Species Guide

[Krepta]

Introduction

A long time ago, an ancient creature known by his keepers as, The Fool sought immeasurable power by tearing open a rift in the fabric of time and space. He got the power he sought, but went mad in the process, rendering him incapable of closing the rift again. Those Keepers of his still remain as The Verondi Clan, but we'll get to that.

Said Rift remained open, as the Verondi's did not possess the knowledge to close it again. It remained as a portal between worlds, a tear in the fabric of the universe, occasionally pulling unfortunate individuals from their own worlds

and pulling them into this one. This Rift of course being located in the sleepy farm town of Timbre Ridge, South Dakota, 1933, an era also known as the Prohibition Era, at least, on Earth.

This brings us to the Verondi Clan, and Timbre Ridge's only Speakeasy, affectionately dubbed, "The Dregs." The Verondi Clan, the local Warren of vampires, is not only responsible for this stubborn old watering hole, but for the Rift above it as well. They, though few of the original cast remain, are the last testament to The Fool's ancient power, as well as it's jailers, for the Fool still lives. Their's is a great burden, as not only must they prevent his escape, but they are stuck eternally cleaning up his mess. Not only does the portal like to spit poor, interdimensional vagabonds, but the potent energy of the Rift itself tends to attract the strange and unusual of their own home dimension as well.

Werewolves, errant Mages, mutated humans... It's no wonder that the youth of Timbre Ridge never run out of campfire stories. There are countless tales of ghosts, of animals that become people, and people who become animals. The Irish immigrants who have sought the town as sanctuary know to always leave out a bowl of milk and some bread for the fair folk, and to avoid the lakes and streams in the area, for wild things lurk within. If only they knew the dark truths behind them. Alas, perhaps it is for the best. The Verondi's seem to be managing in keeping things under wraps for now, and have done so for hundreds of years with the normal folk of Timbre Ridge none the wiser. Who knows how long it will last though, and with the damn finally breaks, if things will ever be able to go back to normal.

Of course, the more forward thinking citizens of Timbre Ridge have better things to worry about than old superstitions and the words of impressionable and bored teenagers. With bootleggers and speakeasies abound, and the violence that goes with them, one has to be careful where one steps, nevermind all the fairy-tales. Thankfully, though Timbre Ridge makes it's own way, it's mostly a quiet little town with no such problems. ... Right?

[Krepta]

First and foremost, Therianthropy is a disease, and an individual can only be infected by one strain of it within their lifetimes. Like rabies, it can only be passed from mammal to mammal, and all mammals can be infected by it. However, only humans and species close to humans shapechange as a result. It can be classified as a virus, but it seems to have at least some of it's roots in magic as well, so also a curse.

In fact, when enough Weres of one kind or even of a similar kind have gathered together for long enough they often begin to develop further supernatural abilities, such as control over elements or telepathy. It is though that the sheer amounted power between all of these individuals is the cause of the mutations, as singular weres do not often develop these special abilities, if at all.

Wild animals can and often do get it, usually as a result of a bite from a Were and a failed hunt. They do not change themselves, but often gain rabies like symptoms, such as foaming at the mouth, erratic behavior, and extreme aggression. They also become stronger, faster, and smarter than non-infected individuals, and are capable of healing themselves of much more grievous wound.

As the disease is passed through bodily fluids, all it takes is a single bite from an animal to infect a host. However, some strains of the virus, such as the Werewolf strain, are more infectious. Because of this, much of the Were community takes great pains to eradicate infected animals. Some, however, like the Werecats, consider it an honor to be turned.

Newly infected Weres often don't notice any signs of anything being wrong typically for about two to twelve weeks, but incubation periods of the disease can last as long as six years. Currently, there does not exist a medical test that can detect the disease.

When the disease finally begins to set in, the infected does not immediately shapeshift, but begins to exhibit symptoms leading up to the impending shift within the first two to ten days. The symptoms experienced differ from species to species, but they all share a few in common, such as:

• Seeking out wild places, or places isolated from the majority of society.
  
• Agitation, slight increase in aggression.
  
• Flu like symptoms, such as headaches, chills, fever, body aches, reddening eyes.
  
• Insomnia and confusion.
  
• Occasionally in the latest stages before the shift, paranoia, anxiety, depression, and hallucinations.
  
• Craving foods typical to their Beast's natural diets, as well as occasionally taking on habits that the Beast typically displays.
  

Finally, the shift comes, and it is usually swift and violent and rarely graceful. The first shift, while not typically overtly painful compared to the symptoms, is usually disorienting and terrifying, and it is often difficult to fight of the animal's natural instincts without outside help. Those who do not have guidance from more experiences Weres may wander the wilds for days as their Beast before they regain control. A few, though it is rare, never regain their humanity, and remain their entire lives as their Beast. For those who have been prepared for the moment, though, it is sometimes described as liberating. It can also be a great relief, as the uncomfortable symptoms that the individual has been experiencing up until the shift instantly vanish. Some even go so far as to describe it as a kind of death and rebirth, and a few isolated groups, such as the Werecats of Timbre Ridge treat it as a spiritual experience akin to reaching enlightenment.

Weres typically live about fifty or sixty years longer than the average human, barring premature death. They are also immune to all diseases, up to and including the common cold, and are as a whole, far stronger and more durable than the human beings they used to be. Unlike their mythical counterparts, they are neither allergic to silver nor holy objects, though being injured with a precious metal of any kind can slow down the healing of a wound to the rate that your average human would heal from it.

The disease is not curable through any normal means, though some experimentation has been done through magic. The results, however, are unpredictable, and sometimes even deadly.

[Krepta]

Werewolf Information

Werewolves seem to be the most physically connected to their human selves. A Werewolf that was born with the disease will often have the same fur color as their natural human hair color, for example. This is less common with Turned Werewolves, but still happens quite often. A Turned Werewolf is just as likely to take on the fur color of the wolf that bit them. However, a wolf's eye color will always be the eye color that they were born with, no matter what form they take. Local Werewolves resemble Timber Wolves/Gray Wolves, or species that look like them. Other species are reserved for one month members.

Because of the potent mix of pack animals within the Werewolf's nature, they are more likely than not to seek out others of their own kind and form or join a

Pack. Other Werewolves are often instinctual shown more favor over non-wolves, even over spouses, parents, and siblings, though due to the wolf's strong affinity for their pups, not children.

Werewolves are also extremely emotional beings for the most part, and many wolves, particularly young wolves, often have trouble hiding or controlling their emotions. This has led to the myth that their shifts are controlled by the full moon, which is only partially true. A Werewolf is prone to shifting while experiencing strong emotions, ranging from joy to sadness, to rage. While most older wolves can control this, many younger and new wolves cannot.

During the full moon, Werewolves become even more emotional than usual, and many of the less experienced Wolves are increasingly prone to impulse shifting around this time. Over time, this has led to traditions of celebrating one's Beast during the full moon, and often young and old both come together to indulge in their animal side and hunt as a Pack. There is no word or name for this event. It is a wordless calling, and is often met with a growing sense of silent excitement among the Pack.

New wolves are usually only capable of their human forms and a fully feral form for the first year or two after their Turning. They resemble their wild cousins completely, barring only larger size and the occasional strange pelt and eye color not typical to wolves. These feral forms are not capable of true speech, but they can communicate accurately between members of their own species, and through a simple form of telepathy with other Weres. However, unless the individual is particularly gifted, this telepathy is often restricted to emotions, images, and occasionally scents rather than words.

However, older wolves are also capable of a humanoid, bipedal form, usually about the same height as their human selves. These more experienced wolves are both capable of the kinds of communicate available to newer wolves, and full fledged speech, though some find it hard to understand them. The longer an individual has been a Werewolf, the easier they are to understand, and the more capable they are with their other 'gifts'.

Particularly powerful or experienced Wolves can shapeshift isolated parts of their bodies at will, though this tends to easily fatigue those new to the practice. Often this ability is used to intimidate non-wolves. They can also hold off the change for very long periods of time, and are typically some of the only individuals within The Pack capable of carrying a pregnancy to term, though it tends to put great strain on them. Younger, less experienced wolves risk losing the child when they shift.

Other abilities typical to Werewolves are included below, though the second part of the list is reserved for Wolves that have been Turned at least ten years.

General Abilities

• Regeneration-- Wolves have the ability to come back from the very brink of death, and can heal themselves of life threatening wounds within a few days, large to medium wounds within a few hours, and scratches and bruises within a few minutes. However, if the wound has been cauterized by something such as fire or acid, the wound must be reopened again before it can heal. A Wolf is capable of regrowing a limb, and even lesser organs as long as the limb has been reattached artificially, or there is a piece of the organ left in the place where it was originally.
  
  
• Lunar Empowerment-- The full moon is like a prolonged adrenaline rush for Wolves, and they become faster, stronger, and more energetic during it's time. However, at the end of the night, they often drop like rocks and pass out for several hours while they recover their energy.
  
  
• Heightened Senses-- Enhances senses and night vision in their human forms.
  
  
• Sixth Sense-- Many wolves can sense ghosts, spirits, and death in general. The most noticeable are were recent or traumatic deaths have occurred.

Elder Abilities

• Temperature Regulation: Many older wolves are able to manipulate their body temperatures within both their Beast and Human forms. They can raise their body temperatures to fever grade heights, or lower them to keep themselves cool in too hot ambient temperatures
  
  
• Emotion Manipulation: Some more powerful wolves are able to subtly manipulate the emotions of lesser wolves, for better or for worse. This is a form of minute empathy, and a strong enough wolf can easily detect or resist it. Occasionally, an less experienced wolf may do this unconsciously and accidentally, which is considered in poor form and sloppy.
  
  
• Fear Inducement: Some of the most powerful wolves can induce a strong sense of terror within lesser wolves, humans, and prey species. This is never done accidentally, and must be forcefully willed on another being. It is considered poor sport, however, to use this ability during a hunt, as it doesn't allow the prey a honorable chance at escape and survival.
  

Pack Information

The Werewolves of Timbre Ridge are much like their wild cousins in many ways. The start of a pack is usually a family group-- mother, father, and their many offspring, perhaps some uncles or aunts and such. Often they start to grow after a couple of years of being established-- friends are taken in, lovers... after all, those close to werewolves risk a high chance of being turned, should they be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The wolf strain also seems to be the most contagious of all the strains of the disease.

