| The Vyre |

[HollowWorld]

[ Art Credit ]

THE
V Y R E

"To the God of Undeath, there is no distinction between a gift and a curse. To those who follow him, and to those who scorn him, he gives freely. Those who are enlightened to his teachings embrace it, while those who are ignorant shirk it and scorn The Wight."

Once made into a Vyre, at the discretion of the player they may over time come to know this information intrinsically. The hard exception is Ferals, which may not even know they are Vyres unless explicitly told.

Quicklinks:
LOVER [ X ]
FERAL [ X ]
BITER [ X ]
NOBLE [ X ]
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[ BECOMING A VYRE ]
The out of character process of becoming a Vyre.​

In the Vyre subsection on the forums, make a thread. Entitle it [Vyre] and then the character name. If a Sunblessed, put [Sunblessed] - if Gravewalker, put [Gravewalker], etc.​

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If you want to play a Vyre, you can do it from the time you start playing the character. Simply include a vignette or short story of what in their backstory or time they weren’t being played occurred. As long as it doesn’t interfere with the canon of another player or character, it’s fine. Vyres like this start with a generic bloodline (i.e. not a member of any bloodline listed under the "BLOODLINES" header). They do have a sire, but they aren't played, whatever or whoever they were. If they are ever consumed by another Vyre into another bloodline, that Vyre will then be treated as their sire.​

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After having made the thread, put in this template and fill it out. Obviously, report people to moderation for metagaming who make use of this information if it's kept secret.​

Character Name: Their name.​

Type: What kind of Vyre, i.e. Lover, Biter, Feral, or Noble.​

Bloodline: Only if applicable. If no bloodline, no bloodline.​

Sired by: Who, or what, turned the character. If an angel, or direct divine interference, just put “Skraag.”​

Progeny: Other PCs your character has turned into Vyres.​

Rank: Fledgling, Enthralled, Consumed.​

Log: When they change rank, When they feed, when they leave and return from hiatus. Make sure to date it.​

Hiatus: If on hiatus, don’t play the character until you mark the hiatus ending on the profile. For mechanical purposes, time while on hiatus doesn’t exist and doesn’t mark against the amount of time until the Vyre starves.​

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As an example...​

Character Name: Aeryn Fuvur​

Type: Lover​

Bloodline: No bloodline.​

Sired by: An event NPC.​

Progeny: n.a​

Rank: Fledgling​

Log:​

-Became a Vyre on 1/3/2020​

-Last fed on 1/4/2020​

-Went on hiatus 1/10/2020​

Hiatus: On hiatus. Interested in other alts right now.​

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[ THE CURSE ]
To become a Vyre is to become a person whose mind, soul, and body are marred by alterations both physical and mental.​

WANTING WITHOUT HAVING || Every Vyre is a parasitic thing, it is inherently in their nature to be such. All Vyres are born of and driven by envy - if it was not a trait of the character before, it is now following their transformation. This envy manifests itself as an ironic hunger, which literally feeds them. Different kinds of Vyres are envious of different things, which change how their powers manifest and what they must consume to sustain themselves.​

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HUNGER || All Vyres' hunger is a supernatural manifestation of the envy that makes up the core of their affliction. All may slake this hunger by consuming blood or the means outlined for their particular type, and even when satisfied, the hunger is only temporarily abated and will inevitably return. Each Vyre type has a 'Feeding Requirement' in which an ideal meal is stated: this 'meal' can be all in one go or spread out over the span of 48 hours. ​

Interaction with player characters is preferred, but background NPCs may be used as a food source as long as there's a reasonable story for their use, i.e. haunting the slums or feeding off prisoners. NPCs are specifically never willing to provide a meal to a Vyre, and must in some way be forced or compelled to do so. Any source of NPCs must be specified on the Vyre profile (and rumors thread if relevant/in a public place, such as preying upon the Landing slums); there must be a reasonable way for people to discover what's going on, and not have it be something exclusively private/in the background.​

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INFECTION || Someone who is not a Vyre can become one. Vyres do not reproduce like mortals, and are in fact infertile. For them to spread who and what they are, they must infect others. The methods for infection are detailed for each type of Vyre.​

