Vampires

in: Races

## Introduction

Every vampire was once a human at some point in their lives. Since no vampire can reproduce through traditional means, this means that their nature was changed by another vampire, spreading the curse of vampirism further.

The state of vampirism is deemed a curse bestowed upon them by the fury of Solonarium during the fall of Anicium, when mankind attempted to weaponize the sun to break a siege. Their existence is a peculiar one. They have no heartbeat and are cold to the touch. This is reflective in their unusually pale complexions when compared to their human counterparts. The act of breathing itself is unnecessary, but done out of habit and to better infiltrate human cities and residencies.

It is in the interest of every vampire to seek to conquer the sun’s tyranny over them, and mortals fear the very prospect of this possibility - for vampires are creatures of the night and greatly weakened during the daylight, but their powers would be unchecked should they accomplish this feat.

## The Basics

* **Other Names:** Vampyre, Blood-Sucker
* **Appearance:** Vampires are typically extremely pale, almost deathly in appearance. Their eyes are vivid with a subtle or blatant glow, and they all have a pair of sharp fangs.
* **Lifespan:** Unknown, estimated upwards of a few centuries.
* **Height:** 170 cm (5'7") - 190 cm (6'3")
* **Regions Found:** They can be found anywhere now but originated in the now lost Arcelian City-States. Vampires reside amongst human-rich environments, though typically favoring settings with less direct sunlight and opportunity for infiltration.
* **Culture:** Their culture is dependent on their homeland, often varies. Some operate within their own subgroups.
* **Common Character Roles:** Nobility, Assassins, Cultists, Innocent Villager
* **Common Allies:** Typically anyone who may align with the human and culture that the vampire hails from.
* **Common Enemies:** Any rivals of the Vampire’s homeland or culture. Witch Hunters, Holy Orders, and any other faction that might suffer from their infiltrative ways.
* **Architecture:** This is purely dependent on where a Vampire calls home, or originates from, though some renown bloodlines have a strong preference based on their ways of life. Elaborate, gothic style homes of a dark, brooding nature or vivid, colorful arrays of tents and caravans. Monolithic builds of white marble, and more.
* **Religion:** This is entirely dependent on the nature of the vampire, whether or not they are part of a prominent bloodline, and just how much they seek to disguise their existence or express their nature.
* **Views on Magic:** Vampires fully embrace the use and abuse of magic if it means making ends meet, or simply to relish in the intoxicating sensation of power that comes with it, but when it is used against them, their disdain and indignation is unmistakable as is their fury when magic is utilized in ways to disrupt their schemes.
* **Abilities:** Vampiric Gaze, Bat Transformation
* **Weaknesses:** Blood Consumption, Sun Weakness
* **Quirks:** Vampires tend to have a heavy interest in morbid themes. They express it through their choice of decor, the style of their homes, and even their clothing. Furthermore, this interest is often reflected through ominous speech full of wordplay consisting of double meanings, subtleties, and the mannerisms in which they conduct themselves. Others play the reverse role and demonstrate the opposite. It depends on the influence of their origins, their sire, and where they may settle.

## Appearances

In appearance, vampires look mostly like their mortal counterparts, however their originating bloodlines will have a direct impact on some features, creating some variation down each line, some bloodlines being reported having more pronounced fangs, pointed ears, variation of musculature. Some out right appear deathly, and all possess a rather prominent glow to their eyes. They dress according to their station unless in disguise, although some more eccentric and especially older specimens may choose antiquated or overly formal dress. Physically, they are always in peak physical condition for their species, unaffected by maladies or age and quick to heal from injury. Many choose to attempt to blend into the societies they once belonged to, while others may choose a more open path and attempt to claim that society for themselves. Many also will simply succumb to their inner animal instinct and degenerate into bestial creatures.

## Origins

Born of foul magic and punishment from the god Solanarium. The original vampires were made during the Siege of Anicium, a notable city in the ancient days of Arcelia and more vastly, the world. In a greedy attempt to weaponize the sun, Solanarium put an abrupt end to their scheme and punished them for their actions. Brought about in a flash of light, these mages and surrounding individuals began to smolder and burn in the rays of the sun. The god, Solanarium, cursed them so that they may never feel his light or they would burn for it, turning them to ash. This direct intervention caused the ritual at hand to fail terribly, robbing the lives of all near the site of the magic and condemning those involved. Furthermore, the Siege itself broke as their defenses failed from this blowback of the sun. Following this, darkness fell for some time as a result of this ritual and its implications. These 'new' beings rose anew, all different shapes and sizes. An overnight period of frenzied hunts and violence ensued. Devoid of their own life, they sought others that possessed what they did not with a ravenous hunger that would never be satiated in the ages to come.The sun itself became anathema to their existence and they found themselves forced to retreat into the cover of night. They also had to confront for the first time the terrible thirst they had for the blood of their once kin, the only thing that could now sustain them where food and drink now failed. These first ones and their immediate descendants tended to be scholarly and studied in the arcane while others took a more aggressive and short lived route. However, over the years, they and their descendants have come up with ever more ingenious ways to mitigate their curse.

