omg it's been a very long time since I've been on here...
2
likes
7 yrs ago
"A creepy old man cut my hair off!" - Thor
3
likes
7 yrs ago
My OOC is complete. I will now go outside and enjoy the beautiful sun, until it gets too hot, then scuttle back inside where Horizon Zero Dawn awaits me. Finally, I get to play you!
Okay... the character sheet info is updated in the tab! I've also added my character to help as an example if needed.
I've also added some key notes about the Bloodhound Elite that should be helpful. It's updated on their section, but for the lazy:
Bloodhound Elite Armor: Derived from Gill-Men technology reinvented to accommodate other races. The Gill-Men members are known to activate both their natural carapace armor, and their Bloodhound's, making them very durable tanks - and much more clumsier on land. Standard dark blue armor is kept housed in its central core. This palm-sized device is shaped like a red diamond, attaching itself to the skin at chest level. When activated by thought command (the suit is neurally linked to the body) the sinewy armor expands like second skin, forming underneath whatever is already worn, or covers everything/specific parts on their person. The neural link allows for customization, allowing the user to mix and match what can be covered and refortified. For best use, fully armored Bloodhounds experience an increase in speed, reaction time, and strength. Damage to the core can cause malfunction and in rare cases, fatal death. Standard helmet HUD when activated, along with enhanced bio protection against intense radiation and extreme climates.
Bloodhound Weapons: Melee weapons enchanted by the Coven with runes that give them special abilities. Much like their armor, every Bloodhound has a unique set of weapons.
Recruitment: A recruit is sworn in by a member who can vouch for their enlistment. If they survive the intense zero G training, and multi environment death courses, they must then endure a pain unlike never before. 'The Armoring Phase' is basically torture conditioning. A Maester's Guide surgically inserts the central core into the user's body, wiring it into their central nervous system as it slowly embeds itself into their biology. The procedure time varies for each person. Some take days, hours even, while others can take a full month before the body fully accepts the central core. If you make it past The Armoring Phase, you are then subjugated to another round of training and conditioning. This can sometimes be more painful than the Armoring Phase. As the body is trying to adapt to its new state, it is now getting battered by different gravity levels, overloading pain receptors while the body's homeostasis calibrates to find optimal, physiological sustainability from a gauntlet of environmental factors. Suffice to say that the dropout rate is significant, and those who endure it all are welcomed with open arms.
Relations with other player's characters are more than welcomed. Feel free to PM me if you'd like to expand on a shared history with Luther.
"My heart swells with pride whenever High Command complains about you unruly bastards."
A G E 968
H E I G H T / W E I G H T 6'1" / 181 lbs
G E N D E R Male
R A C E Fang
R A C E S P E C I F I C S Draconis Lineage
F O R M E R / C U R R E N T T I T L E S
Former 27th Division DPD Platoon Leader, Current Lead Commander of the Bloodhound Elite
INFO
A P P E A R A N C E Luther is a sculpture of his father, Arthur Damocles. From the inquisitive brow, to the flecks of gold in his intense gaze, a cunning tempest stirs beneath his calm exterior. His pale, leathery skin is riddled with battle scars, wrapping around a body maintained by athletic discipline. The iced tips of old age crown his temples, trimmed to a military cut. The lush patch of hair on his head is a dark shade of night, slicked back, and braided into a long tail. Like all Bloodhound Elite, Luther’s dark blue armor is kept housed in its central core. The armor itself is lightly-plated to Luther’s comfort, expanding underneath his cape and utility belt, and covers over his fleet-issued slacks and combat boots. The helmet is not as artistic in design like other Bloodhound Elite; a translucent shield with yellow tint covers the front side of his skull.
P E R S O N A L I T Y Maverick. Unorthodox. Even-keeled. Disciplined. Realistic.
H I S T O R Y He is the son of Arthur Damocles, the disgraced Red Praetorium who chose to save human lives over well-respected Tepes noble, Wulgoth Tsarev. This was during the early years of Fanged exploration into space, on a satellite colony that lost control and crashed onto Mars. Magnate Dracul pardoned Arthur from execution, but was removed from the Red Praetorium, and forced into exile as punishment. Luther intended to enlist in his place and save his honor, but the Red Praetorium barred the Damocles line from desecrating their order again.
The Draconis Fleet was his only option. While vampires of his lineage are groomed for High Command, Arthur’s sins branded his son for a different hardship. Luther was thrown into a low tier Draconis Planet Dropper Unit, tasked with leading a sorry bunch of inadequate soldiers into the front lines. They were meant to be fodder, the cushion to soften hostile planets before invasion, but Luther’s platoon showed they were more than expendable. Arthur’s battle mind translated well into his son, who whipped his unit into shape. The 27th DPD became a valuable asset under Count Orlok’s banner, but despite all that he’s accomplished, he was still denied a position at High Command. This was no doubt contrived by the Tsarev family. Their powerful influence would continue to defame him, but Luther no longer desired a coveted station. His focus was solely on the mission and keeping his soldiers alive.
Luther’s DPD was tasked for reconnaissance on Eidious, the planet where the Gill-Men made first contact with the Draconis Fleet. It’s common knowledge that the legendary Red Praetorium Asmond Gaistev fought off the aggressive aliens to buy time for the military's retreat. While it’s believed that he escaped the planet on his own, the real truth is that he was rescued by Luther and his troops. This fact is withheld from public records, preventing the Damocles name from achieving stardom. Luther didn’t care. His concern was for the safety of his childhood friend, who was also Arthur Damocles apprentice before he was exiled.
Asmond offered Luther a position in the Bloodhound Elite, who didn't hesitate to join. He loved their bold philosophy, how the Draconis Fleet treated them as outsiders. Luther felt right at home under those circumstances. He enlisted as the third member to join, right after John Talbot. The Armoring Phase was brutal. This was before the method had been mastered to a science. Four out of thirty three test subjects successfully merged with a central core. Asmond, Luther, and John Talbot put their lives on the line, and were fortunate enough to survive the process with their faculties intact; the regenerative abilities of their anatomy no doubt playing a critical role in their survival.
Luther was part of the suicidal raid into the Gill-Men’s Queen Collective and the hunt to exterminate the Van Helsing Rebellion in honor of John Talbot. He remained a constant fixture in the group as Asmond’s right hand man, and when Asmond was promoted to High Command as the Bloodhound’s representative, Luther took over as Lead Commander. He's been a Bloodhound Elite for over eight hundred years, and served as their Lead Commander since the halfway mark of the Retculavi campaign. His battle mind is beyond his father’s at this point, as he has a wealth of experience to draw from. While he is known for blitzing swordsmanship and unorthodox strategems, he is most famous for his execution of King Tumuluax. In order to get close to the monarch, Luther allowed himself to get swallowed whole by a Rikavi Dragon, the king’s most prized steed. With his Bloodhound armor protecting him from its digestive acids, Luther waited until Tumuluax mounted the flying beast; a ceremonial ride that kicked off a systemwide festival. Sword in hand, Luther’s blade pierced out from the Rikavi’s insides and gutted King Tumuluax before the beast could take flight. With the death of the only ruling authority in the systems, the Magnate’s war machine rolled in to harvest its precious minerals. This has given new meaning to the phrase: Belly of the Beast, often said by DPD soldiers before going into battle.
L I K E S -Reading and collecting forbidden literature (Claw & Gill-Men theology, Van Helsing’s Art of War, and whatever history tomes are translated from conquered civilizations) -Abe’s Breath (A relaxing narcotic derived from human marrow in the shape of a finger bone that vaporizes on the tongue. This drug is illegal only because of its name, which is short for Abraham Van Helsing) -Unconventional perspectives (People or methods that go against the grain) -Meditation (If Abe’s Breath doesn’t quiet his restless mind, this usually does the trick) -Listening to songs (particularly sung by female humans and have folk tale lyrics) -Free diving (the uninhabited deep waters of Iephus are his favorite locations)
D I S L I K E S -Conformity, suppression of thought, and the herd mentality -Privileged Nobility -Politics -Indolence -Unseasoned foods -Operatus Dramas (Vampire soap operas is a major cinematic entertainment industry. The genre focuses on the fanged lifestyle of the upper class from a very 'woe is me' perspective. These movies or short films often romanticize The Violent Urge, and the cruel suffering vampires endured during the human shortage) -Birds (Particularly loud, parroting types with bright feathers and big beaks)
ATTRIBUTES
C L A S S The Swordsman - Quick, but methodical. He's always observing the bigger picture to unleash a critical strike, baiting and provoking the enemy to expose their flaws.
