So for those not aware, Kaa is eventually going to the the main character in a series of novels I am working on. The concept in question is a modern urban fantasy, examining our world if the myths and magic of our various cultures and dreams were tangible and real.
I’m creating a world where vampires serve in congress, fae created the Tooth Fairy as propaganda and the elves of legend live in a secret world outside our own. Real life demons and angels wage war for the soul of humanity, and magic is taught in school.
Below will be a series of information on this world so that people who wish to rp in this setting with me can reference it. If you have questions about something not here, ask, and I’ll come up with an answer to add here as well.
This post is very much still under construction, but will always be evolving as I write.
Magic
Magic is a powerful force in this setting, and while nearly all human beings are capable of using magic not all of them do. For humans, magic is concrete and operates within the laws of physics. This is because magic is about perception and the majority of humans are fairly limited in their perception. Humans can create zombies, but cannot perform true resurrection. This is because the rules of death are set in stone in our minds. As much as we might wish to see our dead loved ones alive again, we understand death as inevitable. We cannot undo it.
Spellcasting requires great focus, and while many learn simple magic very few can truly consider themselves magicians. Perhaps your mother gardens, and learned a spell from her mother to sing to the flowers so that they grow in unusual colors.
Magic is like automotive work, or computer work. Almost everyone can drive or use a phone. Some people can even take them apart and figure out whats wrong with them. Very few of us can build a computer from scratch. The same is true for magic. Many learn basic magic, or how to do simple spells in High School. Very few people master the arts of magic.
There are dangers in casting spells. If your focus is not adamant or if you are not skilled enough there may be magical backlash. For this reason many people use an arcane focus; any sort of specially enchanted object which takes the backlash for you if your spell were to go wrong.
Beings
Vampires: As diverse as humanity itself, vampires come from every culture and region. While in ancient times they were considered evil monsters, vampires have since used marketing and good publicity to paint themselves as benevolent and kind.
Vampires have their own culture, which has adapted well to the modern world. Vampires tend to have a preference on their food, though they actively deny that they see humans this way. Most are fed through specialized blood banks. Though many vampires still feed from willing hosts, having created a societal fantasy of vampires as romantic and beautiful.
Vampires were the primary ruling class during the height of the Roman Empire, and Kaa had made it his singular mission to put an end to their clans. He lead a revolution against the vampire elders, and in order to survive they agreed to disband their clans and never again hold so much power.
Werewolves: cursed with lycanthropy, werewolves change during the nights of the full moon. They have no control over the beast, and most with the affliction quarantine themselves during this time. There is a great deal of stigma surrounding the condition, and even more false information.
Fae: fae are dangerous and secretive. Nothing is known about their home, as they never allow humans there. Their magic is mutable and transformation is common. It is often said that they know when they aren’t wanted, and that is why they show up.
Fae are small beings, rarely standing taller than a foot in height and frequently smaller. They are humanoid, but have insectoid and flower traits, as well. Relentless tricksters, they often play pranks on humans. It’s said that they use these to judge the character of men and women, and those with a good sense of humor may find a powerful ally in the fair folk.
Elves: the elves live in a mythical Other World named Tir Na Nog, which is only accessible during certain celestial events. The portals to this world exist in modern day Ireland, and the days of these portals are celebrated. They are the Wiccan Sabbats. Elves are magically powerful and skilled, and the mutable nature of their biology means that they practice magic much differently from humans.
In Tir Na Nog they are able to change their forms at will, based on what they need at any given time. Should they need to fly, they have wings. Should they need to swim, they have gills. It is unknown to humans if they change to their humanoid form intentionally to make their mortal cousins feel comfortable or if the human form is their natural state in our world.
Pop Culture
Shows like Ghost Hunters are much more interesting, because sometimes there are real ghosts. Though taunting them rarely ends well. Ghosts don’t like being mocked.
so what ur telling me, is that steven grant rogers, can remember in perfect detail, the look on james buchanan barnes’ face when he fell screaming from that train, and also the look on james buchanan barnes’ face 70 years later when they met on that highway and didn’t even know his own name or who steve was?