Timbre Ridge's Pack, however, has more than tripled over the years, growing far larger than the typical Pack's size. A combination of good hunting and new blood from the portal has made the pack strong, though also unstable in many ways. There is a wide conflict of opinions within the pack, a result of individuals from different eras and different cultures, and the new continuously jostles with the old. The Alpha male has yet to choose a mate, and yet still rules, something unheard of within the past. Some question his right to ruler-ship.

However, despite the differences within the pack, an outside source of strain manages to bring the pack together, The Verondi Clan. The Verondi Clan, or the local rulers of the vampires within Timbre Ridge, rule over much of the preternatural population. They demand homage from the wolves and their similars, and have enough muscle in their favor to do so. The wolves, while they must, give their begrudging respect, but they are proud creatures, and to be forced to bow to any individuals but their Alphas leaves a bad taste in their mouths. There is an uneasy peace for now, but who knows how long this will last.

The Pack hierarchy starts with the Alphas on top. The power between the two Alphas are usually shared, but one may hold more sway than the other depending on who is dominant or not between the two. The Alpha's word is law. They are the judge, the jury, and sometimes the executioner as well, though that job is more often than not saved for the Fenrin. They are also the pack's guidance and comfort in dark times, and are expected to put their lives on the line for the sake of the pack, not the other way around. The Alpha's positions are not necessarily lifelong positions, and stronger or more clever individuals may rise up to fight for the position. However, anything other than winning through one on one combat is considered dishonorable.

The Shepard is next in line. He or She is the pack's go between for the rest of the world. The Shepard is the diplomat, and in charge of keeping the peace between the Wolves and the rest of the Preternatural community when the Alphas cannot. The Shepard is the closest the Wolves have to a Second in Command, and it is a respected tradition. He or she is also in charge of ushering in new wolves and making sure that they know the ways of the wolves, and that they follow their rules. The Shepard is responsible for protecting new wolves from other wolves as well as themselves.

Then there are the Fenrin. There are always three at any one time. They are feared and respected members of the pack, but usually silently shunned. Theirs is the hardest job within the pack, perhaps, as they must carry out the darkest of deeds for the Alphas. These Wolves are in charge of bullying Rogue Wolves that have grown too big for their britches into the pack, or else eliminating them or any other dangerous Wolves. Their lives are often short and unhappy, and they are often treated like the Pack's boogiemen, and are usually on the front lines when it comes to facing threats to the Pack. Because of this, they are often offered first pick of kills after the Alphas and the Shepard when the Pack hunts, along with many other perks.

As for Rogue Wolves, they are tolerated and allowed to be on their own as long as they are quiet and present no threat to the Pack or the Pack's secrecy. However, they may not form Packs, and they may not hunt on Pack land, or they risk a visit from the Fenrin, who will attempt to 'persuade' them into joining the Pack. If the Rogue refuses, or has risked the Pack's safety somehow, such as revealing themselves to the human community, or killing someone they shouldn't have, they are often killed by the Fenrin or the Alphas of Timbre Ridge.

The Timbre Ridge Pack are also one of the few Were-Groups that are open to taking in werewolves that have come through the rift. Many Weres are cautious of those so different from them, and sometimes those who come from the Rift can be quite... unique, a trait not always welcomed amongst the Weres. Luckily, the Pack not only allows these individuals, but welcomes them as well, for the most part. With a new alpha though, and the pack in upset, who knows how long this will last...

The Wolves's place of sanctuary is located deep within the woods directly behind the Verondi Family estates. It is a wide, lush clearing within the forest, with a sturdy, towering lodge house that can fit most, if not all of the Pack. The house itself is ancient, and was built long before the current Alphas, the Alphas before them, and those before them. Still, it has served the Pack well, and has been built into the very trees that surround the place, and the wood is old and strong. Should the Pack ever have to retreat to it, it would serve as a sturdy defense. To the Pack, this place is known as, "Warlia."

Legends

The Beast of the Ridge: Timbre Ridge is chock full of Werewolf myths, and even today visitors and residents in the town swear they occasionally see huge wolf men lurking the woods. The most infamous legend among them though, even the the Wolves themselves, is the legend of the Beast of Timbre Ridge. It's a favorite campfire story among the youth of Timbre Ridge, that there was once a terrible monster that roamed the woods and hills surrounding the town, slaughtering all it came across and even venturing into town to claim it's children and sacrifices left out to appease it. According to historical texts, this "Beast" was nothing but a mad man who was eventually caught and hung for his crimes. According to the older stories though, and the Legends amongst the Wolves themselves, the Beast was not caught, and beyond that, was made immortal by the innocent blood he consumed nightly. Some believe that he still roams the woods, and that not all the disappearances that occur within can be blamed on the normal spooks and monsters that dwell there.

Strangely enough, there are some older books within the library of the Warlia that mention this beast, though the passages are brief and rather obscure. A great many of them refer to the capturing, rather than the destruction of the beast. However, one of the book holds an interesting little rhyme that supposedly relates to the monster:

"To the Wolf the Wood is home,
The Fish possess the Sea,
Clever Otter, The River, The Field, The Proud Hart,
And to each it is felt in the bone.

But when the Great Oak dispossess the Lark,
And of flight the Winged Ones are robbed,
Greed will crumble the Mark,
And by their own hands the hoofed ones be hobbed.

When the Great Beast rises from Dusk,
And Fear is loud in the heart,
Take hope from ash of the Yew,
And plant faith in the mouth of the lion."

It's a rather silly little poem though, and it doesn't even rhyme all the way through. No wonder these books were shoved all the way back back behind the others. Ah well, at least it's a cute piece of history to look at, and the books themselves have some rather attractive gilded leather binding.

Open Positions

Alpha Female
All of the Fenrin

Pack Members
Kian "Kia" Bruis; The Alpha
Alec Durban; The Shepard
Andrew Waechter; Pack Member
Connell O'Malley; Pack Member

Rogues

N/A

Laws of the Pack

_{*Leaders may change these Laws at any time, though they must announce abolished or new laws publicly to their group IC, either through an IC PM, or through a meeting thread. Keep in mind that many of these are centuries old laws, though, and that changing them or introducing new ones might be met with resistance.}

One Month Privileges

• You may have up to two powers beyond the abilities listed here, either through creation of a new character, or by upgrading an existing wolf's powers.
  
  
• Your wolf may be faster and stronger that wolves on younger accounts if you so wish. You may do this by either creating a new character, or upgrading an existing one.
  
  
• Your wolf may be of a species other than a Timber Wolf/Gray Wolf, such as the Maned Wolf.
  
  
• You may create a non-native Werewolf. Native Werewolves that came through from another point in time do not count, and may be made at any time. Non-natives are Werewolves that are not the same species as the Werewolves already existing in Timbre Ridge's world. They are often Werewolves with unique appearances and abilities that the player has come up with his or herself. Note that non natives must have come through the rift at some point and time, or must have been born from a non-native werewolf. We are not, at this point in time, creating new native species.
  

[Krepta]

Species Information

The members of the herd consist of a conglomerate of the area's hoofed prey animals. The majority of the herd are Were-Elk and Were-Deer of various types, but a few members are also Pronghorn Antelope, Big Horn Sheep, Horses, Cattle, Sheep, Goats, and there have even been a few very rare Buffalo and Pigs in the distant past.

We'll start with the Were-Deer and Elk, the dominant members of The Herd. These weres are quite at the opposite spectrum from their carnivorous wolven

counterparts, and are known for being fairly removed from their once human selves. They amongst all the Weres spend the most time as their Beasts. However, this may be in part due to the fact that they also have some of the most peaceful shifts, and the mildest of symptoms prior. A Weredeer's Human form can and often does differ greatly from the coloration of their Feral or

Hybrid form.

These two groups, when they so choose, can also slip from one form to another as quickly and effortlessly as one might slip from light to shadow, and back again. Young deer and elk often achieve mastery over their hybrid forms within one to two weeks of their first change, though they often prefer to take their more feral forms instead.

They are a secluded bunch, and keep mostly to their own kind, though they do mingle with the rest of the Herd. They are not known, however, to socialize with outsiders if they don't have to. Within their own, though, they are a lively bunch, and often very protective of one another when involving outsiders, even if two individuals are otherwise enemies.

While many may appear to have peaceful personalities, most Were-Deer and Elk are perfectly capable of and willing to fight. In fact, when not otherwise occupied, many of the males can often be found sparring amongst themselves for practice. Most are also known to become fairly vain after the change, and quickly become aloof from their families, friends, and anyone else outside of The Herd.

Unlike many Weres, an Elk or Deer is capable of easily carrying a pregnancy to term, as they can become pregnant in either form. Beyond this, more experienced of the Weres can hold off changing into either form indefinitely if they so wish.

All Were-Deer and Were-Elk are capable of the first list of abilities. The second list is reserved for older, more experienced of the Weres of at least ten years.

General Abilities

• Shadow-Walking-- Occasionally, by willing it or otherwise, Elk/Deer seem to simply slip away into the shadows, becoming partially or entirely invisible. In order for this to be possible, though, there must be significant shadows present.
  
  
• Scentless-- Were Elk/Deer have no noticeable scent, and therefore cannot be tracked by scent, human form or otherwise. Unless they have been sprayed by something or come into contact with something strong, they will smell like their environment.
  
  
• Animal Traits-- All Deer/Elk over two weeks Turned can shapeshift individual and minute parts of their body, giving their human forms traits of their Beast, such as antlers or fur, or giving their Beast forms traits of their human forms, such as human faces or hair.
  
  
• The High Jump-- Both in Beast and Human forms, Deer/Elk are capable of leaping to great heights of up to twelve feet high.

Elder Abilities

• Healing: The prolonged presence of an elder or more powerful Elk/Deer will cause another's wounds to slowly close over time, as long as the individual remains in the Elk/Deer's presence.
  
  
• Call the Cold: Some of the more powerful Deer/Elk can summon and control the element of ice. The ability and the amount of control depends on the individual and their amount of experience. Some can do as little as lower the temperature in the room, while others can create frost, freeze ponds, or even summon blizzards. These individuals are likewise immune to their own frosty ways.
  
