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Fantasy The Coven Wars [Lore Page]

Cosmo

Does Not Know Kung-fu
Roleplay Type(s)
The City
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Airravell, the City of the Damned

Airravell is one of the largest cities in the world due primarily to its location. It sits upon the mouth of the great Darmus river that cuts a path through the continent. All trade seeking to get to the ocean must first go through Airravell making its power and influence extreme. The great river provides the border between the two nearby nations of Dorin and Sarl, the neighbors of the city-state of Airravell. Neither nation particularly likes Airravell's independence, or the fact it is ruled by monstrous Vampires who, in the minds of most mortals, are demonic nightmares who should all be slain, there is little they can do about it. While either nation could conquer Airravell despite the wealth and power of Airravell's vampires and their legions, living or otherwise, such a war would be opposed by the other nation as a blatant attempt to secure the wealthy city for their own and neither Dorin or Sarl are willing to allow the other to gain that advantage. Of course, the machinations of the Avari have helped keep this delicate balance alive.

Despite being a seat of power for the creatures of the night, the sheer amount of wealth and possibilities is too much for mortals to stay away and its streets are filled with starry-eyed hopefuls... and its slums which teem with once starry-eyed hopefuls. The city of Airravell is ruled by the Patriarch/Matriarch, a vampire, often the leader of a clan, who manages to gather the support of two other clans [Requires three 'votes' out of the five clans in order to become the ruler of Airravell'] where they shall rule for the next century.

Coven Wars RP: https://www.rpnation.com/threads/the-coven-wars-always-accepting.342308/
Coven Wars CS: https://www.rpnation.com/threads/the-coven-wars-cs.342302/
Coven Wars OOC: https://www.rpnation.com/threads/the-coven-wars-ooc.342303/
 
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Vampires

The power of a vampire is not, despite common belief, tied to their age. While an older Vampire is likely to be stronger simply due to having a greater wealth of knowledge and skill, this doesn't necessarily mean that it will be faster or physically stronger then a younger vampire. What truly determines the potency of the curse running through their veins is their 'generation'. A first or second generation vampire are immensely powerful beings that border upon being gods made flesh. With each 'passing' of the curse, the dark magic is weakened. So, a seventh or eight generation vampire is not going to be a match for a second or third generation in terms of strength or speed even if the third generation vampire was turned only a fortnight ago [Of course, it losing due to a lack of skill or expertise is entirely possible]. However, on the flip side, the weaknesses of the curse effect the later generations less then they do the older ones. A first generation vampire will turn to ash in sunlight whilst a eight or ninth generation vampire will simply be minorly irritated by the harsh rays. So it is a mixed blessing, when one considers their generation. As should be obvious, the first generation is the 'sire' of the bloodlines as there were only five vampires... well, unless on believes the tells of the otherworldly Mistress to be true.

Vampires cannot have children, not with mortals nor themselves. As such, many Vampires when they 'sire' someone will consider them to be their children and there tends to be a bond that exist between a sire and the sired, while this bond can be broken and does not force them to be beholden to one another, it is there nonetheless, and its importance depends on the coven, when they do this, it is known as the 'Dark Kiss'. Only humans may contract the curse. So whilst other races do exist in the world, only humans may become Vampires.

These weaknesses are varied. Some are universal while others only effect certain bloodlines.


Vampire Vulnerabilities

General Vulnerabilities
Sunlight
Silver
Light Magic

Avari Bloodline Vulnerability
Wolfsbane - A planet that is often used by vampire slayers and poisoners. This herb is incredibly lethal to the Canim, weakening them greatly and in large doses it is fatal.

Eluvia Bloodline Vulnerbility
Fire - Fire is incredibly dangerous to the Avari as once burned they are unable to 'heal' the burns despite their normally impressive regeneration and as one's physical appearance is important to the Avari, having their looks destroyed and being cursed to live forever with the intense pain of seared flesh is a nightmare.

