Family Primer

The Vance Bloodline – The Blades in the Veil

Origin: Descendants of a demi-mortal champion of Ares who broke from the war god’s service and swore his line to the defense — and manipulation — of mortal sovereignty.
Mythic Traits: Inborn mastery of melee combat, enhanced reaction speed in battle, and a genetic resistance to divine command.
Why They Are Feared: In the first century after the Glamour Law, the Vances became the quiet executioners of divine insurgents, killing gods in alleys and high priests in bed. They didn’t just survive the war — they rewrote the rules of divine combat.
Present Day: Split between high-crime syndicates and shadow-guardian enclaves, but united in one truth — a Vance never fights without purpose.

The Pendrake Line – The Oathforged

Origin: Born from the last mortal knight of Camelot, who refused Avalon’s call and swore to defend the “mortal realm” even from divine interference.
Mythic Traits: Impossible swordsmanship, a supernatural bond with heirloom weapons (some centuries old), and an unerring ability to detect illusions.
Why They Are Feared: Pendrake duels are final. They fight for honor and for the Veil itself, and the Watchers themselves keep records of every Pendrake blade that has tasted divine blood.
Present Day: The line holds a brittle alliance with the Watchers, but internal factions push toward independence — and vengeance for past betrayals.

The Ur’Vash Clan – The Iron Tusks of War

Origin: Pureblood Orc warlords who fought on both sides of the Mythic World War before swearing to never again bow to another race. They secured their survival by merging with mortal-led syndicates under the Glamour Law.
Mythic Traits: Inhuman strength, bone-deep resistance to physical damage, and tusks that carry the memories of ancestors.
Why They Are Feared: The Ur’Vash are the only Old Family with active god-slayer weapons in constant use, and their family code demands vengeance across generations.
Present Day: Many operate as high bosses in the Bloodfang Syndicate, their “Italian” façades barely hiding their orcish pride and brutality.

The Morvain House – The Fae-Touched Firstborn

Origin: The first humans permitted into the hidden realms of the Fae during Europe’s pre-Great War era. The Morvain negotiated with the Dawn Court itself to stand as mortal envoys and war-scribes.
Mythic Traits: Light manipulation, mastery of ancient wards, and the rare ability to bypass certain fae contracts without penalty.
Why They Are Feared: The Morvain keep records from the Mythic World War that even the Watchers cannot access — and they know the true names of dozens of fae lords still alive today.
Present Day: They act as archivists, warders, and political brokers between fae enclaves and mortal powers, wielding knowledge as their sharpest weapon.

The Hammersdóttir Line – The Iceforged Bastion (Norse)

Origin: Born from a mortal shieldmaiden who bore a child to Thor during the Viking Age, the Hammersdóttir swore to defend the “endless winters” — the places where Ragnarok could be seeded.
Mythic Traits: Stormblood — the ability to summon wind and lightning under extreme duress, and an unbreakable resistance to cold and frost-based magic.
Why They Are Feared: In the Mythic World War, the Hammersdóttir sank entire fleets of frost giants in the North Sea with storms that lasted weeks. They carry an ancestral prophecy that one of their own must kill a god to delay the true Ragnarok.
Present Day: Their modern descendants still train as soldiers and stormcallers, many embedded in special forces or Watcher militias.

The Dlamini Covenant – The Sun-Blooded Judges (African)

Origin: A Zulu warrior-queen’s pact with the Sun God Unkulunkulu, binding her bloodline to “see truth in shadow” and “burn corruption in its shell.”
Mythic Traits: The ability to perceive divine and magical lies instantly, sunlight-infused vitality that can heal or harm, and heightened charisma that bends crowds toward peace or war.
Why They Are Feared: During the Mythic World War, the Dlamini acted as field judges — deciding which beings, mortal or otherwise, deserved survival under the Glamour Law. They exiled whole pantheons into oblivion with a single decree.
Present Day: They operate quietly as diplomats, UN envoys, and shadow-arbitrators in disputes between Old Families, their word still carrying the weight of the Sun’s authority.

Watcher’s Closing Note: The Old Families are not simply history — they are the weight on the scales that decides whether the Veil holds… or tears open.