Princess the Hopeful - Courts

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Princess the Hopeful is a fan-made World of Darkness splat-book, that incorporates (rather successfully) magical-girls into the setting. It draws heavily from Puella Magi Madoka Magica, as well as classic Sailor Moon, with some apparent influences from Kingdom Hearts and Silent Hill.
It holds some similarities to the old World of Darkness games Changeling the lost and Hunter the Reckoning, as well as another game by White Wolf, Exalted.
The official PDF file can be downloaded here [link]
some information not present in the PDF (like the rules for crossovers) can be found on the game's wiki [link]

The world was not always a world of darkness. In long forgotten times past, earth was ruled by powerful kingdoms, governed by benevolent god-queens, each one of them a unique utopia in it's own right. It was a golden age, the likes of which the world has never seen again, with art, philosophy, science, and magic all combining in harmony to make the world and it's people as prosperous as possible. But governing was not the only duty of the queens. Alongside their courts, wielding the Light of Hope, they also protected the world from the Darkness, a corrupting force oozing from humanity's very potential for evil. The queens did their duties well, and the fight against the Darkness has become incredibly easy very soon. And this was ironically their downfall. The kingdoms began to underestimate the Darkness, stopped taking it's threat seriously, and the Darkness took full advantage of this.
The exact details are unknown, but one day reality tore itself apart, and the Darkness started bleeding in through the cracks. The kingdoms battled valiantly, putting up a great resistance, but they were soon overrun and consumed by the sheer numbers of the dark creatures. The queens themselves, who were still too powerful to be slain, along with the souls of their court members, servants, vassals, and soldiers, which burned too brightly with the Light of Hope to be consumed by the Darkness, were imprisoned on the Moon in the Dreamlands, forced to exist in the illusion of an eternal time-loop. During their absence, the world was gradually turned into the hellhole it is now.
Only three queens escaped this fate, along with a handful of souls that continued to battle the Darkness throughout their various incarnations. But their numbers were too few to make a too much of a difference. The queens slowly became more brutal and cold-blooded in their methods, becoming known as the Twilight Queens. Their increasingly savage followers went into history as the tales of witches and wild hunts. This was made even worse by the fact that once a princess (the official title of the queens' followers, male equivalent being prince, the universal title being nobility) looses all of her hope, she'd become consumed by Darkness, turning into a monstrosity known as the Dethroned, boosting the ranks of Darkness as some of their most powerful champions.
Things only changed when in 1969 the Apollo moon-landing ended-up unknowingly braking the curse, and shattering the illusion keeping the queens prisoners. The queens broke free, becoming known as the Radiant Queens, as their ideals did not become warped as a result of millennia spent fighting a loosing battle, and immediately struck at the Darkness (who seriously did not see this coming), ripping as many souls from it's grasp as possible, before returning to the Dreamlands and using the freed souls to rebuild their kingdoms. Meanwhile the souls carrying the Light of Hope returned to earth to be re-incarnated. Around a decade later, the Nobility began awakening all around the world for the first time in masses, the vast majority being female (believed to be partially due to the moon being a female symbol), with about a 1:6 ratio of males. Both the Radiant and the Twilight Queens started recruiting their armies.
But it may already be too late, seeing as the world was already consumed by the Darkness millennia ago. One way or the other, the Princesses and Princes refuse to give-up. It's after all the in the nature of hope.

Each one of the nobility falls into one of the five callings, reflecting the role they fulfilled in the old kingdoms (Champions - knights, guards, soldiers, hunters, and sailors; Graces - philosophers, diplomats, priests, and bureaucrats; Menders - doctors, engineers, and architects; Seekers - scientists and detectives; Troubadours - artists of all sorts.) They can each choose to join one of the five Radiant Queens, or three Twilight Queens. While each princesses powers run on hope, the queens can grant them the ability to increase their power by combining their hope with another emotion or virtue.

