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Eloquent Conversationalist
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 Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 8:03 pm
History has become somewhat fuzzy, details melding together and becoming lost to the ages. Thousands of years ago, man was beginning to become less nomadic, to settle down and grow food rather than forage and hunt for it. Historians and anthropologists also claim that wolves were among the first animals to be domesticated and turned into dogs. Such is the belief of humans. Moon-speakers of the Taws Nations have tales that are slightly different.
Long ago, when man was young, he began to learn how to stay in place rather than wander. Creating his own territory, he grew food, made shelter, and had families. Wolves, long since tired of only being able to wander in the cold, saw what man had achieved and envied him. Man's tools were not made for wolf. Man's world is not right for wolf. Still, the clarion call of a stable home pulled at the hearts of some wolves. Handfuls of packs began to work into human life. Rechristened 'dogs' by man, these domestic wolves served as a bridge between the wild and man. For more than an eon, this worked well enough.
Then, one wolf was not satisfied with being either wild or a pet. This wolf went beyond any convention . . . he left his pack, and began to watch for the smartest men he could find. Over two winters, he found a man who was most odd. Dressing in flowing cloth with long hair on his face, this one liked strange explosions and powders. Over time, the wolf watched him and began to understand a little of his power. Two more winters passed, and the wolf began to feel different. His aging did not seem the same . . . and his mind began to understand more and more of the strange human's words. All up to a single night . . . when the moon shone brightly, and the human tried something new. An explosion of light and shadow consumed him, and the blast enveloped that wolf as well. When the smoke cleared, the wolf got up, only to realize he was on two legs. Not human, he was a creature neither wolf, nor man.
The human was dead on the ground, burned badly. The wolf, looking over the world had finally reached his goal. Without hesitation, he moved down the paths towards a nearby village. Intent on talking to the dogs, he was sure to gloat how he now could have all they did, but served no master. The humans saw in horror as a beast-man approached, and took up arms. Dogs cried in horror as their brother was beaten and chased, howling into the night. The wolf-man ran and ran, shunned by humans and warned by dogs to stay away. The howls warned local wolves who also took up natural arms against the creature.
Shunned by all, the wolf went into a deep depression . . . desparate to have a pack of his own, he began to hunt humans out in the wood. the first one he bit howled in pain, and began to change. At first, the creature was elated at seeing a human change into something like him! Finally, another, and a way to make more! He would finally have a family. He was wrong.
That human hunter, driven mad by the pain of the change, went on a rampage, and was killed. Several other attempts were made by the creature, and all ended this way. Soon, he began to hear rumors of his own work and legends. He was named 'Cain' by the humans around him for some legend of theirs. He was . . . evil to them. After being hunted for so long, shunned, and ignored by all, Cain embraced that identity. He had no choice- at least this way he was given attention. Thus began the legend of 'Werewolf.'
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Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 8:05 pm
For a time, the legend of a Werewolf grew, Cain becoming lost into merely a feral animal. Not able to change back into a wolf, and unwilling to consider being a man, he became a force of nature in his own mind. Intelligent enough to know he was hunted, but not enough to meld into society and hide well. Then the humans began to change as well. What they call the 'dark ages' fell upon his home, and humans became suspicious of everything. Higher learning disappeared from all but a few. In the most dangerous time of his life, Cain was hunted on sight.
Finally, a man not so unlike the one that turned him into this crossed his path. Cain tried to strike the frail human down, but was beaten back by something he could not see or smell. The human spoke, but Cain had long since given up learning humans. Moments later, he was unconscious. When he woke, he was in a cave . . . a deep cave, and held in place by bars. His worst fear had come true, he is now a pet. For years, Cain was poked, prodded, hurt, and humiliated by humans- all wearing the same clothes. Cain didn't even realize that he did not age any longer. All he knew was this torture, and a deepening hatred for all humans, all life.
