[✓] [Feat + CA] Vampirism

[The King Of The Moon 7016]

I.    Introduction

 

Corcitură [FA]
◈    Corcituri retain all [5] of their magic slots, and can learn most magics and feats that mortal descendants can learn. ◈    Corcituri cannot learn or practice druidism, templarism or Azdromothian heraldry.  Corcituri can learn shamanism, but cannot pact with Scorthuz. ◈    Corcituri are incompatible with all other CAs besides tawkin klones. ◈    On [Feat] acceptance, [Tier 1] begins and lasts for [4] OOC weeks. [Tier 2] lasts for [8] OOC weeks, at the end of which [Tier 3] is reached and progression stops unless the character takes on the Moroi [Creature Application].
Boons	Banes
[T1] Vitality, Longevity, Transformation	[T1] Divinity
[T2] Darkvision	[T2] Salination
[T3] Contagion, Lurking	[T3] Flashes
Moroi [CA]
◈    Moroi retain only [2] of their magic slots and can learn most feats that a mortal descendant can. ◈    Moroi are incompatible with all magics beyond Blood Magic, Housemagery or Bardmancy. In addition, a slotted Seer of Vaasek who was such prior to becoming a moroi may remain so at the expense of their magic slots, though a pre-existing moroi can never become a slotted Seer. ◈    Moroi are incompatible with all other CAs, which are to be denied upon turning. ◈    The Moroi [CA] experiences all of the Boons and Banes described in the Corcitură [FA], with the sole exception of Salination. ◈    On [Creature Application] acceptance, fresh moroi will begin at [Tier 1] following the timers listed above for the Corcitură [FA], which progress concurrently with the first three tiers of the Moroi [CA]. Current [Feat] vampires however will continue from the tier they had already reached. [Tier 3] lasts for [12] OOC weeks. [Tier 4] lasts for [16] OOC weeks, at the end of which [Tier 5] is reached and progression stops. In total a moroi character’s journey from Tiers [1 - 5] would take [10] OOC months.
Boons	Banes
[T1] Regeneration, Diabolic Synergy	[T1] Wither, Aurum
[T2] Mutation	[T2] Daylight
[T3] Engorge, Monomachy	[T3] Fire
[T4] Metamorphosis	[T4] Boomsteel
[T5] Confirmation
Additional Blood Magic Rites [MA]
[T1] Rite of Reflection [T2] Rite of Revealing [T3] Rite of Revival

 

◈    Vampirism is a curse borne of blood magic.  The base affliction, simply understood as ‘corcituri’ by the Eight Archons and their hazmeză subjects, are a hybrid of descendants and the bygone siliti.  Deemed mongrel anathema for their heritage from the treacherous Ninth Archon, Eireamhan the Hermit, they are mortal, living vampires unlike the immortal Siliti.  The curse of the corcituri is a lesser taint upon the souls of otherwise mortal beings, setting them apart and beneath ‘whole’ vampires as a corrupted variant of descendant.

 

◈     Devolved, Undead vampires who have been resurrected by blood magic and the trace Ibleesian lineage of the Unseen are called ‘moroi’ by the Archons of Hazmstadt. They are a product of the accidental hybridisation of the Cocitoră curse and the Ibleesian taint of the Aeldinic strigae.  These are monsters that carry with them the stain of Ruin and the trappings of Eireamhan’s parasitic experiments, having emerged in the wake of the cloistered Unseen and in spite of Malghourn and his Archons. Immersed fully in their vampirism, they have abandoned their last descendant traces to become blood-fueled Undead of profane heritage.

 

◈     As their curse reaches full maturity [T3], the blood of those afflicted by the Corcitură curse [Feat] becomes contagious, allowing for it to be spread to any whom drink it. The Corcitură curse may be spread through the same Contagion Boon by those who feed from the fully damned Moroi [CA] of [T3] or higher, however only the elders amongst them [T5] may glean the ceremony by which the soul is fully condemned, which comes as an inherent revelation allowing any with a [TA] to propagate the Moroi [CA] by raising others in vampiric undeath.

 

II.    Universal Mechanics

 

◈     All vampires possess a signate, a combination of blood runes layered upon the pre-existing signate runes, forming a symbol with meanings unique to that vampire.  A signate acts as an ethereal tether for the vampire; their personal rune in the Material Alphabet which is evermore bound to their soul blueprint.

 

◈     Signates are acquired through an epiphany soon after being turned, the shape decided upon and therein permanently burned into their mind.  They can also be revealed against a vampire’s will via blood magic’s Rite of Revealing.

 

◈     Signates are predominantly used in the rites of Reflection and Resurrection.

 

◈     Driven by the need to feed the living blood magic etched on their soul, vampires unnaturally thirst for blood and its empowering genus.  They shift constantly between [2] states as corcituri, or [3] states if they are moroi.

 

◈     Quenched Vampires have their thirst quenched after having fed on at least [⅓] of a descendant’s blood.  Their bloodthirst remains quenched for [7] OOC days.		The ramifications of these three states cause the curses of all vampires to intensify or subside, manifest as Boons and Banes.
◈     Thirsting Vampires thirst for as long as they haven’t fed within the past [7] OOC days.  Thirsting vampires are subject to certain drawbacks which last until they feed again.
◈     Withered A state exclusive to moroi who have not fed within the past [3] OOC weeks, since they are far more dependent on blood to satiate their ravenous marrows.  Moroi become withered indefinitely if they do not feed, becoming as physically weak as Voidal magi and outwardly sickly as their marrows ravage their body for energy.

 

◈     Feeding is initiated by a vampire dedicating [1] emote to biting into the flesh of a descendant which is either exposed or protected by no more than light armour. Once bitten, a vampire must sustain their feeding to begin drinking blood for the subsequent emotes.

 

◈     A vampire consumes blood at a rate of [⅓] of a descendant’s blood per [3] emotes of sustained feeding.  This blood must be fresh, meaning that it was spilt from a body that was alive no longer than [1] IC day or [3] OOC hours ago. Sustained feeding will be interrupted whenever the connection between the vampire's bite and the victim is broken, which resets the current emote count per third.

◇     A descendant goes into hemorrhagic shock and is incapacitated after having lost [⅓] of their blood, rendering them unconscious for the remainder of a combat encounter or [30] OOC minutes outside of combat, after which they will still be weakened from bloodloss for [1] OOC day. A descendant dies if they lose [⅔] of their blood.
◇     A vampire must feed on a player character or an ST event character, and cannot feed on NPC’s.
◇     If interrupted, any [⅓] of blood already lost or consumed remains so, though the set of current [3] emotes required to spill the next [⅓] is reset. In this regard, if a moroi has drunk bitten and been feeding for [1] emote already, then was interrupted, they would fail to consume the first [⅓] and would not be quenched, nor would their victim go into hemorrhagic shock. An additional [1] emote would be required to re-establish the bite before the [2] emotes of sustained would be necessary from the start again. This also applies for subsequent third.
◇     A vampire’s player must catalogue their feedings, and must keep evidence on hand that can be provided to the ST if requested.  This evidence should include screenshots of feeding emotes, recording the date of the feeding and the player/ST actor fed from.

 

◈     Whilst vampires can drink the blood of any being without side effects, they cannot satiate their thirst with the blood of animals, or with the blood of other vampires of the same or higher breed. In this regard corcituri could not feed from their fellow corcituri, nor from the ruinous moroi whose blood though tasting normal would fail to sate their thirst. A moroi however could yet feed and be quenched by a corcitură as normal, on account of their mostly descendant blood.

◇     Feasible feeding targets include regular descendants and CAs who are still considered alive and have blood infused with genus.
 

◈     Vampires bites are infused with blood magic that causes the wounds of their prey to clot supernaturally fast, allowing their prey to narrowly survive if they have more than [½] their blood remaining.  A vampire can choose not to invoke this blood magic and allow their victim to bleed out in the emote following a bite's release.

 

◈     Vampires who are currently thirsting enter a feeding frenzy when exposed to fresh blood equal to or greater than [⅓] of a descendant’s supply.  This blood must be exposed to the air within [8] blocks of the vampire without barriers (including glass).

This subconsciously triggers the Transformation ability, revealing their Vampiric Guise as they lash out near indiscriminately for up to [3] OOC hours or until they are quenched. The Vampiric Guise is a vampire's 'true' form, exposing their monstrous features such as facial contortions, fangs and claws.

◇     In the event of PVP combat, blood freshness begins to degrade after the conclusion of the PVP encounter. A vampire may only feed from a defeated individual after PVP has been concluded and in accordance with the usual emote requirements. Likewise, a Feeding Frenzy will only be triggered after PVP combat has ended if a susceptible vampire remains in range of an appropriate amount of blood for [2] emotes following the PVP encounter's conclusion.

◇     A vampire’s feeding frenzy makes them reckless and hard to reason with, but does not limit their intelligence.  They are still able to cast magic, wield weapons and coordinate themselves. In this regard vampires would not attempt to feed from their own kind in vain when they are recognised as such (corcituri or moroi respectively) and Seers of Vaasek would not be compelled to break their tenets.

◇     A frenzied vampire becomes single-minded in their predator instincts and is unable to distinguish friend from foe or forgo an opportunity to feed.  However, they retain their sentience and sense of self-preservation and will not commit to suicidal or illogical courses of action.

◇     Whilst thirsting or withered, vampires with the Blood Magic [MA] may only succeed in solo or group rites and rituals alongside other vampires; the blood of non-vampiric participants would trigger a feeding frenzy.
◇    Only blood which a vampire knows or would logically assume could sate their thirst will trigger a feeding frenzy. That is to say, a vampire cannot sense or discover the properties of a creature or their blood by its presence alone, and the start of a frenzy hinges on a vampire's understanding of such. For example, whilst the blood of a shapeshifted druid could sustain a vampire, if the thirsting vampire in question does not know an animal to be a shapeshifted druid then they would not enter a frenzy (as usually animal blood would not sate them). Likewise on the inverse, if the blood of a homunculus was spilt which the vampire assumed to be an ordinary descendant, a frenzy would be triggered (despite their blood being without genus and incapable of sating a vampire's thirst). In both cases if the vampire had prior knowledge of said creatures and in the moment could identify them as such, then the inverse would apply.

 

◈     The price of a vampire's blood addiction is also passively visible through the Thirsting and Withered states, sense, as every [2 OOC weeks] since their last feeding will cause a vampire to appear twenty years older than the age at which they were turned, though this has no impact on their physical capability. In this regard four years (an OOC month) without feeding would make a vampire cursed at twenty appear sixty. This plateus at the vampire's racial cap, where they will remain hideously old and haggard until their next feeding.

◇     This faux ageing is independant of the Vampiric Guise, which may still be utilised as normal as per the Transformation Boon.

◇     Vampires have no control over this accelerated, aesthetic maturing and cannot by any means make themselves appear older or younger at will.

---

 

Plural, singular form: Corcitură

Unisex.

The Mongrel Vampires 

[Feat]

 

III.   Feat Origin:  The Fallen Archon

Spoiler

Sleet whipped across the sparkling plain to fall upon bloodsoaked earth and some hundreds of hairy, lumped bodies that lay in piles and the howling storm’s snow became tainted with a deep crimson. Atop the frozen massacre stood a spread semicircle of grim figures who gawked and trembled; where a decrepit drake with flaking, stoney scaled once hunched now loomed a steaming and fanged creature as red and raw as a beating heart. With the recently extinct race of the bohra as their witness, Malghourn lectured his conspirators as an empowered, vampiric dragonoid and made his intent clear; each of these great blood mages had betrayed one another in the planning of this ritual, each had betrayed the man who trusted them with his immortal life, and they had butchered the remnants of a dying race to do it: for power, for fame, for time. This was the Night of Ten Treacheries and none felt the guilt and shame stronger than the wood elven archon Eireamhan and every lacerating word of Malghourn’s speech cut deep into his soft and vulnerable conscience.