The 5 Radiant Queens are:

Queen of Clubs
Her kingdom, Wen-Mung,takes the form of an endless forest, and her people live a nomadic life-style. The Queen of Clubs herself, as the only one of all the queens, has allowed herself to age at a natural pace, and has currently the form of an elderly woman, wearing simple plain clothes (shall she reach the end of the natural human life-spine, she'll be re-born and the cycle begins anew.) She has a kind, patient, and motherly attitude towards her subjects and followers. The main virtues she requests from her followers are inner strength and harmony. Work with, not against. To find balance not overpower. To defend not attack. This harmony with the world makes it possible for the queen's followers to communicate with the plants and animals, asking for their aid in their mission.
White, green, blue, red, orange, and yellow are the colors used by the followers of the Queen of Clubs, alto the queen herself does not care much for such formalities.

Queen of Diamonds
Her main virtues are Knowledge and Reason. Her kingdom, the Danann Archipelago, contains a unique combination of architectures, including ancient Egypt, Athens, medieval Arabia, and modern skyscrapers of glass and steel. The queen herself takes on the form of a tall, slim woman in her late twenties, dressed in highly formal fashion, invoking the appearance of a modern-day government official. When speaking with her subjects and followers, her replies are lengthy and explain the facts, theories and reasoning behind every decision. She expects the same from her followers, speak as she does, clear, precise, with a focus on the facts and an explanation of your reasoning.
To those who manage to earn her full trust, she appears as a short, easily excitable girl in her late teens, dressed in a very casual fashion and wearing thick glasses. She values nothing more than someone with whom she can share her boundless passion for learning. Of all the queens, she's the one that shows the most interest in modern human society, and it's technological advance.
Her followers learn to empower the Light of Hope with their clarity of mind, honesty, and deep understanding. In this refined form, the light takes on the form of the classical element of water.
The colors of the Queen of Diamonds are white and blue.

Queen of Hearts
The kingdom of Andarta appears like a highly idealized of a prosperous kingdom from the Gothic period and Renaissance, blending the best aspect of both. The Queen herself is the embodiment of the most idealistic views of what a queen should be like, regal, dignified, just, and kind. Her virtues are mutual trust and peace, the responsible use of authority, sensitive compassion, and loyalty. The Light of Hope empowered by these virtues gains the ability to create metallic and crystalline constructs. The colors of the Queen of Hearts are pink, red, and white.

Queen of Spades
The kingdom the the Queen of Spades, the Confederacy of Four Winds, is an ever-changing metropolis built in the sky. One day it may look like a modern city covered in colorful graffiti, it's inhabitants dressed in hip-hop and punk-rock fashion, the other day it may be a steam-punk utopia with everyone dressed in the finest Victorian fashion. The queen herself has the appearance of a girl in her mid teens, who wanders the streets of her kingdom alongside her subjects. She's energetic and bursting with humor. At first sight she may seem unfocused, with a short attention span, but in reality she's always in full control, and enjoys playing little mind-games with her followers. Her virtues are wits, a sense of humor, the ability to think outside the box, and the ability to make the best of any situation. The light of hope, when refined this way, manifests as a fast wind. The colors of the Queen of Spades are blue and grey.

Queen of Swords
The queen of Aztallan, a massive kingdom built in the heart of the jungle, resembling a mix of Mayan, Inca, and Aztec cultures . The queen appears as a tall, athletic woman, dressed in a rather practical fashion. While never rude, she tends to be brutally honest when talking to her followers. She's highly impulsive, and does not hide her emotions, but she's also highly competent in her duties. Whenever it is possible, she likes to wander through her kingdom, helping her subjects.
The things the Queens of Swords values the most are passion, love, and loyalty. These emotions can make the Light of Hope burn like an all-consuming flame. The colors of the Queen of Swords are red, gold, and white.


