Dracul (Overview)

*"No sword, arrow or spear can ever bite as deep as fear. This world needs no more noble knights, it needs more monsters."* -Yan Szlachsang, Voivode of Sinaia

## Introduction

The Dracul are the Strigoi Bloodline of Lords and the Masters of Mutation. They have studied and mastered the Strigoi Essence and the mutations locked within; allowing them to breed twisted monsters from their Blood. They claim domaine over eastern europe and spend their Unlifes ruling their own counties while continuing their research, driven by a cruel curiosity.

## History

* **Ancient Walachia-** Since the Father of all Strigoi embraced eternal slumber and his firstborn children either joined him or fled, the walachian Strigoi where caught in an inner war without end. It was a war in the shadows in which ancient Strigoi, divided into countless factions, fought for dominion over their ancient homelands. The series of bloody assassinations, curses and intruiges would not come to an end until the late medival ages.
* **Turning of Vlad Tepes-** Vlad Tepes was the son of the most influencial Lineage of walachian Strigoi. As a young boy he was given to the Ottoman empire as a ward and hostage, securing peaceful relations with its Zalim rulers. Although wasn´t seen as an equal by his new masters, he was allowed to study many of their secrets and sorcerous pratices. One night he snuck into the forbidden library of Ankara to learn the secrets of the sumerian *Eternals*. After spending two full nights in the library he was found but instead of a punishment his patreon deemed his rebellious curiosity quality enough to turn him into a Strigoi.
* **Invasion of Walachia-** After Vlads father was assassinated and a Strigoi usurper claimed his throne, the young hostage turned to his Zalim masters. He knew well the Ottomans planned to invade europe to reunite their blood with their walachian cousins; so he urged them to launch a military campaign. Since Vlads was an eager student and the walachian population respected his mortal Lineage, he was chosen to lead the first of their armies. A few years later Vlad marched an army into moldavia and faced the ursuper king in battle. After his first defeat he seeked shelter in the surrounding lands and put his sorcery to work to create to enforce their ranks with mutated servants. Vlad also called upon the *Order of the Dragon*, a knightly order of witchhunters that his father had corrupted and placed under the lineages service. With their support Vlad achieved victory and claimed the throne of Walachia with most of its lands.
* **Founding of the Dracul-** Vlad quickly abandoned all ties to his Zalim masters and formed a temporary allegiance with the older Strigoi of Walachia. When the Zalim marched a larger force into eastern eruope, Vlad Tepes managed to unite the fractured Strigoi and lead them at the helm of the *Order of the Dragon*. After a series bloody victories against the Zalim and their Ottoman forces Vlad reforged the remains of the Walachian Strigoi into a Bloodline of their own. They took over the rumanian name of his knightly order and became known as the *Dracul*.
* **Foundations of Culture-** Vlad realised it was impossible for him to rule the walachian Strigoi. He barely survived several assassinations and powerful curses before he worked out a plan that would keep the newly founded Dracul from falling into their old infighting. He married *Moroi*, high priestess of the Grimvitch, a powerful line of Strigoi witches. With their combined influence they hosted a great council atop mount *Mormânt* where their ancient forefather slumbered. There they layed out a set of laws and etiquettes that would allow all Dracul to coexist without needing to sacrifice their power. These decrees formed the basis of Dracul Culture. It followed that each Dracul old enough to bear the title Voivode was allowed to claim dominion over a barony and rule it as its unquestioned master. These Voivodes would be subserviant to none. To deliver upon his promise Vlad denounced his rulership over the dracul and simply claimed a barony as the youngest of Voivodes.
* **War against the Vargr-** After their infighting ceased and the Dracul consolidated their power they began to spread outwards and focus more on mortal politics. This attracted the attention of local Vargr. While they where always lead aggressive hunts through Dracul territory, their recent expansion draw countless shapeshifters into eastern europe. The isolated Voivodes barely held their ground but the Bloodline became truly desperate when Taranis arrived. This towering creature was once the greatest Skindancer among the Vargr and had terrorised the woods of central europe long before the first Strigoi emerged. Taranis and his hunters purged almost all of western russia and the baltics of Voivodes.
* **Return of Vargon-** It was during these desperate times that a group of Voivodes broke into mount *Mormânt* and awoke Vargon the Red, first son of Balaur, from his eternal slumber. The ancient Strigoi rose to power again and reclaimed his ancient strongholds after slaying those that ursuped them from him. At first Vargon refused to act and remained silent. So instead Vlad gathered his most loyal Voivodes and rode into battle at the helm of his Stryga knights. This time his brutal advance was stopped after just a few weaks when Taranis broke through the woods and slew every attacker in a bloody rampage. Vlad barely escaped with his unlife. It was at this point that Vargon gathered his forces and called upon his Bloodline to join him in battle. On the way he captured Vlad and took his castle which the new allegiance of Dracul would use as a base. Instead of a headlong charge the Dracul warlords used a series of ambushes, traps and lighting strikes to thin out the Vargr lines. While they where unable to beat these beasts in open battle, the Draculs military finesse proved victorious in the end.
* **Rise of the Domnitor-** The war ended when Vargon managed to capture Taranis, the greatest and oldest of Vargr to be alive at that time. He chained the beast in the caverns under his castle and fed it with mutating Stryga so that it would slowly be turned into an unnatural hybrid of Ghoul and Strigoi. The monsters flesh began to mutate like that of a Strigoi and bowed to Vargons will. To finalise the beasts transformation he fed it Vlad and his wife, ridding himself of his greatest rivals with a single strike. With this unholy creation under his command Vargon claimed the title of *Domnitor* and crowned himself leader of all Dracul.

