Bloodbound Rebirth: A Dark Ascension
Introduction
Death is not always the end. For the unfortunate or chosen, it is the beginning of a second existence--one bound to hunger and shadows. The transformation from Human to Vampyre is not a mere change of body but a violent rebirth into something is no longer quite human, something that many will say is not human at all.
The process of becoming a vampyre defies the laws of Infinite Grace as it brings the body back to life after it dies. It is an agonizing process as the body and soul rejects the light of life and embraces the darkness of undeath.
Each individual experiences the transformation in a way unique to them because their memories, emotions, and physical state shape the kind of vampyre they will become. Despite this, most vampyres awaken in a haze of confusion, driven only by an insatiable hunger. And once the change is complete, there is no return to what they once were.
So, let's dive into the grim fate that await those who succumb to the bite and undergo the Bloodbound Rebirth.
Transformation
The Last Breath
I felt my heart stutter, then silence. The warmth drained from my body like water through cracked stone. And then... I opened my eyes. The world smelled richer, my hunger sang louder, and I knew—I was no longer the man I had been.~ A 3rd century warrior
A person doesn't turn immediately upon being bitten—they must be fully drained of blood. The transformation requires the body to die completely, not just be weakened.
Lingering Hunger: If a vampyre stops drinking too soon, the victim will remain human but suffer from bloodlust and heightened aggression. The victim is also susceptible to the vampyre who bit them and can be controlled by them, to a point.
Note: If a vampyre doesn't want to sire another of his/her kind, they must dismember the body after they've drained it of all blood.
The Death Slumber
For a full day, the body remains lifeless. Many vampyres have come to call this period 'The Hollow Sleep.' During this time:
- The body doesn't decompose
- Subtle changes begin beneath the surface:
- What blood is left thickens into a dark sluggish substance
- The organs undergo a metamorphosis, crystalizing and ceasing to function as they once had
- The soul is trapped in the space between life and death but remains with the body
- It's not distinguishable from a human dying from natural causes (which is why the Vatican doesn't drop the coffin into the ground until the day is up to be sure).
Some describe this as an eternal nightmare—a void where time does not exist, only whispers and hunger.
The Rebirth
Once the full day is done, the transformation completes and the human wakes up as a vampyre. Some do so violently. At this point, the final changes happen:
- The eyes take on a faint glow before the iris take on a red tint
- The teeth sharpen, the incisors lengthening to points
- The skin cools and loses all warmth permanently
Albion's Unusual Transformation
Albion Marrable's change was different than other vampyres due to the Cosmic Star and Infinite Grace's intervention.
- Though he died like the others, his soul didn't fully slip into the void between life and death
- His prayer anchored him so he didn't loss during 'The Hollow Sleep'
- When he awoke, his body went through the usual change but he retained his mind an the usual madness of hunger was dulled
- Through the Cosmic Star, Infinite Grace burned away some of the corrupting darkness, leaving him a vampyre but with a connection to the light and to Infinite Grace that others lack.
History
The First Vampyre: A Pact in Blood
You think the thirst is a simple thing, just a need to drink. No. It is a fire in the marrow, a whisper in the skull, a beast that rakes its claws inside you until your feed.~ Varcelius
The first vampyre was not created by accident, nor by mere hunger—it was the result of a dark bargain.
Long ago, when Caelum Prime was still new, humanity was spreading and thriving as Infinite Grace wanted. But Disharmonia had found a way to make its mark known. Human life came with struggle, disease, war and death. Among them was Varcelius, a man of ambition and desperation. He was a healer wanting to help his people but he grew bitter as he couldn't prevent them from succumbing to illness and famine. His faith in Infinite Grace brought him now answers, no miracles.
Seeking another path, Varcelius opened his mind and prayed to whatever would listen. From the Netherrealm, Disharmonia heard and answered:
"You seek to defy death and break the chains of the mortality? Then drink, and you shall hunger no more."
Desperate, Varcelius offered his own blood as a pact, and in return, Disharmonia gave him a gift and a curse.
His body died as his heart stopped and his flesh grew cold. He remained, immune to sickness and time. But his hunger was endless. He quickly learned that he had to drink the blood of others to sustain himself.
And so this was how the first vampyre was born.
