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Nah, don't count my votes.

Huh?

Vyc, do you write? It's a universally accepted maxim that it's best to change anything you're going to change as early as the issue crops up. It's after everything has been developed that it starts to present an issue.

Mm, should we have vampires or have I overdone the bump in the night thing?

edited 11th Jan '12 6:04:17 PM by Exelixi

Mura: -flips the bird to veterinary science with one hand and Euclidean geometry with the other-

I'm not opposed to retconning the elves because we've done almost nothing with them yet. Now something like the types of gods, we've already worked a lot on it, it would not be fair to change it now.

Vampires are going to show up sooner or later, it's too popular a concept, so let's deal with it.

-cracks knuckles-

Give me a bit, I'll have half a dozen concepts up, we can pick which one we want, and I'll work more from there.

Mura: -flips the bird to veterinary science with one hand and Euclidean geometry with the other-

I had an idea for a vampiric creature that would lean itself better to fantasy than the traditional vampire concept. But I'm sure both concepts could exist within the same world as well.

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Various ideas for Vampires

Vampires as alchemical: A malicious, tyrannical magician/alchemist named Heimskir sought to, as the cliche goes, rule the world. To this end, he created an alchemical formula to turn ordinary soldiers into killing machines sustained by the those they defeated. The elixir worked in most respects; those who consumed it became fast, powerful, and able to live on the blood of humanoids. There were, however, a few flaws to his design- his creations suffered adverse effects from the light of the sun, and the touch of living wood was lethal to them. Despite these setbacks, the army managed to wage a long and brutal campaign against the small country from which Heimskir originated. By the end, the region was devastated; less than one-fourth of its original population remained. The vampire army was all but erased; only five individuals managed to find their way to new lands. One was quickly killed, once its abominable nature was discovered; the others survived long enough at least to sire many successors (for, you see, the elixir which coursed through their veins lost none of its potency when diluted with ordinary humanoid blood).

Vampires as a natural species: Sometimes, evolution is weird. This is especially true when magic is involved. Many early humanoids discovered they could herd animals, like sheep, and consume them at a later date.

One nocturnal species discovered it could do this to a tribe of smaller, weaker humanoids. Over time, this became the species' exclusive means of sustenance, and, in many individuals, the now-obsolete capability to digest food disappeared entirely over a hundred generations.

The slow-breeding, long-lived vampires created an advanced empire on the backs of slave labour. Each vampire lived as a prince, never having to do any real work in its lifetime. Culture thrived, although many aspects of said culture would be considered reprehensible to modern peoples. Great monuments and other structures were created, many of which still stand today. Technology developed at a quick rate, and the world would likely be a much more advanced place if not for one development. Those under the vampires' rule began to speak of revolution. More and more, new weaponry- including the discovery of how to create steel- was rendering the natural advantages of the vampires null and void. Violence broke out, and the aristocratic creatures that had so long lived in decadence were nearly wiped out. Some fled to the wilderness of the west, and still dwell in nomadic tribes in the western marshes and forests, waylaying traveling humans and making the occasional raid upon small towns. Though the people of this area fear the vampires, the hard truth remains: they are a dying species, unable to support themselves in the long-term now that the other races are equipped to fight back.

Vampires as the magical creation of the demon Anduriel: Demons and humanoids have both sought power since the beginning of time, driven by some unquenchable instinct. As it happens, this mutual desire means that demon-cults occasionally spring up. All commit their share of vile acts, but some deeds are in a class all their own. The demon Anduriel the Sangrophage arranged and powered an intricate ritual that burned the humanity out of his followers, leaving behind things akin to demons themselves. These creatures are at a juxtaposition of goals, neither of which is good for the various humanoid civilisations: the amassing of long-term power and influence, and the thrill of wanton destruction. Over time, most vampires begin to lean in one direction or the other, becoming either brilliant schemers who manipulate humanoids to their ends from the shadows, or manifestations of pure, destructive brutality, an ever-moving scourge upon the land.

Mura: -flips the bird to veterinary science with one hand and Euclidean geometry with the other-

I like vampires as a natural species, it seems they seem raw, and desperate and realistic. Slowly dying off, taking humans but adding none to their ranks. It's a very gritty realistic take on them.

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So someone said they did something for the physicality of dwarves?

Vampires as Angels has been popular lately. Or was that angels as vampires? Hmm...

Because I'm not going to shut up about these bloody dwarves. I made the elemental dwarves to make them something really different as oppose to not and I don't think giving them a different culture is enough, not when everyone else is getting all kinds of cool stuff.

