Light
Light Others see it as their responsibility to be the light in dark times, to inspire others and to lead. Their magic is not just a tool, but a powerful force to protect the weak and heal the wounds of society. Their path is not without challenges - high ideals often come into conflict with harsh reality, but it is in these trials that they find strength, becoming an example of selflessness and nobility. Their actions are always for the good of the many, even if they have to sacrifice their own personal desires and comforts.
Darkness
The Dark Others value freedom and personal power, striving for self-realisation and the achievement of their own goals. Their philosophy is based on individualism and freedom from external constraints, which allows them to act with flexibility and determination. The Dark Other are not afraid to use their abilities to achieve power and influence, but are also capable of unexpected acts of kindness and support if it serves their interests. Their path is full of ambition and challenges that require cunning and determination, making them dangerous and unpredictable adversaries.
Classes
Vampire
Vampires are the first of the Others, dark beings who crossed the line between life and death. Feeding on the life energy of their victims, they have learnt to alter their bodies and acquire unique abilities. Vampires glide through the world like shadows, approaching victims stealthily, using fangs and claws for quick elimination. Their perpetual hunger makes them first-class hunters, able to lure and crush their enemies. Vampires are not only predators, but also the first guardians of life. With the right to hunt humans to maintain their power, they have also taken on the responsibility to protect humanity, to keep it from the threat of extinction.
Magician
Magicians emerged as a result of the natural evolution of the lower Others, who learnt to work with the Force on a more subtle level. Unlike vampires, they draw it not from blood, but directly from human emotions. It was the magicians who became the prototype of wizards from human folklore, throwing fireballs and performing miracles. In their arsenal - a variety of attack and defence spells familiar to us from fairy tales. Having gained mastery of the Twilight energy, they can use it as a weapon, directing huge streams of destructive energy at the enemy. All this variety makes magicians a universal battle unit.
Werewolf
Werewolves, like vampires, can initiate a person by turning them into an Other through a bite. The person then gains the ability to transform into a beast, drawing their power from the Dusk by consuming the flesh of their victims. Their nature is wild and unpredictable. Most of the time werewolves retain control of themselves, but when fits of madness strike, they lose themselves, turning into indomitable predators. These fits come irregularly, and contrary to popular belief, are not related to the lunar cycle. In moments of madness, werewolves become the living picture of strength and savagery, leaving little chance for those who stand in the way of the children of The Darkness.
Shape-shifter
Shape-shifter magicians are highly specialized light magicians capable of transforming into beasts and considerably gaining mass. They are similar in nature to werewolves and most often take the form of large predators such as tigers, bears, or wolves, though other forms can also be found. In the concrete jungles of the city, shapeshifter magicians become first-class hunters. In animal form, they move with incredible speed, maneuvering easily among the buildings. Narrow streets and low rooftops provide them with paths for stealthy movement and surprise ambushes to catch their enemies off guard.
Witch
Witches are creatures of nature, harnessing the power of the Twilight through the creation of magical artifacts. Instead of using magic directly, they accumulate it in talismans and amulets, turning them into powerful sources of power. A single successfully created artifact can store a monstrous charge beyond the reach of ordinary magic. In battle, witches rely not only on artifacts, but also on curses to weaken their enemies. Their knowledge of ancient rites of energy transfer and healing allow them to support allies. Thanks to these abilities, no serious mission is complete without a witch, as their participation often decides the outcome of battles.
Clairvoyant
A clairvoyant is a magician with the innate gift of reading lines of probability, which requires not only magical power, but also an acutely developed mathematical mind. Their abilities can be likened to applied real-time probability theory: they are constantly sifting out unlikely options, focusing on those that can materialize into reality. Only a few achieve skill at a level where they are able to calculate outcomes even in the midst of battle, instantly choosing the best course of action. Clairvoyants are strategists who can turn this unique gift into a powerful weapon, directing the course of events in their favor.
