Sunday Special #23 – The War of Fangs

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Every Sunday I run a Special relating to my writing endeavours and the world of Aeyuu, which is the stage for many stories developed further through the Tales from Aeyuu Patreon. These Blogs are closely tied with my novel-to-be, The Age of Silence, which is basically a story about Love, Sacrifice, and Death.

Previous Special Arcs:
0. TAoS Themes (3 journals)
1. The Syrilae (7 journals)
2. The Necrolore (6 journals)
3. The Denumbra (2 journals)

Today, we explore an important event in the history of mankind: the bloody war that opposed Vampires and Wyr.

The War of Fangs

How and when this War truly started is a fact historians still disagree on, but one thing is for certain: it is one of the bloodiest wars Humanity has ever known, as it originated on its own lands and suddenly opposed creatures that had long lived hidden among them. This war, which officially started several centuries ago and ended about a couple of centuries later, became known as the War of Fangs.

Another aspect of this war, which historians do globally agree on however, is that the Vampires started it - for reasons incomprehensible to most Humans. What drove the Vampires to come out of hiding? What made them attack on sight those people whom they saw for the Wyr they truly were? According to rumours garnered in taverns and seedy brothels, Vampires sought what the ambitious can only understand: more power. And they may have found it in the blood of the Wyr.

History reported cases of monstrous beings, abominations that seemed born to man and beast at once and only demonstrated proficiency in the killing of anything and anyone crossing their path. Rumour, and some of the Wyr themselves, explain away these beasts as mutated Vampires who drank too long and deep of the Wyr blood. Mutations imprinted upon a Vampire's essence, that eventually led to madness and death. It is believed none of these rumoured abominations remain to this day - if ever they existed. Humans, who only live about 40 years of age, may only rely on history as it is passed down to their generation, or on the stories told to them by the long-lasting. And few Humans nowadays believe in more than the existence of Vampires, as all non-Humans have been banished from the Sommerdiev Empire, and Wyr know well how to keep themselves hidden in plain sight.

But this war rang in a new era for the Humans. Caught in a bloodbath between forces no Human could withstand, they began to figure out ways to try and keep themselves safe. Toxins, weapons, traps - Humans developed a certain ingenuity that they'd lost after the distant Elshir stopped invading their lands. What they lacked in strength they made up with weapons like guns and hollowed-out blades filled with poison. In time, Vampires realized they were fighting a losing war, and returned back to the darkness from whence they'd come.

This rang in a new era for the Wyr as well, who started proliferating among Humans.

* * *

And that is all for this week. Next week I'll start talking about the Wyr, who are essentially werewolves - but not only! ;)

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next Sunday Special, same Blogger channel :D

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Please consider Supporting me

on Patreon. Thank you ^^

Sunday Special #22 – Non-Human Vampires

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Every Sunday I run a Special relating to my writing endeavours and the world of Aeyuu, which is the stage for many stories developed further through the Tales from Aeyuu Patreon. These Blogs are closely tied with my novel-to-be, The Age of Silence, which is basically a story about Love, Sacrifice, and Death.

Previous Special Arcs:
0. TAoS Themes (3 journals)
1. The Syrilae (7 journals)
2. The Necrolore (6 journals)
3. The Denumbra (2 journals)

Today, we explore a little known aspect of Vampirism: the turning of non-Humans.

Non-Human Vampires: myth or reality?

Alchemists across the Sommerdiev Empire seem to agree that only Humans can potentially be turned into Vampires, for some unknown reason. It has been speculated that the magic in their blood acts as a protective barrier against the toxin, rendering them immune. Yet recently, in the once-great city of Demure, not far south-west of the capital, Silvadill, rumors have spread of a Vampire assassin with characteristic blond hair and long pointed ears.

This impossibility, though not unheard of in the southern parts of the Empire, is a case of such extreme rarity that most alchemists believe it to be nothing but a tall tale created to frighten the adult children among them, quite like stories of the mythical Denumbra. Only Elves and Vampires themselves give the tales any sort of merit, yet none whom concerned alchemists have met ever declared encountering an Elven Vampire. According to the Wyr, a race of animalistic shapeshifters, the only reason no one would recognize a Vampiric Elf is because they lack the proper instinct to do so.

