Veilbreak explores a world where the supernatural is real, known, and increasingly normalized—but still chaotic and flawed, much like the people who inhabit it.

In this world, about 1% of the population possesses supernatural abilities, only a small number of which are useful and/or potent enough to cause issues. Many people walk around with minor family curses that might cause them to turn a different color when they lie, or have defects and health problems that arise from being related to a folkloric creature like a vampire (most "vampires" being sunlight-averse albinos with iron deficiencies). But some very lucky (or unlucky) individuals find themselves with the ability to control their super-aspects. Whether that be hurling fireballs, communing with animals, or even turning an amphetamine addiction into supernaturally enhanced senses.

Nearly 50% of America’s outwardly supernatural population resides in Super-Safe Cities—urban havens like New Avalon (Previously San Francisco) and Haven’s Reach (New York City), where tolerance and legal protections encourage a more visible supernatural culture. In these cities, you might see gargoyle-like beings with stone skin walking proudly, shapeshifters twisting themselves into surreal shapes, or firebreathers performing extraordinary feats. However, superabled individuals still only make up about 5% of the population in these zones; the rest are mundane humans who range from accepting to skeptical, and sometimes openly hostile.

While life outside these cities is generally much harder for the supernatural, simply being supernatural doesn’t guarantee persecution. Many superabled individuals register with the Department of Supernatural Phenomena (D.S.P.), which treats them as normal citizens so long as they abide by societal laws. However, the D.S.P.’s policies often have a darker edge. For example, vampires who register are provided with just enough blood to survive, but not enough to thrive. This keeps them perpetually weak, and a little well known theory is that the system is designed to force vampires into desperation and criminality. Those who step out of line are sent to supermax facilities—supernatural prisons where rumors abound of unethical experimentation.

Globally, the rise of the supernatural has shattered old power structures. Superstates, ancient conspiracies, and corporate giants exploit supernatural individuals as resources, soldiers, or commodities. Hunter organizations target rogue superabled individuals and anyone seen as a threat to the fragile balance of power. Fraudsters and fakes flourish as well, making it difficult to separate genuine supernatural phenomena from clever hoaxes.

Despite the chaos, a new Cosmic Conspiracy is stirring. It reaches out to Contractors like you, offering the chance to claim extraordinary power and carve your own path in this fractured world. Whether you seek to protect, exploit, or simply survive in this new age of the supernatural, one thing is certain: in Veilbreak, the lines between the mundane and the extraordinary have never been thinner.