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FIRE || Vyres become more susceptible to fire as they grow in power. A fledgling is merely aware of their vulnerability, and have an irrational anxiety when around large fires but that is so faint it can be ignored. Enthralled Vyres undergo a change where their bodies are as susceptible to fire as a dry cloth. It catches easily, but the fire can be undone easily enough. Consumed Vyres will ignite as easily as kindling, and the fire is hard to put out bar water or extreme intervention like rolling on the ground. The fire still has to catch in all cases, and the briefest contact with a flame will not cause them to immediately burst into flames.​

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UNLIFE || For all mechanical and practical purposes, Vyres are undead in the same way that the zombies in the Sorrows are (Except Smite. Enchantments need to be reworked. No.). Holy water scalds their flash in the manner described under the Purify spell, they may be interacted with spells that work on undead, and spells that only work on the living do not function on them. When a Vyre “dies” or is slain, they do not actually die. What is dead may never die, and every Vyre shall at some point suffer what would kill a mortal. Whether it be a mortal wound, or it be utter destruction of their body.​

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REANIMATION || When a Vyre dies, their mind and soul move on to inhabit a new host. This can be anyone who has died anywhere in the world, as long as their corpse is easily capable of locomotion (no reviving into a deep grave), and intact (no reviving into a dismembered or cremated corpse). It can be a recently deceased player character's body, but this requires the permission of that player. The corpse cannot be younger than sixteen. The new host may slowly transform over time come to resemble the Vyre, but the time it takes and if it happens at all is at the prerogative of the player. The race of the new host cannot be a construct, restricted race, or extinct race. Physical blessings do carry over into the new body. Vyres who are sparked do not lose their spark when they reanimate.​

Post in the revival thread as any non-Vyre otherwise would, and make a note that the character is a Vyre. Vyre revival takes the same amount of time, but otherwise follows the mechanics above.​

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PATRONAGE || Vyres who have been turned are unable to directly harm those which sired them or those who sired their own sire, etc, unless acting in self defense. They may raise their hand, but they cannot bring it down and wound their sire. This does not mean they cannot allow them to come to harm, or arrange for others to do it on their behalf. A Vyre being physically, lethally attacked by their sire is able to defend themselves appropriately, temporarily suspending this condition until there is no longer an immediate threat.​

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WINDOWS TO THE SOUL || Vyres may, or may not, appear to be with red eyes at all times. There are times as specified in the page for each Vyre where their eyes will show red if they had not been before, or heighten in intensity if they are always visibly red (whatever this means aesthetically is up to the player - color deepens, pupils dilate, whatever).​

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EUPHORIA || For a few days after feeding or a few hours after a "snack," Vyres experience a lingering mild euphoria. Everything feels better, their senses are more heightened, and everything feels a little better than it would otherwise. Bad news doesn't hurt as much, good news feels even better. They are able to move a little more easily, feel a little stronger, and overall they just feel like they are better versions of themselves. This can develop into a mania akin to withdrawal if they go for a long time without feeding, and it can make the transition from starvation to having fed even more intense.​

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RESTORATION || Should a Vyre bury themselves or take to resting in a sarcophagus (or coffin) for an extended period of time after feeding, they will slowly heal over their wounds and no scars shall appear. This process puts them into a state of rest they cannot be woken from, making them vulnerable, but this state lasts one entire day (IC/OOC). They cannot save themselves if fatally wounded this way, resting after being stabbed through the gut will require medical aid to stabilise it first. No broken bones will fix, nor limbs regrow.​

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CONSEQUENCES || If a Vyre is pierced through their heart by a stake made of birch, as long as that stake is in their heart they may not revive through the process outlined under Reanimation. They may revive through other revival methods, but in doing so they will return cured and lose all progress. They can remain dormant with a birch stake in their heart indefinitely, their bodies becoming grey and statuesque, producing no blood but not dying either. If the birch stake is ever removed (including via it being burnt with the body), they will revive normally.​

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The sires or direct progeny (directly turned) of the Vyre who is staked feel a pang in their chest and are innately aware that said Vyre has been staked. Immediately after feeding from a fresh source, these related Vyres may get a sense of the direction to the staked Vyre's corpse by focusing their thoughts upon it. This provides a heading about as accurate as the nearest common compass point (north, northeast, etc.), and may eventually lead them to the general area where the body is located (within a 100 block radius of it, about the size of a small town). This works so long as the corpse remains staked, and the Vyre has not revived by other means.​

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[ PROGRESSION ]
Sane people do not worship evil deities or broker deals with dark spirits out of a sense of ideological similarity. It is driven out of a selfish desire, usually to gain more power. This is how Vyres gain more power.​