As animals in Human shape, Wyr possess keen senses that allow them to detect attitudes and specific scents that even Vampires may overlook due to their volatile nature. Merchants and historians whom Wyr have trusted with information declared that, though extremely rare, Elven Vampires were a fact not to ignore. During the bloody war that opposed Vampires and Wyr a few centuries ago, those were the pawns that slaughtered, the nightmares made flesh. Stories speak of such Vampires always Hungering and thus impossible to reason with; strength greater than any other Vampire's, and a bloodlust satiated on man and kin alike. But not a modern Wyr can say they ever met an Elven Vampire. Still, they trust in the history portrayed by their kin, as Wyr aren't keen on exaggeration or lie.

Surprisingly, even the alchemists of the Necrolore-filled country of Korinda believe non-Human Vampires to be a myth, if not a drunken joke. With how often Korinda was invaded over the centuries by the western Elshir, the odds of not a one being a Vampire disproves in their opinion this theory.

Whether truth or lie or drunken hallucination, the term 'Vamp-Elf' sometimes gets coined among Humans as derogatory slang used to insult either Vampires or Elves, or both at once. The stereotype being that Vampires are crazy mankillers and Elves prissy wimps. Of course, such a term is only used among Humans themselves, and never towards the creatures they so inadequately defame.

As far as Humans know.

* * *

And that is all for this week. With working so much on my novel Fates, which is completely separate from Aeyuu, I find it a bit hard to get back into my own favourite world at times. But, I still somehow manage to learn new things when I do travel there ;)

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next Sunday Special, same Blogger channel :D

Enjoying the world of Aeyuu?

Please consider Supporting me

on Patreon. Thank you ^^

Sunday Special #21 – From Human to Vampire (psychology)

 Patreon ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Wordpress ~ Youtube

Every Sunday I run a Special relating to my writing endeavours and the world of Aeyuu, which is the stage for many stories developed further through the Tales from Aeyuu Patreon. These Blogs are closely tied with my novel-to-be, The Age of Silence, which is basically a story about Love, Sacrifice, and Death.

Previous Special Arcs:
0. TAoS Themes (3 journals)
1. The Syrilae (7 journals)
2. The Necrolore (6 journals)
3. The Denumbra (2 journals)

Today, we continue to delve into Vampiric aspects, namely what goes on in their minds.

Art commissioned from dannii-jo

The Vampire: intelligent predator or humane beast?

The answer has yet to be uncovered by the alchemists who poured over this age-old question, but most will agree that a Vampire at its best is a bit of both. Even after being turned and losing its memory, a Vampire might still show signs of humanity, such as a certain care for animals, a preference for certain foods, or even a deep-rooted hatred for people it no longer remembers. Korindian studies of of the Vampiric brain have yet to reveal how and why this change occurs, as do the studies regarding their venom. All that is certain, is that Vampires aren't Humans. As such, they are treated just like any other dangerous predator and dispatched whenever possible, even if it means murdering a relative.

But those who have stood alongside Vampires have very different stories to tell as to their sentience - and even as to their humanity. Tales of Vampires killing their own kin to save a Human, of Vampires helping to rebuild a devastated village, or even protecting Humans against Elven invasions; there are as many tales of good deeds as there are of evil deeds, or so does the rumour go. Among mercenaries and traveling warriors, Vampires are appreciated companions whose strength and instinct may mean the difference between life and death in combat. Vampiric healers and Imperial soldiers aren't unheard of, but keep their true identities well hidden. 

Be it good-hearted or ill-intentioned, a Vampire remains a predator. All Vampires have in common a need to consume fresh blood to stay healthy, and ignoring this Hunger, as it is called, will drive even the best of them to attack innocents on sight and rip them apart. The youngest Vampires are by far the most dangerous, but also the most vulnerable: the Hunger blinds them, distracts them, and they know only to attack in a straight line. Whereas older Vampires have a better grasp of their Hungering madness, and are able to juggle the craving for blood with a certain strategic clarity. It is nigh impossible to discern youth from experience, as even an old lady may be but a fledgling Vampire in disguise, and a child over two centuries old - both with the strength to pull an adult man off his feet. To a Hungry Vampire, all that lives is considered easy prey. Yet there are known cases of Vampires with relative success in fighting these primal urges, often leading to their deaths.