All vampires are supposedly then descended from this original stock of sorcerers. Whether this is true, or whether important details are missing from the narrative are both somewhat unclear. However, it does seem to be clear that vampires were not part of the most ancient of historical records and only appeared somewhat further down the line in the chronicles of various races as they were discovered. To the common man, the general opinion of those ancient peoples has been that they are creatures both unnatural and to be reviled. This opinion still prevails amongst the vast majority of people, as they are seen as dangerous predators and schemers, wolves amongst the sheep of the common people who use and feed upon them in equal measure. The average vampire does not pay heed to religion. Instead, it is through their lineage that they adopt a pseudo form of worship with immense respect reserved for whomever sired them, and the lineage that the vampire is now bound to by blood. The eldest of these bloodlines are revered nearly on the same level as the divine.

## History & Culture

### The Curse

A vampire is incapable of reproducing through traditional means. They are infertile, though their body is capable of reflecting a living status aside from their uncharacteristically pale skin. In order for vampires to expand their populus, they must turn their desired prey through a bite. This has led to the common misconception that a vampire’s bite is guaranteed to turn a human into a vampire but that is not the case. There are additional steps to be performed to force the affliction of vampirism upon another.

In some covens or groups, this is done as a formal affair rich with tradition whereas in others, it’s considered a simple act to be performed. Only the oldest lineages bound by traditions tend to consider the act of turning somebody as a significant ordeal and thus put great care into their selections and the manner in which the act is performed. In fact, these older lineages of vampires are renowned for stamping out ‘lesser’ vampires who are deemed unworthy of the curse and seek to enforce their own standards of expectations upon their kindred.

While any vampire is capable of turning a human into vampire, it is the vampires who are considered the elders of their peers that have the highest success rate in these conversion efforts due to their innate knowledge and their ability to exhibit self-control when biting into the flesh and tasting the blood of their target.

The most common method is to weaken the victim of the turning by draining their blood through consumption via a bite on the neck or wrist. This in turn allows for the vampire to render the victim susceptible to the change to come. The vampire enacting this forced change upon the human’s body is deemed the sire, and it is with the introduction of their own blood into the victim’s bloodstream through that wound that the chance of turning their prey begins.

As the transition begins, a human’s body will naturally reject the affliction that is bestowed upon it, but the violent nature of the curse overtaking the body will quickly overwhelm the human’s natural immunity response. It corrupts the bloodstream which allows for the curse to taxi itself throughout the body. The corruption forces a transformation and creates a discoloration effect within the human’s veins.

Their veins darken enough that it’s visible upon the surface of their skin, creating a deathly, webbed appearance. The human’s complexion loses its color and fades to a pale, sometimes grayish tone. In subgroups of humans of darker complexions, they recover some of their color but it is greatly muted in contrast to its original state. Those who are naturally pale are stuck with the deathly pale, grayish tone.

The process of the vampire’s blood corrupting the human is a painful one. To the one undergoing this transition, willing or otherwise, they are subjected to the above, but also experience immeasurable pain. Their vision goes black and their very blood feels as though it has turned to fire. The urge to claw at their own skin and scream out is not uncommon.

It is easy to discern a failed transformation, as not every human’s body is capable of withstanding this corruptive onslaught of the vampire’s affliction. Those whose body is incapable of surviving this ordeal still experience all of the effects that a successful transformation will bring unto them, but their body will begin to destroy itself from within. Their organs ultimately stop working in slow succession. The remaining blood of the human mixed with the vampire’s blood will rise to the surface, forcing its way through the many pores on a human’s body. In short, between the mixture of internal fatalities of the human’s organs and the remaining blood exiting the body through the pores of the skin, the human will writhe in place until they ultimately die.

*NOTE: Once afflicted with the vampiric curse, they cannot fall victim to another affliction.*

### Sustenance, Weakness, and Recovery

All vampires must regularly consume the blood of mortal races. If they elect not to, they will begin to degenerate physically and mentally, and will ultimately succumb to base animalistic impulse if not death. Animals and other like creatures are not a sufficient source of sustenance for a vampire. The consumption of another vampire’s blood will yield no positive effect, nor sate any innate desires to feed or offset the repercussions of not doing so. Humans are their primary source of food, though those with uncorrupted magical elements to their blood are a delicacy, even intoxicating in some cases. Common foods most humans or other races might consume through traditional means will make a vampire sick, and evoke violent responses to it. Vomiting is not uncommon when a vampire’s body attempts to purge regular food and beverage consumption. There are exceptions to this in some lineages, such as alcohol, where they are able to enjoy the effects and not experience sickness.

