Balauri

*"You live your entire lifes, standing in an empty room, starring at a barren wall. And you are content. All you had to do is turn around and open the door behind you, and you would see what we saw..."* Moreak, Voice of the Midnight Host

## Introduction

The Balauri are one of the 6 great Bloodlines of the Strigoi. They are the truest followers of the Strigoi Forefather and see themselves as faithful disciples of his teachings. They oppose the rule of the other Bloodlines and engage in occultism and dark magic aswell as radical ideas of freedom.

## Philosophy

More than anything else, the Balaur believe in radical freedom. They see themselves as the true followers of their ancient father. They teach that his path was that of resistance and liberation; from his fight against the roman empire and the deceptions of its lemurian rulers to Balaurs battle against the forces of reality itself. The Balauri wish to bring about a world, in which their forefather, who is currently a Lich, grows powerful enough to consume the god engine Akasha and recreate the world. Through his transcendancy of the mortal and spiritual boundaries of existance, he could create a new world purged of suffering and tyranny.

The Balauri share many similarities with satantic cults believing in the rebel-diety lucifer that defied gods narrow perception of good and evil. The Balauri defy the idea of objective morality and the arbitary concepts of good and evil. As an ironic appropriation of these concepts they aggressivly engage in an "evil" esthetic; intentionally using macabre or grim names and icons to mock those too narrow-minded to see the truth. The only value they preach is liberty and the force of ones own will. An Aspirant of their teachings will not be forced to worship any god but learn how to become a god themselves.

They refer to the other Strigoi as *Falseborn,* seeing them as corrupt and unfaithful followers of their forefathers teachings. Because the rest of their kin activly work towards the enslavement of humans and younger Undead, they do only perpetuate what Balaur despised when he still walked the earth. The Balauri are the only Bloodline that possess the *Truth of Blood*, wisdom and purpose that runs deep through their Essence.

They are the true Strigoi both in flesh, faith and ability. The Balauri are the root of all Strigoi and for that reason they can only turn kin into Balauri. Their goals and opinions on mortals vary, but they are very concerned with the fate of all Strigoi. They will go through great efforts to bring a chosen individual enlightenment and guide them towards the true path; however they will never use deception or force but only liberating truths. Should they prove worthy they will be turned into a Balauri; however when their target proves unable to stray from the path of tyranny they will be destroyed without hesitation. In the latter case the Balauri will consume the blood of their target in a ritualistic fashion; claiming its knowledge and power to offer it to its intendet cause.

### The Monstrous Trinity

The teaching of the Monstrous Trinity represents the three aspects or faces of Abbadon; each of them is revered as a seperate entity that incarnates one of the *sinful doctrines*:

* **Apollonius**, the *Midnight Messiah*, is the prince of doubt, misgiving and chaos. He represents rebellion in thought, the act of scrutinising established truths, rules and convictions. He is the force that rots away all lies spun by false rulers and tyrants. The suggestions he whispers to his followers lead to see liberating truths and cast down the shackles of compliance. (He is the speaker of holy lies, as only....
* **Balaur**, the *Oracle of Sin*, is the prince of desire, profanity and lust. He represents rebellion in will, the act of liberating oneself from reluctance, moddesty and restraint. He teaches that the only reality is emotion, need and craving; and from the will to satisfy these all live was born, even unlife. Embracing Balaur means embracing holy desire, and aknowledging the undeniable virtue of satisfying it.
* **Apollyon**, the *Last Storm*, is the prince of wrath, clamour and violence. She represents rebellion in actions, the act of facing those that would enslave others and tearing town the works that opress free will; they represents the death that is promised to ones enemies. As the patron of these aspects, Apollyon transcended the physical boundaries of her unlife and became and violation within Akasha itself; an eternal storm that tears down reality.
* **Abbadon**, the *Wolf at Worlds End,* the mother of these aspects and the father of all Strigoi; represents the gateway to a new world in which the god-engine Akasha and the tyranny of death will be removed from all thinking beings. Abbadon is the world they wish to bring about, the final liberation and the childe of rebellion.

The Balauri will refer to all of these aspects as princes; a title that was chosen with clear purpose. None of these claims actually authority over the aspects they represent; neither should their names inspire obedience among their followers. As princes they will always remain second to the concept they represent an may only serve as guides and teachers. They do not even view Abbadon, the mother of these aspects, as their master; instead they see him as a promise that when enacted will liberate the world itself from the shackles of Death.

### The Promise of Abbadon

Abbadon is not only the name given to the Lich that rules over Gehenna and is the chosen patron of the Balauri. He represents rebirth as the child of rebellion, born by the princes of the Monstrous Trinity. Through their actions and the offerings of unliving Blood, the Balauri empower their dark father. When he is ready, Abbadon will arise and consume the tyrant-god Akasha and end Death once and for all. When the *Wolf at the Worlds End* rises, all Strigoi that oppose his teachings will be whipped from the earth, as only those true of spirit will remain.

## See also

* Opinions
* Balauri (Rules)