How and why would a Vampire defy its own instinct? There are no factual answers to this question, but theories point at the level of humanity a Vampire retains after being turned. How fundamentally different is a Vampire who fondly remembers the smell of flowers from a Vampire who fears, and kills, an armed man? Why do these memories remain and surface, when even loved ones are completely forgotten? And what to make of these Vampires who'd rather bleed and kill themselves than to ever risk taking another's life?

Many more questions exist than there are answers found. Vampires are a difficult breed to approach - reclusive, paranoid, if not entirely homicidal. The Korindians have found alchemical ways to subdue these beasts, but no method is truly foolproof - thusly proving that, like among all races, exceptions and unique individuals exist.

Be the Vampire an intelligent predator or a humane beast or both at once, it is also a mystery that may never be solved.

* * *

And that is all for this week. I had a bit of trouble writing this up, but it's likely due to the two coffees and my brain being in a whole other universe at the moment. Still. I tried and make this as interesting as humanly possible ;)

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next Sunday Special, same Blogger channel :D

Enjoying the world of Aeyuu?

Please consider Supporting me

on Patreon. Thank you ^^

Sunday Special #20 – From Human to Vampire (physiology)

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Support us on Ko-Fi ~ Liberapay

Every Sunday I run a Special relating to my writing endeavours and the world of Aeyuu, which is the stage for many stories that will be developed further on the official Tales from Aeyuu site. These Blogs are closely tied with my novel-to-be, The Age of Silence, which is basically a story about Love, Sacrifice, and Death.

Previous Special Arcs:
0. TAoS Themes (3 journals)
1. The Syrilae (7 journals)
2. The Necrolore (6 journals)
3. The Denumbra (2 journals)

Today we delve into the physical attributes of Vampires.

Physiology: from Human to Vampire

In the Sommerdiev Empire, it is a well-known fact that to become a Vampire, one must be bitten by a Vampire. This fact, however, isn't foolproof: there are cases of Humans seeking out Vampires, being drained of their blood and life, yet never to rise up as Vampires themselves. The most driven of alchemists, most of them Korindian, have long explored Vampiric physiology to try and determine what about their bite triggered transformation.

They discovered that, through a nigh invisible cavity at the tip of their main fangs (incisors) and the twitch of a muscle in their gums, a needle-like protrusion shot out. Further research revealed venom glands within the teeth themselves - a physical mystery yet to be comprehended that gave further credibility to the theory Vampires are divine beings. How else could solid teeth change shape and hollow out to accomodate a previously non-existing, apparently self-replenishing gland?

Experiments were conducted to understand the process of Vampiric transformation - of 'turning', as it became known; these were not all conclusive, as certain alchemists died when the newly made Vampires went berserk. From the few that were succesfully contained and observed, the alchemists derived theories. The greatest theory, which was proven true across the Empire, was the 'clean slate': the theory that, upon transformation, a Human's memory is wiped out. People across the lands had lost loved ones to vampirism, to later discover their loved ones no longer remembering them. Yet these new Vampires had retained quirks from their old lives, such as a love for animals or a particular food, down to fighting moves or a traveler's instinct to always pack a blade, just in case.

Another theory proven true was the 'predator switch': that a Human become Vampire developed new skills and even instincts during their metamorphosis. People missing for a few days were found again, as Vampires, with the strength to crush a man's skull when they'd barely been able to lift a blade before. How much a Human changed, however, was never defined; each individual seemed to undergo a different change, with only accrued strength and better sight in the dark being common among all Vampires. As well as the need to feed on blood.

Make no mistake: a Vampire can subsist on cooked meals alone. Some even enjoy the pleasures of great banquets, and thus perfectly blend into society. But eventually, they will need to feed on fresh blood. If they don't, they visibly age - like Humans naturally do. They become weaker, short-tempered, until such a time comes that Hunger blinds rationale and they attack the first wounded person crossing their path - oft leading to their demise. With the advent of madness-inducing Rosebleed and paralyzing toxins, Vampires lost their top-predatory spot in the foodchain.

Yet to this day, Vampires have yet to be eradicated. With Human history advancing ever further, it became clear that Vampires' lives could be long-lived - if not eternal, lest they encountered a 'fatal accident'. These Old Vampires are most feared of all, and easiest to recognize - there is no fear in their eyes, no fault in their stride, and have often the looks of aging adults while speaking in words laden with the sort of knowledge obtained through long experience. How long a Vampire truly can live is as-ot-yet an unknown that alchemists everywhere are keen to unravel.