The wizards that held Cain were not stupid. They knew the difference between a werewolf, and the wolf-were. One was a turned human, feral and changed. The other, a living legend- timeless and powerful. At first, their brother thought to have caught a werewolf, but quickly learned the truth. Legends told of the monster, powerful beyond measure, and immortal. Now the legends are true, and he is theirs! Years passed, and they experimented on every bit they dared take from their prize. Feeding Cain well, taking hair, blood, and saliva when possible, they had a wealth of time and knowledge to take from the 'beast.'
The legends say that Cain was their prisoner for many years, and some say he is still in a cave held prisoner. A decade after Cain's capture, the legend of the werewolf began to fade, and records begin to arise of many were-creatures. Calling themselves Shifters, they spread out from Europe and across the globe. In a century the nations began to form- but none knows what happened to Cain or his captors. History swallowed them up, and only one group ever learned more than the Moon-speakers. The Ariels knew so very much, bragging about the wealth of knowledge in their aeries. For their arrogance, fate struck them down . . . and the secrets of Cain went with them.
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Eloquent Conversationalist
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Eloquent Conversationalist
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Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 8:06 pm
Throughout the dark ages, legends of creatures rose and fell. Monsters of various forms and shapes created legends without end. Humans turned monster often became prevalent in the stories, as did those whom preyed upon the humans. For every monster, dozens of peaceful shifters existed. The natural desire to segregate and be with one's own kind did not take long to create the five genus states. Reptiles, Mammals, Birds, Fish, and Insect each grouped into sects run by their own rules. In order not to break into war, leaders from each nation were pulled together and set into a council. As if in joke, the council admitted to the nature of their group and refer to the head as the "Council of Myth." Theirs is the only rule that can supersede the individual leaders.
Not all humans consider the myths and creatures as simple stories. Some have grown to take it as a very serious threat. Some humans have taken up arms against such problems to the point of becoming hunters. Specialized hunters against these peoples. Legends arose among the hunters, fighting against what was seen as the night. Beasts and monsters of the night, to be fought and destroyed . . . such is the mindset of these humans. Forming the Night Rangers, these rogues have always danced on the edges of society, willing to hunt and destroy at any risk, any cost. Seeing themselves as the saviors of humanity from these abominations, they are mercenaries without morality. Only the hunt matters. Set up as a military organization, much of their world has been kept as secret as those they hunt. Monsters need the night, hunters love the shadows.
So, the fragile balance of the world was kept. The vast majority of the population ignorant of the subsect of peoples under their noses. A war of secrets and attrition- both sides losing relatively the same. Centuries of hunts, growth and loss, and development of varied cultures around the globe went as any society would . . . until the blue rebellion.
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Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 8:07 pm
Human society advanced at record paces, several jumps made well before what was wise. Industrial revolutions and rampant captialism came at the cost of the environment, and nowhere was this loss felt more keenly than in the oceans. As the only area of the planet that humans could not truly claim, the seas were often seen as the ultimate garbage dump and playground for wars. The Vanes, masters of the sea and inhabitants of that world were deluged with refuse and wrecks that were never welcome. The worst were chemicals, dumped to be 'gotten rid of' by industry and only facing fines that were ineffective in stopping the practices. Time and time again, Vanes voiced their terrors to the Council of Myth for help, but never recieved any aid as the remainder of the council wanted to maintain the secrecy of Shifters. To put true weight behind an attempt to stop the dumping would require exposure.
Finally, the Vanes acted alone. In the early 21st century, ships of military designs began to suffer massive sabotage in every major port across the globe. In a matter of weeks, the navies of the wold were brought to a crippled halt as vital parts simply disappeared into the depths. Countries scrambled to find out how this could be, none able to definitely blame another as all countries were affected. Still, the warning was not heeded. Six months after the beginning of naval sabotage, a freighter dumping toxic sludge into the Atlantic was found adrift. She was untouched, her cargo almost all accounted for save a tenth of her proposed payload . . . and abandoned. All lifeboats were on board, and no life was to be found. Soon afterward, this phenomenon began to occur to all ships. Freighters, tankers, cruisers, every ship was being left adrift with no sign of any passengers. Only signs of fighting and struggles were left.