Also, on gnomes, I think we should still call short elves -ranging from age 5-15 and 45-55- gnomes, but perhaps just call an etymological screw up on the part of the 'Common' language and a distinction may be made between 'sylvan gnomes' and 'elemental gnomes'. Also, they should still turn into ogres and then giants.

edited 11th Jan '12 11:17:25 PM by God_of_Awesome

There are two typical takes on vampires- the "created by evil magic" ones, which is why they have restrictions such as being repelled by holy objects or powers that make no real sense like turning into mist; and the "its biological in nature" eg. a blood-drinking species or a disease, these tend to be more logical and less moraly definite. I prefer the later, so I'll vote for the Alchemical option. Note however that, since these two types are SO different in nature, they could be considered two different type of creatures that are just confused by people as with the gods (I've seen some settings with both types.) So I suggest we have both necromantic and biological vampires, under different names. (The Alchemical ones as real vampires with the demonic ones as Nosferatu.)

@GOA: I suggested we use your Elemental dwarves by just calling them gnomes instead. Also, do you plan on voting this time?

edited 12th Jan '12 1:20:25 PM by Sijo

I think it strengthens the impact of Dwarves being so culturally unique to keep them as dwarf dwarves. People will see them and think 'okay, same old same old, stout, natural w-holy fuck!' In addition, he whole 'elemental stereotype' thing is something I've never liked., even in subversion.

edited 12th Jan '12 3:44:59 AM by Exelixi

Mura: -flips the bird to veterinary science with one hand and Euclidean geometry with the other-

@Sijo: Oh, sure.

@Exelixi: I am less the satisfied with that. Oh well, ya know?

edited 12th Jan '12 11:25:36 AM by God_of_Awesome

I'd still like to pitch my vampire-like idea as something in addition to whatever we pick for vampires not something thats opposed to it, as my idea has more fantasy influence than horror and is so different I don't even think our vampires are different would even cover it. Really it closer to fae than vamp.

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Don't we have fairies?

I mean, go ahead and pitch the idea, but it might end up being folded into something else.

edited 12th Jan '12 12:39:19 PM by Exelixi

Mura: -flips the bird to veterinary science with one hand and Euclidean geometry with the other-

We have Faerie.... spelled that way because Aether.

I've said it before, I'll say it again, that letter doesn't work how you think it does. It makes a long "E" sound. As in "fear" with a Y tacked on. And That's Terrible.

Mura: -flips the bird to veterinary science with one hand and Euclidean geometry with the other-

I always pronounced it as a long A sound... I've been pronouncing Daemon wrong all this time.

Yup.

Mura: -flips the bird to veterinary science with one hand and Euclidean geometry with the other-

I check our Fearie is vague it basically says like The Fair Folk, and outside of that we have them mentioned with witches but that's about it.

Nighkin- *

There are many reasons Faerie gift their spells to witches and not wizards but the Nighkin seem to be the biggest example, people sight in the colleges whenever it is brought up.

Nighkin are mysterious creatures that were born out of the ideas of a mad wizard and a faerie foolish enough to believe him. Witches and Faerie often deny these events ever happened, or they say it was all just one big joke, but these events did indeed happen.

A charming and charismatic Wizard named Prognis *

, was able to convince a Faerie to follow him back to his lab so he could learn True Magic, But it was a trap. The wizard had carefully worded his statements when capturing the Faerie so that everything was agreed upon. The Faerie was arrogant and took him to be a naive fool she could play with, but he was far smarter than she gave him credit for.

Prognis contained her in his lab, which was specially crafted using the knowledge of witches that he had captured and tortured but that wasn't enough. He wanted the secrets of the faerie, and he wasn't willing to be their play thing in order to get them.

Prognis was also a fool though, he liked to gloat to his victims and this was his undoing. Prognis intended to take her blood *

and merge it with his own blood, in an attempt to gain even more power. The room was faerie proofed, escape was impossible even if she could kill Prognis. So she did the only thing she did cursed her blood. When Prognis took her blood it would drive him even more mad, giving him a lust for blood and animalistic instincts. She would turn him into a ravenous animal with a humans body and let the local put him down.

But that was under the assumption Prognis hadn't already done this once before, Prognis already had the blood of another faerie in his veins an accomplice who felt no kinship with other faerie, who gifted her essence to a man of her own will.

The cursed blood surged in his veins merging with his already alchemical charged blood causing a rare magical mutation. Causing Prognis to be the progenitor of the Nighkin.

Nighkin-

Are humanoids who have had the blood of Prognis infused into them, they hunger for blood but not any blood. They need the blood of magical creatures, or powerful mages. They are very much like specters*

except they feed on blood. They tend to be more wild, as their own magical blood keeps their mind in near constant high, which only disappears when they hunger.

Nighkin's hair tends to grow faster and a bit wilder, their eyes often have dark patches around them, and they often have small fangs which release a neurotoxin into their victims blood which is both numbs them and gives them a high very similar to the high nighkins get after feeding. They're skin is also often a pale shade of a brighter color that exists outside of the normal humanoid colors.