The 3 Twilight Queens are:

Queen of Tears
Formerly known as the Queen of Cups, she's the last queen with a true kingdom. While the kingdoms of the Radiant Queens were built in the dreamands, and are inhabited by mere souls of people the queens and their followers managed to free from the clutches of the Darkness, the kingdom of Alhambra is a very real place, inhabited by real, (mostly) living people. While most of the world was swallowed-up by the Darkness, the queen of Alhambra managed to defend her kingdom, and continues to do so until this day, at a horrible cost. The kingdom is located in the very center of the Darkness. The only thing preventing Alhambra from being swallowed-up are the lanterns. The lanterns run on the Light of Hope, which the followers of the Queen of Tears routinely harvest from the mortal world. Ripping hope out of the world of mortals, thus helping the Darkness to take a stronger hold of it, just so their own kingdom can live for another day. A life who's only worth may be that it's better than the alternative that would expect them at the claws of the Darkness. The once mighty kingdom was reduced to ruins over the millennia, maintained only to support their most basic functions. Along with the mortal inhabitants, ghosts roam the streets, aiding in the daily activities. A coldly efficient military and secret police keep a strict order. The queen herself is a miserable woman, who however still holds an undying loyalty to her people. She daily uses all of her power to support the kingdom's vital functions (so that crops may grow, and rain fall). She's dressed in what resembles funeral robes, worn over an armor. She barely ever speaks, and when she does, it's in brief, strict commands. The few of her followers who have earned her trust, and are allowed to speak with her in private, can see that she's weeping.
The followers of the Queen of Tears are recruited from both, the natives of Alhambra and the nobility born in the mortal world. The natives help defending and running the city, as well as training the outsiders (their abilities making it possible to travel between both worlds), while the outsiders battle the Darkness directly, and harvest hope to feed the kingdom's lanterns (thus turning their duties into a true Sisyphus labor). The virtues the Queen of Tears teaches her followers are undying loyalty, and dedication, but it's more than that. It's zeal. The willingness to brake any rule, violate any convention, just for the sake of fulfilling you'r orders. No price is too small to pay, if you fight for a noble goal. Cause justifies the means. This attitude gives the followers of the Queen of Tears the ability to use the Light of Hope to literally brake the laws of nature, and preform necromancy, or even wield the Darkness itself as a weapon. But this willingness to cross whatever line there is, just to do what they believe is right, makes the followers of Tears much easier to corrupt for the Darkness than any other Princesses.
The colors of the Queen of Tears are dark purples and dark blue.

Queen of Storms
Formerly known as the Queen of Wands. The Seraphic General. When the forces of Darkness attacked, she and the people of her kingdom, the now forever lost kingdom of Gonel, stood and fight. They fought bravely and fiercely. They cut down everything it threw at them, wave after wave. But each wave wore them down a bit. Depleted their ranks. While the dark armies were eternal and endless. Eventually everyone was dead, and the kingdom grinded to dust, with only the queen herself continuing to fight on, no longer to save or protect, but simply to avenge and destroy. She became completely consumed by rage. It burnt so powerfully it evaporated everything around her. Yet the Darkness kept coming. She channeled all of her rage, hatred, and madness into one final attack. It's immense power completely obliterated her body, and tore through the Darkness. An enormous, savage storm lashed onto the darkness, tearing at it with endless waves of typhoons, scorching it with an eternal salve of lightning bolts, and pouring hale, acid-rain, and fire non-stop. And it continues doing so until this day. At the storm's core, the source of it's power, the queen's soul. She calls out to the world. She's there for anyone who knows hate and rage with their hearts. Every feeling of rage is a petition, all hatred is a prayer, and the requests of those who feel hate for the Darkness are granted.
The Queen of Storms does not only recruit the Nobility into her service. Many Cells of Hunters have pledged their loyalty to her, becoming known as the Stormwracked. Entire rage-cults, consisting of countless mortal cultists, form all around the world, fanatically giving their lives in attempts to burn the Darkness away. The humans who die in the service of the Queen of Storms are rewarded by having their souls absorbed into the storm. Inside of it, they are re-made into the Goalenu, storm elementals, the elite troops of her army. Yet the Princesses of Storms remain her captains. Leading the eternal crusade against the Darkness, the followers of the Queen of Tears (whom they see as traitors, as their stealing of hope from the world ultimately empowers the Darkness), and anyone who dares to stand in their way.
The only thing the Queen of Storms cares about is rage, rage and an all-consuming hatred for the Darkness. Fighting the Darkness is all that matters, all else is just a obstacle or distraction. The followers of the Queen of Storms allow themselves to be completely taken over by their rage. The Light of Hope becomes warped by this rage, manifesting in various forms. Fire, lightning, acid, and even lethal levels of radiation. This however puts an enormous strain on the Princesses body, and she risks of destroying herself just as the queen did. Many of them however simply don't care.
The colors of the Queen of Storms are steel gray, green, and white.

