Once upon a time, the mortal world laughed at the thought of magic, of gods and wizards and demons and the undead. They laughed, too, at the idea of completely alien universes with laws of nature and physics far different from and more malleable than ours. But science never refuted other universes, only our ability to get there. The other worlds, whose laws of reality differ greatly enough to rip holes in the rift, laugh at our limited world and come and go as they please.
The world of magic has always existed, but it's not all it's cracked up to be. Any experienced, competent mage, summoner, or shaman could tell you that. The Other Side, too, is romanticized far more than it really should be. Not that it isn't exotic or by definition a world of fantasy, considering all the anomalies, strange creatures, and beautiful sights available in our own universe to begin with, but there is a mundane aspect to the world of magic and the realms of gods that people don't often think about unless they are truly in on the truth.
The various realms of the Other Side have entered and passed through the mortal realm for eons, but never stayed in the world for long due to its cripplingly limiting laws of physics and its lack of importance in the grand scheme of things. It wasn't until the Bronze Age of human civilization that the realms started to take notice. They were primarily interested in the human soul, the vessel of electrical energy that powers the entire body and brain and takes charge of how both operate. A single soul contained so much electrical energy, so much untapped potential, that it could power, empower, or alter anything if brought to the Other Side and given a proper means to work by. That's how the pantheons of gods, with their servants and monsters and demons, came to light on the Earth, with dozens of the realms of the Other Side scrambling to steal territory where they could harvest souls.
That is the truth, and that is all there is to it. Gods are high ranking, admittedly supernaturally powerful denizens of worlds outside our own universe. Monsters are either creatures transplanted from the other worlds or a hybrid between them and the animals here. Demigods truly exist, either by consent or through far more monstrous means. Magic is a result of the bleeding of laws of physics brought about by holes being ripped in the universe, and spirits and ghosts primarily form when the electrical energy has nowhere to go or permanently imprints itself on the area around it. This was the way the world worked for the longest time. True, certain pantheons fell to more powerful groups and some had to merge together or join one of the underworlds, and after a while only a handful had true sway in the grand scheme of things, but it was a working system.
Then, due to our own discoveries with our own technology, the Other Side's veil was pulled back a little bit more. Now the entire "ruling" class on Earth- the big corporations, countries, paramilitaries, and the formerly hidden magic-using factions and operators- has either become aware of the truth about the old gods or became empowered by the veil being peeled back further. This, however, brought about consequences no human could anticipate.
Before, only a handful of pantheons had power, and the rest had to defer to them in order to lay claim to anything. Now that ten percent of the human race knows the truth about gods, and magic, and the ultimate destination of the soul, the subtle influencing and Wizard of Oz showmanship of the old days just got thrown out the window. Now, threats from either side could topple the entire balance into an everlasting war. Any pantheon with even a modicum of influence on Earth could begin stealing far more souls than they ever could before, or even establish their own ruling kingdoms in the mortal realm. A corporation could begin profiting off the soul trade, or countries could bring new plans into motion taking the truth about the human race into account, independent monsters or criminals from the Other Side could try to run an operation, or a magic-using human faction once in the shadows could now step out into the light as a force to be reckoned with. With the veil pierced as much as it was, the entire operating structure of Earth and all the worlds that draw power from it is like a cracked plate balanced on a needle point. Pushing it over and causing the whole thing to break isn't just possible, it's seemingly inevitable.
Or at least, if there wasn't a force keeping it in check. All the major political players of the multiverse had that exact same realization about the balance being thrown into turmoil, and all important parties- including 40 countries, 16 pantheons, 22 cabals of human magic users, and 11 world-class businesses- planned and funded a team that could find and fix any potential breaks in the system before they threaten to throw everything into chaos. This team would function as a military squadron, as spies, as liaisons, as thieves or support teams or crisis relief or assassins. The team was comprised of primarily halflings, beings that were partially human and partially Other. Half-demon, half-god, half-monster, half-fairy, as long as they had supernatural abilities from the extra-dimensional side of the family and an ability to jump over the rift as they pleased. There were also full-blooded human mages or shamans of incredible enough power to also slide across the veil themselves, but this was a rarer sight. They were named after the main adversaries of peace during their conception and early years, the almost Mafia-like demonic forces of Judeo-Christian Hell and all the ancient Middle Eastern and Mediterranean pantheons gobbled up by it when the worlds started monopolizing. It had been a long while and many other pantheons and even human factions have risked destroying everything, but the name Infernal Intervention Squad had stuck.
