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Pricolici


The Pricolici, or werewolf, are a complex order of beings. Legend states that the Pricolici were given their powers by the Almighty Great Spirit, or God, so that they would cease to wipe out the wolf population and grow closer to the world of nature. It is said that the to first chief to be given the gift of the Duhul lui Lup was Doru. Doru spoke of a vision in which the Great Spirit appeared before him in the form of the great White Wolf. The Great Spirit spoke in a voice of the ages, saying, 'You would destroy my creation, whom I bestowed upon this earth to be your brother and your partner, whom I bestowed upon this earth to be your companion for your many travels and adventures. You would destroy that which you should embrace: the wolf. Too many of mine have been wiped out due to your spear and scythe. And you must know the consequences of your actions. Upon you, Doru, I bestow the Duhul lui Lup so that you will know the ferocity of the brother wolf, but also the compassion and need to protect loved ones. Upon the night of the first full moon, you shall take on the form of your brother and will know his life and his worries. This gift, which is also a curse, shall be passed down through your lines and that of your tribe.' When the next full moon, Doru's tribe members took on the form of the great wolf and thus the Great Spirit's curse was sealed. Generations and generations passed and the wolf spirit remained within those of Doru's tribe's descent.

There are two types of Pricolici in the world. There are the purebloods, who are the direct descendants of Doru's line, and the half-bloods, or those bestowed with the Duhul lui Lup through an ancient ritual. Half-bloods are also children of those with one parent who has the Duhul lui Lup and one who does not.

Pricolici value strength above all else, as they believe it is strength which leads you to victory over your enemies. Their ways are deeply set in the past and still follow the traditional tribal ways, although they do not belong to any one tribe. It is said that Doru's tribe split into two and those who left ventured to America, thus bringing the Duhul lui Lup to the Western hemisphere. Children are revered to the Pricolici and are placed above the family or, if the Pricocili is part of a pack, the pack and protected to the best of the family of pack's ability. The sign of the Duhul lui Lup appears at the age of seventeen when, upon the child's birthday and birthing hour, the child is gifted with their symbol contained with a full moon, which appears near anywhere on the child's body. Upon the next full moon they make the transformation and are integrated into the Duhul lui Lup society.

The political structure is rather complex, each Pricolici ruling themselves to a certain degree. A Council sits as head of the Pricolici society and their job is to govern those of the Duhul lui Lup and make sure that the age-old secret is not voiced to the world. They are also responsible for keeping track of the number of Pricolici within the world and decide who shall be gifted with the Duhul lui Lup and who shall be denied. Beneath the Council are the  chieftains of their respective group or pack. They are in charge of keeping order within their family and making sure every member is safe and keeps the secret safe.

There is an age-old legend stating that if a male takes his beloved into the forests at night and reveals his wolf form to her, that if she is his destined, she will understand the language of the Wolf and will gain her own symbol, similar to that of her mate.



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Strigoi


The Strigoi are truly evil beings who care little about others, only concerning themselves with their own well-being. Legend states that the first Strigoi, Costin made a deal with the king of all evil: Satan. The true nature of Costin's deal was lost into history, but many claim that Costin asked for wealth, others say immortality. As a result of his deal, Costin was twisted into an evil creature with teeth to large for his mouth and a hungering thirst for human essence. The Devil also filled Costin's fangs with a venom he could release at will which would corrupt any soul he chose, turning him into a being such as Costin as well. Upon learning of this deal, it is said that the Great Spirit, or God, placed a curse upon Costin and those he had turned, damning their immortal souls for all eternity. God tore the divine immortal soul from Costin's body, damning the Strigoi to a life of shadows.

"You have made a deal with Satan," God told Costin, "and so you must pay for it. You and your children will never know the beauty of Heaven or Purgatory. You are cursed to wander the shadows, the holy light of my sun burning your flesh and mind should you walk through its rays. You will know constant hunger for release, and you shall never cease to exist. You will survive off the theft of blood, the very essence of my creation's soul. But you will not find blood so easily found. My creations will learn of your secrets and hunt you down without fail, staking you in the light of my sun. This is your curse, your punishment, for consorting with Lucifer. May he have mercy on you, for I will not.'" God's words sealed Costin's fate and he was condemned to the shadows, where he hid from mortal beings until the need to feed became too strong and he would venture into the night. After Satan learned of Costin's curse, he approached the Strigoi.