S K I L L S
Battle Mind - Luther is a brilliant strategist that loves learning new tricks, and isn't afraid to experiment with calculated risks.
Way of Damocles - Trained in their family's sword art, an unconventional technique that uses dual blades in quick succession. Even though he's nearing a millennium, he's still as ferocious as ever, especially when his Bloodhound armor is activated.
Leader's Mind - His integrity, ability to adapt, and effective communication are strong qualities of a natural leader, but what makes him great is his willingness to go above and beyond for everyone he's responsible for.
INVENTORY
W E A P O N S
The Siren's Bite - These swords once held by the exiled Red Praetorium now forge his son's legacy. It's said their rare ores were smithed in a dying star, and the Coven Runes imbued on each cross guard contain the souls of powerful banshees. Well balanced, light, and durable enough to cut down vehicles. The sonic thrumming emitted from its runes channel vibrations through its blades. By resonating with their oscillations using his anatomy's own vibrational frequencies, a sonic cut can shatter compromised surfaces to pieces, rupture eardrums, or throw off one's equilibrium.
The Rutger sidearm - Modified from the standard issue firearm given to DPD, this energy pistol has a battery cell that supports over one hundred plasma rounds. A supershot can drain the unit at higher charge times, but offers a more critical blow guaranteed to penetrate most armor.
E Q U I P M E N T
Abe's Breath - This narcotic is altered into a liquid form, put in small vials on his utility belt. Used in battle to heighten an internal calmness, allowing him to identify the vibrational frequencies of his body, and the surrounding environment the instant it kicks in. When completely resonated, strikes from The Siren's Bite are amplified in deadly waves.
Info: Luther's dedicated Fleshrunner. She's been at his side since his promotion to Lead Commander. Lucretia is Matilda Kessler's stepsister. They could pass as identical twins if not for their differentiating battle wounds and eye color. She is a brutal shield and a savage with a hatchet. While Luther complements his skills well with all Bloodhound Elite, no one has their battle instincts synced better than with Lucretia.
The Fang, vampiric scions of an advanced civilization, rules the stars with an imperial fist. The Claw, a lycanthrope warrior society, ensures the universe remains on bended knee. Their union brought an age old crusade for absolute dominance, but it came at a great cost. Sustenance reserves grew low as civilizations were destroyed by The Draconis Fleet. Vampires and werewolves grew mad from hunger. It was known as The Violent Urge, and it threw the Imperium into chaos. Look now to Iephus, a lone planet which holds the overlord’s most precious resource: Humanity. Grand Maester Viktor Frankenstein shepherds its population for The Fang and Claw’s survival. Thanks to the Evolutionarian’s profound expertise on cloning, and The Witch Coven of Sanguine’s skill with soul siphoning, a constant food source kept the Imperium from eating itself alive.
The fall of one crisis brought forth another. Within the tomes of Grand Maester Frankenstein’s Laboratorium Index, a tainted codex overrode an ambitious Warlock. The Iron Jackal AI, Imhotep, rebooted inside the man’s cybernetically enhanced body. Its Anubis Programming reinitiated itself, birthing The Obsidian Pharaoh. Imhotep began a rapid conversion that effected millions, tainting human flesh to serve his Undaunted Army. The Emerald Necropolis rose between night and day to declare war against the living.
The initial plan was to transfer the humans off world and bombard the blight from orbit, but this couldn’t be done without major consequence. When human cattle was first transported off world long ago, dying as soon as they went beyond Iephus’ gravity well. This problem was never solved, and the only man who could figure out the solution, Grand Maester Frankenstein, was kidnapped by The Obsidian Pharaoh.
Magnate Dracul’s harvest is threatened by the rot of Imhotep, who provokes The Violent Urge and seeks to convert all to his Undaunted army. The Draconis Fleet is called to action. Among them is The Bloodhound Elite, who are ready to prevent the Imperium from atrophy at all costs.
[color=ed1c24][b]A G E[/b][/color] (General range for most races is significantly long. The Unsavory Humans are the only race with a short life span; 20 years)
[color=ed1c24][b]H E I G H T / W E I G H T[/b][/color]
[color=ed1c24][b]G E N D E R[/b][/color]
[color=ed1c24][b]R A C E[/b][/color] (Fang, Claw, Human, Gill-Men, Maester's Child)
[color=ed1c24][b]R A C E S P E C I F I C S[/b][/color] (Select one of three classifications of your character's race. If your character is a Gill-Men, you can either leave this blank, or erase this section from your sheet) [/center]
[color=ed1c24][b]F O R M E R / C U R R E N T T I T L E S [/b][/color]
[center][h3][b]INFO[/b][/h3][/center]
[color=ed1c24][b]A P P E A R A N C E[/b][/color] (A basic physical description is just as acceptable as a detailed one. I'm mainly looking for unique things that make your character stick out. What's the first thing people see? Crazy teeth? eyes? both?)
[color=ed1c24][b]A L T E R N A T E F O R M[/b][/color] (For werewolves that transform, and Maester's Children that might have different attack/defense/support/whatever modes. I'm also open to the idea for other races to have different modes as well *example: berserk fleshrunner humans with glowing eyes, or bloodlust frenzied vampires that take on bat-like features. Completely optional. This section can be deleted for the races that don't require it, and I'm open to your creativity on this - within reason of course.)
[color=ed1c24][b]P E R S O N A L I T Y[/b][/color] (Use five words that best describe the best and worst of your character)
[color=ed1c24][b]H I S T O R Y[/b][/color]
Feel free to add whatever you'd like here, but these things need to be answered:
1. How many years have you been a Bloodhound Elite? Did you serve under any of the special groups of The Draconis Fleet before you joined, or were you always a Bloodhound elite?
2. Please mention one noteworthy thing your character has done as a Bloodhound Elite, good or bad. Remember that they've been in service to the Imperium after the Gill-Men war. That's almost a thousand years of universe conquering. This gives you the opportunity to be creative. Feel free to make up a conflict or scenario against opposing alien civilizations from your own imagination. Best example:
*Taken from NPC Matilda Kessler's Info: "...[i]She got the name Sun Eater during the Retculavi campaign for complete universal expansion. An alien civilization known as Druxas, were rock-like creatures that could ignite their outer shell to extreme temperatures. Matilda faced one of their champions in combat and was permanently burned from it. After she killed him, Matilda ripped open his heart and ate its burning organ whole.[/i]" )
[color=ed1c24][b]L I K E S[/b][/color]
[color=ed1c24][b]D I S L I K E S[/b][/color]
[center][h3][b]ATTRIBUTES[/b][/h3][/center]
[color=ed1c24][b]C L A S S T Y P E[/b][/color] (Using standard MMO classes to get a feel for how your character operates: Tank, Warrior, Berserker, Healer, Archer, Wizard, Assassin, or other titles that more accurately displays how you'll be playing your character. A short description is optional if you wish to expand on this)
[color=ed1c24][b]S K I L L S[/b][/color] (Any useful skill your character has in their arsenal goes here. This section is an opportunity to flesh out the abilities you use in relation to your class. Also, don't forget to include any skills your character has if they have an alternate form) [list] [*] [b]Skill[/b] - Description of skill [*] [*] [/list]
[center][h3][b]INVENTORY[/b][/h3][/center]
[color=ed1c24][b]W E A P O N S[/b][/color] (Open to creativity here. Just remember that every Bloodhound Elite is well trained in at least one melee weapon) [list] [*] [b]Weapon Type[/b] - Description of weapon's abilities [*] [*] [/list]
[color=ed1c24][b]E Q U I P M E N T[/b][/color] [list] [*] [b]Item A[/b] [*] [b]Item B[/b] [*] [b]Item C[/b] [/list]
"You cannot hope to comprehend my cosmic vision in its entirety. All you can do is partake in its legacy."
