This chapter will explain terms that should be known—you can still skip this auxiliary chapter if you'd like. It is not the first chapter.
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Key Terms:
Carcinoma Strain - The universal system governing the flow and manipulation of supernatural energy, "Vitriol" and "Ruin" in all beings and abominations.
Vitriol - The raw, corrosive energy used by intelligent supernatural beings to fuel their abilities.
Ruin - The chaotic, destructive energy that drives abominations and their mutations.
Veschar - A rare vampire type that evolves through adaptation and absorption, operating outside the Night Court hierarchy.
Vein-Bound - A vampire who has achieved mastery over their own blood manipulation.
Sun-Scourged - A vampire who has suffered severe damage from exposure to sunlight.
The Night Court - The ruling vampire hierarchy within Washington D.C.
Innate Perception - A rare, inherent ability in certain beings to perceive the true form of creatures and abominations, bypassing illusions and disguises that conceal their actual appearance. This capability can sometimes lead to the development of supernatural or monstrous traits in the individual, the specific nature of which is influenced by the individual's personality and experiences. Additionally, beings with this perception are more likely to attract the attention of abominations, particularly those who feed on strong emotions like vitriol.
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Ranks - All beings and abominations progress through the following ranks:
Spawn
Feral
Strain
Apex
Brood
Colossus
Chimera
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Paths - Intelligent beings can specialize in one of these four paths.
Somatic - Physical augmentation and combat mastery.
Noetic - Mental and psychic abilities, including telepathy and mind control.
Chthonic - Manipulation of the environment and dark energies.
Anima - Control over life force, including healing and decay.
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Vitriol/Ruin Display - Below are examples of Vitriol and Ruin.
Intelligent beings - [Vitriol: 0000/0000]
[Path: Tier] (e.g., [Vitriol: 1250/3000]
[Somatic: II])
Abominations - {Ruin: 0000/0000} (e.g., {Ruin: 500/1500})
Acquiring Vitriol/Ruin - Beings and abominations acquire "Vitriol" or "Ruin" by consuming, killing, or siphoning energy from other beings.
The rank of the consumed being determines the rank and potency of the acquired energy.
Abomination Ruin Ranks - They follow the same rank names as the abominations themselves.
The "Ruin" gained from abominations will be incredibly chaotic, and dangerous, even to other abominations. When I said "these follow the same rank names as the abominations themselves," I meant that the quality or potency of the "Ruin" a being acquires is directly tied to the rank of the abomination it came from by the way.
Spawn Ruin - Acquired from a Spawn abomination.
Feral Ruin - Acquired from a Feral abomination.
Strain Ruin - Acquired from a Strain abomination.
Apex Ruin - Acquired from an Apex abomination.
Brood Ruin - Acquired from a Brood abomination.
Colossus Ruin - Acquired from a Colossus abomination.
Chimera Ruin - Acquired from a Chimera abomination.