The II, the multiverse's first line of interdimensional defense, is now looking for young, capable, gifted magic users and halflings alike to do whatever is necessary to preserve the way of life for the people of all worlds.
Infernal Intervention Squad is a team-based tactical RP set in a world where all the pantheons and gods exist in some capacity, and magic is a scientifically measurable force. It has some Magitek eliments, but it is by and large an urban fantasy that takes tours of full-on low fantasy or sword and sandal type locations as well. The story is mission-based with missions, targets, and the overarching story guided and partially decided on by the members of the Infernal Intervention (II) squad. Missions could include infiltrating a compound of demons, pulling off a heist to steal an ancient soul-powered weapon, busting a gang of Siddhe working a glamor hustle, collecting information on military operations, doing damage control from magical or supernatural disasters, assessing new rifts or formations on Earth or in the Other Side (the worlds beyond Earth), escorting or protecting high profile people or guarding against invaders, or straight up clashing against forces willing to destroy the balance in the name of power. Missions can tie in to a larger narrative story arc (in fact, expect a few of them if the RP lasts) and will on request be able to tie into the overall character arcs of the team members.
The team, which will be able to hold an absolute maximum of 12 people, are human mages or halflings whose lineage descends closely enough from the Other Side to have serious power. Full-blooded members of the Other Side can be considered, too, but on a case by case basis. Each member of the II Team will need to know a few things about themselves before they can join up. They need to know either the Other Side realm that they emigrated or were sired from (knowing the name of the god, creature, or demon that sired them helps but isn't a necessity) or the magic practices they specialized in (i.e. thaumaturgy, druid magic, summoning, Vodun, potion-making, hexing, glamor crafting, evocation, alchemy, etc.). They also need to have certain sets of skills that make them a solid candidate for the team (generally speaking, two supernatural skills- one combat based, one knowledge based- or two magical arts, and a few non-magical skills in combat, research, stealth, charisma, survival, or any other field that may be of use). They need to have some kind of backstory, even if it's a short one, and they need a basic idea of their overall qualities and their flaws. Have a decent idea of the character's appearance or use some kind of image reference, either one. And finally, any special requests about your character or suggestions about the direction the II team should go (this is the important stuff, like if you have any suggestions on the overall story or how your character's history can tie into the present or if you're okay with them dying or not or if you want to emphasize that they're a combat/research/stealth/charisma-based build and should be put on those kinds of assignments).
With all that, it's a first-come, first-serve basis, and the IC will begin as soon as there are at least six people joining in.
Name:
Age:
Origin: Pull from any mythology or mystical art you want. Let me know if you want a specific listing for any particular world's denizens, but the short answer is they're all there.
Appearance:
Personality Traits and Flaws: You can summarize this in a paragraph instead of a bullet list if you want.
Skills and Powers: Two magical or supernatural powers and between two and four practical skills would cover it pretty well.
Detailed Backstory: Optional but recommended.
Likes and Dislikes: Optional but recommended.
Other Details: Optional but recommended.
Special Requests: Optional but recommended.
All forum rules apply for IC and OOC. No hijacking the RP since suggestions are going to steer the RP anyway. No killing off other characters without the creators' permission and really under most circumstances no killing off other characters in general. Act as a part of the team and accept the IG consequences for breaking your assignment in-character even if it was a definite character choice, and expect some IG consequences for being outwardly aggressive to the team. No harassment, no spam, no overtly sexual references, and no discrimination. That's basically it on rules, otherwise all the tactics and the rules of the team can be self-governed so have fun!