Sigvorn Bloodline Vulnerbility
Star-Metal - This metal is extraordinarily rare, durable and powerful. It is greatly sought after by Dwarfs and other master craftsmen because the greatest of all weaponry and armor is forged from its metal and even a dagger of it is worth more then all the wealth of a small kingdom. This silvery metal is incredibly lethal to the Sigvorn so much so that they cannot even bear to be in its presence.

Varterall Bloodline Vulnerability
Faith - It is not so much the deity in question as the belief and conviction in it. Showing a holy icon or relic can stun or harm a Volleck if the user is pure and has enough conviction, they are unable to tread upon holy ground, holy water will burn them and, most importantly of all, a strong enough zeal can even offer some level of protection from their magic.

Volleck Bloodline Vulnerability
Dead Man's Blood - The blood of a dead man is poison to a Rouger. While it cannot 'kill' them no matter how much is used, it will slow them and temporarily halt their regeneration allowing them to be put down far easier then they would normally be.


Playable Vampire Generations

First - Not Playable || Immensely Powerful || Crippling
Vulnerabilities

Second Generation - Not Playable || Immensely Powerful || Intense Vulnerabilities

Third Generation - Few Allowed || Monstrously Powerful || Intense
Vulnerabilities

Fourth Generation - Allowed || Great Power || Strong Vulnerabilities

Fifth Generation - Allowed || Powerful || Potent Vulnerabilities

Six 'The Average Vampire' Generation - Allowed || Mighty || Vulnerable

Seven Generation - Allowed || Strong || Negligible Vulnerabilities

Eighth/Ninth/Etc Generation - Allowed || Moderate || No Vulnerabilities


The Hunger

The hunger is the supernatural desire for blood that is within all vampires. This hunger will never go away, no matter how much blood the vampire gorges themselves with. They could drain the blood of every man, woman and child within Airravell, and it would make no difference. This hunger can only be pushed aside with experience, will-power and the 'small' consumption of blood to lessen the edge of its bite. The hunger is what feeds the 'beast' within every vampire, the savagery that keeps them from ever truly being humans and setting them apart as beast of prey. This hunger is also what drives many vampires insane especially as they get older as, sooner or later, the mind breaks as vampires, as powerful as they are, still have a part of their humanity and humans were never meant to have eternal life. The most common cause of insanity tends to be called the 'Blood Frenzy'. A monstrous appetite for blood that drives them into murderous rampages that can burn towns or leave trails of destruction across the city.

It is important to note that without blood, a Vampire can survive. A vampire does not need blood to survive, however, if a vampire does not feed, they become more monstrous both internally and externally. They will become more bestial in appearance and nature until they simply cannot control themselves any longer and feast. At a certain point, this transformation into monster will become permanent and so has become a punishment reserved for the most hated of foes, to lock them away for centuries as they slowly turn into great hulking monster, a visual representation of the beast that dwells within all vampires. It drives away all conscious thought and sanity from the vampire as they become a great beast that lives only to feed.
 
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The Bloodlines
Based around the five original vampires, all vampires, no matter the city, nation or coven, are descended from one of these five original vampires and so share similar heritage, traditions and even traits.

The Avari
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'This city belongs to the Avari, it always has and always will. Who else can bring together the Covens? Who, but the Avari, have led our great race to glory? This city is ours by right and I will allow no misbegotten wretch to stand in our way!'

The Avari are the, self-proclaimed, vampire aristocracy. Whilst they are not a 'specialist' like the others and can almost be considered 'plain', it would be more apt to refer to them as the 'all-rounders'. The Avari are not particularly fast, strong, martially skilled or magically inclined, but at the same time, they are proficient at nearly everything. While they lack any true 'strength', they also lack any apparent 'weakness'. The Avari , despite this, still have some tricks up their sleeves for the Avari tend to have the ability to transform. While not all of them do, and those that do don't always do this, it isn't uncommon for a Avari to have the ability to morph into a large wolf, lycan, swarm of bats, or other such creatures. As one can expect from the 'Aristocracy', the Avari are very 'refined' and tend to make some of the greatest generals and leaders of the vampire kind even if any such alliance or gathering is always short lived. The Avari are the most numerous of all vampires, as their Dark Kiss is the least likely to be rejected by the host, and members of their bloodline can be found in all corners of the world. Their chief rival in both politics and power are the Eluvia. They tend to make their base of power in the noble district.