He also remembers: every gruesome detail of WW2. What it felt like to be frozen alive. The faces of all the men he served with. Watching the life slip out of Abraham Erskine as he held him. Remembers, with HD clarity, the blinding lights and loud noises of waking up in the future, lost and alone. Remembers every person he lost, what their laughter sounded like, how their eyes lit up when they smiled.
…you know, in case anyone wanted to cry this morning.
Some fun facts I found on Pinterest forever ago I tried to find exactly where it came from but it took forever and I lost track hahaha anyways here you go.
I absolutely love this appeared on my dash. Steve is one of the most respected people in the Marvel universe and I need everyone to understand how far that goes.
Steve’s own enemies respect him.
Steve Rogers is one of the only non-mutants that Magento respects and listens to. Magneto once gained a helmet that could eradicate any anti-mutant feelings someone had. He used it on Steve, who said he still felt the same as before, proving he never had any hatred towards mutants. Magento was so shocked and shamed by this discovery he threw the helmet to the ground, surrendered himself to the Avengers and declared humans and mutants should find a way to peacefully co-exist.
Georges Batroc (a thieving mercenary with morals), an iconic Captain America nemesis, has saved Steve’s life multiple times, refused to let him be tortured, and switched sides for him multiple times because he trusts in Steve’s judgement and respects him too much to let him die or be tortured (Batroc has also expressed romantic feelings towards Steve but that’s a story for another time).
Dr. Victor von Doom (aka Doctor Doom) has granted Steve access to Latveria (Doom’s country) and allowed him to use anything he needed (the world was at stake and Doom isn’t stupid). Steve has also reached out to him when Doom seemed hurt, even when everyone else told him not to.
In a more recent comic issue, Steve even opened up to Doom about his “shell-shock”, then mournfully added Doom must see that as a weakness. However, Doom answered, “I have more respect for you than you imagine, Captain.”
Then there is Namor, the Sub-Mariner. He’s half Atlantean, half human, and he has a complicated relationship with humans since they threaten his home world, the ocean, and he’s declared war and whatnot a couple times (it didn’t really go anywhere). However, he has a steady respect and friendship with Steve. He’s rescued him multiple times, worked with him, and once suggested they’d have a threesome.
Even the Red Skull himself has a kind of twisted respect for Steve Rogers. He was buried alive by Magneto and started to hallucinate people from his past telling him to die. Steve appeared last, but told Red Skull he should live and be brought to justice instead of dying, and Red Skull cursed him for “being more good than I am evil”
And there’s more. Friends and enemies alike, nearly everyone has a deep-rooted respect for Steve in one way or another. He inspires that in people, he brings out the best in them no matter where they’re from.
Especially with “lower level” villains such as Batroc, Diamondback and Rhino, he’s had really positive impacts simply by being truthful, respectful and giving them a chance.
It was a lovely dinner and the steak was delicious. He’s got himself a man who knows how to cook good and while Jay knows how to cook just fine himself, Kaa’s much better at it than he is which is why he’s fine with Kaa cooking all the time.
Although, he’d offered to help and the guy insisted he just sit down and relax. Something much needed after working the job he works.
One minute they’re making out, getting hot and heavy, and the next minute everything changes - it’s concerning, the way he pulls away and says they need to talk. Says he thinks he loves him and that’s why it makes this difficult.
The gun shot rings out and his reaction is an immediate gasp, “No!” His heart is beating a mile a minute, thudding against his chest fast as he scrambles from the couch to kneel down beside his lover’s body but…..he’s healing. He’s watching him heal before his very eyes and Jay wonders if this is some kind of dream.
“Kaa…?” Eyes are wide and he brings his hand up to check his boyfriend’s pulse. There’s a steady thrum underneath two finger tips and Jay takes in a gasping breath as his hands come up to cup Kaa’s cheeks. “How…?” The how question can be answered later, he needs to hear Kaa’s voice, see his eyes open, and ignore the tears in his own eyes. “C’mon, baby, wake up.”
Kaa’s relationship with death was a complicated one. He’d come close many times, been shot, stabbed and blown to pieces. Oblivion never lasted long. He always returned, the more severe the damage the quicker he healed. His eyes were blank, but only a moment. They rolled in his skull, locking onto Jay. He hated this. The fear and pain he knew this caused, but it was also the quickest way to make it clear. To reveal what he was.
