Vampires

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Vampires

Powers ♦ Relations with other species ♦ Roles The ultimate predators, vampires are immortal undead creatures who must regularly consume blood to survive. Humans are their preferred prey. Only by drinking human blood do they gain their supernatural strength, speed and mind-controlling powers. There are vampires who attempt to adopt a more ethical lifestyle by consuming only animal blood (and, most likely, large quantities of coffee/alcohol to try and stave off the cravings). However, all vampires naturally desire human blood above all else. They can eat normal food but it doesn't sustain them, and some vampires complain that they can't appreciate the taste any more either. Outwardly, vampires appear indistinguishable from ordinary humans. They may be paler than average and their body temperature also tends to be a little cooler. They breathe, eat, sleep, their hearts beat and they have a reflection. It's only when their blood lust overcomes them that their true faces are revealed. Vampires can have sex, but they cannot procreate. The only way for a vampire to create more of their kind is to turn a human. A vampire's blood has healing properties and can be used to heal even the most horrific of injuries if ingested by the injured party. But if a human dies after consuming vampire blood, they are on their way to becoming a vampire. Becoming a vampire The following steps are required to turn a human into a vampire: 1. The human must ingest the blood of a vampire. 2. Then they are killed while they still have vampire blood in their body. 3. Finally, they wake up and must consume human blood in order to complete the transition into a vampire. Failure to do this within a day or so results in death. All living people except werewolves and fae can be turned into vampires. Siring A vampire can also take an additional step in order to sire another vampire: exchanging blood with the victim before killing them. This creates a bond between sire and progeny, giving the maker control over the newly turned vampire. • The progeny must follow any direct command given by their sire. • Sometimes, but not always, the progeny feels a natural loyalty to their sire and will respond to even the slightest suggestion from their sire without any explicit commands. This is more likely to happen when there was a strong emotional bond between the pair prior to siring. • Sires can summon their progeny by saying their name. The progeny will hear their name being called, and will instinctively know where to find their sire. • Sire and progeny will each be able to sense when the other dies. • Sires may be able to sense when their progeny needs help, for example if they are in great emotional or physical pain. • Sires can release their progeny from their control, simply by telling their progeny so. This permanently breaks the bond. The Old Ones Vampire royalty. As their name suggests, the Old Ones are the oldest known vampires in the world, and as such every vampire in existence is in some way descended from them. Their main advantage over normal vampires is that they are really difficult to kill, being vulnerable only to a particular kind of wood (thought to be ash). It is not known who the very first vampire is or was. Powers Strength: 3-8 | Magic: 1-5 A vampire's strength depends on two things: - Age. The older the vampire, the stronger they are. - Diet. Vampires need to regularly consume human blood to maintain their strength. A vampire can survive on animal blood, but their abilities will be severely diminished. Within a nest, higher ranking vampires can gain further domination by siring other vampires, extending the reach of their magical power and influence. Strengths • Super strength, enhanced agility and fast reflexes, which varies depending on the above factors. • Enhanced senses. In particular, they can see in the dark, have more sensitive hearing, and can smell blood at a distance. • Can extend and retract their fangs at will. • Can manipulate humans using a form of mind control, if they have ingested that human's blood. Commands can be given through the hypnotic power of the vampire's voice alone (i.e. it would work over the phone), but for best results vampires will maintain eye contact and they often use physical contact to influence their victim as well. This ability wears off after the blood has passed through the vampire's system (between one day and a week depending on the amount of blood ingested), but any command given before then stays in force. • Can manipulate other supernatural beings with inferior magical power, if they have ingested their blood. For those with the same or slightly higher level of power, mind control is a struggle and may partly work but later be overcome e.g. attempting to compel witches. Vampires can perform their mind control tricks on each other if the other vampire is significantly younger (by at least two centuries) or significantly weakened (e.g. through loss of blood). • Can add, remove, or alter a person's memories through mind control. The same rules apply above. • Can influence a person's dreams through mind control. The same rules apply above. • Can alter a person's perception through mind control e.g. make them perceive the vampire as a loved one, or distract them with an illusory trick. The same rules apply above. • Can mentally connect with a person they have shared blood with (i.e. both drink each other's blood), to show them visions, memories or communicate telepathically. This works with all species except ghosts. • Can heal quickly from all injuries, except those inflicted by wood. • Their blood can heal any injuries, if ingested by others. • Can turn humans, meta humans, shapeshifters and witches into vampires. Vampires who sire other vampires can gain the following additional abilities: • Can recognize all supernatural types. • Can communicate telepathically with other members of their nest. • Can resist mind control, except by their sire. • Can resist low level witch and fae magic. • Can control the minds of animals, including shapeshifters in animal form but not including werewolves, without needing to ingest their blood. • Can mind control lower-ranking vampires without needing to ingest their blood. • Can mind control normal humans without needing to ingest their blood. • Can hypnotize entire groups of humans at once without needing to ingest their blood. • Can enter a person's memories, either with permission or by force. (Requires physical contact.) • Can tell when someone is lying. • Can sense emotions. • Can control the bodies of their progeny, moving them like puppets. Weaknesses • May lose control in the presence of fresh human blood. Some vampires find their urges more