Age: estimated over 2,000 years old Race: First Blood Vampire Titles: The Fanged God, Blood Emperor, Magnate Commander
Info: The all knowing vampiric lord and ruler of the universe. His mythic rise to power is immortalized into The Tepestry of Dracula, the one prime religion. His face is concealed by the famous ivory-gold mask worn in public. Only those in his inner circle know of his true appearance. Dracul is viewed by all as a wise and fierce ruler. He professes love for all who partake in The Retculavi Imperium, his unfathomable kingdom, and pities the unruly who cannot understand his cosmic vision. The core of The Tepestry of Dracula expresses unity under one vision, his vision, which is mired in enigma as of late. No one knows what drove him to rule the universe, or what drives him still. What is left to conquer? The Magnate still sends scout vessels from his Draconis Fleet out into the void beyond, gliding near the expansion lines of the universe.
"I am God's love unseen, his hidden knife that is double-edged in wrath and loyalty."
Age: 1,530 years old Race: Vampire; Tepes Lineage Titles: Coven Mother, Witch Queen, Mother Wolf Info: The current Archmaster of Black Science, and one of the first vampires of the Tepes Lineage. She played a vital role assisting Maester Frankenstein for Dracula's Ritual of Ascension, his astral pilgrimage into the universe. With Frankenstein's Warp Ring as the power source, her Black Science opened the portal into realms beyond realms, to which Dracula saw past, present, and future throughout the cosmos. Her powers grew as the Coven charted the extra dimensions Witches and Warlocks drew power from. Everything she ever did was in service to The Fanged God, including her defection to the Van Helsing Rebellion. It's believed by those in the know that her betrayal was Magnate Dracul's design. By allowing her to experiment on the Van Helsing terrorists, she created the werewolves, feral weapons who helped win the war against the Gill-Men. She returned to Dracul's inner circle and proved her undying devotion to him by butchering those who plotted his demise.
"I'm far too impatient to let evolution run its course."
Age: 1410 years old Race: Human; True Flesh Titles: The God Scientist of Man, The Smart Mind, The Grand Maester, The Architect
Info: The oldest existing Smart Mind who plays an incredible role to Magnate Dracul's legacy. Without Maester Frankenstein, the Magnate's rule would've never happened. It was the Maester who built Dracul's armies that conquered his homeworld, who helped construct the warp ring on earth that enabled his Ritual of Ascension, and it was the Maester who saved his empire from The Violent Urge. There is no question that the Magnate holds Frankenstein with high regard, as he is often sited in The Tepestry of Dracula as the 'Ideal Human' that his people should aspire to. His work in cybernetics and cloning is responsible for a significant portion of the Imperium's population. If Magnate Dracul is considered God, then Frankenstein is his finest angel, one that is worshiped fervently by his Children.
"If I can squeeze some use out of you, then you're good in my book."
Age: 1013 years old Race: Vampire; Draconis Lineage Titles: The Red Dragon, High Command of the Bloodhound Elite Info: A legendary Red Praetorium known as The Red Dragon during the Gill-Men war. He was among the Draconis Fleet that were attacked by the aliens during First Contact on a backwater planet. Asmond and a group of other Praetorium held off the Gill-Men while the fleet evacuated, leaving them behind. He somehow found his way back to a nearby Draconis space station, the only survivor to make it out alive. Asmond rejoined the Praetorium to fight off the Gill-Men, proving his might to Magnate Dracul, who eventually tasked him to run a black ops group now known as The Bloodhound Elite. He shared command with John Talbot, who was second-in-command of the Van Helsing Rebellion at the time. They were hostile to each other at first, but eventually set aside their differences to deal with the Gill-Men. Their role in dismantling the Gill-Men Queen Collective is a legend among the Draconis Fleet. Their partnership proved to be a valuable commodity, one cut short when John Talbot was assassinated by his own Van Helsing. While it's known that Talbot's Pack led the charge against the terrorist, no one was more hellbent on revenge than Asmond. He's since put his battling days behind him, operating at an administrative level for the Bloodhound Elite as a High Command official.
"Freedom? I once believed humans deserved such a thing. Now I see through the eyes of a wolf, and realize they were better off caged."
Age: *Deceased at age 63* (2279-2342) Race: Werewolf; Talbot's Pack Titles: The Wolf Father Info: While his life was a short blip on Magnate Dracul's radar, the Blood Emperor had his respect and blessing. Before the Black Science changed him from man to wolf, he was a charismatic leader, who fought against the vampires like Abraham Van Helsing himself. Yet despite his efforts, the Draconis Fleet was too much for a small band of humans. The Witch Kyteler came to him in secret, persuading him with an offer that could turn the fight in their favor. In a moment of desperation, he volunteered himself to her experiments. He was prolonged to exposure from an extra dimension, reshaping his biology into that of a powerful beast. John Talbot led the way and many others followed, giving Birth to the Claw. Vampires had every right to fear Talbot and his pack, who ravaged their colonies like hungry savages. Thank the Gill-Men for uniting Fang and Claw, and thank the ignorant humans who assassinated Talbot for securing their alliance. His legend with Asmond during their mission against the Gill-Men Queen collective is immortalized in the Draconis Fleet, especially among The Silver Howlguard.
"The weak tout strength, but you all shit and piss the same when gutted!"
Age: 524 years old Race: Werewolf; Kessler's Pack Titles: The Battle Maiden of The Silver Howlguard, The Sun Eater Info: Daughter of famed Raymond Kessler, the pack leader who succeeded Lucas Corvin. Matilda leads The Silver Howlguard as the most deadliest Battle Maiden ever known. She is currently in transition to assume the mantle as pack leader, but is prolonging her succession to remain on the battlefield for as long as possible. She doesn't see herself assuming a political role for her people just yet, and secretly doesn't know if she ever will. Her father, however, is growing old, her mother Elizabeth is dead, and her step sister, Lucretia, is human. Other packs will seek the mantle should she choose to decline, but she fears disgracing her father's legacy and her mother's sacrifice in securing his position. She got the name Sun Eater during the Retculavi campaign for complete universal expansion. An alien civilization known as Druxas, were rock-like creatures that could ignite their outer shell to extreme temperatures. Matilda faced one of their champions in combat and was permanently burned from it. After she killed him, she ripped open his heart and ate its burning organ whole.
"Watching surface people swim is my favorite pastime. There's no other comedy quite like it."
Age: Unknown Race: Gill-Men Titles: The Underwater Duke Info: Ipildrias is the tenant of both Devonia and the Lagoon underwater cities. He's of the very few Gill-Men that can speak the universal language without a translator. Very smart, witty, and obedient to Magnate Dracul.
"So long as I have air in my lungs, I'll not stop til I drive this stake into Dracula's heart!"
Age: *Deceased at age of 104* (1864-1968) Race: First Blood Vampire Titles: The Devil, The Hero of Human Legend Info: The Devil Saint of Humans is the one true rival that Magnate Dracul acknowledges as a worthy foe. Abraham was a constant obstacle in Dracul's rise to power on earth. In the Tepestry of Dracula, he is viewed as a mix between Judas and a fallen angel, leaving many to speculate that the two had some sort of partnership at one point in time. Abraham died of old age, and his body is kept somewhere within Dracul's ebony castle.
"I will be for my people, what Dracul was for his!"
Age: 19 (accelerated age growth of a middle-aged True Flesh human) Race: Human; The Unsavory Titles: None Info: The Unsavory human was discarded to The Coven of Sanguine to be experimented on, but proved at a short time to be a natural to Black Science. In the tenth year of his life span, he became a talented Warlock and was stationed within the Laboratorium Index on Iephus to assist Maester Frankenstein on a number of experiments. It was here where he discovered The Iron Jackal A.I. within its secured data shell, and after much research, allowed it to possess his body to bring forth Imhotep, The Obsidian Pharaoh.
-Wow you made it!
