People
The People defy categorization. Part cult, part corporation, part a scientific institution, the People concern themselves with necronomy and necromancy: study, raising, and care of the undead. Like the Order, the People have a national presence, with bases in most major cities. The People are obscenely wealthy and seemingly interested solely in increasing their wealth. They control the largest vampire stable on the continent and are not shy about weilding their influence.
Vampires
Vampires are mindless creatures. They have no ego, no consciousness, no ability to formulate thoughts. Left to their own devices, they would slaughter every living things until nothing was left and then they would turn on each other. Because their brains do not atrophy like most of their internal organs, vampires provide an ideal anchor for a person gifted in the necromantic magic. Such people are called navigators. The navigators "ride" the mind of the vampires, experiencing the world both through their own eyes and ears and through the eyes and ears of the vampires. Vampires hunt purely by sight and hearing. They have no sense of smell.
Vampire creation is a strictly controlled process, overseen by the government. A person may legally choose to become a vampire after his death, provided they are of sound mind when they make the contract. To replenish and expand their stable, the People offer a sizeable amount of money to the prospective "vamps-to-be" and they are never short on applicants. The prospect of money usually attracts terminal patients. Once the contract is signed, the applicant may terminate the contract at will at any point. The applicant is closely monitored. In the moment of clinical death, he is injected with Immortuus pathogen. His body is then secured for the duration of the incubation, which usually takes 10-12 days. Upon undeath, the vampire becomes the property of the People.
Journeymen and Masters
To become a member of the People, one has to pass rigorous ability tests. If the applicant demonstrates necromantic ability, he is hired as a journeyman. Journeymen are assigned to a Master of the Dead, an experienced necromancer, who is able to raise and navigate the undead. The journeymen do the grunt work of the vampire care and receive instruction in navigation. Most do not possess enough talent to ever reach Master of the Dead status. Journeymen often adopt goth attire and make up with a strong preference for bright, blood-red accesories.
Masters of the Dead weild a great deal of power. They have the authority to select their own candidates for the vampires out of the pool of potential applicants. Because People pursue wealth with single-minded dedication and often own casinos, funeral homes, and security firms, most Masters of the Dead are wealthy. However, the People's agenda runs deeper than their surface addiction to material comforts. The People are ruled by Roland, a shadowy figure unknown to laymen. Roland is rumored to possess an almost god-like powers. The People are his creation and he uses them to further his own means. What those means are, nobody knows.
Prominent People
Nataraja
Nataraja is the head of the People in Atlanta. He projects an air of bein infitely older than he looks. He is a strong telepath and a powerful necromancer. Nataraja is also a coward. He prefers opulence to conflict and is more likely to buy off an enemy than to fight him
Ghastek
The most talented of Atlanta's Masters of the Dead, Ghastek is also most cerebral. His intelligence is painfully apparent in everything he does. He is quick, sharp, and inscrutable. It is not quite clear why he hasn't moved against Nataraja, because he certainly has the power to rival that of his boss.
Rowena
A Polish immigrant, Rowena is incredibly beautiful. She is also a talented Master of the Dead, but she mostly takes on public relations roles. She is the official "face" of the People's Casino in Atlanta.