  
• Calming Presence: Many older or more experienced Deer/Elk are capable of a form of empathy capable of significantly calming and relaxing others. For those less experienced, some form of physical contact, or eye contact is necessary to achieve this effect, but for more powerful individuals all that is necessary is to will the emotion on the target.

Allowed Species

Fallow Deer
Elk
White-Tailed Deer
Mule Deer
Pronghorn Antelope

Werehorses, though rarer than Weredeer, are a friendlier species group within The Herd. They tend to be outgoing and friendly individuals, if a little show-offy, but are also a fairly high-energy lot. Horses are runners, after all, and when a human Turns, many of the instincts that their Beast possesses are transfered to them. Many Werehorses often find themselves becoming very physically active after the first Change. A Werehorse's coloration in their Beast form can go any which way, and match their Human coloration, or may be completely different.

Like the Deer and Elk, many Werehorses prefer to stay in their full Feral forms rather than their Hybrid forms, as their Hybrid appearances are often quite large and bulky. They have a lot less problems with taking their human forms, however, than the Deer do. Many Werehorses choose to stay in town rather than with the Weredeer in the forest as well, though it is not unheard of for a few individuals to elect to stay full time with the Herd instead.

General Abilities

• Steed's Grace-- Were-Horses and their lot are particularly graceful and well balanced, no matter what the form. It takes a lot to throw them off their feet, and even moving at the great speeds that they can move, they manage to always keep their footing. Clumsy Weres of this type are a rarity.
  
  
• Swift Footed-- There are few things faster than a Were-Horse, and they can move faster than even their feral cousins, with the toughest and most fit of their lot clocking at about 65 mph in short bursts. If a Were-Horse decides to run, you're probably not going to catch it.
  
  
• Mind to Mind-- Were-Horses are closer than many other Were's to their human counterparts, likely because of their feral cousin's easy domestication. As such, they seem to be able to telepathically communicate with all sentient creatures, seemingly effortlessly, though it does occasionally take the younger Weres a little while to catch on.

Elder Abilities

• Ride the Storm-- Elder Horses can call upon the element of wind, summoning forced from friendly breezes to full force gales. Some particularly powerful horses have been known to even summon thunder storms, or briefly take to the air with the aide of hurricane force winds.
  
  
• Feral Kinship-- Were-Equines have a close spiritual link to their natural counterparts, and as such are impeccable riders, having no need of a saddle, bit, or bridle to control or remain atop their mount, able to guide their steed with "nudges" of thought. This Kinship can also be used, to an extent based upon the Were's age and power, to influence natural horses and ponies much as their Mind to Mind ability is used.
  
  
• Sense of Foreboding-- Were-Horses/Ponies have a "sixth sense", pertaining to the onset of bad things in the near future. The strength of this prescience is dependent on the strength of the user, with younger Weres getting a sense of unshakable dread, while older Weres can gain some level of foreknowledge of what is to come to pass.
  

Allowed Species

Horses
Mules
Donkeys
Ponies

Weresheep are probably the smallest members of the Herd, physically, as well as the most emotionally stable. Most Sheep don't tend to have the extreme personality changes that most of the other Were's do after their first Change, and they seem to be better at suppressing their natural instincts as well. Some do, however, become more sensitive individuals after the Change, however, due to their ability to feel other's emotions as if they were their own. The males, however, may find themselves becoming more irritable around mid to late winter, however, and find it a lot more difficult to resist fighting with other males.

Weresheep have a slightly harder time changing from form to form, and often will pick one form or another to stay in for a good long time. They don't have any particular difficulty with any one of their three forms, but the changes themselves tend to be slightly uncomfortable, and it is not often that they

rapidly switch forms unless under dire circumstances. A Weresheep's Human coloration will most often match their Beast's coloration, though the eye color may not change.

General Abilities

• Draw Danger-- If a group is being persuaded, and a Weresheep with this ability is present, they can make themselves seem a more appealing target to the peruser, particularly if there is a prior history between the two. The peruser will then turn and chase or attack the Weresheep instead, at least, for a time, giving the other individuals plenty of time to get away.
  
  
• Ram's Strength-- Were-Sheep are surprisingly resilient, their skeletal structure thickened enough to make their bones very difficult to break. They are also fairly strong, even as Weres go, and can match physical strength with even the Wolves and Buffalo.
  
  
• Of One Mind--- Were-sheep/Goats have the ability to cause other being to feel what ever emotion they are currently feeling at the moment, as well as the ability to feel what their target feels. Of course, this depends on the target's own will, as well as the will of the Were using it.

Elder Abilities

• Indomitable Will-- The strongest of Weresheep are stubborn creatures, and can no longer be effected by mind or emotion altering abilities, or, at the very least, can resist them greatly.
  
  
• The Honest-- Some elder Were-sheep/goats can, through their own will, force others to speak the truth and only the truth. The Were's own will, however, must be stronger than the individual they are using this ability on.
  
  
• The Sacrifice-- There are some Elder Weresheep who have a very unique ability indeed. If an individual close to them is mortally wounded, or dying from some disease, the Weresheep may choose to share their life force with them. Doing so will restore those dying to full health, and also convert the individual themselves into a Weresheep. However, the ability is known as, "The Sacrifice" for a reason. Because the life force is shared, should any one thing happen to the individual, it will happen to the other as well. If one is hurt, the other will feel phantom pain in the same area, if a strong emotion is felt by the other, such as grief of rage, the other half will feel it as well, though in this case, they will feel the emotion, but know it's not their own. When one half dies, as well, the other half will die too.
  

Allowed Species

Domestic Sheep
Big Horn Sheep
Goats

Werecows and Bulls are some of the largest Weres in Timbre Ridge, though they are also very rare. The Change tends to make them volatile individuals, and because such, the Herd tends to keep a very close eye on them. After their first Change, their human bodies start to bulk up as result, and their muscles mass is often doubled what they had before they were Turned. This effect is most noticeable on the males, who also begin to find that they can no longer stand being around most males. Because of the sudden surge of Testosterone, many newly Changed bulls will often find themselves getting into fist fights and other altercations.

As Werecows age, they may learn to control these urges, but it is doubtful that The Herd will ever let them far out of their sight, no matter the level of control. The risk is simply too great.

Like Werehorses, Werecows tend to avoid their Hybrid forms because of their sheer bulk and extreme clumsiness while on two legs. As Werecows get older, no matter what their base color is, they tend to gain a reddish tinge to their coat that deepens as time goes on. A Werebull's coloration in the Beast forms

may differ at first from their Human forms, but as time goes on, their Human form's coloration will slowly grow to match their Beast's. They are also the second rarest of all the Weres.

General Abilities

• Tough Skin-- Werecows are thick-skinned, both literally and figuratively. They are extremely durable creatures, and withstand most physical blows. Emotionally, they are not known to be easily shaken.
  
  
• Super Strength-- Werecows are some of the more physically strong Weres there are. A Were-buffalo or Bison can quite easily knock over a bus while in a rage, and Werecows, though not quite as strong, are nothing to shake a stick at either.
  
  
• Feral Rage-- When Werecows enter a state of extreme rage, their already massive physical strength is tripled, and though their minds become clouded and confused with the emotion, they cease, for a while, to feel pain, hunger, or thirst.
  

Elder Abilities

• Command Fire-- Some Elder Werecows can call upon the element of fire, and can summon flames from the blue, or control existing fire. The extent of control and ability depends on the individual Werecow and the ability itself seems to be more common among Werebulls than Werecows. While controlling the element, they cannot themselves be burned.
  
  
• Invoke Rage-- Some Elder Werecows can cause others to feel sudden and inexplicable rage, though only the most powerful of the lot can do it without some form of the emotion already being there. Most need a spark before they can coax out an inferno, so to speak.
  
  
• Indomitable Will-- The strongest of Werecows are stubborn creatures, and can no longer be effected by mind or emotion altering abilities, or, at the very least, can resist them greatly.
  

Allowed Species

Domestic Cattle
Buffalo
Bison

Werepigs are another of the rarer groups. They are more feral than many of the other Weres, and even the domestic breeds tend to revert to their more Boar-like ancestors, becoming larger and hairier than the smooth skinned beast that might have changed them. In fact, the only way to tell a Werepig from a Wereboar is the presence of tusks in Wereboars.

Unlike most of the rest of the Herd, they seem to prefer either their hybrid forms or their human forms rather than their feral forms for the most part, as Werepigs seem to have trouble communicating telepathically while in their

feral forms. A Werepig's Human coloration is rarely the same as their Beast's.

General Abilities

• Super Strength-- Were-Pigs are surprisingly resilient, their skeletal structure thickened enough to make their bones very difficult to break. They are also fairly strong, even as Weres go, and can match physical strength with even the Wolves and Buffalo.
  
  
• Durability-- Werepigs can sustain an amazing amount of damage and bloodloss without dying, though caution should be exercised anyhow, as Werepigs cannot regenerate whole limbs or organs like Werewolves can, at least, not on their own. They can, however, keep fighting with extensive injuries and bloodloss without passing out.
  
  
• Poison Immunity-- While Werepigs may become ill in response to certain toxins, they will not die from them, and it is a very short list. Most Werepigs are not effected at all by poison or drugs.
  

Elder Abilities

• Of the Earth-- The Boar and the Pig are creatures of the earth, and as such, their preternatural counterparts have some amount of kinship and control over it. Skilled Elders can use their ability to summon up rocks and mud and mold them to the shapes that they require, such as stony armor or a river of thick, sticky mud to wash away their enemies. The amount of power one has over this ability though, is restricted to the practice that the individual has had, as well as their own power levels. The younger the Werepig, the more draining they find this ability.
  
  
• Foresight-- There are a rare few Werepigs who can look near or far into the future, and even tell what is going on halfway across the world without ever moving. However, the price they pay for this gift is their sight, and they are well known for slowly going mad as a result of their abilities.
  
  
• Indomitable Will-- The strongest of Werepigs are stubborn creatures, and can no longer be effected by mind or emotion altering abilities, or, at the very least, can resist them greatly.
  

Allowed Species

Domestic Pigs
Boar

Herd Information

The Herd is usually led by a Weredeer, though sometimes a Werehorse as well. There is a leader in charge of the females of the herd, called The Hind, and a leader in charge of the males, known as the Hart. The Hart out-ranks the Hind, but the two do not often clash, and for the most part, do not interfere with each other's business.