Vampires are averse to sunlight. Their state of origin is irrelevant, as is the nature of their lineage. If unmitigated, a vampire will burn and turn to ash. Even with the necessary precautions made to mitigate the sun’s rays, prolonged exposure to the sun’s light will eventually agitate the vampire towards outright displays of irritation and discomfort.

In order for a vampire to recover from their injuries, they must feed on fresh blood and then isolate themselves in total darkness and ‘rest’. This is not the same as when one goes to sleep, as they do not require sleep due to their innate nature. Most magic based methods of healing, such as those of nature, holy or otherwise are rendered worthless when used upon a vampire. Holy magic will actually inflict great pain, and worsen their state of injury while Nature magic provokes no response from the vampire’s body. It is not common knowledge, this fact, known only to the most educated on matters of vampirism - namely vampires themselves. The most efficient and proven method to heal is done through the encompassing of total darkness and a state of rest, as previously described. Thus far, herbal remedies, alchemical items and elixirs have also been discovered to be incapable of promoting recovery in a vampire - so strong is their dependency on blood.

## Bloodlines — *Corvin*

### A 'Subtle' Physique

All Vampires have a subtle strength that exceeds what a normal human would possess. The Corvins are no different, but their bodies are typically opposite of what one might presume their capabilities to be at a glance. Typically, those of the Corvins are of a lithe build. Slim and supple body types with a graceful touch to their mannerisms. They possess glowing red eyes and their fangs are plain to behold, though some have been known to file those down for sake of vanity. Due to the nature of the ritual they impose prior to turning a human into a vampire, a Corvin is almost always pale in their complexion.

### The Most Prominent, Infamous Blood Barons

Everyone with direct ties to the Corvins – generally speaking this would refer to the Elders and Grand Elders in particular – are educated in their lineage as part of the process following the act of being turned. It is vital to the Corvin’s claims that such information is passed on from one Elder to the next so their ability to trace their origins is not lost. The average vampire is not fully educated in the Corvin’s past, but given enough to know to respect the bloodline. In the year 306, in the midst of Anicium’s Fall during the ill fated attempt to weaponize the sun, the first Corvin, Antonius is ‘born’ anew. By the year 320, he has expanded his influence, and the curse, to create the first coven. As it grows, bodies that are drained of blood are discovered and eventually Antonius is found out. Though the rest of the Elders are not compromised, he is confronted, and he single handedly orchestrated the Crimson Tide, the Massacre of Anicium before disappearing. He would be found years later and executed by exposure to sunlight.

### Aristocratic Tendencies and Political Influences

The Corvin Bloodline has always favored a more refined approach to things. Aristocracy is the sole practice in how they lead. Headed by a Grand Elder who oversees a Council of Elders, the Corvins embrace the finer aspects of their unnatural life and flaunt their status without regard of consequences – barring the sunlight, of course. Those not of Elder blood are expected to be obedient loyalists to the bloodline and to adhere to the Will of the Council. It’s not uncommon, and in fact, it’s often assumed and practiced that the Corvins directly influence the affairs of those around them. They wield their own influence through fear, promises and coercion to demand the loyalty of others and through them, impact the politics beyond their own immediate reach. The Corvins are not prone to hide behind subtlety if they feel the need to be directly involved comes to pass with examples of direct acts of aggression being shown throughout history.

### Tradition Heavy

Since they can trace their lineage all the way back to the origins, those who fall under the Corvin line believe themselves to be the greatest of vampires, in strength, influence and ‘blood purity’. They are very selective of who they bring into their coven, their line, and have no qualms about their nature being known. Everything is done with purpose, a nod to the tradition of those that came before them and with a grandiose display to invoke fear and envy of those in observance. To those of the bloodline, it is a chance to boast of their lineage and to represent it in full.

### The Ritual & the Corvins

The Corvins, the oldest of the vampire lineages, trace their origins back to the very first vampire of Anicium - Antonius Corvin. During a time in which Anicium was collapsing, an attempt to weaponize the sun was made and in retaliation, by divine act, Antonius was born ‘anew’, though in reality, he was cursed. This is a source of pride to the Corvin family - they deemed themselves infallible if even a god could not undo them, and they believe themselves superior to all others, even other vampire lineages.

