Innistrad

Lore and Trivia

Innistrad Lore and Trivia

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Contents Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 5

Chapter 2: Ascending Darkness ............................................................................................................... 6

Chapter 3: History ................................................................................................................................... 8

Chapter 4: The Daily Life ....................................................................................................................... 11

The Moon of Silver and Innistrad's Seasons ...................................................................................... 11

Chapter 5: Religion and the church ....................................................................................................... 13

Religion .............................................................................................................................................. 13

Church Hierarchy ............................................................................................................................... 13

Clerical Ranks ..................................................................................................................................... 14

Cathars ............................................................................................................................................... 15

The Skirsdag ....................................................................................................................................... 16

Chapter 6: Vampires .............................................................................................................................. 18

Vampiric powers and magic .............................................................................................................. 18

Vampiric Vulnerabilities .................................................................................................................... 19

The Unquenchable Thirst .................................................................................................................. 19

Bloodlines .......................................................................................................................................... 21

Chapter 7: Devils ................................................................................................................................... 23

The Nature and Role of Devils ........................................................................................................... 23

Chapter 8: Zombies ............................................................................................................................... 25

The Unhallowed ................................................................................................................................ 25

Ghoulcallers ....................................................................................................................................... 25

The Skaab .......................................................................................................................................... 26

Chapter 9: Spirits ................................................................................................................................... 28

The origin of Spirits ........................................................................................................................... 28

Material and Immaterial ................................................................................................................... 28

Faith's Power ..................................................................................................................................... 29

Kinds of Spirits ................................................................................................................................... 29

Chapter 10: Werewolves ....................................................................................................................... 31

Killer or Victim ................................................................................................................................... 31

The Transformation ........................................................................................................................... 32

Warding Against the Change ............................................................................................................. 33

The Cause and Nature of Lycanthropy .............................................................................................. 34

Howlpacks ......................................................................................................................................... 35

Chapter 11: Nephalia ............................................................................................................................. 37

Overview............................................................................................................................................ 37

Port Towns of Nephalia ..................................................................................................................... 38

Chapter 1: Introduction

The people of Innistrad were accustomed to living in a world plagued by evil. The protective wards

held monsters at bay, keeping the villages relatively safe. Prayers and holy oaths banished geists and

skewered vampires where they stood, allowing humans to control nests of horrors when the danger

got too great. Thanks to the presence of the archangel Avacyn, hope and belief held real power to

smite the darkness, and so hope and belief flourished.

Even after Avacyn disappeared and the fiendish creatures of the night advanced, the people of the

four provinces survived. The power of the wards waned, but the Church recruited new holy warriors

to take up arms and fight back. Prayers to the angels went unanswered, but villages closed their

borders and shut down the roads into the fog-cloaked wilderness. The ghouls and geists had gained

an advantage on humans, and things looked bleaker than they had for generations. But together the

people of Innistrad presented a united front, able to keep humanity safe almost as if Avacyn had

never forsaken them.

But safety on Innistrad was a comforting fiction. Among the sinister forces of the world, word has

spread.

Chapter 2: Ascending Darkness

The horrors of Innistrad have learned the weakness of their prey. The werewolf howlpacks have

tested the defenses of the country villages and found them pathetically thin. Now, werewolves

terrorize hamlets across the countryside without fear of wolfhunters or weapons of blessed silver.

Vampires pick and choose their human prey as they see fit, letting the vampire families gain in

ascendancy across every province. Geists appear undaunted in the bedrooms of children and saints.

The walking dead pierce the defenses of even Church-dominated towns. Monstrous flesh-

constructions lurch unimpeded into protected sanctuaries, slaughtering innocents who relied on

Avacyn's promises. As humanity's defenses crumble, Innistrad's tale of horror has become ever more

dire.

The Undying Threat The humans now face a dark new twist in the fight

against the fiends. It's not just that the wards and

prayers no longer bind these creatures. Now even

the bonds of death no longer hold. Apparently

slain werewolves have begun to stagger back to

their feet, their hunger only renewed by their

seeming destruction. Geists return after being

exorcised by the clerics' most powerful

banishment spells. Vampires laugh off stakes and

fire, rising in spite of every trick and country

secret known to kill them. Reassurances from the

Avacynian Church fall on impatient ears as, more and more, the old lore no longer applies.

Wavering Devotion Even more distressing, there are signs that the people of Innistrad might be losing hope. The Elgaud

Grounds report fewer and fewer recruits to become undead-slaying cathars. Statues of the beloved

archangel are found toppled, not by the random attacks of rampaging werewolves, but by

despondent humans. Demonic cults have gained in membership as people seek some power, any

power, on which they can rely. Entire ships full of evacuees sail into the mists in search of some far

harbor, never to be heard from again. Some villages have taken to making offerings of their own

weakest members, hoping that innocent lives chained to posts will mollify the hungering beasts in

the night.

Infernal Risings But the darkest news of all may be the emergence of infernal forces. Cults such as the Skirsdag

beckon forth demonic beings from the deep abysses of the world. Cracks in the earth, such as the

Ashmouth, spew forth demons and devils who spread mayhem and death wherever they go.

Emboldened by Avacyn's long absence and the waning potency of holy magic, the demons have

begun to use humans to further their whims, sacrificing innocents to fuel dark magics. Humans have

become the playthings of the fabled monsters they once spoke of only in scare-tales and campfire

yarns.

The Eleventh Hour If anything good has come of this dark time, it's that humanity knows the stakes of its plight.

Humankind's collective back is to the wall, so the few parish priests, pitchfork-wielders, and fiend-

slayers who remain have learned to dispense with the traditional pleasantries. Avacyn might no

longer support their feats of faith, but their magic has become enhanced by desperation, as the

threat of death encroaches. Those practitioners of magic have learned to hurl the despair of their

spiraling losses into their spells, giving them the strength to slice through the ranks of the dead

rather than join them. The humans have even learned from their enemies, discovering new ways to

tap into the tempting power of the grave and to cast deathly spells with amplified strength.

Chapter 3: History

The vampire Sorin Markov, the self-serving aristocrat who was once drenched in privilege in his role

as the favored lord of Markov Manor, created Avacyn, the angelic champion of the meek and divine

source of the protective power on Innistrad.

How did this come to be? To understand that, we have to learn about another member of the

Markov familyEdgar Markov, Sorin's grandfather.

The rise of the vampires Thousands of years ago, before there were vampires on Innistrad, Edgar Markov was an alchemist in

the land that would become Stensia. Famine was sweeping the land, and the old alchemist Edgar

searched for a solution that could help the starving families feed themselves. The answer was a

brutal one: to undergo a blood ritual that would cause some of the people to feed on blood. It would

provide sustenance to those few, reducing demand for the failing crops, but it would also cull the

overall population, reducing the number of hungry mouths to feed. Thus were vampires born on

Innistrad.

But Edgar Markov's chilling tale has an even darker

truth behind it. The famine was an expedient excuse

for Edgar's blood magic, but in truth the aging

alchemist was experimenting with ways to achieve

agelessness for himself and his only grandson, Sorin. A

demon called Shilgengar preyed on Edgar's ambition

and whispered secrets that would point the way

toward Edgar's blood-feeding experiment. Shilgengar

also helped the old man overcome his squeamishness

at what must be done. Still, Edgar needed prodding for

him to go through with the ritual to create the blood-

feeders. Shilgengar was one of few demons to exist on

the surface of Innistrad at the time, and as it turned

out, he became a kind of harbinger for his own kind.

Edgar inflicted his curse of vampirism on his grandson,

Sorin, awakening Sorin's latent planeswalker spark.

