Ancestries (Soteria)

Mortal

Mortals make up the vast majority of the population in Soteria Esoterica and form the backbone of its society. They are ordinary humans, born without any inherent supernatural abilities or ties to the mystical realms. Mortals are often viewed as blank slates, with the liberty and potential to shape their own destinies without the predestined roles that many supernatural beings face. Because of this, they can be found across all walks of life—politicians, artists, engineers, soldiers, scholars, and everything in between. Mortals often showcase incredible drive and ambition, unburdened by the longer lifespans or complex relationships with the supernatural world that affect other ancestries.

Role in the World

Mortals are the architects, builders, and innovators of society. They have established cities, governments, economies, and cultures that dominate the known world. Much of Soteria's development is due to their relentless drive to explore, invent, and improve their lives. Mortals shape and define trends, philosophies, and institutions, leading the way in areas like politics, science, and the arts. Though most mortals live blissfully unaware of the hidden supernatural realm around them, those who do become involved in its intricacies may become powerful allies or dangerous enemies. Mortals can be anything from hunters of the supernatural to allies of powerful mystical beings, and even ambitious magicians striving to tap into the arcane.

Mortals’ relationships with other ancestries are complex; some revere supernatural beings, others fear or exploit them, and many simply ignore their existence. Their ability to adapt to the situations around them — whether forging alliances or diving deep into arcane study — allows mortals to maintain a significant presence in a world filled with magical and supernatural beings.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Mortals are versatile and highly adaptable, able to learn a wide range of skills quickly. While they are not inherently magical, they can access certain powers through tools like magitech, foci, charms, and pacts. Mortals who dedicate themselves to understanding magic can even surpass their supernatural counterparts in certain areas of spellcasting and magical knowledge. Their potential to acquire new skills and innovate with both technology and magic makes them unpredictable and capable of overcoming obstacles that might be insurmountable for other ancestries.

Despite their potential, Mortals face a significant struggle when it comes to magic. Learning magic is more difficult for them, requiring extensive training, resources, and focus. They lack the innate abilities and instincts of other ancestries, making them vulnerable to magical influences and less attuned to supernatural phenomena. Mortals must rely heavily on preparation, alliances, and creativity to keep pace with the supernatural elements of the world. Without these, they can find themselves outmatched or manipulated by more powerful beings.

Mortal Ancestry Abilities

BR		AG		IN		CU		WL		PR
2		2		2		2		2		2

Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn

Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower

Starting Experience: 110 XP

Starting Skills: A mortal starts with one rank in each of two different non-career skills at character creation. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and these skills may not be increased higher than rank 2 during character creation.

Humanity: At character creation, a mortal receives the Human trait. This trait includes no extra skills, experience, or talents, but some backgrounds and talents are only selectable by a character with the Human trait. Likewise, some items may only be usable by individuals with this trait.

Adaptability: Before XP is spent on characteristics, you may opt to reduce your character's starting experience by 10 XP. If you do, increase one characteristic of your choice by 1 and reduce one characteristic of your choice by 1.

Ready for Anything: Once per session as an out-of-turn incidental, you may move one Story Point from the Game Master’s pool to the players’ pool.

Nephilim

The Nephilim are the children of mortals and divine beings, carrying within them a spark of celestial energy. This divine ancestry is evident in their appearance, presence, and abilities—many have a natural radiant beauty, a powerful sense of purpose, or a charisma that draws others to them. Often described as beings touched by the divine, Nephilim possess a dual nature: a mortal frame housing an angelic essence, which makes them more than human yet not entirely divine. During moments of extreme emotion, their ancestry can manifest in subtle ways, such as a commanding aura, or more overtly, like physical traits hinting at angelic origins, such as glowing eyes or ethereal wings. This connection to the divine often compels them to higher ideals, whether for justice, compassion, or leadership.

Role in the World

In a world where the divine rarely shows itself directly, Nephilim are seen as symbols of hope, power, and sometimes fear. They often feel an innate drive to improve the world around them, sometimes dedicating themselves to a higher cause or calling that aligns with their celestial nature. Many become leaders, soldiers, healers, or protectors, acting as guiding lights in both mortal and supernatural circles. Nephilim who fully embrace their divine lineage may work tirelessly to uphold the principles of justice and order, defending the weak or pursuing righteous causes with an almost obsessive zeal.

However, not all Nephilim fit neatly into the role of the benevolent guardian. Some struggle with the burden of their divine connection, feeling trapped between the expectations of the divine and the realities of their mortal lives. These Nephilim may rebel against their supposed destiny, becoming fierce warriors of vengeance, or they may reject their divine essence altogether, trying to live normal lives, though often unsuccessfully. Others may explore moral ambiguity, finding themselves in roles where their powers are used for complex causes that defy simple notions of good and evil.