The Spread of the Curse
Centuries weigh upon me like stones upon a grave. I remember faces, voices, the warmth of a lover's hand—and yet they fade, while I remain. Immortality is not a gift. It is a slow unraveling of all that once made you human.~ A lone vampyre, age 600 years
Varcelius was not satisfied being alone—of being the only one. He sought out others, promising them power beyond death. Those who drank from him—who allowed their own bodies to fully die—awoke as creatures like him. They became known as The Bloodbound, an order of warriors, nobles, and priests who embraced the gift of undeath. They spread through the shadows of civilization, feeding and growing stronger. Many saw this as a path to immortality. Most were driven by hunger and madness.
By accident, it was discovered that a human could be turned into a vampyre by draining the victim, but the vampyres created this way weren't nearly as strong as Varcelius and the Bloodbound.
For a long time, vampyres were mere whispers in the dark—a terror spoken of in hushed tones or used to scare children. As much as the Vatican wanted to deny the truth, they couldn't... not after one singular night of blood and terror.
The Night of Crimson Faith
The Vatican first became aware of vampyres during what is known as The Night of Crimson Faith, an event that nearly led to the collapse of one of their monasteries.
The monastery became an unholy den of thirst and whispering shadows. When the Vatican's forces arrived, they found not men of faith, but pale wretches whose lips were stained with the blood of their kin.~ Excerpt from "The Vatican's Forbidden Histories"
In the early 4th century, a prominent member of the Vatican, Gregorio, was overseeing a monastery in the countryside of the Grand Duchy of Aeria. It was a place of devotion, its monks transcribing holy books and tending to the sick. But they were unaware that among them walked a predator cloaked in faith.
One of the monks, Cassian, had been turned in secret. By day, he walked as one of them, but by night, he fed upon his brethren. For months, the bodies were hidden, burned, or passed off as divine trials of suffering.
But then, some of the dead began to rise.
The Vatican sent a force of warrior-priests, prepared to deal with Gloombringers—but they were not ready for what they faced. The vampyres were faster, stronger, and impervious to most wounds. The battle lasted three nights. When it was over, only a handful of Vatican warriors survived.
In response, the Vatican declared a Holy War on vampyres, and created a secret order.
The Order of Eternal Light
They are not men. They are not lost souls. They are abominations, a mockery of Infinite's Grace's design, and we shall not rest until none walk on Caelum Prime.~ Cardinal Rafael di Fiore
With the Vatican no longer blind to the truth, they created The Order of Eternal Light. They trained men and women, many ordained as Deacons, to hunt vampyres and combat the rising threat they posed. Weapons were created to fight and kill them. The Cosmic Star is a shield against the darkness and against vampyres.
We do not fear the night, for we are the light that cuts through its shadows. With faith in our heart and weapon in hands, we will cleanse this world of their filth.~ Inquisitor-General Marcus Velant
Albion is the only vampyre that the Order doesn't hunt as he is an exception and has he's own order from the Vatican.
While the Vatican keeps extensive records on Eternal Island, they ensure that vampyres are nothing more than legend. Despite all their efforts, vampyres still exist. The war against them still continues, though somewhat hampered in Josiah Ward's time due to the borders being closed.
A vampyre is not just a creature of blood—it is a soul severed from grace, forever lost to the abyss. To slay one is not murder, but mercy.~ Father Lucian Belmont, scholar
Table of Contents
- Asqah Caliphate
- City-State of Vict
- Commonwealth of Edria
- Council of Rodia
- Cubria Empire
- Dominion of Scial Gria
- Duchy of Agria
- Duchy of Bornia
- Duchy of Buzatia
- Duchy of Zhilos
- Erbeilian Empire
- Grand Duchy of Aeria
- Grand Duchy of Belia
- Grand Duchy of Tacia
- Grand Duchy of Temia
- Kingdom of Al Qurdaha
- Kingdom of Amigia
- Kingdom of Bumia
- Kingdom of Lacri
- Kingdom of Lugdia
- Kingdom of Secia
- Kingdom of Utharia
- Kingdom of Vepar
- Methaca Empire
- Principality of Kopolchia
- Principality of Meshia
- Principality of Seres
- Shogunate of Cheria
- Tribes of Alet
- Triumvirate of Ashya
- Union of Zavartia
Congratulations on the feature, it's well earned! There's something very vampiric in how completely draining someone is enough to sire a new one, almost like the insatiable hunger of the vampire and the emptiness of the victim is the reanimating force. In most vampire settings I'm familiar with, a new vampire is more of a willed thing and an investment from the vampire, so it's an interesting change to require people to be even more inhumane to prevent a transformation. It really drives home that theme of how vampires cannot help but corrupt, they curse everyone they feed upon.
Solaris | Camp Chill | Summer Camp
Thanks. I was trying to bring something unique for vampyres without going to far field.