difficult to manage than others. • Cannot enter a household unless explicitly invited in by someone who lives there. Invitations can later be rescinded, forcing the vampire to leave. • Cannot influence anyone wearing a witch's amulet. (These are specifically created to protect against vampires.) • Cannot go out in the sun. Sunlight burns and will kill them in seconds. • Wood-inflicted injuries can cripple a vampire and will not heal until the wood is removed. • Vulnerable to silver. It burns them and even its presence is a deterrent. • Can be killed by sunlight, fire, a werewolf bite, beheading and a wooden stake through the heart. • Cannot function without blood. Blood loss will weaken them. Starvation or being completely drained of blood will turn a vampire into a corpse-like husk, unable to move or speak. Relations with other species Fae: Fae blood will never nourish a vampire, but it can attract them to the point of completely losing self-control. Drinking fae blood grants a vampire temporary immunity to the sun. Once tasted, it's hard to go back; it gives vampires a euphoric high better than any human blood. However, it is addictive and will also slowly poison them over time, gradually making them weaker and more dependent until they waste away into a corpse-like state. Most fae can't stand vampires and stay well away from them. Ghosts: Vampires require the blood of the living to survive, so undead creatures are of no use to them. Being dead themselves, they are able to see ghosts and other spirits, but can do them no harm. Oddly enough, this can make ghosts amongst the best-suited companions for a vampire, since both are on an equal footing. Assuming the vampire didn't kill them in the first place. That can be awkward. Humans: The preferred prey of all vampires. There are always more vampires in urban areas because they tend to congregate where prey is abundant. As a consequence of their diet and lifestyle, vampires treat humans more like food than people. Some vampires do have moral qualms about this and try not to feed on humans. Whatever stance they take, vampires can and do develop positive relationships with humans, and may choose to turn humans into vampires. But they still have to eat. Meta Humans: As good a meal as ordinary humans, but more likely to fight back. Those with fae ancestry have blood almost as addictive as a fae's, but without the side effects. Some meta humans are immune to a vampire's mind control. Can be turned into vampires. Shapeshifters: In general, shapeshifters and vampires despise each other, but they're not mortal enemies. Can be turned into vampires. Vampires: Most live in nests, concentrated in urban areas where human prey is abundant. Hierarchies are strict and not at all democratic: older vampires outrank younger vampires. The oldest and strongest vampire is therefore usually the highest ranking. The few vampires who live outside this system tend to be those attempting to live a normal life without preying on humans, and they are treated with derision. Werewolves: While in wolf form, their bite is fatal to a vampire. It will kill young vampires instantly and infect older vampires, driving them insane before finally killing them. A werewolf cannot be turned into a vampire. Unsurprisingly, werewolves and vampires are mortal enemies and have feuded for centuries. Witches: The more politically savvy vampires understand the value of working with witches, and are therefore at least neutral with each other if not friends. Others will kill or threaten witches for sport or gain. Can be turned into vampires. Roles Vampires have a strict hierarchy, with older vampires being dominant over younger. In London they take their titles from the British aristocracy. Vampires protect their own and punish members of the nest who break their rules. Vampires who choose to live outside this system are considered fair game for any vampire hunter. The Islington Nest is the most powerful and influential vampire community in London. Its current leader is Jean-Claude, Duke of London Central. In January 2017, the Nest held its first ever democratic election and chose John Cooper to stand as the Vampire Representative on the Night Council. It therefore currently enjoys the protection of the Night Council, meaning that its vampires are off-limits to hunters. In 1896, it was declared forbidden to turn any child under the age of 16 into a vampire, following a dispute with a small army of child vampires that ended rather badly. This rule was briefly abolished in June 2016. Since Jean-Claude came to power in November 2016, the following rules have been established: • No child under the age of 16 may be turned into a vampire. • Islington vampires may only eat those willing to donate. Islington's human allies have arranged a network of donors specifically for this purpose. • Outside of a faction dispute or self-defence, no vampire may kill another being, human or supernatural. • Any vampire caught breaking the rules is considered fair game for punishment from any other member of the nest or vampire hunter. Rules introduced in April 2017: • Anyone sympathetic to Circle Daybreak will be expelled from the Nest. • Any werewolf trespassing in Islington territory will be caught and subject to a punishment of the Nest's own choosing. Level 1 The rank and file of the nest, including newbie vampires. These vampires do not have daylight jewellery. They are not permitted to turn another vampire. Level 2 Baron | Baroness Respected members of the nest, reporting to the relevant Earl or Countess. They are not permitted to turn another vampire unless ordered. Despite the title, they may best be described as experienced minions, guarding the nest and often leading attacks in conflicts with other species. Level 3 Earl | Countess Rule over a district. Each borough has a number of districts. For example, the borough of Hackney includes Finsbury Park, Homerton and Shoreditch. Report to the ruler of their borough. At this rank, vampires are usually awarded a daylight ring. They may or may not be given the freedom to turn their own vampires, but if they are it is usually a small group: no more than twelve in total. Level 4 Marquess | Marchioness Rule over a London borough. There are 33 London boroughs, including the City of London. Their nest may number anything from a small group to several hundred strong depending on how zealous they are about turning humans, but they must bow to the ruler of their region. Level 5 Duke | Duchess Hold sway over a region of London. There are five regions: North, South, East, West, and Central. Ultimately, they rule all vampire nests within their region, and can create or kill vampires as they please. back to navigation

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