And later, Edgar's actions indirectly led to a resurgence of demons in the world.

And that's when the famine put him over the edge. The famine might or might not have been

Shilgengar's doing. Either way, it was the genesis of this world's vampires. With his blood magic

experiment, Edgar succeeded at finding a way to extend his own life. He anointed Sorin with the

same vampiric stateand shockingly, his grandson disappeared.

The trauma of the transformation had caused Sorin's devine spark to ignite.

Sorin's Creation Sorin was a demigod now, but he was also the grandson of the honored progenitor of the entire

vampiric race back on his home plane. As the Markov bloodline spawned other bloodlines, Edgar

remained the prestigious forefather of all vampires, and Sorin's "life" became like that of a royal.

Over the centuries, as vampires spread further into human lands, Sorin spent more and more time

away from his homeworld, sometimes disappearing for years at a time. Vampires became disdainful

of the race from which they had spawned, hunting mortal humans more and more boldly, and Sorin

became distant from his own vampire-kind.

But Sorin always kept watch on Innistrad. From his world-hopping perspective, he could see the

changes on the world of his birth. He saw that as vampires gained in power, the human villages were

dwindling. Although he was no longer human himself, he saw the curse his grandfather had brought

to the humanity of their world, and he saw that in time, they would be wiped out by the blood-

feeders.

Sorin borrowed from long-held beliefs about the moon and the afterlife, forging a warrior who could

hold back vampires and other monstrous forces that would extinguish life on Innistrad. He created an

angel he named Avacyn and tasked her with protecting the plane. Through her, the magic of faith

would create true power to fend off the darkness. The Church of Avacyn grew up around the power

Sorin invested in her.

Some of the vampires understood Sorin's act, but most reviled him as a traitor. Edgar still lives in

Markov Manor to this day, and to this day Sorin is not welcome there. Avacyn was Sorin's gift to his

home, but she was also his betrayal of his own people.

But now Avacyn has disappeared from Innistrad. How could this have happened? Sorin has always

had a dark edge to him, and he has never hesitated to destroy anyone who got in the way of his

ambitions. But at the same time, he never meant these shadows to rise over the world of his birth.

Sorin might be his grandfather's creation, but Sorin's own creation was meant to preserve a way for

humans to survive Edgar's crime.

And now, after Sorin's long absence, it is the disappearance of that creation that has called him home

again.

Tales of Demonkind Even before the time of Sorin Markov and his

grandfather Edgar, before Innistrad's race of

vampires existed, the people of Innistrad feared

demons. Few of these demonic creatures ever made

themselves manifest, to the point that some

believed demons were mythical or long dead. But

others knew the legends of wicked demon-spawn

were true and they feared the day when the

demons would return.

Avacyn's Campaign The archangel Avacyn and her host of angels took up the sword against those who would harm

humanity. They slew vampires with holy fervor, prompting Sorin's kin to brand him a traitor to their

kind. The angels thrashed the werewolf howlpacks that threatened to overwhelm those towns

bordering the wilds. They banished malevolent geists that haunted the shipwrecks and ancient

manors of the plane. They incinerated unholy ghouls with piercing light. They were never able to

cleanse the plane of evil, but Sorin's creation had done her job.

Humanity was able to flourish again. The Church of Avacyn grew up around the archangel, and faith

in her helped fend off the flesh-hungry monsters. The power balance on the plane tipped in

humanity's favor. None could have foreseen what evils this would bring.

Demons and Devilry The retreat of the supernatural fiends of the plane opened a spacean opportunity for Innistrad's

infernal forces to manifest. Like Shilgengar long before, the demons and their hosts of impish devils

began to make their presence known in far

greater numbers.

Avacyn engaged each demon in single

combat, defeating them one by one. She

found that new demons would appear a

short time later and decreed: "What

cannot be destroyed must be bound." She

then forged a collar of silver to bind

demonkind, so they could be hauled away

and imprisoned. The Silver Collar became

Avacyn's symbol and the holy symbol

carried by Avacynian priests and cathars.

Chapter 4: The Daily Life

Humans The everyday life of a human varies dramatically according to one's class. The wealthy families and

clergy live in comfort and safety. Thraben clergy, in particular, have every need met by the church.

The middle classesartisans and merchantsare also quite comfortable. But the working class and

farmers have a much shorter lifespan; they are more at risk from the dark things of the world, and

they suffer from more sickness and famine as well. A farmer lives an average of fifty years, while a

bishop lives closer to seventy.

Safety is the main commodity in Innistrad. The wealthier you are, the safer you can make yourself.

The high walls of Thraben protect the well-to-do who live inside. Titled families in Gavony have

fortified manor houses, while the farmers must make do with the wooden walls of their farmhouses.

Because of the lack of physical safety, the poor spend a larger portion of their income of

enchantments and non-physical means of protection. Tithing is required for everyone, and the

church charges a small fee for every blessing and spell. Even at unstaffed little altars, payment is

expected, and many of the faithful diligently pay even when there is no one to enforce it. Not

unexpectedly, there is resentment among some for the amount of money required of the poor to

uphold their faith. This resentment increases dramatically as the effectiveness of the Avacynian

blessings diminish.

For the humans of Innistrad, the purpose of life is not to live forever, but to have a restful "sleep"

after deathtranquil oblivion, or perhaps oneness with everything, rather than becoming a

tormented spirit, mutilated corpse, or undead abomination, as so often happens on Innistrad. The

Sleep is considered a reward for a virtuous and vigilant life. "May you spend an eternity in the

ground" is a common blessing among the people of this plane.

The Moon of Silver and Innistrad's Seasons Innistrad's moon is both a source of hope and a harbinger of woe. Many Innistrad astronomers

believe that the moon is a vast desert made of grains of

pure silver, and that any extant silver on Innistrad

originated from the moon.

Cathars and priests know the power of

specially blessed silver to harm werewolves

and ward off other horrors, so the moon

has become associated with the divine

strength of the archangel Avacyn. Some

even perceive the shape of a heron in the

areas of dark and light on Innistrad's moon,

and so the heron has come to be a symbol

of Avacyn. But the rise of the moon can also

dampen protective magic and cause

werewolves to transform from human to

wolf. The fickle silver moon seems both to

serve humanity and to bring out the worst

evils within.

Innistrad humans also name the world's seasons by different aspects of the moon, as it seems hold a

strange influence on the world as the seasons change.

Harvest Moon This is Innistrad's autumn. A huge orange-to-blood-red moon hangs in the night sky. The days grow

shorter. The weather cools with each passing day and the forests turn vibrant colors. This is

considered to be the time when vampires are the strongest. Bonfires are common during harvest

time, when farmers toil late in the fields until after twilight. The bonfires are thought to keep the

vampires away.

Hunter's Moon This is Innistrad's winter. The chill never leaves the air

and the sun's apex is close to the horizon. This is the

longest season, and the time when food becomes most

scarce. More hunters have to venture out into the wilds

in search of food, which results in increased attacks on

humans. This is considered to be the time when

werewolves are the strongest. Since there are more

humans hunting and traveling in the woods during these

months, werewolf attacks are more prevalent. The

humans believe the attacks have something to do with

the season itself, although there are no more

werewolves at this time than any other time of year.

New Moon This is as close as Innistrad gets to a spring and is the shortest season. The days are longest and the

sun is the brightest, though still pale compared to some worlds, and there is new growth in the

forests. Humans consider this their season, associating it with new life and birth. Babies born under

the New Moon are considered to be holier, with a better chance of attaining the Blessed Sleep.