It is entirely expected that Vyres, in conflict with one another, will rise and fall along the spectrum. One day a Vyre may be consumed, and the next have fallen back to Fledgling as their power was stolen by another. A Fledgling through cunning may rise rapidly to Consumed. The way to judge the merit of a devoted Vyre is to gauge how long they have held a seat of power without another taking it.​

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CONSUME || A Vyre may feed on another of their kind, as outlined in the feeding process for their Vyre type, and in doing so they will rise in one rank (i.e. Fledgling to Enthralled or Enthralled to Consumed), and the victim Vyre will lower in one rank (i.e. Consumed to Enthralled or Enthralled to Fledgling). The Vyre may feed on them a second time, but this will not increase or lower their rank twice.​

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SACRIFICE || If a Vyre sacrifices an artifact of either Fabled or Legendary status to Skraag, they may advance a rank.​

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CRAWL || If a Vyre elects to pursue blessings from Skraag, whenever they advance a rank in Blessings they also gain a rank as a Vyre. If for whatever reason a Blessed of Skraag receives a curse, or is lowered a rank, they lose a rank as a Vyre.​

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PROPAGATE || For every three people a Vyre spreads their curse to, transforming them from mortal to their bloodline or from another bloodline to their own, they advance a rank.​

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[ OTHER STATES ]
There are other mutations, and other curses, and other blessings that characters may have which conflict with being a Vyre.​

BLESSED OF ANOTHER || Those T1 or above in the divine system may review the universal divine passives, [here] for 'Providence'. Those not yet blessed can be infected, but it will be at their God's discretion if divine progress is hindered or not.​

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BLESSED OF SKRAAG || Skraag likes for his blessed to be Vyres. It is not a requirement and there is no mechanical benefit, but… well, in case that wasn't obvious. Additionally, those blessed of Skraag find they are able to try and resist the effects of the blood moons or red star events that push Vyres into an otherwise frenzied state, with a DC of 2 from a Soul+Determination roll. This DC will increase over the duration at DM discretion or every 30 OOC minutes roughly, to a maximum of DC4. ​

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SPIRITBLESSED || Spiritblessed can be Vyres at the same time. Both effects latch onto the soul (anima) of a person, and so both inhabit the same conceptual space. The Elemental is not strong enough to obstruct the Vyre curse, Spiritblessed can currently also be Vyres. However, Fireblessed might soon meet a fiery end if they are not careful.​

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[ TRANSMOGRIFICATION ]
Sometimes it is pragmatic or expedient that, instead of curing a Vyre, the Vyre be made into a tool or servant of another deity.​

SUNBLESED || Sunblessed have had the curse of Skraag replaced by the curse of Synnove.​

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THE RITUAL ​

It may be orchestrated by anyone that holds fervent, earnest faith in Ignis Synnove. The nature of the ritual is both punitive and a blessing, a trial by fire that both weakens and strengthens the subject.​

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The subject must be a Vyre. They shall be bound to some structure, and burned alive on a pyre of birch wood. It must be allowed to burn the Vyre until the pyre is reduced to ash. The restraints used to keep the Vyre bound to the flames does not burn with the Vyre.​

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If the person conducting the ritual and praying for the salvation of the Vyre is earnest in their faith, then the Vyre will not burn even as they feel the flames. After the flames have reduced to embers, the Vyre will resuscitate from the experience and live again as a Sunblessed.​

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TRAITS​

[Bronzed] The flesh of the Sunblessedhas been sunkissed. How this appears depends on the particular Sunblessed: they might just appear permanently tanned, or their body may be pockmarked by burn scars.​

[Cold Adverse] Sunblessed melt from extremes of heat such as an open flame as any mortal would, but do not suffer from hot environments. They are vulnerable to persistent, overbearing cold as it exacerbates their light dependency and brings on immobility faster.​

[Light Dependant] Sunblessed do not need to eat, drink, or breathe. However, they do need warmth and sunlight to survive. Their bodies gradually harden and grow heavier until they become like solid bronze if left without light or warmth for three days. They are still cognizant, but they are physically dormant until returned to light and warmth.​

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ABILITIES​

[Vindication] The touch of a Sunblessed to a Vyre is like flame on their skin, their touch causing combustion on contact even with fledgling Vyres.​