The world began to panic, something was affecting the oceans that left all people at risk that dared to go. Then, something happened that changed the world forever; the blue rebellion.
In the harbors of New York City, a gathering of sea life the likes of which has never been seen before or since inundated the waters. One could walk from island to island on these fish and whales without even getting wet so dense was the gathering. Then helicopters saw a gathering of people on Ellis Island. Fearing the use of boats, police and news groups were on-scene via the skies in minutes. Standing tall and proud, a group of men and women seemed to be patiently waiting. Refusing to respond beyond glares, the group remained stoic and silent until a crowd of newspeople stood in wait. Only when a precint of cops, and every TV station in the area was represented did a single man take a step forward, his flanking members holding still, but all turned to face him as a pregnant hush fell over the clamoring group.
"For too long, our home has been your dumping ground. No more. We hereby declare war on humanity, and claim the sovereign rights of the sea as a nation of the planet!" Said in a loud, clear, and commanding voice, the speaker seemed sure of himself even as the cops shuffled nervously, and more than one mutter of insanity came from the crowd. After a moment, one reporter called out how these people are just nut-ecoterrorists looking for publicity. The laughter and agreement lasted only a moment as every face from the stoic group turned in the direction of the speaker, and everything changed.
"We are Vanes, not human. We are a group of gifted people that can change to animals and understand the truth of the world." to prove his point, the man closed his eyes, and on national television began to change. Growing several feet taller, his arms and legs became more stunted as a tail broad and horizontal sprouted out of his back. Clothing shredded and tore as his neck thickened, and his head shifted to a much wider state- one with a rather large mouth full of thick teeth. Skin began to darken to black in most places, but pale to white in others. Over the course of only a few seconds, this man . . . this ordinary, if muscular, man became something else. He shifted to a mid-point between human and orca.
Captivated by what they were confronted with, the nation held it's collective breath as suddenly this thing was given full attention- if for no better reason than the spectacle shown. "The sea is ours, not human's. Stay out. Others, like us walk among you, and they know better. Watch you don't anger them too." The voice was similar to what it was before, if a bit more deep sounding now. Though less graceful than a man, the Orca-man ambled through the crowd, followed by his companions. One by one, they dived into the sea and disappeared among the animals.
In the following weeks, speculation spread like wildfire. Every move was analyzed by experts in psychology and behavior. Every word mulled over and examined as most assumed these people were responsible for the military attacks. The stalemate of concern and threat lasted for a month, until a nation surrounded by water made the first move.
Japan, known for pride and infamous for the desire to continue whaling despite international law, launched a fleet of whaling vessels to establish a perimeter around the nation. With the American navy disabled, this was the next best thing available. One hour after launch, every ship was sunk, all hands lost. At dusk that evening, people saw hundreds of men and women, each at midpoint from human and animal, walk up onto beaches across the nation. Most stood in awe . . . until the creatures charged and mauled/killed everybody within range. Sharks, whales, crabs, lobsters, octopi, and too many fish to count were seen in half-human form tearing mercilessly into men, women, and children. As this happened nationwide, the Japanese were slow to respond, only managing to wound some of the attackers before they slipped back into the red-tinged waters and disappear.
The world seemed to explode in terror and upheaval. Suddenly, the spectacle at Ellis Island was a viable threat. Suddenly the seas were off limits, and the world came to a screeching halt. Economies began to collapse as supplies were put on a forced-fast. Without the tankers to transport oil, the Middle East was hardest hit. Drowning in more oil than they would ever use, moguls were left with abundant supply, but less than half their customer base. America began rationing gasoline, but such only lasted so long. Soon, unemployment rose to record levels as commodities and transportation collapsed from within. Without imports or exports, the world was forced to restructure, and a unique world was forged: one still fully viable through the internet for intellectual sharing, but industrially crippled through lack of available resources.