Chapter 5: Religion and the church

Religion Faith in the church of Avacyn actually works, but there are no formulas that are consistently

successful. Saying the mystical words in the right combination will result in protective magic, but

some days it works better than others. And sometimes the evil it's warding against is more powerful

than other times. The unreliability of the wards and blessings has led to disagreements over dogma.

Although there is still only one church, sects have emerged over disagreements about the right way

to do things. The goal of the church is safety, not perfection. Humans want to live in reasonable

safety until they die, and then they want to remain peacefully in their graves. Cremation is forbidden

because it is believed to result in a restless, angry spirit.

In the Church of Avacyn, there is no conception of heaven and hell. The humans of Innistrad do not

believe in a heavenly afterlife to reward their past deeds. And their equivalent of hell is a very literal

thing: there are actual cracks in the ground

where demons dwell. Avacyn is not expected

to eliminate evil in the world or to create a

perfect life for everyone. Instead, she is the

font of safety and protection. She is the

authority to whom the faithful must

go before something bad happens, to help

ward off those evils that have always been a

part of the world.

In Innistrad, church and state are deeply

interdependent; there is virtually no

separation of the two. Local governments rely on the power of the Church to keep order and

maintain public safety. Often the rule of law is adjudicated by the prelature, lawyers and judges

ordained by the Church. All education is handled by the Church, although different sects sometimes

establish their own schools and training grounds. Except for merchants and artisans, all professions

are part of the Church. Even merchants and artisans are governed by fellowships, which must be

sanctioned by the Church.

Church Hierarchy Avacyn The archangel Avacyn is the focal point of the

human's worship. She is believed to be the

source of all protective magic. It is thought that

she controls the seasons and is the force that

brings an end to the long and bleak Hunter's

Moon. Adherents to Avacyn are called

Avacynians, and their church is the Church of

Avacyn, or the Avacynian Church.

Avacyn's Host The archangel Avacyn has a host of angels who serve her. These angels appear frequently to humans

and fight all supernatural monsters who are a threat to human society. These angels try to keep the

world in balance.

The Flight of Goldnight These angels are associated with the sun, in contrast with Avacyn herself. Once a year during the

Harvest Moon season, the sun will not dip below the horizon for two full days, and during this time

the moon isn't visible. Known as the Feast of Goldnight, this is the holiest day for the humans. It is

the time when the Avacynian enchantments are strongest throughout Innistrad.

The Flight of Alabaster These angels personify the Blessed

Sleep and are associated with the

Hunter's Moon season. They provide

magic that wards against the

desecration of dead humans.

The Flight of Herons These are the angels of birth and purity

and are associated with the New Moon

season. Their magic is said to ward

humans against harm in life (as opposed

to the Alabaster host, which wards

against harm in death).

Clerical Ranks Lunarch The Lunarch is the head of the church. This is a position elected by the council of bishops. Currently,

it is held by a man named Mikaeus, who is searching desperately for the reason behind the decline of

the church's power. The Lunarch is chosen among the bishops and will only be replaced when dead.

Being a Lunarch means having immense power over the church and state. The Thraben Council

gathers as much as they can to discuss political and religious matters.

Bishop The bishop is the highest order of clergy. They reside in the cathedral at Thraben as members of the

Thraben Council, the governing body of the church. Bishops also are like governors of the provinces.

They gather with the mayors of villages and cities and are the point of mutual interests for every

priest and mayor. Bishops are honored by the common people and are often strong leaders or even

cathar leaders.

Mayor Sometimes called the elder, this is the political leader of a parish. He or she has a mix of

administrative and religious duties, but the day-to-day administration is left to the priests. Mayors

are men of the people, they are chosen from the common people and dont have to be a man of the

church per se.

Priest Priests oversee the church and attend to parishioners' needs. They all use magic to weave spells, but

with varying degrees of skill. Priests mostly stay in villages to protect the common people and be

there in times of need.

Monk These wandering priests are the lowest order of clergy. Some have been sanctioned by the church to

seek out people living alone in the wilderness. But many are fanatics who are no longer formally part

of the hierarchy. Most monks put their quiet life behind and joined the forces of the cathars. Many

monks have beside their clerical rank also a place in the cathar ranks.

Cathars Cathars are soldiers of the church. All Cathars get trained to track and kill supernatural beings. A

Cathar can either be a master of the martial arts or a holy priest who can banish ghosts back to the

ther

Lunar-smiths Blessed weapons are an important part of

Avacynian magic, and these clergy are trained in the

art of weapon-making. Certain blessings must be

said at certain times during the forging process to

make a weapon magically effective against a

particular foe. Silversmiths are particularly revered

because of the difficulty in imbuing the silver with

strong magic, especially anti-lycanthropic magic.

These smiths are not in particular soldiers, but more

like craftsman which provide weapons and armor

for their fellow cathars.

Inquisitors Inquisitors are cathars who can be hired out to come help a parish if they have a particular problem

with vampires or devils. These cathars are fierce warriors and are specialized in tracking down

demons or vampires who disguised themselves. Becoming a Inquisitor takes many years of training

and experience.

Parish-blades Cathars stationed in parishes serve as escorts along roads or protect the cathedral in Thraben. This is an ordained military force that assembles whenever the clergy demands. These cathars are mere soldiers who operate in small armies if possible. They are used to fight back zombie hordes. Some parish-blades become inquisitors after long years of training and fighting. Runechanters Runechanters are a specialized branch of the clergy that

specializes in engraving blessings on material objects,

including weapons. Everything from swords to axes to

children's toys has words written on it in an effort to

protect its owner. The best runechanters can write so

small that hundreds of these blessings can be squeezed

into a small space.

The Skirsdag A Demonic Cult The Skirsdag is a demonic cult of worshippers of Griselbrant, the demon who was bound by Avacyn in

the great silver mass of the Helvault. Demons existed long before Sorins divine spark and his creation

of Avacyn to keep the world of Innistrad in balance. Nowdays cults still exists and wait for the return

for their master who will reward their loyalty and will spare them from the other monstrosities who

will make an end to this world.

The Goal of the Skirsdag Skirsdag cultists have many ranks and followers throughout the world. Now people dont longer can

rely on their former savior the turn to other powerful beings in the hope for salvation.

Skirsdag priests try to open as many gates to the underworld as possible resulting in more and more

demons and devils swarming into this world and leaving a trace of death and decay. Skirsdag

followers know their summons bring destruction to Innistrad, but are willing to pay the price for of

their own lives.

Though cathars and the powers of the church actively fight vampires, werewolves and cultists alike,

the Skirsdag try to remain underground,

though society can feel the influence in their

daily lives. Many Skirsdag rituals require

human sacrifices or a tribute of blood for

their demon masters and it is not uncommon

for people to find bloody altars in cellars of

houses or in the wild days after a demonic

ritual.

Cultists and priests The skirsdag hierarchy is a lot like that of the church of Avacyn. The high priests is the first in

command. Since Griselbrant is no longer in this world he still obeys other demons but can order

devils to do his bidding. Priests perform rituals and are in command in larger regions while cultists

are more the experienced members of the Skirsdag. Skirsdag followers are considered to be new

members or people without any magical powers. The Skirsdag welcome new members which have to

perform an oath to pledge their loyalty to the cult. This makes it very hard to infiltrate the cult not to

mention the contact with powerful demons which can easely pick out the undercover members. This

also creates a very save aspect to the cult and its members.

