HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE
Classification: Celestial Horsemen
Origin:
Originally a manifestation of humanity’s desire for order and punishment, the Horsemen of the Apocalypse have taken many shapes, forms, and genders over the massive expanse of time. Horsemen were brought into being through the collective belief of humanity that an inevitable Judgement Day approaches, and that when such a day comes, humans will be punished for their sins by the horrors they have wrought against each other.
The original Horsemen included Conquest, War, Famine, and Death; the order in which humanity would meet its end. Created as they were by human belief shaping the cosmic forces of the universe, though, their ranks have proven mutable. As human writers and theologians refined human understanding of these forces, new Aspects have emerged. For this reason, Horsemen have changed since the works of John of Patmos.
New Horsemen have since joined the ranks, widening the distance between Conquest and Death. The mutability granted by human belief has also made the Horseman more and more human, refining their initial archetypal embodiments into sentient powers with their own thoughts and feelings. Over the millennia, some Horsemen have come to question their role in the Apocalypse, prompting many to abandon the mantles of their Aspect in order to live out the rest of their days as a mortal.
Appearance: Horsemen appear largely as normal human beings. Those with the ability to detect auras or otherwise sense the supernatural will experience Horsemen as beings of incredible power, and their auras reflect their Aspect. Otherwise, Horsemen can, for the most part, choose their base appearance and alter it slightly over the course of 24 hours, working off of the base form. They can appear older or younger, as it may better suit their plans, peccadillos, or general chicanery.
Creation:
The original Horsemen were brought into being by human belief, forging cosmic power into beings of near limitless power within their Aspects. Over time, human belief has waned, diminishing the celestial beings and making it possible for them to transfer their mantles to human beings aligned with their Aspect. The retirement of one Horseman and creation of another is a rare event, and the raw cosmic power involved often draws the attention of supernatural creatures in the region.
Additionally, human belief has also been responsible for forging mantles for new Aspects. The emergence of Pestilence (which had long been lumped in with either Conquest or Death) resulted in a new mantle appearing, and the first human to encounter, understand, and prove themselves worthy of wielding the Aspect became a Horseman.
Lifespan:
Immortal. They stop aging when they mature to the appearance of a 25 year old. The Horseman were once powerful enough to rival some gods, but the decay of human belief has gradually reduced their still-considerable might. There was a time where they could not be killed, merely stopped or delayed, but those days have passed. While they are still extremely difficult to destroy, it is possible, for those who have the knowledge and power to do so.
With only one exception, they cannot be changed into any other species. If a Horseman gives up the mantle of their Aspect willingly, they become a normal, mortal human being, albeit one with considerable knowledge and experience. They will proceed to age normally from that moment onward, stripped of all of the powers they once wielded.
Characteristics:
Each Horseman is associated with a single Aspect of the Apocalypse: Conquest, War, Famine, Death, or Pestilence. These Aspects inform much about a given Horseman, defining the purview of their powers and abilities and often influencing their personality and appearance.
Most Horsemen dread the thought of the Apocalypse. They have come to enjoy Earth and the various amusements that it offers, but while they hold their mantles they are hard-pressed to completely disentangle themselves from evoking the forces associated with their Aspect. It is likely that some of the Horsemen look for ways to forestall the very Apocalypse they arose to enact.
While Horsemen appear human, they are beings of cosmic force. They do not need to eat, sleep, breath, bleed, or eliminate waste, but many who have “gone native” do all of these things as a result of their time spent among humanity. Horsemen are sustained by fulfilling their Aspect and nothing else.
Aspects:
The five classical Aspects are listed above, but it is possible for new Aspects to emerge based on the beliefs held by humankind as a whole. For example, a Horseman of Cataclysm might arise, brought on by fears of global warming or weather disasters as humans continue to destroy the planet they rely on for life. The Aspects govern much of what a Horseman can do, symbolically defining the parameters of their supernatural abilities.
Powers and Abilities:
Celestial Constitution: Horsemen are notoriously difficult to kill. They are resilient in general (most non-supernatural methods of harm barely affect them, though sufficiently deadly weapons can cause damage), and provided that they are not completely destroyed, they will be restored to full vitality at the next dawn. Should a Horseman be destroyed utterly by overwhelming force, the mantle of their Aspect will remain, waiting to create another Horseman.