 

“...You must earn my favour,” hissed Malghourn, his voice piercing the storm like thunder.

 

Eireamhan became irate and let it be known; not only was he disgusted in his failure to spare Hazm the due sympathy to save his life but none of the Archons did either. Not only was he gravely disappointed in his willingness to cheat his peers but so too were they committed to cheating him. Worst of all they knelt to Malghourn and accepted his deals, each privately tailored to seduce them, and for it they were everything they wanted but for all the wrong reasons and he said it clear: Malghourn was an evil bilk and nothing more than a winged serpent who spoke lies and preyed on the Archon’s flaws.

 

A dreadful, tense silence hung in the air as the maelstrom briefly lulled and all eyes fell on the steaming and insidious visage of Malghourn for a reaction. They all knew he spoke truth but the true question was if their master would tolerate it. Unsurprisingly he did not. Eireamhan’s coming words were choked out of him and his limbs seized as he befall the dragon’s blood bending and hovered near; Malghourn whispered that no more ill words would lap from his tongue and thereafter his jaws unhinged and his tongue was magically torn from his gullet and consumed by his master. With the ritual completed Eireamhan was banished to his new plane as punishment while the other Archons began their roles and new lives.

 

Bitter, spiteful, and mute, the wood elf refused to allow himself to fall to the pains of Malghourn’s torment. His life was irreparably affected and considered himself already dead and nothing would satisfy him other than wounding Malghourn’s grand scheme of which he was certain there were many. Isolated, Eireamhan pored over his new magical form and performed experimental blood rites on himself to alter his bloodline in an attempt to weaponize it into a plague-like derivative. Once satisfied his sights narrowed upon Numir and Carical’s conjoined worlds of Hazmstadt and in particular the farm. Were he to thwart Malghourn through anyone it would be his most coveted grovelling servants. In a final ritual after ten years of isolation and modification Eireamhan summoned a blood rift with his own veins and slipped into the proverbial pig pen.

 

Within a mere month the fabricated societies of mortals intended to serve and feed the vampire race in their sprawling capital was in utter turmoil as slaves rose up in violent and carnal waves thirsting for the blood of their families and, in the eyes of the siliti, their cattle were spoiling. This uproar induced panic in Hazmstadt and the monarchs called upon their fellow Archons to tend to the matter. Unknown thousands were cut down in an inquisition upon the farm world to purge these mongrel, petulant vampires that came to be known as ‘corcitură’ in the immortal tongue of hazmeză.

 

After the dust had settled, and countless corcituri lay dead, only three Archons remained present. Numir and his Dreadguard had apprehended the Hermit, whilst Mictlanti toiled away at his latest machination: a ritual that would incapacitate the few lucky corcituri to be left alive, to act as guinea pigs for what would later be known as the ‘Rite of Restraints’, preserving them for countless tortures to be carried out in his own realm. With such shackles prepared, Mictlanti took it upon himself to personally deliver Eireamhan into Malghourn’s clutches once more. 

 

For his service, Mictlanti was named the ‘Turnkey’ by Malghourn, and granted an extensive dungeon for his newly made tool: a gaol of coffin-cells stacked floor to ceiling, to house future siliti that might invoke the Enlightened Drake’s wrath. And for his treachery, Eireamhan was returned to his plane once more to be its prisoner yet again, the realm embedded with the Archon’s power and life, bound so no blood sorcery might free him without also taking his life. Left to be isolated for eternity in his forested world. 

 

Trapped in bitterness and resentment towards the drake that had wronged him, Eireamhan’s experiments did not cease. Decades became centuries, and with time the Archon found purpose: fleeting efforts were made to spread his cursed line to the mortal realm, in an attempt to halt Malghourns efforts with yet another parasitical pandemic. Finally, the Hermit’s will would be given form, as a sparse handful of altars had managed to be summoned upon the mortal plane in the past century. Containing the Archon’s blood which, if imbibed, would afflict mortals with his cursed line, granting them the necessary tools to spread it further as agents of the trapped Archon’s plague.

 

IV.    General

 

◈     The Corcitură curse is a Feat which can be acquired by any living descendant who has not had it before and does not hold an incompatible MA or CA (listed under Part I.). 

 

◈     The curse is spread by the blood of other vampires; corcituri and moroi who have reached the third tier of their curse and the subsequent Contagion Boon. By design of the curse’s progenitor, the Fallen Archon Eireamhan, there are also altars placed throughout the world, willed into being as cursed fonts of his own blood from which the curse can be spread. 

◇     These self-teach sites are dispensed at the discretion of the Story Team.

◇     In either situation the player, should they consent out of character to be cursed, would submit a Feat Application to mark them as a corcitură.
◇     A character must be at least 16 years old to obtain the Corcitură feat.

 

◈     At the lesser dedicated end of the vampire spectrum, corcituri are still for all intents and purposes mortal descendants who have been cursed, and not separate ‘creatures’ outright. Their minds, bodies and souls are unchanged from their true race’s norms except where specified otherwise under Boons and Banes. That is to say that corcituri must still eat, rest and breathe as regular descendants, and can still be harmed - or killed - by the same means as any other mortal character. 

◇    In the advent of death, corcituri have no perma-kill clause nor revival mechanic; it is at the discretion of the corcitură player if their character is returned from such by the Wilven Monks in accordance with normal server rules. 

 

◈     As descendants marked by the marrows of blood magic, the physical banes of blood magic if practised, including its life-shortening effects are resisted by corcituri. This is only applicable to blood magic, and any other compatible art which shortens the lifespan or alters the physical state of a corcitură would supersede the boons of this curse.

◇    If a corcitură practises magics which physically weaken the user (e.g. Voidal magics) or alter their lifespan (e.g. Necromancy), the detriments of these MA’s will always supersede the boons of this Feat.

 

◈     Once afflicted, the character will remain cursed for the rest of their days unless cured by the Muritor Elixir, an Alchemical Potion designed to restore a corcitură to their descendant physiology, or by the blessings of Shamanism, which can break the lesser marrows of blood magic upon the corcitură’s soul and purify them of their vampirism.

◇    If cured by either method, the Feat is denied and the same character can never become a corcitură again. Though they could still be fully damned, however, if an elder moroi subjected them to Confirmation. 

◇    Curing requires the corcitură player’s out of character consent to succeed.

 

 

V.    Boons

 

A curse of intentional design and wicked purpose, the putrid blood of Eireamhan affords unto its inheritors a series of minor blessings, the bulk of which become accessible to the host vampire from the point of cursing.

◇ These Boons affect all corcituri from the listed tier, and are retained still by those who have fully dedicated themselves as moroi.

 

[T1] Longevity - Passive

 

◈     Corcituri are blessed with youth for the entirety of their lengthened lifespans, remaining as young and healthy as they would be in the prime of their race when first afflicted with their curse so long as they consume blood regularly. This is the age of 21. Those cursed as corcituri or resurrected as moroi before such an age will continue to develop naturally until such a time is reached when the curse will fully take effect and keep their physical bodies from aging any further.

 

◈     Whilst not true immortality, this grants corcituri the boon of living in their prime for decades, maintaining their stature, beauty and health irrespective of age. Further, the lifespans of corcituri are mildly stretched, increased by up to double their usual racial maximum. In this sense a human corcitură could live for up to three hundred years, and still retain the aesthetics and physical capability of whatever age they were cursed at. This longevity compensates for and overrules the lifespan shortening effects of blood magic.

 

◈     If a corcitură is cured, they will begin ageing from the age at which they were cursed. For instance, if a corcitură is cursed at twenty and cured at one hundred and twenty, ten years later they would look and feel thirty. However, any corcitură that has exceeded their racial age cap will die upon curing, as they are only sustained past that cap by being corcituri. In this sense OOCly consenting to being cured is in turn OOCly consenting to PK their character if they are over their racial age cap (based on the age provided in their corcitură feat application and the time elapsed since them). 

 

◇     The Longevity Boon will only start to take effect when the character has reached the age of 21 wherein the curse will fully take effect and cease the body from aging any further.  

 

[T1] Vitality - Passive

 

◈     Corcituri are able to heal from injury at triple the speed of regular descendants. Bleeding from cuts will slow to a stop thrice as fast as one without their curse, and wounds, broken bones and other major - though not fatal - injuries will too be recovered from three times as quickly. 

 

 ◈     With their vitality also comes a passive immunity to common poisons, as well as a constitution against spoiled foods. This alone offers no resilience against magical curses and plagues, however, and corcituri remain as susceptible to Thanhium Poisoning and Azhl-Anemia as ordinary descendants.

 

◈     This regeneration has no bearing on lethal wounds, as corcitură are still predominantly descendants and are subject to the same death clauses.  Further, corcitură that remain quenched will find themselves in a perpetually healthy state, as being afflicted as a corcitură also cures individuals of any congantenial disorders or mundane maledictions, to which all corcituri are immune. 

 

◈     When thirsting, this will have an inverse effect on corcituri. Those that abstain from feeding will begin to suffer from bouts of cold sweating, palpitations and a mild fever, worsening over time. 

 

◇     Vitality will only cause regular, natural descendant healing to be accelerated to three times its normal speed. It cannot be used to supernaturally heal injuries in a way that descendant couldn’t already (IE regrowing a severed limb).

◇     With the exception of slowing bleeding will have no effect in combat and injuries that would be fatal or incapacitating to the common descendant will remain so for a corcitură. Similarly, magical diseases and other spells pertaining to health or sickness will affect corcituri in the same manner as any other descendant.

◇     Being cured of the corcitură curse will revert the effects of Vitality, restoring any diseases or congantenial disorders they suffered from before being turned.

 

[T1] Transformation - Combative

 

◈     Corcituri are capable of adjusting small aspects of their appearance at will, limited to extending their canines into fangs and their nails into claw-like talons. These aspects require one emote each to grow, after which they will permanently remain until retracted once more at the same speed. Corcituri are also able to warp their facial features into a bestial mimicry of their usual appearance, obscuring their identity and allowing them to shift between a total of two demeanours: that of their descendant selves, and that of their Vampiric Guise.

 

◈     Elongated teeth and nails are considerably sharper than those of normal descendants, and are a useful asset in drawing cuts on unprotected or lightly clothed skin, though are no physically stronger or more durable than the respective enamel or keratin of the corcitură’s respective descendant race.

 

◈     Instinctively tied to feeding, a corcitură in a frenzy will elongate these features subconsciously (though still requiring the same amount of time), and may be unable to retract them until their thirst has been satiated (subject to Feeding, under Explanation). When underfed, a corcitură who has not drank a portion of blood in two years (OOC weeks) will be forced to have their fangs and claws out at all times, unable to retract them until they’ve satiated their thirst.

 

◇     Corcituri face contortion is fixed as one specific ‘face’ that MUST appear vampiric, hideous and inhuman, with eye colours ranging from red, yellow, white or black (optionally across irises, pupils and scleras) as well as hair colours ranging from white, grey or black. Noses and ears can be entirely absent or upturned and batlike. Temporary alopecia can remove hair or on the inverse it can be grown wild and unkempt. Skin can become corpse white, blood red or stony grey with any variation of flaying, scarring or vein discolouration across the entire body. Lips can be split and torn to the extent of revealing the entire jaw. 

◇     These features will always culminate in a monstrous appearance and can never be nitpicked to create a face that would pass for ‘ordinary’, nor could any of the above replicate the appearance of a different descendant or descendant race. 

