Vampire theme ideas!

Alright well tonight in chat there was some discussion about vampires and what people's perception of them were and ideas were drawn from old folk tales all the way to the more modern representations and all this proved is that people have some very different ideas of what they expect from vampires as a result I borrowed from an existing concept that I think would accommodate everyone.

A way to play to the different ideals of vampirism each is to break the race into 3 or 4 sects that each have followed a different paths so people can play the 'type' of vampire they want.

Here's how I see it is we are going to break the vampires into sects/bloodlines we can have one that are in essence high social they can move around society with grace and poise they are capable of holding stations of importance being responsible for fine and delicate crafts and art and preforming as host in short their transition  was seamless the bloodline soiled their personality and appearance minimally.

Next a sect that was taken in by the blood and as a result that are more hostile and feral they might have a logical mind and choose to be violent or they may of surrendered to the curse of the blood a conduct themselves as little than animals.  Their appearance would still be large passable as human but the personality and behavior succumb to their beastly nature.

Next a sect that has been drastically effected by the curse of their blood they are twisted either physically or mentally. The blood worked monstrously upon them deforming their body or twisting their mind into fits of paranoia or psychosis either way the weight of the their nature is  profound and burdensome upon them. Those afflicted with physical maladies may have only minor disfigurement or they might be hideous cruelties inflicted by their blood either way it is clear there is something wrong with them that sets them apart from normal humans.   


Lastly a sect that sees their nature as cursed and seek higher purpose and as such they avoid society as much as possible not wanting mortal eyes upon them some within this sect some will take the high road and try to reach god or as near a holy state as a damned creature might hope. And other might take the the other road delving into slums as a thief, robber or assassin their purpose one rooted in greed or vengeance. Each is seeking freedom from their cursed nature each in their own way despite all evidence that their is no escape.

A while ago I was encouraged to write up my thoughts on the vampires' fictional history and while I suspect that it might of been a certain someone's way of getting me involved since I had stayed uninvolved for the most part aside from a couple random posts but at anyrate I gave it a shot. I've actually had quite a bit of experience role playing vampires there was a time when I played the race exclusively so I no shortage of ideas where they are concerned.  And after a bit of doubt I finally decided to post up what I'd written finally coming to the conclusion that there was no harm in at least sharing. So here it is ......


Vampire Origin Mythology

In the earliest days when vampires first made their appearance in this weary world there were many stories told to explain their appearance the earliest seeming to say that the first vampire was created from a drop of blood from creator who had forged the world placing him to govern all that was, its said that he was the first intelligent life that humanity came into existence with the rest of the world's animals with no greater purpose. The first vampire ruled as a king over the beasts of this world his will shaped the world but he was alone in it. His hunger sated by the beasts that lay at his feast like a bounty. He was a living god with all the powers of the heaven and supreme rule of the world. He lived, breathed and drank and feasted upon all that the world produced and all within were his alone. It is said that a millennium passed in this way where his power was supreme and while human race was no longer the pups they had once been they still insignificant to him.



His days drew out like a blade and despair and loneliness filled his heart and the day faded into darkness. The darkness nearly consumed him till he took a blade to flesh and carved open his palm. And watching as the blood slipped across his fingers dripping to the ground below four pools of blood form swelling in deeper and from these his children were spawned rises from the shimmering pools whole and new spawned from his very blood. In this moment he he look a name for himself, Atticus and to each of his children he gave a name suited specifically to them.



The first to rise was a lovely figure of a woman skin the color of fresh cream raven locks that hang upon her shoulders like spun silk her eyes like piercing jade and when she spoke there was culture and grace in her tongue to her the name Calla was gifted. The next to emerge into the world was a tall muscled man his body taut muscles rippling with every move but within his eyes flared willfulness and defiance. His brown thready hair scattered carelessly about his face and as he rose to his full height his strength was unmistakable and to him the name Eron was given. Next arose a quiet thing drawing up from pool her eyes cast upon that which had given her to the world. Her skin the color of moonlight and her hair stained the same crimson as the pool that had brought her into existence her eyes coal black. As she gazed into the reflection in the pool staring back at her was emptiness and to this she backed away shying into the shadows. Watching this Atticus pondered upon his child and named her Bian. The last pool was watched with intense anticipation and when something began to arise from i,t it was seen with horror and disgust. The body that pulled its way from the blood was twist and ill formed. Its limbs distorted out and of proportion its skin looked like patchwork of scarred and melted flesh. What little hair the creature possessed appeared as thin tufts of grey fluff. When the creature spoke its words made no sense its mind like its body had been twisted into some horror that words failed to describe. To this one the name Pavor was attached and though the boy struck fear in any that saw him Atticus valued him no less.



