Hello! Welcome to my vampire RP! I've done this RP before, but I'm going to try it again and take a different spin on it to give players some actual freedom.
WARNING
This RP is intended for mature players only. If you are bothered by violence, swearing, sex, crime, or anything associated with these, you may leave now. Otherwise, please continue reading!
This RP is intended for mature players only. If you are bothered by violence, swearing, sex, crime, or anything associated with these, you may leave now. Otherwise, please continue reading!
A Secretive History
In 33 A.D., Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus Christ to the Sanhedrin assembly for 30 silver coins. Condemned to crucifixion by the Roman imperial authorities of Judaea, the proclaimed Son of God was publicly executed upon a cross within a matter of days after his arrest. Wrought with guilt and shame, Judas hung himself on the grounds of Aceldama.
However, Judas’s treacherous act against Christ condemned his soul for an eternity. Upon his suicide, his essence was placed in a spiritual state far beyond redemption or salvation. Wholly consumed by the black grasp of Satan, Judas rose from death as a “svknv shl hshtn”—an Agent of the Devil. He became a monster in both body and mind.
This vile and malicious creature, though still akin to a common man in appearance, was now capable of transforming into a fanged beast of untold power. The fiend was afflicted with an unquenchable hunger for the blood and flesh of mortal man; and worse, his putrid saliva acted as a conduit of his unholy malady. Like a rabid virus, the bite of Judas (mockingly dubbed the “Kiss of Judas” in reference to his betrayal of the Son) transformed his human victims into beasts much like himself. These monsters then found themselves capable of passing the notorious Kiss of Judas on to their own victims, creating a complex “family tree” of the demonic creatures.
Judas and his “children,” as he referred to them, wreaked havoc on the Holy Land and spread fear and carnage throughout world. Vampirekind had been born.
Yet mankind was not defenseless against the wrath of the Satan’s earthly minions. Cursed by his exchange of Christ’s life for a meager purse of silver coin, Judas and his vampires found themselves weak and susceptible to physical contact with silver metal. They were also found to be repulsed, though not harmed, by holy symbols of the Abrahamic God.
Centuries passed as the forces of mankind clashed with those of Judas and his vampires in a secretive conflict that slowly spread worldwide. Judas, the self-proclaimed “Blood Prince”, governed an intricate empire of undead worldwide with numbers reaching into the hundreds of thousands. However, the existence of vampires slowly faded into legend over time. The common depiction of vampiric creatures in medieval literature and theatrical drama transformed it into a form of entertaining folklore.
Despite this, after experiencing a wide variety of brutal vampire attacks during the First Crusade, many Catholic crusaders sought an organized effort of combating the eminent threat of the Blood Prince and his underlings. In 1120, the French knight Hugues de Payens founded the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon, also known as the “Knights Templar”—a monastic order publicly dedicated to the Christian domination of the Holy Land. Secretively, however, the order was established for the sole purpose of eliminating vampiric influence throughout Christendom. The Templar Knights are widely considered to be the first organization of vampire hunters.
Finally in 1189, Pope Clement III sanctioned one of the most secretive operations in European history. Under the guise of the Third Crusade, the Knights Templar were tasked by the Vatican with annihilating Judas Iscariot, the Blood Prince. The Templars roared into the Holy Land alongside the crusader armies of Philip II of France and Richard I of England. But with the war coming to an unexpectedly early conclusion in 1192, the crusaders were rushed to uncover the location of the famed Blood Prince. They made use of controversial methods including torture, blackmail, murder, and bribery to gain their needed intelligence.
After gaining valuable information from a high ranking Islamic officer, Templar Grand Master Robert de Sablé finally faced Judas in hand-to-hand combat on the barren fields of Aceldama. The battle, which is told to have lasted several hours, ended when de Sablé beheaded the vile beast with a silver blade. Enraged by their master’s death, several of the Blood Prince’s vampiric disciples descended upon the tiresome Grand Master and tore him to pieces before fleeing at the arrival of crusader reinforcements. The head and body of Judas Iscariot were cautiously brought back to the Vatican where they were soaked in holy water before being burned to ashes and hurled into the Mediterranean.
With their central leader eliminated, the unity of the vampires was decimated. Their complex underground empire crumbled, and vampirekind was relentlessly pursued by minor organizations similar to the Templar Order. But the Templar Order, slowly becoming ridden with corruption, was officially disbanded in 1312. This gave rise to a brief revival of vampiric influence throughout Europe, Middle East, and even western Asia. Recognizing the threat, several prominent European nobles and admirers of the lost Templar cause founded the Order of the Dragon in 1408—a advanced institution of well-trained vampire hunters dedicated to the task of destroying vampire kind entirely. Although a Christian organization in the public eye, many of the Order’s members consisted of Muslims, Jews, and even a sect of Hindus.