◇     The full transformation will always appear the same way once decided on and cannot be changed to allow infinite disguises or half measures, with the sole exception of teeth and claws that do not necessitate a full transformation.

◇     [1] emote is required to elongate either one’s teeth, one’s nails, or contort one's face, meaning [3] emotes total would be required to complete transformation into the Vampiric Guise. These emotes serve to represent the passage of time, and do not constitute actions of themselves. The emote count still applies to transformations triggered by a Feeding Frenzy.

◇     Elongated canine teeth and clawed fingernails are no harder or more durable than regular teeth or nails. Further, canine teeth cannot be longer than would fit into the corcitură’s mouth, whilst nails cannot extend more than one inch past the fingertip. 

 

[T2] Darkvision - Combative

 

◈     Vampires are passively able to see without the need for light.  Magically blessed to pierce any and all shadow to the extremes of pitch black, corcituri witness even the darkest crevices of the world as if fully illuminated.

 

◈     This grants no additional perceptive advantage, however; though clear in the dark, their vision is no more sharp, precise or far reaching than the common descendant. Likewise, effects which obscure vision such as Eyebite, Deadbreath and smoke screens will be just as obfuscating to a vampire as a common descendant.

 

◇     Corcituri do not have enhanced sight beyond the ability to see in complete darkness as a descendant would in broad daylight. They can only see as clearly and as far as a descendant’s peak vision.

◇     Prosthetic eyes, regardless of source, invalidate this Boon. Similarly characters which rely on other senses than sight (magical or otherwise), including both [FA] and [MA] Seers of Vaasek which do not see physically, do not access it.

 

 

[T3] Lurking - Noncombative

 

◈     The bloodline heritage of the Archon Eireamhan, the Hermit, becomes fully realised by the corcitură, allowing them to embrace and chameleon into dark spaces.  Outside of daylight (described earlier under Darkvision), corcituri are capable of fading their forms to accurately match the low light levels of their surroundings and become transparent, effectively disappearing into the shadows so long as they retain placid and consciously stealthy. 

 

◈     While Lurking they move at half speed, losing the dark’s fragile embrace should they act in haste or divert their attention from the act of hiding. Unobstructed light from a torch or brighter within [8] blocks of the corcitură may also unveil them, though otherwise they remain undetectable. 

 

◈     Corcituri’s Darkvision Boon allows vampires to see one another even whilst Lurking.  In addition, characters who do not require light to see, such as Seers (both MA and Feat), can still see corcituri clearly whilst Lurking, as can those in possession of True Sight such as Mystics and those afflicted with Vivification, who perceive the vampire adorned with innumerable crimson runes and sigils including their Signate shimmering brightest amongst the rest.

 

◇     This ability cannot be used during combat, and corcituri will be unveiled by performing combative actions such as charging spells, aiming ranged weaponry or preparing melee weaponry within striking range (which would unveil them [1] emote prior to attempting a strike). 

◇     Lurking is convincing under darkness up to [2] blocks away at which point they cannot hide the curvature of their body against their background and are noticeable. Darkness from a shadow which covers their whole body is a minimum requirement for lurking to be initiated as well as sustained.

◇     Vampires remain corporeal whilst lurking and vulnerable to harm as usual. Though all held or worn items will disappear when the vampire begins Lurking, objects or substances which interact with them thereafter (such as dust or paint) will remain visible unless the vampire reveals themself fully and initiates Lurking once again, over the course of [2] emotes.

 

 

[T3] Contagion - Combative

 

◈     The curse of the corcituri is easily spreadable: a pandemic of Eireamhan’s vengeful design, traced back to the Hermit himself, any of the vampire line who has let their curse fully mature is able to propagate their condition. 

 

◈     By feeding their own damned blood to a descendant, willingly or not, there is a chance (dictated by OOC consent) for the curse to catch on to a new host. 

 

◈     Upon successful cursing, victims will fall into a tormented slumber, over the course of which they will dream of their signate and physically shift into their Vampiric Guise. 

 

◈     Further, descendants suffering from congenital or acquired diseases as well as fatal wounds and lasting injuries will find themselves miraculously cured; revitalised to their physical prime and saved from the brink of death.

◇     Contagion can only be administered to currently living characters and cannot restore severed limbs nor can it revive a character who is already dead. If a character is saved from their fatal wound by turning, their survival depends on the acceptance of their feat application.

◇     Those that have been corcituri previously and were subsequently cured cannot be cursed again, excluding the extreme condemnation that is the Moroi Confirmation. 

◇     A successfully turned corcitură must post a feat application, listing the person that created them (willingly or not) as their ‘teacher’.  The corcitură whose blood was used in the creation process must then link their accepted feat application in a comment on the new application.

◇     Turning someone into a corcitură requires their informed OOC consent.  In this regard corcituri players looking to spread the curse must link this lore and permit new converts the chance to familiarise themself with it before deciding. Should consent not be obtained, the attempt to spread the curse is treated as a failure IC. 

◇     Corcituri can only spread their curse via immediate consumption of their blood by another.  The corcitură curse will spoil from blood within five narrative minutes after it was spilt, meaning one could not bottle it for long term storage or sale.

◇     Vampires cannot turn others until they have reached [T3].  Further, an individual corciură can only spread the curse 3 times per month.  Blood used to spread the curse cannot be diluted in any way. That is to say, one could not spike a drink nor food with their blood in order to create more corcituri.

 

 

VI.    Banes

 

◈     Corcituri in their base form share the combative constitution of mortal descendants. That is to say, a corcitură is restricted to the strength, endurance and capacity for harm as their base race; anything that would injure, incapacitate or kill an ordinary person would also kill a corcitură unless specified otherwise. 

 

◈     Along with their mundane fragility, corcituri are smitten by additional Banes as part of their curse.

 

◇     These Banes affect all corcituri from the listed tier, and are retained still by those who have fully dedicated themselves as moroi.

 

 

[T1] Divinity

 

◈     Due to their cursed souls, all revealed corcituri are considered “darkspawn” within the confines of deity magics, subject to the special effects of abilities that target darkspawn if they are revealed as such to the caster.

 

◇     Spells and enchantments from the likes of Templarism and similar magics with effects written to target darkspawn will affect corcituri as described, subject to the same reveal standards as their respective lorepiece.

◇     Corcituri in their Vampiric Guise will always be considered ‘revealed darkspawn’.

 

[T2] Salination

 

◈     An inheritance from their treacherous Archon forefather, shared with the siliti of Hazmstadt as Malghourn's safeguard after the Night of the Ten Treacheries, seawater (or artificial saltwater of [3%] concentration or higher) and pure salt of a handful or greater when in contact with the wound of the thirsty corcituri will feel as hot coals to them will feel as hot coals to them; not only amplifying their pain but also causing blood to bubble agonisingly as the salt is dissolved into it.

 

◈     Though never completely lethal, if salt reaches the bloodstream a thirsty corcitură becomes encumbered by pain for [2] emotes to follow, unable to sprint or maintain a magical connection.

 

◈     Due to their dark rebirth and realignment to Iblees' Nexus, away from Malghourn's Red Nexus (and the Archonic Blood Shards), the marrows of moroi are warped by Ruin against the Stone Serpent's meddling and as a result moroi do not inherit this trait.

 

◇     Salt and saltwater must be represented by named RP items with the exception of environmental salination, for instance whilst swimming in an ocean or sea. If a character does not possess a mechanical item explicitly described as salt or saltwater prior to the roleplay, it cannot be deployed against a corcitură in this manner. 

◇     In the spirit of good faith, “test kits” intended to minimize inventory slots whilst encompassing multiple items and materials would also be insufficient. 

◇     Sand, salt of less than a full handful as well as seawater less than a bucket will not suffice in triggering this weakness. In this sense salted or saltwater treated items would also be insufficient.
    ◇     Since the effects of vampire curse reveal their predatory nature especially when thirsty, corcitura only succumbs to the revealing effects of Salination when in a Thirsting state. Under their vampiric guise, Corcitura would be affected by salt and ıts all negative effects as they would if they were thirsting. 

 

 

[T3] Flashes 

◈     A sensitivity borne of their inherent darkvision, bright flashes borne of alchemy and magic (where described explicitly as a disruptive flash or an explosion of light, not the mere conjuration of a light source such as fire) from in the corcitură’s line of sight at [8] blocks whilst quenched and [12] blocks when thirsting will dazzle and blind them for an extended period; double that of their descendant counterparts.

 

◇     Spells and lore items which are explicitly designed to emit dazing flashes will trigger this weakness at twice the effectiveness, doubling the recovery emotes as described in the respective lore piece.

◇     Prosthetic eyes, regardless of source, cannot bypass this Bane. However characters which are physically blind and rely on other senses than sight (magical or otherwise), including both [FA] and [MA] Seers of Vaasek which do not see physically, are unaffected.

 

---

Plural or singular.

Fem. singular form: moroaică. Fem. plural: moroaice

The Vampiric Undead

[CA] 

 

VII.   Creature Origin:  The Echoes of the Unseen

Spoiler

Before the Siliti and the corcitură curse borne of them, before the Archons and before Malghourn’s awakening, there were the Unseen, and the Strigae they bore.

 

Mysterious patrons of Ruin, little is known about these early black magi beyond their profane affiliations and their proto-demonic nature. Some warlocks theorise them to be infernal princes, though in truth they predate the immolation of Moz Strimoza and the consecration of the Infernal Climb. Perhaps once they were mortal, or perhaps they were sculpted from the Dark by the Betrayer, or born of the Daemon Asura. 

 

All that is certain is that there are six such beings, once banished from this plane in the time of the Thirty Years War that were mistakenly returned centuries thereafter by an elfish sorcerer and acolyte of the Undead: Gedym aep Helgraen.

 

Though Gedym’s true intent was to restore Iblees upon the then-young soils of Aeldin after his return and subsequent defeat at Aeriel’s hands in Aegis, he was nonetheless seduced by the gifts the Unseen had promised; immortality and elevation beyond the descendant blemishes, that they might live to see the Undead restored upon Mundus.

 

He became the first of the Elders, tasked with presiding over the crypts in which the Unseen would slumber for millenia to follow, anticipating the return of their shared Lord, Iblees. Cycled through periods of rest and awakening to preserve their tarnished minds, the Six Unseen and the vampiric strigae borne of Gedym’s blood remain to this day a covert regional power in Aeldin, beholden to fearful strictures and tightly regulated lest their plot and true nature - as perhaps the last heirs of the Betrayer’s power - be exposed.

 

Though attempts were made to spread their dark covenant to the Aegisian Diaspora on the Isles of Axios, the aforementioned Codex became their undoing; haunted by paranoia on these foreign shores, the Aeldinic Elder saw in descendantkind a recklessness which prompted him to forfeit their mission; ordaining his underling to undo those that had been made, and subsequently scouring the strigae thereafter from the land which followed: Atlas.

 

Amongst the Descendants on the subsequent continent of Arcas, a handful of survivors from the Axiosan Coven reconvened once more to reinvigorate the strigae court, though alas they were denied communion with the Mother Church of the Unseen. They had been marked by the Aeldinic Strigae not only as schismatists whose existence defied the Codex, but so too had the Unseen forsaken the lands upon which they stood.

 

Stories had spread amongst the strigae of a curse borne not directly of Iblees but of blood magic; the tainted blood of Eireamhan’s corcituri. It was said that those who fed upon these mongrel vampires - the bastard heirs of the siliti, which were themselves the bastard heirs of the striga Hazm Alhazred - found themselves cursed; killed as ethereal marrows cleaved like hooks into their very souls, causing them to die and rise again as blood-sustained Undead.

