The Darkness that Hungers

Originally a pack of Hell Hounds, these vicious predators got their start herding slaves for white colonials. They also weeded out the weak, ensuring top dollar when the slave ships reached the New World. The few who escaped told tales of demonic hordes that swept in under cover of darkness and left only corpses. It was they who gave the pack its poetic name.

By the twentieth century, the slave trade could no longer afford their services, but the Darkness continued its predations. The Nazis tried to recruit them, but they were no longer interested in money. They believed themselves an instrument of nature, custodians of all the tribes of Africa. They roam the continent still, striking out of the darkness to consume the weak.

The Red Mountain Pack

An ancient werewolf pack has laired in Appalachian Kentucky since pre-colonial times, protecting a holy site the natives called Red Mountain. When the Civil War washed over their territory, the pack ended up defending a number of small towns from both Union and Confederate invaders. After the war, they found themselves in a curious position: surrounded by human populations who looked upon them as protectors.

Over time, a kind of social contract developed between the locals and the lycanthropes. The former protects the latter from encroaching lumber and mining companies, while the latter protects the former from outsiders and criminals. Some people claim that the county Sheriff is a werewolf himself! In any case, the area has gained a reputation as a haven for dissidents and outlaws... just as long as they contribute to the town's well-being. Those who commit crimes within its borders don't get a chance to repeat their mistake.