• Human fairy tales got parts of the myths right with them.
  Vampires can only be created by draining a person to death with the intent to turn. People drained without the intent to raise them simply die. They must ingest the blood of their creator.
  
  
• Vamps must feed on blood to survive, and while some get by on animal blood, others cannot resist the craving for human blood, which is much stronger.
  
  
• Anyone turned into a vamp will not age outwardly past the age they were at when they were initially turned (killed).
  
  
• Weaknesses: Newborn and weak vampires (fledglings) die at the touch of strong sunlight; however, older, more powerful vamps can walk under sunlight just like anyone else.
  Garlic and holy water do nothing against them, but piercing the heart, be-headings, and burnings will kill them for good as with any normal creature.
  
  
• Strengths: Vampires gain incredible speed and strength, sharp senses including smell and taste. They also have an accelerated rate of healing.

• To date, there are two types of Weres known - werewolves and werecats. They can be born, or created by savaging a person with the intent to turn.
  Recently, a Were-creature thought to have been extinct has been sighted again: a werebear.
  
  
• Once a month, on the nights of the full moon, they are forced to heed the moon’s call and transform into animal form. They can also change at any other time of the month, though it is harder for some.
  
  
• Weaknesses: During transformations Weres are very weak. They can be killed just the same as anyone else, and silver is deadly to the weaker Weres.
  
  
• Strengths: Increased speed and strength when not transformed; as a Were, they are by far stronger than their animal cousins. Slight healing abilities if they shift after being injured.
  And obviously stronger senses of smell and hearing once phased as well.
  
  *Note - Weres are humans who transform into wolfs or something in the cat family - they are not humans with animal characteristics, or half-human half-animal.*
  
  *Note - Weres cannot be shapeshifters or vampires as well.*

Shapeshifters can shift into any living creature, but they cannot shift into plants or inanimate objects. They don’t become aware of what they are until later in their life - usually in the teen years to mid 30’s, though some begin to shift much earlier or later than that.

It starts when they move into the Twilight without knowing what they’re doing, and after that shapeshifters will shift uncontrollably until they are properly trained. If they don’t start training without approximately a month after first entering the Twilight, their shifting will take over until no humanity is left in them and they've completely forgotten their original shape.

These are people who can call on supernatural powers, thereby mostly human otherwise.

Metal manipulation; destroying things by sending out a wave of power; healing; and telekinesis are just a few in a very long list of potential abilities. Anyone can be Gifted. Like shapeshifters, Gifted people become Other later in life after entering the Twilight accidentally, and if they don’t start training within a month, their powers will consume and kill them. There are varying degrees of power levels among the Gifted, ranging from very slight to very powerful.