Kharisiri

## Description:

The term "Kharisiri" refers to a specific type of parasitic Vampire native to the highlands of Peru and rural Bolivia, although the group is active throughout both nations and the Amazon Rainforest. The Kharisiri are cursed with a painful immortality, doomed to eternal hunger and unending greed, in order to serve their god, the Father of Maggots, and release him from the ward which binds him; they are often ascribed to humans with leech-like mouths that feed on the fat of human beings in order to feed, grow, and empower their imprisoned god. These Vampires do not worship the Cult of Sanguinity, as their origin suggests, and are at odds with both the mortal organizations in the region and the other Vampire Houses native to the region; the Kharisiri are also known to be active in the Continent of Pilbo, albeit in a limited capacity.

The outside world does not know of the Kharisiri. Due to the rural regions in which the Kharisiri make their homes, few outsiders are exposed to the true nature of the rumors and superstitions which surround the ziggurats and sacrificial charnel pits that the Kharisiri tend to create and occupy. The Kharisiri are actively hunted by local governments, militias, and the JPCU, although their stealthy nature and superior knowledge of the region allow them to avoid mundane detection, aided further by their access to ancient Magic and blessings from their god which provide supernatural camouflage and protection.

### Organization:

#### Headquarters: [REDACTED], Peru

The Kharisiri have no official leadership structure, save for their absolute reverence and service to their god, the Father of Maggots. Below their god sits an agent of Nyarlathotep, assuming one is present to lead the group; if such a possessed individual is not present, the Kharisiri will seek to make one out of an untransformed, willing cultist. It is known that the group's original members, the Spanish Conquistadors that first damaged the ward which sealed the Father of Maggots in his prison, are considered the "alphas" and are treated with the second most respect by other members; this respect is likely due to the Conquistadors' intense ages and the skills which they have acquired over the centuries, compared to the more recent additions to the group. Below the Conquistadors come the rest of the proper Kharisiri, ranked vaguely according to age. Below the Kharisiri sit the Undead servants which the Vampires employ, the reanimated mummies produced by the Maggots of their god.

The Kharisiri recruit primarily from skilled outsiders not native to Peru or Bolivia, who are attracted to the Kharisiri's territory by the promise of untold riches and undiscovered temples; skilled or influential locals will be brought into the fold and assigned as mortal cultists or fully turned if the Kharisiri deem them worthy. Kharisiri recruit others by implanting a Maggot into the body of a willing, living cultist; these Maggots will enter the body via any orifice or sufficiently large wound, although the mouth is preferred. Once inside a person, the Maggots will, over the course of twenty four (24) hours, induce a fast-acting sickness upon the afflicted individual, an illness which kills the person; once slain, the Maggot then reanimates the person as a Kharisiri, capable of transforming, feeding, etc. If a Maggot is implanted into an emaciated corpse which was slain via a Kharisiri's feeding methods, the corpse is reanimated as a Mummy Undead. The Kharisiri recruit other Kharisiri fairly rarely, only usually selecting a single individual to inherit their curse should a Kharisiri feel that they will soon meet their true death.

The Kharisiri dedicate their immortal unlives to the worship of their god and their attempts to loosen his bonds and ultimately free him. The closer the Father of Maggots is to being freed, the stronger his influence becomes within the Material Realm, and the stronger his followers become; the weaker the ward is, the more Kharisiri can exist. While the Kharisiri have not succeeded in their task of freeing their master, it is believed that their work has begun to pay dividends; the sudden increase in Kharisiri numbers over the course of the last decade indicates an increase in their power and a surge in activity and disappearances linked to Kharisiri feedings. The Kharisiri operate primarily in Peru, although their influence extends into Bolivia and even into the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil; it is currently unknown why the Kharisiri have spread so far out, or why they feel the need to do so since their god is trapped in the highlands of Peru.

The JPCU considers the Kharisiri to be a relatively weak Vampire House compared to the likes of others around the world and beyond. However, the Kharisiri's connection to Nyarlathotep makes them a higher priority than would be expected, and regional South American JPCU Branches keep their eyes out for disappearances or sightings which relate to Kharisiri activity; similarly, the JPCU is currently leading investigations into Kharisiri activity around South America and the extent to which the House has infiltrated local government organizations. JPCU Personnel have a kill-order for all Kharisiri; they are not to be allowed to live unless in captivity or under an approved surveillance operation.

#### Known Hierarchy:

1. Father of Maggots
2. Turned Conquistadors
3. Normal Kharisiri
4. Maggots
5. Mummies

### Equipment:

Kharisiri dress like outsiders to the Peruvian/Bolivian highlands which their group occupies; they wear the clothes of Americans or Europeans, with fancy suits and wide-brimmed hats. Those who are recruited from the local population will wear the clothes befitting their socioeconomic status in order to better blend in, although older, more powerful members will still dress as outsiders in order to emphasize their power.

The Kharisiri rely on very limited technological access in order to conduct their activities. Due to the rural or undeveloped nature of most of their territory, the Kharisiri are unable to make use of modern devices and must instead rely on whatever they can scavenge or purchase; Kharisiri hideouts, especially their ziggurats, are kept devoid of technology to aid in its concealment. Those Kharisiri that operate in urban environments make use of the technology at their disposal. It is also believed that the older members of the Kharisiri are simply reluctant to make use of modern technology, a fairly common pattern among older Vampires.

The Kharisiri are, however, in possession of advanced Magic knowledge. Their god places blessings upon its followers in the form of Magic, primarily centered around Necromancy, Transmutation, and Enchantment Magic which aids in stealth and infiltration. The Kharisiri prefer to rely on their physical prowess and Vampiric powers instead of Magic, viewing Magic as impure expressions of their god's will unworthy of frequent use; servants of Nyarlathotep which lead the cult are more than capable of casting a wide variety of Spells and do so without difficulty or moral qualms.