Nephilim walk a fine line between mortals and the supernatural, often acting as intermediaries in conflicts between the two. Though they can be revered as champions, their angelic heritage can also bring isolation and fear from those who see them as reminders of a world beyond human comprehension.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Nephilim often have gifts of healing, heightened senses, or the ability to influence those around them with their presence. They are naturally resistant to demonic powers and can manifest divine abilities, such as light-based powers or limited flight, though these gifts can be physically and mentally taxing. Their connection to their angelic ancestry makes them sensitive to other supernatural presences.

Nephilim can be seen as distant or self-righteous by mortals and other supernatural beings. They often feel the pressure of their heritage and might struggle with the expectations placed upon them. A Nephilim who goes against their divine nature may find their powers becoming unreliable or even twisted.

Ancestry Abilities

BR		AG		IN		CU		WL		PR
3		2		2		1		2		2

Wound Threshold: 11 + Brawn

Strain Threshold: 11 + Willpower

Starting Experience: 85 XP

Starting Skills: A Nephilim starts with one rank in Discipline. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and this skills may not be increased higher than rank 2 during character creation. Furter ranks of Divine cannot be purchased unless Divine becomes a career or origin skill.

Celestial: At character creation, a Nephilim receives the Celestial trait. This trait includes no extra skills, experience, or talents, but some backgrounds and talents are only selectable by a character with the Celestial trait. Likewise, some items may only be usable by individuals with this trait.

Heavenly Power: Once per session as a maneuver, a Nephilim may spend one Story Point to immediately take one of the following spell actions: Attack, Barrier, or Heal. The action is rolled as if the Nephilim has five ranks in the Divine skill or five ranks in Willpower, at the discretion of the player.

Raphaim

Raphaim are the offspring of mortals and demonic beings, existing in a constant struggle between their human and infernal natures. Born with an infernal spark in their soul, Raphaim often exhibit physical or psychological traits hinting at their demonic ancestry. This can include intense charisma, a seductive presence, sharp cunning, or even physical characteristics such as unnatural eye colors or skin tones. Their connection to the infernal realms can manifest as dark powers, an affinity for shadowy magic, or an uncanny ability to manipulate emotions and desires. Raphaim walk a fine line between temptation and restraint, capable of great power and influence yet constantly tempted to embrace their darker inclinations.

Role in the World

Raphaim often find themselves both feared and desired by the societies around them. Many hide their nature to blend in with mortals, using their abilities to rise to positions of power, wealth, or influence. Whether in politics, crime, or business, Raphaim are natural manipulators, able to sense and play on the desires, fears, and weaknesses of others. This makes them formidable negotiators, seducers, and strategists, navigating human society with a keen understanding of ambition and passion. However, the duality of their nature also makes them outcasts; they may be seen as tools of corruption or walking embodiments of evil.

While some Raphaim embrace their demonic lineage, seeing it as a source of power and freedom, others struggle to suppress the infernal urges that pull them toward chaos and destruction. They might seek redemption, using their powers for good or aligning themselves with righteous causes. These Raphaim often face suspicion and distrust from both mortals and supernatural beings, who may view their actions as self-serving or part of some greater scheme.

Raphaim thrive in the underbelly of Soteria, where moral grayness reigns, and lines between good and evil blur. They may ally with Nephilim, Changelings, or Revenants, or work for powerful supernatural entities, offering their unique skills in exchange for favors, power, or simply the thrill of chaos. Their very existence raises questions of destiny, free will, and the possibility of redemption — whether they are condemned to follow the path laid out by their demonic heritage, or if they can carve their own destiny amidst the shadows of the world.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Raphaim possess abilities like charming or manipulating others, dark magics, and sometimes physical traits such as sharp reflexes or enhanced strength. Their powers often tie to emotions, such as fear, desire, or rage, making them particularly adept at influencing or controlling these aspects of others. They can resist certain divine and angelic effects but are vulnerable to holy artifacts and magic.

Raphaim often battle their darker impulses. The temptation to give in to their demonic nature is ever-present, and doing so can make them more powerful but at the cost of losing their humanity. Some Raphaim are cursed with occasional visions of Hell or whispers from their demonic ancestry, urging them to acts of cruelty or ambition.

Ancestry Abilities

BR		AG		IN		CU		WL		PR
2		2		2		3		1		2

Wound Threshold: 12 + Brawn

Strain Threshold: 9 + Willpower

Starting Experience: 80 XP

Starting Skills: A Raphaim starts with one rank in Deception. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and this skill may not be increased higher than rank 3 during character creation.