 

In secret the Elders gleaned the true workings of these Vampiric Dead - whom the rival Archons called ‘Moroi’ - as the obliteration of the soul and the sustenance of its remnants. Like the Undead upon Aegis, the souls of these wretches were irreparably split; the larger half - three fifths - were claimed by the traces of Ruin upon them, cast into Iblees’ Nexus within the High Hells. The lesser portion - two fifths - were however retained by the mongrel marrows upon it, sustained in tainted undeath by bloodthirst. 

 

For the first time since Gedym’s rebirth, the six Unseen were awoken at once and, horrified, made their proclamation:

 

“The treacherous line of Alhazred has brought forth mongrel calamity. On the lands these mongrels tread, our sacrosanct Codex is perverted, our children are mutilated. In these lands - wherever the Aegisians may roam - lurk the Anathema. Hence they shall be dealt as such, shunned and avoided as lepers. No strigae shall return to these lands. No mongrel will be suffered amongst us in sacred Aeldin.”

 

Declared in silent envy, the Unseen withdrew all strigae yet in communion from beyond Aeldin’s shores and forbade their flock from again fraternising with the Aegisian Diaspora, for fear of Eireamhan’s curse not only ravaging their own courts but also undermining their authority as the supposed sole vicars of Iblees.

 

Condemned simultaneously for their mongrel heritage by the Archon courts of Hazmstadt and the Siliti, and the theological implications of their Undead nature by the Unseen Elders and the Strigae, the Moroi remain now the final, consolidated vampires exiled amongst descendantkind; borne of the Betrayer’s ancient taint and sustained in unlife by the marrows of blood magic.

 

VIII.   General, Physical and Mental State

 

◈     Moroi are a CA can be acquired by any living descendant who undergoes Confirmation at the cost of [3] of their magic slots and most of their magic compatibility (listed under Part II.). 

◈     Upon CA submission the moroi player can choose which of their prior magics to drop or retain, if compatible. Though moroi are incompatible with Naztherak for balancing reasons, the souls (and magic slots) of naztherak characters who become moroi will be snatched into Iblees' Nexus, overruling the Zar'rokul's claim on them. This means that they would retain [2] of the slots usually lost when a character drops Naztherak to have just as many as any other moroi. Undergoing Confirmation will also render any tawkin klones or dormant machine spirit husks once bonded to the moroi in life to become inert

 

◈     The state of vampiric undeath is spread by elder moroi with a ritual inherently gleaned by those who have reached the fifth tier of their curse and submitted a Teacher Application. On acceptance of this application the moroi in question is given a revelation of Confirmation and subsequently an inherent understanding of how to create more moroi through the ritual killing and resurrection of pre-existing corcituri or unafflicted descendants.

◇     Confirmation is revealed only to those with an accepted Moroi [TA], considered IC to be secret knowledge only spread through divine inspiration; moroi characters do not see the Rite as something that can be ‘taught’ by one moroi to another but rather gleaned a sacred vision shown only to those ‘chosen’ to know it. Mechanically speaking, however, any moroi can learn the ritual and submit a TA upon reaching [T5]. 

◇     OOC (though not IC) consent is required to turn another character into a moroi. Upon turning a Creature Application must be submitted and any incompatible magics held by that character would have to be dropped.

 

◈     As fully dedicated and condemned vampires, moroi are no longer their initial descendant race but undead creatures. With this comes a significant change in physical and mental state as well as a number of Boons and Banes.

◇    As undead creatures, moroi cannot sexually reproduce or FTB as per server rules.

 

◈     Once resurrected, a moroi can no longer be cured and reverted back to their descendant race nor transformed into any other [CA]. They in turn become subject to the character shelf and PK clauses outlined in Regeneration, Rite of Revival and Monomachy.

 

 

◈     Having nurtured their curse to completion - the consumption of both body and soul - moroi are fully stripped of their descendant attributes, born again into a monstrous echo of the Aegisian Undead, albeit without their covenant or deific empowerment. 

 

◈     Though in their death and rebirth the greater halves of their souls were fed to him through his Nexus, the Vampiric Undead retain no communion with Iblees nor the six which once served him. Sustaining no deific connection in the Betrayer’s absence nor the Unseen’s resentment, the fleeting fleshy forms of the moroi are preserved solely by their inherited taint and marrows: a network of runes and ensorcelments of blood magic and Ruin splintered into their bones and impaled through what remains of their tattered souls.

 

◈     The broken, Ruinous essence of a moroi's spirit is two-fifths that of a descendant, and behaves strangely in response to the soul-altering spellwork of others. Malflame affects moroi in the same manner as any descendant or the equally as corrupt inferi, though its grim nature may be exposed by the reaping attempts of mystics, who will find in moroi only black anima stained by Iblees which is unsuitable for forming soul fragments

◇     Mysticism's Rite of Harvest will still affect moroi as normal, though instead of drawing the usual white streak of anima from a moroi they will instead encounter a sickly, dark miasma which fills the mystic with a sense of dread before dispersing; failing to produce a soul fragment for the mystic to use. Mysticism's Saturation and Spiriting spells will similarly harm moroi as they would normal descendants, though the white scar typically left by such is instead corrupted and black, and likewise will yield no soul fragments.

 

◈     The moroi are irreparably monstrous undead, bound in nigh eternal life by a metaphysical patchwork of curses that thirst ceaselessly for blood. Though without it they can in theory survive, their existence becomes one of misery and fragility as their Boons fail them and their Banes worsen to the point of physical atrophy and the worst conceivable ravages of addiction. 

◇     Marrows are a rigid web of black magic manifest as metaphysical enchantments and physical etchings upon a moroi's skeleton, which cannot be permanently altered by spells outside of Blood Magic. In this regard, spells from the school of Necromancy may restore a damaged moroi's flesh to normal out of combat, though they can never augment it past its usual limitations nor modify it to take on a new shape, appearance or bodily addition.

 

◈     With their damnation to Iblees' arcane gaol within Moz Strimoza, becoming more akin to anathema strigae than ucigaş siliti, the feeble grasp of Malghourn upon the marrows of moroi is all but erased. Unlike corcituri - the bastards of the Archon Eireamhan - moroi are bound only to the Betrayer's Nexus, with no direct link to the Nine Archons or the Stone Serpent, nor are they shepherded by the Unseen and their ordained Elders. That is to say moroi cannot be sensed by siliti nor strigae and have no direct inheritance from either besides their disjointed marrows and their Undead heritage, and are likewise free of Malghourn's more niche afflictions upon their now blackened souls. In turn, coffins hold no magical sway over moroi nor does salt - a direct mechanism of Malghourn's betrayal - affect them in any significant manner.

◇     Moroi inherit no abilities from nor affinity with the bygone siliti nor strigae. Belonging solely to Iblees, they are likewise immune to the cannibalisation of strigae and siliti and vulnerability to the Salination bane as well as Mictlanti's fetters, or 'coffins'.

 

◈     Even when fed, the moroi are yet undead beings profane to the natural order of the Veil. From the moment of their resurrection, they are quick to reap the typical benefits of corporeal undeath: a lack of need for sustenance, breath or rest, whilst age and disease - afflicted magically or otherwise - are forgotten as their organs beyond their magically anchored hearts and the muscles necessary to locomotion become shrivelled and useless alongside their listed Boons. 

◇     Moroi are immune to starvation, suffocation and fatigue. Though muscles, tendons, skin and nerve endings are all essential to the moroi for movement and their senses, they can technically survive without them (albeit debilitated by their absence). 

◇     The organs of moroi are entirely defunct and unnecessary to their survival, with the exception of the ageless heart and skull which serve as anchors for their marrows. Decapitation as well as any trauma inflicted on either which would otherwise be fatal to a descendant would similarly slay the moroi.

◇     Due to their marrows’ reliance on it, moroi will die from bloodloss after [6] sustained emotes of Debilitating Bleeding and [3] sustained emotes of Mortal Bleeding as described under Regeneration. 

 

◈     Though so too are they subject to the all too common pains of the damned: the scorn of magic and spells which target corporeal undead, the devastation of aurum when used combatively as well as exclusion from the benefits of ingested or regenerative alchemy as well as alchemic mutations alongside their listed Banes. 

◇     Any spell with unique interactions with physical undead (beneficial or detrimental) as well abilities harmful to Ibleesian or infernal creatures would affect moroi as described.  This is with the exception of permanent augmentations or mutations borne of Necromancy’s spells and rites, which the moroi could not maintain due to their meagre lifeforce and the Regeneration Boon.

◇     As undead creatures incapable of utilising and immune to the effects of ingested potions and poisons as well as mutations from any source (magical, alchemical or otherwise), moroi are unable to permanently change or disguise their physical forms beyond the Vampiric Guise, their listed Boons and external illusions.

 

◈     In addition, as unliving beings preserved not by necromancy but blood magic, what little lifeforce remains in the flesh of moroi is fickle and fleeting.  Though the passive and regional detriments of necromancy tend to effect moroi in the same manner as other physical undead, attempts to combatively drain quenched moroi of their lifeforce will be just as lethal as if applied to descendants, and are doubly effective against moroi who are thirsting or withered. 

◇     Quenched moroi possess [2] units of lifeforce which can be drained to death at the normal speeds specified in Necromancy.  Thirsting as well as withered moroi only possess [1] unit of lifeforce which a necromancer can drain to death with half the normal number of draining emotes after connection (rounding up if the number is odd), meaning they can be fatally drained twice as quickly as a living descendant.

 

◈     As creatures sustained by blood magic, whose corporeality is physically altered by the demands of their marrows, the genus within moroi is in a constant state of fluctuation depending on their feeding state: quenched moroi have [6] units of genus, thirsting moroi have [3] units of genus and withered moroi have [2] units. The moroi curse is borne of and supersedes the physical banes of blood magic if practised, including its life-shortening effects. 

 

◇     Besides higher genus in the quenched state, moroi have no other inherent talents in blood magic and must still be taught as normal.

◇     As a temporary expansion of their runic marrows, moroi may also undergo blood magic’s Ensorcell Flesh ritual without having to delay their healing as described under the Regeneration Boon. 

 

 

◈     By contrast with the living and even the corcituri, moroi are ontologically evil beings.  Baptised in Ruin and recurrently confirmed in the blood of mortals, all moroi perceive themselves as inherently apart from and superior to the descendant races.  Though they might retain traces of and an affinity for the descendant cultures and creeds they once belonged to in life, the vampiric undead are incapable of ever recapturing a sense of kinship with any descendant civilization.

 

◈     Irreparably altered into what they know to be a separate species - more closely affiliated with Iblees’ Undead than the Four Brothers who fought him - the moroi are incapable of feeling any more compassion, empathy or friendship toward a descendant than a descendant might toward a farm animal.  Existing in spite of most mortal ordinances and often at the expense of innocent mortals, the predator-prey dynamic is deeply ingrained into the moroi psyche and can never be fully overcome.

 

◈     A moroi may at most find usefulness and amusement in the living akin to what descendants might feel for a pet or beast of burden, though these relationships are always toxic and (often literally) parasitic.  

◇     Moroi are not capable of feeling romantic attraction toward nor forming sincere or altruistic friendships with the living.

 

◈     Whilst moroi typically seek to control, corrupt and as a fact of their existence prey upon descendants they - just as any natural carnivore - are not always inherently cruel or sadistic. Though most take pride in it, it is even possible for moroi to feel remorseful or horrified by their tainted existence. “Virtuous” moroi may choose to wallow and starve as withered hermits. This is however a pitiful existence sneered at by most moroi courts, as no amount of mental fortitude can bridge the divide between a moroi and the living; even the most moral will inevitably relapse in their bloodthirst or succumb to their latent Ruin, for their very existence is profane and corrosive. There is inherent immorality in the lives of moroi; the most reconciliatory course of action to a penitent moroi would be suicide. 

