On the Vampire Velathar, First Mage of the Anether Order by – Plenary Address given at the 32nd Sortilege Conference on Monsters and Monster Races
In the average resident of Etheria, the idea of a vampire provokes the usual belief in unloving monstrosities who feed upon the blood of the innocent. This results in the standard screams of fear, locking of the doors, calling for priests, and perhaps, the burning of those foreigners down the street whose strange ways are obvious signs of evil. And though those pale, malformed, cursed corpses from the north occasionally make it to our more sunlit shores, this does not concern us today.
Today we talk of the Necropian Vampires, strange and beautiful creatures that mesmerize and seduce, corrupting from within. These creatures having cunningly insinuated themselves into our society, and what they want is a mystery.
Necropian Vampires
Although little is known of the tainted magical energies that formed the Darkfenne, it has had a number of effects on the creatures that dwell their creating ranging from magical monsters like the Darkfenne Hydra, strange races like the Werewolf Clades of the Tribes of the Howl, or reanimated corpses with intelligence, like the Bog Queen and her minions. One creature that has been created by this force is the Necropian Vampire. Though none know how the first of these beings arose, it is known they are able to spread their influence to others, creating more of their kind.
The fell force that suffuses the Darkfenne is incredibly crafty, and evolved several methods to compel the living beings converted into Necropian Vampires to accept their new appetites and desires. The victim of a Necropian Vampire’s conversion immediately achieves perfection of appearance, every blemish and scar erased. They stop aging, and reach the peak of physical perfection, becoming stronger, faster, and more graceful then a baseline member of their species. They also are stripped of any sense of remorse, compassion, of goodness, as the Darkfenne considers these to be weaknesses. They become crueler, and gain a devious sense of cunning. They also gain various supernatural powers ranging form the availability to turn into clouds of mists, to shape shifting into bats and wolves. The Necropian Vampire also gain weaknesses to sunlight, running water, an seem to develop obsessive (pick up spilled items, ordering things, etc…). Also the creatures are compelled to feed on the life force of others (rather they are draining the actual soul, a person’s mana supply, or some other essence), and this feeding forces them to enter a torpor state where they remain unable to act for days at a time. Unlike undead vampires, the do not drink blood
Necropian Vampires often infiltrate society and can spread their infection to almost all humanoid species. They do not seem able to infect animals and beasts however. It is speculated that it is not so much the blood they feed on, but the actual life force of the creature. A Necropian Vampire also seems to have control over its infective abilities, only spreading its curse to victims of its choosing. They are incredibly dangerous predators, and can stalk a community for years with no one the wiser. In short, they walk among us.
This concludes my remarks, and it just remains for me to declare the conference open. We have a number of great panels and presentations, and don’t forget to visit the trade hall. There a number of fantastic specimens on display, and vendors will have the latest gear for sale. Also if you have a hole in schedule this afternoon, consider attending my panel “Decoy: Harmless Fun or Public Menace”.
Velathar, First Mage of the Aenther Order, was found ripped apart in an alley two days after delivering this speech. The Monster Hunter Society extends and condolences, and requests all members keep an eye out for his head, and it was unable to be located near his corpse.
