#MERCIFANGS ― an independent, mutuals-only, selective roleplay blog for original character, vampire CLEMENCY PAYNE. based on a variety of vampire mythos. low activity.
written by MARLOWE (any pronouns, 21+), established OCT 2025.
clemency's vampiric powers are drawn from the blood of humans; she cannot survive without it. animal blood can have the same effect, however, it is far less potent.
frequency. clemency's feeding frequency can range from a couple of days to four to six weeks. on average, she will feed once every three weeks. she will drink blood more frequently if she is traveling or if she is heavily using her powers; she will drink less frequently if she is sleeping for long periods of time.
abstainance. clemency has abstained from consuming human blood out of religious fervor in the past. during these periods, she will delay her hunt for as long as she is physically able to. falling into a slumber for days at a time can allow for her to abstain for longer periods of time, but when she awakens she can no longer deny herself. in order to fuel a true slumber, which lasts for months or years, she must drink heavily.
thirst. breaks between feeding lasting more than four weeks can result in lethargy, confusion, agitation, and dizziness. she may begin to wear this exhaustion on her features as her vampiric powers begin to fail her. the skin on her face will appear thinner, giving her the appearance of sunken-in eyes and hollow cheeks. she becomes physically weak and exhausted, sleeping for longer periods of time than her typical 10-12 hours. her sensory abilities become more powerful to the point that it is overwhelming. in this state, it is difficult for her to think of anything but her thirst. she cannot resist the scent of blood.
result of extreme thirst. there have been only three times that clemency has allowed her thirst to continue past six weeks. in each case, she has blacked out and regained consciousness hours later, her vampiric instincts having taken over and led her to slaughter. she has woken up in the forest around her manor, a family's estate, and in a pasture. each time, she was covered in blood and well-fed. this is a horrifying experience for her. it represents a loss of control, however temporary, and a harsh reminder that she is beholden to her base needs.
primary method. clemency is an ambush predator. those unfortunate enough to wander and become lost on her estate are her main source of blood. upon sensing their presence, she will go out into the labyrinthine forest and stalk them. her delicate footsteps and familiarity with the landscape are instrumental to this task, and combine so that her prey often never see or hear her coming. when it is the right moment and their guard is down, she strikes from behind and targets their jugular. as she hunts and feeds, her eyes can be seen reflecting a startling gold hue. it is a disturbing, imprecise affair; clemency is often covered from blood from her nose to her stomach, no attention paid to her appearance as she drinks.
secondary method. clemency can utilize her supernatural beauty and her powers of hypnosis to coerce her victims to a space in which she can drain them of their blood without being disturbed. she has used this method to kill in bedrooms, hotel rooms, alleyways, etc. it's certainly not her preferred method, seeing as it depends on the implication of sexual interest, and it is rare that she turns to it rather than simple ambush, but it comes in handy in a pinch.
signs of a recent feeding. the external signs of feeding can last between hours and days. if she consumes a typical amount of blood (10 pints), then she will be somewhat warm for up to two hours. similarly, there is a natural flush to her skin that is not otherwise present. while the scent of blood constantly clings to her, for the day following a successful hunt, it is strong and persistent. her abilities are stronger, she is more active, and she is more sociable.
a note on survivors. it is very rare for her victims to survive, as she typically drains them to the point of death. there have been twelve victims that she did not kill. in many cases, her feeding was interrupted by another human discovering the act, or if she is repulsed by something on or around their person, for example, a crucifix pendant or the intense smell of garlic. in the case of religious or silver jewelry, she has been able to use hypnosis to have her victims remove them so that she may proceed without placing herself in harm's way. those that she has allowed to survive typically do not remember the attack itself.
survivor's disease. in the case that clemency does not kill her victims, they begin to fall ill within six hours of the attack. they experience extreme fatigue and weakness, along with spells of dizziness and nausea, and lose color in their face. within a couple of days, they experience visual hallucinations that often involve a figure staring at them in the darkness. this figure resembles clemency payne. within two weeks, these symptoms escalate to fever, vomiting, heart palpitations, and nightmares. victims complain of the figure appearing in their dreams, dressed in all black and beckoning them into the unknown. this disease is only treatable by a clergy member, and even then is extremely difficult to treat. if left untreated, victims die within a month. out of twelve survivors, only three have gone on to survive this disease.
cœur de paris. launched in 1911 by perfume house lentheric, this perfume represents the scents that clemency wears most frequently. the opening of this scent is warm and slightly sharp with bergamot, clove spice, and cinnamon, and blends floral notes of rose and jasmine. base scents are woody and classic; amber, oakmoss, incense, myrrh, musk and sandalwood. clemency often chooses this fragrance, and ones similar to it, because it is classy and feminine. sharp floral or spicy opening notes provide an opportunity to undercut the scent of blood.
trinity blood. this perfume represents her natural scent, rather than a perfume that she chooses to wear on a daily basis. it opens with the sharp scents of blood, metal, and blackberry, fading into more earthy scents of vetiver and myrtle. the base scents of this fragrance are woody as well, frankincense and patchouli. the metallic scent of blood clings to her and can be detected faintly beneath her typical perfume by an observant nose. the forest on her estate, too, provide her with earthy, woody, and green scents.
