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In China there stand two ancient temples, each
dedicated to a creature older than Man. Before Man came to power on Earth, these
creatures warred. One, known to us as Firedrake, raised mountains of flame that
spewed rivers of fire and rained death upon all within their reach. The other,
called the Shadowbeast, summoned towering cliffs of ice that walked across the
land, crushing all in their path. The Earth groaned and writhed beneath this
onslaught, the land buckled and shifted, continents shattered, islands sank
beneath tidal waters. Ever circling one another, the blue and green gem both
coveted ever between them, they came to understand that the jewel would be
destroyed and neither would be victorious. They withdrew, leaving visible but
one giant eye, Firedrake to watch the day and the Shadowbeast to watch the
night. When Man came upon the land, they chose human
champions, each decade a hundred are born. The Children of Flame and Light are
marked with a crimson dragon appearing as a birthmark on their chest. The
Children of Ice and Shadow bear the sign of the violet dragon as a birthmark on
their chest. Priests of both cults are drawn to the children when they are born.
Those marked by their own god they steal and raise to the age of twelve in their
temples, teaching them the way of their god and setting them on a strict
physical regimen. The Priests of Firedrake teach Chaos and Entropy, the Priests
of the Shadowbeast teach Order and Stasis. When they have reached the age of
twelve, each child is assigned to a warrior-priest of their cult, to complete
the combat training for the anticipated war at the Coming of the Gods. These
warrior-priests are scattered throughout the Earth. Many begin cults in cities
where they live, drawing worshippers to serve their ancient gods. If the priests
locate a baby born with the opposing cult's brand, they kill it. On July 14, 1965, an experiment was begun by the
Shadowbeast cult. A Shadow Warrior found a Son of Firedrake in an Australian
hospital. Rather than smother the infant, the priest took him to the Temple of
Ice to be raised as a Son of the Shadowbeast. He was taught to overcome his fire
traits of tempest, passion, high temper. He was taught the principles of stasis,
law, control, and order. He was apprenticed to a Shadow Warrior-Priest of the
first rank. At the age of twenty he was initiated as a full Shadow Priest. He
wears the blue, grey and black uniform of a Shadow Warrior-Priest over the mark
of Firedrake on his chest. Despite his natural impulsiveness, he follows the
principles of order and discipline. Because of his mixed heritage, he received
neither the Shadow Warrior's control of darkness and ice while in the presence
of the moon, nor the Flame Warrior's command of fire and light while watched by
the sun. He is regarded by many other Shadow Warrior-Priests as a bastard son,
and by those Fire Priests who know of him as a traitor. Driven to prove himself
the match for both, he is especially diligent in seeking out and combating
worshippers of Firedrake. He is often challenged by rival Shadow Warriors
seeking to improve their position in the cult by defeating him in combat. Most Shadow Warriors occupy positions such as
policemen, judges, soldiers and organized crime. They are cold, unrelenting, and
completely dedicated to their work. Fire Warriors work in such fields as
entertainment, the arts, politics, and spontaneous crime. They are passionate,
charismatic, unpredictable, and prone to violence. Marc Seaborne recently
completed his medical degree and internship at Mercy General Hospital. His free
time is spent volunteering at local free clinics. He is financially supported by
the cult through his *uncle", Judge Harvey Benton, his trainer and
immediate superior. Vampire Hunter
In the darkness among the rooftops I watch.
Icons
of that new pagan faith at my side.
Bow
strung with arrow of ash I wait.
She
and her pack hunt the streets below.
Unaware
she is prey tonight.
I hope.
And
I will take payment in kind.
Mortal
justice for immortal evil.
But
she looks to where I hide and smiles,
Plucking
the shaft from its mark.
Now
I am the hunted.
She
wins again.
Immortality
isn't as bad as I'd hoped. Some savage part of me still loves the hunt.
DISADVANTAGES
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