Vampire Information and Facts

[+Sebastian Maddock]

In this lore, there are two different “races” of vampire, and four “clans” which base themselves off the more natural psychic powers of each vampire. A vampire can either be a “pure blood” vampire or a “mixed blood” vampire in the Priscus, Lamia, Empusa, or Kiasyd clans.

Origin Myths

While vampires do share much of their history and myth with human beings, they also have their own takes on the subject. European vampires’ early beliefs stem from Judeo-Christian ideals of heaven and hell, with vampires believing themselves descended from the angels exiled from heaven after Lucifer’s rebellion. This belief is paralleled by the seven hunters’ clans beliefs in their patron archangels helping them to send the “fallen angels” of the vampires to hell. On their side, the original beliefs of the vampires stem from the idea that the fallen angels, and angels in general, were wronged and forgotten by God.

To note, while this is the most widely believed creation myth among European vampires, and also contributed to their council’s hierarchy (the council that has the most power in the United States and which controls Charlemont), it is a myth and not fact. There are other councils and hunters that base themselves around African and Asian religion. It should also be said that all Kiasyd have their own myth and belief in the teachings of Aldur and do not take part in other vampire affairs (as discussed below).

In today’s age, vampires are more humanized in thinking and most young vampires don’t share these beliefs anymore. The excess of mixed bloods into vampire politics have brought in a wider array of belief. There are also vampires who have taken scientific approaches, looking for a more Darwin-based reason for vampire origins.

All Vampires

These are the traits of all vampires, mixed or pure bloods.

• Sense of smell is their strongest sense, as in super duper strong, and their brains are naturally aroused by the smell of blood. Similar to a shark, a vampire can smell an open wound/fresh blood from miles away in open air.
• Extraordinary sight at night. In terms of comparison, vampires have sight comparable to an owl. Depending on whether they are mixed or pure blooded, a vampire might have sight equal to a human’s (mixed) or absolutely terrible sight (pure) in daylight. (As an exception, Kiasyd's sight generally depends on their animal forms.)
• Extraordinary strength. At night, vampires have the strength of about ten ordinary humans. In daylight, it goes down to around two. Kiasyd are a great deal stronger than typical vampires, this does not change in daylight.
• Extraordinary hearing. Vampires can generally hear higher frequency sounds than human beings (i.e. a vampire would be able to hear a dog whistle), however they’re more prone to migraines from too much noise/high pitched noises/etc. Extremely sensitive hearing. (Again, Kiasyd's are a possible exception, with their hearing depending on their animal forms.)
• Psychic powers. Though not ALL vampires are born or created with psychic powers (no seer made vampire has psychic powers, for example), it is not a rare feature in vampires. There are Lamia powers (physically based) Empusa powers (mentally based) or Kiasyd powers (animal/shifting/ability to resist most Empusa powers).
• Excelled healing. As long as no major organs are hit, a vampire can generally heal from broken bones, impalement, and other physical injuries at a MUCH higher rate than humans. A shallow cut may heal in a few seconds, deeper cuts in a few days, and broken bones in a week or longer depending on how severe. (Of course, there may be the problem of not setting the bone in time before it fuses wrong. And vampires can suffer blood loss, which generally makes their bloodlust and need to feed stronger.)
• Memory share. A vampire who drinks or tastes another vampire’s blood has the ability to see brief flashes of memory and emotion from the vampire this blood comes from. A full image of the other’s past is impossible, this is generally just a brief, few second glance at an important memory. This does not work when drinking human blood, and vampire blood is not something another vampire can live off of.
• Does not need to breathe. Vampire’s do not need to breathe as their oxygen comes from fresh blood. Mixed bloods often do it from habit, but in general they do not need to.
• Need of human blood. Vampires cannot feed off of any blood but human blood. There will be no complications from drinking another animal’s blood, but if that’s all they try to live off of, they will starve.
• Low body heat. Vampires are cold to the touch due to their lower body heat.

How to kill a vampire. Vampires are difficult to kill, but certainly not impossible. Though their bodies are stronger and more able to handle pain, along with the high healing rate, a well placed shot to any vital organ (the easiest being the brain or heart) as well as decapitation can kill one.

To note, neither vampire is actually, biologically dead. This is more a common misconception in the world. Their bodies work, their hearts beat, and their brains are active, all of this just at a far different rate than human beings.

