de Morieve Dynasty

"Mercy breeds disobedience, but fear never forgets its place.”
(Niklaus Lonescu, monarch of the de Morieve dynasty)

Founder: Viscount de Morieve
Monarch: Niklaus Lonescu
Archetypes: Aristocracy, CEOs and leaders

From their royal palaces and corporate towers, vampires of the de Morieve dynasty hunt using their natural authority and commanding presence. They do not need strength or beauty to subdue their prey. As the de Morieve have the divine right of kings and queens, all shall kneel before them and know their place.

The de Morieve dynasty is authoritarian, noble and commanding. Vampires following this dynasty see themselves as the rightful leaders of the living and undead. Tradition, loyalty, and hierarchy are their lifeblood. Where they walk, others fall into line.

The de Morieve dynasty is aligned with the Bathory and Tepes dynasties, but are opposed to the Lilith and Orlock dynasties.

Anatomy of a Vampire

The vampires in As Night Falls are undead monsters that were once human and need to drink the blood of the living in order to sustain themselves. Human or animal, blood is blood, but it has to be from a living creature. Only blood pumped by a still-beating heart can truly satisfy a vampire’s need to feed, although stored blood may have its uses. Vampires never feed from the dead. Vampires are immortal creatures that are no longer constrained by the ravages of time. They can live for centuries and never age a day. However, should a vampire be starved of blood, the decades can quickly catch up with them, causing a vampire to wither away to a dry husk, from which they may never recover. Although vampires are able to withstand grievous wounds, they are not invulnerable. Fire and sunlight can still hurt them, whilst a stake through the heart will paralyse them (to be fair, it will paralyse most people). Decapitations are always lethal to vampires. Garlic and running water do not harm ...

The Cabal of vampires

The Cabal is an ancient conspiracy of silence that governs the undead lives of vampires to ensure the veil of secrecy is preserved. Vampires are typically loners by nature. People, however, are generally not. Humanity’s ability form communities, communicating with others around the world and sharing their knowledge, is a threat to all vampires. In order to remain hidden from humanity’s gaze, a loose network was created. Although most vampires live by their own standards, it was mutually agreed that certain rules should be enforced to ensure vampires never reveal the secrets of their existence. These rules became known as the four cardinals of the Cabal: Never reveal vampires exist. Never refuse the will of the Cabal. N ever enter another vampire’s territory. Never kill another vampire. The Cabal is regional, with each country having its own communion. In the UK, the Cabal is led by the five monarchs of the vampire dynasties. Supporting the Cabal is the seneschal, an in...

Bathory Dynasty

“A promise whispered at the right moment binds tighter than any chain.” (Isabella Ravingham, monarch of the Bathory dynasty) Founder: Countess Elizabeth Bathory Monarch: Isabella Ravingham Archetypes: courtesans, companions and femme fatales From gilded ballrooms to exclusive nightclubs, vampires of the Bathory dynasty hunt using their charm and beauty to entrance their prey and bring them to their knees. The Bathory are decadent, elegant and ruthlessly charismatic. They thrive on charm and persuasion, and are often at the centre of lavish gatherings or whispered deals. Masters of emotional manipulation, a Bathory will disarm opponents with their grace, before a well-placed strike with a smile seals their victim’s fate. The Bathory dynasty is aligned with the de Morieve and Lilith dynasties, but are opposed to the Orlock and Tepes dynasties.

As Night Falls

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