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WEAKNESSES ​

[Nyctalopia] Sunblessed are night blind. Without an artificial light, they cannot see in the dark at all; and, artificial light is substantially less effective for them. Areas of dim light are equivalent to pitch blackness.​

[Bound] Whatever bound the Sunblessed to the flames of their transformation are now what binds them to their mortal coil. If they are cut in twain then the Sunblessed has only moments to move or live until their body reverts into the form of a bronze statue stuck forever in whatever pose it comes to a stop in.​

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GRAVEWALKERS || The Grey Lady and the Soulstealer have been rivals for as long as the concept of death has existed, before sentient life, from mere moments following the creation of all things.​

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THE RITUAL​

A priest or priestess of The Grey Lady must take a Vyre into the bounds of a consecrated graveyard. There, they are to bury them while they are alive and sealed inside a burial receptacle. The outer container must be marked with a drop of blood from the Priest or Priestess and dusted over with pure salt. Finally they must utter a prayer for safe passage.​

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The Vyre must then rest in there, from dawn until dusk, experiencing the closing grasp of darkness and air with light hallucinations -but not dying. They may then be exhumed from their burial receptacle to ground themselves in cold sweat and take their first breath of fresh air. From that point onward they will be a Gravewalker.​

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TRAITS​

[Neither Life Nor Death] Gravewalkers look ethereal and otherworldly. It is hard to tell their age, for their features seem both young and old. Their hair has neither the brittleness of age, nor the luster of youth. In coloration, it varies from a steely near black, to peppering, to a stark, clinical white. Their eye colors change to a muted version of their original color. Their breath mists in the air, as though always in a cold place.​

[Heightened Senses] Their senses carry over from their prior curse, allowing them to smell things more prominently. The slightest of aroma, odors or blood can be picked up if in whisper range. Their eyes can adjust to the darkness, seeing 30b within radius in a tone of greyscale.​

[Of the Night] Gravewalkers are naturally drawn to dimly lit, cold or dark places, and they heal over superficial wounds like bruises, scrapes, and minor cuts if they are within such locations over the course of two or three minutes. Should they enclose themselves in a resting coffin or grave for several days, their tended to physical wounds will slowly heal and no scars will remain. The process puts them in a vulnerable state they can’t wake from. No fatal wounds, broken bones or lost limbs will heal.​

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ABILITIES​

[Vindication] The touch of a Gravewalker to a Vyre is so cold that crystals of ice form on their skin, and wherever they touch leaves a patch of severe, exceedingly painful frostbite.​

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WEAKNESSES​

[Sensitive Rays] Sunlight still irritates a Gravewalker, especially in hot and arduous locations like the desert, nether or volcanic lands. When openly dwelling there, they may become increasingly itchy or exhausted over time. If set fully aflame- they cannot recover and will die.​

[Gargoyle] When a Gravewalker dies, their body remains even as their soul revives, uncursed. It does not move, it cannot articulate. It leaves in place a stone statue of themselves, in a pose they last made, much like a gravestone.​

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[ BLOODLINES ]
Bloodlines are of only a certain type of Vyre, and are associated with a progenitor. Vyres do not need to be apart of bloodlines to be a Vyre, unlike before. However, if they are turned by someone who is already of a certain bloodline then they become of that bloodline automatically.​

IMMORTALIZATION || Any Vyre who meets certain criteria may apply to become a progenitor, and gain their own bloodline. This process is known as Immortalization. Immortalizing a Vyre is an entirely voluntary process on the part of the player and character, but once it’s been decided upon it cannot be undone. It permanently kills the character which has done it, such that their essence is spread among their progeny, and their remains become an ‘Immortal Relic’. If a character meets all of these criteria and wants to be Immortalized, then the player needs to submit an application to Lore and Events, and be explicit that this is their desire. The event will be a summoning of a Skraag angel, which will then Immortalize the Vyre, the process of the ‘ritual’ will be discussed on a case by case basis. For more information, visit the 'Immortal Relics' thread, here: [ x ]​

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CONSECRATING || Seperate to Immortalization, there is a process to create a bloodline that does not bring about the boons nor banes involved with the Immortalization process. With sufficient effort, dedication, and faith, an individual can appeal to Skraag directly in the hopes of consecrating their bloodline. This method is shrouded in mystery, with the possibilities of divine quests and shifting requirements that will be revealed to the individual upon a successful request.​