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Eloquent Conversationalist
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Eloquent Conversationalist
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Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 8:08 pm
As the announcement was made, the leader of the Vanes, one Marcus Cole called an emergency session of the Council of Myth. Standing tall and proud, he remained unapologetic as a monitor showed to the outrage of the council how the Vanes made their war public and exposed all Shifters through comment and proof that such creatures existed. Without any remorse or regret, Cole only said one thing to the council. "Stay out of our ocean." To date, no Vanes have had any meaningful contact with either humanity or Shifters since.
In the meantime, not all humans were shocked by the Blue Rebellion. The hunters, who had suffered scorn and ridicule for centuries, were suddenly vindicated. Within hours of the assault of Japan, hunters stepped forward across the globe, giving both an 'I told you so,' and an opportunity to fight back. Governments were quick to accept the information and help. Before long, all shifters were exposed . . . Vanes, Taws, Scutes, and Chitons were discussed at length across the globe. Hunters, reveling in the authority and respect, took on a new name: the Silvers. Though the legends of silver bullets are not exactly true, the name quickly stuck. Governments across the globe took naval resources and devoted such to Silver budgets.
Now the world is in flux. New conglomerations and countries have been made in the wake of the Blue Rebellion. Europe has been included into Asia, forming the Asian Empire centered in Moscow. Far away from the seas, Russia is enjoying a renaissance of both glory and power.
Africa remains largely unchanged, neither dependent nor anxious for help from other nations, it remains a haven for Scutes and Chitons as the myriad nations remain technologically underdeveloped and at war with each other. Africa is too busy fighting itself to do much against the Shifters.
North and South America have become a single nation, The United Americas. Banding together, the calm of Canada, the workforces of Mexico, the life of Brazil, and a hundred other influences have turned America into the newest superpower. Rich in a diverse landscape, the UA is rebounding quickly to the loss of fossil fuels. Renewable energies power a nation that is relearning how to exist without imports from the world.
Island nations like Japan and Britain are vastly depopulated. Without the trade and resources of other countries via ocean lines, these nations collapsed into poverty and starvation. Without the resources to support their people, they are ghostly remnants of what once was. Japan is quickly becoming a treasure trove for techies, those that seek the quickly lost secrets of technology. Before the Rebellion, that was the center of the world for tech, and now is ripe for the picking . . . if you can get past the Vanes to do it.
Australia is oddly enough doing well. Always self-sufficent for the most part, this is the only nation on Earth that seems not to care about the Shifters. As a result, this small continent is a free zone. Shifters are free to walk the streets in mid-point, and all are welcome here. In this country are the only open communities of Shifters, and a tentative peace is upheld by both humans and Shifters. Both understand the gravity of being peaceful, and even more- understand that peace is the only solution for the planet. Cooperation is assured here, as exile means being put out to a world at war.
Shifters have managed to maintain a special agreement, though the Vanes are reluctant to uphold their part. Travel from one continent to another is allowed for the Council of Myth, and with enough of a bribe others as well. Often this takes a lifetime of savings, so uprooting is not an easy task. The council still meets, even if the Vanes rarely send a representative. Silvers seem to know what is going on, but to date cannot close in on the council. Some feel such is only a matter of time, and even hear rumors of Shifters selling out their people for immunity.
The world is both more advanced than ever, and in a collapse. Technology is no better than the industrial revolution, and steampunk has become a way of life. Computers still work, and communication between nations is easy- as long as they have power. The Shifters are no longer a secret . . . but still are cautious to humans. Some welcome them, most fear them, Silvers always ready for a hunt.
Now rumors from within the Shifter nations whisper about some sort of counterattack to humanity. Some wonder if humans will be wiped out, others long to subjugate them. Humans gather their remaining forces and prepare for a war within their borders. The world is a power keg, and with a standoff between humans, and four versions of shifters . . . war is only a matter of time.
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