I really am endlessly amused by the entire concept of vampire aristocrats. Like... if a count becomes a vampire, does he still observe his duties to the crown? Does he send military support to his normal human king? Does he fulfill any of the obligations of his title? Or does he just... go off the grid and hole up in his castle, feeding off the population of his fiefdom until someone notices?
“Your Majesty, it’s been a while since we heard from Count Von Sanguinus. Should we... send someone to check on him?”
“Hmm. Well, we’d hear about it if he died, wouldn’t we?”
“I... I can’t say, sire. There’s always the possibility that he’s... you know. Gone vamp.”
“Ah, you must be the new Count Von Sanguinus? You look so much like your late... um. Father? Grandfather?”
“...Yes.”
“In fact, you look exactly like him. Down to the same pallid countenance and silky gait...”
“There is a strong family resmblance among all the Von Sanguinuses.”
“And that explains the identical lip scar?”
“....Von Sanguinus genes carry no recessive traits. A scientist said so.”
“Right. Very well. Carry on, then. Let no one say the king is a science denier.”
they could become a wildcount (a count who owns wilderness instead of towns or farmland)
“Wildcount” sounds like the title you give someone when you’re exiling them and stripping them of all their rights and holdings but you still want to let them down easy.
King: “No ha ha you’re not in trouble! :) You’re not banished from your home and country! :) I’m just making you a wildcount, see? We’re cool, I promise! I know how you like animals... now you get to have bears and badgers as serfs! Doesn’t that sound fun?”
King: [aside] “If he ever sets foot here again, cut off his legs.”