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| A Z A R I N |​

The Azarin bloodline originates with one of the original five. Members of the Azarin bloodline find that their hair turns darker, they grow taller by up to two inches (or one if they are at the height cap for their race), they favor a lithe build, and that their skin becomes appallingly pale.​

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[ BOON ] Azarins do not need light to see. At night, they see perfectly, though monochromatically. Instead of black-and-white, everything they see is in shades of red.​

[ BANE ] Azarins are inherently haughty, arrogant, and believe themselves above others.​

Noble Mien:​

3. The members of the chain are unable to be put off balance.​

6. The members of the chain are unable to be disoriented by any means.​

9. The members of the chain cast no shadow.​

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| G L U T T O N Y |​

The Gluttony bloodline originates with one of the original five. Members of the Gluttony bloodline gain dog-like teeth, their pupils bleed into the sclera of their eyes, and they have large, pointed ears.​

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[ BOON ] Gluttons are able to hear with extreme acuity, about twice as good as elves.​

[ BANE ] Gluttons are inherently destructive, and prone to intense violence or erratic rage. And the extremely good hearing results in it being quite easy to deafen or disorient them with loud sounds.​

Tremendous Girth:​

3. For a day after feeding, members of the chain find their teeth enlarge and sharpen, able to bite through low-grade metal such as copper or tin.​

6. For a day after feeding, members of the chain find their teeth become even more durable, able to pierce steel.​

9. The members of the chain cannot fully close their lips, their teeth taking on the form and function of predatory animals.​

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| G R E Y |​

The Grey bloodline originates with one of the original five. Members of the Grey bloodline develop patches of scales over their skin, have needle-like teeth, and tend towards baldness or balding.​

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[ BOON ] Greys may willingly put themselves into a state of starvation - with the resulting desperation to feed - while at the same time oozing blood over their skin that immediately hardens to be equivalent to iron scalemail.​

[ BANE ] Greys are inherently paranoid and distrustful of others, feeling they must always rely only on themselves.​

Ratlings:​

3. The members of the chain make no sound as they move, no matter their speed or terrain.​

6. If the members of the chain are in an environment for at least one hour, their body and clothes naturally begin to take on the pigment and coloration of that environment.​

9. The members of the chain have no reflection.​

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[ CREDITS ]
blargtheawesome for the main writeup,
and the Lore team for edits and suggestions.​

 

[HollowWorld]

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THE
L O V E R S
All Vyres are born of envy. Lovers envy love.

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FEEDING REQUIREMENTS || Lovers feed off of the emotions of others, in an entirely intangible manner. Darkthread prevents Lovers from feeding on others, and prevents their abilities. They can still turn someone whether or not they have darkthread on.​

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FEEDING PROCESS || Lovers constantly and passively feed on the emotions of others. Whenever they are in the vicinity of other people who are capable of emotion at all, it comes with a sense of satiation as they passively absorb their emotions. For them to actually have a meal, however, they need to be in the vicinity of someone who is an extreme emotional high and then remain in their vicinity until they calm down again. They must be watching the person during this time, actively choosing to feed, and their eyes are red for the duration of the feeding.​

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FEEDING SICKNESS || People who have been fed upon by a lover feel like it’s harder to be emotional again. They’re drained, tired, depressed. Apathy dominates their every mood. It lasts only for a few days, as long as they stay outside of the vicinity of a Lover. They cannot be fed upon again in this way until they recover from the original feeding.​

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STARVATION || Starting two weeks after their last full meal, Lovers begin to lose composure and slowly grow more erratic until they start having intense, emotional breakdowns. If they do not feed in one month’s time since their last meal, Lovers break down into starved Ferals until they do finally feed again.​

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WINDOWS TO THE SOUL || Lovers' eyes visibly change in times of intense personal emotion, and when actively feeding on others.​

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INFECTION ||​

[Allured] Lovers make more of their kind through strong emotional bonds, primarily. Someone who thinks of the Lover with a strong emotional sense becomes viable to become infected, with simply being in their vicinity creating a sort of pull between them (must be within RP chat and within sight). When this pull is apparent, the Lover must feed on that strong emotion from their prospect underling. When the prospect recovers, they will start becoming a Lover Vyre with several days of thoughts, dreams, or nightmares of their new sire that they simply cannot shake. The strong emotional sense can be love (familial or otherwise), great admiration, fear, or hatred. So long as it is felt strongly in their presence, it is a viable method. Note: Optionally, you may roll a d100 if in a state of extreme hatred or love (it should be significant) and if it is 1-10, you can become a Lover Vyre.​