An average vampire is not fully aware of the Corvin lineage, though the nature of their covens dictates that enough knowledge is provided by the Grand Elders to the Elders, and the Elders in turn educate the rest of their kindred. Guarded knowledge is only a part of the consideration given to the notion of turning a human and bringing them into the fold.

The covens that are of the Corvin lineage put a great emphasis on tradition, strict practices and establish lofty expectations for in-house regulations. It is not by any one individual’s determination to judge a human worthy of the blessing the Corvin’s believe themselves to have. Such a consideration is done at the merit of the Grand Elder and their immediate Council of Elders. If the Council determines a human to be worthy of ascension, a series of steps are taken to prepare the individual.

> A sire is selected amongst the Elders of the Coven, as only the Elders or the Grand Elder are believed to be capable of guiding a new kindred through their trials.
>
>
> A ritual space is expected to be prepared upon a slab of stone, in a dedicated room and the recipient of the ritual is bound to the surface.
>
>
> The lighting is then established and must be minimal, traditionally by candlelight, and established in clusters around the ritual slab.
>
>
> A large, ornate metallic bowl and two elaborate goblets must be placed next to the recipient’s head, and a specialized knife reserved for blood-based rituals laid before the bowl. Only one of the two goblets are filled with fresh blood - for the Elder rendering the ritual.
>
>
> The coven must be prepared to pay witness to the ascension, lining the exterior of the room to look on and pay heed to the addition of their lineage. Each must dress in formal attire, reflecting the seriousness of the event.
>
>
> Once the space has been prepared, then it is up to the Elder that has accepted the mantle of sire to initiate the ritual. Some have been known to offer a compelling speech to their coven to indicate that the ritual is beginning whereas others have simply begun the task outright.
>
>
> The ritual itself requires that the Elder produce enough of their own blood in the provided bowl to help offset the loss of the recipient’s blood. This is often done with the ritualistic knife, and a deep cut to their wrist to produce a steady flow.
>
>
> After the blood is procured, the Elder in question then brings that same knife to bear against the victim’s wrists. A pair of cuts are rendered to begin draining the human’s blood from their body, and the bite is rendered shortly thereafter.
>
>
> After the embrace is rendered, the Elder will set the knife aside and drink from the one goblet full of blood to restore themselves, and then pour their own blood from the bowl into the other goblet. They will force-feed their blood to the human as they begin to experience the affliction’s attack on the body.
>
>
> When the human has been fed enough of the Elder’s blood, the Elder themselves will step back and beckon the rest of the coven to extinguish the lighting - that the newly afflicted will be encompassed in total darkness. This simulates their rebirth, or their death if their body is unable to withstand the turning.
>
>
>
> The ritual is then considered complete and the ritual’s recipient is left bound to the altar for the night, and relocated the next day to a room assigned to them should they survive.
>
>

### The Corvin Lineage, and the Respect it Demands

The Corvin Lineage is the oldest known lineage of vampires. They are able to trace their origins back to the first publicly known vampire, Antonius Corvin, and their ascension and fall through the years that followed. They’re the perfect example of what vampires refer to as Blood Barons, open about their affliction and embracing it like a gift rather than a curse. This belief is often reflected in how they carry themselves and the traditions they uphold. Every true Corvin Coven has a plaque and a tomb they pay respects to in honor of their first Grand Elder, Antonius Corvin, and a descriptive text to honor his first council. To act against their respective Councils is to dishonor the bloodline, its history and those who have paved it forward. To plot against the Corvin Grand Elders is sacrilegious.

### The Grand Elder; Ascension to becoming an Elder

The Grand Elder is the figurehead of the Corvin lineage, of their respective covens. They have the strongest ties to the Corvin bloodline and usually have been hand picked by previous generations of Grand Elders to succeed them. A Grand Elder is usually picked from a crop of Elders, and heads the Councils of their Coven. They’re picked for their ability to show tact, spread their influence and draw people to obey. Obedience is expected by those who stand before a Grand Elder as they’re perceived as a direct reincarnation of the original Corvins and respect demands it. To become an Elder of the Corvin lineage, the Grand Elder orders the preparations of a ceremony, and of course, a ritual. The one responsible for putting this together is the Elder-to-Be, and when all the requirements are met, the procession commences. Each Council of the Corvins has a ritualistic dagger, embedded with the crest of their respective covens and the Corvin name etched into the blade itself. It is often stored alongside a pair of silver goblets that are specifically kept for such monumental occasions. The blood of the Grand Elder and the Elder-to-Be is mixed into the goblets and consumed by both. Some are more elaborate in how they represent this, whereas others have been known to keep it simple and let the celebrations of the moment carry into the night.