Chapter 6: Vampires

Vampirism on Innistrad is neither a virus nor a curse, but what the vampires themselves somewhat

euphemistically call a "condition of the blood." It is an anointing that persists and is perpetuated by

magic alone, and few if any of its bearers consider it a curse. When reflecting on the nature of "the

condition," vampires sometimes poetically call it an ablution, a washing of the self in blood that

results in a new state of being. Vampires are not truly undead, although they have some undead

traits (such as agelessness and skin that's cold to the touch).

The most distinctive thing about vampires' appearance is their eyes. The sclera is black and the irises

gold, silver, or other colors. The skin is pale and cool to the touch. The hair is often black but is

sometimes deep purple, dark magenta, burgundy, or even dark blue-green. Some vampires wear

wigs, however, for variety, novelty, or to disguise themselves more easily among humans. A

vampire's canines are very slightly pronounced at all times, and when they bite someone, the canines

extend about a quarter inch. Vampires also tend to have long and slightly curved fingernails.

Vampiric powers and magic Humans have a multitude of tall tales about the evils and wonder of which vampires are capable. In

reality, though, the vampires' universal suite of powers is limited to just three things: agelessness,

slightly enhanced strength (approximately double that of a human), and a two-foot-wide aura of

silence that emanates from them at will.

Many vampires learn a uniquely vampiric form of glamer (quasi-illusion magic) that enables them to

move among humans undetected. These are mind-affecting spells that alter what nearby humans

think they're perceiving, rather than true illusion magic that changes the subject's appearance. As

such, particularly strong-willed humans can sometimes shake off the effects of the glamer and see

the vampire truly. Also, given time, power, elder vampires learn all manner of powerful magic,

including flight, hypnotic gaze, transformation into other forms (such as that of a bat or a mist), and

so on.

Vampiric Vulnerabilities All vampires inherit a set of weaknesses linked to the ritual that created their race. First, although

they can be harmed or killed by any weapon,

weapons of living wood have special efficacythis

is the so-called Dryad's Legacy (dead wood is inert,

no more effective than stone or steel). Second, a

vampire can't cross running water in which the

moon is reflected, because of the link between

water as the source of human food and the moon

as the source of angelic power. Third, Avacyn

herself can enchant water with the power to burn

vampires like acid by touching it. But this water is

scarce and becoming scarcer with each passing

day.

Silver, the soothsayer Because of the connection between Innistrad's silver moon and its angels, and because the ritual that

created vampires required the drinking of angel blood, silver has special properties vis--vis

vampires: it causes them to see how they would have been in normal, mortal life, ignoring vampire

glamer and reality alike. Because of this, vampires go to great lengths to avoid mirrors (glass backed

with a coating of silver), because mirrors reflect their mortal images rather than their actual ones.

This is also the reason why vampires can't cross running water in which the moon is reflected.

Although silver weapons aren't particularly deadly to vampires, the presence of silver unsettles them,

putting them at a disadvantage.

Avacyn's power The archangel Avacyn is (or was) the living

covenant of the balance between humans

and vampires. Avacynian holy symbols can

induce in vampires a paralyzing fear and

the desire to flee, although their ability to

do so has significantly diminished in the

last year (because of Avacyn's

disappearance). Despite Avacyn's absence,

however, the strength of faith alone

imbues a degree of continued power in the

symbols of Avacyn: the silver collar and the

heron crest.

The Unquenchable Thirst A vampire will starve to death in one full cycle of the moon unless it drinks as much human blood as

an average human contains (about five liters). Almost any vampire will drink more than this if given

the chance, however. Without enough blood, a vampire starves quicklyin a matter of several

daysfirst desiccating before eventually crumbling to dust. Because of the source magic that created

all vampires, only blood from a living human will

suffice. Vampire alchemists have attempted

transmutations of animal blood to human blood, but

all have failed. Blood from a dead human is also

insufficient; if blood from a living human is like wine,

blood from a dead human is like vinegar.

Blood trade To vampires, blood is indeed like wine. Vampires

enjoy a lively commerce in blood, although the

commodity is only good for a few days before it

provides no nourishmentabout the same length of

time as wood stays alive once cut from its plant. Small castles and manor houses in relative proximity

to each other trade blood via carriage and experiment with various blends. Particularly interesting or

delicious samples are occasionally preserved by well paid time-mages who can use sorcery to prevent

the blood from "dying" for a short time (freezing doesn't work). When a time-mage can't be secured,

however (which is often), some vampires resort to slavery of the victim, shipping him or her from

place to place to be supped on. Specialty carriages exist for this purpose.

Feeding and siring A vampire will drink the blood of his or her human victim, usually until the victim dies of blood loss.

Sometimes the vampire is interrupted and the human will survive and recover. Although other

humans might suspect the survivor of a vampire's bite of becoming a vampire, this isn't a possibility,

because siring requires an exchange of blood. The survivor will be plagued by disturbing and

sometimes erotic dreams for years but will not turn. When a vampire wishes to turn a human into a

vampire, to sire the victim, the vampire must introduce his or her own blood into the victim. The

simplest way to accomplish this is for the vampire to cut his or her own cheek or tongue before or

during the bite. This act will "anoint" the victim, endowing him or her with the same "condition of

the blood" that all vampires have. But this is only the first step. The victim, once anointed, will begin

to feel the bloodthirst, and food will become unsatisfying within one to three days. But this first

bloodthirst is special; only the blood of the sire can quench it. A newly anointed victim who doesn't

drink the sire's blood before the next new moon will die. But if he or she does, the siring will be

complete and the anointed will become a full-fledged vampire.

Who do vampires choose to

sire? Because vampires

believe they are humanity's

saviors, and because of

their own decadence

and hedonism, only the

cream of the human crop

is fit for siring. A vampire

might decide to sire a human

because of the human's

beauty, charisma, intelligence, or talent, for example. In short, only the most remarkable humans

become vampires.

When vampires feed, they will sink their teeth into any exposed flesh. Usually the neck is most

convenient, but an arm or even a cheek will do. But the siring bite is special. Vampires want to avoid

marring the appearance of their future

peers, so often a siring bite is made in some

out-of-view location, such as on the upper

thigh, the torso under the arm, or the

bottom of a foot (although in this last case

the victim must be special indeed to be

worth the vampire's self-humiliation).

Bloodlines Not all vampires are created equal. Among

the existing vampiric bloodlines, some are

more common but prestigious whereas some are rare but less respected. There were originally

twelve bloodlines, which originated long ago in a ritual that had something to do with the Markov

progenitor, Edgar Markov. Three of these bloodlines have died out completely. Five others are

relatively minor, having sired fewer vampires. The four major bloodlines that remain are:

Markov This is the bloodline of Edgar Markov and is the most prestigious of the bloodlines. The Markov line

has been fairly ambitious in its siring over the many centuries, and as a result the Markov vampires

exist in all four of Innistrad's provinces. This isn't to say that all vampires of the Markov line are all

high-minded or noble; a bloodline doesn't determine temperament, self-discipline, or restraint.

Markov elders seem to have a talent for psychic magic.

Falkenrath The Falkenrath line, concentrated more in Stensia than the Markov line, had a famous falconer (now

dead) as its progenitor and remains associated with far-reaching activity and predation. Falkenrath

vampires are the boldest in walking among humans, taking pleasure in choosing their victims from

deep within human communities that consider themselves safe. Falkenrath elders are more likely to

master powers of flight than those of other lines.

Voldaren The progenitor of the Voldaren line, Olivia Voldaren, was in life a beautiful but strange, hermetic, antisocial woman who preferred to live far away from human civilization, in manor homes built for her from her seemingly boundless wealth. Like their progenitor, Voldaren vampires tend to live in the distant places, in the borderlands and edges of Innistrad's provinces. Voldaren elders can more easily master magic that enables them to transform into animal forms, especially those of the bat, cat, and rat.