## Culture

More than any other Strigoi the Dracul are individualists. Rather than placing their faith, believes or personal relations over everything, they seek to gain power for themselves. This conviction is not born out of mere greed or egoism; instead most Dracul believe that expetional individuals becoming the greatest version of themselves is the best for the greater good. In their minds most mortals are lesser beings that once in a while bring fourth someone destined to surpass and rule them. Like most inner Bloodlines of the Covenant the Dracul are convinced mortals need a strong group of rulers for their own good, and that it is only rigth to devote the majorities resources to such rulers to best further their abilities.

Unlike other Strigoi do not see their human cattle as mere fodder or pawns however. They view themselves as shepherds of their mortal flock to whom they have the obligation to rule to the best of their abilites. Many will develop a strong bond to their people, seeing them as an extension of themselves. Because of that they will be all the more cruel when they turn against their master or fail them, often resulting in horrific consequences. The Dracul have a renown for wickedly ironic punishments and excessivly cruel forms of torture, the most infamous of which is being impaled.

### Voivodes and Boieri

Newly born Dracul exist merely to prove themselves and it will take them ages until they are deemed worthy to rule over a county of their own. Those that do in the eyes of their progenitor or a Voivode that chose to be their patreon are awarded the title of Boieri. Boieri controll smaller lands and are under the direct authority of a greater Voivode, governing their lands in their Voivodes name.

The rank every Dracul seeks to achieve is that of the Voivode. Only older Dracul who have proven themselves can acheive this dreaded title, gaining their own voivodeship over which they have absolute authority. Even in the Victorian Age Dracul value the concept of feudal lordship, presenting themselves as benevolent lords over their superstitious population.

In the Victorian nights there is only one individual that can claim authority over a Voivode and their lands. Vargon the Red, who embraced the ancient title of *Domnitor*, claims to be the Bloodlines ruler and demands absolute loyalty from every rumanian Voivode. Although his claim is highly contested, few Dracul can manage to stand against his might.

### Blood Research

Despite personal power one thing many Dracul care about are the secrets of their blood. They are nearly obsessed with the power and potential locked within, unleashing brutal mutation on their victims or themselves. They approach their research like a wicked combination of modern scientist and occult esoteric; relying on ancient grimoires and pagan rituals as much as the methods of modern medicine and chemistry. In their quest for knowledge they know little boundaries, however they also achieve great successes. Not only can the Dracul mutate and transform their own flesh to their licking, they also breed gigantic monstrosities from their blood. When a Voivode unleashes their Stryga most of them resemble nothing like men; having grown to enourmous sizes in beastial postures, switching between their distorted shapes and a swarm of bats at will.

Many of those that dig too deep in the secrets of the blood experience what they call the "Chemarea sângelui" (Call of the Blood). Dracul that have learned to much about the bestial will feel themselves drawn to it. While its possible to resist over the centuries the call will become stronger until they break all bonds with their former humanity and abandon their old form. They will turn into near mindless beasts of hulking mutation, ever changing their broken shapes in search for prey. Most of them will quickly get destroyed or placed under the service of a younger Dracul as a beast of war; however some simply remain locked in the debts of their abadoned castles which they haunt to this day.