### The Eternal Quest

Every Corvin has a special loathing of the Sun. It’s their greatest obstacle in their quest to spread their influence and to command respect of those they deem beneath them. Traditionally, it has also been their direct downfall when they’re forced to rely on others to walk where they cannot, and to act in their stead.As such, the Corvins, regardless of their status within the bloodline, all strive to contribute towards any and all research to conquer the Sun’s damning light without the need of trinkets. The pursuit of knowledge to seek this outcome is a driving factor for every Corvin even when involved in other affairs – this is their number one goal above all else – anything that can strengthen the Corvin bloodline over the others.

## Bloodlines — *Zoticus*

### A Humble Existence

Vampires from the Zoticus bloodline live by the very essence of their name – “ Full of Life”. They live as if they suffer no curse, and when they must act on their nature, they do so in alternate fashion. Application of rouge is a very common, almost required practice. It helps further their goals of blending in with their human counterparts. Their very fangs are filed down to appear as normal teeth – and eventually, one must undergo this miserable act time and again as the fangs regrow. Feeding is done through bloodletting upon the butchery of their fangs, and the blood itself is consumed under the guise of wine. They have vivid, golden irises, darker hair ranging from auburn, brown to black. Given the independent nature of their people, the majority have the typical skin tones and complexion of Nocturnim’s general population – a prominently tanned base. Beyond this, barring those directly involved in training the gladiators, their physical forms are rather average and fall upon the smaller side of body size – often favoring a slim build that’s a little more than feeble at a glance.

### Nocturnim Origins

The Zoticus bloodline found its origins through the Nocturnim regions. Their exposure to the vampiric curse first came about from foreign interactions, though the people of Nocturnim were wary of these interactions. These vampires escaping Anicium with Antonious Corvin’s death fled the hunting parties that had formed and preyed upon their newfound neighbors in secrecy. Their point of ‘rebirth’ came not through ties to the Corvins, but as a byproduct of vampires that had been subject to a reckless feeding frenzy and had somehow survived their attacker’s bloodlust and the transition that followed. It’s difficult to currently pinpoint the first true Zoticus due to the impossible task of identifying the first generation of these Nocturnim based vampires. It was several years after the curse found its way into Nocturnim before a true coven had been formed, and any semblance of organization was given to these wayward souls. Throughout the years, upon being hunted out and exterminated, they’d find their ways into the various and prominent Ludus houses that trained and provided gladiatorial sport for the masses. It was through this infiltration and eventual takeover of these Houses that they were able to secure their futures and mitigate scrutiny of their activities.

### Secretive Coven

By the nature of their origin point, and the country in which they reside, the Zoticus bloodline is a quiet, secretive one. Rather than be open and blatant about their nature, those that hail from this lineage often do what they must to secure their truth from public knowledge. This includes, but is not limited to, practices that alter the body to hide the reality of their nature. They’re not a coven that mass-turns humans. This would risk too much of a chance of discovery by higher status figures, religious, political and military authorities. For a Zoticus to transform a human, it is a hasty process and done in the utmost secrecy – with the act of turning the victim as big of a display of trust as one can in Nocturnim can offer.

### Bloodletting Practices (for Feeding)

Due to the fact that they cannot risk exposure to both the sun, and their peers, the vampires of the Zoticus bloodline feed through other, less obvious means. Their slaves are subject to bloodletting and the blood is collected under the guise of ‘cleansing’ the slave or ‘combatting sickness’ and handed over to those in charge to be consumed in the secrecy of their homes. This practice, even when discovered, is easily explained away as a medical practice or religious attempt of gaining favor – with the former being the more common and believable excuse for the barbaric action.

### Oversee Gladiator Schools; Prominent Ludus Houses

Unlike some vampiric covens who are more centralized, those of the Zoticus lineage have spread their kin among the various and famous Ludus Houses across Nocturnim. In doing so, they have a monopoly on the Gladiatorial games, favor from both the masses and those who hold a higher status above them and security from scrutiny. They do not compete with each other beyond the coliseum as this would risk danger to their very existence, and are cooperative in ensuring that one House does not end up weaker than the other with their fighter availability. In doing so, they remove the risk of their respective kinsmen suffering the risk of being discounted and removed from their positions, protecting their bloodline from execution and witch hunts – and exposing their kin’s nature through such expulsion.

