Legend[]
According to Romanian legend, the Strix - a nocturnal blood that feeds on human blood and flesh – created the world’s first Vampire. The bird, rare and thought to be extinct, fed upon the blood of a wounded knight named Vlod Dracul during his stint as a member of the Order of the Dragon in 1245. Nicknamed Vlod the Devil, Dracul soon after began to crave the taste of human flesh and blood, much like the bird, and was renowned in his country for acts of cannibalism and bloody murder. Dracul became addicted to killing, and found that the more blood that he consumed, the younger he remained, adding to the belief that he was immortal. Soon enough immortal life turned lonesome, and Dracul craved the company of another undying soul to share his eternity with. With the help from local witches, Dracul was able to carry out a ritual to bring the now-extinct Strix bird into his own being, and he drank from the wound of a local dying girl, who in turn drank the blood from another. Dracul now had company to keep, but he was of a greedy and bored sort and soon began to turn many others, spreading his evil throughout the land. Vampires were borne throughout Romania, Hungary and Bohemia, and they were a Coven, a devoted circle of immortals who were feared by many but were extremely loyal to each other. Famous Vampires from this Coven include Gilles de Rais and Elizabeth Bathory.
Contemporary Vampires[]
How does one become a vampire?[]
Contrary to lore, one does not simply have to be bitten to become a Vampire. Vampire masters choose their young very carefully and, as tradition would have it, it is rare that anyone is chosen at all. The Coven is a family, and one must possess the appropriate traits in order to fit into this close-knit brand of species.
If one is bitten by a Vampire and left to live, they do not become a Vampire. They are simply connected to their attacker through a mental bond until the Vampire chooses to break it through either A) killing them or themselves, or B) turning them. Many Vampires choose victims to bite if they want to know something about them, information they might be holding, so on and so forth. The mental bond created between them allows the Vampire to read the victims’ thoughts.
A Vampire will usually ‘turn’ a mortal if they find them especially attractive and/or useful to the cause of the Coven. If they believe that the mortal will be a loyal member of their circle, they will turn them and teach them the rites. A young Vampire is bonded to his or her master until either of them die.
In order to ‘turn’ a mortal, a Vampire must use an ancient and heavily bonded hex called the Strigoi curse. Firstly, the mortal will be bitten by the Vampire and a portion of their blood must be consumed. The master will then teach them how to drink the blood of another victim while calling up the ancient Strix bird into their being while he or she consumes part of their victim’s flesh. Within two to seven days, the mortal will become an immortal member of the Coven and slowly take on the traditional Vampiric traits.
Wizards who are ‘turned’ will lose the ability to conjure magic. They will adapt to the same powers as a regular Vampire, but will no longer need the use of a wand or any other magical device
What are the traditional traits of a vampire?[]
Physically, Vampires appear as all humans do, though their skin is of a more pallor quality. Veins are easily seen on the insides of wrists and arms, but otherwise they can be mistaken for mortals. During the effects of bloodlust and rage, however, the canine teeth enlarge and sharpen, and often their irises are rimmed deep red.
Vampires are traditionally beautiful and highly sexual creatures, retaining the eternal beauty of their youth. This makes them skilled in seduction, and will often lure their prey through sexual means before killing. Although immortal, these creatures are not undead. They breathe, have a heartbeat and can eat and drink as any human.
Vampires survive on the consumption of both human and animal blood (it must be fresh blood), and young Vampires must feed every two to seven days in order to sustain their existence within the Coven. However, adolescent and adult Vampires are able to survive for months at a time without consuming blood, though this can rapidly affect their age. They must drink blood in order to sustain their youth. Vampires may also feed on youth, beauty and love, and most often do. They are pleasure seekers and hedonists of the highest kind, and are known for their lush lifestyles and high levels of greed.
Vampires do not cast reflections, but they have shadows. Older vampires (reaching into the hundred’s) are able to shapeshift and many have Animagus abilities (most can morph into birds or moths). They are sensitive to daylight, and many are severely allergic to it, but younger Vampires are able to stay outside for hours at a time during the day without damage. However, Vampires are far more tired during the day than at night, and many choose to spend this time sleeping.
Vampires are believed to be especially active during the winter on the Eve of two religious holidays – St. George and St. Andrew. It is legend that ‘all evil things will have full sway’ on these nights.