The Order of the Dragon maintained a set of extremely strict rules to avoid the corruption which plagues the Knights Templar. This enabled the Order to secretively survive throughout the passing centuries. Members of the Order of the Dragon are very well-educated in the fields of combat, psychology, philosophy, history, and literature. They gained an enormous increase of influence during the Renaissance Era, in which the spreading of such ideals was encouraged by a newly enlightened society.
It is occasionally rumored by modern Order members that an Eastern European vampire briefly united the Agents of the Devil worldwide and became the second known Blood Prince. He evaded destruction at the hands of the Order by entering a period of Blood Rest—a catatonic state of stimulated death that allows the vampire to preserve his or her life by mimicking death and decay to avoid detection. Once a vampire enters Blood Rest, he or she cannot be revived until fresh human blood is poured into his or her mouth. At that point, the vampire will revive completely, its flesh and consciousness being restored to its fullest. For this reason, vampires almost never risk entering into the Blood Rest, as there is a chance that they will never be revived again. The legends of this second Blood Prince are widely regarded as impossible and false; they are dismissed by all Order leaders.
It is now the late 18th century. The Order of the Dragon, now present throughout the world, has concealed itself from public knowledge and burrowed itself into the world of secrecy. Vampires, lacking total unification, have cleverly blended themselves into human society where they continue to quietly bring about death and destruction to mankind. The world still regards vampires as a product of myth and a source of horrific entertainment. Very few outside the Order of the Dragon are aware of the true existence of vampires.
However, unbeknownst to the world, a new threat silently emerges…a threat that could destroy mankind forever.
Vampires
These monsters are known by a variety of names, including “svknv shl hshtn” (“Agents of the Devil”) in Hebrew, “Ministri Satanae” (“Ministers of Satan”) in Latin, “les buveurs de sang” (“blood drinkers”) in French, and “comedores de carne” (“flesh eaters”) in Spanish. They are present in almost every nation and territory in the world.
Vampires are amongst the most scientifically mysterious creatures in the world. A 15th century Italian observer noted, “There is no physical explanation behind their existence or abilities; retractable fangs and claws, changeable hue of the eyes from common color to black, darkening of the veins in monstrous form, unnatural paleness of the skin—one cannot justify the physics behind these facilities!”
Vampires are capable of switching between human and vampiric form. While in human form, a vampire appears as a common man or woman. Nothing seems to physically distinguish them from mankind. However, when they enter vampire form, they undergo drastic changes in appearance. These changes are listed below:
1. GROWTH OF FANGS AND EXTENSION OF JAWS -- When entering vampire form, the creature’s teeth become rigidly sharp and jagged. While every tooth seems to slightly grow in size upon their sharpening, the upper and lower canines notably double in size and become more prominent than the others. In addition, the jaws seem to extend upon transformation, allowing the vampire greater jaw strength and bite size. Their fangs are long, thin, and incredibly strong (described by some as unbreakable)—perfect for tearing away at flesh.
2. GROWTH OF CLAWS -- When entering vampiric form, the vampire grows extremely sharp, dark-gray claws from its finger tips. This allows for powerful slashing attacks (which vampires often are seen to prefer over the use of weapons).
3. BLACKENING OF EYES -- Upon transformation, the vampire’s eyes become completely black. No whiteness or any other form of coloration is visible in the vampire’s eyes This is thought by some to be due to the massive extension and growth of the pupils to allow complete sight in the dark. It is said that even the darkest of nights appears well-lit through the eyes of a vampire. However, many others believe that the pupils do not extend and that the eyes simply just become black as a symbol of their demonic nature.
4. BLACKENING OF VEINS -- When a vampire transforms, many of the veins beneath their skin appear to become completely black or very dark purple. If a vampire is wounded whilst in vampire form, its blood will appear to be either black or extremely dark purple as well.
5. PALENESS OF THE SKIN -- When a vampire transforms, it seems to lose much of its natural skin hue. They become notably pale and colorless. Even a dark-skinned vampire (perhaps of black, Hispanic, or Pacific islander descent) will lose much of its dark color upon transformation. An African vampire was once described as looking “almost grey-skinned when he transformed…but maybe with a hint of natural color.”
