Disclaimer: This Universe is loosely based off the ‘Night World’ series of books written by LJ Smith.

Overview

The ‘Night World’ is a term for the second society on earth made up of the ‘creatures of the night’. While during the day they blend in with everyday humans, once the sun goes down their world comes to life. It’s an intricate collection of vampires, witches, demons, and shapeshifters. In order to watch over the humans, there is also a special group known as the Hunters Society, which act as enforcers to ensure the rules of the night world aren’t broken.

There is a very strict hierarchy within the Night World, and generally these families are led by the strongest purebloods (called ‘Old World’ bloodlines) of their species. For hundreds of years the same families held onto power, but a shift in the cosmos and weakening bloodlines has led to new conflicts, and questioning of their long standing rules. Will the world of the night fade away and only the humans remain, or will a new age where the blurred lines of day and night emerge?

Night World Rules

• You may not kill humans unless it is in self-defense. Killing humans for amusement, experimentation, or ‘food’ is strictly prohibited.
• You cannot expose humans to the night world. If you do, not only will the offender be punished, but the human risks having their memory wiped, imprisonment, or death.
• For most species, you cannot mate with, marry, or fall in love with a human.

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Species

Vampires: there are three types of vampires; purebloods, lesser vampires, and made vampires. A pureblood is a vampire born from two pure-blooded vampires. Lesser vampires are those who are born a vampire, but have a mixed bloodline that includes a witch. These vampires tend to have stronger elemental abilities. Finally, made vampires are those who were human, but were turned by a pure-blooded vampire. Made vampires are sired to their maker, and cannot disobey their orders or betray them.

Witches: Witches are from an ancient bloodline, and were said to have created the first vampire. Even so, they are seen as equal in power to the vampires. Each witch has a specific element they specialize in; Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. Very few witches can control more than one element, so those who do are generally in powerful positions.

Shapeshifters: Also known as ‘shifters’. They are a special bloodline that can transform into animals. Since they are a lesser species of the night world, they tend to work for either witches or vampires.

Demons: Demons are viewed as a lesser species, as very few are powerful. Generally demons keep to themselves, but love to cause trouble for humans by making illegal deals or feeding from their lifeforce (Incubus/Succubus).

Hybrids: Unsanctioned mating between two different nightworld species are called hybrids. They are viewed as a abominations, as they have mixed, unstable bloodlines. Long ago these children were killed once identified, but eventually they were transformed into tools for the Night World. They were trained as soldiers, and once they become of age, they were often sold off as soldiers and security for the most powerful families. However, the strongest of those hybrids were selected to become members of an elite force known as the hunters.

Hunters: Hunters are the strongest of the hybrids, and often seen as the trained assassins of the Night World. They work for the Hunters Society as enforcers of the rules, and investigators. They are led by a council of pureblood Witches and Vampires, who are the ‘judge and jury’ that determine who has broken the rules and need to be punished. They are nothing more than the living weapons of the Night World, and often viewed as dispensable.

Lycanthropes/Lycans: Lycans are genetically engineered foot soldiers, created from the mixed bloodline of a lesser vampire and a shape shifting wolf. These creatures have an ugly, wolf-like form that attacks with sharp talons and poison fangs. Lycans have very little intelligence, and are generally berserkers set free to instill fear or slaughter a group.

When the lycans became uncontrollable by their creators, the Hunters Council stepped in and ordered their extinction back at the end of World War 2. The research was destroyed, and their creation was banned. However, some rebellious factions of the Night World are rumoured to have continued the experiments. While these creatures are considered nothing more than tools, they pose a serious to threat to the night world and humans. The poison that circulates through their bodies could kill a lesser vampire if left untreated, so they are not to be taken lightly.

Interspecies/Mixed Bloodlines

It’s important to note a few items about the Night world:

• Vampires and witches can mate if sanctioned, and during that process they can birth either a witch or a lesser vampire. This doesn’t happen regularly, but generally speaking when it does, it’s to unite a set of families in power.
• Vampires are unable to mate with humans, but Witches can. The issue however with a witch and human mating means that their child will not be able to have the strength of a pureblood witch, so their powers are often unstable or weaker.
• Lesser species, such as shifters and demons can only mate within their own species. It is rumoured that this restriction was put in place to ensure the purity of the more powerful species of vampires and witches.
• Hybrids are not permitted to mate, as they are already un-sanctioned offspring. It is unknown what the union of a hybrid and another Hybrid or pureblood would lead to.

Hunters Council

The Hunters Council is made up of 8 purebloods from the old world bloodlines. There are 4 Witches and 4 Vampires. They are deemed the Judge and Jury for all altercations that take place within the Night World. They are the only group who may sanction investigations, and they hold trials and issue punishment for those who have broken the laws of the night world. Their identities are unknown, not even the hunters have seen their faces, which makes this council both powerful, and mysterious.

Power within the council is passed down, with the current leader selecting who will replace them. In the beginning it was understood that the council was to be impartial and fair, but as time has passed, some considered breaking that understood rule, using their position to further their own agenda.

Old World Bloodlines

Those who are are born from the original bloodlines are called ‘old world’, and are the most powerful families within the Night World. There are two main lines; Linwood and Leroux.

The Linwood family is said to have descended from the first witch, Diana. This witch brought forth the creation of the night world creatures. First came the vampires, then shifters, and demons. It was said that Diana was the one who set not only the rules for the Night World, but decided upon the hierarchy and power amongst the families.

The first vampire was said to have been named Daemon, and Diana created him a mate named Cassandra. These two vampires formed the bloodline of Leroux (French surname meaning ‘Red’), which is still a powerful force today.

The ‘Soulmate’ Principle

It is rumoured that the old world bloodlines are weakening because they marry and mate to extend their bloodlines, and sometimes for power alone. It is hypothesized that those born from loveless mating are inflicted with a ‘curse’. Witches become unable to connect with elemental magic, their bond with the earth is weakening. The vampires find themselves falling prey to bloodlust; an insatiable thirst for blood that can drive them into madness. In order to break their curse and to avoid extinction, those of the night world must learn of love and develop bonds with others.

A strong, unknown force called the ‘Soulmate’ principle links two people together. Their fates are intertwined, and they find themselves in a gravitational pull to one another. It is said that soulmates feel an electric spark when they touch, a warmth that they have never experienced before. The soulmate principal ignores class and species, encouraging taboos to be broken. The two entities who fall under this principle have a choice; either to acknowledge that pull and form a deep bond with each other — or be stubborn to the old ways and take the path that will lead to the demise of their species.

The Story

For the past hundred years the bloodlines of the pure-blooded witches and vampires seem to be weakening. Witches are experiencing an inability to connect with their elemental magic, while some pure-blooded and lesser vampires have begun experiencing symptoms of uncontrollable bloodlust. The source of these growing issues is unknown, and if it gets out to the general population it’s sure to shift the balance of power. Soon the old world families will find themselves the targets of a rebellion.

Besides the issues with old world bloodlines, rumours of ‘beast attacks’ on humans have begun to spread. This is fueling speculation that Lycans, a creature thought to be extinct, have been genetically created once more. The question of who is overseeing the experiments remains unanswered, as well as how they got their hands on the research that was thought to have been destroyed.

This hidden world of the night is on the brink of an eruption of Chaos. This story will follow those who seek to incite change, those who seek a world of balance, and those who wish for nothing more than power.