Stromkirk Unwilling to take part in the political and social

machinations of Stensian vampires, those of the

Stromkirk line chose to concentrate their power in

Nephalia instead. As a result their disguising glamers

are more powerful and more sophisticated.

Stromkirk's progenitor, Runo Stromkirk, was a high

priest in life who worshipped a pre-Avacynian god

of the sea and storms, and Stromkirk vampires still

feel a slight affinity with the coast. Some Stromkirk

elders have achieved the ability to transform

themselves into mist.

Chapter 7: Devils

The Nature and Role of Devils Devils are infernal perpetrators of malicious

mischief. They stand about three or four feet tall,

have a face full of needlelike teeth, and often have

ruddy or deep red skin. They usually have one or

two back-sweeping horns and most of them have

long, whiplike tails, but their morphology can vary

from individual to individual. They are agile and

can be passable fighters, but they do their best

destructive work by sabotaging things of value and

by inciting violence in others.

The work of Devils Devils often work in the employ of demons,

stirring up chaos and woe. Devils aren't very

dependable minions when it comes to servant

tasksthey don't do well retrieving fragile objects or remembering to guard choke points. But devils

are experts when it comes to generating and fueling bitter emotions. Demons are most interested in

ways to demonstrate and expand their own power, seeking to tempt mortals to give up what's most

precious to them. Devils, on the other hand, just want to repeatedly check who's at the top of the

Things Are Going Okay in My Life Leaderboard and go wreck some self-respect. That works out well

for their demon masters, because once a poor human's will has been broken and livelihood

destroyed by devils, that human is much more desperate and apt to agree to a demonic deal with

shudderingly harsh terms.

Devilish Humor A devil's laugh is a brain-needle forged from

pure spite. You might laugh when someone

trips and fallswhatever. It's okay. It's kind

of a human reflex. But a devil's sense of

humor isn't satisfied until someone trips,

falls, breaks an ankle, loses the ability to

work, loses the farm, dies penniless, and

dooms his or her starving heirs. Hilarious.

Devils don't have that little boundary of

decorum that divides the harmless,

schadenfreude-induced chuckle into your

hand from the full-blown sadistic cackle at the dispensation of harm. The farther a prank goes, the

more wrong it gets, and the more pain it causes, the harder a devil laughs. They will insult the

memory of your dear, departed auntwhile waving at you with her own severed handsjust to bray

at the look of anguish on your face. They have an uncanny knack for sniffing out exactly what you

care for most just so they can break that thing and watch you cry. They can't be reasoned with; they

are not creatures of reason. They can't be bargained with; they want nothing but your admission of

defeat.

They can, however, be killed. Devils swarm out of the crevices of the plane, their shrill laughter heard

in every village and along every route through the wilds. Priests and cathars have taken to killing

them on sight whenever possible, even given their diminished holy powers, knowing that devils only

herald ruin.

Chapter 8: Zombies

Two distinct kinds of corporeal undead creatures plague Innistrad. The first are ghouls, sometimes

called "the unhallowed," which are necromantically animated corpses. The second are the skaab,

beings alchemically constructed from the dead.

The Unhallowed Necromantically animated zombies are more

commonly called ghouls or "unhallowed" on

Innistrad, because they're drawn forth from

unhallowed graves. One of the duties of

Avacynian clergy is blessing the final resting

places of the dead to try to ensure "the Blessed

Sleep." Now that Avacyn is no longer present,

the dead can be more easily stirred.

Ghoulcallers Necromancers on Innistrad are usually referred

to as ghoulcallers, the black magic mages that call forth the dead from graveyards, or "grafs." There

are several varieties of graf, each of which draws forth a unique mix of the walking dead.

Fengraf A fengraf is one of the many flooded lowland graveyards. These sites were once hallowed ground,

but have remained untended for many years. Fengraf ghouls are usually smiths, cobblers, brothel

workers and other common and poor folk.

Seagraf A seagraf is a "fisherman's graveyard." Much

like minor nobles, fishermen are often buried

with their most prized possessions, such as

nets, long harpoons, and large hooks for

getting hold of a slippery catch. Seagraf

unhallowed have not completely forgotten

their trade even in death, and they will pursue

victims using the tools and deftness they had in

life.

Diregraf A diregraf is the site of a particularly gruesome battle. Unhallowed awakened from a diregraf carry

the armor, weapons, and fatal wounds from their last bloody battle. Diregraf ghouls carry this lust for

an unfinished battle within their fogged minds, and they often attempt to fall into military formations

as they were trained to do in life.

Once the dead have risen, the ghoulcaller then supplants all other addled thoughts of the dead with

one single driving purpose in their minds. The near-mindless ghouls will call on what skills they have

left to carry out the task, and the results are a grotesque parody of their lives. Blacksmiths attempt to

"reforge" their opponents, fallen warriors emit rasping pseudo-cries, and undead murderers

reawaken their taste for killing. Occasionally, fallen mages even show a limited ability to weave

spells, but this often results in some aberration of the spell's original purpose.

The Skaab Necro-alchemy is much more of an art than

ghoulcalling. One who practices the art of

creating skaabs is called a skaberen. The true

goal of the skaberen is to create life, an

undertaking which usually produces malformed

"offspring" rather than true life.

Corpus Creare Also known as "corpse cobbling," is the

collecting of various anatomical parts from

corpses from which the skaab will be constructed. This is usually performed by paid grave robbers or

homunculi under the skaberen's charge. In some cases, even the limbs of beasts are used for the

construct; if a human arm is not available, a horse's leg can suffice.

Patin Ligitus Or rune-bonds, are the "binding plates"

used to join various anatomical features

together. These are plates of copper

and/or brass, with silver-inlaid runes

scribed on them. They provide an arcane

bridge of sorts between disparate parts

gathered by corpse-cobbling.

Viscus Vitae Or vital fluid, is the key to the skaberen's

art. Viscus vitae is created by mixing a large

quantity of lamp oil with the slightest pinch

of the dried blood of an angel. Once a

perfect mixture of viscus vitae is created, any blood remaining in the corpse is replaced with vital oil,

via transfusion. As a result, skaab are often highly flammable.

Vox Quietus Translated as "the silent word," is the final step in creating a skaab. The skaberen whispers a fairly

lengthy incantation over the corpse which awakens the creature, but in a much calmer manner that

that which is used by ghoulcallers. Once awakened, the skaab is in a calm, "tabula rasa" state, which

allows the alchemist to begin the long task of re-educating the creature. In the eyes of a skaberen,

the technique used by ghoulcallers is crude, heretical, and provides unacceptable results.

Skaberen usually ply their trade in remote and inhospitable places, since they are viewed as

blasphemers by commoners and clergy. Skaberen often become obsessed hermits who surround

themselves with ancient scrolls and books, phials of rare noxious liquids, glass jars full of pickled

organs, anatomical charts for both human and beast, rune-engraved skeletal remains, and small

anvils and hammers for inscribing runes on brass and copper plates.

Chapter 9: Spirits

The origin of Spirits Innistrad is a world filled with the ghosts of the human dead. These spirits, called geists, take many

forms. Some are protective spirits of ancestors. Others are vengeful creatures bent on resolving

conflicts they couldn't resolve in life.

Geists have always been a presence on

Innistrad, but before Avacyn, all such spirits

were malevolent, manifesting on the plane

only because of a grudge or regret powerful

enough to disturb the Blessed Sleep of the

body to which they were connected. In

Avacyn's absence, the malevolent spirits

were counterbalanced by the appearance of

many benevolent and neutral geists, from

nurturing apparitions of family members

who have passed on to inscrutable ghosts

who seem to want to continue whatever

duty they had in life.