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[Cure] They must do something to counter the initial method in which they became a Lover at all, an act opposing the emotion that made them. If they hated their sire, they must do something loving, and if love turned them, an act of hatred is their cure. These must be significant and difficult for the character to do - Insults or vocal words of affection are not enough. Almost killing the one you love, embracing the one you hate, sabotaging the works of the one you admire, and so on will be sufficient.​

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F L E D G L I N G​

Psychophysiological || Fledgling Lovers look like healthier, exaggerated forms of their past self. If they were tall, they are a little taller. If they were fat, they are a little fatter. If their eyes were once striking, they become enchantingly so. Et al, at the discretion of the player. Fledgling Lovers lose some of the inhibitions that impede antisocial behavior, and any sense of anxiety or doubt wanes somewhat. They don’t become extroverted overnight necessarily, but a Lover of this rank could never be called shy.​

Strengths || Lovers of this rank become physically healthier and their body improves in slight ways. It isn't enough to provide a mechanical benefit, but they become slightly better of hearing, slightly better of sight, and they can shrug off minor illnesses without becoming symptomatic.​

Weaknesses || Lovers are infatuated with their own image in the mirror. This does not necessarily need to be vain admiration of themselves, the emotional resonance it causes in the Vyre can vary from person to person. They are able to ignore it, but the thought of their reflection gnaws at the back of their mind.​

Abilities;​

[Ego Depletion] A Lover may cause someone in their vicinity to suddenly feel emotionally drained and irritable. They are somewhat more prone to giving into impulses and temptations.​

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E N T H R A L L E D​

Psychophysiological || Their physical selves do not change. They begin to lose their sense of empathy towards others.​

Strengths || The outward appearance of a Lover is slightly different to everyone who looks at them. They are unnaturally perceived as more appealing than they are, becoming the apple to that person’s eye, in subtle ways. This is an illusory effect, not a physical change. It can be disspelled like illusions. It does not actually change their body.​

Weaknesses || Lovers are infatuated with their own image in the mirror. This does not necessarily need to be vain admiration of themselves, the emotional resonance it causes in the Vyre can vary from person to person. However, they have a hard time being able to look away.​

Abilities;​

[Besot] While in physical contact with someone, the Lover may impart a sense of calm and comfort that draws the target's attention to their presence. This may be used straightforward as a means of comforting someone, or as a way to distract their attention from something else going on. The target remains aware of their surroundings and can react accordingly if the need is dire; the Lover simply commands more of their attention than they might otherwise.​

[Enthrall] The Vyre targets another of their kind, feeding on them and then allowing their target to feed on the user in turn. This may only be used on another Vyre. The Vyre using this ability must be of higher rank than the Vyre they are targetting (i.e. Consumed vs Enthralled, or Enthralled vs Fledgling). This ability converts the Vyre that is being targetted into the user's bloodline, making the target their progeny, and the user their sire. The target's old sire is no longer their sire for mechanical purposes.​

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C O N S U M E D ​

Psychophysiological || They seem ethereal. Their personages are like looking at something that shouldn’t be real. Like their bodies are too perfect, to the point that it reaches being like the uncanny valley. Consumed Lovers are incredibly prone to feeling envy, spite and other negative emotions against those they feel in competition with.​

Strengths || Lovers are able to change their appearance at will. If someone looks at them while they are doing it, it looks as if they are melting and reforming into a chosen shape. It also affects color, such as their hair or eyes, or their skin tone. It also affects their height and weight, able to morph it into anything within the bounds of the race they choose to appear as. This is an illusory effect, not a physical change. It can be disspelled like illusions. It does not actually change their body.​

Weaknesses || Lovers are infatuated with their own image in the mirror. This does not necessarily need to be vain admiration of themselves, the emotional resonance it causes in the Vyre can vary from person to person. Consumed Lovers cannot look away from their own reflection, and will be compelled to regard themselves until they or the mirrored surface are moved such they can no longer see the reflection.​

Abilities;​

[Besot II] For ten minutes, a touched target feels warmly towards the Lover as though they were an old, trusted friend. The effects of this are at the target's discretion, as is how they act for the duration of the strong artificial kinship. This does not interrupt any thoughts or intentions against the Lover; the target remains fully aware and may choose to act however they wish, but they face the added dimension of potentially acting against a close friend. After the effect expires, the target is immune to it for the next 24 hours.​

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[HollowWorld]

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THE
F E R A L S
All Vyres are born of envy. Ferals envy sanity and peace.