Eluvia
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'This beautiful city is overrun with brutes and savages. I can almost smell the stink of its slums from here. This city needs a loving touch, a woman's touch. Too long have we guided this great city from the shadows, only to have our efforts ruined by buffoons and foolish male pride. It is time for the Eluvia to take our rightful place at the helm and we will drag this city, kicking and screaming, into the light of a new golden era.'

The mistresses of intrigue and deception, the Eluvia are the information brokers, shadow dealers, assassins and rulers of the dark. It is commonly said that if one has a secret, there is a Eluvia who knows it. While most of the Eluvia tend to be females, males do exist, the reason for this is the Eluvia tend to turn only the most beautiful, and cunning, of humans and that tends to be females more often then naught. However, as their sire was a woman, all leaders of the Eluvia have always been a woman. The Eluvia are the weakest, in terms of brute strength but that isn't saying much when they can still handily defeat an ogre in an arm wrestling contest, but they are, by far, the fastest and have a special connection with both necromancy and shadow magic. Because of their interest in intrigue, it is not uncommon for a Eluvia to heavily employee mortal mercenaries and, among all the bloodlines, the Eluvia are the ones more readily willing to 'work' with mortals, but they also have the mightiest of glamours able to subvert the wills and minds of the weak-willed and is especially effective against those that desire them. Out of all the Coven, the Eluvia have, arguably, the closest bond to one another. They are akin to a very large family, referring to one another as brother, sister, mother or father. This is to both help them have someone they can trust and lean on, given their more treacherous endeavors, whilst reinforcing the idea of loyalty among them. The Eluvia have an ancestral rivalry with the Avari that goes back centuries as the two often compete for power, position and prestige. They tend to make their base of power within the market district.

Sigvorn
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'Corruption. Filth. Glory. Vanity. The 'people' of this city are rife with weakness and smell like the shit they crawl through. The Avari and Eluvia fight and bicker for scraps, each trying to prove themselves like strutting peacocks, the Varterall hide in their tomes and books behind their walls, thinking it protects them, and the Volleck, the mongrels who only hold value as prey, dare to tread on the streets thinking they are our equals!? No one is our equals, we are the Sigvorn, and we alone have honor and strength, we alone shall decide the fate of this city and its bootlickers.'

The Sigvorn are the most martial of all the bloodlines and are warriors personified. They are one of the most selective of the bloodlines, only the Varterall being smaller in number, as the Sigvorn will only turn warriors of great power and potential as the blood line must remain 'pure'. Any who attempt to turn a mortal for any other reason is seen as 'diluting' the bloodline and this, above all, is the greatest of all crimes. While the magical arts tend to take a backseat, a very far backseat, to most Sigvorn, some will have some level of mastery of necromancy, but most prefer to follow the elementallist path using the powers to enhance their own physical abilities. The Initiates, the newly 'born Sigvorn', are thrown out of into the wild and told to travel the world, seeking foes of great skill and honor to sharpen their skills against, to travel the far corners of the world learning exotic fighting styles until they refine themselves into a deadly weapon, this is known as the 'pilgrimage'. When they feel they are ready, they return to the place of their turning and undergo trials that culminate in a one on one fight with either the one who sired them or another Blade to earn their rightful place among their 'family'. The members of the Rouger bloodline are a prized prey of the Sigvorn, Blades and Initiates alike, for they pose some of the mightiest challenges for any warrior to face in battle. They tend to have a fairly decent relationship with both the Eluvia and the Avari who tend to curry favor with the Sigvorn always hoping to use them to swing the deadlock between the two great rivals. Their keep is located at the heart of the noble district.

Varterall
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'It is always amusing to watch the blind lead the blind, they fight and bicker over rubble and glittering coin, they do not understand the true mysterious of our world, or that of others, but how could they? They are like ignorant children fumbling through the dark, their small minds could not fathom the things we have seen, the terrors that live just beyond the veil, nor can they hope to match the wonders that we create on a daily basis. I almost pity them.'