This new balance in the spirit realm resulted from Avacyn's function as psychopomp for the dead; her

existence shepherded the souls of the departed back into the plane's thereal space. This

metaphysical guidance from Avacyn enabled geists to elect to turn away from reunion with the

plane's essencea phenomenon that previously occurred only when a geist's anguish or regret

overcame the pull toward the ther.

Material and Immaterial Geists exist in the space between the material and thereal realms, so to varying degrees they

possess qualities of both worlds. Thus some are able to walk through walls and then slash open

throats. Others use the beliefs of the living against them; victims believe in the spirit so completely

that they harm themselves with the power of their own mind. Some use fear to literally scare the

victim to death. Some spirits use cold to freeze opponents or reduce their temperatures down to

hypothermic levels when humans become lost on the moors or wander too far into the bogs. Other,

more powerful ghosts use their force of will or emotion to condense matter (called ectoplasm)

around their hands or weapons for a split second when they attack. Some use psychokinetic power

to wrap objects around them (e.g., brambles, chains, spikes, glass, etc.), and then wield them against

their foes.

Faith's Power Even in Avacyn's absence, divine magic is

not impotent. With a combination of

powerful faith and magic, clergy can banish

geists in various ways, from dispersal of

the geist's essence to functioning as a

surrogate psychopomp to guide the geist

toward its rest in the ther.

Kinds of Spirits Holy Geists Many white-aligned geists are harmless or

even protective spirits of dead family and friends who haunt the living out of a sense of duty, fealty,

responsibility, or love. Malevolent holy geists do exist, however, and are usually twisted by guilt,

feelings of failure, or unrighted wrongs. Some are ghosts of fallen soldiers that still patrol the moors,

looking for their vanquishers.

Magic Geists Some geists are projections of the animating principles of the mind. Vicious or obsessive thinking as

well as collective human memories come to life by attracting enough latent aether around them to

become autonomous entities. They carry on as obsessive ghostsrepeated knocking, patterning,

arranging, stacking, marking, etc. They can also possess one's mind and cause repetitive movements,

speech, epilepsy, obsessive behavior, schizophrenia, and other such maladies of the mind. These are

also the geists most drawn to the water, storms, frost, and misteven the mist of the breath.

Dark Geists These geists eternally hunger for life, power, or the

settling of a wicked grudge. These are spirits that

must be appeased by offerings of food, goods, and

even blood. If not appeased, these geists can be

responsible for disease, accidents and death. Dlack

geists are almost always dangerous and

malevolent.

Fury Geists These spirits have attached themselves to rampant

emotions, unfulfilled desires, and thirsts for

revenge that were frustrated during life. They can

manifest as blood dripping from statues, whirls of dust on roads, minor rockslides on hillocks, cliffs,

and mountainsides, and, in the case of possession, as sudden mania or murderous rage. The ghosts

of the unavenged are some of the most dangerous geists on Innistrad, sometimes appearing as living

fire or as "blood mist" entities that engulf a hapless victim and inflict cuts and welts that are slow to

heal.

Nature Geists Some geists long to be reconnected with the nature they revered in life. Energies within the woods

that have been called into being by druids or other nature-mages take on form by entwining roots

and brambles around their thereal bodies. Some of these spirits attach themselves to animals,

plants and landforms, imbuing them with special power or mutating them into strange, otherworldly

entities. If the spirits that inhabit landforms are not appeased, it can often result in blight, crop

failure, and famine.

Chapter 10: Werewolves

The werewolf is a creature of duality, forever dragged between two worlds: it is both monster and

man, nature and civilization, rational thought and raw savagery.

Killer or Victim Some werewolves see themselves as victims cursed with the souls of untamable killers. Others see

themselves as glorious scions of nature trapped inside a cage of civilized lies. Though most of

Innistrad society focuses on the mass-murdering horrors of the werewolf's beast form, the

lycanthrope can be seen as a tragic figure with an identity chained to the treacherous moon or an

avatar of nature's inherent wildness.

A person afflicted with lycanthropy is forever in doubt of his or her own urges and instincts. In

human form, a werewolf feels the pull of the wolf's essence within even while trying to integrate into

polite society. A lycanthrope can feel the war of emotions in his or her heart, and as the moon grows

full, the influences of conscience, religion, and personal restraint do less and less. The full moon

makes the change inevitable, but in fact, any strong emotion or traumatic experience can trigger a

lycanthropic crisis and allow the transformation to occur.

Werewolves in canid form are beings of unparalleled savagery and strength. Their bodies are

perfectly engineered for slaughter, with jaws capable of snapping bone and claws sharp enough to

rip the entrails from a beast many times their size. Their minds are explosions of instinct and

adrenaline, fed supernatural awareness from their heightened senses yet cognitively blind to almost

everything but the kill. They can walk upright for manual dexterity or can lope on four limbs for

speed. Their howl is said to release the wolf's spirit within, a harrowing sound that fogs the air and

chills the night. Werewolves in beast form cannot speak human languages, but seem to be able to

communicate with each other on matters of hunting, dominance, and social hierarchy, as canines do

in the wild.

The Transformation The transformation process is harrowing for the lycanthrope and incredibly disturbing to any

witnesses. The eyes change first, the whites darkening and the iris filling with color. The claws go

next; the hands elongate, knifelike claws extend from the fingertips, and the thumb forms a claw

back near the wrist. The muzzle thrusts forward out of the human's skull, and the teeth jut through

the gums in sharp points. Bones crack as they rearrange. Marrow spills into the bloodstream as ribs

and skull fracture and telescope. Thick, wiry

fur pushes through the skin, often pushing out

normal human hair. The tailbone elongates

and becomes a shaggy wolf's tail. Metabolism

speeds up, increasing blood flow, oxygen flow,

and glandular production, creating cravings for

protein and fat. Any clothing that was worn at

the time of the change is generally torn to

shreds and falls away. If a werewolf dies in

beast form, it changes back to human form, a

process called death reversion.

A werewolf that has just

changed back to human form is

usually naked, disoriented, and

covered in the debris, wounds,

and bloodstains of the previous

night's hunt. He or she has

flashes of memories left over

from canid form, often

experienced with involuntary

heart spasms and jolts of

adrenaline, not unlike the

experience of panic attacks. The

days following a transformation

are often filled with shame, guilt,

and depressionand repression, as the lycanthrope struggles to feign normality, construct alibis, and

hide evidence of his or her savage crimes.

After reverting to humanoid form, most werewolves have partial memories of their time in canid

form, and they clearly see the aftereffects of the destruction they've caused. This can send

lycanthropes into the throes of depression, shame, or even hostility against others. A minority of

lycanthropes actually embrace their werewolf nature, however, and actively seek to return to their

canid state. Werewolves that revile their lycanthropy are called repentants; the few who embrace

the wild are called wantons. While in canid form, however, all werewolves are savage beasts, all

traces of their humanity gone.

Warding Against the Change Humans destroy known werewolves when

they can; all lycanthropes are seen as

abominations and mass murderers. But

werewolves are dangerous creatures to face

head-on, so wide-scale magical prevention is

often employed to curb lycanthropy

passively.

