Metas

Metahumans
Metas have genetic attributes or mutations that fall outside the range of what is normal for homo sapiens. These characteristics are not random but the product of mixed fae-human heritage or another distinct factor that makes them meta (beyond) human. Metas existed throughout human history but were hunted by human institutions such as the early Church and many god-fearing monarchs, especially in the era between 400-1600 AD. By the time the Age of Reason began, metas had gone underground- often literally, hiding in the other-worlds with the fae. Belief in their existence was attributed to superstitions and ignorance during the Age of Reason, giving them the respite to recover from witch-hunting.

Most Metas have fae-blood. Some meta races such as lycanthropes have interbred with each other and humans more than they have bred with the fae for millenia and evolved in a distinct fashion. Others, such as vampires, undergo a transformation through transfusion of a blood curse. There are a number of unique meta that get clumped under the title of fae-bloods.

Meta-Tastic
In 1850, most humans did not believe in the existence of metas. While this began to change over the next hundred years, first with the phenomena of spiritualism and then the popularity of stories and news accounts of all forms of "supernaturals" with increasing frequency through the first half on the 20th century. Following World War II, it was well established in most cultures that metahumans and the fae existed. In Europe and North America, post-war culture began to openly embrace and celebrate the metaphysical as part of the civil rights and peace movements of the 1960s. There was some backlash and the fundamentalist movment violently opposed the embrace of what they called "demonic forces." The social divisions plagued American politics with no resolution in sight. SInce the 1970s, metahumans have enjoyed the same civil rights as humans throughout the US, but are better accepted in the northeast and West Coast.