-In this RP we'll be playing as The Bloodhound Elite. We're sent to find Maester Frankenstein, who will hopefully know how to stop Imhotep's curse from infecting the humans, and overrunning the planet.
-What to expect: Violent action and dark drama/comedy.
-Please be respectful to your fellow rpers and to me in OOC. Be constructive with criticism. Don't be mean spirited with uncalled for remarks. I'm here to have fun with other players who'd hopefully want to do the same in this wacky place I've created. I'd prefer to deal with jerks in RL, and RL only.
-I'll usually move the story along if there's a lull in posting. This means I'll most likely skip over whatever was being established, or potentially conclude it to move the story along (with the approval of whoever is involved)
-I'm looking for a group of about 4-5 experienced players.
-I'm PST time zone, but my best posting times are usually towards the end of the week.
-Discord requirement is pending. It would be ideal to have to coordinate things more smoothly.
The Fang, vampiric scions of an advanced civilization, rules the stars with an imperial fist. The Claw, a lycanthrope warrior society, ensures the universe remains on bended knee. Their union brought an age old crusade for absolute dominance, but it came at a great cost. Sustenance reserves grew low as civilizations were destroyed by The Draconis Fleet. Vampires and werewolves grew mad from hunger. It was known as The Violent Urge, and it threw the Imperium into chaos. Look now to Iephus, a lone planet which holds the overlord’s most precious resource: Humanity. Grand Maester Viktor Frankenstein shepherds its population for The Fang and Claw’s survival. Thanks to the Evolutionarian’s profound expertise on cloning, and The Witch Coven of Sanguine’s skill with soul siphoning, a constant food source kept the Imperium from eating itself alive.
The fall of one crisis brought forth another. Within the tomes of Grand Maester Frankenstein’s Laboratorium Index, a tainted codex overrode an ambitious Warlock. The Iron Jackal AI, Imhotep, rebooted inside the man’s cybernetically enhanced body. Its Anubis Programming reinitiated itself, birthing The Obsidian Pharaoh. Imhotep began a rapid conversion that effected millions, tainting human flesh to serve his Undaunted Army. The Emerald Necropolis rose between night and day to declare war against the living.
The initial plan was to transfer the humans off world and bombard the blight from orbit, but this couldn’t be done without major consequence. When human cattle was first transported off world long ago, dying as soon as they went beyond Iephus’ gravity well. This problem was never solved, and the only man who could figure out the solution, Grand Maester Frankenstein, was kidnapped by The Obsidian Pharaoh.
Magnate Dracul’s harvest is threatened by the rot of Imhotep, who provokes The Violent Urge and seeks to convert all to his Undaunted army. The Draconis Fleet is called to action. Among them is The Bloodhound Elite, who are ready to prevent the Imperium from atrophy at all costs.
HISTORY & TIMELINE
Before the invention of star travel, a visionary messiah called, Vlad Tepes, also known as Count Dracula, pioneered a vampiric revolution on his homeworld. Having enslaved the human race and converted the worthy into his image, Count Dracula pushed a technological renaissance that spirited his civilization to the cosmos. The Fanged Ones dominated nearby star systems within three hundred years time, a feat that was easier than expected due to how primitive the civilizations were. Soon, Count Dracula ascended to Magnate Commander Vladimir Dracul, overseer of The Draconis Fleet, ruler of The Fanged Systems. First contact with the alien Gill-Men triggered a galactic war. The fierce Legionnaires of the Swamp Void proved formidable. The vampires suddenly found themselves backed against a wall, juggling between the ongoing war with the Gill-Men, and snuffing out the human rebellion. Apt diplomacy temporarily seized the war effort on both fronts, allowing the vampires time to focus their efforts on the Van Helsing Rebellion. What they failed to realize is that they weren’t just a human threat; The Witch Queen Alice Kyteler, former human now Tepes Fang of the black science, created an amalgamation of beast and man to rival their masters. Thus became the werewolves, The Birth of the Claw.
The Van Helsing Rebellion struck with fiery vengeance against their oppressors. The vampiric dominion was threatened by the wolves’ guerrilla warfare, lead by Pack Leader John Talbot. The Gill-men saw opportunity in The Fang’s weakened state, catching the Magnate’s armies off guard with a calculated offensive. With his fleet quickly dwindling, Dracul had no choice but to negotiate terms with the Van Helsing. This was a turning point in history, the point in which The Fang and Claw aligned to combat the Gill-men threat. With their combined might, the Gill-men were overrun and defeated, ending The Swamp Wars. Magnate Dracul despised the Gill-men for starting this war, and campaigned their genocide to near extinction to prove his authority. What’s left of the Gill-men are scattered throughout the stars, their Black Lagoon Knights absorbed within the Draconis ranks. As for the Witch Queen and The Claw, their temporary alliance with The Fang put them at odds with the Van Helsing Rebellion. The humans no longer viewed them as allies. And when the Claw’s induction into the Draconis Fleet was made public, the future of the Rebellion was sealed. To prove their loyalty to The Fang, The Witch Queen and Claw provided valuable intel about the Van Helsing network, and was exterminated within months. This marked the end of humanity’s fight for freedom. Now, after a long fought war between the Gill-men and the rebel humans, Magnate Dracul’s banner was united under a new dominion: The Retculavi Imperium.
After a thousand years of expansion, the Imperium lays claim to the known universe, bringing forth the age of T’FORA (The Fanged One Rules All). This monumental feat propelled his legend to Godhood—but at what cost? Having reduced most civilizations to ash, their alien food source did little to quench The Fang’s thirst for blood, or the Claw’s hunger for flesh. Only humans could fulfill that intrinsic need, and the long and arduous campaign into deep space had thinned the cattle. This human shortage became known as The Violent Urge, and it threatened to undue Magnate Dracul’s legacy. Systems rioted as stockades were ransacked. Many vampires and werewolves were driven to madness from their intense hunger, one that could not be satisfied by alternative means. In an effort to regulate the Imperium’s limited supply, the Magnate transferred all humans to a drift colony, heavily guarded by a Draconis Fleet blockade. If not for The God Scientist of Man, Maester Viktor Frankenstein, The Retculavi Imperium would’ve surely fallen. He calculated the shortage probability long ago, and forwarded his projections to the Magnate, who authorized his complex operation into action, well before The Violent Urge even took place. Maester Frankenstein worked in the heart of the Imperium on Iephus, a planet tidally locked to a red dwarf star. Its original terraformation was re-engineered to funnel its extreme winds and temperatures to power his cloning cities, enabling a very high re-population output. While his methods were successful, there was one major drawback: These clones couldn’t exist beyond the planet’s gravity well. Nothing worked; Not Cross mutating with reserve human stock from the blockaded colony, or cryo freezing them en route, or transfer by way of flesh-transplanted androids. All had the same outcome. Death beyond Iephus.
Still, dead human flesh was better than none at all.
The Harvest Cities began giant human carcass production en mass, which were then sent to stations in orbit. From there, they were processed for redistribution across the Imperium hyperlanes.
Attempts were made to copy Maester Frankenstein’s methods on other planets, but most clones couldn’t get past their gestation stage. There is a small sample size of successful test subjects, but these outliers are eunuch, abnormal, and deemed unsavory. Iephus is the gold standard for quality human produce; the only kind that fed vampire and werewolf from going berserk with hunger. Thus, the planet became a royal garden for the upper echelon. Many royals stationed their great houses here, especially Magnate Dracul, whose Ebon Castle towers above all. Its orbital space ways are cluttered with luxury satellites within its gravity well, making the planet a double-sided jewel of luxury and industry.
Balance was restored, the Violent Urge held back, but another calamity was afoot.