Infernal: At character creation, a mortal receives the Infernal trait. This trait includes no extra skills, experience, or talents, but some backgrounds and talents are only selectable by a character with the Infernal trait. Likewise, some items may only be usable by individuals with this trait.

Deceptive Feint: Once per session as an incidental or out-of-turn incidental, you may spend one Story Point to change one die per rank in Deception that doesn't show or to any other face on that die.

Magic Limitation: Raphaim may never take the Divine skill as a career skill. When using a magic skill, when a spell adds a quality to a Raphaim's spell with a rating determined by Knowledge (Lore), a Raphaim uses Knowledge (Forbidden) instead.

Changeling

Changelings are beings born from the union of mortals and Fae, carrying within them a touch of the otherworldly. Though they live primarily in the human world, their blood connects them to Tír Tairngire, the realm of the Fae. This connection often manifests in their appearance and abilities; they may have unusually vibrant hair or eye colors, subtly pointed ears, or a strange presence that hints at their magical nature. Changelings are gifted with a deep sense of intuition, creativity, and a natural affinity for magic and the natural world. Unlike their Fae ancestors, however, Changelings are bound to a mortal lifespan and live as part of the human experience, though they are forever drawn to the mystery and enchantment of their Fae heritage.

Role in the World

Changelings walk the line between the human and Fae worlds, able to navigate both but fully belonging to neither. They are often mediators, messengers, or ambassadors between Fae and mortal societies, facilitating pacts or handling disputes that arise between these two worlds. Their innate magical abilities make them talented mystics, artists, and performers, capable of channeling their Fae energies into music, storytelling, or spellcraft. Many Changelings have a knack for perceiving hidden truths, illusions, or emotional undercurrents that might go unnoticed by mortals.

However, this dual existence comes with challenges. Changelings often find it hard to settle into a single identity or home, feeling a sense of longing for a place they have never been. They might yearn to return to Tír Tairngire or feel restless in the structured world of mortals. While they enjoy many advantages of both worlds, they are also more susceptible to the dangers of each—vulnerable to both the banality of the mortal world and the capricious nature of the Fae.

Changelings can be charismatic socialites, wandering tricksters, or reclusive scholars, using their connections to navigate the complexities of life in Soteria Esoterica. Some find purpose in protecting humans from the darker side of Fae magic, while others revel in chaos and playfulness, seeing life as an ever-changing game. They are naturally resistant to mortal conventions, often challenging norms and seeking to forge their own paths. But this rebellious spirit can also put them at odds with both humans and Fae who might distrust or misunderstand their intentions.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Changelings typically possess heightened senses, agility, and sometimes an affinity for nature or illusions. They may manipulate the emotions of those around them, charm animals, or change their appearance slightly. They also have a strong connection to the natural world, which can allow them to harness certain elemental powers, but these abilities weaken in areas heavily populated by mortals.

Changelings are often seen as "out of place" in both the human and Fae realms. They may face suspicion from humans who sense their strangeness and distrust from Fae who view them as diluted. They are sensitive to cold iron, which can cause them pain or inhibit their abilities. Many Changelings feel a constant yearning to return to Tír Tairngire, even if they’ve never been there.

Ancestry Abilities

BR		AG		IN		CU		WL		PR
1		3		2		2		1		3

Wound Threshold: 8 + Brawn

Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower

Starting Experience: 90 XP

Starting Skills: A Changeling starts with one rank in Charm. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and this skill may not be increased higher than rank 2 during character creation.

Fae: At character creation, a Changeling receives the Fae trait. This trait includes no extra skills, experience, or talents, but some backgrounds and talents are only selectable by a character with the Fae trait. Likewise, some items may only be usable by individuals with this trait.

Deep Insight: Once per session, you may spend a Story Point as an incidental. If you do so, your character learns the Fear, Strength, Flaw, or Desire from a target within Short range. Alternately, you may opt to have your character deduce one important secret concerning the target. The GM determines which motivation is uncovoered or the nature of the secret learned.

Magic Limitation: Changelings may never take the Arcane or Divine skills as career skills.

Revenant

Revenants are individuals who have returned from death, but they are not truly alive. Unlike mindless undead or simple ghosts, Revenants retain their intelligence, self-awareness, and memories of their previous lives. Their existence is marked by a singular drive—whether it is vengeance, redemption, or unfinished business—that keeps them tethered to the world of the living. Their forms may reflect the nature of their death; some appear almost as they did in life, while others carry the marks of their demise, such as scars, pallor, or spectral qualities. Revenants have a powerful connection to death and the energies that bind souls, often exhibiting abilities tied to necromancy or spectral manipulation.