Below the Hart and the Hind are the four Winds, The Dainn, The Dvalinn, The Duneyrr, and The Durapror. They are not only the Hart and the Hind's eyes and ears, but they all serve important purposes themselves within the Herd.

The Dainn is in charge of training new Herd members to protect themselves. As some of the few Weres that are prey species, the Herd believes strongly in not allowing themselves to be victimized because of it, and take self defense very seriously. Because of this, the members of the Herd are often far better fighters than most of the average members of the predator Weres. The Dainn takes newly Changed Herd members under his or her wings and teach them the basics of self defense. In the fall, when the males begin to spar amongst themselves though, more serious training begins.

It is the Dvalinn's job to settle disputes between Herd members, as well as any disputes that outside Weres might have with members of the Herd. If an agreement cannot be reached with the help of the Dyalinn, then the issue is then escalated to the Hart or the Hind. The Dyalinn is also the Herd's diplomat, and advises the Hart and the Hind in matters of those beyond the Herd.

The Duneyrr is in charge of carrying out punishments upon wayward Herd members, and though the Duneyrr does not often kill, he is not often a presence welcome throughout the Herd. The role is traditionally male, but there have been a few female Duneyrr in the past as well.

Last but not least, there is the Durapror, who is in charge of settling new Herd members into their new and very strange lives. It is the Durapror's job to make sure that new Herd members know the rules of the Herd, and that they are able to master their new instincts appropriately.

Much of the Herd live in Heorot, which translates to, "Hall of the Hart". While not particularly hidden, it is a property deep within the woods, and is quite the journey to someone who isn't a Were. It is a large, ornate cabin, and as well as a home for a majority of the Herd, it serves as a meeting place for the Herd, and a sanctuary for all those they are allied with. It is protected by powerful magic, wards lain by Herds past.

The Herd does not actively pursue Rogues, but they do seem to shun these individuals, even without their Hart or Hind pushing them to do so. This seems to be prevalent more with the Were-Deer, however, than the rest of the members of the Herd.

Newly Changed are also known as Haviers.

Open Positions

The Hind
The Hart
The Dainn
The Dvalinn
The Duneyrr
The Durapror

Herd Members

N/A

Rogues

N/A

Laws of the Herd

_{*Leaders may change these Laws at any time, though they must announce abolished or new laws publicly to their group IC, either through an IC PM, or through a meeting thread. Keep in mind that many of these are centuries old laws, though, and that changing them or introducing new ones might be met with resistance.}

One Month Privileges

• You may create a member of the herd other than the allowed types of species. This might be something such as a Reindeer rather than an Elk, or perhaps an antelope or a zebra.
  
  
• Your Were may have two extra abilities beyond the ones listed for elder and general. These may be whatever you wish, within reason. You may do this through creation of a new character, or by upgrading an existing one.
  
  
• Your Were may be stronger and faster than a were belonging to a younger account. You may do this through creation of a new character, or by upgrading an existing one.
  
  
• You may create a non-native Were. Native Weres that came through from another point in time do not count, and may be made at any time. Non-natives are Weres that are not the same species as the Weres already existing in Timbre Ridge's world. They are often Weres with unique appearances and abilities that the player has come up with his or herself. Note that non natives must have come through the rift at some point and time, or must have been born from a non-native were. We are not, at this point in time, creating new native species.
  

[Krepta]

Species Information

Often individuals who are infected with the Werecat strain will experience a violent personality shift along with their physical shift. Even individuals that were once quite pleasant individuals will find themselves growing suddenly quite vain, and that they have a sudden urge to toy with other individuals, emotionally or otherwise. They are also the longest lived of all the Weres, and some of the oldest cats have lifespans of twice, or even four times the average human lifespan. Being such, they age very slowly once they've been Turned.

The first Change for Werecats is often fairly unpleasant, and many of the features that they gain from it never go away. Many Werecats will have a vast change in both hair and eye color, which will turn to match their Beast's, as well as a slight pointing in the tips of their ears. Their teeth may also become sharper, and their food preferences will lean much more towards fresh meats.

Often Werecats have trouble communicating with anyone but their own kind, even in their hybrid forms, who's speech is over to sibilant to understand. If they wish to communicate with another outside of the Cats, they must take their full human forms to do so, unless they have been a Cat a very, very long time and have otherwise learned to master their disabilities.

Species Information

Domestic Cats
Pumas
Bob Cats
Lynx

General Abilities

• Retractable Claws-- Werecats have retractable claws in both their cat forms and their human forms. While many of the large cats in the wild do not have retractable claws, it is one of the truest ways to tell a feral big cat from a Werecat. Even their human forms have these retractable claws, which can be seen as a nearly invisible dark area just beneath their human finger nails. Only Elder, more experienced cats learn to will these away completely.
  
  
• Silent Step-- Werecats can move without sound, unless, of course, their intention is to make a little noise...
  
  
• Feline Grace-- Werecats are unnaturally swift, and their reflexes, both in human form and in Beast form are hard to match. They favor high places, and as such, like their feral cousins, they have some pretty amazing balance as well. There are very few Werecats with a fear of heights, and their confidence is certainly well earned.
  
  
• Night Sight-- Werecats have the ability to see in near complete darkness, in human form or otherwise. However, this same ability makes their eyes slightly sensitive to bright lights. Older, more experienced cats can shapeshift their cat eyes into fully human eyes, but younger cats will often be seen with either sunglasses on, or more often towards darker times of the day, when the sunlight is less intense.
  

Elder Abilities

• Dream Walking-- Dreamwalking is the ability to leave one's own dream and move to the dreams of others. Some consider this the ability to walk in the world or plane of dreams. Many Elder cats who begin to develop this ability accidentally dream walk at first, then as they learn to control it, can begin to do so on purpose. The Walker must be asleep or in a trance to walk in the dream of another, and a strong enough mind or a lucid dreamer may be able to eject the Cat. Things that happen in the dreaming world to the Walker
  
  will happen to their physical bodies as well, and it is possible to die, should the walker be hurt enough. This is why those discovered with this ability are quickly trained to control it, as a Werecat with enough training can not only resist dreamwalking, but they can also learn to control aspects of the dreaming world when they decide to dreamwalk consciously. All Werecats are lucid dreamers.
  
  
• Intangibility-- Skilled Werecats can become fully intangible, which is to say that they can become ghost like and can pass through walls, doors, and other solid objects, even people! They do not become completely invisible, but rather see through, though most physical elements won't effect them, such as fire, water, cold, or physical blows. Electric shocks, sonar, and sound attacks can still hurt, however, and even can knock them back into a solid state. While intangible, a Werecat does not feel heat or cold, thirst, nor hunger, and has no need to breathe either. A Werecat who stays too long in this ghost-like state, however, risks being trapped there forever, effectively passing on to the next life, as if they had truly died.
  
  
• Invisibility-- The ability to be unseen by the naked eye. Unlike 'true' invisibility, a werecat needs darkness or shadows in order to disappear. A bright light shined directly on the subject, or dispelling the area of darkness, will bring the werecat back into view.
  

Glaring Information

Many of the Cats of Timbre Ridge believe that their abilities are a divine gift and that they among all the Weres are particularly blessed. These Werecats are known collectively as The Glaring, though not all the Werecats that dwell in Timbre Ridge align themselves to this group. Unfortunately, much like the Weredog's Cry, the Glaring is fairly pushy about getting unaffiliated local Cats to join with them. In fact, they're so adamant about swelling their ranks that there are rumors going about that they have been purposely turning the humans of Timbre Ridge. They always seem to be on the lookout for 'worthy' individuals coming through The Nexus too. Of course, no were would be so foolish, would they? It would mean certain death...

The Glaring's territory runs from the Southwest side of the Verondi Household's property down to where it meets the Cry Territory. The territory is mostly woodland, but there is a small, forgotten cemetery somewhere within those woods that the Glaring uses as their gathering place. Many even go so far as to use the mausoleums and the catacombs beneath them as living spaces. It is rare for a Werecat to be allowed to live within town if they are part of The Glaring, as the Glaring believe that a Were's place is in the forest, as only the strongest and most worthy of humans are Turned. However, those pregnant, infirm, or with children may on rare occasion be allowed to live in town.

The Glaring is generally a matriarchal group, with the Queen Cat in the lead. There is occasionally a Tom as well, who rules the males, but if there is a Queen, she always outrank him. Along with the Queen and the Tom, there are individuals known as Mollies. A Molly is a Werecat who is in charge of showing new Werecats the Glaring's ways. It is also suspected, however, that these 'Mollies' are those responsible for the purposeful Turning of the townsfolk into Werecats as well. However, the Change for Werecats is so traumatic that most no longer remember who attacked and Changed them, and those who have remembered, thusfar, and have tried to come to the Verondi's with the news have always been swiftly silenced. The Glaring does not tolerate Rogues.

Werecats also have a fairly tight alliance with The Cry.

Open Positions

Queen
Tom
Mollies

Glaring Members

N/A

Rogues

N/A

Laws of the Glaring

_{*Leaders may change these Laws at any time, though they must announce abolished or new laws publicly to their group IC, either through an IC PM, or through a meeting thread. Keep in mind that many of these are centuries old laws, though, and that changing them or introducing new ones might be met with resistance.}

One Month Privileges

• You may create a member of the Glaring other than the allowed types of species. This might be something such as a tiger, a lion, or another exotic cat not native to the area.
  
  
• Your Were may have two extra abilities beyond the ones listed for elder and general. These may be whatever you wish, within reason. You may do this through creation of a new character, or by upgrading an existing one.
  
  
• Your Were may be stronger and faster than a were belonging to a younger account. You may do this through creation of a new character, or by upgrading an existing one.
  
  
• You may create a non-native Weres. Native Weres that came through from another point in time do not count, and may be made at any time. Non-natives are Weres that are not the same species as the Weres already existing in Timbre Ridge's world. They are often Weres with unique appearances and abilities that the player has come up with his or herself. Note that non natives must have come through the rift at some point and time, or must have been born from a non-native were. We are not, at this point in time, creating new native species.
  

[Krepta]

Species Information

Werebats are a particularly common Were in Timbre Ridge. Infected feral bats are some of the few animals that not only seek out humans to bites, but other bats, and so the disease spreads very quickly among them. Luckily, in order to be turned by a Werebat, one has to be practically ravaged and still survive. A bite from a feral bat, however, is a lot more likely to infect.

