Blood-kin

The **blood-kin** are a subspecies of humans that exhibit vampiric qualities. Although they are physically human, magically the blood-kin are more closely aligned with nature spirits due to their heritage and are capable of drawing on ether to create minor miracles similar to Class E divinities.

Although blood-kin are vampiric in nature, they do not require blood to survive. Most see blood as a luxury, similar to a fine wine, required only to heal grievous wounds when needed. Additionally, a blood-kin can drink a human's blood with the express purpose of creating a vector, a creature comparable to traditional vampires.

Blood-kin are near-immortal creatures with few weaknesses. Their bodies are incredibly durable and can withstand large amounts of damage, and they can heal quickly by consuming the blood of humans. Neither humans nor magicians pose much of a threat against them, and the main threats against a blood-kin comes from other blood-kin. It is possible for a blood-kin to destroy another by either consuming all of their blood or completely destroying their body.

The first blood-kin appeared during the age of the Roman Republic. All blood-kin can trace their lineage to one of three children of the Valerius family: Julius, Julia, or Livia, all born in early 352 BCE. It is unknown what caused the triplets to become blood-kin, though it is believed that their mother might have been a witch, and their similarity to nature spirits may be a simple inheritance from their witch-mother.

The number of blood-kin is estimated to be between 250-300, with their associated vectors numbering approximately 100,000. Despite government attempts to account for all blood-kin and vectors within a country's borders, the Julian branch of the blood-kin has been hostile to many governments and refuses to cooperate with them, leaving the exact numbers unknown.

## Characteristics

### Anatomy

The blood-kin are closely related to humans, and they maintain human appearances and personalities. Although the older generations of blood-kin have Mediterranean appearances owing to their close relationship to the founding members of the species, modern blood-kin can belong to any race depending on their parents and lineage.

A mature blood-kin is significantly more powerful than either humans or magicians. The physical strength and endurance of a blood-kin is notably higher than magicians and humans, and they heal from minor injuries almost instantly. Even severe damage is less dangerous to a blood-kin as long as the blood-kin has a source of human blood available.

Blood-kin reproduction is very similar to standard humans. The reproductive organs of blood-kin match those of humans, and sexual maturity occurs at approximately the same time. While the chance of pregnancy for a blood-kin pairing is comparable to humans, a blood-kin pregnancy has significantly reduced chances of reaching term for the offspring. Almost 75% of pregnancies result in miscarriage, and most of the remaining 25% are stillbirths. It is this low birth rate that accounts for most of the low population of the blood-kin, though murders by other blood-kin are another significant cause of death for blood-kin.

### Magic

While blood-kin are capable of creating miracles, most prefer to use magic in their daily lives. The species is able to use standard magic, though they also practice a form of magic that utilizes blood. Blood magic uses the ether found in a human's blood to fuel its effects. Blood magic can either be used on the victim or the blood-kin with significantly differing effects. A blood-kin can use blood magic to enhance their physical condition and heal serious injuries, and they can use magic to influence a person's behavior and memories. The magic tends to work better during an ambush by the blood-kin.

Blood-kin also have stronger fortification of their eidos, drastically increasing their resistance to magic, and any changes to their eidos are quickly rectified. The only form of magic that blood-kin are particularly weak to is the blood magic that they practice.

All blood-kin have at least Class D mystic eyes, and some have higher-class mystic eyes. These mystic eyes are capable of interfering with a target's mental condition.

## Culture

Currently, the blood-kin are divided between two factions: the Julian branch and the Julia branch. A third bloodline descending from Livia, the youngest of the triplets, was exterminated by blood-kin of the Julian branch in the late 1980s. Only the leaders and their chosen heirs are seen as the main family in both extant branches of the blood-kin, while the remaining members are considered subordinate families.

The Julian branch of the blood-kin prefers to call themselves the ***princeps***, an unofficial title for the Roman emperors and meaning "foremost or first person". These blood-kin are governed by an absolute autocratic patriarchs descended from the original founder. The princeps use the naming convention of the Roman Empire, and many of the leaders take the names of Roman emperors and other prominent leaders. Only the main family is permitted to retain the surname Valerius.

The Julia branch is called the ***augusta*** branch. The word *augusta* is an honorific title given to honored women of the imperial family, and Julia received this title after marrying into the imperial household. The augusta blood-kin are governed by a sort of constitutional monarchy: a matriarch sits at the head of government, while a group of advisors manage the day to day affairs of the branch. The matriarch does not become involved in the governance of her people unless a serious matter occurs or the advisors are unable to reach a consensus. The augusta blood-kin will take names from the surrounding communities, enabling them to blend in more easily into the community.

### Common Taboos

The blood-kin rarely drink the blood of other blood-kin. It is seen as incredibly rude and a intense invasion of privacy, as it is possible to read the thoughts of a blood-kin through their blood. However partners in a sexual or romantic relationship will sometimes share blood as a means of strengthening the relationship between them and as a sign of the trust they share.

Despite this taboo, the princeps have developed a type of blood magic that can coerce a person into obeying an order from them. This blood magic acts as a curse, forcing a person to obey a single order, regardless of the person's beliefs or behaviors. The person's memories are altered to obscure the event, and an invisible curse mark is placed on them to ensure that the order is obeyed.

## Important Members

* Julian Valerius - the progenitor of the princep blood-kin and oldest of the triplets. He has long espoused a belief in a "might makes right" world, believing that blood-kin to be perfect beings superior to other humans.
* Julia Valerius - the progenitor of the augusta blood-kin and the second of the triplets. She preferred to integrate into human society and work with both humans and magicians to create a better world for all species.
* Livia Valerius - the progenitor of the ingenui blood-kin. Although the ingenui blood-kin are all extinct as of 1987, they were historically hermits, withdrawn from society to be freed of its constraints. The group was small, and thus they easily fell victim to the princeps' murderous rampage.