Hellgate:Underground Stations

The first section of the London Underground was opened on January 10th, 1863. It was built from then on in great part by the Freemasons. While this provided a convenient and economical means of transport for the inhabitants of London, it also marked the fevered conclusion of the Templar scheme to protect the capital city of England.

John Fowler and Benjamin Baker, the chief engineers and designers of the London Underground, came from families deeply associated with the Freemasons. Every batch of cement used in the initial construction of the tube stations were personally inspected by one of them, ensuring that a very specific alchemical mixture was being used. The secret of this formula was passed along over the next century, allowing future generations of Templar and Freemasons to create a safe haven against the forces of Hell.

Covent Garden Station
The Covent Garden Station, which was one of the busiest on the Underground network, had no escalators - only lifts – which greatly slowed down the flow of passengers. It also made this a highly defensible location in many ways, and an early target of the demons. Obviously, the long-term plans to redevelop the station to cope with the increased customer capacity were never realized.
The station is most known for the stand the Templar took against the Demons in the early days of the conflict there. A particularly brutal assault, the same that caused a severing of the Tottenham Court line, came to its fearsome conclusion in the Covent Garden Station. The battle brought the most Templar losses to date, and it was only halted when they managed to push back the demonic hordes and then set off last-ditch explosives that caved-in the southern section of the station. Sealing off that portion of the Underground line, the blast crushed the majority of their enemies beneath tons of concrete and steel.
Although the Templar came away with a victory, it was a tainted one in that Covent Garden could never be used as a safe zone for establishing a community center. It still serves as a sketchy outpost, manned by a skeleton crew – more a listening post and waypoint than a means of transit or sanctuary. There are ways through the open tubes, but many potential routes into other parts of the city have been sealed with blast doors that are a part of the ongoing defense against the demons.

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Hellgate:Underneath London

In addition to the Underground tubes, London is crisscrossed with an endless array of other subterranean tunnels. From underground Roman sites, to Victorian-era sewers and pedestrian tunnels, to secret mail tunnels, there exists any number of appropriate and visually interesting settings.

The Sewers
Though long dry, these subterranean thoroughfares are literally everywhere beneath the city of London. The survivors of the Invasion have been exploring them in hopes of discovering hidden caches or others that have fallen beneath the notice of the demons. It seems that the forces of darkness have recently begun to take an interest in these locales as well, making for some unexpected and unfortunate encounters.


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Hellgate:The Tubes

The miles of track and supporting infrastructure that makes up the London Underground Transport system has survived the demonic Invasion fairly well. Although there are signs of the devastation everywhere, it is not uncommon to come upon storerooms that are still completely intact. There are also remnants of power sources set up by the Templar during their retreat beneath the earth that can be discovered by those curious – and brave – enough to search the demon infested subways.

Covent Garden Service Line
This terminus is little more than a servicing depot for trains. Its proximity to danger, however, is a reminder that the threat of the demons is ever-present and very real.


Northern Line
This line stems off from the Leicester Square station outpost. Running roughly beneath St. Martin’s Street, several new offshoots have been discovered that lead to once-sealed locations. There are rumors of a Primus constructing a hideous torture chamber somewhere along the line, although no one has yet found its location.

Leicester Square Line
Providing a conduit between the Covent Garden and Leicester Square stations, the only traffic these tracks see are of dark origins. The muggy air here hangs heavy and is tinged with an ominous reddish hue. While travelers can still make their way to points south within London using this line, they only should do so if heavily armed.

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Hellgate: The City

London, as it was, is no more. Now, the once great city lies in ruins. A massive, sinister gash in the fabric of our reality swirls and churns, dominating the horizon as it blends into a permanently darkened sky. The Invasion, the unspeakable cataclysm that befell London, eventually engulfed humanity. This capitol of a once powerful nation has been eradicated, and The Burn – the transformation of our world into theirs – has begun.

Covent Garden Market
The Covent Garden Market district is a typical example of the devastation that was wrought during the demonic invasion. Buildings are in various states of disrepair, fires of infernal origin still burn under a perpetually darkened sky, and creatures of the underworld lurk the abandoned streets. There are few places to hide or find cover, and any unarmed adventurer has an extremely short life expectancy above ground. Shattered windows, desolate store fronts and hastily erected defenses can be seen in the eerie avenues, as well as evidence of the hard-fought battles that seemed to rage everywhere in the once proud city of London.

Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury is an area of central London, in the borough of Camden. The area contains some of London's finest parks and buildings, and is particularly known for its formal squares. These include the large and orderly Russel Square, the smaller unusual round Bedford Square, Bloomsbury Square dominated by the grand Victoria House, Queen Square home to many hospitals, and Gordon Woburn and Torrington Squares, which are home to parts of University College.
The Bloomsbury district was once served by numerous tube routes, but today is only accessible via the Picadilly and Central lines. Holborn Station is the closest secured site to this area, although recent changes due to The Burn may have unearthed a secret tunnel that is part of the disused British Museum tube station.