Mercifully for Werebats, the Change is a rather easy one, though the incubation period is rather short lived, not always giving the Werebat enough time to get out of public sight before they change. Thusly, Timbre Ridge has many campfire stories of the giant bats that haunt the woods, thankfully, it is much received like the famed, 'Mothman' or 'Bigfoot' is in other places.

The mental and physical changes to the Werebat's human self are also, thankfully, very slight. An individual may find themselves growing increasingly nocturnal, and may find that their eyes are most sensitive to strong lights, but that they work marvelously in low-lit environments. They may also begin to notice that they know where objects and people are without even looking at them, or in situations where there is no light at all, and that without even trying, they already have a mental 'map' of sorts of the areas they encounter. Their canines, on occasion, may also lengthen, to the point where they may be mistaken for vampires, though a vampire will always know a Werebat from another of it's kind.

They will also find themselves being drawn to other Werebats, and a Werebat will always know another Werebat when they see one, even before they know that other Werebats exist. The Werebat will feel a certain pull from them, and a faint, pleasant buzzing in the back of their head that gets stronger as they approach. To a Werebat, to be with others of their kind, it just feels 'right'.

Werebats are one of the few Weres that have little to no problems or discomforts shapeshifting, though a good many seem to prefer either their human forms or their hybrid forms. Most Werebats retain their wings in their hybrid forms, which are fully functional, but some Elder Werebats can will away such features as their wings, usually for convenience sake, as for Werebats, flying is one of the greatest freedoms they can enjoy.

A Werebat's coloration and eye color will always match their Human hair color and eye color. A blond, green eyed man, for example, will have a blond coat as a Werebat, as well as green eyes, though they may be slightly brighter. It is rare that a Werebat will take on the coloration of the animal that bit them.

Allowed Species

Long-eared Myotis
Keen's Myotis
Small-footed Myotis
Little Brown Myotis
Finge-tailed Myotis
Long-legged Myotis
Silver-haired Bats
Big Brown Bats
Red Bats
Townsend's Big-eared Bats
Eastern pipistrelles
Evening bats
Northern Myotis
Spotted bats
Hoary bats

General Abilities

• Power of Flight-- In the Were-Bat's animal or hybrid form, it possesses the ability to fly, exactly like a natural bat. Were-Bats are also not know for being bothered by heights.
  
  
• Echolocation-- In any form, a Were-Bat may emit a sub-audible (To "normal" humans), sonic pulse and "hear", with accuracy, visual details about their surroundings. The accuracy and depth of detail that the Were-Bat gains from using its Echolocation depends on the Were's age and practiced mastery of this ability. Also, due to their brains being able to conceptualize qualities such as sound in visual representation, Were-Bats tend to have strong photographic memories.
  
  
• Torpor-- During daylight hours, a Were-Bat is plagued by fatigue and the urge to settle into sleep. During this sleep, the Were's natural healing is increased slightly. They are often seen as "night owls", a label that fits most Were-Bats well. As well as this, if a Werebat is badly injured, they may fall into a deep healing sleep that is almost coma-like in appearance, in which their natural healing abilities will increase ten-fold. However, this state of hibernation can last up to a week, and leaves the Werebat completely defenseless.
  
  
• Night Sight-- Were-Bats can see with almost perfect accuracy in low-light conditions, offset by a reduction in eyesight in particularly bright or loud areas.
  

Elder Abilities

• Behold the Night--- Powerful Bats can control the very night, drawing it in to a near physical forms. They can summon darkness to enshroud an area and snuff out any light. Some particularly skilled bats can even briefly darken the bright of day.
  
  
• Grave Robbing-- While not all Bats can see spirits and the like, many of the Elder Bats can, and can even communicate with them, should they wish. Particularly powerful Bats, however, can bend said spirits to their will as well, giving them the power to become semi-solid as well, in order to attack a target, or complete any other task that might be assigned to them. However, many of the Bats consider forcing to a spirit to do something unwillingly distasteful, and prefer to lend them the power to do it willingly instead.
  
  
• Parasite-- Many Elder Bats gain the ability use utilize vampire-like abilities, and can drain an individual's energy stores in order to replenish or augment their own, as well as accelerate their own healing abilities. What an individual can feed off of differs from Bat to Bat. Some can feed off ambient emotions, others must feed directly from a host, and others yet can feed off of only one emotion, such as anger or fear. WereBats, unlike vampires, however, do not have to feed in this way in order to survive, and there are some within the Darkening who find the act, particularly if it's not consented, distasteful. Those who have been fed from may feed tired and dizzy, and in the case of emotions, they may have trouble feeling that particular emotion for a time being, or said emotion may be muted. While hosts being fed from aren't typically harmed, if a Bat takes too much energy from one source, they risk killing the host.
  
  
• Turn It Up-- Some particularly skilled Elder Bats have learned to channel and amplify their echolocation into a focused cone of sound that manifests itself in a visible rippling of the air and a physical force-- a sonic scream, if you would. Not only is this force capable of physical moving or destroying objects, but any individuals who were caught in it could easily go deaf, if not permanently, at the very least temporarily, if caught in it too long.
  
  
• The Voice-- The most skilled of Werebats are capable of tuning their voices to effect very specific regions of the brain, and through it are capable of putting others into trance like states, effecting emotions, or subconsciously
  
  'suggesting' things to weaker willed individuals. They may also use their voice in an almost whispers, so that one individual may hear it and another will not, even half-way across the room.
  

Darkening Information

Werebats are a fairly new Were-type to Timbre Ridge, and as such, they do not have the age old traditions and set leadership positions that the other groups do. None-the-less, they are not so young a race that they have not learned that banding together is better for their health, and slowly, traditions are emerging. Currently, they do not feel any which way about Rogues, and don't seem to mind if a Werebat is independent rather than aligning themselves with the Darkening. Most Werebats, however, seem to prefer the company of other Werebats.

The Darkening has no set leader, though some many step up to lead more than others, and this may change in the near future. They have no position designations, no go-to person, as they tend to do things as a group. There is safety in numbers, after all. However, among the most dominant of Werebats, a sort of council may be kept, and among such Werebats, it has been decided that a safe-house of sorts is necessary for the Darkening, which has come in the form of, 'The Roost'.

The Roost is the Darkening's meeting house and safe haven, and is located in a deep, dry cave just at the edge of the mountains. The Roost is well stocked for everything the Darkening might need, and is fully furnished as well. Though many of the Darkening members do live here full time, a good deal of them have houses in town instead. However, it is tradition to come together for a week or so in midwinter at the very least to spend time together within the Roost.

The entrance is well hidden and is likely only the be discovered by echolocation or good noses unless one has been there before. The cave system itself winds deep into the mountains, with many tunnels and emergency exits scattered along the way, should there be need for sudden escape. However, as the Roost goes deeper into the mountains where only wings can reach, the secrecy of the place becomes more lax, and many exits lead out into the natural hotsprings that can be found there.

Open Positions

None Yet

Darkening Members

N/A

Rogues

N/A

Laws of the Darkening

_{*Leaders may change these Laws at any time, though they must announce abolished or new laws publicly to their group IC, either through an IC PM, or through a meeting thread. Keep in mind that many of these are centuries old laws, though, and that changing them or introducing new ones might be met with resistance.}

One Month Privileges

• You may create a member of the Darkening other than the allowed types of species. This might be something such as a flying fox or a fruitbat, or some other species non-native to the area.
  
  
• Your Were may have two extra abilities beyond the ones listed for elder and general. These may be whatever you wish, within reason. You may do this through creation of a new character, or by upgrading an existing one.
  
  
• Your Were may be stronger and faster than a were belonging to a younger account. You may do this through creation of a new character, or by upgrading an existing one.
  
  
• You may create a non-native Weres. Native Weres that came through from another point in time do not count, and may be made at any time. Non-natives are Weres that are not the same species as the Weres already existing in Timbre Ridge's world. They are often Weres with unique appearances and abilities that the player has come up with his or herself. Note that non natives must have come through the rift at some point and time, or must have been born from a non-native were. We are not, at this point in time, creating new native species.
  

[Krepta]

Species Information

A Weredog's first change is usually quite violent, and the barrage of instincts that hit them is possibly even stronger than a Wolf's. Some rare few may even go mad. However, if one survives the shift with mind intact, the shifts beyond the first are usually quite easier. However, often because of the lingering trauma of the first shift, most Weredogs elect to remain in one form or another for as long as they can.

Unlike most other Weres, a Weredog's first form is often their hybrid one, rather than their feral form. This is extremely strange amongst Weres, and because of the very nature of the Weredogs themselves, including their ability to Bond, some are of the opinion that they aren't true Weres at all, but an ancient, Mage created race. It is unlikely, however, than anyone will ever truly know.

Like the Werecats, a Weredog's eye and hair color in their Human forms will over change to match their Beast's. However, unlike the Cats, there is thankfully no extra features than they borrow from their Beasts, unless, of course, they are able to will it.

Cry Information

Within the Weredog community, there are two groups of Weredogs, The Cry, which the other group refers to as The Paraiah Dogs, and the Weredogs that reside with other groups, particularly the Werewolves, which The Cry refers to as 'The Domestics'.

The Cry consist of the largest number of Weredogs, who for the most part keep to the woods just beyond The Glaring's territory. They have a heavy alliance with the Werecats, and like the Werecats, they consider themselves superior to normal human beings. Though their hunting grounds and base are located deep within the woods, the Cry's territory extends in a wide swath through the town of Timbre Ridge itself and beyond into the opposite woods.

The Cry have no home structure, as many of the other Weres do, with even the Werecats having their cemetery, and live a fairly primal lifestyle. They sleep under the same open sky they hunt under, and drink from the rivers and streams, though they may dig wide, often complex dens to live. Thankfully, most of the locals seem to assume that these are bear dens and steer clear, if they dare to even trek out that far.

The only exception to this rule is that occasionally Weredogs will bunk with the Werecats in their cemetery if the winter is hard enough. They are often extremely aggressive towards all outsiders but the Werecats, in fact, and only the Verondi's threat of complete eradication keeps them from attacking the town. Still, it is not uncommon for the occasional hiker to mysteriously vanish when they venture too far into the woods...

