Vampyres

The cursed of Humankind. Noptnasc or "Nightborn" in their own tongue. Vampyres are the inheritors of the terrible legacy of the Original Vampyres. A species of monsters now extinct. But not forgotten, due to The Vampyres Curse. The viral infection carried today by Vampyre Men. Myth and Legend claim they came to be by the designs of Azicharok. Who was the Last of the Original Vampyres. The ancient beast stumbled upon, and turned a child from among the Artean Men. He would drown the child in his own profane blood. The child died, but did not stay dead. He changed, becoming something new. An immortal Man, but also a Predator of Men. The child would be remembered afterward, as Maarik the Bloodweaver. The First of all Vampyre Men. Azicharok would then tell him to drink of his blood once more. Maarik drank deep. Draining Azicharok dry. But in draining him, Maarik recieved all his knowledge, all his power, and even the name of Vampyre from the Renegade Monster.


Vampyres are not unified by class. Among their own, there are three classes.

• The Pyrnasc Vampyres are the Trueborn descendants of Maarik. Sharing in his blood by natural birth. Not by the Offered Blood. The Pyrnasc are the Elite of Vampyre society. Rooting themselves into the Courts of Nations through out the world. Ruling over their Vampyre subjects from Human Seats of Power. These Lineages are Sired by Dumar, Estre, and Baorav. Who were Maariks natural sons and daughter by his Slave-Wives.
• The Ofirat Vampyres are those Vampyres born of Offered Blood. Lineages considered to be Adopted branches of an otherwise pure tree. These Vampyres live as second class citizens of their Pyrnasc Overlords. Pressed into service and driven by psychic influence to enact their Overlords wills. These Lineages are Sired by Zyzar, Moro Oron, and Lushai. Who were not Maariks natural children, but rather were offered the Blood. Hence the titles meaning "Offered" or Offered Bloods.
• The Cazur Vampyres are those Vampyres that were offered the blood, and either became like savage beasts or were savage beasts from the start of their turning. These Vampyres are incapable of reason, logic, speech, or even compassion. All there is in them is hunger, rage, and primal instinct. Elder Vampyres have theorized that it is a fragment of the primal origins of Vampyria made manifest in these Lineages. And that some are susceptible to the overwhelming hunger than others. These Lineages are Sired by Stirggr, Naccar, and Raech. With Raech having been the most savage of all. Possessed of pure rage and thirst from the moment he opened his eyes again as a Vampyre.

Vampyres are capable of dangerous feats of strength, incredible speed, and unnatural senses. But also capable of their own Vampyric Magic. Conductions of The Energy of Mana that manipulate blood for various ends. Such arts are forbidden to Mages under The Treaty of Magai. But Vampyres practice the profane magics without recourse. And are seemingly unaffected by The Ravage. The physical damage of a Mages body, suffered when they cast High Degree Magic. The widely accepted verdict, is that Vampyres draw on the Mana of their victims in order to perform these profane arts.

Beyond their magical abilities. Vampyres also have unique physical abilities that make them adept predators and a worthy terror of the night. Many traits, passed on to them from the Primeval Vampyres. And some that are still quite Human. Including the digestion of most Human food.

• Vampyres are able to physically regenerate petty or penetrating wounds. More grievous wounds may require them to feed.
• Vampyres are capable of incredible speed. Traveling faster than a boulder fired from a trebuchet. Older Vampyres are faster than a falling star.
• Vampyres are immensely strong despite their seemingly frail figures. Capable of lifting and throwing boulders eight times their size across great distances.
• The whites of the eyes of Vampyres are naturally Black as Pitch. But can morph to be normal white as a form of camouflage.
• Vampyres have a kind of echo location sense. To mortal standing near. The sound will seem like the hushed hiss of a snake as it stalks its prey among the reeds.
• Vampyre hearing is capable of hearing through four castle walls twenty-five feet thick each.
• One Vampyre to speak of her senses said she could see the blood veins of mortal beings. The blood appearing as red lines pulsing through the body.
• Vampyre fangs vary from Nightborn to Nightborn. But a trait the socially capable share, such as the Pyrnasc and Ofirat types, is that the fangs can retract into cavities in the skull. An additional feature of camouflage.
• Vampyres have natural claws in the tip digits of the fingers. When retracted, they will appear as bone white, or necrotic grey finger nails. But when outstretched, they become long, blade sharp claws.
• Vampyres can contort their limbs to various angles. Sometimes enabling them to run profoundly faster. And when combined with their claws, enables them to crawl along walls like hungering spiders.
• Vampyre bones become hollow, enabling them to jump across great distances as though flying.
• Vampyres have profoundly strong jaws. Capable of biting through metal.
• Vampyres have a kind of Psionic bond with their progeny. And can command them from across great distances. This bond can extend to the progeny of progeny. Enabling the oldest patriarch or matriarch to command thousands of descendants. And if Maarik the Bloodweaver still walks the night. He could command them all.
  