Regular and repeated application of

Avacynian magic can help prevent the

change to canid form. Roadside shrines,

prayer, angelic rites, the blessing of

accomplished clerics, and the presence of

holy symbols all help reinforce the

werewolf's humanity, helping her hold on to her human form. Repentant werewolves often stay

within the city limits, around their fellow man and the influence of religion, whereas wantons often

venture into the wilderness, far from the wards and priests that keep their wolf essence in check. The

full moon, however can overcome even powerful religious precautions. In addition, the power of

angelic magic has waned in recent times, and werewolf transformations have become more common

and harder to predict.

Lycanthropes and the Moon There's no doubt that the moon holds sway over werewolves. As the moon's phases change, so

changes the power of lycanthropy over the werewolf. As the full moon approaches, the effectiveness

of divine magic becomes dampened, and werewolves change more readily.

Werewolves in canid form are supernaturally strong and tough, and since the weakening of

Avacynian magic, few protection spells have been able to harm them or keep them at bay. But

werewolves have a weakness: pure silver that has been ritually blessed by a powerful cleric of Avacyn

can cause them great agony. According to alchemists, silver's purity of material readily absorbs the

divine magic. Arrowheads, spearpoints, and other weapons made from blessed silver can be

powerful instruments for fighting werewolves.

Silver and the Moon Mages have presumed a relationship between the moon and the metal silver for centuries, but the

nature of that relationship remains a mystery. The respected astronomancer Jenrik once posited that

Innistrad's moon is actually a vast desert composed of tiny grains of silver. He believed that any silver

found on Innistrad actually originated from the moon's silver desert, and that terrestrial silver

maintains a relationship with the moon's power. Why the moon seems to empower werewolves

while silver harms them is not well understood.

The Cause and Nature of Lycanthropy There are many theories of how lycanthropy is caused or spread. Most sects of the Church of Avacyn

hold that lycanthropy is a kind of demonic possession, but ritual exorcisms have not successfully

purged the affliction. Most afflicted humans appear to become werewolves at some point in their

lives rather than being born so, although there are sporadic (and chilling) tales of child werewolves in

remote areas. Many alchemists and wolfhunters believe that werewolves are sterile, and only

reproduce by cursing humans with lycanthropy; however, many commoners fear that they might be

able to interbreed with humans or give birth to their own kind.

The True Cause Lycanthropy is a supernatural curse that causes the victim's spiritual essence to become mingled with

the wild essence of nature, symbolized by the wolf. The lycanthrope in effect has two souls, or one

split soul. These two essences constantly battle for control within the victim. When the wild wolf-

essence triumphs, the werewolf change occurs. This may explain why werewolves hunt humans so

often; the wolf-essence desires to destroy the human side and triumph over humanity, and does so

symbolically by brutally slaying humans.

Transmitting the Curse: The Call and the First Hunt The curse of lycanthropy overtakes a person over a period of one night. One or more werewolves

howl in the night, calling out to the victim. Soon after, the victim finds himself in the wilderness,

under the silvery moon, surrounded by eyes glowing in the night. The victim's will is compromised

already, the wild essence entering him and doing battle with his human conscience. The victim and

the werewolves crash through the woods together, and over the course of the night, they hunt and

kill their preyusually woodland game, but other humans or even another lycanthrope is not

unheard of.

The called victim begins to express wolf characteristics throughout the night, and as he sinks his

teeth into bloody flesh, the curse perceptibly takes hold, and he transforms fully into canid form for

the first time. There is a bone-chilling chorus of howls, and the First Hunt is complete. Later, the new

lycanthrope usually staggers back into civilization, half-naked, barely recognizable through the blood

and offal and wilderness debris, and nearly mad from fear and shameful memories. Thereafter, the

werewolf must remain vigilant with prayer and caution, lest the wolf essence manifest again.

Detection Werewolves in either form seem to be able to tell a human-form lycanthrope by smell. Indeed,

humans who are mysteriously spared during werewolf rampages are often suspected of being

werewolves themselves.

No Known Cure No known remedy, blessing, or ritual has effectively purged the curse of lycanthropy. The closest

anyone ever came was alchemist Theodora Glick,

who was brought in to inspect Guthril, a

werewolf captured by the local constabulary.

Through a complex ceremony involving mystic

circles inlaid with the wolfsbane plant, a blanket

woven with blessed silver thread, and a lightning

storm, Glick managed to force Guthril to revert

to human form and stay that way through three

lunar cycles. Unfortunately, the ritual was only

temporary, and Guthril re-emerged stronger

than ever. He utterly destroyed Glick's laboratory

in Gavony and fled into the night.

Howlpacks Werewolves are often lone hunters, stalking and killing humans as singular monsters in urban

settings. But some werewolves form loose, evolving social groups out in the wild called howlpacks.

The populations of howlpacks wax and wane like the moon, gaining and losing members as individual

lycanthropes enter or leave their canid state. Some werewolves seem to be continually drawn back

to their howlpack, returning to it time after time as soon as they drop their human guise and reenter

the wild. Howlpacks can be tiny hunting parties of just a few werewolves, or can be massive hordes

of over a hundred. A howlpack is often led by a single alpha (male or female) that dominates the

pack. Alphas must often defend their power by defeating challengers in combat. Three of the larger,

more stable howlpacks are the Krallenhorde, the Mondronen, and the Leeraug.

The Krallenhorde: Innistrad's Largest Howlpack When an average Innistrad human thinks of a werewolf pack, he or she thinks of the Krallenhorde.

The Krallenhorde has existed in some form for decades, composed of anywhere from fifty to over

two hundred werewolves depending on the availability of prey and the phase of the moon. The most

heterogeneous of howlpacks, Krallenhorde includes a mix of repentant and wanton werewolves, and

has drawn members from all provinces of Innistrad. The alpha of Krallenhorde is currently the

werewolf Ulrich, a cunning and perceptive wanton who remains in the wild and runs with the

howlpack even when he reverts to human form.

Mondronen: Carnal Ritualists The Mondronen howlpack is composed of

around sixty werewolves who are said to

control a dark, bloody magic of nature. Their

alpha Tovolar is a mute, silver-furred werewolf

who leads his pack on revels of carnage and

howling songs, and who never seems to revert

to human form. The Mondronen wolves

historically stayed far from centers of

civilization, only preying on farmlands, rural

communities, and remote monasteries. But as

Avacyn's protective wards have diminished in

strength, it's said that the Mondronen

territory has grown closer to cities, and that

their dark magics may soon spill over into

genteel life.

Leeraug: Killers of the Absent Moon Few know of the Leeraug, a relatively small and tight-knit pack of Innistrad's most vicious werewolf

predators, but almost all have heard tales of their destruction. The Leeraug are unique in that they

hunt under the black night of the new moon, rather than transforming when the moon is full. They

favor the flesh and entrails of children, and often steal into homes and orphanages through chimneys

or windows left ajar. The Leeraug alpha is Skaharra, a black-furred she-wolf noted for her tendency

to kill along bloodlines, murdering entire families in a single night while sparing unrelated farmhands

and servants.

Chapter 11: Nephalia

Overview Innistrad denizens interested in commerce are attracted to Nephalia, which

makes for an interesting mix of occupations and races in the province.

Nephalia has numerous towns in which order is maintained by Avacynian

clergy and their representatives. It has a "stock" of humans to be fed upon,

thus the Stromkirk line is well represented here. It has busy trade routes

with caravans of merchants and townsfolk milling between the cities for

the Krallenhorde to prey on. And it has the ever-present Nebelgast, the so-

called "Breath of the Sleepless," that rolls in and out with the tide, bringing

with it a host of geists.