Role in the World

Revenants live between two realms—the world of the living and the domain of the dead. Many find purpose in seeking justice for the circumstances that led to their deaths, or they might use their second chance at life to protect others from meeting a similar fate. Because of their unique perspective, Revenants are often drawn to roles that allow them to bring closure, whether as investigators of the supernatural, bounty hunters who hunt down dark entities, or vigilantes righting the wrongs they perceive in the world. They are sometimes feared by the living and hunted by those who see them as unnatural abominations, but they also serve as bridges to the world beyond, guiding lost souls or aiding mortals against undead threats.

Their very existence can be unsettling to others, as Revenants remind both humans and supernatural beings of death’s ever-present shadow. They are often haunted—both literally and figuratively—by memories of their past lives and the manner of their deaths. Revenants must balance their drive to fulfill their purpose with the dangers of straying too far into the power of death. Those who embrace necromancy or seek to extend their existence indefinitely can find themselves becoming more like the mindless undead they once resisted, losing the very humanity that gave them purpose.

Revenants are particularly powerful in places where death energies are strong, such as battlefields, graveyards, or sites of great tragedy. However, they require something to sustain their existence, which could take the form of consuming life energy, maintaining a physical anchor (like their grave), or adhering to a strict code that keeps their purpose intact. While they are resistant to many forms of physical harm, they are vulnerable to holy magic and divine light, which can weaken or disrupt their connection to the living world.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Revenants have supernatural endurance, can survive injuries that would kill a mortal, and may possess abilities tied to death, like seeing ghosts, sensing other undead, or using necromantic energies. However, they require something to sustain their existence—a constant need, such as regular contact with their burial site, drinking the life energy of others, or some form of dark ritual.

Revenants face constant reminders of their unnatural existence. They may struggle with decay, lingering injuries from their death, or the emotional burden of living between two worlds. Divine magic or holy artifacts can burn them, and they are typically resistant to most forms of healing magic, requiring more complex and darker rituals to restore them.

Ancestry Abilities

BR		AG		IN		CU		WL		PR
3		2		2		2		2		1

Wound Threshold: 11 + Brawn

Strain Threshold: 9 + Willpower

Starting Experience: 90 XP

Starting Skills: A Revenant starts with one rank in Coercion. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and this skill may not be increased higher than rank 2 during character creation.

Undead: At character creation, a Revenant receives the Undead trait. This trait includes no extra skills, experience, or talents, but some backgrounds and talents are only selectable by a character with the Undead trait. Likewise, some items may only be usable by individuals with this trait.

Reanimated: As reanimated corpses, Revenants have several quirks, some beneficial and some detrimental. Your character does not recover wounds through natural rest, but they add to any Medicine checks to heal them, since they don’t flinch. Your character also cannot be affected by poisons, although they must be wary of insects and carrion feeders trying to make a meal from or to nest on their bodies. Your GM should ensure that NPCs react appropriately if they are aware of your character’s condition (at the very least, upgrading the difficulty of your character’s social skill checks twice). Also, perfume is a good idea. Lots of perfume.

Dead Nerves: Your character removes added to any checks they make due to fatigue or injuries (including Critical Injuries).

Magic Limitation: Revenants may never take the Divine or Verse skills as career skills.

Essential

Essentials are beings with a profound connection to the core elements of the natural world—earth, fire, water, and air, the result of a union of human and elemental. They are not simply mortal beings with elemental magic but are intrinsically bound to the forces they represent, making them part of the living essence of the world. Each Essential embodies the nature of their element, both in personality and physical traits, which may manifest as fiery hair, ocean-like eyes, a constant scent of rain, or skin that feels like smooth stone. This connection grants them abilities tied to their specific element, whether it’s controlling flames, calling forth gusts of wind, shaping earth and rock, or manipulating water. Essentials are often in tune with the cycles and rhythms of nature, feeling the pulse of the world around them as if it were an extension of their own being.

Role in the World

Essentials act as guardians, envoys, and conduits of the natural forces they represent. Their connection to the elements makes them champions of nature, often driven to protect it from human exploitation, supernatural corruption, or environmental harm. As such, they may be found in places of natural power—volcanoes, deep forests, mountain peaks, or ocean shores—where they can most fully connect with their element. Many Essentials take on roles as environmentalists, healers, or magicians who use their abilities to maintain balance and harmony between the natural world and mortal society.