* * *

And that is all for this week. I didn't really know where to start off, so I figured it'd make sense to delve a bit into the physical facts of Vampirism.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next Sunday Special, same Blogger channel :D

Enjoying the world of Aeyuu?

Please consider Supporting me

on Ko-Fi or Liberapay.
Thank you ^^

Sunday Special #19 – Vampires: an introduction

 Patreon ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Wordpress ~ Youtube

Every Sunday I run a Special relating to my writing endeavours and the world of Aeyuu, which is the stage for many stories developed further through the Tales from Aeyuu Patreon. These Blogs are closely tied with my novel-to-be, The Age of Silence, which is basically a story about Love, Sacrifice, and Death.

Previous Special Arcs:
0. TAoS Themes (3 journals)
1. The Syrilae (7 journals)
2. The Necrolore (6 journals)
3. The Denumbra (2 journals)

Today we shall start a new topic relevant to Humanity: the Vampires.

A brief history

Since the advent of the imperial Sommerdiev line, with the first Emperor rising at the top of the food chain and claiming all individual countries as one big nation under his rule, Human society has evolved beyond what some believed nature, if not the Gods, had intended for them. Dissimilar countries united under one banner, trade and travel became more commonplace and safe, and with it networks of information sprang to life to corroborate the history of Humanity.

Yet it never became clear when the first Vampires made their entry into the world, nor whether the originals looked at all like Humans - or were originally Humans, as all contemporary Vampires are. It has been debated by many a scholar that Vampires were once a race unto their own, unable to reproduce, and that they somehow evolved into the parasitic predators known to mankind; less rational scholars have argued that such evolution is nothing but a scientific fallacy and that Vampires are a form of divine retribution for crimes committed by unscrupulous brethren; regular citizens view Vampires as nothing more or less than a plague that must be eradicated.

But all is not so simple to the people who have met Vampires up close and lived to tell the tale. A Vampire may be brutal just as it may be kind - it may kill just as it may help. Though they are as wild beasts when hungered, well-fed Vampires are nigh impossible to discern from the regular populace at first glance. Vampires may speak and smile and even laugh, their fangs may not always show - not until it is too late. Usually, by the time a Vampire has begun to socialize, it is already beyond too late.

Though at first glance not a recognizable trait by the common population, excessive strength is oft a telltale sign of vampirism. What is considered excessive may vary from person to person, one thing is certain: if an apparent Human is capable of easily blocking a blade with bare hands and not show a hint of fear, one ought to take all necessary precautions and aim to sever head from neck. That is the only proven way to kill a Vampire, as anything else will only drive it mad, and flesh wounds will heal in a matter of moments.

In the later years Humans have concocted new ways of detecting Vampires and getting rid of them. Alchemists developed a virulent poison called Rosebleed that affects a Vampire's blood flow. Once entered the bloodstream, a Vampire will go mad with artificial Hunger (a state of being that denotes immediate need for blood lest the Vampire goes berserk) and attack on sight anything in their path - Human or Vampire. Mercenaries and city guards have begun using Rosebleed to eradicate entire nests in one bloody go, with satisfactory success. Certain Vampires are capable of jugulating blinding Hunger to retain a tactical instinct; Rosebleed completely annihilates their thinking patterns and renders them vulnerable - from a tactical point of view. Hunger increases a Vampire's strength and speed. Often, Rosebleed is used in conjunction with unwilling bait.

But as information has spread across the lands, so have Vampiric numbers dwindled. Where once Vampires came to rule the Human lands as the ancient Elves had, Humanity regained the upper hand. The Vampires slowly faded from street view, but never truly disappeared. Though still predators, they adapted to their surroundings and started blending in - be it among the common populace, bands of mercenaries, or even among city guards.

Nowadays Vampires are no longer as feared as they are despised for what they are: diseased mockeries of Humanity - sub-Humans. With the advent of science, Vampires have become far easier to cripple and dispatch. As long as one gets the first blow in.

* * *

And that is all for this week. Thought I'd start us off with a global view, so I get an idea of where to go next :)

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next Sunday Special, same Blogger channel :D

Enjoying the world of Aeyuu?

Please consider Supporting me

on Patreon. Thank you ^^