Dearg Due (DAH-ruhg DU-ah)
"Scorned and abused, justice came swiftly with a hunger unquenchable."
The Dearg Due are creatures of a chillingly seductive nature, believed to have originated from a progenitor whose existence teeters between the brink of myth and the whisper of reality. As the world recoiled and morphed under the cataclysmic events of the Blight, the Dearg Due found their sanctuary and stronghold amidst the desolation. Perched upon the precarious and isolated heights of Barren Ridge, they established their enclave in a place once known as Deireadh an Chroí, a place as unforgiving as it is inaccessible to ordinary beings. Here, in their secluded coven, these creatures transcend the mere survival of their kind and instead they weave intricate plots and strategize in clandestine gatherings. Their intentions, obscured by their ancient and complex intellects, aim to manipulate the fabric of reality in ways that remain beyond the grasp of human comprehension. Their influence seeps subtly yet profoundly into the political machinations and power dynamics of the world below, driven by motives as enigmatic as their shadowy origins.
Few who ascend the chilling crags of Barren Ridge return to tell the tale, their fates often swallowed by the silent snows that shroud the coven's secrets, yet, whispers endure of rare individuals who, deemed worthy by the Dearg Due, are granted extraordinary boons. These boons are powers of a dark and potent nature, offerings that bind the recipient to the Dearg Due through ties that are both fearsome and profound.
The process to determine worthiness involves not only the evaluation of one's physical and mental fortitude, but also an assessment of one’s depth of ambition and the darkness within one's soul. Those who pass this crucible do so changed, empowered, and indebted to the Dearg Due, forever marked by their encounter with the ancient beings.
Basic Information
Anatomy
At first glance, the Dearg Due appear nearly identical to the varied humanoid species of the world, allowing them to blend seamlessly with their host species. This mimicry is strategic, facilitating their interactions with them either for manipulation or sustenance.
When choosing to reveal their true nature, their eyes transform to emit a soft, warm glow, which not only enhances their alluring appearance but also serves to hypnotize or intimidate their prey. Their mouths contain elongated, sharp fangs that are typically concealed but can be extended to puncture the skin of their victims, allowing them to efficiently extract blood.
The Dearg Due possess a body built with an unnatural strength and endurance hidden within their otherwise normal-looking frames. They can move at blinding speeds, giving them a predatory advantage over any creature.
Ecology and Habitats
The Coven at Deireadh an Chroí remains the only standing community of these creatures, and they seldom venture from it, relying instead upon their agents and servants to go out into the world to seed their plots and find victims for their appetites and debauchery. Deireadh an Chroí is a place of extreme cold and high altitude, making it a deadly environment for the living. Since they are unaffected by both cold and the lack of oxygen where they maintain their fortress, it remains a perfect location for them to remain in hiding. These creatures need a regular supply of fresh human blood, and maintain this by keeping a small herd of enthralled humanoids trapped in the depths of the caverns below their tower. These stock are resupplied when needed by the servants of the primary coven.
Dietary Needs and Habits
The Dearg Due rely solely on human blood for sustenance. This unique dietary requirement is central to their survival and powers, providing them not only with nourishment but also with the mystical energy needed to sustain their prolonged lifespans and supernatural abilities.
The Dearg Due are adept at using their alluring and charismatic presence to attract victims. They often use social gatherings, secluded meetings, or the promise of granting boons as opportunities to draw in individuals from whom they can feed. Using their heightened intelligence and psychological manipulation, they can influence their prey into vulnerable positions. This manipulation is often so subtle that the victims are unaware of the impending danger until it is too late. If necessary, they will utilize their extraordinary strength and speed to overpower victims. This is typically a last resort, as they prefer stealth and secrecy to maintain their hidden existence within the societies they prey upon.
In their stronghold, particularly in the caverns beneath their tower at Deireadh an Chroí, the Dearg Due maintain a "herd" of enthralled humanoids. These individuals are kept in a controlled and subdued state, ensuring a steady supply of blood. The Dearg Due use their supernatural abilities to keep these humanoids under a constant hypnotic or psychic control, making them compliant and preventing escape. The feeding on enthralled humanoids is carefully regulated to avoid depleting their stock rapidly. This methodical approach ensures that each member of the coven has access to the necessary sustenance without endangering the collective resource.