Pure Bloods

Pure blooded vampires are vampires born naturally from two vampire parents, as opposed to being “created” from a human being. They were the “first” vampires and, as the myth believes, the angels that fell from heaven after Lucifer’s rebellion. Because of this, traditionally pure blooded vampires are considered, at least by council and older vampires, to be above mixed blood vampires. Historically, mixed bloods were rarely allowed to take part in vampire politics, and had very little say on their own creation. Though, recently, they have made their own movements and some have even been getting more involved in political matters.

Pure blooded vampires start out aging at a “human“ rate. However, somewhere around their prime, their aging starts to slow to the point where it seems to stop. A pure blood vampire, with no outside interference, can stay in their prime age for thousands of years. After so long, some vampires do start to show signs of aging, but it’s not exactly noticeable until everything builds up.

In general, all pure blooded vampires share the common strengths. As pure blooded vampires are born without human blood in their veins, their bodies aren’t as desperate for it unless the vampire has been starved. As a result, most pure blooded vampires have more control when feeding on a human being (though there are exceptions, and also this discounts a vampire who’s been starved of blood). A female pure blood can be impregnated by a human or pure blooded vampire and can carry the child to term. Vampires reproduce less than human beings, so female pure bloods generally menstruate only once a year.

Pure blooded do have common weaknesses, as well. Typically they are much weaker in direct sunlight than mixed bloods. In general, a pure blood’s power becomes severely weakened in the sun. Sunlight also effects their eyesight, making their vision extremely bad, as their eyes aren’t suited for light. The older a pure blood vampire is, the worse their eyesight becomes in sunlight (and, generally, painful migraines start when a vampire reaches 800-1000 years old). Though pure blooded vampires are more able to resist bloodlust than mixed bloods, they do need to feed more often than a mixed blood. Pure blooded vampires may also become seriously, violently ill if they ingest human foods (whereas mixed bloods may only get a small case of the runs). Fried foods especially tend repulse pure vampires. Drinks, such as wines/juices/etc, only mildly irritate a pure blood’s stomach.

Mixed Bloods

Mixed blood vampires are vampires who were once humans and happened to be changed by another vampire (either pure or mixed themselves). As a result, their bodies are more of a human body with the parts that count being changed to accommodate the life of a vampire (details of changing are below). They are generally looked down upon by pure blooded vampires, as they were not brought up in a vampire lifestyle. As pure bloods have a low reproduction rate, and it’s easier to make a vampire by changing a human than through pregnancy, there are far more mixed bloods than pure bloods in the world. This is why policies on making mixed bloods have become much stricter over the years.

When they are changed, a mixed blood’s body is generally “frozen” or preserved at the age they’ve been created. So far, even over time, mixed bloods don’t seem to change beyond the “changing” age. As the vampire blood is a poison that changes their system, some parts of their human body are changed. Humans with a working reproductive system will lose the ability to reproduce as the poison mutates and messes up this system. Their stomach and digestive fluid will be altered to rely on blood for nutrition, and their lungs will basically be rendered useless.

Strengths for a mixed blood are based on the remains of their human body. While still fairly weak in direct sunlight, mixed bloods have a much easier time during the day. Their powers are mostly unaffected, and their sight is only dropped to average human vision. After their initial changing, mixed bloods also can feed far less often than a pure blood.

Typically, in terms of physical and psychic strength, mixed bloods have a harder time getting used to their new abilities than pure bloods (who were born with it). Because of this, mixed bloods have a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to using their powers/new strength, especially against a pure blood of the same age or older. That said, this is a disadvantage that can be overcome, and there has been many extremely powerful mixed bloods (such as the Harlequin). While mixed bloods need to drink less blood, they’re far more prone to blood lust than pure bloods, and can go into a frenzy while drinking or smelling human blood. They’re far more likely to accidentally kill someone while feeding or attempting to change. Though mixed bloods have a higher tolerance of human foods, they still can get mildly sick from eating anything other than blood (especially fried foods). Human food typically gives mixed bloods a days worth of stomach cramps, and maybe the runs. Mixed bloods are also unable to have children by traditional means.

[+Sebastian Maddock]

Changing Humans

First off, when it comes to changing, when done right, pureblooded vampires have an almost 100% success rate in turning humans into vampires. Mixed bloods, generally more blood thirsty and likely to lose themselves in the blood and drain a human completely, have somewhere around a 50% success rate.