The Varterall are the smallest and most reclusive of the bloodlines, however they are the most potent of bloodlines in the use of the magical arts and because of this, they only turn those who have great magical potential, coupled with that rarity and the low odds of survival that comes with the Dark Kiss and it becomes apparent as to why there are so few, well, that and the fact that it isn't all that common that the Varterall leave their towers and libraries, much preferring the sanctity of research and knowledge rather then exploration which even further lowers the odds of finding promising fledglings. While this is not always true as some prefer to do 'field work', most of their external work is done through thralls and other agents. Not even they can stay locked up forever as the security and stability of Airravell effect them just as much as it does the other bloodlines. While they tend to keep to their own, some of the most deranged of all vampires come from the Varterall those that become lost in their perverse ideas of 'experimentation'. A disturbing number of homunculi come from the Varterall compared to the other bloodlines. Their great tower, and base of power, is in the Docks where free flow of information, 'supplies' and prospects can flow in and out.

Volleck
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'They call us monsters, savages, beast... We are not beast, we will not be controlled nor chained, we will not be used as their dogs, we are Volleck, we are the Unbound!'

The Volleck are the physically strongest and most durable of all the vampire bloodlines. They can overpower even a Sigvorn and their natural regeneration is unnaturally potent rivaling even that of trolls. However, they are also the most bestial of all the bloodlines, the vast majority tend to be hideously disfigured and even the 'best' of them tend to come out looking monstrous or misshapen to some degree. This makes them the most hated of all of vampiric kind by both commoners and other vampires alike as when another bloodline looks at them, they are reminded of the very real beast that lurks beneath the thin mask of 'humanity'. This more bestial nature means that the Volleck are also the least magically inclined of the bloodlines for they tend to lack the temperament of study or the access to higher places of learning. They have an ancestral hatred of the Sigvorn as the vampires of the Sigvorn bloodline tend to hunt Airravell seeing them as the perfect test for their martial skills. Because they tend to be outcast, the Volleck's base of power tend to be in the sewers and slums of Airravell.
 
Magic
Magic in the world of Tora is actually the energy of otherworldly dimensions bleeding over into the world of the mundane. Surrounding the universe are eight dimensions, each with its own unique denizens and energy. In the world, various 'tears' exist, places where the veil between worlds is thin allowing this energy to bleed through and when this happens it is called the 'Winds of Magic'. People who are naturally attuned can feel and even sometimes see these winds and bend them to their will, shaping their energy into new forms or manifestations aptly called 'magic'. Each of these dimensions is ruled by a 'Lord' a godlike being of immense power and these beings make up the common religions of the world, with the most commonly worshiped being the Warden and the Elemental Paragons. The worship of the Leviathan and the Mistress tend to be cult based and illegal in most civilized nations.

Magical Disciplines

Biomancy (Ghyran) - Ghyran is an interesting wind for its use requires just as much magical talent as it does in the realm of science. The realm of Ghyran is known as the 'realm of the internal', for its realm is a barren desert broken only by odd clusters of 'energy'. This 'energy' is thought by researchers to actually be 'planets' or 'planes of existence', various bio-energy of thousands, perhaps billions, of lives all bundled together in a tiny reflection of the realm they come from. There are no spirits or demons within the realm of Ghyran, but many believe it too has a lord as those who view into the realm can hear a ghostly whisper carry over the barren sands. Biomancy is the control of the body, theirs and others. Most biomancy users tend to fall into one of three categories: Hemomancy, Binders and Hermonculi.

Hemomancy: Blood mages. These magical users use the natural power within blood to create constructs or 'bend' blood to its will akin to how a Azyr wizard would bend water. Blood, being a natural magical conductor, is far stronger then water and more useful a component. It isn't just 'bending' blood that they can do, for they can even boil the blood in others, cause internal hemorrhaging in foes or force the blood out of every available office on a body. Hemomancers fall into two further categories: Purist and Radicals. Purist use only their blood. They will carry knives and other sharp instrument to bleed themselves and while their own blood is incredibly potent, it is limited by the fact it is their blood and while a hemomancer can greatly increase his blood reproduction rate, it still has severe limits. Radicals use their own blood but prefer to use the blood of others. They will keep 'supplies' nearby either in volunteers or slaves, known as blood slaves, and drain them into magical pouches and containers that keep it 'fresh' and ready for use. Most radicals are disliked by the general public for their barbaric nature, but their power and use cannot be denied.

