[Abe Sargent]

Masque of the Red Death

Long ago in an unknown age, an evil, arcane and powerful entity was banished to our realm from places much higher and grander. When the Red Death entered our existence is not recorded, but all of human history has been affected by it. It’s unknown, malevolent presence taints the world and all in it. It is the truth behind tales of butchery and malevolence, behind fables of demons and devils.

The Red Death manipulates the world to its own end. It has servants and monsters, science and magic, all within its clutches. It animates corpses, drives good people mad, possesses minds, causes one’s blood to boil, taints nature, and despises righteousness.

In the shadowy recesses of our world lurk dark and disturbing creatures of nightmare and worse. These wickedly evil monstrosities are still yet nothing compared to the Red Death itself, which permeates our world.

During the ages of man, various people have tried to fight against it, from Imhotep to Merlin to Francis Bacon, various secret societies have sprung up to fight against the agents of the Red Death.

Magic is, of course, quite real, but it is tainted by the Red Death. Those who choose to practice it risk corruption by the Red Death. Governments are either ignorant of it, or secretly in line with it, but none fight against it. The Red Death controls all, dominates all, and taints all.

It has many pawns, agents, servants, worshippers and lackeys. Its power is immense, it has no physical form, and cannot be fought through strength of arms or steel of heart.

And yet, there are a cadre of Lightbringers who choose to fight against it and its agents. Perhaps they will not win today or tomorrow or even in a century, but by keeping up the fight, they set back plans and may enable humanity enough time to figure out a way to defeat the Red Death.

It is March 3, 1893, and a group of Lightbringers have assembled in Cape Girardeau, Missouri to discuss a plan for the Red Death to create some major mystical corruption at the World’s Fair being held in Chicago in May. Unfortunately, evidence appears to suggest that the Red Death has discovered and infiltrated your group somehow.

There are many ways this may have happened. Corruption. Possession. Shapeshifters. Vampirism. Lycanthropy. Bribery. Sympathetic Magic. These are just the ones you think of immediately, there are surely more.

However, as members of the Lightbringers, you are not without your own set of powers and abilities.