### Faith

Most Dracul believe in the christian god, however it is common for them to also worship older pagan dieties alongside. This type of folk orthodoxy was once very common across eastern europe until the end of the middle ages. In modern times it is almost exclusivly restricted to the Dracul themselves, keeping the intricacies of their faith a secret from the public. Their interpretations of ancient slavic gods are seen as lesser dieties, archangels or immortal saints that are either in service of god or exist along his side. The most common of these are:

* **Mother Earth,** also known as *Stareţă*, is seen as the consort of god. She is the land itself more than she is a celestial diety.
* **Grom,** the patreon of war, bloodlust and beasts. He is both worshipped as a diety of nature and battle, often seen as an incarnation of Gods primal fury. His weapons are claws of ligthing and fangs of thunder.
* **Volos,** the patreon of souls and safe passages into the afterlife. Volos is called upon when a Dracul tries to summon or calm a spirit. He is often depicted as a horned shepheard with a large flute.
* **Strybog**, the patreon of forbidden knowledge and the secrets of the blood. Strybog is described as a diety older than god, which left the void and brought mortals the curse of Undeath.
* **Kresnik,** the patreon of rich harvests and the hunt. She is seen as the Essence of Life which came down to earth and gifted Adam and Eve their blood.
* **Radegast,** the patreon of traveling, hospitality and humanity. He is almost exclusivly worshipped by younger Dracul who are not considered Bojars yet. His iconography is often compared to that of Apollonius.
* **Sifra,** the patreon of love, mercy and charnal desire. Her unliving worshippers embrace any of her aspects to regain touch with their mortal roots.
* **Belebog,** worshipped as the diety of fortune and fate. He is juxtaposed to Chernobog, a demon of bad luck and curses.
* **Morana,** the spirit of winter, death and cruelty. She is often depicted as a demon, however many Dracul offer her worship to draw from her power; even though it is an explictly evil act.

Most Dracul also include esoteric and pagan rituals in their prayers and worship. The most common of these is the *Easter of Blajini,* also known as the *Easter of Deaths*. Most Dracul believe the world to be a disc, with the Underworld to be on the other side. On the *Easter of Deaths* the Veil all across the Dracul homelands is thinned through collective rituals, allowing weaker spirits to slip into the material world. The Dracul call these spirits "Blajini" and use them to envigorate their lands with their energies.

### Turning

Dracul prefer to turn mortals that express natural leadership, strength of will and fortitude. Many Dracul used to be warlords, generals or lesser nobility before their death. Historically mostly men qualified for these positions and therefor to be Turned.

After a Dracul chose a mortal to become their progeny they will put them through an extraordinarily harsh challenge. These challenge may take many forms but will always push them to their mental and physical levels; laying heavy emphasis on causing inhuman amounts of pain and fear. Should the chosen mortal face this challenge without giving into their weakness, they will qualify to be turned.

The traditional ritual of turning requires the chosen mortal to be drained to blood and placed in a wooden coffin drenched in the progenitors Essence. Afterwards the coffin will be covered in muddy earth until it is completly submerged. The Essence inside of the coffin must be absorbed by the corpses skin to reawake them. After breaking free from the coffin and pushing their way to the surface they will emerge as a Dracul, sired by the blood of their progenitor and the motherly embrace of *Mother Earth.*

## Lineages

* **Grimvitch,** an entirely female Lineage of Dracul. They are lore masters, witches and priestesses; embracing the pagan roots of the Dracul more than anyone else. Altough their culture seems outlandish and esoteric to modern folk, they are highly respected among all Strigoi.
* **Tsari Drakonov,** the russian equivalent of the Dracul. While they are similar in culture and spirit, the Tsari Drakonov are much more fundamentalistic. They have abandoned their pagan roots and forbidden research; instead shifting their gaze upon those below them. Most of their efforts are focussed on strengthening their dominion over their gigantic lands through brutality and their orthodox faith.
* **Oraldi a**re heavily associated with mongol heritage. They rule the eastern sphere of muslim influence, namely Kazakhstan and the lands below it. The Oraldi arose with the Kazakh Khanate until the russian empire took over their homelands. The Oraldi are deeply torn between their old heritage and their new alignment. In the Victorian Age they are in a deep conflict with their russian cousins. More than anyone else the Oraldi are warriors and warlords, using their sorcerous powers to modify their own flesh.

## See also

* Dracul
* Dracul (Rules)
* Opinions