When it comes to the mechanics of changing a human to a vampire though, both races go through the same process. First, the human must be drained to near death (but not to the point of death), in order to get most of the human blood from their systems. Then, the vampire doing the changing must make a cut in their own skin, drawing blood to feed to the human they’re changing. The human will drink vampire blood until they can't take anymore and fall into a sleep, one that looks like, and is considered to be, death.

Once the newborn wakes up, they will find themselves in some pain as the vampire blood poisons their system, changing them. It’s considered more humane to change a human in a drugged up or drunken state, so they’re unlikely to remember the changing. The small amount of human blood is used as a buffer, keeping the person alive (if a person is merely fed a vampire’s blood while completely healthy, the human blood will overcome the vampire’s and nothing will happen). While the vampire’s blood is poisoning the system, it also causes the bodily functions to let go, so it isn’t unlikely that a person, while changing, will soil themselves, vomit, sweat profusely, or cry.

When they are finally finished going through the process of changing (which includes bone’s hardening, teeth growing in, and other parts being made stronger and more powerful, making up most of the pain), a mixed blood must feed on vampire and human blood daily for one week to a month (depending on how strong they are) until their body becomes used to the new system. After that, they can wean themselves away from gorging themselves to feeding about once or twice a week.

Mating

between two pure blood vampires-

As said above, pureblood vampires are born vampires, so obviously the parents have to have a live birth. Yes yes, two purebloods have every possibility of creating a child, which would also come out pureblood. The birthing process is similar to a humans, in that it lasts nine months. When the baby is being born, during labor it may try biting at the inside of the mother’s uterus in attempt to get out. As vampire females are stronger and basically made for this, the biting is incredibly painful but not fatal.

between two humans-

Humans can, quite obviously, make babies with one another. Nine months, some premature, etc.

all mixed bloods-

Cannot have children by traditional means. With anyone. They can “mate” (marry, have sex with, etc) with vampires and humans, but no child will come from this. Think about it, the turning involves poisons completely destroying the reproductive system, freezing the vampire at the age of which they were changed. Think of it like menopause, there’s nothing there to make babies with.

+pure blood male and human female-

Possible to have children, as the pureblood male and human female are both alive. Thing is, 99% of vampire/human children are miscarried, as the mother cannot normally drink enough blood to keep the vampire half alive unless it is physically shoved down her throat. If a vampire/human child makes it, chances are, during labor, mother, child, or both will end up dead. First off, remember pureblood births? Vampire babies rip through their mother’s uterus, and human women are not made for that. Also, if the father of the child tries to turn the human mother into a vampire while she goes into later, the baby will die because the mother is technically “dying” (and the mother probably will actually die as well).

Basically, no, don’t make children who survived this. Its just way too rare.

*pure blood female and human male-

Again, same problem as the pureblood female won’t be able to eat enough to satisfy the human side of the child. Though, its more likely that this child will make it than the one with a vamp dad and human mom. Vampires can handle human food a bit better than humans can handle tons of blood (it holds no nutritional value for the vampire, though it will for the child). If the vampire mother makes it to labor, the child’s teeth MAY NOT be strong enough to break through, but in the chance that the baby can cut through vampire mommy, its much more likely both will survive. This is generally where succubus/incubus tales originate.

* indicates that this character may only be made if you win a monthly contest
+ indicates that this is only a part of the lore, and may not be made

[+Sebastian Maddock]

Priscus

According to myth, the original Priscus vampires were the strongest of the angels who fell. They were the commanders and leaders of the rebellion. This has possibly come about because of the great amount of strength in the Priscus clan. Of the council, Priscus is the clan that has the most power, and the smallest numbers. They’ve historically had stronger mental and physical powers in their clan. Politically, most Priscus leaders are favoring peace and assimilation with humans and hunters. As of now, there are five Priscus Elders in the clan, three males and two females.

• Unknown female (oldest and strongest on the council, resides somewhere in Canada)
• Leonard Worthington (Head of Worthington Prep, is the biggest ruling power of Charlemont other than, perhaps, the Harlequin, unusable NPC)
• Mr. Quinn (father of ______ Quinn on the premades’ list)
• Sebastian Maddock (passing as a student at Worthington Prep to help keep watch; profile)
• ______ Stanwood (youngest Priscus on the Elder’s council, only recently appointed, is passing as a student at Worthington Prep to help keep watch; premade and open to take)

Lamia

Lamia vampires are known for their purely physical based powers. They are well-known for their physical strength and endurance. Historically, Lamia’s leaders and Elders have been mostly male, however in recent times more and more female vampires have been rising up in the ranks. The past Legacy Ball ended in Lamia’s oldest vampire on the Elder’s council being brutally assassinated. As of now, Lamia leaders and politicians are extremely paranoid. Due to problems within the clan, they have yet to elect a new Elder, and so there are only four Lamia Elders, three male and one female.