One hundred and fifteen years into Iephus’ feeding operation, cataclysm reared its ugly head at The Retculavi Imperium. Rising from the planet’s deep chasm was The Emerald Necropolis, proclaimed Mausoleum Fortress of Imhotep, The Obsidian Pharaoh, corrupter of human flesh. This ancient curse was spurred by an ignorant Warlock, who stole The Iron Jackal A.I. from the Maester’s Laboratorium Index. The artificial intelligence overrode the Warlock’s cybernetics until Imhotep emerged, rising from the Imperium’s bountiful harvest like poisonous mold. The Imperium rallied in a panic, relocating their human cattle away from The Emerald Necropolis, but couldn’t save them all. Over one million humans were corrupted by Imhotep’s curse, refortifying his vast army of Undaunted. Maester Frankenstein was abducted in the midst of this chaos. He is now held hostage within the labyrinth of the Emerald Necropolis. The Blood Hound Elite were dispatched to retrieve Maester Frankenstein, and prevent Imhotep’s corruption from spreading off world.
1431-2020: Count Dracula Rules The World 2021-2315: Exploration Into The Fanged Systems 2319: Count Dracula is named Magnate Commander Vladimir Dracul of The Draconis Fleet 2320: First Contact with the Gill-Men 2321: War against the Gill-Men begins (The Swamp Wars) 2322: Maester Frankenstein finishes terraformation of planet Iephus 2324: The Birth of the Claw and increased attacks from Van Helsing Rebellion 2327: Ceasefire between The Fang and the Gill-Men 2329: Gill-Men violate treaty and attack The Fang 2330: The Fang and Claw agree to terms as temporary allies 2339: The Gill-Men War ends 2341: The Claw officially aligns with The Fang 2344: The Van Helsing Rebellion is dissolved 2352: The Fang ascends to the new title of: The Retculavi Imperium 3204: Age of T’FORA (The Fanged One Rules All) 3210: The Violent Urge Begins 3213: The Iephus Feeding Operation begins rapid production 3220: The Violent Urge is cured 3227: The Emerald Necropolis rises; The Imperium declares state of emergency 3228: The Blood Hound Elite is called into action...
RACES
The ancient beings once feared by humans are now feared by the entire universe. These conquerors exist for as long as human sanguine is readily given, for it is their blood, and their blood only, that prolongs a vampire’s death. The ancient weaknesses that include stakes to the heart, sunlight, and holy armaments, have either been weakened through genetic modification, or eradicated entirely in the Draconis and Retculavi blood line.
Elders of the Tepes Lineage are the original vampires Count Dracula converted on his homeworld. They are powerful beings likened to gods, who govern appointed quadrants throughout the universe. They are the only lineage that cannot see their own reflection.
The Draconis Lineage are offspring of the Tepes Lineage. These are the hardened explorers who colonized the first of The Fanged Systems and beyond. A small percentage of their population are converts from human colonies, though many Draconis openly refute this claim. While not as powerful as a Tepes, the Draconis do not have a weakness to sunlight like their predecessors. As their name suggests, most of these vampires make up the High Command of the Draconis Fleet.
The Retculavi Lineage are the generations united under Magnate Dracul’s banner, spanning over a thousand years into the present. They make up 68% of the overall vampire population in the universe. Their powers are dwarfed when compared to a Tepes and Draconis, but they have none of their weaknesses, save the thirst for human blood.
The downtrodden fodder who are the life force for both Fang and Claw. It’s said that their ancestors were an unruly bunch, wild and prone to violence, who enslaved their own kind in their lust for power. Count Dracula freed man from its own arrogance, sheltering them under his cape. The worthy were blessed with the Kiss of Ascension, becoming the first line of vampires known as The Tepes Lineage. The remaining humans that were loyal are known as the True Flesh, always at a vampire’s side, ready to offer up their blood. This ongoing tradition is modified to accommodate both parties. Humans, while weak compared to every other race, are granted regenerative abilities. Their blood and flesh can regrow within a short time frame, providing a constant food source for The Fang and Claw. The act of a human offering up their bodies is a controversial issue. Most Retculavi vampires see it as an outdated practice, but even their thirst for blood cannot be denied, or The Violent Urge would’ve never happened. Still, this newer generation of vampire is more sympathetic towards human rights. Some have even vowed to go on cloned-non-soul-baring (CBSB-Certified) flesh products to show their solidarity, but planet Iephus is still proof that vampires and werewolves cannot resist the consumption of a living human.
True Flesh includes the oldest human line that transcends from Magnate Dracul’s homeworld. Thanks to the Black Science, a handful of Elder True Flesh still exist to this day. Their offspring’s generations has cycled over for thousands of years. True Flesh numbers have dwindled since The Violent Urge, but is the largest population in the universe, with the vampires a close second. Most are protected by the Draconis Fleet, or among The Tepes Lineage. Non-cybernetically enhanced True Flesh Humans have regenerative abilities. Save fatal wounds to the heart and head, it can take no longer than a day to fully regenerate a lost limb, or resupply of their blood volume. This has increased their lifespan tenfold, and with the use of science and magic for the selected few, can live almost as long as vampires.
The Unsavory are human defects. They are failed experiments from the cloning zones that tried to replicate Maester Frankenstein’s work on other planets. They are unable to reproduce, and have very short life spans (20 years), but in turn are gifted with abilities like telepathy, increased durability, or strength. Their regenerative capabilities are slower than a True Flesh, and if severely damaged, will take a much longer time for them to recuperate. While they’re invited to join their Iephus-Bound humans, most are transferred to The Coven of Sanguine as guinea pigs.
Iephus-Bound (IB) Humans are genetic successors to True Flesh. Their first line came into existence a thousand years ago, and the generations following have seen a carefully monitored population growth. There is an estimated total of about three hundred million IB Humans living on Iephus. This is not including the unregistered clones harvested for off world redistribution. The worthy are gifted the ability of regeneration and higher status, while the unruly are restricted to the Squalor in the outskirts. It’s said that some vampires and werewolves prefer the unruly, allowing them to feast with primal abandon. Tests were done to confirm that no IB human can survive beyond the planet’s gravity well. The exact calculation is undetermined, as various locations in orbit have shown varying results.
Werewolves came into existence under the Black Science of Witch Queen Kyteler. Volunteers from the Van Helsing Rebellion transformed into beasts with powerful fangs and bladed claws. Led by John Talbot, second-in-command of the Van Helsing terrorist group, the fiercest werewolf of them all. Their violent disruption triggered the Gill-Men to break treaty with The Fang by attacking the Draconis Fleet. The Van Helsing sent an envoy to meet with the Gill-Men to form an alliance, but their negotiators were slaughtered on sight. Picking the lesser of two evils, or rather, the devil they were more familiar with, Kyteler and John Talbot negotiated with Magnate Dracul. Together, they joined forces to campaign against the relentless Gill-Men to win the war. The werewolves were elevated to hero status post Gill-Men campaign, ranking among The Fang’s royal guard, or the Draconis High Command’s special attachment. The Witch Queen was accepted back into the Coven of Sanguine, abandoning the Van Helsing Rebellion. John Talbot tried to help the human cause, but was assassinated by men that could not trust his promises. Many believe that this act of betrayal is why all werewolves inherently hunger for human flesh.
Talbot’s Pack is the first generation of werewolf summoned in moonlight and weakened by silver. Their strength rivaled the vampires of the Tepes lineage, but their limitations and weaknesses put them at a disadvantage in an age of space faring, technological advancement. There’s less than a hundred of Talbot’s Pack left, and all of them have undergone some kind of enhancement to prolong their typical lifespan of about 200 years.
Corvin’s Pack is an evolved breed. Led by Lucas Corvin, who was among the selected few to be genetically enhanced by Maester Frankenstein himself. They were engineered to transform at will, regardless of the presence of the sun, and silver was no longer a threat to their biology. They were the warriors that paved the way for the Imperium’s dominance over the universe. Most of Corvin’s Pack have fallen in battle, or suffer from extreme health conditions due to the trauma their bodies experienced from rapid transformation. The unblemished few serve in some capacity within the Draconis Fleet. They have a natural lifespan of about seven, to eight hundred years.
Kessler’s Pack succeeded after Corvin’s, baring their torch as a mixed litter. With gene modification and cybernetics the norm, fewer werewolves opt to transform back into their human alternates. Most have done away with the process entirely, choosing to be complete werewolves, while others combine mixed attributes between the two races. There's still a small number of wolves who follow the old tradition of transformation. Matilda Kessler is among those few, and she leads the pack as a fierce, but well respected battle maiden. She sympathizes with the humans, and sheltered many of them during The Violent Urge. Their life expectancy is the same as Corvin's pack. Though they’re weaker in comparison to the other packs, they don’t have many of their health complications, and none of their limitations or weaknesses.