◇     Though moroi may feel guilt or disgust at their existence and by no means are forced to relish in the harm they inflict upon the living, those who are remorseful are incapable of finding true forgiveness or solace in descendants that will forever be an ‘other’ to them.

◇     Though moroi may attempt to overcome their blood addiction, they are in truth powerless to it; subject in their thirsting and withered states to the risk of murderous feeding frenzies as described under Feeding.

 

◈     In constructs, corcituri, inferi and other undead creatures moroi may find an indifference or a mutual respect, though their most sincere ties are always to their fellow moroi. Whilst by no means forced to organise themselves in a single coven or by any universal creed, nor beholden to total aspirations of equality, all moroi feel at minimum a latent kithship with their own kind. They are in this regard pack predators.

◇     Whilst by no means forced to cooperate, all moroi inherently recognise their fellow vampiric undead as invaluable assets or formidable threats and whilst they can avoid or quarrel with one another they will typically avoid outright conflict unless calculatingly deemed necessary or passionately prompted.

 

◈     When revealed as such, newly encountered moroi will always go up marginally in a character’s estimations. It is not uncommon for vampire clans to regard their Elders with maternal or paternal reverence and others of their bloodline or court as familial kin. In their separation and isolation from the wider world the moroi are ever inclined to look on one another with grace or pity. In this regard even the most bitter of moroi rivals will typically mourn the fallen after triumphing in Monomachy, and it is rare for those integrated in vampiric fraternities and sororities to refrain without cause from the Rite of Revival in aid of slain members.

◇     Though moroi can live isolated lives if they choose, clan dynamics are seductive as in them they find a sense of belonging absent from the wider world. When in moral and ideological agreement these groups are always inclined toward cooperation toward their wicked shared aims, often at the expense of mortalkind.

◇     Despite the benefits that come with kinship moroi do still function as individuals with free will and differing personalities and priorities. Though conflict is best avoided it is at times inevitable and where strife cannot be resolved diplomatically moroi are equipped with the Rite of Revival (or rather abstinence from it) as well as the Monomachy Boon to settle power struggles.

 

 

IX. Boons

 

Committed fully to their marrows and stained by the profane lineage of the Undead, moroi have shed their descendant nature to become a species in their own right. Their bodies and marrows are bolstered in unlife, accelerating their regenerative and transformative abilities far beyond that of the corcituri. 

◇    Moroi are also subject to the Boons section of the Corcitură [FA] detailed in this post.

 

 

[T1] Regeneration - Passive / Combative

 

◈     Preserved by their intensified marrows and ruinous maledictions, moroi are blessed with the ability to recover and reform from injuries unparalleled by living descendants. This is most notable in their potential to rise again given sufficient time, even from mortal wounds. In the right circumstances moroi have also been known to stave off death altogether, prolonging their vampiric lives at the cost of others. Some wounds are always fatal to moroi, however, as described below.

 

◈     Minor Wounds are negligible injuries which could be of little or no concern to a living descendant.

◇     This could entail a cut no deeper than [½] an inch, individual broken or dislocated digits, a black eye, a burst eardrum or a superficial burn/scald of an area no larger than a handprint. 

 

◈     Major Wounds are painful injuries which could encumber a living descendant.

◇     This could entail an individual broken or dislocated limb, a severed digit, [3] or less broken ribs or unconsciousness.

 

◈     Debilitating Wounds are severe injuries which could cripple a descendant.

◇     This could entail a mangled limb, a broken collarbone or shoulderblade or a gouged eye.

◇     A ruptured artery, severed limb or impaling would result in Debilitating Bleeding, requiring mundane treatment or Combative Regeneration lest the moroi bleed out in [6] sustained emotes.

 

◈     Mortal Wounds are life-threatening injuries which could kill a descendant. Being 'popped' in PVP combat will always count as death to a Mortal Wound, except during warclaims where standard server rules apply.

◇     This could entail a broken neck or spine.

◇     A slit throat, multiple severed limbs or disembowelment would result in Mortal Bleeding, requiring Combative Regeneration lest the moroi bleed out in [3] emotes.

 

◈     Fatal Wounds are of guaranteed lethality to descendants and moroi alike.

◇     This would entail decapitation as well as destruction of the heart or skull. 

◇     Self-inflicted Fatal Wounds would be considered suicide, wherein the moroi succumbs fully to Ruin and - knowingly or not - offers the remnants of their soul to Iblees' Nexus as a permanent death (PK) from which they cannot return via Regeneration, the Rite of Revival or any other means.

 

◈     Bodily Destruction is when a moroi's body is reduced fully to ash or dust by the methods described throughout this piece, leaving behind no majority piece of a hand, foot or larger bodypart.

◇     Bodily Destruction causes the moroi to remain indefinitely shelfed/ soft PK’d. When this occurs the moroi must inform the ST for their Creature Application to be denied, only to be re-accepted if the Rite of Revival is used to restore the moroi later on.

 

Noncombative Regeneration

◈    A passive form of recovery that takes place over several hours and days, rendering it ineffective during combat.  ◈    If a moroi is quenched, this healing speed is doubled. ◈    Should the moroi wish, they may indefinitely stave off their regeneration to remain injured or mutilated with Non-Fatal Wounds. ◇     Regeneration can only be staved off in its entirety, meaning for as long as the moroi wants to retain one injury they would also be unable to heal any subsequent injuries. ◇     Moroi cannot regenerate from Bodily Destruction. This can also be wrought on the body of a moroi who has been downed from PVP Combat as well as a Mortal or Fatal Wound, so long as the Bodily Destruction took place within 30 OOC minutes of the moroi’s ‘death’ and was done through sufficient roleplay means, of which the moroi player must have been informed within said time frame.

Minor Wounds can be restored within [1] OOC hour, during which time the character remains active and playable.   Major Wounds can be restored within [1] OOC day, during which time the character remains active and playable.   Debilitating Wounds can be restored within [2] OOC days, during which time the character remains active and playable. ◇     Regrown limbs return after the [1] OOC day first as etched bones followed by tendons and tissue, during which time each recovering limb is subject to the Fire and Boomsteel Banes and is as feeble as that of a Voidal mage until fully regenerated after [2] OOC days.   Mortal Wounds can be regenerated from after [2] OOC days, during which time the character is shelved and unplayable if they were slain by said wounds. ◇     If the moroi survived their Mortal Wounds then they are alive and playable for the duration, albeit with the same limb restrictions as Debilitating Wounds.   Fatal Wounds can be regenerated from after [3] OOC days, during which time the character is shelved and unplayable.

 

Combative Regeneration

◈    An active form of panicked regeneration, applicable during combat.  ◈    Whilst healing, a moroi's flesh will visibly mutate and temporarily repair itself until setting in the final emote. This will fail and reset if interrupted by receiving fresh damage from a Major Wound or greater. ◈    Some healing hinges on feeding during combat to try and stave off harm. ◇     Severed limbs and bodyparts can never be regrown during combat. ◇     Wounds inflicted by the Aurum and Divinity Banes cannot be recovered from during combat. ◇  Fatal Wounds cannot be regenerated during combat. They are by definition fatal, removing a character from encounters as though dead.

Minor Wounds require [2] emotes per injury to recover from, in which the moroi cannot perform actions or sprint.   Major Wounds require [3] emotes per injury to recover from, in which the moroi cannot perform actions or sprint.  ◇     This can only be done whilst quenched.   Debilitating Wounds as well as Debilitating Bleeding require [4] emotes per injury to recover from,  in which the moroi cannot perform actions or sprint. This can only be initiated by first feeding on [⅓] of a descendant’s blood. ◇     A gap of [4] emotes is permitted between the end of the feeding and the beginning of regeneration, lest the moroi have to feed again. The bloodloss timer will continue to count down during this gap. ◇     If the moroi sustains Debilitating Bleeding, the bloodloss timer is paused during sustained feeding and regeneration emotes. ◇     Severed body parts will stop bleeding and scab over but will not regrow. ◇     The moroi will not move up in their feeding cycle as this feeding is spent on their Debilitating Wound. That is to say a moroi who was thirsting beforehand would remain so and not become quenched.   Mortal Wounds as well as Mortal Bleeding require [5] emotes per injury to recover from,  in which the moroi cannot perform actions or sprint. This can only be initiated by first feeding on [⅓] of a descendant’s blood. ◇  This can only be done whilst withered. ◇  A gap of [3] emotes is permitted between the end of the feeding and the beginning of regeneration, lest the moroi have to feed again. The bloodloss timer will continue to count down during this gap. ◇  If the moroi sustains Mortal Bleeding, the bloodloss timer is paused during sustained feeding and regeneration emotes. ◇  Severed body parts will stop bleeding and scab over but will not regrow. ◇  The moroi will always move down in their feeding cycle as they have had to spend this feeding and any prior feeding state on the Mortal Wound to cheat death. That is to say a moroi who was quenched beforehand would now begin thirsting, and a thirsting moroi would now become withered.

 

 

 

[T1] Diabolic Synergy - Passive

 

◈     With three-fifths of their souls cast forever into Ibless’ Nexus in the Hells, the patchwork remnants of moroi souls are forever haunted by Ruin and preserved by the inherited marrows of blood magic. They are by their very nature products of Ibleesian and mortal dark magic, and bear the stains of both.

 

◈     As fellow estranged heirs of the Undead, the moroi are smitten with a kinship with the infernal; gleaning an inherent fluency in Al'tarhn-Durngo and Ilzakarn as well as the ability to wield Rokodra. Whilst wearing this cursed metal from the realm of their lord, the tainted nature of moroi is revealed, forcibly triggering their Transformation boon and subsequently exposing their Vampiric Guise if a chestplate or helmet is worn for [4] emotes or longer, as claws, fangs and finally their monstrous visage is exposed per emote, beginning from the second emote of wearing onward.

 

◈     Donning rokodra is not without its risks, however; this ruinous metal mimics the draw of Iblees' Nexus when worn. As a result, the tattered soul of a moroi will artificially linger when torn from its body whilst wearing a chestplate or helmet upon death, misdirected from its usual regenerative patterns as the body is prematurely reduced to vampire dust. This functions as Bodily Destruction, rendering a dead moroi incapable of rising again through the usual methods outlined in the Regeneration Boon.

 

◇     The Vampiric Guise is not triggered by merely touching or carrying rokodra, but wearing it. In this regard the emotes to expose a moroi's vampiric guise will begin with the donning of a rokodra helmet, chestpiece, coif or mail tunic. Smaller pieces (jewellery, gauntlets, greaves) will not trigger Transformation. Additionally, from the [4]th emote of this forced Transformation onward a moroi loses the ability to speak any languages except Al'tahrn-Durngo or Ilzakarn.

◇     Moroi who succumb to Fatal Wounds whilst wearing a rokodra helmet, chestpiece, coif or mail tunic will undergo Bodily Destruction as if they had been burnt to death, and will subsequently require the Rite of Revival to be resurrected. This does not apply when merely touching or carrying rokodra, nor by being slain by another wielding it.

◇     Al’tarhn-Durngo and Ilzakarn are to the moroi functional languages and nothing more; though they can be read, written, comprehended and spoken.

◇     Moroi have no unique affinity for nor protection from the spells of Naztherak or Inferi.

 

 

[T2] Mutation - Combative 

 

◈     A vulgar acceleration of the Transformation Boon, moroi in their undeath are capable of warping their vampiric forms to more grotesque extents.  Alongside or in place of changes made with Transformation, moroi can spend [1] emote per mutation to achieve the following:

 

◈     Vampiric Jaws which are partly unhinged and reshaped into not only elongated canines but a mess of monstrous teeth of a similar density to steel.  These jaws can split cheeks and open past the usual limits, up to the size of a human head. They may also be snapped shut with the same bite force of a wolf.

