I like this art enough that I was like, "That's gotta be Nemsemet."
TL;DR Summary
- Modern Fantasy; the supernatural exists, but hides itself from the mundane realm.
- Set in the fictional city of New Camden, Northeastern United States
- New Camden's magical community, including vampires, monsters and a variety of other things, are ruled by a Court, and its current head is the Count Caradoc de Lacy of New Camden, along with his Lord's Council of representatives of the largest communities within New Camden.
- Lord's Council representation includes the undead, goblins, and shapeshifters, others to be determined.
- Across the world, no one's particularly in love with the Courts; all supernaturals are taxed, but some find it easier to pay than others. The inequities of the system, which range from currency payment to service to the Lord or their designees, create tensions; some benefit, some suffer under the pecularities of the system.
- All the leaders were wiped out by an ancient warlock, an evil that has taken over the city with an army of supporters; some summoned, others recruited from those who felt discontent with the status quo ante.
- Now the mortals are the targets of a new order that wants to come out of the shadows and rule. And this new order has a seemingly invincible leader.
- The characters, from a variety of different backgrounds as magic users/supernatural beings, are fighting against this, and probably against some mortals too.
- If you like adapting fairy tales and mythology to modern day settings and helping with lore creation/setting building, this is an RP for you.
In Character Info
Like many cities across the US, New Camden, when established, soon attracted a supernatural population that followed the mortal one; feeding off them, living among them, concealing themselves from them. But they were always kept in check and in line by the Concealment Edict, which was enforced ruthlessly by an alliance of vampire elders, wizards and others that had survived the purges of the Inquisition. And it was the Concealment Edict that established courts within the cities to see to it that the supernatural population hid themselves. Some could move about in plain sight, others were essentially banished to the sewers or whatever other hole they could find.
This system also imposed an onerous degree of servitude upon the members of the community; they paid taxes up to this system in a variety of forms, either by paying money up to the Court or through indentured servitude. Some beings are able to put their talents to use and quickly accumulate wealth, which makes payment of the taxes easy. Others struggle in the modern world, forced to hide or otherwise unable to accumulate much in the way of wealth to pay the tithe.
Until only couple days ago, the system functioned. However, a New Camden Museum of History exhibit that included an ancient Egyptian mummy arrived in town. A young mage that was studying the exhibit attempted, unwisely, a spell on the artifact, and the mummy, unknown to mortals and the magic community alike, revived, fueled by that magical energy (and siphoning the rest of the life energy off that hapless young mage.) He claimed to be Nemsemet the Terrible, and demonstrated powers of the sort only heard about in legend...only, there is very little to be gleaned about Nemsemet without digging – his name seems to have been deliberately eradicated from the histories.
Nemsemet quickly eradicated the Count Caradoc and his advisors, those who stood with him anyway, and proclaimed himself ruler of the city – not simply ruler of the city's underworld of supernatural beings, but its ruler entirely. It would seem a pompous claim, except for the way the sorcerer quickly eradicated those that faced him in open combat; many on one and he was still standing and practically unscathed.
In any case, Nemsemet quickly proceeded to rally many of the city's various undead into his cause, to take over the city and rule its mortals directly, unsubtly. Others, besides the undead, have joined him for a variety of reasons. Those that do not join his, at least for now, shadowy war against mortal government and institutions are considered foes and the ancient tyrant's minions are purging those individuals.
It is, perhaps, a hopeless battle, but there are a few willing to do what they can.
This system also imposed an onerous degree of servitude upon the members of the community; they paid taxes up to this system in a variety of forms, either by paying money up to the Court or through indentured servitude. Some beings are able to put their talents to use and quickly accumulate wealth, which makes payment of the taxes easy. Others struggle in the modern world, forced to hide or otherwise unable to accumulate much in the way of wealth to pay the tithe.
Until only couple days ago, the system functioned. However, a New Camden Museum of History exhibit that included an ancient Egyptian mummy arrived in town. A young mage that was studying the exhibit attempted, unwisely, a spell on the artifact, and the mummy, unknown to mortals and the magic community alike, revived, fueled by that magical energy (and siphoning the rest of the life energy off that hapless young mage.) He claimed to be Nemsemet the Terrible, and demonstrated powers of the sort only heard about in legend...only, there is very little to be gleaned about Nemsemet without digging – his name seems to have been deliberately eradicated from the histories.
Nemsemet quickly eradicated the Count Caradoc and his advisors, those who stood with him anyway, and proclaimed himself ruler of the city – not simply ruler of the city's underworld of supernatural beings, but its ruler entirely. It would seem a pompous claim, except for the way the sorcerer quickly eradicated those that faced him in open combat; many on one and he was still standing and practically unscathed.
In any case, Nemsemet quickly proceeded to rally many of the city's various undead into his cause, to take over the city and rule its mortals directly, unsubtly. Others, besides the undead, have joined him for a variety of reasons. Those that do not join his, at least for now, shadowy war against mortal government and institutions are considered foes and the ancient tyrant's minions are purging those individuals.
It is, perhaps, a hopeless battle, but there are a few willing to do what they can.
Out of Character Info
The RP is essentially about a shadowy war in the city streets that can easily become a terrible out and out war as the supernatural elements of the city. The characters don't merely have to discover how they can kill Nemsemet, and that's a tall order in and of itself, but they have to make some very hard decisions about who to save and when and where to fight.
The characters may well have reasons to not lament Caradoc de Lacy, but if they're in this group, they're at least somewhat aligned with those that do not agree with Nemsemet. As he is a brutal tyrant that uses raw power to eradicate foes, it's entirely possible that your character's motivation is revenge. Your character may also be part of the courts of another city, investigating the very disturbing rumors and phenomena present in New Camden.
Characters can be a variety of different types of supernatural being, so I am encouraging a degree of creativity. Lycanthropes, vampires, other undead, a variety of faeries, spirits and generally 'supernatural' types of beings (including half-angels or half-demons; come to think of it half-a lot of stuff... :) ) These factions all exist and individuals within these factions may well have their reasons to rally against Nemsemet...or to. It works both ways. Where there is civilizations, there are protectors of the status quo who benefit, and people who want to overturn it, who stand to benefit.
The characters may well have reasons to not lament Caradoc de Lacy, but if they're in this group, they're at least somewhat aligned with those that do not agree with Nemsemet. As he is a brutal tyrant that uses raw power to eradicate foes, it's entirely possible that your character's motivation is revenge. Your character may also be part of the courts of another city, investigating the very disturbing rumors and phenomena present in New Camden.
Characters can be a variety of different types of supernatural being, so I am encouraging a degree of creativity. Lycanthropes, vampires, other undead, a variety of faeries, spirits and generally 'supernatural' types of beings (including half-angels or half-demons; come to think of it half-a lot of stuff... :) ) These factions all exist and individuals within these factions may well have their reasons to rally against Nemsemet...or to. It works both ways. Where there is civilizations, there are protectors of the status quo who benefit, and people who want to overturn it, who stand to benefit.
3x Like
