Vamp-Tattoo-Face

Video: Dark Metal Mush: Vampires

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Kindred vs Vampires

In the world of Metro there are two kinds of "Vampires", the Kindred and the Vampires.

Kindred appear human and can exist with limited exposure to sunlight.

Kindred saliva is hallucinogenic and will often lull their victims into a euphoric, painless state while feeding.

Vampires are undead - having gone through bloody, Red Rites to return as something more than Human. Their skin is ashen gray, they loose their hair and their fingers will slightly elongate to give them a monstrous appearance.

Vampiric saliva is paralytic, immobilizing their victims temporarily so that they can feed.

Vampire Eyes

The eyes of a vampire are unique, rather than being a single point of black at the center like a human or the slits of a cat, there are actually three 'slits'. These slits allow them to see more in lower levels of light.

Vampires in the world of Thomas Book fall into two categories: ruthless killing machines and cunning predators. Their nature all depends on how they were converted. If a newly born vampire is forced to seek his own first kill after conversion, they will tend to rely upon their instincts and become little more than a beast. If a vampire is able to 'ease in' to their first kill (captured prey) then they tend to retain some of their humanity.

The difference in transformation is thought to be due to the early reliance upon the instinctual drive to hunt and feed. The longer the person has to rely upon those urges, the less of their humanity is retained.

Character: Jeffrey

Vampire Hunter's Journal: Concept Art

Elder Gods

THE ELDER GODS

Long before there was civilization, men and women foundered and struggled in a world that was more vicious and brutal than they were. There were a few, however, that learned the rules of reality, and they began weaving their own rules of creation. They led their people far and wide, creating different tribes that spread throughout the globe.

Eventually, these individuals grew so powerful, they forgot what it was like to be human. One, The Predator, said to be the oldest, became something more than human or beast. The Predator became the ultimate predator, losing form and became a sentient concept. It embodies avatars of hunters, existing for no other plan than to continue the hunt.

Over several millennia, there have been many individuals that became Elder Gods. Pantheons of Great Heroes and Mighty Leaders have risen, and fallen into obscurity. For a while, it seemed that only The Predator, and the Emissary, would experience true immortality.

The Emissary was actually a council of elder tribesmen that bound themselves together in a vow of enlightenment. They traveled the world, seeking knowledge and wisdom. Eventually, they shed their bodies and passed into the realm of spirits. They are one and many, but their purpose is to act as diplomats and liaisons between the other Elder Gods.

Then, about ten thousand years ago, there was a shift in culture. The tribes started to build more permanent settlements. In this time, there was a man called Cain, who threw off the traditions of nomadic life and promoted the high technology of agriculture. His tribal brother, Able, did not wish to see his extended family separate, nor the wisdom of tradition abandoned. They fought, and Able was killed.

The other Elders of that time wished to punish Cain, but he fled, hiding among his followers. When the Elders showed no restraint and killed Cain’s followers, Cain used his powers to become part of his fallen people, giving them life once more. In the dead of night, he turned himself into liquid shadow and poured into the dead bodies of his farmers.

They started a guerilla war with the tribes, stealing children and raising them in towns, which grew into cities. With the power of farming, they controlled their fates through droughts and long winters. When the Elder Gods came, they welcomed them, but they let Cain’s kindred hide among them.

When the Elder Gods were comfortable with their victory, Cain’s kindred struck, killing many of the gods, hunting those that fled, and erasing all but the most powerful. One of these gods had learned to control the power of the sun. This one god still lives within the idea of the Sun’s rays, and seeks to burn out the shadow of Cain where ever he can reach.

Another Elder God, called Yaweh, sought to follow Cain’s path, but with an improvement. Instead of becoming one with the blood of the followers, Yaweh became one with the hearts of the people, becoming part of their faith. He became a concept that could be felt, not in a physical way, but in a spiritual way.

Cain and his people could hide in the darkness and had full nights to live their lives. In this way, they could avoid Ra and his bright rays of light. However, Yaweh could hide among the people, and he promised truth and justice and peace. Through him, the people could live forever, for he will remember all their memories and they will become part of him.

