Sanguis
Immortals of the Thirst
Seeking a means to extend their lifespan without succumbing to the curse of undeath, the human kingdom of Nephistrad turned in desperation to forbidden magic. Their pleas were answered by a mysterious entity known only as the Scarlet Walker, who offered them a chance at immortality through a ritual known as the Crimson Cup. Those who drank from it would live far beyond the mortal coil. Yet, the Scarlet Walker neglected to share the full truth. Eternal life came with a price, an unrelenting thirst for blood.
The Sanguis are elegant and cursed beings, born from ambition and sealed by blood. Once human, their origins lie in a desperate pact with a mysterious entity known as the Scarlet Walker, who offered a means to transcend mortality through the Crimson Cup ritual. What the Scarlet Walker didn’t reveal was the cost, an insatiable thirst that now defines their existence. To live as a Sanguis is to live forever on the edge of hunger, walking a fine line between refined immortal and monstrous predator.
While Sanguis are often mistaken for vampires, they are something entirely different. Their lifespans are extended not through undeath, but through a dark rite of Hematurgy blood magic that grants them vitality at the cost of regular feeding. Many Sanguis navigate society masked by charm and beauty, feeding discreetly and participating in the politics of noble courts or scholarly circles. Others reject the illusion of civility, giving in to their primal hunger and becoming predators in both body and mind. Regardless of path, a Sanguis must feed or fall into ruin, for starvation turns them into Thralls, bestial echoes of their former selves, ruled only by the hunger.
For players, choosing a Sanguis means exploring a life of danger, decadence, and inner conflict. You’ll play a character whose immortality is sustained by the blood of others, in a world where that gift is both envied and feared. Whether you hide your hunger, rule from the shadows, or indulge in the thrill of the hunt, the legacy of the Crimson Cup is yours to shape.
The First Cup Bearer
The Sanguis originated from the ambitious citizens of Nephistrad, a kingdom flourishing through arcane mastery and tethering into the Bond. Guided by the powerful Von Lishken bloodline, the people of Nephistrad sought to rise beyond their Human limitations. They envied the longevity of Elves and Dwarves, resenting what they saw as an unfair advantage in the pursuit of knowledge and power.
Obsessed with overcoming the limits of mortality, the Von Lishkens turned to Hematurgy, the forbidden art of blood magic. It was then the Scarlet Walker revealed herself, offering salvation through transformation. The first to accept was Harlock Von Lishken, who drank from the Crimson Cup and was reborn as something no longer human, a Sanguis. One by one, others followed, and the pact was sealed.
Blood Thirst
Every Sanguis must consume at least 500 milliliters of blood daily to maintain their physical and mental health. This blood must be fresh, drawn from the living or recently deceased. While some Sanguis treat feeding as a refined art, pairing it with wine and ceremony, others hunt without mercy or disguise.
If a Sanguis abstains for three months, they undergo a horrific transformation into a Thrall, a withered, mad creature driven only by instinct. Over fifty agonizing years, a Thrall decays into little more than bone and sinew, its mind slowly unraveling. Some are mercy-killed by their kin. Others vanish into the dark, a cautionary tale in the making.
Crimson Fear
The existence of the Sanguis is one of paradox. They are both admired and reviled as seductive immortals with cursed appetites. Some cities allow their presence, but only under strict surveillance and regulation. Others treat them as monsters, fit only for exile or execution.
Because of this, many Sanguis conceal their nature, blending into society with glamours, false names, and constructed lives. But not all Sanguis are ashamed. Some fully embrace their elevated status, establishing crimson fear where mortals are nothing more than tamed cattle. These decadent Sanguis view themselves as the next stage of evolution, and they revel in it. Regardless of their path, family and bloodline mean everything. Legacy, tradition, and kinship are sacred to the Sanguis, and blood is thicker than all else.
Dark Desires
As a people unbound by time, the Sanguis are deeply driven by emotion and ambition. Some devote centuries to perfecting a single skill, becoming renowned painters, scholars, duelists, or philosophers. Others burn with restless hunger, indulging in pleasure and vice as a way to pass eternity. A Sanguis never forgets a slight, nor does it give affection lightly. Their love can last centuries. So too can their grudges.
Basic Information
Anatomy
At first glance, Sanguis appear nearly human. They stand between 4 and 6 feet tall, usually slender, and weigh 100 to 180 pounds. Their skin is pale but flawless, their features unnaturally symmetrical, their eyes a haunting gray or vivid crimson. Hair color ranges from silver and white to deep scarlet.