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Because any Vyre that allows themselves to succumb to starvation can become a Feral, any Vyre can take inspiration from this page in their roleplay. Mechanically, the feeding requirements for any kind of Vyre may be substituted for a Ferals’ requirements (i.e., a Lover could either do their complex emotion eating, or they could just drink blood like a Feral to postpone starvation).

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FEEDING REQUIREMENTS || Ferals need to consume blood from sentient mortals, making their feeding quite uncomplicated and simple. Four pints of blood for a Feral constitutes a satisfying meal, both for mechanical and flavor purposes.​

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FEEDING PROCESS || Ferals have no special mechanism for consuming blood. They drink it like any liquid, with it being edible to them in any form. Half of the feeding requirements can be substituted by Bloodvine or the blood from the Purify divine spell, with each one holding half a pint in content.​

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FEEDING SICKNESS || People who have been fed on by a Feral suffer symptoms of blood loss. They are pale, weak, light-headed and anemic. It is quite severe, given the quantity needed to satisfy a Feral. If they are fed on a second time, the victim will die of bloodloss. There's only ten pints of blood in the body, a body can't sustain itself on just four.​

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STARVATION || Ferals who have not fed in three days seem to zone out and dissociate. When that happens, it is like the person controlled by the curse blacks out, and they may or may not even consciously remember their actions while starving - at the prerogative of the player or DM. The sight of blood, while they exist in this dissociated state, suddenly riles them up like wild animals. They grow mad, insane with bloodlust, and will do anything to consume even the faintest trace of blood.​

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WINDOWS TO THE SOUL || Feral's eyes only visibly turn red when they are in the dissociative state described under starvation.​

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INFECTION ||​

Ferals do not have a transfiguration process. Once someone has either ingested the blood of a feral, it is mingled with their own, it enters their body otherwise, or a Feral feeds on them - they are infected. The process of turning into a Feral is drawn out over approximately an hour, at which point the mechanical parts of being a vyre kick in.​

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[Cure] Ferals may be cured by ingesting holy water. Holy water burns them like any undead, making this an agonizingly painful process already. They must then remain in this state until, after a few moments, they vomit up the holy water. It will be mixed with dark, sticky blood. They will then be cured. Note that this only works on Vyres that have only ever been Ferals, i.e. infected by a Feral and then never changing their type. A Vyre which has become a Feral, whether through transmogrification or starvation, must follow the cure of their original type and cannot be cured as a Feral.​

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F L E D G L I N G​

Psychophysiological || They look exactly like their past selves. There is no way to tell based on their appearance alone.​

Strengths || There are no special qualities of the Fledgling Feral that distinguishes them from a normal person.​

Weaknesses || At the sight of blood, they are driven into a ravenous, rapid flurry of erratic emotion and action. It is like they become possessed by their curse, and are driven to the point of suicidal insanity to feed on others. Players may roll a Soul+Determination check with a DC of 2 for smaller quantities and 3 for larger to resist the hunger in full, though they will still feel the pangs of hunger and need to make distance from it less they act.​

Abilities;​

[Flock] Ferals can smell that another person is a Feral, and are subconsciously drawn to others of their kind. If they are not aware of their curse, they justify and rationalize the behavior somehow.​

[Smell] Ferals can smell the presence of blood within a kilometer of themselves.​

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E N T H R A L L E D​

Psychophysiological || They look pale, anemic and sickly. It is hard for them to focus, because their mind is constantly on how hungry they always are.​

Strengths || Enthralled Ferals may bury themselves in the earth, completely submerging themselves, and remain there indefinitely needing not to breathe or eat while in this state.​

Weaknesses || Bright light hurts the eyes of Ferals and they take comfort in dirt beneath their feet. Sometimes this manifests as pica syndrome, or wanting to bury themselves or others in earth.​

Abilities;​

[Claws] Ferals grow claws on the tips of their fingers, like those possessed by burrowing animals.​

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C O N S U M E D​

Psychophysiological || Ferals become extremely animalistic, looking almost more beast than man. This can be in the form of hair, or scales, or wrinkly skin. It can also be in changes to their physiology, becoming more stooped, or having strange teeth. They can think of nothing but the need to consume. They constantly seek blood with a mad, wild fervor.​