The Gill-Men were the first true threat against Magnate Dracul and his Draconis Fleet. These aquatic aliens conquered a slew of backwater galaxies before running into The Fangs. Known for their heartless jihad and cold, killing nature, the Gill-Men threw themselves at The Draconis Fleet in kamikaze waves, hijacking ships and planet side military strongholds with an odd, spore-like technology that melted alloys, and infected soldiers with a plague of diseases. With the help of the Coven of Sanguine and Maester Frankenstein’s science, the Draconis Fleet were able to establish communication with the Gill-Men to negotiate a seize fire. The moment the Gill-Men broke that truce, they condemned a large portion of their population to genocide. When the war was over, Magnate Dracul rallied his people to hunt down the Gill-Men until they were close to extinction. The surviving population is viewed as a lower cast that’s even below humans, but are still recognized under The Retculavi Imperium’s banner.
The highest station a Gill-Men can achieve is knighthood in the Black Lagoon. They serve in the Draconis Fleet primarily as scouts, or designated guardians for key water planets. Everyone else is hired on as a labor force, especially for underwater infrastructures. The Gill-Men appearance hasn’t deviated much since their first contact with The Fangs. Males have a carapace exterior compared to the softer bodies of females, whose facial features look more humanoid. Much like how the vampires and werewolves can’t exist without human flesh and blood, the Gill-Men can't thrive unless adequately hydrated with water. Most, however, can go a week without needing water, but that’s mainly due to the hydrosuits worn when traveling on land. They’re no stronger than the average human, but amazingly durable as they can withstand the intense pressures of most deep sea worlds. They’re quick and nimble on land, and tenfold that when under water. Their life spans can range from six hundred, to a thousand years. The overall Gill-Men population is at a staggeringly low 4.7 million, and will stay that way until Magnate Dracul lifts their strict reproduction laws.
Grand Maester Viktor Frankenstein repurposes the discarded, molding them into his primary work force on planet Iephus. ‘Spare parts, used to make spare parts' is what he’d often say. The bulk of this population was either terminally ill, or too deformed to serve a purpose until now. With Frankenstein’s genius in cybernetics, the weak and lost are now strong and focused. While they retain their individuality in post, they are intensely driven by newfound purpose to Frankenstein and his planet. They may have the appearance of Vampires, Werewolves, Humans, and Gill-men, but Maester Frankenstein’s cybernetic handiwork is the only uniformity that matters to them, and all are baptized in the waters of his neural network, communing with his data mind like fish in a stream. There is no subspecies; The Maester’s Children are all encompassing, with distinctions made only by their line of service.
The Guides are among the few with any semblance of individual thought. These Children are placed in important positions that require extensive brainpower. Administration, surveillance, data processing, and cloning sciences, are some of the many tasks required of their station at each Harvest City; the central hubs for human cloning.
The Sentries are protectors of planet Iephus, the main security force that patrols human cities, and policies the Squalor along the outskirts. They are reinforced with the best cybernetics, and follow Maester Frankenstein’s directive that is baked into their neural software.
The Backbone makes up for most of this population. They perform all types of labor, tirelessly going about their jobs without complaint. Because the planet is tidally locked to its dwarf star, many of them are equipped with durable cybernetics to withstand its extreme temperatures. A good portion of The Backbone are also out in orbit, working the processing stations that distribute packaged dead humans for redistribution.
Their entire population is just over two hundred billion, most of which are stationed throughout the planet’s infrastructure. All who identify as the Maester's children undergo complete cyberization, forfeiting prior traits and abilities in favor of machined evolution. For example, many Unsavory Humans offer themselves up to Maester Frankenstein to be renewed, but no longer have their special abilities, post cyberization.
THE DRACONIS FLEET & SPECIAL FORCES
is the name of Magnate Dracul's entire military force. There is major emphasis on its naval capacity, which works in tandem with the 'planet dropper' infantry and marine branch. Draconis Planet Dropper (DPD Units) and Draconis' Navy Fleet are broken off into eight quadrants, and each quadrant has its own cabinet of high command officers, who are designated to a Count of Elder Tepes Lineage. Magnate Dracul has his own private army known as the Guardian Brigade, but he is also protected within the central quadrant (heart of The Retculavi Imperium) of Grand Admiral Count Orlok's Fleet. Grand Admiral Count Orlok is the highest designated officer that oversees the entire fleet. Black and White are the standard colors of the Draconis Fleet; Black being the primary color for the navy, with different shades of white for the DPD.
*Dreadnought with its fleet arriving through a Warp Ring.
The naval power and size of the Draconis Fleet is unmatched. Every quadrant sports a massive super fortress that stations its designated High Command and Count. A shield wall of Capital Class Dreadnoughts, who command their own units of attack and marine frigates. They patrol their designated galaxies with relative ease thanks to the use of Warp Rings that connect all Imperium hyperlanes. They are equipped with a range of particle-beam weapons and deflective shields. *A rare appearance from Count Orlok, planet side.
The DPD Units are armed with projectile and low particle-beam weapons, well-armored in multipurpose environmental suits with exoskeleton capabilities. The most advanced equipment is reserved for vampires and werewolves, with humans receiving the bare minimum, even though their units are always in the thick of battle.
*All Praetorium have armor unique to their person, but all are coated in the same red to identify their rank.
Known for their bold red colors, The Red Praetorium are elite vampire soldiers that serve under Magnate Dracul's royal guard under the Guardian Brigade. They are viewed as a direct extension of the Magnate's order, and can override the The Draconis High Command (Grand Admiral Count Orlok is the only exception) if required. Their history goes back to Count Dracula's humble beginnings, working as his shadowy assassins to help orchestrate his take over of the world. Their training methods include starvation torture methods to hone their impulses, skirting the line of madness until they have complete control of their blood lust. A fully trained Red Praetorium can go without a drop of human blood for one whole week before starting to experience withdraws, compared to the 2-3 cups required of the average vampire over the course of five planetary cycles. They are known to fast before battle to trigger their blood rage in combat. They typically work in groups of four, splitting the command over designated forces they'll lead into battle. Their red armor is a multipurpose environment suit, and while they're equipped with projectile firearms, melee weapons are their most preferred tools for killing.
*Their armor is tailored to each individual user, especially for wolves who transform between human and werewolf.
The Silver Howlguard became an official attachment when The Retculavi Imperium began its thousand year crusade to conquer the rest of the known universe (after the Gill-Men war). Much like how the Praetorium houses elite vampires, the Howlguard trains the very best werewolves. While the Red Praetorium are an extension of Magnate Dracul, The Silver Howlguard is the heart of The Draconis Fleet. No other group is more respected, for their fearless charge on the front lines, and in the trenches with fellow Draconis soldiers, is honored within the fleet. The Silver Howlguard are known for their intense gravity training, which enhances transformation speeds while increasing strength and agility. Their personalized armor is tailored to their unique, transformative anatomies, and cannot be worn by another werewolf. It is plated with a silver-colored alloy to show that they've conquered weakness. They also wear the pelts of fallen howlguard, who watch over them with pride.
*A typical Flesh Runner is always masked. Their bodies are exposed for a vampire and werewolf’s convenience.
These humans are wild berserkers, subject to a harsh training regiment more sadistic than any other unit. Their advanced, regenerative abilities allow for an uncanny tolerance to pain, a welcomed attribute when being fed on. Their upper and lower extremities can fully regenerate within several hours, which can be accelerated with Maester Tech (attachable devices to severed anatomy, speeding the healing process within an hour’s time), or Coven Black Science (witch and warlock magics that perform the same reanimation as Maester Tech, but with less accuracy). As a supplementary attachment to both the Red Praetorium and the Silver Howlguard, they serve as scouts, food reserves, and companion hounds.