Binders: Binders are known as healers by many for binders like to use the natural power in bodies to accelerate natural healing or immune systems, greatly increase the density and power of muscles and bones in bodies, improve the potency of adrenaline and the response time of the nervous system. These effects aren't permanent and are temporarily with some more intense uses causing the subject to be horribly broken or maimed after, but often still within the healing limits of a Binder. Binders are often well received for this ability to heal and support their fellows or in armies where they can greatly increase the effectiveness of their neighbors or themselves. Binders do not have the best of reputations due to many of their kind falling into the dark nature that grips those known as homunculus.

Hermonculi: These beings tend to be universally hated by the common folk for they create 'monsters'. They tend to be binders who push the limits of the body. They seek to 'improve' upon the worlds creatures, adding new 'parts', 'sections' or even artificial limbs. The most deranged will even piece together the parts of multiple people to create flesh golems and the like while others prefer to work with monsters creating 'babies', this was, for example, how the fell manticore and chimera was born. They are prized by gladiatorial arenas for their ability to create interesting foes, 'recycle' dead fighters and slaves, and they can 'patch' up wounded warriors.


Necromancy (Shyish) - The winds of Shyish is something all vampires have a natural affinity for, in some degree or another, for it is art of undeath itself. The magical wind of Shyish is the wind of death and decay, while it can be used by mortals, it will quickly decay their mortal bodies and corrupt their souls. It isn't uncommon for even Vampires to be driven insane by the winds of Shyish especially the deeper into it they delve. Necromancy allows the user to summon back the dead, either as mindless decaying slaves or spirits shackled to objects or the user, extend one's natural life or even peer into the afterlife to commune with lost which.. is never advised for the dead are hungry and will often do their best to steal the bodies and minds of those who enter the realm of the dead so they might walk the world of the living once again, when this happens, the abominations are known as Wights.

One must be careful when treading into the underworld for within the dimension of Shyish are 'Reapers', ghostly figures that Shepard the dead and ward off the living. These immensely powerful beings can even end the lives of ancient vampires that are not prepared to ward them off and any who disturb the underworld too greatly may find the Reapers hunting them in the mundane world as well. Some especially deranged necromancers have spoken of a mighty black citadel deep within the underworld where they believe the lord of the underworld resides, a woman of unimaginable power, some claim she is the first true vampire, others a necromancer that unlocked the secrets of immortality and now rules the realm that empowered her, others that she is the embodiment of every user of Shyish, but only a fool would go looking for her for while Shyish is a magical wind of almost unparalleled use, it is also one of the most dangerous to the user.


Elemental (Azyr, Aqshy, Ghur, Vyrn) - The 'basic' of the magical winds. Each represent one of the four base elements of the world: Water (Azyr), Fire (Aqshy), Earth (Ghur) and Wind (Vyrn). The power of a user of one of these winds bases on a mixture of talent, practice and personality for all beings are more naturally suited to one or two elements more then others. It is not possible to learn an element that opposes another (Fire v Water, Earth v Wind), as such, if someone starts to wield the magical winds of Azyr, they will find they cannot channel the winds of Aqshy. When students begin their studies into the elemental arts, it is common for their teacher to test their natural aptitudes and steer them towards those winds for maximum potential.

Elemental magic is more then just 'slinging fireballs' however as these elements can be used to more subtle influence the use. Earth magic can be used grant them extra endurance or strength. Water magic can be used to read the thoughts and feelings of those around them, or conversely, hide those very same thoughts. Wind users can move faster then others, feel the wind shift and move around them for better situational awareness and the mightiest of users can even levitate or fly. Fire allows the user to heal at a faster rate or make themselves more appealing to other people as it greatly increases their charisma, moths to the flame, as it were.