The British Museum
The oldest museum in the world, The British Museum was established in 1753 and was based largely on the collections of the noted physician, scientist and collector Sir Hans Sloane. His work in the field of botany, and especially his study of chemistry at the Apothecaries Hall in London, laid the groundwork for what would be the core the early museum’s collection.
The British Museum is home to over seven million objects from all continents illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginning to the present. Many of the artifacts are stored underneath the museum due to lack of space. Though it principally became a museum of cultural art objects and antiquities, the British Museum was founded as a 'universal museum'.
After its foundation the British Museum received several gifts, including ancient relics and antiquities. From Roman and Greek artifacts to an extensive collection of Egyptian sculptures. Amongst its more notable acquisitions were the Rosetta Stone and the infamous Elgin Marbles.
The Queen Elizabeth II Great Court is a covered square at the centre of the British Museum designed by the architects Foster and Partners. The roof is a glass and steel construction with 1,656 pairs of uniquely shaped glass panes.


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Hellgate Class: Hunter

Class: Hunter

The archetype of the Hunter is obscure, cloaked in mystery and subterfuge. In one way he is the Assassin, the Ninja, the Knife in the Dark. In other ways, he is the Ronin, a highly-trained warrior with no master. In yet more, he is the Destroyer, a force of blazing gunfire and deadly accuracy that lays waste to any that stand in his way. In all ways, The Hunter will not be staid.The Hunter has learned how to use his natural skills and special technologies to effectively combat any adversary, no matter his number or strength. This is no mean feat, as Demons are largely invulnerable to mundane attack. That said, every foe has a weakness, and the Hunters have made it their purpose to find these soft spots and exploit them.
Although they acknowledge their apparent effectiveness, the Hunters are suspicious of magical or "holy" approaches to battling the Demons, and usually shun using them. They value skill over loopy beliefs, and as such don't like to get caught up in arguments over the esoteric concepts of good and evil. Basically, Demons are very dangerous prey, and it takes a highly-skilled Hunter to bring one down. Now move out of the way and let them do it.

Hellgate Class: Cabalist

Class: Cabalist

Delvers of arcane knowledge, students of the dark arts, and explorers on the fringes of science, Cabalists use the powers of the demons against them. Cabalists are spell-casters, and more specifically, summoners and controllers of demons and the primal forces of the netherworld. They seek to study and dissect the essence of the demons to achieve the next evolution of mankind.
Cabalists wield sinister spells and arcane artifacts, turning the weapons and powers of the demons back against them. They use “black” magic and arcane weaponry as their primary means of battling the demonic hordes, fighting fire with fire and blood with blood. Some have been so touched by the dark forces they wield that they display the traits of their enemies from whom they steal their power, riding the razor’s edge between good and evil, control and corruption.
The Cabal The Cabal has brought together disciplines of fringe science and ancient, arcane practices to unleash the inner potential of Mankind’s spirit and bring about the next step in their evolution, known as The Awakening.
There have always been those who would be prime candidates to become “Awakened”. Sir Isaac Newton was the first modern scientist and the last of the ancient magicians and alchemists. The works of Tesla clearly show that his research went well beyond the common understanding of man. There are some references to Cabalists in turn of the century “majickal” texts by Aleister Crowley and in cult pulp fiction such as Lovecraft’s Necronomicon.
According to ancient Babylonian texts, “The final step in The Awakening is for the Leader, the Great Eye of the Cabal, to pierce the veil and wrestle with the Lord of Hell. If he is victorious, he will gain possession of the Infernal Key of Nine Gates, giving him full command of all the energies from the dark planes.”
Whether or not the Cabalists themselves succeeded in piercing the veil, the forces of Hell have flooded their world. Those that touched the darkness and lived to speak of it were changed. They see the other side of things, often looking at the fate of the world as the metaphor, “The brighter the light, the deeper the shadow.” Although distrusted and misunderstood by most, these seekers of knowledge have shown their final allegiance to mankind on more than one occasion.
AbilitiesCabalist skills and spells fall into three schools:
MasteryThese spells and skills allow the Cabalist to capture, control, and even train the minions of Hell. Properly invoked, these powers can be used to summon demons from the nether world and compel them to fight against their kindred.
EvocationThese spells manipulate energy or tap an unseen source of power to produce a desired end. In effect, they create something out of nothing. Many of these spells produce spectacular effects, and evocation spells can deal massive amounts of damage.
TransformationThis school of learning allows the Cabalist to temporarily take on aspects of the demons and use the power they convey. These may be manifest as horns, spikes, elongated limbs, or even tentacles. Some extremely powerful Cabalists permanently alter their appearance in several ways, embedding portions of demons into their skin. This is obviously the most challenging and dangerous path to walk, although the power it unlocks is awesome.

