City in the Shadows

The world is our world, at least on the surface. Break that surface and a different world lies beneath, diverse and terrifying, predators and prey sculk in the shadows in every city, and beyond them. These dangers are hidden from the world because normal people don’t want to see them, or perhaps can’t see them.   Magic is real, but magic is dying and has been for some time, the high mythic age has gone, and the mists have clouded it into forgetfulness. The denizens of this shadow world cling to the failing powers that remain and struggle to survive.   You’re different from the normal folk, perhaps you were born that way, earned your power, had some accident that turned you into something more or garnered the attention of something that’s empowered you. Whatever the case you’re now one of the touched, the gifted, the cursed, the sighted, the aberrant, the abnormals, or some other name. There are plenty of other names for those touched by the powers that lie hidden in the world.   But with that spark of something special you are awakened to a world that is dangerous, there are things that prowl in the shadows, that hunt the gifted. There are things that feed on everyone, but you might see them. There are dangers at every turn. And, should you come to any power, others will want what you have.   Some rumour says that magic’s being hunted down and killed by something, that it is being devoured. Others say that dragons somewhere hoard the magic and have those in their sway bring it to them. Some blame the Illuminati or Grand Council. But for most in this dangerous world of magic that sort of thing sits too high on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. As it stands your life is dangerous, your priority is getting to tomorrow. And so often groups of gifted huddle together around the embers of the dying flames of magic trying to stay safe, trying to keep warm.