The Cry's Weredogs stay almost exclusively in their Hybrid forms, save for when they venture into town to steal scraps of this or that. Thankfully for the town folk's sanity, the Verondi's have enforced upon the Weredogs that they may either take their human forms or full feral forms while there. Most elect to take their feral forms. The people of Timbre Ridge can't seem to figure out where their stray dog problem is coming from!

However, when the members of the Cry do venture into town, it is rarely for anything very neighborly. As the humans are beneath them, they try to avoid taking what they need from anything that the humans have built or crafted. However, when they do need something from town, they almost always steal it.

All this unpleasant behavior likely stems from the very animal they were turned into. Traditionally dogs are servants, companions, even pets, but never equals. For a very long time, Weredogs were treated much the same-- at least, so legend goes. They eventually fought back, however, and have never looked back.

The Cry itself is run by The Gelert, who can either be male or female. After the Gelert is his/her second in command, The Abutiu. The rest of the pack decides their dominance issues amongst themselves, but all must swear loyalty to both the Gelert and the Abutiu. A misstep within The Cry might mean death, particularly towards the leaders.

There are also the Docga, or the 'muscle' of the Cry. There are many of these, and their job is to do the majority of the hunting for the Cry. Though each Cry member is expected to pull their own weight, hunting is usually an honor reserved for the strongest, smartest, and swiftest of the Weredogs, who also get the privilege of eating their fill before all the others, even the children. Unlike Wolves, within the Cry there is a strong culture of survival of the fittest, and a Weredog, no matter how young, is expected to earn their take.

However, there is a small mercy in the form of the Saihu. The legend behind the Saihu is that there was once a mother dog who ate poison in order to prevent her pups from eating it. Likewise, the Saihu is in charge of helping pups and new Dogs in learning the ropes. However, she must never speak a lesson aloud, but demonstrate, or, at least, not be caught doing so, as such would be considered a great weakness. New Dogs and pups are expected to learn on their own. The Saihu is often a position forced on the least dominant of all the Dogs, and it is not unknown for them to live very short and unpleasant lives.

The Hunds

Thankfully, not all Weredogs live as the Cry do. The Weredogs that the Cry refers to as, 'The Domestics', refer to themselves as 'The Hunds'. These Dogs do not live as Rouges, for the Cry would effortlessly slaughter them as soon as they knew of them. Instead, 'The Hunds' attach themselves to other Weres, who they refer to as, 'The Bonded'. The Hunds believe that this is a soul deep bond, and that it is one not to be taken lightly. Often until a Hund bonds, they will live within another Were-Group, or on the outskirts of one, most notably their cousins, the Wolves.

When a Hund has bonded, however, their Bonded will experience a sudden increase of power, a gift from the Hund itself, and though the Hund's own power may be suddenly halved, they will usually gain not only protection and care from their Bonded, but companionship in return.

The Bond is, indeed, a very strong one, and often the Bonded and the Hund can communicate between each other telepathically, no matter what the species, and may even pick up on each other's emotions, and sometimes even sights and physical sensations that the other experiences. A Bonding is a

life-long connection, however, and it is rare for either the Bonded or the Hund to survive the death of the other, though not unheard of.

Interestingly enough, the Hunds are the only Weredogs who seem to possess the ability to become, what they refer to as a 'Hund of Annwn'. To become a Hund of Annwn is to gain great psychic abilities, ranging from Foresight, to Telepathy, to Empathy, to even rarer abilities such as Telekinesis, or even a melding of some of these. These rare Weredogs come into their powers only after being Bonded, and often the Bonded receives a weaker version of the same abilities as well. It is a fact that the Cry is quite jealous of.

In fact, the Cry absolutely loathes the Hunds, and considers them abominations. Unprotected Hunds are often hunted down and killed in cold blood, and the Cry even has a special taskforce in charge of doing so. They are known as the Garmr, and they are Weredogs who have been trained to do what they do since the moment of their Change. They are glorified within the Cry, but it is also an unkindly life, as if a Garmr fails in it's dark task, they often take the Hund's place instead.

General Abilities

• Spirit Sight-- Weredogs, like their feral cousins, have alway had a reputation for being closely bonded to the spirit world. And, indeed, they can see ghosts, spirits, and other ethereal beings with little practice. However, Weredogs have a habit of being able to root out a liar, and many older dogs can see through magical disguises and other, 'glamour' like abilities as well. Some of the most experienced and wisest Weredogs can see through a shapeshifted individual's guise as well, seeing their 'true form' as a sort of super imposed image over their current form.
  
  
• Heightened Senses-- Like their Wolf brethren, Weredogs are capable of allowing their human forms to, 'borrow' their animal's senses and even their night vision, with practice.
  
  
• Touch of Mind-- Like many of the Weres that originate with domestic breeds, Weredogs in particular are skilled with the telepathic communication that is a gift to all Weres. Like WereHorses, they are skilled in speaking, not only within their own species, but outside of it as well, feral form or otherwise. A Weredog's ability even reaches one step beyond this, and many older, more experienced Weredogs can read other's emotions emphatically, as if the individual were speaking out loud, though not their actual thoughts.
  

Elder Abilities

• Share Might-- Older, more experienced dogs learn to share their own personal power stores with others, usually those they are closest to. This is most common among the Bonded Were-Dogs, or those the Pariah Dogs call, "The Domestics." Within the Pariah Dog's Cry, it is considered distasteful to share power among those not of The Cry, and is punishable by death.
  
  
• Call Kin-- Particularly empathic and powerful Weredogs can rally their feral cousins to them with a call, seeming to, at the same time, grant them sudden and uncanny intelligence. Feral, unowned dogs are almost always likely to obey. However, there is a chance that owned dogs, particularly those who are well treated and loyal to their masters, will not heed the call or resist it, should the Weredog in question ask something that might harm the dog's master.
  
  
• Sense of Foreboding-- Weredogs have an acute sense of what's going on around them at all times. As such, some Elder dogs have developed almost an uncanny ability for sensing danger. Often a Weredog may enter an area where there is danger or a trap and feel a sudden sense of 'wrongness' there. Even more powerful dogs can pinpoint the very direction and individual that this 'wrongness' is coming from.
  

Open Positions

Docga [Unlimited]
Gelert
Abutiu
Saihu
Garmr [Unlimited]

Cry Members

N/A

Rogues and Domestics

N/A

Laws of the Cry

_{*Leaders may change these Laws at any time, though they must announce abolished or new laws publicly to their group IC, either through an IC PM, or through a meeting thread. Keep in mind that many of these are centuries old laws, though, and that changing them or introducing new ones might be met with resistance.}

• The Domestics and their Masters are to exterminated on sight. Aiding a Domestic or a Domestic's Master will result in immediate execution.
  
  
• New Cry members may not be helped, young Cry members may be helped only by their mothers, if at that. Mothers must not coddle if pups are to be strong. Unsuitable mothers will have their pups taken from them and given to a more suitable individual.
  
  
• Those who stray from the Cry will be killed.
  
  
• Cry members must never accept outside help, aside from those who belong to the Glaring. If you must take something from an outsider, then steal it, and let no others know of your shame. To willingly accept outside help would make you a Domestic, for which you will be hunted down and killed.
  
  
• Cry members must not fight with Glaring members, and must offer them aide whenever they ask. If you break this law, you will be given to The Glaring to do with as they like.
  
  
• When in the presence of Humans, or in town, all Weredogs must remain in their Beast forms, and must act as their Feral cousins do. No humans are to be alerted of the Cry's presence and no Cry member is to attack a Human, or be caught by them, by orders of the Verondi Household. Any who break this rule must report immediately to The Gelert.
  
  
• All Weredogs must swear absolute loyalty to Gelert and the Abutiu. The Gelert and the Abutiu have first rights to kills, sleeping spots, and all other resources. The Docga and the Garmr have second rights, followed by Pups, then all others of the Cry. The Saihu is the last. To overstep your ranking will result in having your ears torn as a warning. Another transgression will result in a week of barring from all resources but water. Beyond that will result in death.
  

One Month Privileges

• Your Were may have two extra abilities beyond the ones listed for elder and general. These may be whatever you wish, within reason. You may do this through creation of a new character, or by upgrading an existing one.
  
  
• Your Were may be stronger and faster than a were belonging to a younger account. You may do this through creation of a new character, or by upgrading an existing one.
  
  
• You may create a non-native Weres. Native Weres that came through from another point in time do not count, and may be made at any time. Non-natives are Weres that are not the same species as the Weres already existing in Timbre Ridge's world. They are often Weres with unique appearances and abilities that the player has come up with his or herself. Note that non natives must have come through the rift at some point and time, or must have been born from a non-native were. We are not, at this point in time, creating new native species.
  

[Krepta]

Species Information

Were-Otters, though they aren't known for violent shifts, are more often than not some of the most common Weres to be lost to their Beast on the first Change. The Were-Otter's first Change is perhaps the most pleasant of them, so much, in fact, that some simply forget they were ever human and swim off, never to be seen again.

Thankfully, Elder Were-Otters are always on the lookout for the newly infected, and since wild river otters are far more immune to the virus than other animals, the infection almost always has to have been done on purpose, or by a Lost Were-Otter. Often, then this happens, the Elder can find both the Lost and the Infected and bring them both over, though the process with the Lost is often a long, hard road, and once they have recovered, they never really entirely come back. Those who were previously lost seem even less human than your typical Were, and are often described as almost Fae-like in personality, complete with slightly skewed morals.

Thankfully, Were-Otters as a whole are usually a friendly, pleasant lot, if perhaps a bit mischievous. However, their 'friendliness' can also sometimes cross the border into breaking social conduct, and they are known to have fairly short attention spans. Along side this, they are still predators, and what they may consider jokes, may often turn slightly frightening for the targeted party. Usually the Were-Otter means well, but a great deal of them have a habit of sneaking up on unsuspecting individuals and dragging them off into open water.

Like the Weredeer, most Otters seem to prefer either their Feral forms or their Human forms over their Hybrid forms, which are rather unwieldy outside of water. A Were-Otter's coloration can also go either way, and neither is more common than the other. A Were-Otter's Beast may share the Human form's coloration, or vise versa.