I thought it would be better to give some basic ideas about how certain pantheons work and how they get their piece of business. This goes for human non-mage, human mage, pantheon, demon, and fairy factions. This is sort of a working rogue's gallery of some of the most egregious instigators and some of the closest allies.
The Mount Olympus Pact: While sixteen pantheons signed and fiscally support the Infernal Intervention Team, Mount Olympus is one of four active supporters and suppliers for the team as far as pantheons go. Primarily encompassing the Greco-Roman gods and led by the Olympians, this faction raises their kids to become members of the team. While some of them have fallen from grace and some even became instigators of incidents requiring action from the II Team, the majority have grown up past their early, pettier days and become a rational body.
First Nation of the Duat: The animal, desert realm of the Egyptian Gods is another of the four active supporters. Formerly lead by Ammun-Ra, currently the throne is split between Queen Isis and King Horus and they are famous for their imbuing powers to those who seek justice and having a high standard for spiritual purity, either giving impure souls to underworld pantheons or destroying the consciousness and using them as fuel.
Valkyrie: The warlike Norse gods of their own agency Valkyrie act as the third primary contributor from the pantheons. Led by Freya after the disappearance of Thor, Valkyrie offers up soldiers to aid in conflicts that could potentially lead to an end-of-Valhalla class scenario.
The Heavenly Host: The fourth and most powerful of the direct supporters of the Infernal Intervention society, and while one of the most outwardly beneficent factions in all of the multiverse one that has a very dark and shady history. Their eons-old ruler, who currently claims the moniker of Leon Shaddai, was a fierce and terrible god who boasted power and absolute control over his people. It wasn't until thousands upon thousands of years later that he mellowed out, and in his relations campaign he used diplomacy and kindness to build up a vast empire that triumphs over most of the Western Hemisphere and many parts of Europe and East Africa. His prior history and the fact that, due to his large faction being split up into separate denominations, some factions don't hold to tightly to his more recent ideals and don't receive punishment make the alliance with him seem shaky and earning his ire seem like a very, very bad idea.
The Western Mages Guild and Goodwitch: An organization comprised of the classical ideas of wizards, mages, and witches. It's more of an overall governing system for dozens upon dozens of mage guilds and wizarding schools and clans of magically adept humans in the face of a world that has grown to learn about them. There are a few factions that are just as big that lie outside of them, but the majority of wizards come from here.
Treeshapers: Summoners, Vodun practitioners, and elemental druids largely come from here. Basing their magical systems off of the Celtic and Germanic systems of magic, they utilize runes, thaumaturgy, and the ability to befriend elemental creatures in order to exact change. Many times there are contracts made between elementals and members of the Treeshapers, and they end up becoming one being with the consciousness shared 80% human, 20% elemental.
The Balance: Coming completely out of nowhere but an important part of the setting are these warrior monks. These monks follow the Chinese, Hindu, Shinto and Confuscian principles and their power comes from learning to master manipulating and changing just one force. It could be heat, friction, gravity, or a small ability like that, and calling it forth from their hands, and using that one concept to its absolute fullest potential. The most powerful of them who become Grand Masters are on the level of some of the pantheons' kings, but to attain such a title takes decades. With physical longevity and mental security, they are devout in their principles and seek to attain balance, never seeking more power for themselves than is offered to them by change.
