Cainaan

## Blood Princedom of Cainaan

**Cainaan** is a region located north of Berok, hidden deep past the Zapno Mountains. Ruled by vampires through what is called the Blood Court. Any mortal being is violently oppressed by their vampire overlords, herded as cattle serving as nothing more than mere sacks of blood. In the centre of the lands the main vampire castle can be found, the castle contains a large spire charged with powerful forces casting a forever dark cloud over the lands.

## History

### First vampires of Cainaan (1107-1109)

Long ago the land of Cainaan was not ruled by vampires and known by a different name, Tara Tranda 'Land of Roses'. The beautiful flower once dominated the land, but has since been turned into a symbol of a new power. Old Tara Tranda was afflicted by a great plague. All manners of curing the afflicted were tried, but nothing seemed to help. In mass the inhabitants of Tara Tranda turned to the traditional medicine of the region, the consumption of ancestors bone. From the lower classes to the aristocracy, all started to dig up the corpses of their ancestor not caring for their origin. Aristocrats started a desperate search for ancient corpses thinking that the older the corpse to more potent the healing power of the bones were.

This led to an important aristocrat known as Cain acquiring a peculiar ancient corpse in an antiquated crypt that was forgotten to time. The corps however was still fresh, despite having been hidden away for hundreds of years. Desperate for a potential cure he ignored the state of the corps. Carving into it, he grounded up the bones and teeth, with drips of dark blood coming from the corps entering the mixture. Cain thought he had made a potent cure, in a way he was right, he had created something more powerful instead. Passing out from his potion, he awoke to his companions having found him. Awoken with a new hunger and sharper set of teeth he plunged his fangs into the neck of his compatriot, sucking him dry of all his blood. His lust for blood still not settled Cain made his way upstairs were his retinue was waiting, sucking them all dry one by one. His hunger having settled he puzzled together the history of the ancient tomb and some of his own knowledge, he became a creature of the night.

Cain went into hiding at first trying to figure out how he could use this new found power. With superior ability to heal he set out travelling during the night, heading to his old home trying to turn his family into vampires too. For then they would also be protected against the great plague threatening the lands. Things went amiss however, not every family member could accept what Cain had become. Some however embraced the gift. This would lead to a struggle within his old court, eventually ending up with a massacre as the new vampires couldn't contain their hunger. Rumours would eventually start to spread about the faith of the castle and so Cain and the few vampires that he had turned fled to an allied court. The gift was accepted by some and soon Cain would return to his old castle, cleaning up the mess he left behind and created the first vampire court. Farm folk became weary of the rumours and screams coming from the castle.

The true nature was revealed and peasants, burghers and aristocrats alike gathered arms to put down the vampire menace, first going after Cain himself. In a great siege the castle was burned down and a stake driven to Cain's heart and his closest allies who where there that day. However their uprising was in vein, for not every vampire was slain that day. The vampires who survived went in hiding slowly regathering their strength. In the mean time the great disease still raged on in the lands.

### **Shadow Court (1109 - 1431)**

The reign of the Shadow Court would see its rise from the 1109 until 1431. The small group that survived the initial onslaught managed to organise quickly and would use the Great Plague as a means of spreading their influence. The vampires disguised themselves as doctors with the ultimate cure for the disease ridden land, a simple vial containing a dark red thick substance, the blood of a vampires. A cure the nobles of Tara Tranda got, put with a major side-effect. The aristocrats would be become addicted to the sweet red nectar, essentially becoming ghouls under the rule of vampires. The vampires concentrated their effort in a small area to make sure their word was law. The ghoul nobles would prove vital in the early years of spreading vampire influence throughout Tara Tranda.

When control was solidified, around 1130 the vampires moved on to the next area. However, the plague had long settled by this point and the old doctor tactic had become unsuccessful. In addition during the early years more people were turned into vampires. The younger of the vampires sought to expand wider, saying that the tactics of the old guard were outdated. Eventually it was decided that the group would split and slowly convert Tara Tranda from different parts of the kingdom. However, secrecy was of the utmost importance. The Shadow Court fragmented into differing splinter factions and wouldn't by brought together until 1282 by X. Who then reorganised the Shadow Court to bring everyone under the same laws and traditions, therefore establishing what would eventually become the basis of the Blood Court, the current governing body of Cainaan.

In 1310 large parts of Tara Tranda had been put under the influence of the Shadow Court. However, the it almost fell apart as a young vampire lost control of their inner beast and slaughtered a whole town to quench his thirst. This led to an informal inquisition in the region which was eventually disbanded through politicking and violence. Huge favours were called upon an the event would eventually be labelled as a mass religious suicide.

#### Last Tara Trandan Decade (1420-1431)

Over 300 years they extended their rule and would eventually end up controlling all of Tara Tranda, revealing themselves as the new rulers of the land. A land open to vampires. The lands would be renamed to Cainaan after Cain. A great castle would be build on the site where his castle once stood, functioning as capital for the new land. To achieve this goal a last battle was fought, known as the Battle of Bran Fields, where Lilith 'the Diabolical', defeated and enthralled the heir Laiotă of Tara Tranda.

### Cainaan (1431 - now)

1457 large attack against Ralmulash and Berok caused the singing of the Silver-Bear Treaty.

## Hierarchy

A strict hierarchy is in place in the land of Cainaan. On top are the vampires dominating all below them. Next are the ghouls, the personal servants of the vampires. They mostly lead the armies and oppress those below them. Such as the freemen, the last true holdout of humanity in Cainaan. Perhaps freemen is a too generous of a title, for they are required to farm the lands and are levied into the armies. But they are nonetheless freer than those below them. Simply known as ''blood sacks'', they herded like cattle and serve no other purpose then to provide blood to the vampires on top of the food chain.