Cain was smart, though, and he used logic and deception to create argument among the followers of Yaweh. Yaweh’s people split into two groups, one path Jewish, the other path Islamic. Yaweh would have won the war if he were not distracted by this war with himself.

Thousands of years, this secret war continued, but Yaweh saw a solution to his problem. He focused his attention on two men, one of Islamic faith, and the other of Jewish faith. These two men, acting as one, would show that the two faiths can work together, and they would be the saviors of humanity, binding them in one faith, a fusion of the two halves.

Cain, however, was either smarter, or luckier. He discovered the plot, and he was able to kill one of the Yaweh brothers. Jesus traveled the world, but he was never able to find his other half. He returned to his birth place to mourn the failed plan. Under Yaweh’s direction, he became a martyr, giving himself to the cause. This did not work, as it created a third major faction. Over the centuries, Cain continued to splinter the mind of Yaweh as each faction splintered yet again into the various denominations of each religion.

Cain had found a home in South America, but Yaweh had created a world of high civilization and growing technology. He manipulated Columbus and found where Cain was hiding. Then he sent Cortez to destabilize the New World.

Today, both Yaweh and Cain fear the neopagan movement. It brings back the cultural belief in magic, and if this path is followed, centuries down the road, new gods will emerge.

The Clans

THE CLANS AND THEIR HOUSES

There were Seven Clans. Now there are only Four.

The Clan of Watchers

Spies, informants, hackers … all trained in magic and mundane ways of discovering and protecting secrets. Need your Name encrypted? Need to know something about someone’s ancestry? Contact a Watcher. Because they are merely observers, they stir the social and political waters little. They travel unnoticed, but they notice everything.

Their houses are everywhere, small and informal, disguised as simple places, or social places. Their people are quiet and polite, thoughtful and aware, and often hiding in plain sight.

The Clan of Whispers

Advisors, counselors, aides … They know how the mind works and how to own it. They master their own mind as well as the minds of others. They do not control the crowds, but they do control the masters. They whisper in the right ears at the right times, and their will is done.

Their Houses are prestigious to match their positions of trust and influence. Their words are gold, and their assistance is fought over. Their people are assertive, intelligent, and even tempered. They speak well and often, but it is their timing that gives them power.

The Clan of Guardians

Bodyguards, enforcers, protectors … They hone their bodies to be temples of stone, able to withstand direct physical punishment. They will survive the harshest hardships, and are, at once, the biggest threat and the safest asset The Secret has. They may shrug off bullets, but they can withstand the Sun’s glare the longest.

Their houses are military academies and sports camps. Their people are athletes and soldiers. They live by strict codes of behavior, and they do not appreciate being manipulated. ALL of their contracts have end dates, including the one protecting you from them. You have been warned.

The Clan of Shadows

Runners, messengers, couriers … They slip through society unnoticed, bringing news and packages to their targets. When a Shadow comes calling, however, always know who sends them. Sometimes, a Shadow brings death. They excel in evasion and escape tactics, and have bested the Guardians more than once. They are humble, however, and they know that not even shadows are invulnerable.

Their houses are ninja families, espionage safe houses, and abandoned buildings. They are even more hidden than the Watchers. While the Watchers hide in plain sight, the Shadows go where no one else will.

The Clan of the Forge

Blacksmiths, mechanics, tinkerers … They could build anything, it was said, and their devices were the stuff of legends. Some still exist in the vaults of the Great Houses, nearly as precious as the Ancient Ones themselves.

There are no more Houses of the Forge, for the Forgers are gone. None have been seen in centuries. Not since the last Great Cleansing has a Forger been reported, though it was with their devices that the four remaining Clans survived the Great Cleansing at all.

The Clan of Unity

There was once a clan that promoted unity of mind, focusing their power and knowledge into a communal overmind. They became a powerful ally in the Secret War, able to coordinate attacks matched only by today’s modern communications technology.

Then something went wrong. They lost touch with their bodies, and Cain’s blood could no longer hold them or sustain them. One of the Other Elder God’s had corrupted or seduced the United Ones. Now, Cain’s blood boils at their touch.