Celestial Strength: Horsemen are frighteningly strong, though they seldom exhibit their strength unless threatened. All but the most puissant creatures would have difficulty overpowering one of them.
Influence: Horsemen are capable of using their Aspects to influence mortal beings directly. A Horsemen could cause mortals in their vicinity to begin to hear whispers reflecting desires in them associated with the Aspect in question. It may be a desire for spreading pain or sickness, it might be a desire for combat, or it could be the desire to dominate and lay claim to some insignificant piece of furniture. They cannot directly control what the mortal in question will do- only make the mortal more likely to give in to their bases instincts as it applies to the Aspect in question. Strong-willed mortals or mortals of a sufficiently different disposition from the Aspect in question can resist these compulsions, and supernatural creatures are immune.
Manifestation: Horseman are capable of using their power to create objects or simple creatures associated with their Aspect. Objects must be handheld in nature and cannot rely on electricity or other power sources to function (though an inert prop could be created). Creatures are limited to actual animals and must have a definitive symbolic connection with the Horseman’s Aspect. Death could likely conjure maggots, while Pestilence would be able to summon swarms of insects from nothing, or even bacteria.
Plausibility: Mortal minds are quick to accept the presence of a Hoseman provided that they are acting in association with their Aspect. War might masquerade as a drill instructor or police officer, while Death portrays the kindly mortician or late night EMS worker. Manifesting the appropriate attire and flashing some sort of identification is usually good enough to fool garden-variety human beings. Supernatural observers are completely immune.
Sense: Horsemen are sensitive to mortals who are particularly well-suited to their Aspects. In general, those who crave power stand out to Conquest, the belligerent stand out to War, the ill stand out to Pestilence, the unfulfilled stand out to Famine, and the depressed or suicidal stand out to Death. Horsemen can also sense when a mortal is experiencing emotions that align with their Aspect.
Steed:The Horses of each Rider are the result of their Manifestation abilities and have evolved throughout the ages. Modern Horseman can create a single vehicle corresponding to the color of their Horse and influenced by their Aspect.
Liabilities and Weaknesses:
Aspect of Judgement: All Horsemen have a mantle of their Aspect in which their essence is embodied. That form that the mantle takes is determined by the Horseman, but it must resemble a small object symbolizing the Aspect itself that would fit in a human hand. If taken by force, control of the mantle will give the possessor enormous power over the Horseman it belongs to. If given up willingly, the mantle is capable of creating a new Horseman, and the former owner becomes a normal human being.
Additionally, some rituals from long ago may still prove effective against the Horsemen, though finding and enacting them would be a challenge. Such measures usually bind or banish rather than destroying outright, and even then, the mantle would still remain.
As mentioned above, Horsemen are sustained by fulfilling their Aspect. Those who do not will gradually see their powers decrease until they are undone and leave nothing but their mantle behind. This process takes years, and usually the Horseman will either give in to the Apocalypse or retire before becoming completely undone.
Lifestyle:
Horsemen tend to cleave to lifestyles that align with their Aspect, often using their Plausibility to blend in and experience the lives of mortals who content with their Aspect every day. War might join a PMC or join a ragtag band of rebels in a war-torn country. Conquest might become involved in politics. Famine might spend time among anorexic models, or as middle management of a fast food chain. Pestilence might moonlight as a beekeeper or a CDC scientist. Death might become an undertaker or simply crash funerals. Horsemen seldom stay in one place or lead one life for long, though - they tend to be itinerant, hungry to experience as much as they can.
Common Personality:
The Horsemen are all very different from one another and hold few traits in common, especially among incarnations. In general, they do tend to regard one another as peers and be interested in the comings and goings of their fellows. Their dispositions on other matters are more difficult to classify. Some love humanity and seek to emulate them further; others are disgusted by them and hope to achieve something closer to the celestial purity they once possessed. No matter what though, humanity is very important to each of them, in their own way. As noted above, all Horsemen are extremely affected by their Aspect, for better or worse.
Vampire Interaction: None. If the vampire attempts to drink from one of them, there is nothing to take - no blood. The vampire in question who tries to consume any of these creatures will be afflicted with whatever the Horseman represents - eg. the Horseman of Pestilence would disease a vampire, turning them into a carrier that suffers symptoms but does not die from them, or the Horseman of Death would turn a vampire to ash who tries to drink from them. The vampire should be able to sense the danger inherent in these beings. They sense emptiness and hostility.
