There was a time when the world fell to chaos. Humans became sick from diseases they could not cure. Tensions rose, nations were tested, and many people died. 

With the human population declining, that made it harder for those that were hidden to remain as such. When the supernatural beings made themselves known, desperation outweighed reality. 

At first there was fear, as there always was. A realization, to the humans, that they really were at the bottom of the food chain.  An inability to comprehend what they could not control. 

Naturally the Gods agreed to let it play out and not interfere, yet they always found loopholes. The Infernal War spread world wide. Many casualties were lost between all humans and supernatural beings alike.

The Earth Accord was drawn. A universal agreement, no matter the location. Anyone supernatural, would not unwillingly cause harm or feed on any humans. In return, those of the supernatural variety will be protected, and treated as welcome inhabitants of Earth. All sides must work side by side with each other as a planet reborn.

The United States no longer exists and all of North America now stands Divided. 

Countless cities destroyed, lineages dissolved, and thanks to a particularly rage filled druid, the whole state of Nebraska and part of Kansas no longer exist. More than ⅔  the human population perished from the war and disease.

Throughout the years, all inhabitants have found a way to bend the rules and find loopholes.  Others blatantly disregarded the rules all together. The residents that inhabit the Divided States are run by the will of those that live there. Too many different species, too many changing laws, it is impossible for 1 law of government to meet everyone’s needs more often than not, if you aren’t punished by your own kind you get sold off.

Those that were sold were sent to Hawthorne. A city where you sent the worst offenders to die. What lies within the city walls is a  maximum security prison, turned fight arena.

When you come to Hawthorne, human or not you’re all the same level of filth and you have to earn your survival.  The free citizens buy and sell the prisoners off to train them in the games.  Most tournaments end in bloodshed and an untimely death for one if not both of the opponents. But just like the ancient gladiator games, the better you do, the more favorably you’re seen to the people that pay for this bloodsport. 

On rare occasions, a prisoner may earn their freedom. To this day there’s only one prisoner that made it out alive. The woman released was a wolf, the very last in line for her pack. Earned her freedom by killing the man she loved in a battle to the death. She did not know that when she was freed she would be taking a piece of him forever.