Their masks allow for a range of display optics, communications, and oxygen reserves. If an environment deem it necessary, they’ll wear retractable light armor to protect from the elements, which can collapse at vital anatomy points for easy bite access. They are armed with daggers and other small, concealed weapons. A Flesh Runner does not have a long shelf life, but the few who’ve survived are treated like loyal pets. The tradition of a Flesh Runner goes all the way back to Count Dracula’s homeworld, their service first initiated under The Red Praetorium.
*An example of an infiltrator, known as a ‘Sneaky Child’ of Maester’s Children
In Maester’s Children terms, those purposed under the Index Consortium are a mix between Guides and Sentries. While they operate as special officers on planet Iephus, they’re also sent off world on behalf of Maester Frankenstein. While they can have a wide variety of functionality, they typically fall under three categories: The Sneaky Children (spies, interrogators, and infiltrators) The Smart Children (engineers, scientists, and emissaries) and The Strong Children (soldiers and pilots) Their off world directive is overridden by Draconis High Command, who sprinkles these units throughout their ranks, including the special groups. They’ve existed for as long as Maester Frankenstein established his Laboratorium Index, the grand science fortress, 1,000 years ago.
The Index Consortium are recycled soldiers from the Draconis Fleet, typically picked from infirmaries who’ve suffered fatal injury. They undergo complete cyberization on Iephus, where they’re fitted with the enhancements required to complete their assigned duties. Their weapons and armor are usually high tech or experimental.
*Standard Gill-Men suit that is embedded into their anatomy, classified as bio armor.
These Gill-Men elite are utilized for underwater operations. Their black, iridescent armor is a collapsible carapace that forms at will throughout their bodies. They are armed with sonic weapons and lances, and can communicate to each other telepathically over long distances. On land, their hydration reserves can last them for up to a week’s time, but their armor will stiffen up if water levels run low. These units keep to themselves. Even when temporarily assigned to another group, they’ll rarely socialize outside of their circle, answering only to high ranking, superior officers. They’ve existed for as long as The Silver Howlguard have under The Retculavi Imperium.
*The Bloodhound Elite wear dark blue armor, symbolizing their unranked status within the fleet.
The Bloodhound Elite exist as an oddity within The Retculavi Imperium. Formed when Fang and Claw first rallied against the Gill-Men, they were an experimental force meant to dissociate itself from the fleet. This was High Command’s attempt to save face should the union prove to be a disastrous joint venture. Led by legendary Red Praetorium, Asmond Gaistev, who shared command with John Talbot, an affiliate leader of the Van Helsing Rebellion at the time. This controversial group of vampires and werewolves speared into the heart of the Gill-Men hive. They managed to bring down its queen collective, severing their link with its Gill-Men armies. The Draconis Fleet attacked without mercy, turning the tide of battle in their favor, and effectively won the war soon after.
After John Talbot was assassinated by his own Van Helsing Rebellion, most werewolves remained Bloodhounds to get revenge for their former pack leader. After the Van Helsing Rebellion was destroyed, the werewolves were recognized as a valuable addition to The Retculavi Imperium, and awarded a high status as The Silver Howlguard. The few who didn’t join the Howlguard remained Bloodhounds as a pledge of loyalty to John Talbot. The Bloodhound Elite would go on to become an unranked task force, doing the Imperium’s dirty work with little to no recognition for it. Gaistev is still their leader, but he’s taking on a more administrative role within High Command.
The Bloodhound Elite welcomes all races, but their lax treatment with humans makes them a controversial group. Skill is the only merit of concern. So long as you prove your worth, they could care less about what you identify as. Their collapsible, dark blue armor is fitted to enhance performance stats across the board. They are trained in all forms of combat, but the elite of the group prefer melee weapons; Swords, lances, and axes, and they usually cross the line between experimental Maester Tech, and enchanted Coven items. They answer directly to Magnate Dracul, but are not identified as part of his Guardian Brigade. There are only one hundred members, half of which are scattered throughout the universe on special assignment. The other half are near Iephus, if not directly stationed planet side. Their headquarters are located at the heart of Magnate Dracul's Twilight City with its own training and recreational facilities.
Notes: Bloodhound Elite Armor: Derived from Gill-Men technology reinvented to accommodate other races. The Gill-Men members are known to activate both their natural carapace armor, and their Bloodhound's, making them very durable tanks - and much more clumsier on land. Standard dark blue armor is kept housed in its central core. This palm-sized device is shaped like a red diamond, attaching itself to the skin at chest level. When activated by thought command (the suit is neurally linked to the body) the sinewy armor expands like second skin, forming underneath whatever is already worn, or covers everything/specific parts on their person. The neural link allows for customization, allowing the user to mix and match what can be covered and refortified. For best use, fully armored Bloodhounds experience an increase in speed, reaction time, and strength. Damage to the core can cause malfunction and in rare cases, fatal death. Standard helmet HUD when activated, along with enhanced bio protection against intense radiation and extreme climates.
Bloodhound Weapons: Melee weapons enchanted by the Coven with runes that give them special abilities. Much like their armor, every Bloodhound has a unique set of weapons.
Recruitment: A recruit is sworn in by a member who can vouch for their enlistment. If they survive the intense zero G training, and multi environment death courses, they must then endure a pain unlike never before. 'The Armoring Phase' is basically torture conditioning. A Maester's Guide surgically inserts the central core into the user's body, wiring it into their central nervous system as it slowly embeds itself into their biology. The procedure time varies for each person. Some take days, hours even, while others can take a full month before the body fully accepts the central core. If you make it past The Armoring Phase, you are then subjugated to another round of training and conditioning. This can sometimes be more painful than the Armoring Phase. As the body is trying to adapt to its new state, it is now getting battered by different gravity levels, overloading pain receptors while the body's homeostasis calibrates to find optimal, physiological sustainability from a gauntlet of environmental factors. Suffice to say that the dropout rate is significant, and those who endure it all are welcomed with open arms.
OTHER GROUPS
*Witch Queen Kyteler is Mother of the Coven.
All forms of arcane mysticism are simplified by the term: Black Science. Summoning elements and beasts are achieved through ‘methods of displacement’, a process that involves opening portals to charted extra dimensions, and channeling their resources to this realm. This was simplified as magic in ancient times, but Count Dracula demystified its origins when his astral body resonated with the cosmos during The Ritual of Ascension, where he discovered realms within realms. He tasked his Coven to chart every outer dimension he accessed. They became phantom researchers, watching other civilizations, drawing from their technological feats to science their own. This was the secret to Count Dracula’s advancement, but how they achieved the Ritual of Ascension is unknown. Aside from Magnate Dracul, only the first generation of Coven know the methodology, but they’re no longer among the living.
The Coven of Sanguine mastered the ability to summon portals with enchanted devices. This is a more efficient solution opposed to the old ways of reading from tomes, and painting geometric designs in blood. These enchanted devices are shaped in the form of a staff, or worn as gloves. When the body resonates with the device, a tear in the present reality’s fabric is made. Whatever they wish to summon is called forth from the tear, and exists, so long as the tear remains open. Only the strongest of the coven can keep these gateways open for long. Some have the strength to keep multiple portals of different realms active, but that is forbidden. The rules of this universe will seek to correct prolonged displacement with severe consequences. If the caster is not careful, the source might channel itself through their bodies, or reel them into the extra dimension that was summoned. The number of witches and warlocks trapped within the extra dimensions are countless.
Therefore, it is important that the Coven of Sanguine summons from the known realms that have been vetted for safe use.
Anyone can be a witch or warlock of the Coven, but only a handful are allowed the high status of Magnate Dracul’s inner circle. Their havens are located on Warp Ring installations, which are prime sources for displacement energy. The Coven are highly ranked officers in the Draconis Fleet, tasked as consults for High Command and other leaderships.
*The faceless masks with tricorn hats was their famous apparel.
