Who are the Others?

For ages, a vague second reality has existed beyond the narrow borders of human perception. Doors, closed to us in the mundane world, are open in the Gloom. The fates, emotions, and curses of every person to enter this dark space reveal themselves in visible auras and eddies of light and energy. Entering the Gloom, you are invisible to humans in the normal world. Having slipped between light and shade into this blurred dimension, you emerge changed forever. Consumed by this change are those called the Others: Vampires, Shape shifters and werewolves, witches and Sorcerers, former humans who draw supernatural forces from the Gloom and who can enter this space at will. The transitions from this world to theirs are unperceivable to a normal mortal. In this way the others live among us, without our noticing. Most Others lead unremarkable lives, regarded as average members of human society. Even Others of a vampiric type maintain a peaceful, harmonious existence, consuming the blood of animals to survive.

But the Gloom is powerful: in return for longer life and supernatural abilities, it absorbs more and more of the Others humanity, literally devouring them from the inside out. If an Other makes uses of his or her abilities excessively, they can survive for only a short while until all remaining humanity is gone and they become a pure creature of the gloom, a restless spirit, condemned to live eternally in a state somewhere between life and death.

Thousands of years ago, the Others divided themselves into two opposing camps, Light and Dark. The Light Others represent the force of good. They use their abilities to help and protect humanity and are obliged to promote order and stability among the Others. Opposite the Light stand the servants of Darkness, who place importance on their individual selves over order and rightness. They act as their own will leads them, with little regard for the lives of mortals or the survival of the Others. They live in decadence, arrogantly looking down on comparatively helpless humankind. Death is their religion, Torture and injustice their currency. Their primary goal is to hasten the time of the final battle with as many others as possible on their side.

Once, centuries ago, the two parties faced off and a long battle involving heavy losses and terrible conflict ensued until the leaders of the Light ones and warriors of the Dark recognized that both sides were equally matched. In order to prevent the battle from continuing, the Others created a truce: from that moment on, each individual human who entered the gloom and discovered their special abilities would be allowed to choose freely if they were Light or Dark. Thus a balance was struck: the leader of the Light selected an army from the most talented Light Others, which would control the activities of the opposing Darkness. These Others would be known as the Night Watch. The Dark Others did the same, educating the Day Watch to keep a close eye on the actions of the Light ones, so that they did not use forbidden means to pull humans towards the light. Overseeing both sides, the Inquisition stands, consisting of members from both sides who make certain both the agents of the Night Watch and the Day Watch respect the laws of the Treaty.

The Watches, like the Others themselves, operate invisibly in most cities. The Night Watch protects mortals from Dark Others who would disobey the words of the Treaty, Dark Others which include unregistered Others and Vampires, who forget about the agreement while hunting for blood. The Light ones may at times abuse the words of the Treaty as well, uttering unintentional curses and using powerful magic for small purposes in order to turn mortals away from the Dark. Despite their beliefs, both sides seek to preserve peace on the whole. Humans live their short lives unsuspecting, while nearby Others go their own course, anticipating the time of the Decision when the Great Other will enter the gloom and choose a side, forever altering the balance between Light and Dark and determining which side will be victorious in the final conflict.