 

◈     Vampiric Claws which are straight like daggers or hooked like sickles, manifest in place of all digits of their hands or feet. These talons protrude from the moroi’s knuckles at up to [6] inches in length, bearing a similar density to steel.

 

◇     [1] emote is required to create or revert Vampiric Claws per hand or Vampiric Jaws, during which the moroi cannot perform actions or sprint. That is to say Vampiric Claws / Jaws would not be usable until the emote after their creation, akin to drawing a melee weapon.  These can be retained indefinitely.

◇     Hands mutated into Vampiric Claws are without fingers, and thus lack the dexterity needed to wield weapons, tools or alchemical potions.

◇     Mouths serrated by Vampiric Jaws lack the precision with which to speak Common or any other language besides Al’tahrn-Durngo or Ilzakarn.

 

 

[T3] Engorge - Passive / Combative 

 

◈     In the quenched state of Feeding, moroi passively possess strength and dexterity equal to the peak of the descendant race they were prior to being turned.  Though never superhuman, their nourished marrows are capable of performing athletic feats in line with living descendants at their physical prime.

 

◈     When unleashed in their Vampiric Guise after undergoing the initial [3] emotes of 'connection' described in the Transformation Boon, paired the additional [2] emotes of the Mutation boon, this strength is further heightened to that of an uruk, allowing moroi who were in life human, elfish, or dwarfish to surpass the usual limits of their physique. 

 

◇     This can be retained indefinitely so long as the moroi is in quenched and in their Vampiric Guise.

◇     Only quenched moroi as described under Feeding can access Engorge’s Boons.  In the thirsting state moroi are only as strong or dexterous as they were in their natural lives.  In the withered state moroi are subject to the Wither Bane.

◇     Moroi who were in life uruks can never surpass their subracial peak.

◇     [3] emotes are required to enter the Vampiric Guise as described under the Transformation Boon. Once this is achieved, [2] additional emotes to activate the Mutation Boon are required before Engorge's uruk strength takes effect. This can be done in any order. In this regard a moroi in their descendant appearance could not utilise uruk strength until the [6th] emote. 

◇     Engorge's uruk strength requires the Mutation Boon to be activated as a prerequesite, and is thus hindered by the same drawbacks against wielding weapons and speaking described under Mutation.

 

 

[T3] Monomachy - Combative

 

◈     A Boon understood by many moroi as sacrosanct, the Monomachy is a duel carried out by [2] moroi, meant to resolve coven disputes swiftly and brutally.  Seasoned moroi may issue a challenge to another of their kind by marking their own Signate in their own blood upon the opponent’s brow.  Though the challenger must be of [T3] or higher, the challenged moroi can be of any tier.

 

◈     The rival may then accept the challenge by marking their own Signate in their own blood on the brow of the instigator, or they may refuse the challenge by wiping the instigator’s Signate off of themselves.  In this regard, for Monomachy to commence both parties must agree to it, both in character and as players out of character.

 

◈     Once the duel is instigated the drawn Signates will begin to glow on the brows of each moroi for [2] emotes, followed by [1] additional emote in which the Signates will fizzle away from the duelists’ brows, signifying the Monomachy to have begun. The marrows of the participating moroi are drawn toward the other, making their tattered souls vulnerable for the remainder of the duel.  A challenge may be concluded either peacefully or violently.

 

◈     A duel can be concluded peacefully if the challenger and the challenged move more than [100] blocks away from one another.  Once beyond this range, their marrows settle with a wave of calm coming over each moroi to signify the conclusion of the duel.

 

◈     A duel will also conclude if the two moroi turn to violence, wherein the victor must reduce their opponent to Bodily Destruction or devour [⅔] or more of their opponent’s blood, as described under the Regeneration Boon and the Feeding section respectively.  If either of the aforementioned occur, the fallen moroi will be PK’d, their soul broken from their marrows and drawn into Iblees’ Nexus in the High Hells.

 

◇     Both parties must consent IC and OOC to enter into Monomachy.  Unless the moroi physically escape each other this is a duel to the death, resulting in the PK of the first character to undergo Bodily Destruction or have [⅔] or more of their blood drunk by the opposing moroi. Any defeat short of these two examples would follow the mechanics detailed in the Rite of Revival or Regeneration Boon.

◇     If a duel is escaped with [100] blocks between the moroi, the PK clauses cease to apply as the Monomachy is concluded. 

◇     Monomachy duels are subject to CRP rules as normal, including combat locks and flee mechanics.  If PVP combat is to be utilised during Monomachy, both participants must agree to such for subsequent PK clauses to be triggered. 

◇     A character killed during Monomachy is permanently killed as their marrows are unfurled and the tattered remnants of their soul is drawn into Iblees' Nexus.  They cannot be resurrected the Regeneration Boon or the Rite of Revival, nor can they be communed with or restored as an alternative afterlife [CA] with the likes of Necromancy, Mysticism or Naztherak. 

 

 

[T4] Metamorphosis - Passive / Combative 

 

◈     Settled fully into their curse, the moroi may abandon their descendant mask, devolving fully into their Vampiric Guise and their Mutation Boons to metamorph into a hulking batlike creature.  It is in this gargoyle-like state that elder moroi are most comfortable; an expression of their true, monstrous selves which is typically assumed as often as able.

 

◈     Once already in their Vampiric Guise with the prerequisite emotes described under the Transformation Boon, a moroi can spend an additional [2] emotes in which they cannot sprint or perform actions to displace their lower ribs along their skeleton, tearing and stretching flaps of skin to form delicate wings in place between their arms and sides and reshaping their torsos to more closely resemble those of beasts than men.

 

◈     Their hands and fingers become stretched between strands of flesh, useless except for hosting Vampiric Claws in accordance with their Mutation Boon. 

 

◈     Metamorphic Wings cannot be used to beneficially hover or sustain flight for practical periods of time, though can in short bursts be used to slow the descent of a moroi, allowing them to land safely from any height. 

 

◈     Out of combat or when the present parties agree for the moroi to exit combat, these wings can also carry the moroi a short distance, serving as a narrative representation for their mechanical Soulstone.

 

◇     This can be retained indefinitely so long as the moroi is also in their Vampiric Guise.

◇     Hands mutated into Metamorphic Wings are without fingers, and thus lack the dexterity needed to wield weapons, tools or alchemical potions.  They can however be paired with Vampiric Claws with an additional emote as per the Mutation Boon.

◇     Metamorphic Wings take [2] emotes so long as the moroi is in their Vampiric Guise, the prerequisite for which is [3] additional emotes as described under the Transformation Boon.  In this regard Metamorphic Wings only become usable on the [3rd] or [5th] emote respectively, and cannot be formed to save an already falling moroi.

◇     Metamorphic Wings cannot be formed whilst the moroi is wearing Medium or Heavy Armour on their arms or torso.

◇     From [T4] onward, moroi cannot sleep without first utilising the Transformation and Metamorphosis Boons to assume their Vampiric Guise and Metamorphic Wings.

 

 

[T5] Confirmation - Combative

 

◈     Once their curse has fully matured, a moroi is ‘divinely’ inspired by their marrows and profane heritage, receiving a vision of the otherwise indescribable intricacies to the sacrament by which their curses are shared. 

 

◈     Requiring the moroi to be in the withered state from the onset, a moroi may feed their foul black blood and its inherent taint to a mortal descendant or corcitură, sharing no less than ⅓ of their own supply to be imbibed by the recipient. This blood must be that of a 'pure' vampire elder, uncontaminated by that of any other creature. That is to say whilst a recently fed moroi may be robbed of their genus or artificially made withered by the likes of Blisterbark, their own blood would still lack the purity needed to initiate Confirmation until they have abstained from Feeding for long enough to have been otherwise naturally withered.

 

◈     The elder would then shed the blood of their victim. ⅓ or more must be spilt from the victim, usually drunk by the moroi to quench them, inducing hemorrhagic shock in the convert. 

This crucial step would lead to the descendant’s death, as organs rapidly fail from bloodloss and the poison of the withered moroi.  Failure from this point would cause the victim’s soul to be cast irrecoverably into the Nexus as it is shredded and split through the Hells, and only by the interventions of blood magic might two-fifths be retained. 

 

◈     By laying hands upon the convert’s brow and citing words of power, a quenched moroi may use Confirmation to invoke the victim’s signate as what remains of their soul is baptised in taint and confirmed by the ethereal marrows latent in the now-quenched moroi’s shared blood.  The player in question must then submit their Moroi Creature Application.

 

◈     The would-be corpse remains dormant thereafter until their CA is accepted, wherein they are miraculously healed of any Mortal Wounds as well as magical or mundane and congenital or acquired diseases or maledictions to rise anew; born again in undeath as moroi.

 

◇     Before initiating the Rite, OOC consent must be acquired by the victim / target of the ritual. Should the ritual be disrupted or otherwise cut short before the laying of hands by a moroi with an accepted [TA], the ritual fails.

◇     Corcituri begin the Moroi [CA] at [T1-3] depending on how far they had prior progressed in their Feat. All other moroi begin at [T1].

◇     Confirmation is at points esoteric and indescribable, meaning it can never be fully taught or explained from one moroi to another. Rather, the Rite becomes inherently known by any moroi with an accepted TA, which first requires them to be Tier 5 in the Moroi CA.

◇     Confirmation can only be initiated by a withered moroi and completed by a quenched moroi in accordance with Feeding mechanics. In practice this means that a moroi with a TA acting alone could only curse [1] person every [3] OOC weeks, however two moroi with TAs (one withered and another quenched) could collaborate to curse more frequently, albeit still restricted by a [1] OOC day cooldown between Rites for the withered moroi to recuperate the [⅓] fed to the victim.

◇     For ease of tracking, the withered moroi would always be considered the convert’s teacher. This would be done with a comment on the convert’s CA from the withered teacher specifying them as their progenitor, and the convert would be listed under their TA as a student. If assisted by a quenched teacher they would also comment to specify their involvement, however this would not need to go onto their TA.

 

 

X.   Banes

 

Condemned to their taint and undeath, the devolution of a moroi also opens them to a number of detriments avoided by the yet descendant corcituri, deepening their curses and banes with the sole exception of those which would make them subservient to Malghourn, the Archons and the Unseen; such bonds are shattered by Iblees' Nexus, rending them immune to cannibalisation from siliti and strigae as well as the bonds of coffins and the sting of salt.

◇    Moroi are also subject to the Banes section of the Corcitură [FA] detailed in this post with the sole exception of Salination.

 

 

[T1] Wither

 

◈     Fully dependent on their marrows not only for the sustenance and elevation of their curse, but for their very survival as unnatural, undead echoes of the Iblessian Unseen, the moroi are far more sensitive to their bloodthirst than the meagre corcituri. 

 

◈     When withered, a moroi’s marrows begin to look inward for sustenance; sapping their own strength to feed their tarnished souls. This results in the moroi being physically encumbered and growing emaciated and sickly as their Longevity and Regeneration Boons are to some extent inverted, causing them to rot from the inside. 

 

◈     Their physical capabilities become equal to that of a Voidal mage, whilst their outward appearance becomes pale and - if the moroi is past old age for their prior descendant race - elderly, with eyes shifting in hue to those of their Vampiric Guise.

 

◈     Withered skin also becomes thin and delicate, being split and torn with the ease of paper. Beneath it the internal flesh and blood of the moroi becomes inky black, stained and ruinous. A foul, sulfuric smell emanates from such when spilt and on contact with pure aurum this dark ichor can even ignite into a black flame which burns slowly like crude oil. This tainted blood is essential to Confirmation.