### Ring of Dawn

Perhaps the greatest contribution and discovery those of the Zoticus lineage have to claim is their research into finding a way to disguise their nature in broad daylight and producing the famous Ring of Dawn. Though they themselves have been incapable of crafting this unique piece of jewelry, the special touch of those versed in sorcery are able to fulfill the task and upon its completion, grant the wearer an immunity to the sun’s incinerating rays so long as they wear the ring. Even with their quiet, secretive nature, this discovery eventually leaked to the other bloodlines and has tempered even the more aggressive vampires into being amicable to those of Zoticus’ descent in hopes of obtaining one such ring for themselves. It is reserved for those of the bloodline’s ‘royalty’ for the time being with lesser vampires being forced to employ the use of cloaks, hoods and other clothes to cover their skin from the sun. *NOTE: Players cannot and will not start off with a Ring of Dawn for playing a Zoticus aligned vampire.*

## Bloodlines — *Volkov*

The Volkhov are those vampires originally of the hard north, forged by the crucible of that unforgiving land. Some say that their early interventions were crucial in the formation of what would become the human nation of Kovrokov, and in their native land, this is something that they would eagerly insist is true. They are proud of their heritage, and in those times they do leave Kovrokov for another environment, they seek those areas that similarly house an often overcast and snowy climate to better shield them from the ravages of the hated sun.

### Early Origins

While the first patriarch of the Volkhov is not known by name, it can be presumed that their line must have started either with one of the mages who escaped the Siege of Anicium or the eventual descendant of such an ancient who moved, or perhaps fled, into the primitive lands that would one day become Kovrokov. The peoples of that land were at that point without a written language of their own, and living in a state of semi-barbarism and vassaldom under the yoke of the Snow Elves. When the peoples of that land eventually did rise up against their masters, some stories give credit to strange sorcerers who rose amongst their ranks and practiced magic a head above the shamanism common among that people, and were said to possess great wisdom and knowledge of tactics along with the ability to learn the sorcery of their enemies. These they called the Ice Wolves, or shortened to the Volkhov in the tongue of that people, and they were said to reap a great tally in that war.

### The Ice Curse

Their help in the war earned the Volkhov rare respect in their homeland, allowing them to take up positions of regional power within the burgeoning nation. However, it also earned them the ire of the Snow Elves who are said to have called upon their gods to place a terrible curse upon the monstrous men that had helped push them from their homes. Unlike other vampires, the Volkhov find it impossible to stay awake through the long centuries of their lives, and must occasionally retire themselves to long rest frozen within the ice. There they can sleep away months, years, or even decades of time, with the amount of time spent in this state of torpor correlating with the age of the vampire. While they leave caretakers to keep their holdings in their absence, their sleep can sometimes last so long that the mandates they give these keepers can be forgotten, or thought of as mere tradition by the human families of stewards that wield power in their stead. What results is that when these lords of the bloodline return to those places that are theirs by right, they often find that the steward families have taken the reins of power for themselves. What follows often afterward is inevitable conflict, as the awakened vampires often seek to take what they believe is theirs by ancient right through force, and the mortal retainer families fight back against what they see as a forgotten and monstrous relic of the past. It does happen though that sometimes these vampiric lords either are content to continue to leave their ‘ancestral’ holdings within these stewardship trusts, or are otherwise called to leave Kovrokov and go out into the wider world, spreading their bloodline and their curse with them.

### Ice, Blood and Madness

The true depth of the curse is not just that these vampires must sometimes sleep away years, but also what sometimes happens to them when they do. It is not unknown for one of these vampires to wake up from their long sleep in a nearly feral state as their starved bodies’ pent up desire for blood is unleashed upon their minds all at once. They venture forth from their frozen tombs ravenous and degenerated creatures, sometimes going so far as to shed their clothes and finery and go out into the wilderness on a savage quest to sate their terrible craving.They have been known to recover from this state once they have glutted themselves on enough blood, but the damage by then is extensive. A whole village may have been wiped out, or at least, several peasants may have been found utterly drained and dead in the woods. Talk of such happenings has led to local legends within Kovrokov, and such happenings are attributed to ‘Ice Wolves’ by the superstitious. For the knowledgeable, that this was once a term of respect is not lost.Normally this chance to devolve into madness is much more prominent among older vampires of the line, but shamefully, sometimes a younger and fresher spawn will be especially susceptible to this mad streak. After even short rests within the ice, a terrible hunger can grow within them that can only be sated by the consumption of copious amounts of blood.