The Infernal Empire (Hell): The upgraded, far-reaching version of old Judeo-Christian Hell. Its hierarchy of demons and former gods ranks in the tens of thousands, with the entirety of Hell divided Mafia-style into several main branches subdivided into families. Each have different goals and means, with some corrupting souls to claim later, some being in charge of deal making, some in charge of keeping tabs on or sabotaging competition, and some involved in killing and reaping souls through warfare or destruction. While leadership has changed to be regulated by a ten-demon council known as the Infernos, the individual clans and especially families are usually not given any punishment for their actions. Major clans include: The Goetian Clan, whose forces include families Belial, Ba'al, Asmodeus, and Paimon among others; The Verum, whose forces include families Satanachia, Agaliarept, Nebiros, and Syrach among others; the Oberonica Clan, whose forces include families Egyn and Spyrion among others; the Nuctemeron Clan, whose forces include families Hahabi, Eglun, and Tarab among others; the Grigori Clan, whose forces include families Yeqon, Gadre'el, and Samyaza among others; the Sephiroth Clan, whose forces include families Samael and Lilith among others; and the Chthonic Clan, whose forces include families Verrine and Oelliet among others. This faction is responsible for between 40%-60% of all incidents that require the II Team's action. Not all of the Infernal Empire's forces are completely bad, and allies within the organization are some of the best informants and allies in operations at times.
The Siddhe Kingdom: A conglomeration of the wild spirits of Celtic, German, and French folklore and mythology. They are adept at their own nature-based technology and experts in the alchemical field, infamous for being more unpredictable and traitorous than their more out-and-out demon cousins of the Infernal Empire. The Kingdom is, too, divided into several factions that rule fiefdoms in the realm and claim different hours of the day on Earth to strike. Some, like the Apostles of Samhain, are almost ghost-like in their powers like boggarts, banshees, dullahans and nucklelavees. Others, like the Tuatha de Danaan, are out and out gods who oversee the actions and do political and diplomatic damage control for their less controlled neighbors. The majority, though, are tied to the seasons and many to the elements.
Demigods Unlimited: An enemy organization to the Infernal Intervention Team but with a similar means, Demigods Unlimited is a for-hire band of mercenaries who are also tied to demons and gods, primarily Greco-Roman or Norse Gods. They work with the more unsavory factions, human and god and demon alike, doing their bidding if something needs doing under the table with no fingers pointed. Their current leaders are Jason, X'balanque, and Gilgamesh, who separately run three outfits of the organization and are all classified as highly dangerous adversaries.
The Shadow Loa: A group of god-like spirits who are guilty of a few crimes, including child sacrifice, possession, and necromancy. While the majority of Rada Loa of Haitian and African Vodun are allied with the pantheons that support the Infernal Intervention team. They are a major supplier of cults and if not for their more playful, independent insanity and devil-may-care stance on their actions, they would rank far higher on the most wanted list. The most infamous members are: The Ghede Family, led by Papa Ghede; the Baron family, led by Baron Samedi and Maman Brigitte; and the Troublemakers, led by Erzulie Dantu.
Sovereign Nation of the Damned: Some souls cannot be cleansed and recycled as easily as you can expect. Some of the biggest monsters and mass murderers in history return time and time again, and many of the warlords are household names. Led usually by whichever of the highest ranking three (Vlad Tepes III, Tomas de Torquemada, and Countess Elizabeth Bathory) is the oldest, they have become immortal living viruses that the technology of any one pantheon cannot detain. Most of them have been imprinted by the technology that they were tested as fuel for, and all of them are dangerous and reincarnate at a tremendous rate. Those touched by them have a good chance of ending up becoming one of them.
Children of Gaia: More elemental and emotional embodiments than anything, these former footnotes of Greek folklore are very much alive and their operations have moved entirely to Earth. Their forces include dryads, naiads, and several orders of monster in addition to having several subgroups, each controlling one element. They are led by the husband-and-wife team of Typhon and Echidna, and are responsible for several natural disasters that they demand ransom to stop. Do not underestimate them.
The New Generation: The weak coalition of the newest inclusions to the pantheons and whose grip on the Earth used to be the smallest. A manipulation of memetic effects brought about by a tearing of the veil made these creatures, who modern folklore and horror are often based from, become a higher order of being, and often prey on the young and impressionable. They are organized by a former Slavic god, Chernabog, who intentionally put on a new moniker as Bogeyman in order to rally the assembled forces into a military force.
