Post by Puck on May 23, 2015 5:05:39 GMT
VAMPIRE INTRODUCTION
The most known of the Mystic Kind. Reanimated corpses with a number of special powers. Not much is known about their origins, but one of the many theories spread towards a relationship with demons. Nevertheless, vampires are one of the most populous of supernatural entities. Most are commonly in cities as they may enjoy the endless debauchery their immortality affords them. Others wish to consolidate political and economic power as they are filled with lifetimes of experience, intuition, and overflowing ambition. Then you have the standard clueless vampire that tries to survive each night with a struggle. As creatures of the night and of the damned, it comes to no surprise that the Church rigorously tends to hunt them down the most. Thus it has been common for many of the vampires to form cliques under the term Houses in order to protect themselves and perhaps advance an agenda of their own onto the world.
It has been increasingly common that they keep their existence a secret in order to protect themselves from Humanity. But now that the Masquerade has been blown open, their greatest fears has been realized. Their kind has faced horrendous persecution and their numbers have dwindled. As a result, they either had to flee or stay and fight. Many clans have effectively become extinct. Even some of the Houses have been eradicated in its entirety. Times seemed the most bleak for the vampires. But, the 60's and 70's provided reprieve. Their numbers remained minuscule compared to the earlier times as vampires continued to uphold this broken shard of a Masquerade as they do not actively advertise their cursed existence.
Even today there are Houses that provided some form of order within the vampires' society. Others have proven to be workable as they have a relationship with the Magician's Guild and the IACSB. While fewer remain reclusive and some work to raise their race as the dominant of them all in this world. Whatever Houses there are, most will uphold the order they sought for after the Masquerade's collapse.
It has been increasingly common that they keep their existence a secret in order to protect themselves from Humanity. But now that the Masquerade has been blown open, their greatest fears has been realized. Their kind has faced horrendous persecution and their numbers have dwindled. As a result, they either had to flee or stay and fight. Many clans have effectively become extinct. Even some of the Houses have been eradicated in its entirety. Times seemed the most bleak for the vampires. But, the 60's and 70's provided reprieve. Their numbers remained minuscule compared to the earlier times as vampires continued to uphold this broken shard of a Masquerade as they do not actively advertise their cursed existence.
Even today there are Houses that provided some form of order within the vampires' society. Others have proven to be workable as they have a relationship with the Magician's Guild and the IACSB. While fewer remain reclusive and some work to raise their race as the dominant of them all in this world. Whatever Houses there are, most will uphold the order they sought for after the Masquerade's collapse.
VAMPIRE LIMITATIONS
- Weaknesses:
- Sunlight will kill them, making them nocturnal creatures.
- Anything imbued with holy energies, makes things untouchable or difficult to touch. They are undead entities.
- Silver, same reason as holy energies.
- Fire, makes damage lasting like those of holy nature.
- Traveling over bodies of water, making travel difficult.
- Wooden stake, or anything of holy nature, to the heart.
- May join a Vampire House, learn their unique abilities and enjoy privileges while still being responsible for duty.
- May join the IACSB for various reasons, but can still be ultimately loyal to their House.
- May even join the Magician's Guild for a while for business and research.
- Cannot learn Magic normally, unless it is the Archaic Blood Magic of the Strigoi or the special Blood Arts of the Sanguineus that are able to use elemental attacks from their blood.
- Cannot learn Ki, as they are moving corpses.
- Able to use vampire powers depending on Clan and House.
- Can turn humans into Ghouls through injecting their blood via biting. Said Ghouls are normally brainless corpses, but they can retain their intelligence by continuous consumption of blood.
- There is no cure to vampirism.
VAMPIRE RANKS
When it mentions age, it means by the age of their blood. Meaning the vampire itself doesn't necessarily need to be of that age.
- Neonate: Vampires that have recently been turned in the modern era. Now they must grow in strength in order to sate the Beast and for their own survival. These vampires tend to be D and E ranks in their physical stats and vampiric abilities.
- Ancilla: The Children of the Night that have become far accustomed to their unique condition. These vampires tend to reach this stage when they're at least around 100 years of age. B and C ranks in their stats and vampiric abilities are open to them.
- Elders: The seniority of every vampire society, many reaching about 300 years of age. They are feared by many mortals and even some of the Mystic Kind. Such vampires usually head their own coterie of vampires. S and A ranks are available to them in stats and vampiric abilities.
- Patriarchs: The head of their own vampire House. Patriarchs are the highest up in each House. Such monsters are respected and feared by many. Elders are usually the ones eligible for that title.
VAMPIRE HOUSE/CLANS
- Sanguineus: The clan that manipulates the flow of blood into specific constructs and other means of weaponizing them. They are even able to manipulate elements through their special organ that converts their blood into mana.
- Court of Fangs: Vampires of majesty, terror, and seduction. They are the most social of vampires and tend to be the leaders of many Houses.
- Belua: Children of the Night and of Beasts. They are able to commune with their inner instincts and have a better chance in keeping it in check. Such vampires can also morph into monstrosities.
- Hashashin: Secrecy and the clandestine are the friends of these vampires. They are able to manipulate shadows to their own will and even have a special form of sight to pick up on people's presences and energy signatures.
- Le Fléau d'Orléans: Abominable monstrosities are normal under this vampire House. Their blood is so volatile that it is dangerous for anyone to consume it. On top of that they are capable of modifying their own bodies into even bigger monstrosities.
- The House of Tepes: The vampires nearly indistinguishable from humans. They lack all or nearly most of the traditional weaknesses of a vampire. It has always been called the strongest vampire clan of them all because of this.