• Unknown male (resides somewhere in Europe)
• Unknown male (resides somewhere in New England)
• Unknown female (from the family of Sirens, is currently somewhere in Michigan, close to Charlemont)
• ______ Everard (youngest Lamia Elder, posing as a teacher at Worthington Prep, father of Megan Jackson, is an open premade)

Empusa

Empusa vampires are known for their emotional and mental based powers. They are well known for their skills as tacticians and in problem solving. Opposite of Lamia, Empusa’s leaders and powers have been historically female, though not entirely so. They are politically divided, while some favor peace with the hunters clans, others may favor letting things stay the way they are. Empusa has five leaders, all of them female.

• Unknown female (second oldest vampire on the Elder’s council, is currently traveling around the world)
• Unknown female (currently in Europe)
• ______ Dante (the eldest of the Dante sisters, is passing as a student in Worthington to help keep watch, is an open premade to take)
• ______ Dante (one of the Dante sisters, is the youngest Elder on council together with her twin sister, is passing as a student in Worthington to help keep watch, is an open premade to take)
• ______ Dante (one of the Dante sisters, is the youngest Elder on council together with her twin sister, is passing as a student in Worthington to help keep watch, is an open premade to take)

(The Kiasyd clans are vampires like any other, but with a different sort of ability than the other three. Kiasyd generally follow more werewolf mythos and lack some of the weaknesses of the other three clans (though with their own sets of weaknesses). Still, they follow the same basic development of “pure” and “mixed” blood. Their special skills are below.)

[+Sebastian Maddock]

The Kiasyd
bonded in blood, and shrouded in myth
___________________________________________________

The fourth race of vampires that walks the Earth is the Kiasyd. Smaller than even Priscus, for they were a branch of Priscus who shunned the teachings of the elders and instead took to themselves Earth’s own magic. Now, thousands of years passed, their bloodlines no longer run the same way as their ancestors. They are Kiasyd, born of the moon and the earth, walkers of the land of the spirits. They roam the dark lands of our forefathers, learning the secrets of the wind. They acknowledge no god but the bloodlust and follow no rules but the call of the wild.

Kiasyd pervades the many shapeshifting mythos of the world, for that is what they are: Shapeshifters, skin-walkers, the moon touched. They are the were-wolves, the selkies, the raven mocker. They are the youkai, the naga, the tikbalang, the kumiho. No longer Priscus, but Kiasyd, these vampires care not for purity of blood, but instead value the immersion of the beast form.

Of history, they will acknowledge only the teachings of Aldur, the first shifter. Of loyalty, they listen to their own counsel. As a rule, shifters are loners: the territory required for one to survive is vast, and they do not like to share. That said, a Kiasyd in animal form will eventually start thinking like the beast it has turned into, and it’s not unknown for packs and herds to form in this manner. It is also Aldur's wish that any Kiasyd who changes a human must stay with their sired and teach them the laws and train them into perfecting one animal form. Once this form is perfected, the student may go off on their own or stay with their sire. There is no set time on how long a form takes to perfect, but the average is a few years. Kiasyd who are disgusted with their vampire heritage has been known to denounce their human form completely in favor of becoming wholly beast.

A Kiasyd, no matter how old or supposedly young, has some bloodline lying back in antiquity. A lineage that they can reach back to the ‘Elders’ of their clan. In times of trouble, this proves important. Kiasyd united is dangerous: they are impervious to mind tricks and glamours and are physically stronger (when in their in between state) than other vampires. To fight an army of them is always near fatal.

Kiasyd holds themselves above the laws of both vampires and humans. Deeply rooted to the land they are born into, few Kiasyd, if at all, hold any interest to the politics of the age. Leave them alone and they will leave you alone. Try fucking with them and you’re asking for trouble.