  

For all their strengths and profane arts. Vampyres have inherited the weaknesses of the Primeval Vampyres as well.

• Vampyre flesh suffers from porphyria. And is burned by sunlight. The price of being a nocturnal predator.
• If a Vampyre suffers from immense burns or severed limbs. They will require blood feeding and hibernation to recover.
• Vampyres cannot endure long without Hibernation. They may sustain themselves by blood. But their bodies still require hibernation to reconstitute. Long term or otherwise.
• Vampyres are deathly susceptible to silver. The mineral seems to be a kind of toxin to the tissue of their bodies. In great quantities, or in correct dosage in nitrate form, silver can kill them.
• Fire is immensely effective against Vampyres. Their bodies are sensitive enough to high degree heat.

Few though their weaknesses may be. These flaws have proven to be the downfall of many of the Nightborn. Far more so since the discovery of these flaws became known to the Artean Men in the early days of The Ellician Empire. During their expansion east. They contended with The Kingdom of the Vampyres over territory under the belief that they were a simple nation state. Yet unaware of the dark beings who truly ruled there. But despite their grip on the Eastern Heartland, their dark kingdom would fall by the word of their slaves. The human cattle that they had abducted for centuries. Their fatal flaws revealed by the escaped slaves. Proving instrumental in the downfall of the Kingdom of Night. Scattering the Vampyre Tribes to the fringes of the known world. Where they endure today as the horror that Men feel in the deep of the night. And in those places that Men fear to go.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Because of their small numbers. The Tribes of the Vampyres still shared one unified dialect to their language. Spoken in hushed tones through out the world of Humankinds civilizations. However, Vyric can be heard differently in the east. Due in no small part to the linguistic influence of Ammulhad, Xhobi , and Xiyu languages.

Some similar influence can be heard when Vyric is spoken in the lands of The Ramian Empire where Tarzeiqueim is the common tongue. Though the extent to which Tarzeiqueim has influenced the Vyric language in that part of the world cannot be known. Only understood to possibly have taken place.

Common Etiquette rules

Since their beginning. The Sociology of the Vampyres have placed a high value and reverence for their Elders. As they are the wisest and most powerful individuals among their tribes. The Sire is Lord, Chieftain, and Spiritual Leader to their Vampyre broods. The holder of all knowledge, power, and secrets. This dominion is enforced by the innate ability of a Vampyre that has made other Vampyres to be able to exert their will upon their creations. Lending Vampyre Sires an almost divine presence to their new born progeny.

With such a standing in their outcast culture, Vampyre Sires command a great respect over not only their broods, but also over any visiting Vampyres to their territory. All who visit pay homage to the Sire of the territory. Even a Vampyre equal in age, or even older. Respect is due regardless of strength or age.

Major organizations

The Dumare Tribe in The Heartland.
The Baoravi Tribe in the territories of The Ramian Empire.
The Estreaei Tribe among the nations of the continent of Oerakan. As well as the Zyzarga Tribe living as renegades in the deserts.
The Naccari Tribe in southern Aederos.
The Lushaiga Tribe in the far eastern lands that are under the rule of The Dominion of Xi.
The Stirggaar Tribe in Bulgaard.
The Moroiva Vampyre Tribe who are moribund and mostly in the Eastern Heartland.
And the Raechar Vampyre Tribe. Barely considerable as a tribe. But more rather, a serious Vampyre threat. Even by other Vampyres.

"Blood of the Pariah Men. Outcast blood. Devils wearing Human faces."

Parent ethnicities

• The Arteans

Diverged ethnicities

• Cazur Vampyres
• Ofirat Vampyres
• Pyrnasc Vampyres

Encompassed species

• Humans
• Primeval Vampyres

Related Organizations

• Baoravi Vampyre Tribe
• Dumare Vampyre Tribe
• Estreaei Vampyre Tribe
• Lushaiga Vampyre Tribe
• Moroiva Vampyre Tribe
• Naccari Vampyre Tribe
• Raechar Vampyre Tribe
• Stirggaar Vampyre Tribe
• The Kingdom of the Vampyres
• Vyraethi Vampyre Tribe
• Zyzarga Vampyre Tribe