 

◈     This stench of Ruin can be detected outside of the body by prey animals as well as Lycans within [8] blocks of the moroi, causing them to grow uneasy as if in the presence of a predator.

 

◇     The instinctive unease triggered in prey animals renders withered moroi incapable of riding natural horses.

◇     This Bane comes into effect when a moroi reaches the withered state of feeding and is always paired with the additional detriments of the thirsting state (as described in Part I.). 

◇     Withered blood could be collected and stored, requiring signature from the moroi player, however it will lose all of its genus potency at the usual timescales described by blood magic and has no unique effects beyond what has already been described. It only remains usable for the Confirmation Boon whilst fresh (as defined under Feeding).

 

 

[T1] Aurum

 

◈     Aurum, alongside other materials and spells designed to share its effects, harms moroi in a similar fashion to corporeal undead. Though its mere presence has no adverse effects - moroi can still safely touch and handle gold of any purity - weapons of pure gold will be doubly as effective in combative applications against moroi. 

 

◈     Bladed or piercing weapons will cause a burning sensation to moroi upon skin penetration, and rend more smoothly through organs and muscle tissue. Blunt weapons that land against flesh will also strike with double the force and blows intended to break bones would also cause impacted skin to form glass-like cracks.

 

◇     Pure aurum as well as materials, spells, alchemy and enchantments described as identical to aurum in their effects will similarly affect moroi. Slayersteel as well as materials, spells, alchemy and enchantments described as less effective than aurum will still inflict magical pain and a burning sensation though do no additional physical damage to moroi.

 

 

[T2] Daylight

 

◈     Immersed in their predatory, nocturnal nature, moroi eyes rely on a minimum level of gloom for clarity.  Though able to see clearly in overcast weather, indoors, underground, beneath natural canopies or during nightfall, in broad daylight a moroi’s vision is obfuscated.

 

◈     Past [20] blocks whilst quenched and [8] blocks whilst thirsting, a bright haze blurs the vision of moroi, rendering them incapable of aiming ranged weaponry or discerning the identities of others beyond vague colours and shapes which would at most distinguish creatures and objects by their size and silhouette.  Past [40] blocks whilst quenched and [20] blocks whilst thirsting moroi are completely blind, all beyond that range veiled by intensified light.

 

◇     For ease of tracking, ‘daylight’ refers to the mechanical server time (accessed in game through /date) between 07:00 and 19:00.  In a combat setting, the mechanical time at which combat began is presumed to last the remainder of the encounter. 

◇     Shaded areas (e.g. in a forest, [5] block or narrower streets, a cave or during mechanical weather effects) can still be discerned, so long as the shade begins within the aforementioned block ranges at the quality of the applicable range [-5] blocks.  For example, a quenched moroi standing [15] daylit blocks from a cave’s edge could see into it clearly. A quenched moroi stood [35] daylit blocks from a cave’s edge could only make out blurred shapes in it.

◇     Moroi cannot utilise prosthetic eyes from any source, nor could goggles or other protections help them bypass this weakness. However characters which are physically blind and rely on other senses than sight (magical or otherwise), including [FA] Seers of Vaasek which do not see physically, are unaffected. 

 

 

[T3] Fire

 

◈     Flames stick to the skin and flesh of moroi like drywood, ever-burning unless doused by [1] emote of full submersion in water, [2] emotes of smothering with an intermediary material such as cloth or [3] emotes of rainfall on the burning area. Water and rain must be represented by mechanical items, builds and weather effects.

 

◈     If left to burn for [5] consecutive emotes on the same area, the fire will reach bone. Should this occur, the heat will swell and cascade abruptly across their ethereal marrows. This results in a catastrophic explosion, consuming the moroi in fire from the inside out and erupting violently across a [2x2x2] space, burning any in #whisper range and resounding the explosion across #shout range.

 

◇     [1] additional emote is required to douse dragonsfire.

◇     Attempting to smother flame with an ungloved hand or other uncovered body part will not only fail to douse it, but also spread the fire to the region in question.

◇     Though it will do nothing to douse a burning elder, moroi blood in the quenched or thirsting states is no more flammable than that of descendants; it will not burn outside of the body and therefore cannot substitute oil or any other sort of fuel. In the withered state blood only becomes flammable in reaction to aurum and will only burn where it is exposed to air, requiring it to be doused as if mundane fire.

◇     Only ash will remain of a moroi whose bones have been burnt by fire, shelving the character until restored by the Rite of Revival.

 

 

[T4] Boomsteel

 

◈     As the marrows are fully consecrated across the bones and throughout the soul of an elder moroi, their volatility as described in the Fire Bane intensifies. 

 

◈     Bone-deep strikes (not mere handling or shallow cuts) made by boomsteel of medium density and dracanium which is already burning would ignite a moroi’s marrows, setting off a domino from any point in their skeleton that immolates them from the inside out across the subsequent [2] emotes, consuming the moroi in fire from the inside out and erupting violently across a [2x2x2] space, burning any in #whisper range and resounding the explosion across #shout range.

 

◇     Only ash will remain of a moroi whose bones have been immolated by boomsteel, shelving the character until restored by the Rite of Revival.

---

 

 

XI.    The Vampiric Rites

 

◈     Reflection, Revealing and Revival. Three crimson rites intertwined with the Signate; the written form of the Soul Blueprint through the Material Alphabet’s mortal script for the purposes of ritual identification in blood magic. These Rites may be shared between and led by blood magi with or without the vampiric curses, and become inherent to moroi at the relevant tier.

 

◇     The Vampiric Rites can only be led by characters with an accepted Blood Magic [MA] or become inherently known by and useable with a Moroi [CA] of the appropriate tier.  Characters with the Corcitură [FA] must still be taught the Rites and may only lead or assist in them with an accepted Blood Magic [MA]. 

 

 

[T1] Rite of Reflection - Noncombative

This rite requires [1] unit of genus to conduct and requires [1] blood mage or moroi to perform.

 

◈     A stolen rite from the siliti of yore applicable to all vampires, the Archon Cadmium developed the Speaking Glass as a lesser version of the blood rift; an ethereal window through which a vampire might see and be seen.

 

◈     A Speaking Glass is any solid reflective surface marked with Ethereal, Transcendence, Sound, and Light Runes etched in each corner.  In the centre there must be drawn the signate of the corcitură or moroi they wish to contact which will promptly vanish.

 

◈     At this point the blood mage or moroi conducting the Rite will lose their reflection on whatever surface is being used and contact can be attempted with the vampiric addressee.  At this point the vampire player can be notified of a sound akin to windchimes, urging them toward a reflective surface.

 

◈     Should the Rite be answered, the recipient will appear on the Speaking Glass as shall the blood mage or moroi leading the Rite appear to the recipient on any and all reflective surfaces for the duration.  This link is personal to the two characters, who cannot be seen or heard at the opposing end by others nearby. Similarly, these characters are ignorant to the sights and sounds surrounding the other end of the speaking glass not produced by or carried on the other person. Though the magical link is personal to the two characters, it is not telepathic; both participants must speak or whisper aloud to be heard by the other.

 

◇     Rite of Reflection can only succeed if both players are online and is conducted through emotes as well as the /msg command on the live server.

◇     Only corcituri or moroi can be invoked via the Rite of Reflection, though when cast successfully the Rite will allow for a two-way conversation regardless of the caster is themselves a vampire or ordinary blood mage.

◇     The Rite cannot be conducted without [3] emotes of preparation, following the same ruling on all other forms of long distance communication (i.e. ‘birds’).

◇     A vampire contacted by the Rite can choose to ignore or dismiss the attempt, and will inherently do so in combat. 

◇     When a sender uses the Rite of Reflection to contact a moroi who is dead (regardless of if the player is online), the attempt fails and reveals them as such as the reflective surface becomes awash with putrid black blood as described by the Wither Bane. 

 

 

[T2] Rite of Revealing - Combative

This rite requires [1] unit of genus to conduct and requires [1] blood mage or moroi to perform.

 

◈     Commonly a rite used by vampire hunters, the rite of revealing forces a corcitură to reveal their Signate appear upon their forehead as though it were just cut into their skin. A corcitură must be living in order for the ritual to work and therefore requires for them to be restrained or willing to undergo the rite lest they resist it. 

 

◈     The rite of revealing requires the practitioner to create a [3x3] ritual circle of Light, Flesh, Ethereal, Binding, and Life Runes with the blood of the corcitură in question, they must then be laid or caged within. In combat this requires [6] emotes to perform, the latter [3] of which require the corcitură to be kept in the circle. An additional [2] emotes are required each time the circle is disrupted or damaged, as well as [2] emotes per emote in which the corcitură has escaped from the circle. must be kept ritual practitioner then commits 2 units of genus to the circle which then triggers it, yielding the corcitură’s signate upon their forehead.

 

◈     In a non-combative scenario where the corcitură is giving the signate willingly, they may perform the rite on their own flesh over the course of [3] emotes.

 

◇     The vampire victim to the rite must be bound or otherwise incapable of resistance or offer themselves willingly for the rite to succeed.

◇     Once retrieved, a vampire’s Signate can be shared willingly by the recipient and can be utilised in the Vampiric Rites.

 

 

[T3] Rite of Revival - Noncombative

This rite requires [6] units of genus to conduct and requires [3] blood mages or moroi to perform, scaling up each OOC month the moroi has been dead for.

 

◈     Once familiar with a Signate and the vampire it belongs to, select moroi can become acutely aware of their kin’s demise whilst blood magi may be prompted of such by the Rite of Reflection.

 

◈     This ritual requires a runic circle of Flesh, Mortality, Power, Draining, and Life runes, at the centre of which must be one of the following; a moroi’s body, a dismembered part of a moroi’s body or the Signate of a moroi.  Whichever focus is chosen for the ritual, the tattered soul of a moroi who has suffered Bodily Destruction can be resurrected using that focus as an anchor to coax their soul from the tug of the hellish Nexus and back into regenerated undead flesh.

 

◈     A fallen moroi’s feeding timer continues as normal whilst they are dead.  The marrows which bind a moroi’s soul continue thirsting for genus even in death.  When a moroi is reincarnated, they reincarnate in whichever state they would otherwise have been in since their last feeding.  For example, a moroi who fed [3] weeks prior to their reincarnation would be withered, just as if they had been alive during that time.

 

◈    An incapacitated moroi undergoing their Regeneration Boon may also be placed at the centre of the ritual circle to make their recuperation instantaneous.  Non-fatal Minor, Major, Debilitating and Mortal Wounds may also be restored with this rite, superseding the Regeneration Boon.

 

◇    The Rite of Revival may only succeed in restoring a moroi from Bodily Destruction with ST approval after providing sufficient evidence of the ritual's participant, genus unit, character knowledge and time criteria via /sreq, which will result in the moroi's denied Creature Application being reaccepted. ST approval is not required to revive a slain moroi who hasn't undergone Bodily Destruction and still has an accepted Creature Application.

◇    Only moroi who have had the Signate of another moroi and the associated character revealed can be alerted of their fellow vampire’s demise by a revelation of such. This in character notification is not universal and may be shared at the dead moroi player’s discretion. Moroi are encouraged to catalogue which moroi they know the Signates of and how / when they were discovered so that such can be evidenced to the ST if requested.

◇     The moroi’s Signate or corpse is essential to the Rite of Revival.  If no blood mage or moroi possess such or care to perform the Rite, the moroi character remains PK’d.  Bodyparts of a dismembered moroi of sufficient size may also be used, specified as their: skull, heart, head, torso, a hand, a foot, a leg or an arm. Ashes or dust left in the wake of a moroi’s Bodily Destruction would not be sufficient for this rite

◇    This rite may only be used with regards to the Moroi [CA] and has no bearing on the Corcitură [FA].