When operating outside their stronghold, the Dearg Due are highly adaptable, using their abilities to blend into humanoid societies. They select their feeding grounds and times with care, often choosing situations where their actions are unlikely to be noticed or where disappearances can be easily explained away.
Behaviour
The Dearg Due operate within a strict hierarchical system dominated by a matriarchal leadership. Elders hold the highest status within their coven, making crucial decisions and leading their secretive assemblies. This structure ensures order and efficiency in their communal activities and long-term strategies. While there is a strong sense of cooperation within the coven, especially in executing complex schemes and maintaining their stronghold, internal bickering and power struggles are not uncommon. Younger members and males have specific roles and are expected to adhere to the commands of the elders. Insolence or failure to comply often results in severe punishment or elimination, maintaining discipline and reinforcing the authority of the elders.
Despite their often ruthless nature, the Dearg Due share a collective appreciation for art and music, engaging in cultural activities that strengthen their bonds and provide a respite from their otherwise dark existence. These shared interests promote a sense of community and continuity among them, fulfilling their own lost need and desire to create and appreciate beauty.
The Dearg Due are rarely challenged by natural predators due to their formidable abilities and secretive lifestyle, owever, when faced with threats, especially from other supernatural entities or powerful humanoid adversaries, they employ cunning and their supernatural capabilities to defend themselves and their territory. Preferring stealth and manipulation over direct confrontation, the Dearg Due often use their intelligence and strategic thinking to outmaneuver threats. This approach minimizes risk and preserves their secrecy.
When interacting with their prey the Dearg Due use their charm and the hypnotic allure of their appearance to seduce or deceive. Their interactions are calculated to either draw in their victims for feeding or to manipulate them for broader strategic purposes. Once a victim is deemed suitable for feeding, the Dearg Due are swift and efficient in their approach. They employ their enhanced physical abilities and supernatural powers to quickly subdue and feed on their prey, minimizing struggle and avoiding unnecessary attention. They are selective in their engagements, choosing victims based on need or strategic value. They are known to grant boons or make pacts with those they find exceptionally worthy, using these individuals as pawns or allies in their larger schemes.
Additional Information
Social Structure
At the top of the Dearg Due hierarchy are the elders, exclusively female, who wield considerable power and authority. These matriarchs are typically the oldest and most powerful among them, possessing vast knowledge, experience, and supernatural abilities that command respect and obedience from the younger members. They are responsible for making strategic decisions, overseeing the coven's activities, and maintaining the secrecy and security of their stronghold. They also adjudicate disputes within the coven and enforce discipline.
Below the elders, the social structure is tiered, with roles assigned based on age, strength, and demonstrated loyalty. Responsibilities are clearly defined, with some members tasked with venturing into the human world to carry out missions, gather information, or procure resources, while others manage internal affairs such as training, education, and maintaining the stronghold. Younger Dearg Due and males, regardless of their age, typically serve in subordinate roles. They act as enforcers, scouts, and servants, executing the will of the elders and ensuring the coven's smooth operation.
While there is a strong emphasis on unity and cooperation, especially when facing external threats or pursuing complex schemes, internal power struggles and competition are not uncommon. Ambitious members may vie for favor or position, leading to intrigues and rivalries that can either strengthen the coven by fostering resilience or pose challenges to its stability. The elders manage these dynamics carefully, sometimes manipulating rivalries to their advantage or quelling them swiftly to prevent discord. The social order is maintained through a system of strict punishments for disobedience or failure, and rewards for loyalty and success. The elders are quick to mete out justice, often publicly, to reinforce their authority and the social norms of the coven. Rewards can include increased status, access to better resources, or opportunities to lead missions, providing motivation and a clear pathway for advancement within the hierarchical structure.