From http://www.hellgatelondon.com

Hellgate Class: Templar

The battle of good versus evil stands out in stark contrast against the decisions that must be made within that fight. The Templar serve a faithful Order whose beliefs and rituals are filled with promise. They believe in a higher power, and that they are warriors put here to battle darkness. The Cabalists are seekers of knowledge, and their goals and beliefs reflect this eternal quest. They often see the darkest hour as a new opportunity. Whichever path they tread, it is one that defines them heroes.

Class: Templar

These are the followers of the ancient rites and rituals of the Knights Templar whose writings and disciplines foresaw the demonic invasion centuries ago. Since the Dark Ages their order has been prepared for this apocalypse, training in the ways of holy magic and organizing their followers for the eventual war against the forces of Hell.
Templar are the true believers, the keepers of the faith, and the destroyers of evil. They are extremely organized and regimented, their centuries of preparation giving them the best basic footing for waging war against the demons. They also control and defend the London Underground, which serves as mankind’s sanctuary.
Templar utilize the basic military model of the secular world. Their ability to achieve discipline and uniformity, however, is what sets them apart. They have a clear separation within their hierarchy when dealing with societal administration and battle, and their chain of command is clear and strictly adhered to, making them extremely effective when fighting in groups.
The OrderThe ways of the Templar are steeped in ancient rites and rituals. They follow The Rule and maintain their aptly named organization The Order with efficiency and clarity of purpose. In the aftermath of the demonic apocalypse, they have continued with their true purpose - maintaining watch over ancient relics of great power, and protecting the bloodline of man.
Templar techsmiths forge weapons that hold true to their martial and medieval roots, incorporating a mixture of technology and the arcane. Their training and holy rites reflect this melding of tradition and the modern era, as well.
AbilitiesTemplar skills and spells are ordered in three disciplines:
AssaultThese skills allow a Templar to increase his or her damage, improve his or her chances at landing critical blows, or even strike multiple targets at once. Some Templar can focus their will and righteous vengeance to add holy damage to their attacks.
InvocationThese are ancient rites that greatly augment the offensive or defensive capabilities of the Templar for short periods of time. These often affect the physical abilities of the Templar, endowing a knight with supernormal strength, speed, defenses or fighting agility.
Holy AuraThese radiant auras have a wide variety of effects, from damaging demons to providing greater defense to the Templar and his or her companions to flowing healing powers and so on. These auras are not active abilities in that once initiated they continue to emit their benefits until the Templar wills them to stop.

From http://www.hellgatelondon.com

An introduction to Hellgate: London

London, 2038.

According to legend, when the ravens depart the Tower of London, it will crumble to rubble and disaster will befall England. As man became more dependent on science, believing only in what he could define or create, ancient knowledge and rituals were lost to the antiquity of time. Prophecies that had stood as warning for untold generations were seen as archaic folly or ignorant superstition; so when the harbingers of evil began to manifest, few saw and fewer believed.

When the demons finally came, there was little that stood in their way.

Emerging from the swirling chaotic Hellgate, they overwhelmed humanity's defenses quickly and systematically. Even the nuclear and biological weaponry employed by a few desperate nations did little more than slow the apocalypse. The nature of the demons’ attack presented little in the way of strategic military targets to the generals of mankind’s armies. With no obvious headquarters to bombard, visible supply lines to cut, or known leaders to assassinate, the usual tactics of war were useless.

Only those that still practiced the holy, ancient, and arcane rights could stand against the dark invaders, using weapons and spells forged in the traditions of their forefathers. Their successes were scattered, and the leaders of the great military forces could neither understand nor accept their strange ways. This mystical resistance drew the immediate attention of the immensely powerful creatures, seemingly immune to the weapons of mankind. Soon, those that had preserved the knowledge of how to combat the demons shifted their focus from driving them back into the twisting nether to saving as many of their fellow humans as they could. They retreated to the relative sanctuary of the London Underground, a haven whose construction they had orchestrated decades before.

Now, the once great city lies in ruins. A massive, sinister gash in the fabric of our reality swirls and churns, dominating the horizon as it blends into a permanently darkened sky. The Invasion, the unspeakable cataclysm that befell London, eventually engulfed humanity. The powerful nations of man were eradicated, and the decades-long process called The Burn – the transformation of our world into theirs – had begun.

But mankind is a race of survivors. Men and women hide in the shadows of their former dominance, struggling to survive, yearning to strike back at their conquerors. These survivors banded together, and they are learning.

Learning how to travel undetected.

Learning how to forge weapons capable of piercing unfathomable defenses.

Learning how to harness the forgotten and arcane powers of magic.

Learning how to kill demons and close the Hellgate...

From http://www.hellgatelondon.com