◇    For each full OOC month that passes since a moroi’s Bodily Destruction (as described under the Regeneration Boon), [2] additional units as well as [1] additional blood mage or moroi participant is required for the Rite to succeed.  For instance, a moroi who had undergone Bodily Destruction 12 OOC months ago would require a momentous coven effort of [28] units of genus and [15] blood mage or moroi participants to be restored with the Rite of Revival.

---

 

XII. Citations

 

[✓] [Magic Lore] Blood Magic - Dark - The Lord Of The Craft

 

[✓] [World Lore] Moz Strimoza and the Inferi - General - The Lord Of The Craft

 

Strigae - Children of the Unseen - Outdated Lore Archives - The Lord Of The Craft

 

[✓] [World Lore] The Nine Archons - Patrons and Other Deities - The Lord Of The Craft

 

[✓] [Playable CA + Feat Addition] Siliti - Non-Playable Creatures/Event Creatures - The Lord Of The Craft

 

[✓] [Feat] Corcitură - Dark - The Lord Of The Craft

 

 

XIII. Purpose and Implementation

Spoiler

Following the removal of the Strigae [CA] and subsequently the Siliti [CA] in the years thereafter, obvious rifts were left in both communities alongside many players being left with a sense of yearning for all out, monstrous vampire roleplay - a niche which the Corcitură [FA] left in the wake of both simply could not fill. 

 

Though recent amendments had been made to elevate corcituri and equip them with the right tools to thrive as the heirs to the vampiric legacies of LotC, these have been met with an understandable resistance as in the Story Team’s own words -

- the intended purpose of corcituri as a feat was rightly to serve as an accessible, entry-level form of vampirism to capture the basics of its aesthetic and introduce otherwise excluded characters to dark arts roleplay more broadly. 

 

So it was that I revisited this project, initially a patchwork of ideas from a year ago that I had abandoned with my dramatic departure from the server back in June 2023, reinvigorated by the correct understanding that a feat cannot encapsulate the vision time and again yearned for by our playerbase; there are some thresholds which will always necessitate CA.

 

That is not to say corcituri are in my mind a failure, they have served - and with this rewrite I hope will continue to better than before - their intended purpose as a lower stakes, ungatekept entryway for all players old and new into villanous, magical roleplay, hinged on very simple concepts and abilities. In their rewrite above, I have revised and reworked a number of the nuances to their functionality, including but not limited to: clearer, more concise language, the restructure of their abilities and weaknesses and the removal of any overt inferiority to the CA, as had been stated relative to Siliti.

 

Lessons learned by my personal involvement in Siliti and its downfall, as well as the Strigae, greatly informed the design philosophy of the ‘new’ CA this lore intends to introduce. Moroi are characteristically a merge between both prior vampiric creatures, whilst also serving as a narrative explanation for the absence of each; this piece hopes to clean away the awkward convergent evolution of the aforementioned due to the loregames rewrites and hesitation surrounding Siliti’s initial write (called Drakul) in the absence of the Strigae CA, then its eventual submission some time after the return of Strigae whose flavour of lore and the roleplay surrounding it left gaps in the overarching niche which Siliti hoped to fill.

 

With this in mind, this piece intends to mend not only narrative divisions but also historic and artificial player rivalries between past Siliti and Strigae communities. Whilst both creatures will continue to exist canonically in their respective spheres (Aeldin and the realms of the Archons), they are to be relegated to largely off screen ST tools rather than separate player CAs with overlapping functionality.

 

This submission also means to revisit and properly canonise their origins of the Strigae in the Unseen and their place in Aeldin, as unlike the Nine Archons piece relative to Siliti, the Unseen have existed predominantly in the headcanon of Loremasters since the removal of their last CA. Said individuals were consulted regarding this piece to ensure consistency, and it is my hope in light of such this piece’s references to Iblees, his Nexus and Aeldin are received by the ST as a solution to lore inconsistencies rather than cause for embargo. 

 

Beyond the vampire convergence narrative and subsequent community challenges this piece hopes to address, it has also been carefully designed in light of the removal of the Siliti CA. Having combed several times through the Siliti - Investigation Report, the Moroi CA has been crafted with purposeful mechanics meant to steer communities that arise around it away from the same metaplay, balancing and community toxicity pitfalls which seeped through (and at times originated in) the redlines of Siliti. 

 

The nuances of such are demonstrated throughout the above lore submission, though some key notes relating to this would be: a creature mindset that actively encourages unity and cooperation, the absence of a Codex or other lore-enforced culture (which characters and communities should invent themselves, not be lore-prompted to adhere to or rebel against arbitrary tenets), extreme clarity on the monstrous and undead nature of these creatures that forbids the pursuit of unsavoury relationships, the absence of an enthrallment system in prevention of unsavoury relationships and the absence of a ‘chaos clause’ PK system. 

To clarify the last point, though moroi may yet ‘kill’ one another, and the forced shelf systems written in the Regeneration Boon and the Rite of Revival gives monster hunters and vampires alike the means to shelf or revive a character as per the whims of their IC community, the only hard PK mechanism permitted is that listed in Monomachy; a duel to the death which hinges on mutual IC and OOC consent, ensuring good faith even in the most extreme character disputes. These are meant as a favourable alternative to historic Crimson Coffins and Cannibalism in both the Siliti and Strigae communities which often led to bad faith, OOC control and paranoia whilst also effectively rendering them immune to lasting consequences from non-vampires, which the Bodily Destruction and resurrection mechanics of this piece hope to democratise in a fairer manner for all parties.

 

In light of the above, I would also like to clarify my designs for the implementation and spread of this CA. There are two points I would preface this with, for the sake of transparency.

 

Firstly, I will not be restoring my silit character as a moroi. His death was brought on the eve of the Silit CAs removal by the deific-destruction clause at the hands of the Red Prince as Loremasters can attest. This was at the culmination of significant, drawn out storytelling with other siliti (friends and foes alike) as well as the necromancy and naztherak communities of the time. His story is told and I do not wish to undermine it or this piece, which I have written for others beyond my personal narrative designs.

 

Secondly, I do not intend moroi to be exclusive or gatekept. In this regard the character I will be playing - my former striga from the days of Axios - will hold no inherent special or secret knowledge or characteristics that would set him apart from the other grandfathered moroi, of which I would like to request many. Though I am the writer of this piece I do not wish for my roleplay to be in any way advantaged, and in that regard my character would hold no keys to power or narrative significance not also accessible to all moroi on reaching Tier 5.

 

Though this is negotiable if the ST would prefer other designs, all rites and abilities in moroi are to be inherently known. In this sense any moroi who reaches Tier 5 and submits a successful TA would be empowered to spread the curse as they please; this knowledge could never be gatekept by community leaders. Again subject to ST discretion, I would therefore advocate this piece’s implementation as listed below. All moroi grandfathers should be a limited time offer, to be taken within no more than 30 OOC days of this piece’s acceptance, after which there would be no further grandfathers unless ST Management deems necessary.

 

◈     All corcituri shall retain their FA and be grandfathered into any changes brought by this rewrite.

 

◈     All corcituri who are Tier 3 at the time of this piece’s submission shall be given the option to mutate into the Moroi CA, beginning at Tier 3. 

 

◈     All former strigae who were not PK’d by the mechanics of their day and were shelved or otherwise have not become another CA since their lore’s removal shall be given the option to devolve into the Moroi CA, beginning at Tier 3.

 

◈     All former siliti who were not PK’d by the mechanics of their day and were shelved in Hazmstadt and did not revert to their descendant race or become another CA since their lore’s removal shall be given the option to devolve into the Moroi CA, beginning at Tier 3.

 

Whilst this would be my preference in TA accessibility as well as bulk implementation, I am open to any alternatives the Story Team might prefer.

Written by Mordu, Christmanism and Aelesh.

[christman 3529]

wait hold on

[TofuGomi 362]

this is formatted so well it scratches an itch in my brain

[Crevel 7557]

I only skimmed through this but I noticed it has anti-romance and anti-FTB clauses. This is an automatic W in my books

[PCSwift 1422]

PLEASE PLEASE PLESAE 

THIS WOULD BE SICK

[Gaja 1310]

i am blood knight

[kuebiko 684]

my excitement to see signates get more attention is immeasurable, they're an interesting aspect of corcitura that feels overlooked. however, the salt bane written the way it is only feeds the current issue of darkspawn testing and causes vampires to be too easy to reveal. which leads into the issue of curing. the current state of things allows a vampire to be cured once meaning a player who regrets their decision, is revealed in character, etc, can return to a certain sense of normalcy. curing roleplay in itself has some player-culture issues but nontheless the way out is something handy for players who are using corcitura as a method to ease themselves into villainy. that being said...

 

adjust it so if you have been turned a second time, it is permanent and the cures no longer work. it allows players who felt unprepared the first time around to return to the feat and continue a previous narrative, adding to character progression rather than needing to create an entirely new character. the consequence of vampirism better understood the second time around, with a player more informed on what its actually like being a vampire. 

also may be a good idea to paste the old curing roleplay consequences into here underneath curing if this is accepted

[iris1612 1780]

the only thing I don't love, which is a very minor thing, is the boomsteel weakness. I'd be personally inclined the weakness be to a different ST material, or just to medium density boomsteel specifically. since medium density actually produces flame, it makes sense with the explanation, and it would lend some value to a material otherwise completely overshadowed by its crpmaxxed big brother.

overall this is awesome and i hope it passes

[lemonke 6014]

I really love this, very good lore and the actual corc community needs a bit more respect as they are carrying the vampire roleplay.

 

The only thing that is unfortunately part of LOTC's culture that every creature needs to have embedded into their personality is that they are a toxic, manipulative, emotionless machine. I'm talking about more about them being uncapable to build "friendship" or close allies for the sake of it or IRP reasons that would carry them to care about what they have built in a more genuine way. Some sort of camaraderie even to the non-vampire/evil people.

 

I understand they are a big evil creature of darkness, but IMO that kind of accursed sociopath mentality is something we've seen too many times and is the same thing over and over, which is why some CAs are just plain boring or inactive. I'd instead offer suggestions since, in the end, people barely follow these kinds of things as otherwise ppl will be forced to have the same personality. Yk, just offer a NEW and open minded solution THAT ALSO does not undermine the fact they are still monsters.

 

After all, they are still big undead demon monsters. Therefore, some harsh change ought to be there just more creative ones to have different archetypes by giving more OPTIONS to choose from.

 

Edit; I can say that some of the things you wrote are good such as the mutual respect towards the dead or demonic, it's a big plus one. Regardless, some of the things I said do remain.

[marikandaperc 1817]

finally i can live my twilight dream!

[rathat 868]

Just in time for Halloween!!!

the formatting on this goes crazy, can’t wait to give it a read. 

[LobsterLarry 1514]

Thats a lot of words... Too bad i aint readin em

[FlemishSupremacy 6115]

>;(

[Isvinity 729]

Close enough welcome back Dahlya Kruger.

 

This looks great! It covers a lot of the old issues that caused interpersonal strife between covens and their members and introduces new, expansive ideas to what vampiric roleplay can be. +1

[MysticalWeasel 910]

I saw someone already mention of the weaknesses. I will also state it, I think something more interesting to see would be mirroring the real world's folklore of vampirism. Which being they are weak to silver, so would love to see they are incredibly weak to Argentum, merely touching it sizzling their skin. And any reflection cast by Argentum does not show the vampires form. That is my only niche change, as I'd think it more sense with people's mind to rationalize argentum being their bane over an explosive metal.