"He has cursed you," the Devil said, "but I bless you. Your footsteps will be so silent as to be inaudible to the mortal's ears. Your senses will be far superior to that of your victims. You will move with blinding speed and will be able to lift things a thousand times your size. You will be able to take the form of the raven to meld into the night, your wings as silent as the skies."

Much like mortal legends, Strigoi feed on the blood of the living. However, as blood is the essence of the human body, Strigoi need blood to maintain their immortality, as they draw part of the human soul from their victim's blood into their own body. Strigoi are able to transform into the shape of a raven in order to meld with their surroundings.

Strigoi are created when their sire bites them, injecting venom into their bloodstream via his fangs. The venom ravages the human body, heightening the senses and strength and agility and speed. Once the venom reaches the heart, it reaches the human's soul and corrupts it fully, damning the new Strigoi to a life of shadows for the rest of eternity. It is an extremely painful process and all emotions save lust and greed are nearly destroyed by it.

The Strigoi are solitary beings but are ruled under a single Council, headed by Costin himself. Costin decides the fate of Strigoi who break the ultimate law, or reveal themselves to mortals. The Strigoi's ultimate law is: Do not embrace holy beings or fall in love. Should this happen, certain death is the sentence.

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Cibarium



The Cibarium are a complex race, much like the others, perhaps best compared to succubus in mortal lore. Legend foretells that the Cibarium were originally a branch of Aztec priests who worshiped the god Quetzalcoatl above all else. When the Aztecs fell before Hernan Cortes, the priests of Quetzalcoatl made a deal with the Aztec god. They would forever worship him and do his bidding, and as a reward would live forever. The Cibarium then were formed beneath Quetzalcoatl's magic into the beings they are today. They are often described as specters, feeding from the life energy of their victims, and it those victims that they offer as sacrifices to their god. Cortes' men began to drop like flies, their life essence seemingly sucked away. The soldiers blamed it on a curse bestowed upon them with the dying breath of Montcezuma and upon Cortes' return to Spain, over one hundred of his men were dead from seemingly mysterious ailments that struck from no where. Hiding in the realm of the spirits were the Cibarium, who exacted their just revenge slowly and agonizingly.

The Cibarium survive by haunting mortals, cloaking themselves through magical barriers and feeding from the mortal's life force, eventually driving the mortal to the brink of insanity - or death. In either , the mortal is offered as a sacrifice to Quetzalcoatl in an agreement to spare the Aztec priests from Cortes' wrath. Cibarium are created in a very complex way. Those who wish to become 'feeders' must offer themselves as sacrifices to Quetzalcoatl and have their still-beating heart removed from their body by a current Cibarium. Quetzalcoatl then decides if the person sacrificed is suited to become a feeder. If he he chooses yes, then the person is risen from the dead on the next sunrise as a feeder. If he chooses no, then he escorts the person's spirit into the afterlife and onto the path of rebirth.

The Cibarium's political system is a mirror image of ancient Aztec politics. There is the chieftain, or emperor, who is in charge of all the Cibarium. His priesthood, which are a select group of five Cibarium, advise and guide him and all other Cibarium are citizens intent on only pleasing the chieftain and Quetzalcoatl. It is said that should Quetzalcoatl become displeased by his creations, the entire Cibarium race will be obliterated from existence.



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Schimba


The Schimba are a proud race capable of changing their outward appearance to look like another person, animal, or creature. They are the 'shape-shifters' or the preternatural world and see themselves as superior to all other races, including the Pricolici. Legend says that the Schimba were created much like the Pricolici were, although they originated in Eastern North America. It is said that a Cherokee leader known as Unole came across a dying stag within the forests. The stag was pure white and Unole noted no visible wounds upon the stag's body. Sadness overwhelmed him at the suffering of such a beautiful creature and he hefted his spear, piercing the heart of the great animal to put it out of its misery. Upon the death of the white stag, there was an explosion of natural energy, and Unole found himself in the realm of the dead. The powerful white stag approached Unole in the spirit realm and spoke in a voice of the ages. 