The toxin is addictive to humanoid both mage and non-mage, those who have the toxin in their system for too long often end up showing similar behavior to Nighkin due to the constant highs, but to not become Nighkin themselves. In order for Nighkin to be born into this world, a Nighkin follower(mage) must drink a Nighkins blood as well as the blood of several mages. After a few dozen feedings they'll will find magic slowly slipping from their grasp and when they can no longer call upon spells they have official joined the ranks of the Nighkin.

Nighkin can only be born of those who are close to magic and have blood. So most Nighkin are former mages, Nighkin due to them constantly needing to feed on blood for it's magical abilities cannot cast or call on spells the way mages do. Often absorbing the aether to fast for it to form into anything. They can however enhance their physical abilities, like a juggernaut allowing them to achieve super humanoid feats as long as they've feed within a few days.

Nighkin can see and smell aether, they see aether has glowing auras so are often creatures of the night as the glow is faint and the same color as the sun. Not all Nighkin are primal, but many are due to the effects of the cursed blood but with time and effort they can control these urges.

Clans, risks and wars-

Nighkin clans are born from an individual Nighkin feeding on several different mages without sharing the mages with others, eventual their blood will have changed slightly into it's own bloodline causing any who feed from their blood to be born into their bloodline. The changes within a single bloodline are minor at best but they're is a big risk.

Being magical creatures with blood themselves, Nighkin will often find themselves hungering for one another. This rarely happens within a clan as it would be like feeding off their own blood, but the blood of a Nighkin form another clan can be very exotic. It seems Nighkin's biggest enemy is one another. They often hunt down members of other clans for nourishment. Often leading to massive battles and wars, when two clans come to face one another.

Mages and faeries are not found of them either, neither are normal humanoids who view them as virus of corruption across the land.

—-

I'm aware the back story needs work, but what matters for now is the creature.

So yeah, they're basically a designer drug in humanoid form, with aspects of faerie and vampire mixed in. But I figure they'd make a great foe for an adventuring group and they versatile being close to nature but also needing high populations of magic users. =3

Edit: Typos

edited 2nd Jul '12 12:20:33 AM by Vyctorian

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One thing, witches aren't the sort of spellcasters fairies usually choose to make deals with, a spellcaster is a witch because they've made deals with they fey. In theory, one could practise both disciplines, but they'd be mediocre at both instead of excelling in one, as they work on different principles. It's essentially the difference between a physicist and a lawyer. The rest of the idea works, though; the dude could use his skill as a wizard to do the transfusion without ever having to learn how to make eldritch bargains. Overall, I dig it.

edited 12th Jan '12 4:58:52 PM by Exelixi

Mura: -flips the bird to veterinary science with one hand and Euclidean geometry with the other-

The difference between Mystics and Mages is indeed more comparable to Lawyers and Physicists.

Nosferatu

Nosferatu is the correct name for the demon Anduriel's creations, though people often mistake them for Nightkin and call both 'vampires'. Unlike Nightkin, Nosferatu aren't really alive; they're undead beings. They don't need to drink blood, but do so out of malice and to create more of their kind (which requires that the victim die from the blood drain.) They're always evil though their personality varies based on their former behavior and willpower. They posses superhuman strength and can only be killed if completely destroyed (a stake through the heart 'kills' them only as long as it's inside their bodies.) Fire does the job, as does sunlight. They are repelled by holy objects (of any religion, as long as its a good-aligned one) but it must be an actually blessed object, a makeshift cross won't work. Similarly they cannot enter holy areas such as churches but need no permission to enter a house. They cannot turn into bats by default but may gain this power (and others) if they negotiate for them with Anduriel.

edited 12th Jan '12 6:15:24 PM by Sijo

Alright, Like I said It was the creature that I really wanted. =3

Can rain kill them too, I know in some myths it can and I like that version.

edited 12th Jan '12 7:25:33 PM by Vyctorian

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Black Empire Currency

The Black Emperor enforced a currency system that has made it highly valued on global markets but very confusing to his people at home. First he standardized a measurement system, quite like the metric system, and based his currency strictly to that. Coins are usually grams of the standard fare of gold, silver and copper with smaller decigrams, with paper notes representing smaller but more commonly used weights of gold and silver or for larger weights of copper. Their is no straight and simple conversion system of 'one gold equals ten silver', which is what makes it confusing to Black Imperials but since one gram of gold is always one gram of gold, Black Imperial money is always good on the international market and all other nations have kept samples of these standard weights to always hold the Black Empire to it.

Paper notes hold conversion charts which require a bit of math to solve, so all Black Imperial require an education in doing math to even do commerce, which requires a background education of reading and writing, something Emperor Hrod enforces.