In Nephalia, skaberen (creators of skaabs, the alchemically vivified

constructions of flesh) and ghoulcallers (practitioners of necromancy) alike can find out-of-the-way

places in which to practice and further their art with little or no interference from suspicious

townsfolk or Avacynian authority. Both must remain highly secretive, as their trade is still feared

within the general human populace, but the Stromkirk vampires and Nephalia's merchants see

money to be made, so their arcane trinkets and dark services are tolerated as long as they remain

only rumors at the local taverns.

The merchants, known as the metzalar, are

the glue that binds Nephalia together. They

keep every separate party joined together by

the exchange of goods and services and, of

course, coin.

Nearly Treeless Nephalia has always been lightly forested, but

in the last century its few trees have been cut

down or destroyed due to the vampires' fear

of them being turned on them as stakes and

other weapons.

Runo, progenitor of the Stromkirk line, was

crafty in his removal of the woodlands. Early

on, using his glamers and sizeable fortune, he

turned the human populace into artisans,

supporting their efforts in building fine cities,

proud ships, and a vigorous, provincial commerceall based around wood.

Prosperous and plentiful humans are good business for the

Stromkirk, so Runo became a kind of secret Nephalian

patron, supporting master craftsmen and commissioning

buildings, towers, and ships, while funding any vampire-

friendly efforts by alchemists and magisters. Out of

this, Nephalia has become widely known for its masterful

crafting and artistry with wood. Nephalian buildings, ships,

chapels, and houses all bear a distinct and inspired art that

sets it apart from the other provinces.

Faith in Nephalia In Nephalia, the Church's role has been to keep humans safe from the actions of necromantic

ghoulcallers and corpse-stitching skaberen. Now that holy magic is losing its strength, undead attacks

on already-terrorized merchant outposts and port towns have gotten even worse. The underground

corpse trade is in full swing, delivering precious bodies to those who wish to harvest them for their

dark magics. Geists blow in with the sea's mist, restless spirits fresh from shipwrecks or roused from

the Blessed Sleep as the Avacynian blessings over cemeteries fail. Nephalians regularly see the

facesor other body partsof their loved ones at the ends of their silver weapons. Sometimes those

faces are mercifully decomposed and unrecognizable, but it's not uncommon for them to be attacked

by deathless versions of the same beloved priests who were supposed to be guarding the town

gates.

Port Towns of Nephalia This province is defined by waterby its access to the ocean (the easiest of any province), by its

many rivers that lead deep inland, and by its deltas, marshes, and lakes. Water enables commerce

here but also gives Nephalia a silvery, mystical character; the clouds and the moon seem to be both

above and below in most places.

Silver Beach Nephalia's coastline consists of the Silver Beach, which

stretches countless miles, interrupted by rocks, sea

caves, and occasional large promontories. The sands of

the beach are rich in granular silver, giving them an

unearthly shimmer that dazzles visitors from other

provinces. This is no vacation spot, however. Threats are

far too numerous, and the ocean too dangerous, to

invite beachcombers. Only experienced Nephalian sailors

know the spells and the land well enough to venture out

into the sea and return with fish, trade goods, or treasure.

Nephalia has three main port towns along the coast: Havengul, Drunau, and Selhoff.

Havengul The largest of the three cities, Havengul, stands at the mouth of the Silburlind River. The population

consists of human craftworkers, shipbuilders, smiths, and traders. The Avacynian church has a strong

presence here to take part in the burgeoning trade and marketplace, but many Nephalians are wary

of the priesthood and watch them like hawks. As long as the church brings trade to and from

Thraben, they are given a pass from the key players in Nephalia.

Elgaud Grounds A contingent of the Avacyn Church long ago established a small fort here known as the Elgaud

Grounds where new cathars are trained to spread

the word of Avacyn and protect the people. Once

trained, these graduates are sent out in small groups

(of two or three) to neighboring towns to establish

an outpost. These are known as Arms of Avacyn, and

they attempt to strengthen trust in the Church under

the offer of protection and security. Many townsfolk

are wary or outright untrusting of these "Arms" and

would rather protect themselves with their own

blood, sweat, traditional folklore, and superstitions.

Corpse Trade Even with the presence of the Cathars, there is money to be made in corpses. Havengul, having the

largest human population, is rife with bodysnatchers who disinter corpses and then shuttle them off

using the network of underground passageways, known as the Erdwal, for high-paying ghoulcallers or

skaberen.

The most influential of Nephalia's merchants is Ludevic of Ulm, a wheezing and reclusive alchemist.

Some say that Ludevic's consumption of potions and inhalation of toxic vapors has left him no choice

but to abandon his experiments, leaving him to devote his sizeable intellect to the problem of making

himself and his partners filthy rich. Others gossip that Ludevic still dabbles in the alchemical arts.

The Tide and the Nebelgast Here in Havengul and all along the Nephalian

coastline, spirits come and go with the tide, but that

isn't to say that when the tide is out, spirits are

absentthere are just far fewer. Because the tide is

connected to the moon, the pull of the moon brings

the spirits into the world of the living to haunt. The

Nebelgast consists mainly of the marei (drowned

sailors and shipwreck victims) and the niblis (frost

phantoms), but there are a host of other ghosts and

spirits that are pulled by the moon.

The River Ospid and the Morkrut.

This creates a sizeable marsh known as the Morkrut. Few set

foot within the Morkrut other than ghoulcallers, and even

they can become lost in its mists. The Morkrut has been a

dumping place for murder victims and unclaimed bodies for

which no one will pay for proper burial. Because of this, the

Morkrut is filled with banshees and other malevolent geists.

The Erdwal Colloquially known as "The Ditch," the network of underground passageways and crevasses called

the Erdwal originated as trenches created by Nephalians in each of the major cities of Havengul,

Drunau, and Selhoff for resisting zombie and werewolf attacks. Over the years, the trenches between

the three cities were connected into a network of defensible walkways for transporting goods and

continuing trade even while wandering zombie hordes, demonic fiends, hungry geists, or the

Krallenhorde wander about looking for victims. Major merchants of Nephalia have paid special

attention to the uses of the Erdwal and have put serious resources into making it a legitimate artery

of trade, thus it has developed a bustling underground economy of its own dealing in all manner of

grey- and black-market goods: human blood, assassinations, counterfeit silver, necromancy, curses,

and bloodsport.

Near the larger towns, the Erdwal becomes a trench marketplace of colorful rogues, seedy

merchants, filthy sailors and gaunt strangers,

all doing business in dark alleyways and roughly

hewn tunnels branching off the main trench.

Along the clandestine nooks, the skaberen and

ghoulcallers ply their trade and human blood is

bought and sold by the flagon. Flesh golems are

created and experiments in transmuting base

metals into pure silver are carried out.

Skaberen stitch together hideous

monstrosities, some of which get loose and

cause havoc throughout the Ditch. As long as

these dark dealings do not make it above

ground level, the Church of Avacyn and its

cathars do not intervene. Nephalia is a province of "understandings," and this is one of those uneasy

truces that, if maintained, benefits all parties concerned.

Jenrik's Tower Along a particularly bare stretch of the Silver Beach looms a tall tower. The mortar has been mixed

with sand from the Silver Beach, making it glitter in the moonlight. Within the tower, Jenrik, the

astronomer, mysteriously conducts his work studying the stars, eschewing all contact with the

outside world. He is making observations of the moon, charting its path across the heavens with

excruciating detail. Wards keep away werewolves, and the Stromkirk actually fear his knowledge, for

anyone with such a vast understanding of the moon is holding great power indeed. Some say he is

predicting the future of Innistrad, or that he is a spirit trying to get home. Others say he is an angel

attempting to restore Avacyn, or that he is a demon plotting to destroy the world.