The Watch universe
Books
The Night Watch
Sergei Lukyanenko, 1998
The book tells about the world of the Other - those who are born with unique abilities and are able to enter the Dusk, parallel realities of the world, inaccessible to ordinary people. The story is told on behalf of Anton Gorodetsky, an employee of the Night Watch, an organization of Light Others whose mission is to control the actions of the Dark Others. The book reveals the inner world of the Light Others, their motives and moral dilemmas. Anton faces dangerous situations, including a fateful encounter with a sorceress of unprecedented power and a confrontation with the Dark Others, which makes him realize that the lines between good and evil are blurred, and each side pursues its own goals, not always staying within the framework of clear morality.
The Day Watch
Sergey Lukyanenko, Vladimir Vasiliev, 2000
The second book of the series, leading the narrative from the position of the Dark Others. The main characters are the employees of the Day Watch, an organization of the Dark Others controlling the actions of the Light Others, and the mysterious Other, who is a creature of the Dusk, a mirror. The mirror appears only in moments when the balance between light and dark is broken, to restore the balance. The Other himself, not realizing his true nature, gradually begins to understand his purpose along with the reader. All events in the book turn out to be part of an elaborate plan by the leader of the Day Watch, who skillfully manipulates the situation and characters to advance his interests in the struggle for power and control over the world of the Other. “Day Watch” delves into the motivations of the Dark Others, their philosophy and their desire for freedom.
The Twilight Watch
Sergei Lukyanenko, 2003
“The Twilight Watch” begins with the arrival of the seemingly ridiculous information that there is a way to turn an ordinary person into an Other - something that has always been thought to be impossible. Despite the absurdity of this claim, it catches the attention of both the Watch and the Inquisition, leading to the start of their investigations. Anton Gorodetsky, in the course of his investigation, encounters participants in a failed large-scale social experiment conducted in Russia at the beginning of the last century. The book also introduces the concept of magical temperature - an indicator of the Other's power, and reveals the parasitic nature of the Other, as all their magic is “paid for” by humanity, which serves as the only source of their power.
The Last Watch
Sergei Lukyanenko, 2005
“The Last Watch” reveals new depths of the world of the Other, offering Anton Gorodetsky to delve into the mysteries of the Dusk itself. In this novel, the reader learns of the existence of all six layers of the Sumrak, as well as what happens to the Other after they die. Anton faces new threats where the use of ordinary people and new technology as a tool in the conflicts between the Other comes to the forefront. A key motive becomes the desire of some of the Other to bring back those who have gone forever into the Dusk, their inability to come to terms with their loss makes them seek ways to bring back their loved ones. The thirst to bring back loved ones from the shadows of Dusk reveals the depth of their despair and defies established laws. Anton's search leads him to reflect on life and death, their inevitable cycle and attempts to realize whether this natural cycle can be broken, which presents him with difficult moral choices.
The New Watch
Sergei Lukyanenko, 2012
“The New Watch” pays special attention to prophets and their prophecies, and reveals the difference between prophets and clairvoyants: clairvoyants see possible outcomes of events, while prophets predict the inevitable, with the fulfillment of their prophecies depending on certain conditions. Anton Gorodetsky accidentally encounters a mysterious boy prophet whose prophecy portends global upheaval. Usually, when Dusk lacks energy, he sends Tigre, a spawn of Dusk, to induce the prophet to utter the prophecy and stir up humanity through catastrophes, wars and mass exodus, thus infusing Dusk with the necessary energy. But this time the purpose of Tigre's visit is different, and it is up to Anton to find out, to understand the prophecy and to prevent devastating events.
The Sixth Watch
Sergei Lukyanenko, 2014
The sixth book instantly plunges the reader into the maelstrom of events connected with the appearance of the Two - in One, a creature of the Dusk, which only a few vampires remember. Anton Gorodetsky will have to penetrate the depths of vampire mythology, dig through old archives to gather information and separate legends from the truth. Through his quest, he uncovers the existence of an ancient pact between the Other and the Two - in - One a forgotten agreement that maintained the balance between good and evil. But now that pact has been broken: evil has become predominant, and the balance has been shaken. Either the treaty must be renegotiated or terminated. What will be the terms of the new agreement? Or will the old rules be definitively abolished and the world plunge into chaos, entering a phase of turbulence until new rules are established and a new point of equilibrium is found?