Queen of Mirrors
When her kingdom, Crystal Heril, was overrun by the forces of Darkness, the Queen of Mirrors decided the best thing for the world would be for her to live and fight another day. She locked herself away inside a tower made of silver and mirrors, and hid at the very edge of reality. From there she watches the world, looking for a savior who'd liberate the world from the Darkness. Throughout the millennia, she'd always choose the most powerful Princess re-incarnated into that era, and made her into her champion, tasked with destroying the Darkness once and for all. And one after another they all failed. She however refused to give-up. One day the chosen one will come, she HAS TO!
When the Radiant Queens were released from their moon prison, and along with them all of the noble souls, the Queen of Mirror's changed her strategy. Instead of simply choosing a single, most powerful individual, she'd recruit the most promising individuals of their generation, one of them MUST be the chosen one!
The Queen of Mirror's prefers to use mirrors, and other reflective substances to communicate with her followers. She appears as a young woman with white hair and silver eyes. The chosen one is expected to be perfect in every way and form. She MUST be better in every single aspect than EVERYBODY else. Wherever she goes, she MUST ALWAYS be the center of attention. When part of a group or organisation, the Princess of Mirrors is expected to take the leading role no-matter what. Everyone must love her and look up to her, and those who don't should be proven wrong at ANY COST. These expectations put allot of pressure upon the followers of the Queen of Mirrors, which often leads to them simply snapping at some point, and when they snap, they snap apically. One of such incidents went down in history as the tale of Snow White...
This also means that the followers of the Queen of Mirrors have huge difficulties working in teams. The members of the Court of Mirrors immediately fall into savage rivalries with one another, that tend to either drive them apart, or escalate into something very ugly. The followers of the Queen of Stroms lack the patience to endure their presence, while the Followers of the Queen of Tears are only willing to take orders from those of their own ilk. The only chance a Princess of Mirrors has at forming her own party is if a group of less experienced princesses following the Radiant Queens, choose her (or him) as their mentor. More experienced followers of the Radiant Queens will soon become tired of being constantly bossed around, and the Courtless refuse to take orders from anyone. They may also convert ordinary humans, hunters, and other, less-powerful supernaturals to their cause.
The Light of Hope of those who are under the influence of the Queen of Mirrors, shines brighter than that of any other Princess or Prince. It is however a blinding light, and one that seems to be quick to burn out, which are the very risks the followers face.
The Queen of Mirrors does not have a set of colors associated with her - she has ALL the colors. Her followers prefer to use colors that invoke light. Some may use white, gold, silver, and any combination of these. Others use the full spectrum of the rainbow, while others may use actual reflective surfaces.


there's also one more alternative:

Courtless
These Princesses and Princes, for one reason of the other, do not follow any of the queens. This is mostly because they are strong individualists, but other reasons may exist as well. They can only use the Light of Hope in it's basic form. They fight against the Darkness just as any other one of the Nobility would, but they take a more individualistic approach to it. When situation requires it, they'll join forces with any Princesses, whether they follow the Radiant or Twilight Queens, or anyone else who fights against the Darkness for that matter, but won't stick around unless they are treated as equals.


other races:
humans [link]
ghosts [link]
vampires [link]
werewolves [link]
magi [link]
Promethean [link]
changelings [link]
hunters [link]
Sin-Eaters [link]
geniuses [link]
leviathans [link]