### Only the Worthy

The process that prospective Volkhov vampires are meant to go through to join the ranks of their proven kindred is meant to test their determination and toughness. The would-be vampire’s blood is drained from their body by their sire, and much of it replaced with the pure-line vampiric blood of the Volkhov. Rather than await their reawakening to welcome them back into the world as a vampire, they are instead brought out into the chilling cold.Their sire along with a likely retinue of servants then digs a great hole within the ice and snow, sometimes even into potential frozen soil underneath. The fledgling vampire is then placed within before their awakening, with the soil, ice and snow replaced on top of them. When the fledgling awakens, they awaken to a frozen and claustrophobic world while having no prior warning that they would be left like this. They are expected to claw and force their way to the surface, taking potentially hours while working their nails bloody and exhausting even their vampiric vigor to escape. They must then make their way back through whatever environments they have been left in to reach their sire, and only then will they be formally inducted into the ways of the bloodline.

### Peculiarities of the Blood

In addition to the curse, there are several other unique characteristics of the Volkhov bloodline that are shared amongst its members. Some of them are strange, but the Volkhov are prideful of them and consider their unique traits markers of a true-blooded member of the line. First, rather than the yellows and crimsons of other lines or mixed bloods, the Volkhov develop either gray or blue luminous eyes. Their vampiric healing also does not mend their skin as perfectly as others, and they have been known to accumulate scars. The eldest of the bloodline have often accumulated a great number of scars, and they take great pride in them as a sign of their many trials conquered and survived. One of the tells of the Kovrokov line is also that, stared at for long enough, their reflections begin to betray a strange and darkening aura of shadow, revealing a clue to their nature. Interestingly they have also developed the ability to consume alcohol, perhaps due to the copious culture of spirits within Kovrokov. One of their favorite pastimes is the consumption of blood mixed with spirits, or for some, the drinking of a drunkard’s blood directly.

## Bloodlines — *Arastani*

### The Unhidden

One of the biggest unkept secrets of the Carnival of Trades are the Arastani Vampires. Many believe the Master of Rings is the current head of the Arany for it is unknown if the Master of Rings has ever changed, and they are fully covered from head to toe. Unlike the traditional Corvin Bloodlines, the hidden Zotius Bloodline, or the proud Volkhov, the Arastani lineage is one of unbridled desires. They seem to embody all that the Carnival has to offer, with some of them being openly out in the carnival. Using the various trade routes of the carnival to expand their bloodline and obtain new additions to their order. As such they have the most diverse range of body types and skin colors amongst the major bloodlines, but all in their bloodline have purple colored eyes.

### Melting Pot of Blood

Since the Arastani travel the world using the Carnival of Trades as a cover their members are the most varied in looks. As such you can find members of Arastani from nearly every single human culture. The only thing common between them are the purple colored eyes indicative of their bloodline. Even more with so many varied cultures coming together and mixing in the bloodline you can always find them in various states of attire. They either wear the clothes of or similar to their homelands, or adopt the clothing styles of the carnival.

### The Blood Trade

While most of the bloodlines tend to keep to themselves, the Arastani do not. Using the carnival for connections they make use of the freedoms of it. If any vampire has a need for more blood bags or simply wants to taste something exotic they contact the Arastani to provide. It is not that unheard of for the Carnival to make a sudden appearance at a city that will soon be host to a blood party. Though their trade of blood does not just end with providing, but with ending lives too. They enjoy putting on a show after all, and who does not enjoy blood and death. While some vampires enjoy the lure of the carnival arriving in town with new things to offer, others fear the arrival of the carnival and capture. After all, the carnival makes a good place for families and bloodlines to get rid of those who threaten their way of life. Vampires who have threatened the way of life for those around them are often given to the Arastani, who quickly host an early morning show. Letting visitors pay to watch as the vampires are burned to death under the sun, or butchered in gruesome ways.

### Carnival Life

There are many different types of vampires amongst the Arastani. It is not hard to find someone with glowing purple eyes in the various tasks. There are even those who are open about what they are, offering others the chance to feel what it is like to have your life drained or various other abilities. Though, as one would easily assume they can not be Sin Eaters due to a vampire's inability to consume the food. However, for the ignorant masses some are duped into believing their sins can be drained with their blood. Still, just like the other bloodlines, not all of the leaders in the Arastani are out in the open. Some believe that the ones who are, are the same as the other races in flashy clothes. A distraction so that people do not pay attention to what the others are doing. Many have paid the price for believing all the vampires in the Carnival are easy to spot.

### Cursed Lineage

While the Arastani are out and the more well known of the vampire bloodline there is still things that are unknown in the world. From the numbers in their lineage to the full secrets of their bloodline. One thing that has been known is that no member of the Arastani bloodline has been seen with the ability to turn into a bat. While they clearly have elders in their lineage it seems to be an ability that has been lost to them. Some have wondered if it is due to them being the vampiric executioners with their morning rituals of death that have caused them to lose the ability to transform.