All of these changes are reversed when the creatures enter back into human form. Their eye, skin, and vein color reverts back to normal, while their fangs and claws retract (replaced by normal human teeth and fingernails). These traits have yet to be explained by scientific facts.
In addition, vampires have a small variety of powers and abilities granted to them by their cursed condition. These powers include: immortality and immunity to all forms of illness, toxic material, and poison; exceptional strength (roughly equivalent to that of 50 men); extraordinary speed (with maximun speed capacities reaching up to 30 m/s); enhanced sense of smell, hearing, and eyesight; virtual invulnerability to conventional (non-silver) weaponry; increased intelligence, especially when logistics are concerned; ability to spread vampiric disease to mortal humans (create new vampires); and telepathic connection to all sired vampires. As a vampire grows older, these strengths and abilities grow and slowly become more powerful.
The vampire who spreads his or her curse to a mortal human being is known as the “sire”, while the victim (and newly sired vampire) is known as the “spawn”. Telepathic communication between sire and spawn is known to exist, but the telepathic connection is severed when either the sire or spawn in slain. It should be noted that a spawn is not considered subservient to its sire and is not obligated to obey its creator under any circumstances. They also do not require one another to survive. A spawn can survive without its sire, just as its sire can survive without its spawn. A vampire is capable of siring as many spawn as he or she desires.
Contrary to popular belief, vampires are not harmed by sunlight in any way. They are as capable of surviving within the sun as a human being. Some believe that vampires are slightly weaker during the day than they are during the night, although this is still up for debate. The origins of these myths are rooted in the fact that most vampires prefer hunting in the night due to their supposed ability to see in the darkness. This gives them a considerable advantage over their prey.
Vampires are also not vulnerable to garlic. These legends originated in Southern Europe, and are considered to be false in every way. In fact, vampires have a strong liking for garlic-flavored foods and aromas.
Vampires have three main weaknesses: silver, holy Abrahamic objects, and fire. Silver, the bane of vampirekind, burns the skin of the creatures on contact. For this reason, vampires are never seen to carry silver on their person and usually do not possess any form of silver objects on their properties. Most vampire hunters make use of silver weapons while seeking out the enemy. As previously stated, any object known to be symbolic of the Abrahamic God (held sacred to the Christian, Jewish, and Islamic religions) repulses the average vampire. While they do not physically harm the vampires, they inspire great fear within them. Holding a crucifix in front of a vampire is the equivalent to holding a tarantula in front of an arachnophobic. Lastly, fire seems to cause an unusual amount of damage to vampiric skin. A vampire’s flesh appears to burn much easier than the flesh of a human. For this reason, fire is usually listed as a major weakness of vampirekind. Vampires can be killed by strangulation and dismemberment by hand as well, but rarely are humans ever able to carry out such acts. These are usually methods used by vampires to kill one another.
Vampires are psychologically incapable of thinking like a human being. As Agents of the Devil, they are only able to comprehend emotions which are linked to the seven deadly sins:
1. Wrath -- Vampires experience extreme emotional outbursts of rage when threatened, offended, or wronged in any way.
2. Greed -- Vampires have an obsession with wealth and material objects. They will do almost anything to gain a desired possession.
3. Sloth -- Vampires enjoy earthly pleasures and favor them over work and labor. They adore lavish parties, drinking, and use of drugs and narcotics.
4. Pride -- Vampires have an inflated sense of personal status and love for their own selves. They are notorious for their arrogance, narcissism, and an endless craving for worship and admiration from others.
5. Lust -- Vampires are lustful beasts. Along with their thirst for flesh and blood, they also have an unquenchable desire for power and sex.
6. Envy -- Vampires have extreme desire to gain possessions which they lack, yet which another has. They despise it when others have superior traits or belongings.
7. Gluttony -- Vampires tend to overindulge in extravagance (usually blood, wine, and decorative foods). Their hungers are almost never satisfied.
However, vampires are very skilled at mimicking normal emotions such as joy, laughter, sadness, and love. This enhances their ability to blend with human society without raising suspicion.
Because of this interesting (and yet terrifying) mental state of mind, vampires are often known to compete with one another. There has even been cases in which several vampires have killed each other out of anger, jealousy, or greed. For these reasons, vampires are completely unable to be good in any way. They are the offspring of sin and evil. There has never been (and never will be) a benevolent vampire. The chemistry within their minds actually alters upon being infected with the vampiric disease.
Vampires are not united for a common cause. They once owed allegiance to Judas Iscariot, their “Blood Prince”. However, they are now separated and mostly act for their own self-interest. Some wish to gain political power. Others wish to remain secluded from public eye. All have their own interests and agendas.