The most notable difference is their elongated canines, which extend when feeding. A well-fed Sanguis radiates supernatural allure. A starving one appears ghostly and skeletal, with sunken features and eyes that burn with desperation.
Civilization and Culture
Major Organizations
Kingdom of Nephistrad
Located in the Nevermore Expanse, the Sanguis Kingdom of Nephistrad is ruled by the immortal hand of Harlock Von Lishken, the King of Forever. As the last human king and the first to drink from the Crimson Cup, Harlock is a figure of awe and dread. He retains the authority to accept or reject any law within Nephistrad’s domain, and his word is absolute.
Blood Court
The Blood Court serves as an advisory senate to the King of Forever, composed of senators drawn from Nephistrad’s noble houses. Representation is population-based, with one senator for every 3,000 citizens in a city. Only one member per noble house may serve at a time, with the most powerful houses selecting senators first. The ruling noble of a city is automatically appointed as its primary senator. Currently, there are 47 senators, most of whom reside in the capital city of Razmiran.
The Unseen
The Unseen are cloaked arbiters of law who serve as Harlock’s hidden agents. Enshrouded in secrecy, their identities are never revealed, preserving impartiality and eliminating personal bias. They possess the authority to issue judgment and enforce law without trial, their decisions superseded only by a sitting senator or the King himself.
Wraith Knights
Wraith Knights are elite enforcers who have undergone a ritualistic transformation by embracing negative energy. These grim warriors have surrendered part of their souls, existing in a twilight state between life and undeath. Loyal only to the King of Forever, Wraith Knights exist to eliminate threats and execute the will of Harlock Von Lishken. Their presence is a reminder of Nephistrad’s might and the price of defiance.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Mal'hul
Widely spoken across the shadowed expanse of Nevermore, Mal’hul is the native tongue of the Sanguis, a muttering, low-toned language rooted in concepts over structure. Unlike most Human languages, Mal’hul doesn’t rely on rigid grammar but instead conveys intent and emotion through inflection, rhythm, and context. Skilled speakers are able to weave layers of meaning into a single phrase, and practiced listeners may detect echoes of The Word, a language of divine utterance, and Forsworn, the infernal dialect of the Below. Scholars speculate that Mal’hul originated as a refined derivative of Forsworn, altered by necessity for humanoid tongues but still capable of shaping perception and invoking ancient memories. In some occult traditions, it’s believed Mal’hul can stir the blood, awaken buried instincts, or grant clarity in the fog of cursed thoughts.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Lifespan
Sanguis are immortal as long as they feed. A Thrall lives for around 50 years.
Average Height
Medium (about 4-7 feet tall) or Small (about 2-4 feet tall), chosen when you select this species
Geographic Distribution
Related Organizations
Becoming Sanguis
There are two known paths to becoming Sanguis.By Bloodline
A child born from a Sanguis and a human will always be Sanguis. Such children must be nourished with blood instead of milk and mature at a human pace. Upon reaching adulthood, they cease aging entirely.
By Rite
A human may undergo the Crimson Cup ritual under the guidance of a master hematurgist. The process is costly and painful, requiring rare components and the approval of a Sanguis bloodline, or the direct will of the Scarlet Walker. Once complete, the ritual remakes the soul and body alike.
In both cases, the result is the same: a creature forever changed, no longer mortal, forever haunted by hunger.
Blood Tax
Referred to throughout Nephistrad as the Vida Culling, the blood tax is a grim but normalized aspect of daily life. All mortal citizens living under the “protection” of a Sanguis noble house are required to offer 500 milliliters of blood each week. This payment is not merely a tradition, it is law, meant to sustain the ruling Sanguis class and maintain the balance of power.
Blood is collected by members of the Crimson Order during weekly religious services, or on alternate days for those of different faiths. All official extractions must take place within a sanctified temple, and are administered by trained leech priests. These clerics use blood leeches, carefully applied to the arm, thigh, or back, to painlessly draw the required amount. Once full, the leech expels the blood into a sealed capsule for a single serving or a blood canister capable of holding up to seven servings.
A healthy mortal can safely donate once per week without harm. However, further extractions before a full seven days of rest result in one level of exhaustion per donation and reset the recovery clock. Despite the risks, many able-bodied citizens choose to give more than their mandated share, either out of loyalty, desperation, or profit. Blood is currency in Nephistrad, and 500 ml fetches an average price of 1 gold piece on the open market, making black-market blood trades and unsanctioned extractors an ever-present part of society’s undercurrent.
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