"You have shown compassion to me as I lay dying before you. You could have let me suffer and die eventually, as I fear most humans would have, but you chose to end my suffering in a humane way."

Unole responded, "I would not have let a creature as beautiful as you suffer; it goes against all I hold dear."

The stag's response shocked even Unole, who had seen much in his time of leading his tribe. "You have shown compassion to me... and in doing so, you have shown compassion to the Natural world. I am the Spirit of Nature, of the Wild." Unole's response was saddened.

"Then the death of you means the death of the natural world, great spirit.'"

"It would seem this way," the Spirit of Nature said, "but not all hope is lost. I will be reborn into the world within the decade and nature will once again thrive. But you... for your compassion, I will reward you. Forever more you will carry the Spirit of the Wild within you. You will take on the form of any animal or creature at will, and will be able to mimic your tribesmen at will also. But there is a price to pay for such a power. As the Spirit of Wild lives within you, Unole, chieftain of the Cherokee tribe, you, too, will be tasked with guarding the Natural World." To Unole's surprise, the stag stepped forward and touched his forehead to Unole's. The second the stag's head touched the head of the human, thee was once more an explosion of green energy and Unole found himself in the forests of his homelands again. The body of the white stag once gone, taken into the embrace of Mother Earth once more.

The Schimba operate much like the tribes of old did. They have a chieftain, a medicine man or women, and a storyteller. Beneath these higher positions are the normal tribesmen, which includes the warriors and women. However, although they hold formal positions within the tribe, the Schimba function as any normal person would. The lead normal lives and do not live the life of a tribesmen daily. They are reverent of the children within the tribe, and will go to any length to ensure a child's safety and happiness. Although there are no signs that show whether or not the Spirit of the Wild has passed onto the child, a child will make their first transformation when the reach puberty. Even if a child is not blessed with the Spirit, he or she will still be revered and protected as if he or she were a Schimba.

The political system of the Schimba mirrors the Iroquis Confederation of the early North American years. All Schimba tribes a part of the Confederation, but each tribe functions separately and makes their own decisions. The Schimba Confederation has a council of tribe leaders that decide on military or political decisions when dealing with the other races of the Raven world. Women can become tribe leaders and can sit on the Council.

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Nephilim


Much like the other races, the Nephilim have taken on an aura of power - and pride. Truly beings of old, this unique mix of demonic blood with angelic blood has produced the Nephilim. Nephilim are created by the 'mating' of a demon with an angel. Such a union is rare, and shunned by Heaven, but it happens none the less. As of the last known counting of the Nephilim in the world, the population stands at less than 300.

Stories of old passed down through the ages state that the Nephilim were created when Sat.an came to an angel in the form of a beautiful male. The angel fell head-over-heels for him, and the two engaged in a mating ceremony. Of this ceremony, the first Nephilim was born. Sat.an's wish produced, he withdrew his guise to reveal his true form to the angel who had born the first mix of demon and angel. Horrified at the twisted being she'd created, the angel fled to Heaven once more to beg for God's forgiveness. The Nephilim was a twisted being, with malformed limbs and jaws, but was second only to Sat.an and God in its power.

As time bore on the Nephilim gradually took on the form of a human instead of the twisted beings of old. Their powers are envied by many of the races, as the Nephilim have the distinct ability to control human minds, alter the human perception of them (ie, how they are viewed to the outside world) and fly. The Nephilim have no formal government of any kind, or any kind of ruling body, although they have an unofficial leader in Kayrin.



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Arătare


The Arătare are those who reside in the realm of the Witch-King, often called Wraiths or ghosts. They are the souls of the dead, most often those who died a violent or untimely death, filled with anger and hate and grief. The Witch-King controls them utterly, though he is not cruel or violent; he is Death itself, and takes good care of his servants and those who reside in his realm. Arătare often appear as humanoid forms wreathed in a pale, shadowy mist, eyes the color of fire gleaming through the misty armor. They are perhaps the most feared of all Raven-Kind, since they cannot be harmed by conventional weapons. There is a particular way to guard oneself against the onslaught of a Wraith's hate and power, though the ritual is as old as time itself and has been lost into the tomes of old; few now know it. The Arătare are, however, not cruel, simply filled with anger and hate over their unjust or untimely death.