- Strigoi: Ritualistic vampires making blood sacrifices of their own and their victims. They rely on contracts with the spiritual in order to cast spells of their own.
THE BEAST
For all their savagery, vampires have been stigmatized as monsters just like the rest of the Mystic Kind. They known are bestial killing machines, simply monsters in human skin. And a lot of this image is attributed to the restless entity inside their sub-consciousness. It lurks within every vampire and every kindred is always aware of it. The Beast that lies within, their inner predator. It is difficult for most vampires to resist against their Beast. But it is not impossible, yet it ultimately takes immense willpower to resist it or some forms of artificial means. It is the sub-consciousness that lacks any means of sane thought as it blindly reaches for its own gain and survival.
The Beast is easily agitated, but this depends on the Kindred. Various factors come into play such as personality and environments. Ultimately the Beast expresses itself through familiar means: Fight or Flight. That is manifested through Frenzy.
Frenzy: The Fight and Flight response of the Beast where the vampire becomes may become enraged and directly goes to eliminate the cause that caused it to Frenzy. Frenzy tends to be caused by extreme stress such as starvation and even rage. Thus it is unwise to deliberately anger a vampire as this state actually causes them to become oblivious to pain. Frenzy can also satisfy the Flight side if kindred are exposed to their weaknesses. Thus, even Frenzied vampires can flee. Though those who don't may actually end up being the most dangerous ones around.
The Beast is easily agitated, but this depends on the Kindred. Various factors come into play such as personality and environments. Ultimately the Beast expresses itself through familiar means: Fight or Flight. That is manifested through Frenzy.
Frenzy: The Fight and Flight response of the Beast where the vampire becomes may become enraged and directly goes to eliminate the cause that caused it to Frenzy. Frenzy tends to be caused by extreme stress such as starvation and even rage. Thus it is unwise to deliberately anger a vampire as this state actually causes them to become oblivious to pain. Frenzy can also satisfy the Flight side if kindred are exposed to their weaknesses. Thus, even Frenzied vampires can flee. Though those who don't may actually end up being the most dangerous ones around.
DHAMPIRS
Dhampirs are the result of the union of Vampires and Humans. Under normal circumstances, as Humans are converted to Vampires and thus rendered undead and infertile, these are impossible to produce as standard Hybrids are. However, in rare cases Humans whom are being converted to Vampires, or Fresh vampires that retain their ability to have children temporarily, will copulate with a human female and result in a Dhampir pregnancy. Dhampirs usually have very odd colored skin and hair, usually mismatched and it is not uncommon for them to suffer from Heterochromia, having different colored eyes or even skin and hair in places. While it is also not uncommon for them to be unusually pale, this is not as common in the modern days as it was in the past. As an additional side note, Dhampirs are always infertile, and as such Dhampir families are non-existent. Dhampirs inherit the House abilities of their father, but are unable to surpass rank B in any of these abilities. However, in exchange they suffer only minor weaknesses to normal vampire weaknesses, and are unable to be converted into Vampires or other Mystic Kind. Additionally, Dhampirs are capable of using both Magic and Ki, something their fully vampiric kin are unable to do.
GENERAL VAMPIRE SKILLS/ABILITIES LIST
Please do note you can make your own Skills and Abilities. These are just suggestions.
Skills: You may take up Skills from the Human list from here.
Abilities:
Name: Regeneration
Description: Vampires are capable of healing from their inflicted wounds on their own. This is what makes them difficult to kill. Due to this ability, they actually are able to survive wounds that may kill an average person. It takes supernatural attacks to make any lasting effect, especially those of holy nature which has the most effectiveness.
Rank: S~E
Name: Enhanced Senses
Description: Becoming a creature superior to any normal human, vampires also have equally better senses. Many can even hear things that normal humans would not be able to. While others may have a sense of smell that are on the level or better than a dog's.
Rank: S~E
Name: Whisper
Description: Hypnosis that induces subtle suggestions in the target. Requires the vampire to look into a victim's eyes in order for this to work. So as long as nothing is drastic, the target will follow whatever commands the vampire gives.
- E: A very small, even trivial "favor" can be forced on the average human victim. Spanning from opening a simple door or holding an object. The words spoken from the Whisperer's mouth would not be doubted, unless direct evidence presents itself.
- D: Victim, still with the average human, can be made to tell little secrets about themselves. Nothing too drastic, nor nothing too embarrassing either.
- C: The average joe is starting to crack and will begin to be forced to do some actions that would most likely pin him as a jerk. Still nothing too drastic either. However, the Whisperer's words become even more influential that it requires the most incriminating evidence to dispel its affects. But a whack in the head is usually enough to undo it anyway.
- B: The point when one's Whisper ability has become high enough to force the average victim to commit some crimes of murder, arson, and larceny.
- A: The words of the Whisperer is near-absolute. The average victim will almost always follow what is being said and mostly would take it at face value. Even some of the most incriminating evidence probably may not get through his head, unless there is even more drastic emotional connection of sorts. This clearly requires tougher minds to break free of such influence.
- S: The Whisperer is God to poor old Joe. A whack in the head is not enough to dispel it. This requires deeper treatments of meditation and/or Magic in order to make a full recovery.
Rank: S~E
Name: Frenzy
Description: The maddened state of a vampire, their natural fight or flight response. Frenzy can be induced when a factor of massive stress is presented to them. Under that newly presented factor, vampires would either try to eliminate/kill what caused it to frenzy or flee out of fear. Some of it maybe a cause of their anger, desperation, or many other forms of reasons. Many vampires who frenzy tend to become numb to pain. However, they are still capable of being damaged. Most vampires who frenzy tend to lack motor functions as they are in a berserk state.
Rank: E