Vampires are united, however, by their respect for the first Agent of the Devil; they all refer to themselves as “Sons and Daughters of Judas”. To insult Judas is to insult their most revered hero.
The Order of the Dragon
Founded in 1408 by several European nobles, the Order of the Dragon is the world’s most prominent vampire hunting institution. Although it originally began as a Christian organization, the Order accepts members of every race and major religion (such as Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, and several others). While it was once a public body, the Order has sunken into secrecy and is considered a mere legend by the public.
The Order of the Dragon has around 700,000 members worldwide. They have survived throughout the centuries through the practice of a 10 Laws of the Dragon (modeled off of the 10 Commandments):
1. Thou shalt not dishonor thy Order.
2. Thou shalt bear hatred towards the Agents of the Devil.
3. Thou shalt not harm thy brothers and sisters in arms.
4. Thou shalt not make accusations of vampirism without approval from thy Justice.
5. Thou shalt not place personal troubles before thy Order.
6. Thou shalt not covet thy brother’s possessions.
7. Thou shalt shun the seven deadly sins.
8. Thou shalt obey the laws of God.
9. Thou shalt not expose the existence of thy Order.
10. Thou shalt follow the law of thy nation, yet place thy Order before thy nation.
To disobey one of the Laws of the Dragon is a crime above all others and is punishable by death. The Order of the Dragon can be considered an extremist organization. While acting for the greater good of mankind, it places a heavy burden on its members and could even prove a burden to itself.
Members of the Order have an organized ranking system. These ranked are listed below (from most important and influential to least):
-Grand Master
-Commandant
-Justice
-Master Hunter
-Captain
-Chief
-Hunter
-Layman
The Order is governed by 10 Grand Masters, followed by a council of 100 Commandants. 50,000 Justices serve under the Commandants. Justices decide whether or not to accuse a suspect of vampirism based on collected evidence presented by the Hunters’ Laymen, and therefore sanction the suspected vampire’s death. Several Master Hunters serve each Justice, and command the field officers (composed of Captains and Chiefs). Hunters serve as the primary foot soldiers of the Order. They are assisted by their Laymen, whom they train to advance to the rank of Hunter.
The Order maintains secrecy even within their own ranks. The identities of the 10 Grand Masters and the 100 Commandants are completely unknown to all Order members under the rank of Justice. The identities of the Justices are only known to the Master Hunters. All members from the rank of Master Hunter downward, however, are made aware of one another’s identities.
Even to become a Layman requires a huge amount of work and trust. Hunters usually give potentials several tests of trust before making them official Laymen of the Order. A Hunter shares a similar relationship to his or her Layman as a knight does to his squire.
Freelance vampire hunters are frowned upon by the Order of the Dragon and are usually sought out to either be recruited or eliminated. The Order views the knowledge of the vampires’ existence as a threat to public stability and peace. They believe freelance hunters may have the potential to reveal the secret of the vampires and cause widespread chaos.
Order members are well-trained in martial arts and with weapons of their own choosing. They are also required to have several degrees from an educational college within the Western Hemisphere. All Hunters are trained to be extremely physically fit in order to take down their mighty adversaries, who overpower them in almost every physical aspect.
Many influential members of society (such as politicians, nobles, judges, and military officers) are secretly members of the Order of the Dragon. However, members are also comprised of commoners who are trying to make the world a safer place. Because of the values generally held by the people of this era, there are FAR more male members than female members of the Order.
The RP
The year is 1785. You are either a common man or woman trying to make their living in the world, a freelance vampire hunter, a member of the Order of the Dragon, or one of the beasts yourself. No matter which path you choose, you will somehow be engulfed in the main storyline. An ancient threat looms over the world…one that even the Order of the Dragon may not be able to handle.
The RP will cover the years between 1785. There will be certain points in the RP where I will say “alright guys, I’m about to skip ahead X amount of years/months”. At that point, you’ll be given the chance to post what happens to your characters during those years before I make the time skip.
You may begin the RP wherever you would like in the world. Vampires are present everywhere, and you never know when you’ll get entangled in the ancient conflict. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS BEGINS IN THE LATE 18TH CENTURY!!!!!!!!! That means 1700’s clothing, weaponry, and technology applies. There will be some steampunk weaponry made available to you throughout the course of the RP if you wish, but you won’t be able to begin with it.
Yes, you may go through the entire RP without once meeting another player. I will try to bring you together through larger events, but make an effort to get together on your own!
