human pathogens. They often retain their palate for human food and describe the taste of blood as fresh, tart and similar to raspberries. To that extent, some culinary inclined Eris vampires use blood as an additive to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate chocolate], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine wine], or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee coffee].

==== Toxicology ====

Despite their resilience to most human poisons, Eris vampires find certain substances [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxicity toxic] which humans do not. Among these are many potions, especially those associated with [[Afterlife|holiness]], but a small selection of mundane articles as well. In sufficiently high doses, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic garlic] is poisonous to Eris vampires, although [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Median_lethal_dose LD50s] are usually measured on the scale of 14 to 16 grams of raw garlic. Due to the magnitude of this dose, Eris vampires very rarely die from garlic poisoning; however, it is a common method of execution for other phylogenetically related subspecies who suffer from lower lethal doses.

Furthermore, in phylogenetically related subspecies but especially in Eris vampires, garlic has [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoactive_drug psychoactive] properties in lower doses, as little as 200 mg. The effect is said to be similar to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_(drug) cannabis] intoxication, imparting feelings of excitability and unrest onto the vampire. The responsible compound is unknown and has not been reliably isolated. While culinary preparations such as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic_bread garlic bread] do not significantly diminish either the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effective_dose_(pharmacology) ED50] or LD50 of garlic, preparations that reduce the pungency of garlic do reduce its potency. To that extent, the responsible compound is suspected to be a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatility_(chemistry) volatile].

=== Progeny ===

Eris vampires are naturally [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infertility infertile] and cannot conceive without magical assistance. They primarily propagate by infecting other humans with their magic, transforming them into Eris vampires. However, this process is relatively rare, as turning humans into vampires vests them with responsibility and offers limited benefit to the sire. Eris vampires may choose to turn humans they are especially intimate with to share immortality, or those who are fatally injured to preserve their life. Eris vampires may only turn humans, not other demi-humans.

While feeding, Eris vampires may inject their own blood into their victims through their fangs, which temporarily increases the vampire's heart rate and causes excess blood flow to their masticatory muscles. The transfused blood acts as a rapid anesthetic, causing the human to quickly lose consciousness and often experience nausea or lightheadedness. For a period of 1–3 hours after the transfusion, the human enters a state of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinical_death clinical death], displaying no blood flow, breathing, or brain activity.

Despite appearing deceased, their bodies exhibit magical activity and do not undergo the typical stages of death beyond [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallor_mortis pallor mortis]. Whether this state should be considered death or unconsciousness is widely disputed. Eventually, the human awakens as a vampire, henceforth considered [[Soul|undead]]. Fledglings often report a temporary lapse in memory, general discomfort or nausea, and hunger for blood.

=== Compulsion ===

One of the most notable magical powers of Eris vampires is their ability to bring about a state of [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CompellingVoice hypnosis]<ref>Here referring to the fantasy fiction concept, as distinct from the real-world condition of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnosis hypnosis] or concept of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainwashing brainwashing].</ref> in humans through eye contact, commonly referred to as "compulsion" (<abbr title="verb">''v.''</abbr> "compel"). While demi-humans, especially those who have a similar magical power over the human mind themselves, are generally immune, even magically empowered humans are often left vulnerable to Eris vampires' compulsion. While under compulsion, humans remain fully conscious and behave as their former selves. Unless explicitly instructed, they often commit the moment of compulsion to memory and understand they are not acting under their own free will.

This power is most commonly used to elicit lasting servitude out of humans, although may also be used on a per-case basis to override an affected individual's will. Repeated subjection to compulsion typically brings about a state of reduced cognitive abilities similar to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dementia dementia], sometimes leading to senses of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia paranoia] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightmare_disorder recurrent nightmares]. However, this is usually limited to fairly extreme cases and many humans who have been subject to infrequent compulsion by Eris vampires do not typically notice barring recollection of the moment of compulsion.

The specific effect of compulsion on an individual is highly subject to their personal interpretation of the instruction given to them. It is usually impossible for an Eris vampire to compel anyone without a shared spoken language. Under preexisting duress, a human may misinterpret instructions given during the process of compulsion and behave erratically as a result. It is typically understood that forms of communication aside from in-person speech, such as writing, sign language and radiotelephony, are insufficient to effect compulsion. Furthermore, it is usually impossible to compel multiple people at once.

== Culture ==

As their species does not mutate their morality, Eris vampires typically exhibit a kinship, mercurial or holistic, towards humans, similar to how they behaved as a human. While the desire to feed on human blood does drive many Eris vampires to abandon their human sensibilities while feeding, this is usually considered improper. However, it is considered highly typical for Eris vampires to leverage their power of compulsion to elicit the servitude of an entourage of humans, deriving from their wealth and living lavishly as a result. This lifestyle, often described as reminiscent of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feudalism feudal lordship], is sometimes considered the quintessence of Eris vampirism.

== Real life ==

Eris vampires are often associated with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat cats] in community discussions outside of roleplay, as a pertinent meme. In-universe, some Eris vampires occasionally exhibit stereotypically feline predilections, such as a proclivity to sleep, and a habit of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purr purring] while relaxed. This behavior, however, is unrelated to the nature of the fictional species.

== Notes ==

<references/>