Average Intelligence
The Dearg Due are endowed with extraordinarily high intelligence, far surpassing that of average humans. This heightened intellectual capacity is a defining trait of their species and plays a crucial role in their survival, societal organization, and manipulative abilities. They also excel in long-term strategic planning and complex problem-solving. Their intelligence allows them to scheme and execute intricate plots with multiple layers and contingencies. This ability is particularly evident in how they manage their interactions with the world, influencing events from the shadows to ensure outcomes that favor their interests. They possess a profound understanding of human psychology, which they leverage to manipulate individuals and groups. This skill is not merely about subduing their prey but extends to broader influence, allowing them to orchestrate social and political dynamics to serve their secretive goals.
Beyond their predatory nature, the Dearg Due have a deep appreciation for art, music, and culture. This not only indicates a level of intellectual sophistication but also suggests an emotional or aesthetic intelligence that enriches their otherwise dark existence.
Given their extended lifespans, the Dearg Due accumulate vast amounts of knowledge over the centuries. This repository of historical, scientific, and arcane knowledge significantly enhances their understanding and operational capabilities within the world. Their intelligence is dynamically applied in adapting to new environments, challenges, and changes over time, and they are adept at evolving their strategies and behaviors to reflect the shifting dynamics of the world around them, ensuring their continued relevance and dominance.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
They are equipped with heightened sensory capabilities, allowing them to see perfectly in complete darkness up to distances of 120 feet. This night vision is complemented by their ability to detect living beings within a 60-foot radius, making it nearly impossible for anyone to approach them undetected.
They also show no signs of physical pain and can endure most forms of physical harm without apparent injury, attributing to their lore as almost invincible nocturnal predators.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
The Dearg Due, with their complex existence straddling both the supernatural and the mundane worlds, engage primarily in parasitic relationships with the varied humanoid species that inhabit Cairne, from whom they derive sustenance. Beyond direct feeding, the Dearg Due also use humanoids as servants and agents. These individuals are often enthralled or manipulated into serving the Dearg Due, carrying out tasks that support their secretive lifestyles and broader strategic goals. This relationship can be seen as parasitic due to the control and manipulation exerted over these individuals, depriving them of their autonomy for the benefit of the Dearg Due.
Civilization and Culture
Major Organizations
History
The origins of the Sanguine Epoch trace back to a time shrouded in the mists of prehistory, when the varied peoples of Cairne first learned to fear the darkness. In those ancient nights, hunters prowled unseen, seeking victims for unspeakable rites. It was from these shadowy beginnings that the initial coven, which would later be known as the Sanguine Epoch, was born.
Nestled amidst the desolate, wind-swept peaks of Barren Ridge, the first members of the coven gathered. They were few but formidable, drawing together outcasts and survivors who had glimpsed beyond the veil of reality and sought power in the darkness. As the eons passed, the coven's knowledge and influence deepened, evolving into a sophisticated matriarchal society governed by a hierarchy of elders. Over time, the Epoch's inner circle came to include representatives from nearly every major culture across Cairne, save for a few notable exceptions like the Ougham, The Bonedancers, the Sahahimu Peoples, and the An Rún Marbh, who remain resistant or impervious to their influence. This diversity has enriched the coven, blending countless cultural insights into their ancient traditions.
The advent of the Blight marked a pivotal moment for the Sanguine Epoch. While initially, the impact seemed superficial, the pervasive Void energy that accompanied the Blight began to alter them. The coven members found themselves imbued with enhanced strength and speed, gifts of the Void that they harnessed to extend their reach further into the world. The Epoch adapted to the changing landscapes of Cairne. They remained hidden from the world's prying eyes, yet their influence spread through intricate networks of agents and pacts. They did not just seek sustenance; they sought worthy individuals to bind into their dark pact, offering power in exchange for loyalty.
Each matriarch of the Sanguine Epoch brings unique strengths to their assembly, ensuring the coven's survival and secrecy. Together, these formidable women oversee the Sanguine Epoch, guiding it through centuries of hidden agendas and shadowed manipulations, as they play their grand, dark games with the living world, a global chessboard too vast for its unwitting pieces to comprehend the full scope of their manipulation.
Scientific Name
Sanguisapien nocturnalis
Origin/Ancestry
Humanoid
Lifespan
Immortal
Geographic Distribution
Related Organizations
Related Ethnicities
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