Within urban environments, Essentials may blend into society while seeking to preserve their elemental domains or act as agents of change, ensuring that the natural world is not forgotten amidst human progress. They might serve as spiritual guides, magitech experts who harness elemental power, or even vigilantes who strike out against those who defile the land, water, or sky. However, their presence is not always welcomed; their passions can make them unpredictable, and their elemental natures may cause them to clash with both mortals and other supernatural beings.

Advantages & Disadvantages

An Essential's abilities are closely tied to their element. Fire Essentials might control flames, resist heat, and have fiery tempers; Earth Essentials might have great strength, an affinity for plants and minerals, and a grounded personality; Water Essentials could manipulate liquids, heal wounds, or have fluid, graceful movements; and Air Essentials could move with incredible speed, manipulate winds, or remain unnoticed. Each type of Essential has strengths related to their element but may also have vulnerabilities tied to its opposite (e.g., fire vs. water).

Essentials must maintain a deep connection to their element, and disruptions to this bond can cause physical and emotional turmoil. If an Essential’s domain is damaged (e.g., pollution of a river for a Water Essential or deforestation for an Earth Essential), they can weaken, sicken, or even lose their powers temporarily. They also tend to be outsiders in human society, finding it difficult to adhere to mortal customs, and may be seen as stubborn, reckless, or overly emotional. Furthermore, Essentials are often vulnerable to the opposing element: Fire can be extinguished by Water, Earth can be unsettled by Air, and so on, creating natural weaknesses that they must be mindful of.

Ancestry Abilities

BR		AG		IN		CU		WL		PR
2		2		2		2		2		2

Wound Threshold: 9 + Brawn

Strain Threshold: 9 + Willpower

Starting Experience: 95 XP

Elemental: At character creation, an Essential receives the Elemental trait. This trait includes no extra skills, experience, or talents, but some backgrounds and talents are only selectable by a character with the Elemental trait. Likewise, some items may only be usable by individuals with this trait.

Special Abilities: Each type of Essential has its own special abilities, listed in the corresponding entry.

Essential of Fire

Characteristics: An Essential of Fire increases its Cunning to 3 but reduces its Willpower to 1.

Starting Skills: An Essential of Fire starts with one rank in Survival, and Survival is a career skill. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and this skill may not be increased higher than rank 2 during character creation. Upgrade the Ability of any Survival check performed by an Essential of Fire by one if the character is in its element (as determined by the GM).

Magic Limitations: An Essential of Fire may not take the Verse magic skill. Any magic actions taken must be fire-themed and are limited by their element. A Fire Essential taking the Attack magic action can add the Fire additional effect for free, but can never use the Close Combat, Ice, or Lightning additional effects.

Essential of Water

Characteristics: An Essential of Water increases its Presence to 3 but reduces its Cunning to 1.

Starting Skills: An Essential of Water starts with one rank in Cool, and Cool is a career skill. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and this skill may not be increased higher than rank 2 during character creation. Upgrade the Ability of any Cool check performed by an Essential of Water by one if the character is in its element (as determined by the GM).

Magic Limitations: An Essential of Water may not take the Primal magic skill. Any magic actions taken must be water-themed and are limited by their element. A Water Essential taking the Attack magic action can add the Ice additional effect for free, but can never use the Close Combat, Fire, or Lightning additional effects.

Essential of Earth

Characteristics: An Essential of Earth increases its Brawn to 3 but reduces its Intellect to 1.

Starting Skills: An Essential of Earth starts with one rank in Resilience, and Resilience is a career skill. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and this skill may not be increased higher than rank 2 during character creation. Upgrade the Ability of any Resilience check performed by an Essential of Earth by one if the character is in its element (as determined by the GM).

Magic Limitations: An Essential of Earth may not take the Divine magic skill. Any magic actions taken must be earth-themed and are limited by their element. An Earth Essential taking the Attack magic action can add the Close Combat additional effect for free, but can never use the Fire, Ice, or Lightning additional effects.

Essential of Air

Characteristics: An Essential of Air increases its Agility to 3 but reduces its Brawn to 1.

Starting Skills: An Essential of Air starts with one rank in Stealth, and Stealth is a career skill. They obtain this rank before spending experience points, and this skill may not be increased higher than rank 2 during character creation. Upgrade the Ability of any Stealth check performed by an Essential of Air by one if the character is in its element (as determined by the GM).

Magic Limitations: An Essential of Air may not take the Arcane magic skill. Any magic actions taken must be air-themed and are limited by their element. An Air Essential taking the Attack magic action can add the Lightning additional effect for free, but can never use the Close Combat, Ice, or Fire additional effects.