They can animate corpses, but the corpses begin to rot, so they must seek out new corpses. Cain’s Kindred are prime targets. It is not known what their agenda is, but they are now called the Wraith. Even the slightest hint of the Wraiths presence in a city is enough to call a Conclave of Houses.

The Clan of Therianthropes

These are the skin walkers, the shape changers. They found a way to transform their bodies into beastly shapes. They became powerful warriors, but they also corrupted Cain’s will, numbing their minds to His calling. They breed like living beings, but they are feral and vicious. They have forgotten all kinship with Cain’s Kindred.

They did this through breaking one of the Laws of Cain: “Drink deep the blood; Eat not the flesh.” They feasted on the bodies they had drained, finding power in the fresh flesh. It is said that they have been corrupted by The Predator, one of the most ancient of the Elder Gods, but Cain’s Wisdom has not yet revealed the Truth of this matter.

The shape changers go by many names, and have many tribes, but they no longer live under the rule of law, or the Code of Houses. The only reason they have not wiped out Cain’s own is that the shape changes fight amongst themselves as often as they fight outsiders. In the Great Cleansing, they were led by a charismatic leader, a great unifier. Their armies were held at bay only by the power of the artifacts of the House of Forge, and their leader was killed at great cost.

Vamp Thoughts

I'll try and organize these notes but it was a stream of consciousness with Heath.

1. There are 13 "Houses" of Vampires which came together as a Conclave in the 1600's to fight the Lycans, which were one of the original 13 houses.

2. There are only 9 Houses left currently.

3. Houses:

1. Lycan
2. (Dead)
3. Wraith
4. Shadow (Sneaky-Folks)
5. Tank (Stone-skin)

4. Each house, over the centuries, pushed the envelop of human potential using their own forms of blood magic. The House of Lycan pushed their bodies to be strong and more animal like. In the end, the power of their blood shifted and they were able to walk in the day but by the light of the moon they lost their control and became complete beats.

5. The 13 Houses were originally created by powerful and ancient beings who could warp reality. These beings held sway over their cultures - sometimes posing as gods in places such as Egypt, China and in South America.

6. An ancient built the vampires to destroy the others of his kind.

7. The shadow energy that resides within all vampires (who must consume blood as a medium by which life energy from humans is transferred into them) is actually the many parts of one of the Ancients - who created the vampire race.

8. One theory of who the Ancient was suggests it was Cain - the God Slayer. Though Cain is a Christian figure, it is only one of the many names that being had during his centuries on Earth.

9. Holy ground (within a church, temple or other building) will make the "Black Blood of Cain" boil.

10. The buildings (temples, churches, etc.) are machines that focus the holy energy to 'burn' Cain out of the person.

11. As the vampires were hunting down the living gods throughout time, one god (Yaweh) sent its energy to earth to be born as the son of a Jewish Carpenter. Once he died and was resurected, there would be no living form for the vampires to hunt down and kill.

12. Yaweh (in the form of Christianity, Judaism or Islam) was one of the last gods to be hunted by the kindred and so survived to teach its followers how to not only defend their houses of worship from the Children of Cain, but also to hunt them in return.

13. Originally Yaweh had only two forms and was able to maintain control of its energies since only the sons of Isaac and Abraham worshipped him. The Children of Cain, by influencing the followers of the prophet, Jeashua, created a third face for Yaweh and therefore dividing the overall power into thirds.

14. Yaweh, in his Christian form, sent Cortez and explorers to the New World to destroy the many Children of Cain who worshipped the blood gods of the Maya.

15. The Children of Cain manipulated the many followers of Yaweh to war upon each other (crusades, inquistions, etc.) to lessen his powers and to destroy his sacred places.

16. The Vampires are worried about the Neopagan movement because it brings back a belief and interest in hedge magic - a viable threat to their security. Though most Neopagans wouldn't know real magic if it bit them (heh), some have found records from deep within the Christian vaults and learned to use the simple magics effectively against the Children of Cain. This could suggest that Yaweh, sensing a waining in the faith of his members, created the Neopagans as a new threat to his own enemies.