Atticus rose from his sadness that had overwhelmed him he at last had others of his own flesh and not just the simple beasts of the land. In this time they were the most powerful creatures upon the world their minds more sharp their powers and strength far greater they were living gods. In the first days theyate and drank like kings, every other creature mere specks they ruled over the lowlier races with the sun upon their shoulders knowing nothing could hold them back. Atticus watched as his children grew drunk with power and committed horrors upon the creatures that shared their world. Humanity had grown they were no more a feral collection of beasts they were a thinking people now and so Atticus called for a stop to the cruelties his children brought upon them. His children though had different ideas so when threatened with extermination at the hands of their father his children rose up against him and when the moon sat high in the sky bathing the world in its silver rays they would act. Luring their father into a trap the sibling carved open their father's flesh pulling him apart limb by limb. Atticus's death was slow and agonizing but with the last flickers of his life he cursed his children for their betrayal.

"Never again shall you draw breath all you are shall wither and die with my death but you shall remain trapped within death your soul forever damned. No more shall you rule over humanity but depend upon them it is mortal blood alone that will sustain you without it, the grave" And as Atticus drew his last breath his body turned to ash a wind sweeping into carrying his ashes and with it dragging his four children in the four directions separating them to the furthest corners of the world.



Swept up in the winds Calla, Eron, Bian and Pavor were carried to the four corners of the world separated from not only one another but the flock of humans that had cowered at their feet as gods. They had each been carried to a distant land Calla to the north, Eron to the east, Bian to the west and Pavor to the south upon waking in these new worlds so different from the one they had know they were instantly struck with an unnatural hunger. This hunger was unlike any they had ever felt and they soon discovered that the only that eased the pains of this hunger was the taste of mortal blood. Only with their bellies full did the pain subside it would be some time before each in their own time would discover the meaning of their father's words. Their flesh the body in which they had lived was now dead the only remnants of life that remain were the living souls that remained trapped within the chill of death that was their bodies. The limits of this existence if they failed to feed on mortal blood they would grow sickly and weak Atticus's intention to protect humanity from similar abuse inflicted before was clear. The glaring light of the sun blinded them now the touch of daylight to flesh painful. But Atticus had not been an unkind father even in death he loved his children and because of this they had retained much of their power. He knew the agony of loneliness so despite their betrayal and the death of their living flesh he allowed them a way to continue their line an act that furthered their dependence upon humanity they first must consume the blood then shed it upon mortal lips to allow to a part of them within that which is already destined for death. Never would they forget that their existence rose and fell upon the lives of humanity.



(Before I continue with the mythology of the race I want to make something perfectly clearly that though the lineage diverges to explain the diversity of the race this is no different than different ethnicities in humans though there are numerous ethnic backgrounds they are all products of single species and the same is true here)



Little did the siblings know that their betrayal would cost each of them in their own way they shared the cure but it would affect them in vaguely different ways. A fact that they would be unaware of and in fact completely ignorant that their infliction was in any way different than that of the siblings that had been parted from. More than a century would pass before any of them would know any differently .....



When Calla woke from a deep slumber after the wind had swept her from her home and family she rose to look upon the strange land that she had been brought to she knew nothing of this place or the peoples that inhabited. The hunger pains that knotted her stomach were hard to ignore but for the raven haired princess there were other matters to see to first. Her finger pushed through her hair trying to arrange the raven lockes and as she stepped over to a pool to gaze into the waters so she might spy her reflection she saw nothing reflecting back upon her. This struck panic in her how could her reflection be stripped away she thought for a moment that the the hunger was simply making her delirious and once she ate she would be well again and thinking straight. Setting off she scavenged for food though aware of her father's curse there seemed no harm in indulging in a familiar meal surely it would take the edge off the aching hunger. As she ate note only did she find that the food did nothing to ease her hunger pains but within moments she became violently ill and was unable to hold the food down. Calla learned fast what she could and could not do at dawn as the sun rose she found that when the sun's rays touched upon her it burned as though fire pulsed through her veins but so long as she remained within shadow she could walk within the day a small relief for one striped of other pleasures that had been so dear.