His brain grew back in seconds, skull knitting closed as his hair covered the wound. Kaa covered his eyes, the agony of blowing out his own brains was never fun. He deserved this pain, the migraine going off behind his eyes. He sits up, dragging Jay into a hug. “It’s okay, I’m okay.”
There’s blood and gore on the side of his head, messed in his hair. But that doesn’t matter. Ears ringing and eyes watering from the migraine, he smiles despite himself. “I’m so sorry, baby. This was the quickest way.” There was going to need to be a long conversation after this.
Kaa and Jay had been together for some time, now. Kaa could really see himself being with Jay in the long term, but there were things that needed to be done. I they were going to be together, there would need to be no secrets between them. That’s why he’d invited Jay over.
They’d had some beer; Kaa had made steak. Now it was sitting on the couch, kissing, hands unable to resist one another. When he felt his zipper being pulled down, Kaa remembered what he was here for. Laughing, he pulled Jay’s hand away as he stood. “Wait, wait. We need to talk. I have something important to tell you.”
Clearing his throat, Kaa stood, walking over to the book case. Facing away from Jay, his body blocking the view, he quietly pulled a hand gun from a case. “I want you to know, you mean a lot to me. I think I love you. Which makes this more difficult, but I have to.”
It took seconds, turning to face Jay as he brought the hand cannon to his temple. A peaceful smile and no hesitation as he pulled the trigger. His body dropped instantly, the high caliber of the pistol blowing a hole through the other side of his head, spraying red across the room. Dead. Yet even now, he was healing. Such a gruesome wound would take barely twenty seconds to recover from.
“Am I?” Lilith asked distractedly as she gently moved flicked her hand so some of the items around Adam floated a little, dancing in the air for his delighted distraction. She then forced herself to turn her gaze away from her son and back to Kaa, “I never expected it to suit me,” She admitted. “In truth, I never really wanted it in the first place but….” She shrugged a little, knowing she could be honest with Kaa. That he was, in fact, the one person in the entire universe that she never had to really hide anything from. “The moment I held him…I knew I’d do anything for him”
She smirked a little at Kaa’s other comment, “Yes, well, I imagine he’d be too busy condemning me again to ever be jealous” She pointed out drily, though it couldn’t be denied there was still bitterness there; the memory of it at least. “But I can’t take credit for the soul;” Lilith added, “It was gifted to me. By an loa. All I had to do was….simply make the vessel to return him to” Which, admittedly, wasn’t exactly a small feat…but finding a soul among millions would have been almost impossible if not for Marie.
“He bites,” Lilith added in warning when she saw Adam reaching for Kaa’s fingers, “Hard”
So much of Kaa’s life had been hidden away, kept from the eyes and fragile minds of mortal lovers and families. Even if a human lover was able to accept his nature, they could not handle it. Not all of it. In all his time, Lilith was the first and only to know him. Truly know all of who he was. Warrior, leader and healer. The man who cannot die, for whom the law of death does not apply. He need not hide from her, nor her from he.
“Gifted a soul by a loa? Now that is an interesting story.“ Gods were tempestuous on the best of days, and loa... they were mercurial in a way few beings could hope to match. He hoped she hadn’t paid a steep price for the aid. Most came to regret it if they had.
“He can’t do any lasting harm,“ Kaa remarked as he wiggled his fingers in Adam’s tiny grip. Though he certainly did make sure not to let any digits get too close. He wasn’t fond of the idea of having to grow back any fingers. “Before I visited Europe, in the old days, I spent time in Africa and had a three week affair with a were hyena.“ He’d lost more than fingers in that time. Never again.
❝ Okay… And do you feel like elaborating on that so that I have an idea what you’re talking about? ❞
“A planetary alignment is approaching, and when it does, magic will surge. Elementals will become unrestrained and massive. Every spell cast by mortal hands will go wild. The veil will become insubstantial, and the dead and living will wander into one another’s realms. I have lived through this three times. It is not pleasant.“
The First Man @thefirstmortal - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
