Many of the younger guild vampires have never met or even seen Rasneur, since he has become very reclusive in the past hundred years or so (Doing what, nobody but Alistair can say) and many of the youngest vampires enjoy a game where they all try to draw what they believe he looks like then vote on the ones they think are the most likely and then send them to Rasneur, who then instructs his favorites to be hung up in the hall. (Many of these favorites look absolutely nothing like him, as he judges on creativity rather than accuracy. His favorite is an image of an inky black handprint slapped on a piece of parchment with a mouth drawn on it.)
The guild of Rasneur vampires dont turn humans as often as Court of Tepesh vampires do. Guild vampires are renowned for being impetuous, curious, and humorous, as well as very magically adept. This is because Rasneur himself had a great love for people of good humor, and because of this was known as “The Gregarious” to the other original vampires. Rasneur and Alistair exclusively sought humans who were both humorous and intelligent to turn, and more often than not magic users who had strange or off-kilter ideas that may have been spurned by the rest of the magic-using community.
Tepesh hated Rasneur and his guild because to him, they appeared as nothing more than a bunch of jokesters, but to Rasneur, his growing coven was a haven for bright, creative magical minds. Eventually, Alistair suggested the idea that they create a society for the “hidden” magics (Divination, Necromancy, Demonology) inviting the most adept casters to their castle to share their artistry and ideas. Rasneur, of course, thought this was a great idea. This was the founding of the Triad.
Rasneur, of course, is the original vampire who founded the Triad and lives permanently at the castle, but he rarely if never socializes with the other vampires of his guild directly, despite having a huge fondness and love for them. Instead, he opts to stay ~mysterious~ and works through a vampire named Alistair Hyde, who was the first human he turned when he first crawled out of the abyss with the other original Vampires.
Alastair is a very old vampire and has a penchant for magic, specifically divination. Despite being so old and wizened, Alistair retains that guild of Rasneur quirk about him, and instructs younger vampires with reserved humor and enthusiasm. Many of the youngest of the guild vampires refer to him as “Grandfather Hyde”
The guild of Rasneur coven headquarters also function as the Triad headquarters, its an old old old castle tucked away in the forests in northern Trevain, and its nearly impossible to find if you dont have as summons (due to magic) Only the highest ranking Triad members are ever cordially invited to Castle Rasneur and when they get there they are usually surprised to find it teeming with vampires.
most guild of rasneur vampires are directly related or involved in Triad activities, though there are some who strike out and do their own thing. However, any guild vampire, no matter how detached from the Triad they wandered always has a place at Castle Rasneur and may return home whenever they wish.
you got it! first thing! I hear you talking about gods n stuff! Is there a pantheon, and each city just has a patron?
Well it differs from country to country, the map of valderas is HUUGE
(the grey is land we havent built yet)
There are different pantheons for different countries, Like Solveig worships their goddess Vega, but a vast majority of the world reveres dragons in some way. There are four High dragons which reside in the four corners of the world (one in the deep forests to the west, one in the frozen reaches of the north, one in the deserts to the south and one slumbering under the ocean) are ancient creatures with power near that of deities.
Many world powers, such as Skoggsden to the north, and Aaru to the south, revere these dragons as gods.
Though of course, there are other powers and deities that exist within the world since there are a vast array of cultures spanning from country to country
One of the original vampires spawned of Abyss was known as Rasneur the Gregarious, or the Laughing Vampire, appeared to mortals as a jovial, quick witted, handsome young man of either human or elfish descent.
Considered strange even among his fellows, Rasneur’s lust for blood and the hunt was overshadowed by his personal lust for magic and knowledge, and it is thought that Rasneur and his abyssal magic laid the foundation of the secret dark arts society known today as the Triad, as many ancient abyssal texts held in the Triad’s libraries mention back to him by name and sigil. There is also a suspicious number of Vamyres ascended from his bloodline among the higher ranks of the Triad.
Rasneur’s bloodline coven is known as the Guild of Rasneur, Vampyre’s gifted with wit, insight, powerful magic capabilities, and the unsettling ability to resist the corruption that mortal blood brings them, allowing them to feed upon humans more often, with less repercussions.
Rasneur’s whereabouts are currently unknown, as there was no evidence of him ever retreating back to Abyss like many of his brethren, not was it ever revealed that he was slain by a hunter.
More likely than not, the jovial Rasneur still resides within the hidden walls of the Triad’s Castle headquarters, nestled inconspicuously in the misty dark hills of the Trevainian forest.
Lycanthropy is a magical affliction with no known cure that had two simultaneous outbreaks in both Trevain, and Skoggsden. There are two different documented strains of Lycanthropy, “wolf” and “rat” affliction. Among many Lycanthrope communities within Trevain, the term “werewolf” is considered a slur.