COMMONER APPLICATION
You are a common man or woman living a “normal” life in some corner of the world. You have no idea that vampires exist…yet. You may be a beggar, clergyman, noble, politician, bartender, drunkard, or anything you can think of! (HOWEVER, you may NOT be the leader of a nation or the supreme commander of a great military force unless you TG me and get my permission first!)
Full Name:
Gender:
Age:
Appearance (Use a picture -- either a photo or a painting. NO ANIME OR CARTOONS.):
Occupation (Keep it realistic.):
Skills:
Weaknesses/Fears (at least 3):
Biography (At least 5 paragraphs, 5 sentences each.):
Family:
Personality (May alter throughout the course of the RP):
Starting Location (Where your character will be at the start of the RP. You may begin ANYWHERE you wish):
Example of Previous RP (Link):
FREELANCE HUNTER APPLICATION
You are a vampire hunter who is not associated with the Order of the Dragon. You wish to bring the monsters down. You likely lead a double life to hide your true profession -- slaying the Agents of the Devil.
(You may NOT be the leader of a nation or the supreme commander of a great military force unless you TG me and get my permission first!)
Full Name:
Gender:
Age:
Appearance (Use a picture -- either a photo or a painting. NO ANIME OR CARTOONS.):
Occupation (If any, keep it realistic.):
Skills:
Weaknesses/Fears (at least 3):
Biography (At least 5 paragraphs, 5 sentences each.):
Family:
Personality (May alter throughout the course of the RP):
Starting Location (Where your character will be at the start of the RP. You may begin ANYWHERE you wish):
Example of Previous RP (Link):
MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF THE DRAGON APPLICATION
You are a member of the Order of the Dragon. You are a remarkably trusted individual to know the secretive history of vampires and their origins. You likely lead a double life to hide your true profession -- slaying the Agents of the Devil. Your equipment is supplied by the massive funds of the Order.
(You may NOT be the leader of a nation or the supreme commander of a great military force unless you TG me and get my permission first!)
Full Name:
Gender:
Age:
Appearance (Use a picture -- either a photo or a painting. NO ANIME OR CARTOONS.):
Occupation (If any, keep it realistic.):
Skills:
Weaknesses/Fears (at least 3):
Place of Education (A college that actually existed back then):
Biography (At least 5 paragraphs, 5 sentences each.):
Family:
Personality (May alter throughout the course of the RP):
Order Rank (You CANNOT be a Grand Master):
Starting Location (Where your character will be at the start of the RP. You may begin ANYWHERE you wish):
Example of Previous RP (Link):
VAMPIRE APPLICATION
You're one of them. You're an Agent of the Devil. You're a Son or Daughter of Judas. Flesh is life, life is flesh. You are a powerful beast who enjoys the benefits of immortality, yet you are hunted and persecuted by all who know your true condition.
Full Name:
Gender:
Age:
Year Sired:
Appearance in Human Form (Use a picture -- either a photo or a painting. NO ANIME OR CARTOONS.):
Occupation (If any, keep it realistic.):
Skills:
Weaknesses/Fears (at least 3 -- fear of holy objects and silver does not count):
Biography (At least 5 paragraphs, 5 sentences each.):
Family:
Personality (May alter throughout the course of the RP. Read the info above to understand the mental disorders that accompany vampirism.):
Starting Location (Where your character will be at the start of the RP. You may begin ANYWHERE you wish):
Example of Previous RP (Link):
The Rules
1. Whatever I say goes. I'm the mob boss of this RP. I'm the Al Capone of the family.
2. NO GODMODDING. AT ALL!
3. Romance is allowed. But nothing graphic. Post nothing that would make a cute little old lady feel uncomfortable reading.
4. When it comes to violence, you can be graphic. But don't cross the line of being weird/gross.
5. No one liners. None.
6. Use good grammar. If you're not very good at speaking English, please don't join. It's nothing personal. Please don't be offended. It's just a little frustrating to some people when a player can't organize their words correctly. Thanks!
7. Every character must at least somehow understand English. It's hard to RP when characters aren't unified by at least one form of communication.
8. Every vampire will be a challenge to bring down. They are incredibly powerful. One hunter will not be able to take down 5 vampires at once. That's just the harsh reality. So no "He swung his blade and killed two of the beasts" posts. Those two beasts can kick more ass than you can imagine. The same goes for those of you who will be playing vampires. Your characters will be strong, but you're not supermen. Hunters are trained to kill your ass.
9. Gender roles existed in this time period. Keep that in mind while creating your characters -- especially those of you who are making female Hunters.
10. Have fun!