No Kiasyd is purely evil. No Kiasyd is purely good. All Kiasyd, when in the throes of bloodlust, are killers. They will not recognize family, love and affection, and it is for this reason that most, wanting some form of companionship, will live in their beast form the most often, as it is the tamest of all their forms.

The three great teachings of Aldur are these:

1. Thou shall be keeper of the Earth. Have dominion of the beast and the birds, and protect the seas and the mountains, the rivers and the plains.

2. Shun the laws of both men (vampires and humans). Meddle not in their wills and their games.

3. Keep holy the line of our people.

Their three forms:

Kiasyd are at their strongest in their shifter form, which is an in between state of man and beast. They aren’t pretty, are most definitely not otherworldly beautiful. Any stories of one who is described as such are lies. In this shape, they retain all the elements of their two forms. It is also the hardest to control of the three and the one where bloodlust is the most dominant. Shifters at a full moon is the most powerful they will ever become. The pain they feel while in this form is obscene but also oddly comforting. There is a reason for this: a body in pain releases more adrenaline, thus making them even more capable of great physical actions. Kiasyd evolution at shifter form is their 'complete form'.

Kiasyd in human form are physically weaker than normal vampires and lack any additional powers gifted to the three clans. They do, however, retain an inherit trait of all Kiasyd: imperviousness to any psychic powers. They are quick to spot illusions, have an almost complete guard against any glamours and forms of dominion. However, it would be foolish to mistake their ‘gentle’ demeanor for weakness, for they can be very fierce at the drop of a hat.

Kiasyd in beast form. They are their most comfortable in this shape, and many Kiasyd have been known to live their life wholly as animals because of it. They are also more sociable like this, and are able to live off less, requiring very little food. In fact, in beast form, Kiasyd can live off other foods besides blood. Kiasyds, whether pureblood or mixed blood, have the power to shift. Though born or reborn with this power, it takes practice and training to master it completely. Newborns are not able to get their beast form perfect the first time around. Any Kiasyd may choose their animal, whatever animal they please, though most choose the animal of their parent or sire.

Shifting into any of the three is painful. Retaining their shifter form means they are constantly in some form of agony, and only at their human and animal state do they feel relief. They gave up much, the Kiasyd, but they also gained many.

Types of Kiasyd allowed in Play the Game:

1. The age rules apply. No Kiasyd can be older than 500 years old. This means Kiasyd in play can only take two beast form (i.e., a wolf and a cat). Only a Kiasyd that is older than 500 years old can take in the three beast forms. If you want this, you’ll need to win the rights via the monthly challenges. Age and the number of forms they can take:

Newly turned - 200 years old = one animal form.
200 years old - 500 years old = two animal forms.
500 years old - onward = three animal forms.

They take a long time to master the change, and each animal form leaves a mark on the vampire's psyche. This is why only three animals per vampire. The more specific the animal, the greater the success of the shift, so in time, a shifter becomes associated with a certain animal specific to his or her psychology.

2. As part of their myth, Kiasyd can take on any animal form. However, reptiles and birds can’t be a PC shifter form. The site requires any shifter character to limit their beast form within the mammalian family. This means bats are allowed.

3. Prehistoric animals are NOT allowed. A shifter can turn into one, but what shifter would risk being the target of attention by becoming the only sabertooth in existence in 2010? This ban includes fantasy animals. No dragons or phoenixes or unicorns.

4. No Kiasyd Elder is allowed at the moment. They cannot be opened even via monthly contests awards.

Additional notes when making one:

Lore you can dig around in if you're making a Kiasyd: Any American Indian lore are safe areas to base your shifter from. Same goes for werewolves myths. African shamaic and Asianic myths of werebeasts are also safe bets.

Very old Kiasyd can actually manipulate their physical 'human' form, into an 'in between state'. This means an old Kiasyd can 'look' like a young girl, a male Kiasyd can turn into a woman. Please note that in this guise, they are officially 'in between states' as well, and are more prone to being killers. Read: very dangerous. Also, this ability is only allowed if your character is well over the 500 years old mark.

Birds and reptiles are allowed shifter form if claimed as contest prize. You cannot have your vampire both claim the 500+ years old prize and have their third shifter form as a bird. Chose one or the other, not both.

Power hungry Kiasyd = bad idea. I'm sure there are some out there, yes. But making one means inciting the other Kiasyd to tear your characters to pieces since politics is something they shun. If you're going to be subtle about it, that's fine. But to be head on 'badass' and flaunting their plans to the world is asking for it.