General Abilities

• Night Vision-- Were-Otters, much like their natural cousins, have uncannily sharp eyesight in poorly lit conditions, both on land and in the water. This pertains to the Were in any form, and can also lead to temporary light-blindness if thrust into to very bright (daylight) conditions unexpectedly.
  
  
• Cold Resistant-- As creatures natural to the water, otters have a natural resistance to cold. This is the same for their Were-Cousins, though "resistance" is the key word here. If a Were-Otter is unwary, they can still easily freeze under the right circumstances.
  
  
  
• The River's Child--- All Otters, no matter what the form, are creatures of the river. Their swimming skills are instinctively impeccable, and they can shoot through the water like they were born to it. A Were otter, no matter what the form, can hold their breath's for quite a long time.

Elder Abilities

• Kindred Spirit-- When in close proximity to other Were-Otters, a Were-Otter's preternatural abilities are augmented slightly, with a cumulative effect based upon how many other Otters are present. The were also tends to experience heightened emotional response, particularly in positive emotions.
  
  
• Healing Waters-- While submerged, a Were-Otter's natural healing is accelerated greatly. While any water will do, running water has a stronger influence on the rate at which the Were will heal. Strong enough Otters can share this ability with other beings as well, as long as they remain in physical contact with the individual while both are submerged.
  
  
• Call the Waters-- Powerful Wereotters don't have to go searching for their river; they can summon it to them. The stronger the Otter's personal power is, the more water he or she can summon and control. It seems to boil up out of the ground itself, and when the Otter is done with it, sinks back into it again. However, summoning water from nowhere is exhausting, and it's much easier to work with already present water sources, such as rivers, lakes, or rain clouds.
  

Romp Information

The Romp is run loosely by it's King, known as the Otr. Though the Romp is slightly patriarchal in terms of who leads, that's about as far as it goes, and no one seems to really pay attention to gender boundaries anyhow. Beyond the Otr, there are also no set positions, as the entirety of the Romp is expected to help take new Weres under their wings, and to each pull equal weight.

The Romp has it's own little 'clubhouse' of sorts, off on one end of the Timbre Ridge's Lake Verondi. It is known to the Romp as, 'The Holt', but it is more of a common gathering spot than an official designation, as is common in many of the other Were-Groups. More often than not the Otters can be found off in the water rather than anywhere on land.

Though the Romp doesn't seem to mind Otters who don't affiliate themselves with the Romp, they do seem to accidentally try badger them into joining, as a well intending friend might try to pressure you into buying yourself a drink.

Open Positions

The Otr- King

Romp Members

N/A

Rogues

N/A

Laws of the Romp

_{*Leaders may change these Laws at any time, though they must announce abolished or new laws publicly to their group IC, either through an IC PM, or through a meeting thread. Keep in mind that many of these are centuries old laws, though, and that changing them or introducing new ones might be met with resistance.}

• Trolololololololol.
  

One Month Privileges

• You may create a member of the Romp other than the allowed types of species, such as an exotic breed of otter.
  
  
• Your Were may have two extra abilities beyond the ones listed for elder and general. These may be whatever you wish, within reason. You may do this through creation of a new character, or by upgrading an existing one.
  
  
• Your Were may be stronger and faster than a were belonging to a younger account. You may do this through creation of a new character, or by upgrading an existing one.
  
  
• You may create a non-native Weres. Native Weres that came through from another point in time do not count, and may be made at any time. Non-natives are Weres that are not the same species as the Weres already existing in Timbre Ridge's world. They are often Weres with unique appearances and abilities that the player has come up with his or herself. Note that non natives must have come through the rift at some point and time, or must have been born from a non-native were. We are not, at this point in time, creating new native species.
  

[Krepta]

Species Information

Though Timbre Ridge often gets a stranger or two through The Rift the majority of the Verondi Household are of this Dimension's vampires. Local vampires will not burst into flames upon meeting a sunbeam, but they do dislike the sun, and are entirely nocturnal. They also have no adverse reactions to holy objects, nor garlic, though enough garlic may offend a vampire's sensitive sense of smell. They have reflections, they don't sparkle, and as far as they know, they have souls as well.

Vampires, do, however, have to feed on blood. Human blood is the most effective, and it takes only one feeding from a human to do the trick, usually. They can feed from animals as well, but more are required, and it's not considered to be as satisfying. Those who feed solely on animals will also look more sickly or pale, and will have a harder time controlling themselves around spilt blood.

Thankfully, not only does a typical feeding not usually kill it's host, but Vampires have several tricks up their sleeves in order to procure said meal. Vampires are superstrong, superfast, and super durable as a whole, and most of their normal senses have been heightened considerably. They have a superfast regeneration rate, and to top it off, can move nearly silently. If you've been targeted by a vampire, you'd best be quick on your feet.

While some vampires enjoy the taste of fear, luckily for the poor residents of Timbre Ridge, most do not, and a good deal are capable of putting others into temporary trancelike states with their voices, their gaze, or a touch until they have finished with their business. Those with stronger wills will be able to resist this ability.

As well as this, another good many, though less, can produce a type of 'venom' though hollows in their fangs. Though not truly a venom, it can produce a numbing effect when it meets the skin, and to that degree, a kind of temporary paralysis as well. However, the appearance of this ability depends on the bloodline, as does the ability mentions before this. They are both some of the more commonly evolved abilities, but each vampire is different, and may have other abilities besides these, or perhaps even none.

The one unique trait that all vampire share, however, is a potent healing agent in their siliva, which, luckily for them, allows them to cover up their activities without ever leaving a trace, as long as they are careful.

Of course, being a vampire isn't always what it's cracked up to be. A poorly fed vampire will become increasingly sluggish until they have fed, and can even enter a sort of hibernation if things get bad enough. Their bodies may become brittle and weak, and worst of all, they're extremely flammable in this state. Candle-lit dinners to woo a doner are not advised. As well as this, upon re-awakening, they may become entirely feral, and may completely drain even the well intending, killing them or creating a new vampire, if the individual has ingested the vampire's blood accidentally.

Beyond this, while they do not need to eat, breathe, or drink anything but blood, they cannot taste things as well either, if they so chose to eat or drink something. Taste is extremely muted, save for through blood. No more crisp, tart apples, or sweet, silky chocolate, unless they are lucky enough that their hapless donor has indulged lately.

They also cannot reproduce through traditional means, and can never have children, aside from those they turn, if you want to call those children. Turning another is a serious responsibility though, and the Verondi's do not look kindly upon it. Only those species closest to humans can be turned, and Weres are immune.

Common Bloodlines

Re Della Rosa: Also known as The Strix in the ancient world, The "King of the Rose" bloodline origin is rather fuzzy. They were said to have been sired from a single source, a very long time ago, either a single man or a man and his twin, known as The Owl and the Hawk. Any more than that, however, has been lost to history, and even those few known details are debated endlessly. One thing is known about this line, however, and that is that they are very prolific. The name itself comes from the prominent presence of roses in the bloodline's crest and seal.
The Strix all share the common ability to take the form of a bird at will. They do not choose the form, rather, it is a sort of almost totem that comes to them the moment of their death. Crows are very common, as are birds of prey. Other birds, such as songbirds or parrots are very uncommon, but not unheard of.
The Strix tend to have all the traditional powers of the vampire, such as a hypnotic gaze or voice, accelerated healing and stronger senses. They also have a small affinity for magic, though few ever master it.
It is said that if you wound a Strix in their bird form, the injury will linger much, much longer than a typical vampire's wound, and may heal human-slow. With this knowledge, it is also probable that a Strix may be killed in it's bird form, or at the very least placed into hibernation.

[Native to Libya, Egypt, Turkey, Romania, Italy, Greece, France and Spain]


Gees Jagter: Also known more commonly as the Adze, the Gees Jagter are a bloodline originating from the majority of Africa, Madagascar and parts of Spain. The Adze are powerfully attractive to wandering spirits, which appear as flickering, orb-like lights near them almost constantly, though an Adze may will them away with some effort. These spirits are often people the Adze knew before they died, which were loyal or close to the vampire.
To those refusing to move on, the Adze and they have an almost symbiotic relationship. The spirits draw ambient power from the Adze as long as they are near, and the Adze, in return, is often protected by the spirits, which gain enough strength to effect much of the physical world.
More powerful Adze may purposely direct energy to their spirits, thusly making them almost solid and capable of doing much more than typical ghosts could do. Some of the oldest Adze may even become spirit-like themselves and leave their bodies to possess others and travel the spirit world. However, if an Adze is harmed while they are out of their bodies, the wound may take months to heal, or may never heal at all, depending on what the vampire was wounded with.
The Elder Adze, however, tend to make excellent healers [or killers], as they possess the ability to travel into the spirit world and heal or harm a person's spiritual self, which often effects both the individual's psyche and physical body. Interestingly enough, the majority of Adze tend to have an severe allergy to silver.

[Native to all of Africa, as well as Spain and Madagascar.]

Voz de Prata: The Voz are native to South America, Central America, and the lower parts of North America. They are a bloodline with a particularly potent Charm, and even the young ones are said to be able to manipulate weak willed individuals with a touch, their voice, or eye contact. The Elder of their bloodline are known to be able to sway entire crowds, and occasionally possess limited telepathy. Luckily, they seem to be very good at policing themselves, and the Charm doesn't seem to work on other vampires.
The Voz also seem to have a strong affinity for snakes, and often keep them as pets in their homes or on their persons. These snakes tend to become almost familiars and may live a very long time and often begin to develop an uncanny intelligence.

[Native to South America, Central America, and the lower half of the United States.]

Chi Shenghuo: Native to China, Mongolia and Thailand, as well as many other nearby places, the Chi Shenghuo, less formally known as the Jiangshi, are one of the more prolific bloodlines. The Jianshi have the unique ability to feed of an individual's energy as well as their blood, allowing the vampire to remain discreet and feed easily and almost whenever they want. The 'donor' may feel weakened and hazy afterwards, but unless particularly sensitive, will not notice anything is wrong and will recover in a matter of hours unless the feeding is extensive.
Likewise, they may 'feed' from other vampires through physical contact, though they receive little energy from it. Instead, the Jiangshi may temporarily absorb some of the vampire's abilities and memories, effectively gaining skills the vampire did not previously have. Unfortunately, these memories and abilities fade within the day, though some particularly powerful vampires have been known to hold onto them for longer.

[Native to China, Japan, Mongolia, Thailand, and parts of India and Russia.]