The Knights Templar and the Knights Teutonic: Two orders of knights that used their knowledge of the Veil hundreds of years ago to set up a minor foothold. The Knights Templar and Knights Teutonic based their works off of the teachings of the "Enlightener", who now claims the spot of one of the Ten Infernos as Baphomet, and the methods of capturing souls and spiritual beings utilized by the old Israeli king Solomon. They are an order of summoners who can implant spirits into anything they choose and enchant technology to enhance its power, and as a military force they have to be kept in check by the combined forces of the Other Side.
The Order of Nine Angles: A more recent attempt to create a foothold in the world by the very same Inferno Baphomet, the Order of Nine Angles is a mix of some of the worst stigma surrounding Satanic practices. Manipulation, sacrificial magic, thaumaturgy, necromancy and psychomantic hexes are regular mainstays, and their power does not derive from the demon orders, but from an even deeper, darker force that seeks power on a cosmic level as opposed to claiming human souls. There is little known about them but their power is intense and their face popularity is growing by the day.
The Bookmakers: Probably one of the most ingenious and powerful of the human factions that the Infernal Intervention team may face are the Bookmakers. These people were authors, storytellers who primarily wrote horror or cosmic horror fiction. When the rift was opened, one author with severe mental health issues learned how to harness the power, and then that power spread through his own word of mouth to an online forum he was a part of. The Bookmakers were then formed, who could write and change reality or create their own puppet gods with their words. The site had since been shut down and the group had gone into hiding, but the leaders have not been disbanded or destroyed.
Tulpa Corporation: One of two corporations profiting off of human potential. Their phrase, "mind over matter", is being utilized through their technology that uses the same mechanics as the Bookmakers but sells it for a profit. They are guilty of multiple human rights violations and have enough sway in third world countries that they can cull the entire populations to use as test subjects, usually selecting the most traumatized or neurodiverse of the population to be part of their Tulpa Project, which allows thoughts to become a sort of false dream-like reality through affecting peoples' perceptions and brainwaves. With literally more money than God and a backing from a percentage of the population who do not want pantheon interference in human affairs and wish to have their own power over their souls, they are more tackled on an individual situation involving test subjects running amok than any steps being taken to truly demolish their endeavors.
Elysium Enterprises: An unscrupulous company whose goals are far loftier than the Tulpa Corporation, whose motives are entirely for profit. Elysium has plans towards creating a new universe with their technology, whose spiritual power is as useful to Earth and the Other Side as any human soul, and then underselling to the pantheons for a profit. They have no qualms with draining the power of gods and completely obliterating human souls to do this, and they have their sights set on the items and sources of power that could give them enough energy to accomplish their lofty goals at the cost of the balance of power.
The Servitor's Republic: A country of dark magic users and monsters living together seems like a safe haven for those who wish to be separate from the overall world. But like many non-magical communes, they hold a darker secret, and it's said that anyone who joins the Republic may never again leave.
There are way more factions and each one can be gone into in more depth, but this is really all you need as a basis point and it's really a list of all the major players as far as the setting is at the beginning. Not all gods from certain pantheons (Greek, Egyptian, Norse, etc) have to hail from these factions, and you don't have to feel obligated to be a member of any one faction outside of the II Team. You can absolutely descend from independent operators or be a lone wizard, but for those who want more direct ties to the world around them, this is a good starting point.
The sounds like my jam. Playing around with the idea of a character with astrology based powers, or potentially tarot based powers - if either of those work?
Tarot or astrology-based powers would work. Maybe it's because it's late where I am but both of those seem hard to conceptualize outside of polymorphing or summoning, but if you're able to work tarot and astrology into your character's powers however then I think it'll work just fine!
My initial thoughts were they'd be based around the astrological symbols themselves. Invoking Gemini to create illusory doubles, invoke Sagittarius to fire magical arrows, invoke Libra to alter weight, etc. Similar with Tarot - using the images of certain cards to create certain powers. I'll play around with the idea and work it into a character sheet!