The initial cosmic incident that caused the outbreak in both Trevain and Skoggsden are still an Enigma to this day, but studies being conducted at Dogwood Institute in Yorick, Trevain, have shed some light on the nature of the disease.
Symptoms:
the main symptom of lycanthropy is the tranformation from man to beast on the night of the full moon, but there are several, less obvious symptoms as well that should be looked out for...
Physical Symptoms
Increased hair/body hair growth
premature graying of hair
Growth of “fangs,” and “claw” like fingernails
Pointing of the ears
Yellowing of the eyes or sclera
Hypersensitive senses (hearing, Smell)
Severe silver allergy (unprotected skin contact with silver resulting in immediate reaction, which can cause severe burns within a few moments)
Psychological symptoms
Increased aggression
Delusions, or madness
Depression or disassociation
“Inhuman” feelings or urges
Hypersensitive senses (Smell, Hearing)
Twitchiness or hyperactivity
Increased appetite
Impulsive behavior
It should be noted that afflicted individuals may show few or none of these symptoms. Physical symptoms appear more commonly within the wolf strain, whereas the psychological symptoms appear more commonly among those afflicted with the rat strain.
Methods of contraction:
There are three documented methods to contract Lycanthropy, being Injury via bite, inheritance from a Lycanthrope parent, and blood transfusion.
The most common and of course most sensationalized method of contraction is affliction through the bite of an infection individual. There is NO CURE for Lycanthropy, though if bitten on an arm or leg, contraction can be neutralized by immediately severing the afflicted limb within the first hour of contraction.
Similarly as common, and equally as sensationalized, Lycanthrope parents can also sire afflicted children.
Wolf/Human coupling: 50% chance of siring affected child
Rat/Human coupling: 80% chance of siring affected child
Both parents Lycanthropes: 100% chance of siring affected child.
The final method of affliction is the least sensationalized, but equally as potent, one can contract Lycanthropy through blood transfusion. Though its rare to come into blood contact with an infected individual unless you are in the medical profession, it’s becoming more and more popular among mad Trevanian Vampire hunters to purposefully inject themselves with infected blood,as Lycanthrope blood is toxic to the Abyssal-blooded Vampires.
Interestingly, contraction via blood transfusion seems to slow the affliction process, with a much slower incubation period.
Differences in strain:
Before delving into differences, it must be noted that Wolf and Rat strain are not different afflictions. The Rat strain is simply a newer offshoot of the original Lycanthropy disease that cropped up when Lycanthropes in Yorick were forced to take refuge in the dark sewer system under the city, their bodies adapting to the different environment. They are, for all intents and purposes, still “wolves”, simply with different physiology.
The major differences between the “wolf” and “rat” strains are small, but worth noting. The first being is that Rat strain seems to spread faster than Wolf strain. Rats are small and agile, their bodies adapted specifically to traverse the labyrinthine depths of the Old Yorick sewer systems. Rats are quick, cunning and potentially vicious.
Wolf strain, on the other hand, tends to spread slower than the rat strain, but is no less dangerous. Wolves are bestial and strong, and can cause a lot of damage to persons/property.
Lycanthropes in Trevain:
In the country of Trevain, Lycanthropy is treated as a plague, with those affected being ostracized and discriminated against, often to the point of violence at the hands of fearful humans in the countryside.
.Lycanthropes living within Trevain must be registered, and comply to monitoring by the local outbreak control division of the Dogwood Institute. Unregistered Lycanthropes, or Lycanthropes found to be disturbing the peace will be apprehended and placed in their local quarantine and control establishment, the largest of which being Dogwood Asylum in Yorick, where they will be closely monitored.
Its not quite known what goes on in these establishments, but theyre known to be akin to prisons, and its rumored that cruel and inhuman “tests” are preformed in search of a cure by their leading researchers.
But of course, that's only rumor, as no breakthroughs in any cure for Lycanthropy has ever been found to date.
Lycanthrope sympathizers abound in Trevain as well, the most noted of which being the esteemed Doctor Shuck, but of course these individuals have very little say or sway in the general public’s opinion in the long run.
Lycanthropes in Skoggsden:
In complete contrast to Trevain, Lycanthropes in Skoggsden are not only accepted, but revered and respected due to their strength and bestial nature. Those afflicted are thought to be more adaptable and in tune with nature, and Lycanthrope parents are especially desired among many as it ups the chance of their child’s survival within the harsh arctic environment.
Skoggsden Lycanthropes appear larger than Trevanian werewolves, with thicker, and often lighter colored hair, occasionally appearing pure solid white.