Nacht Blut: The Nacht Blut, or "Night Bloods", are German vampires capable of feeding not only off of animals or humans, but off other vampires as well. In fact, it's thought that most Nacht Bluts actually prefer the blood of other vampires, occasionally not making them too popular with their fellow kin. Despite mass cullings in the far past, the Nacht Blut have made a strong come back in recent years, driven by the unwavering determination of the ancient survivors. The Nacht Blut is a very pure bloodline, and it's members are often very powerful.
Beyond the ability to feed off other vampires, many Nacht Bluts are capable of summoning thick darkness directly around their persons. In older, strong Nacht Bluts, this ability has evolved into not only being able to bring darkness to fairly large areas, but into giving the shadows they control substance and solidity.
Some Nacht Bluts have been known to develop a kind of empathy, in which they may project intense feelings of fear onto other individuals, though younger Nacht Bluts may receive some empathic backlash from this if the ability is not well controlled.
Unfortunately for the Nacht Bluts, they are entirely nocturnal, and from sunrise to full dark, they enter a state of hibernation very close to true death. Some very old Nacht Bluts, however, have been known to be able to wake around sunset rather than having to wait until it's completely dark.

[Native to Germany, Norway, Poland, Finland, France, Ireland, Romania, and the UK.]

Warren Information

The Vampires of Timbre Ridge are ruled mostly by the Verondi Family, and though they come from far and wide, if they're wise, they quickly come to realize who's boss. The Verondi family runs the local Speakeasy, known as The Dregs, a well kept secret of Timbre Ridge, though not nearly as well kept as the Rift the family guards. The Verondi Family has run of most of the town in general, but a few brave souls reject their leadership, keeping to the shadows and their own devices. Luckily for most, the Verondi family are the good guys, mostly, though their ruling pair is known to have a bit of a heavy hand. While vampires turned by members of the Verondi line may have specific inherited abilities, the vampires that migrate to Timbre Ridge come in all shapes and sizes, alignments and ages. Though there are several names for a group of vampires, the locals tend to use the term, "Warren".

The Verondi Clan is not fond of Rogues, and any straying vampires will quickly find themselves ushered under their power if they don't behave themselves. Even more so, vampires who have a tendency to rock the boat and cause trouble may find themselves painfully punished, or otherwise... taken care of.

Open Positions

The Hanged Man
The Magician
The Empress
The Lovers [Unlimited]
The Hermit
The Tower

Warren Members

Sandra Roberts; The High Priestess
Lucien Lived; The Devil
Connor McCael; The Lovers
Maximus Straccali; The Emperor
Steele Jackson; The Hierophant
Spero: The Fool

Rogues

N/A

Laws of the Warren

_{*Leaders may change these Laws at any time, though they must announce abolished or new laws publicly to their group IC, either through an IC PM, or through a meeting thread. Keep in mind that many of these are centuries old laws, though, and that changing them or introducing new ones might be met with resistance.}

• All new vampires must pay respects and announce themselves to either the Emperor or the Emperor upon arrival, and must Oath themselves to them unless under special circumstances. Refusal will result in punishment or death.
  
  
• Vampires must not kill unless under dire circumstances, in which-case they must not be caught. They must not reveal themselves, the Rift, nor the other Preternaturals of Timbre Ridge to the normal human beings who live there. To kill without dire reason will result in immediate orders of execution. Those who reveal themselves will be punished severely.
  
  
• Vampires who become aware of humans within Timbre Ridge developing Extrasensory Abilities must immediately and discretely bring them directly to either The Emperor or the Empress. Failure to do so will result in immediate and harsh punishment.
  
  
• Should a member of your Warren ask your aide for any reason, you must supply it, or otherwise petition either the Emperor or the Empress as to why you should not.
  
  
• The Emperor's gardens are off limits unless by invitation or special circumstances.
  
  
• The Emperor or Empress is to be alerted of all new arrivals through the Rift. Failure to do so will result in a doubling of regular chores.
  
  
• You may not Turn without the Emperor or Empress's express permission. Any who break this rule will be put to death.
  
  
• Those who dwell upon the Verondi grounds, and those who are members of the Warren must pull their own weight. This involves regular chores, jobs, or anything else that might prove useful to the Warren or running the grounds. If you are unsure of what you are expected to do, any member of the Deck would be happy to assist you in finding a job to do.
  

[Krepta]

Beyond the main groups of Weres: The Herd, The Pack, The Cry, The Glaring, The Romp, and The Darkening, there are many other kinds of Weres. However, it seems that the unique abilities that each Group's species have only develop when the amassed power of enough Weres together acts as a magical catalyst for the Beasts. The other Weres beyond these groups may occasionally group together, but it is very often nothing of significance, and they have no territory to call their own. Many of them either live within the Verondi's power, or at the mercy of the stronger, more organized Weres.

Allowed Species and Populations

Coyotes [Unlimited]
Foxes [Unlimited]
Skunks [2-3]
Bears [Unlimited]
Raccoons [2-3]
Squirrels [2-3]
Ferrets [1-2]
Minks [1-2]
Weasels [2-3]
Mice [3-4]
Rats [4-5]
Prairie Dogs [1-2]
Opossum [1-2]
Muskrats [1-2]
Badgers [1-2]
Rabbits [2-3]

Current Misc. Weres

N/A

Within Timbre Ridge there is also a different kind of Shapeshifter known as The Cursed. These individuals can take on the shape of an animal, like the Weres, but unlike the Weres, they are often not animals native to the state, or even the continent, and in some rare cases are not even creatures of this reality. These individuals have often been cursed into their shapes and cannot return to their Human selves, or otherwise have given up something to gain their powers. It is considered a dark magic either way, and a thing not to be taken lightly.

The darker of these bonds comes from an unholy bond between Human and Animal souls, a state often forced upon the animal. It usually drives both parties quite mad, though it may be hard to notice at first. Those who have bound themselves to an unwilling spirit may appear as a twisted version of this animal, often bipedal. Their features may not meld quite right, and the Mage in question may be a slave to his or her instincts for as long as the animal's soul fights him or her. It may become increasingly difficult for the mage to return to their human forms as well.

Another of the darker aspects of these Shapeshifters are those who were Cursed in a literal sense, like the fabled Swan Princess or Circe's Beast-men. These poor souls cannot always shift between forms at will, or even speak when in their animal forms, and are often bound to an object, an event, or a time of day. Most of these Cursed ones are very long lived, having been cursed in order to make them weaker, to humiliate them, or other wise teach them a lesson. However, though many of these Cursed ones do indeed have sad tales, not all of them have come into their fates undeservingly.

There are others still who may be considered neutral, or even purer parties, who have not gotten their abilities through force or bad luck. Though the art is almost lost, many mages of old were though to have placed a sum of their power into an animal counterpart. The animal, in return, would have the Mage's full protection, as well as a newfound intelligence and longevity, becoming the Mage's familiar. The Mage would gain the ability to take on the form of this animal in some cases, or in others, briefly possess the animal and live life through it's eyes. It also offers the Mage a sort of immortality, as well as nearly limitless power, as long as the familiar is well cared for. The price paid, however, is that the familiar must be near the Mage at all times in order for him or her to work any magic at all.

Lastly, like the animal bound souls that were mention before, there is the sibling to this story. There are some Mages that may bind themselves to an animal's soul, but unlike their dark counterparts, it is a willing bond, a great and powerful sacrifice on both parts. Often one party or both must be dying in order to strike the bond to begin with, and when it is done, they effectively become one soul, two halves to make a whole. The resulting being can take on both human and animal forms, though only the beast's natural form, rather than a hybrid form. They also tend to gain mild, nearly unnoticeable traits from their animal partner, either physical or habit-wise. Beyond this, their own magic seems to increase two-fold from before the incident, likely as a result of the increased spiritual power and a deeper connection to the natural energies around them.

Current Cursed

N/A

Aside from your typical, average human beings that live in the town of Timbre Ridge, there also exist those who have been inadvertently effected and changed by the energies of The Rift. Often these abilities first begin to manifest around puberty, but can happen any time during an individual's lifetime, though they are far more likely to occur in individuals who have a habit of lurking around the Verondi household.

No one is sure what provokes the changes, only that is obvious that it has something to do with The Rift. The individuals may be normal at first, then slowly and surely begin to experience the first signs of their newfound abilities, which only grow in strength over time. If left unchecked and untrained, they may slowly drive the person mad, or worse, they may expose themselves to the already superstitious normal folk of Timbre Ridge, which is never a pleasant experience.

Luckily, the Verondi household is always on a lookout for newly budding Gifteds, and often to the individual's distress, have a habit of swooping down on them before things get out of control. To the population of Timbre Ridge, no doubt the disappearances can be blamed on wild animals and the like, though a great deal of them swear on having seen those missing folks up near the Verondi place...

Occasionally an individual will gain multiple abilities over their lifetime, but rarely does more than one ability appear at a time. [In other words, you get one ability to start out with.]

Accepted Abilities

Telepathy, Empathy, Second Sight, Foresight, Dreamwalking, Telekinesis, Pyrokinesis, Psychometry, Retrocognition, Cryokinesis, Aquakinesis, Terrakinesis, Electrokinesis, Superhuman Regeneration, Enhanced Strength, Enhanced Agility, Enhanced Reflexes, Enhanced Senses, Intangibility, Healing Abilities, Photokinesis, Sonokinesis, Umbrakinesis, Aerokinesis, and Hallucikinesis.

Gifted Humans

N/A

Normal Humans

Joseph (Giuseppe) Carmazzio [Deceased]
Charlotte, Teague, Charlie [Willing to be Turned]

And then, of course, there are plenty of those who aren't mentions here, or who have come through The Rift and possess their own unique and strange abilities. Never the less, they perhaps play the most important part in this strange story. Interestingly enough, the energies of The Rift seem to have strange effects on them as well, on occasion, and those who enter The Rift one way, may emerge from it another.

[ Those who are considered too cartoony or unrealistic to mesh with the current occupants of Timbre Ridge will be changed by The Rift in order to resolve this. Original powers may be lost to them, and they may change shape and species entirely. IE. A My Little Pony character may become a Werepony and gain a normal color of fur. ]

Others

Krepta Draconis
Timothy Rex
λ•Ϡ, Otter Mossheart