Within the realms from which the winds flows lives 'entities' and 'spirits' just as with the other dimensions. These spirits and entities can be spoken with, bargained with and even summoned as 'golems' or 'elementals' by users as faithful servants. Powerful users can even bind these beings into rare stones or gems that will grant it magical properties on its own or imbued into other objects to confer the power to it. The mightiest of all elementalist can contact the 'Paragons'. In each elemental dimension there is a lord or lady, a godlike being that rules it and while no user has the power to command such a being, they can make contracts with them, allowing them to draw small bits of their immense power to use as their own. Only one contract may exist at any one time for any user (One cannot have a contract with the Wind Paragon and the Fire Paragon even though they are not opposing elements) for the Paragons are jealous and highly competitive entities.

Important: Dual Elementalist gain a third 'element' that is a mix of the two. It is far harder to use this element, drains them more, and for obvious reasons, they cannot use the power of their contract to empower this third element. This third element depends on which of the two elements the user has and their preference and skill at each, this third element can be ice, lightning, crystal, or other such 'elements'. So, for example, if a Earth and Fire Elemenatlist were to learn a third element, it would depend on which of the two he was more naturally attuned to, if Earth, he may learn to control Metal, while if he was more attuned to Fire, he may learn to control Lava. However, they can only have ONE of these and only one third element, no matter what. A mage cannot have both Metal and Lava even if, somehow, they were 'perfectly' attuned.


Shadow (Dhar) - Shadow magic, also known as 'Dark' magic, is the process of tapping into the magical wind of Dhar. It is a powerful, but corrupting, magic that is commonly used in 'shadowmancy', mastering the power of either the user's shadow, local shadows or the opposition shadows to strike out with them as if they had mass, walking through shadows or even disappearing into the shadow to travel along it unseen. The most powerful of users can tap into the Shadowrealm, the otherworldly dimension from whence the winds of Dhar flow. The Shadowrealm is a pale imitation of the mundane dimension they live in, in this other realm, one can find 'shadow versions' of people, either living, dead or yet to be, and can bind them to their surface and it is from this realm that 'doppelgangers' come, and users of Dhar must beware for the denizens hunger for the light of the mundane world and it is not uncommon for Doppelgangers to emerge seeking to kill their duplicate and claim their life for their own in this brighter, warmer world... but it is not just shadowy replicas that live within the dimension, it is home to monsters and terrors that are better left unspoken. Just like the other realms, a monstrous being rules Dhar, its tendrils can be seen through the sky and breaking out from the earth, but whatever creature is at the heart of the network is unknown as any that have found the 'leviathan' never return.


Light (Hysh) - Also known as 'Holy' magic, this magic flows from the celestial realm of Hysh and cannot be used by the corrupt or creates of undeath. It is the only magical art that requires less talent and training but more strength of will, purity of spirit and zeal of the user. While experience is always useful, it is not uncommon for children to have a higher talent in Hysh then others and for that talent to diminish as they grow. This magic is very versatile being both an offensive and defensive magic even if it is extremely picky in whom is allowed to wield it. Users of Hysh can 'heal' other living beings, banish otherworldly beings and cause extreme harm or death to corrupted beings or creatures of undeath. It is not uncommon for users of the winds of Hysh to be found as Priest or Priestess and many will take up personal holy quest to slay creatures of the night. No wielder of Hysh has ever managed to peer into the celestial realm from whence the wind flows although many attempts have been many and many continue to try, and as such, no knowledge of Hysh's ruler are known, but the worldly priest and priestess refer to it as the Warden.

Dimensional 'Lords'
They make up the pantheon of the world and most worship one if not more.

Biomancy (Ghyran) - Nameless Whisper [Believed Male]

Necromancy (Shyish) - The Mistress [Female]

Water (Azyr) - Layra, The Harbinger [Female]

Fire (Aqshy) - Shar, The Eternal Flame [Female]

Earth (Ghur) - Dorm, The Enduring [Male]

Wind (Vyrn) - Korvis, The Watcher [Male]

Shadow (Dhar) - Leviathan ['Male']

Light (Hysh) - Warden [Believed Female]
 

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