### Freedom is Cruel

It is not hard to imagine that for a bloodline so open in their own sins and debauchery that cruelty comes just as easy as comfort. For many of the Elder Vampires in Arastani their humanity has long since abandoned them, though not in the way of turning into wild beasts. Instead in similar ways man can be cruel, but with a life of immortality to darken them. They have as few rules as the carnival is compared to the other bloodlines, and for those who catch the eyes of the elders life can be harsh. Often torturing their victims or changing them against their will to see the suffering of their prey. Many attribute the screams of the carnival, especially the Night Carnival, to the vampires and their elders. Turning people to help extend their suffering before using them for the next morning burning wherever their desires float. Some of the elders turning their slaves to forever serve them in the carnival for any position needed. Still there are others who enjoy torturing loyalty into those who they change, breaking them to rebuild them over a lifetime of cruelty. Though, for those who manage to survive the change and the whims of the Elders can find and carve out a life of freedom and some comfort within the carnival. Never seeming to want for much as they continue their inhuman life.

### The Night Carnival

The citizens of the world deal with two carnivals that travel around, though there is not much difference between the two. For most people the only difference is that one tends to operate more during the daytime and the other operates at night. While some of the Arastani vampires travel with the day carnivals to keep up appearances most can be found traveling in the night carnivals. It is unknown if the Master of Rings is a vampire, but there are a few Ring Masters who claim to be. The night carnivals do tend to be darker than the day carnival in their depravity though some people say the same cruelty can be found in the day carnivals, hidden by the light of the sun.

## Perception of Magic

Vampires fully embrace the use and abuse of magic if it means making ends meet, or simply to relish in the intoxicating sensation of power that comes with it, but when it is used against them, their disdain and indignation is unmistakable as is their fury when magic is utilized in ways to disrupt their schemes. They have a natural inclination towards magic that influences the mind more often than not with a near hypnotic gaze, but they can become most violent when subjected to being the victim of any and all magical attempts.

## Abilities & Weaknesses

### Vampiric Gaze

Each and every vampire has a unique ability to influence the minds of those subjected to the vampire’s sharp, piercing gaze. By maintaining eye contact, the vampire can attempt to open a target’s mind to suggestion. Their words carry considerably more weight than they ought to, and the more reasonable the suggestion in the first place, the stronger this effect is. Outright commands contrary to the target’s interest are often the easiest to resist by the strength of will.

#### **RPR Stats**

* **Target(s):** 1 target
* **Dice Modifier(s)**: Either Charisma+Support Casting or 2+Determination+Support Casting/2 (whichever value is higher)
* **Difficulty Class:** Determination+Magic Resistance/2
* **Cost(s):** None
* **Effect(s):** The user attempts to urge the target with a command.
* **Cooldown:** 4 hours

### Bat Transformation

Elder vampires (except for those of Arastani lineage) can gain the ability to shapeshift into a bat, though not all vampires have this ability.

### Blood Consumption

All vampires must regularly consume the blood of the mortal races or else begin to degenerate both physically and mentally before eventually either succumbing to animalistic impulse or simply death.

### Sun Weakness

All vampires have an aversion to sunlight to one degree or another. Unmitigated, the sun would burn and destroy them in a matter of minutes at best, however, many of them have developed various means to combat this weakness. Still, they are primarily creatures of the night even if they have partially overcome this aversion. This can be mitigated with a ring of dawn created by witches and warlocks.

## Attachment & Kit Items:

#### Bloodline Specifics:

* **Corvin:** Eyes in shades of **RED**.
* **Volkhov:** Eyes in **BLUE/PALE** hues.
* **Zoticus:** Eyes in **GOLDEN/YELLOW** hues.
* **Arastani:** Eyes in shades of **PURPLE**. No Bat Transformation.
* **Obscure/ Mixed Bloodlines:** This is an option for those that do not wish to fall into one of these prominent Bloodlines. An avenue to play something more Feral or otherwise unremarkable. This option may have RP hooks that will not be for faint of heart, as prominent Bloodlines will likely view an obscure one as lesser or outright wasted effort. ELF EARS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RACIAL KIT. They are available by request in a Discord ticket. **None of the four bloodlines above will be given elf ears.**

The items listed in the kits below are made with the Season 6 modlist. They have been updated as of **14th December 2023**.

*Expand for Vampire Racial Kit*

 Shapeshifting (Bat Demon Flying)
 Fangs (Attached)
 Fangs Inside (Attached)
 Pointy Fangs [A]
 [C] Tooth 1
 [C] Tooth 2
 Racial Nightvision

## Lore Contribution

> **Credit for Lore Contribution:**
>
>