The Van Helsing Rebellion first existed on Count Dracula’s homeworld. Led by Abraham Van Helsing, the only human that was close to destroying The Fanged One for good. The two had an epic quarrel, but Dracula would outlive his human rival, who would die of old age. In the Tepestry of Dracula, the vampire acknowledges Abraham as his fiercest adversary, which he still claims to this day. After Abraham’s death, his successors fought to regain their freedom from Dracula, but were too divided as a people to maintain the Van Helsing cause. Their moment of desperation came when they accepted the help of Witch Queen Kyteler, who offered them a true fighting chance that gave birth to werewolves.
With these new weapons, the Van Helsing struck the Draconis Fleet and wedged them between the Gill-Men conflict. The alliance between Fang and Claw was forged by the Witch Queen, who abandoned the terrorist group soon after. She disappeared into Magnate Dracul’s inner circle, making it close to impossible for the terrorist group to seek their revenge on her. They pointed their blades to John Talbot, which ultimately sealed the rebellion’s fate. The Van Helsing were destroyed before The Retculavi Imperium became the official title for Magnate Dracul’s kingdom. Pockets of resistance show themselves every now and then, often carrying on the Van Helsing name with their famous tricorn hats and white masks. And with the threat of The Obsidian Pharaoh’s Undaunted Army, hope has reignited the beginnings of another rebellion.
*Black bronzed armor is seen among the generals and elite warriors.
Imhotep’s growing army on planet Iephus. It’s unclear as to how the corruption manifests itself. Intel states Imhotep has the ability to infect living tissue, but the Undaunted only share this ability by reanimating dead bodies. Therefore, we have reason to believe that the Undaunted's generals and elite soldiers were personally corrupted by Imhotep. Their masks prevent us from identifying who they originally were, but it is clear that they possess intelligence compared to the lower ranked drones. The Undaunted are not exclusive to just humans either. Werewolves, vampires, and even Maester’s children are among their ranks. The black bronze armor they wear is of unknown design, including the hodgepodge of projectile firearms and melee weapons. The Undaunted are currently sectioned off with The Emerald Necropolis in the east. Frigates in low orbit and DPD units garrisoned at choke points are holding off the Undaunted’s advance, but they can't hold them off for long.
PLANET IEPHUS
This planet has existed for millions of years and was incompletely terraformed by an ancient civilization. In 2322, Maester Frankenstein finished the terraformation process to make Iephus a suitable environment for human living conditions. The Harvesting Cities (also known as Cloning Zones) were completed one hundred years later, finishing its construction around the same time as Magnate Dracul’s Twilight City was completed. It took Maester Frankenstein another fifty years to replicate a non-diluted human, one that met the conditions for The Fang and Claw’s primal urges. To now do this en mass was a conundrum he eventually solved five years before The Violent Urge began. Therefore, the bulk of Iephus’ human population hadn’t developed until the early 3100s. Living on Iephus is a direct representation of how The Retculavi Imperium functions within the known universe. It is a privilege for the obedient, and an absolute nightmare for the unruly. The institutions in place keep the human masses indoctrinated. The Tepestry of Dracula is the only recognized religion (Gill-Men deities and Claw's worship of John Talbot are allowed, but never to be displayed in public) that glorifies the Magnate's omnipotence. It is a fanciful compendium of the philosophy behind his universal vision.
The Eye of Imperium is tidally locked to a red dwarf, meaning one side is perpetually facing its star, while the other remains shrouded in darkness. Iephus represents Magnate Dracul's paradise, where he can live in peace and enjoy a bountiful harvest without the fear of shielding himself from pure sunlight. Its terraformation was an astronomical feat made possible with Maester Frankenstein’s children. They help build and maintain the necessary components that keep it running to this day. The planet is rife with permanent wind storms on its unlit side, and intense heat from the surface facing its star. Wind turbines and subterranean heat pumps are used to harness its energy. The habitable zone is called the terminus, wedged between expansive desert plains and icy mountain ranges. This central ring of land can maintain a lush ecosystem, and because of the planet's alignment to its star, is the only location locked in perpetual twilight.
Magnate Dracul’s Twilight City:
This royal mega city’s foundations are carved out of the bedrock that overlooks the terminus zone. Its perpetual twilight is ideal for Tepes Lineage vampires who cannot embrace the sunlight. Many of their great houses are built along the dark side of the planet. The Twilight City is considered holy ground, yet its activity is like any metropolis exclusive to Fang and Claw luxury. From bathhouses, to nightclubs, fine dining, to golf, there’s a little bit of something for every vampire or werewolf. Humans are not allowed in public by themselves and require their masters to be with them at all times. There are, however, socialite parties equivalent to dog parks and pet bars, where all can mingle without scrutiny.
Magnate Dracul’s castle hovers in the backdrop with its black steel and gothic architecture. It’s sectioned off by his Guardian Brigade’s headquarters with its defense turrets always activated.
The Church of His Tepestry is a temple made out of glinting ebony, massive in scale, serving as a place for both worship and delegation.
Laboratorium Index:
This massive facility is located up in the northern regions of the terminus zone. Its exterior doesn't look like much with its cluttered array of massive pipes, which circulate throughout the entirety of the planet. Inside however is like a whole other world. Elevator ways take you down for what feels like miles within a massive space. Experiments and test subjects are glassed off in rows that line the large cylindrical opening, stretching all the way down to the ground level of Maester Frankenstein's Lab City.
All of Maester's Children are free to come and go to this city. When undergoing cyberization, uplink to Frankenstein's neural network (FNN) automatically tags them as Lab City citizens. The lifestyle here can feel isolating to outsiders. Igor's District are designated luxury blocks for non-cyberized people. It's one of the few places in the universe where humans can coexist with other races without prejudice-to a certain degree. Fanged city council members are pushing for more strict human laws, but those almost always get vetoed by default from Maester Frankenstein. Before the Harvest Cities were green lit into production, Lab City was a shelter for humans during The Violent Urge, and in many ways it still is.
Underwater Cities: Iephus' largest body of water has two underwater cities: Devonia, and The Lagoon. Its communities include Gill-Men, Maester Frankenstein's aquatic test subjects and experiments, and whatever near extinct races that weren't squashed by the Imperium's boot during its T'FORA campaign. Devonia up in the northern region caters to surface dwellers as a resort city, while the Lagoon in the south has the most sea creature diversity. The Lagoon has a few domed districts for surface dwellers, but the intense deep sea pressures are not ideal for prolonged stay.
Harvest Cities:
These cities are stationed all around the terminus zone. They exist within a sealed off environment, allowing its cloned humans gradual exposure to Iephus' elements over time. Each city can house up to 15-20 million. The living conditions are very spartan as half of its structure is meant for replicating and processing. The actual humans who live here work these facilities along with Maester's Children, prepping the non-living human clones to be transported into orbit, where it will be redistributed throughout the universe.
The Squalor Outskirts: The Squalor is located far east of the terminus, away from Iephus civilization. There are two main cities that make up the Squalor: Easy Eye in the northeast, and Gutter's Ranch in the south, with smaller settlements sprinkled in between. This entire area is a designated hunting ground for Fang and Claw thrill seekers. The Squalor provides two things: Imperium justice against unruly humans, and fun entertainment value *survival shows and annual gladiatorial competitions are streamed throughout the entire universe for your viewing pleasure* Attempting to escape is death. All areas are patrolled by Maester's Sentries, while the entire Squalor territory is walled off with security turrets and landmines. Nobody in the Squalor is allowed weapons unless you're a gladiator, or a top survivor from the hunting games. Life here is simple, likened to the old west, where humans live off the land with crops and farm animals. The cities are completely outdated with no link to any network except the entertainment broadcasts, and Magnate Dracul's public channel that often transmits readings from the Tepestry of Dracula when he's not giving a formal address to his people.
The Emerald Necropolis:
The Obsidian Pharaoh's floating fortress unearthed itself from the large crevasse within Squalor territory. It rises in plain site for all to see, smiling at Magnate Dracul's Twilight City from across the great water. Its architecture is unlike anything seen before, suggesting that it may have come from the ancient civilization that first terraformed Iephus. Draconis Fleet confirmed an energy field of some sort is shielding the structure from orbital bombardment, and slowly expanding. Many of the smaller settlements were overrun by Imhotep's army, as the undaunted now push toward the the major Squalor cities.
Mistress Dizzy
