Where Demons Fear to Tread
In the year 2478, scientists investigating strange artifacts emitting unexplained energy, managed to break the barrier between the plane of hell and the material plane. The artifact, a strange metal key the side of a person’s forearm, was rusted with various symbols inscribed on it. The symbols, when written on paper, made the same energy as the key itself. By repeating the proper patterns of the symbols, they caused a portal to open. The opening of the portal, or what is known today as the “Gate of Hell” led to the destruction of the facility and a five-mile radius. The area now, in what used to be southern Arizona, is uninhabitable by any but demons. It is surrounded now by a ten-foot fence with razor wire, but there are many ways through it with demon magic. Demons within the area enclosed by the fence have created small communities based on the different types of demons that emerged from the nine levels of hell. Click HERE for the Nine Levels of Hell.
Hell itself consists of nine layers, the first eight inhabited by various demons that have been seven of them have been equated by various Biblical scholars as the seven deadly sins.
Seventy-five years later, in the United States it is 2553. The US has become insular and xenophobic, closing all borders and eliminating travel and commerce outside the US. They have hoarded multitudes of weapons of mass destruction and defend their borders with fences, walls, and guards. The rest of the world has also closed up many borders, choosing instead to focus on the problems with demons they are having. Some countries, like Japan, have embraced their demonic residents, and others like China, kill them on sight.
Their stance on demons is somewhat vague, as they are considered “aliens” and cannot legally reside in the United States. They are not considered “people” and are under the law treated more like animals. This has led to demons being enslaved, hunted, and discriminated against.
There are various groups of people rallying behind demons as well as those seeking to eliminate them. All involved are willing to risk everything for what they believe in.
Organizations
Apraecantis Union
Motto: Humans for Humanity
Purpose: Demons and magic are evil. There is no room for anything related to demonic energy to exist, which includes the advancements in technology and medicine aided by demonic energy. They believe that anyone with “the Taint” deserves to be put to death. They strongly oppose the Order of Hecate and other organizations that proport any demon support or utilize demonic magic or energy for their abilities. They are not a militant group, but they are very vocal.
Bureau of Technological Affairs
Motto: Bringing Technology to the Country
Purpose: The BTA is the part of the United States government that actually acknowledges demons and their magic abilities. This Bureau employs "Technomancers" to blend technology and demonic magic into something that is useful for the United States. They have no qualms about using magic or using demons to get what they want.
Ecclesian Church
Motto: Only Through God Will Salvation Come
Purpose: Demons and Magic are the work of Satan and in opposition to God and everything good. Demons, Witches, and anyone who uses demonic energy should be put to death immediately. This includes advances in technology and medicine that have been aided by demonic magic. The Paladins of the Church will publicly execute anyone they deem has violated the Rule of God. Authorities in the United States typically look the other way while the Paladins enact their “justice” on people and demons. Because the Pope is a “foreigner,” they do not answer to the Vatican. They are a “super church” which encompasses many denominations as long as they follow the “Rule of God” which is their motto.
Eleutheria’s Children
Motto: Truth Through Equality
Purpose: Eleutheria’s Children have one major purpose, and that is to bring equality to demons and humans. They believe firmly that demons, while they originated somewhere else, deserve to live like any other person. They are comprised of highly trained ex-military people who grew tired of the government’s hands off stance about demons and decided to do something about it. They strongly oppose anti-demon groups, and clash often with the Ecclesian Church and their Paladins. They have come to a stalemate with them, neither giving ground to the other.
Knights of Orion
Motto: Cleansing the World is Paramount
Purpose: A very militant group of demon hunters who specialize in culling what they perceive as threats to humanity. While they will use demon magic as they see fit, they use it to eliminate any demon they come across. They are known to use heavily modified cybernetics to make their mission easier. They are also ex-military who grew tired of the government’s stance on demons, however unlike Eleutheria’s Children, they chose to destroy demons instead of helping them.
Order of Hecate
Motto: Magic is Nothing to Fear
Purpose: The Order of Hecate is an organization of Witches dedicated to the teaching and using of demonic magic. They are well known by their multiple sigils tattooed to their flesh that store magical incantations which can be released at a word. They are also masters of alchemy and herbalism. They harness the magic and energy of demons and channel it into tattoos, potions, and herbal concoctions. They are also known as healers as they use their magic to help anyone in need.
Order of Purple
Motto: Knowledge is Power
Purpose: The Order of Purple is an organization that collects, organizes, and protects all knowledge of demons, demonic magic, and demonic events. They are largely unknown to the general populace. They offer free access to the Archive to those they are allied with. Their compound is thirty feet underground in the Midwest United States in a concrete and steel bunker that has no physical entrance. It is accessible only via portal by a Witch or Demon who knows the coordinates.
Order of Purple – Guardians
Motto: Safekeeping Power
Purpose: The purpose of the Guardians is simply to safeguard the Order of Purple and the Archive. They rarely leave the compound other than to do practice maneuvers, but they have been known to work with their allies. They are a highly elite and specialized group of ex-military combatants, most of which came from special forces. They also have the highest degree of technology available.
Sheild of Soteria
Motto: Shielding the Vulnerable
Purpose: The Shield of Soteria is a group of humans across the Untied States dedicated to help demons who need it. They will take in and protect any who need it. They firmly align themselves with other pro-demon groups and will often work with them to get demons out of “hot spots” where they are in the most danger.
Places
Purgatory
Motto: Where Humans are Supreme
Purpose: The only purpose of Purgatory is to bring anguish to demons and pleasure to humans. It is a four-level facility built just outside New Sacramento. On level one, there is a brothel that houses anywhere from one to twenty demons to be used as humans desire. All is permitted, and tools are provided. On level two, is the torture rooms where demons deemed not attractive or suitable to the brothel are taken. This level allows any sort of torture and there are various rooms with different implements. The third level is known as the kill level. Demons who have outlived their time on the torture level are taken hear to be killed by patrons paying the most. The fourth level is dedicated to the lucrative movie making venture that produces torture and snuff films for those not willing or able to come to Purgatory.
Reintegration Force – This is a group of people that find and capture demons in New Sacramento. They claim they are taking the demons to Arizona back to the Gate of Hell when in reality they take them to Purgatory.