Eron woke in a grassy valley the sun creeping over the mountain the first sensation that struck him was the same fire in his veins that Calla had felt upon the dawn but unlike her there was no escape from the pain. He fled through the grassy valley the touch of even thin ray of sunlight were like fire on his flesh and when direct sunlight spilled upon his skin where it touched his flesh would blister and burn. It wasn't until he happened upon a narrow cavern along the foothills and escaped into dark dank recesses where the light could not travel that he finally escaped the pain. He remained until after the sun had set before setting out to answer the hunger that gnawed at him all through the day. He was all but made for the outdoors so snaring an animal was child's play but no sooner was the meat roasted and over his lips did he realize that no matter how much he ate his hunger never faded and he knew then that Atticus's words had truly cursed him and he would need to sustain himself by other means.



The region that Bian roused within had a healthy population of humans but these humans seems to of developed beyond those that she had know perhaps though this is because the humans she had know had been held hostage under the terrors of the ruthless gods that had so heartlessly ruled over them. Bian from the very beginning had felt discomfort in how they had come to be born from the blood that way and she more than any of the others needed higher purpose a reason for existence. These humans had the foundation of society and had even started to forge their own beliefs on how the world came to be. Bian was drawn to their temple watching the way the people devoted themselves to the will of what they perceived as their creator. Stepping upon their sacred ground she instantly felt sickened but payed the feeling no mind attributing it to nerves. When Bian stepped forward to the alter stone and reached out to brush her fingers along the sacred symbol etched into the stone where ever her fingers made contact with the symbol the skin melted the scent of burned flesh filling the air. Howling out at the sensation she turned and fled as fast as she was able her fingers seared with the sacred mark she had touched.



The place that Pavor found himself was blessedly dark and quiet well quiet to everyone else but not to Pavor with the maddened voices chattering in his head. He was a beastly creature even to himself and his caused him more distress than even the curse that Atticus had placed upon him. Despite the affliction his very existence had attached to him his fallen father had cursed him further making him even more a monster than his mind and body displayed him as. His hunger welled like a ravenous fever until he was more instant than man and was driven to crawl from the dark place that had shelter him the cavernous crack in the land had guarded him from the world beyond. And when he emerged onto the flat plain beyond the moon shined high in the sky thin wispy clouds floating across to obscure the bright glowing orb. Though Pavor's mind was twisted agony instinct was pure and lent him a brief break in the psychosis and endowed him the knowledge of what he needed for his survival. With this gift of clarity of purpose was embedded his curse set upon his prey his fangs finding flesh would reveal his curse. His bite was as death transferring death as though it were a disease. His bite as good as poison within moments necrosis would set in within the flesh surrounding his bite. Skin would blacken and die death eating more and more of the living tissue the longer he fed upon his prey leaving his prey 'marked' much the same as he. His curse forced upon a life of stealth and care to avoid notice.



None of the siblings had ever known a life alone without others of their kind so it wouldn't be long before their line was extended beyond themselves sharing their cursed blood with mortal prey to bring life from death and transform living flesh into one such as themselves. The curse was carried through the blood and each offspring that followed would be equally cursed by the tainted blood of the started their line. In time the curse inflicted on the siblings bore their name and those that were brought into death by their descendants would identify themselves by the one who had first bore the curse. It would be centuries before knowledge was shared between the descendants and they would come to realize that the weight of the curse was unique to each of the siblings. The four that began the line vanished from the world once the number of their kind had swelled. Its said that as they watch their children come into their own they had a greater appreciation for what their father had face and once they had their souls were freed from the death their father had condemned them to so they might rejoin him.



Side Notes for Clarity:



To begin with I want to stress that this is written as mythology not historical fact since lets face it all vampire history is myth. Furthermore though there are what I'm calling 'lineages' this is representative of a since race. Just as humanity has diverse cultures and heritages and people from different places make develop different strengths and weakness based on necessity they are still all a part of the human race such is the case with the vampire myth I've written simply put they are different but the same. In the case of this myology the vampire race started off as mortal beings that were far superior in every way but just as vulnerable to death as any other creature the myth telling how and supposedly why they transitioned from living to undead. They as a race will have common strengths and weaknesses such as superior strength and agility strengths possessed by all and a vulnerability to fire and an aversion to silver are weakness they all (might) possess. By natural vampires are creatures of darkness and as such all have an aversion to sunlight and being in direct sunlight is painful and will cause damage to all if exposed for to long this being said one of the of the lineages mentioned can -not- stand any exposure to sunlight at all and will be damaged at the slightest exposure. The division of weaknesses need not have any affect on stats and were instead intended as characteristics that creates diverse cultural lines.