Strengths || Consumed Ferals may bury themselves in the earth, and in addition to the effects at Enthralled, their wounds slowly heal while they are buried - taking about two or three days to fully heal from even mortal injuries.​

Weaknesses || They cannot stand bright light, such as a roaring fire or the sun, feeling compelled to avoid it and being blinded by it if they look directly into it.​

Abilities;​

[Instinct] All Vyres in the vicinity (visible and within RP range) feel the mood and intentions of a consumed Feral as an instinctive sixth sense. This allows an animalistic sort of coordination; they're loosely aware of what has the consumed Feral's attention, if they're alert, hostile towards something, etc. This may improve their ability to act in unison without open communication, guided as a pack instead of a collection of individuals, but sophisticated communication and directives remain impossible without verbally expressing them.​

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[HollowWorld]

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THE
B I T E R S
All Vyres are born of envy. Biters envy life and faith.

- - -​

FEEDING REQUIREMENTS || Biters need to consume the raw, fresh flesh of sentient beings. A mouthful or two is enough to sustain them for a meal, and they can eat raw flesh of non sentient persons to stave it off for a time. A biter must feed at least once a month, or they devolve into a Feral.​

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FEEDING PROCESS || Eating, like a mortal, except it has to be raw, fresh and from a sentient being.​

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FEEDING SICKNESS || Whoever a Biter has eaten has had a chunk taken off of them. Unlike other kinds of Vyres, a single person could probably sustain a Biter for quite a long time if they didn’t suffer a mortal injury in the process of being eaten alive.​

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STARVATION || Starting two weeks after their last full meal, Biters begin to grow erratic and desperate: lashing out progressively more violently as a sense of rage begins to dominate their personality until they feed. If they do not feed in one month’s time since their last meal, Biters break down into starved Ferals until they do finally feed again.​

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WINDOWS TO THE SOUL || Biters' eyes visibly change when they feel intensely aggressive, or when notably hungry, typically preluding an attack or feeding.​

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INFECTION ||​

[A Dinner] When someone has accepted a meal of a Biter’s own flesh, they must then feed on another’s raw flesh to become infected. They must not just only eat a piece of them. To become a Fledgling Biter, they must procure and consume the raw flesh of another person while that person is alive. After the meal, they become one.​

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[Cure] Feeding from a Skraag blessed will cause the Biter to violently transform back into their mortal selves following the consumption. It is a painful, exhausting process that would take them about a day to fully recover from.​

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F L E D G L I N G​

Psychophysiological || Biters take on something of a grey pallor, subtle but noticeable. They seem more stout and sturdier than they were before.​

Strengths || A Biter is more tolerant of pain than a mortal would be under similar circumstances. They may not even notice minor, superficial wounds like bruises even though more substantial wounds would still be debilitating to them.​

Weaknesses || Biters feel a sense of loathing and anxiety when within non-Skraag divine grounds that stays with them until they leave. They cannot hold or willingly touch a holy symbol of a deity not Skraag or a deity which has blessed them. They cannot enter non-Skraag holy places such as churches, chapels, cathedrals, and keeps that are within these holy places. These restrictions do not hold true if the Biter is blessed by the deity in question.​

Abilities;​

[Durable] A Biter is hard to kill. A Fledgling Biter can sustain as much nonfatal, concussive head trauma as someone could dish out, and they never lose consciousness. Their skull is no more materially stronger than a mortal’s, and they can still die.​

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E N T H R A L L E D​

Psychophysiological || Enthralled Biters take on a noticeable grey pallor, and other additional physical alterations that may make them look more like a corpse - yellowing eyes, discolorations, so on. They become even more stout, and it is hard to make them fall unconscious. They resist concussions, broken bones, and so on much more easily than their former selves.​

Strengths || Biters lose almost all sense of physical sensation except pain, but even that feels diminished compared to when they were mortal. They do not taste, feel pleasure, and so on. They feel broken bones, but not shallow flesh wounds or rolled ankles and the like. They gain one step of advantage on stat checks to overcome pain.​

Weaknesses || Holy symbols of a deity other than Skraag or one which has blessed them irrationally terrify Biters. They cannot be coerced to step within a meter of such a holy symbol, and seek to get out of this range above all else if it's brought upon them. The presence of one in their vicinity fills them with anxiety and loathing.​

Abilities;​

[Durable II] Biters bleed as a slow ooze, thick and dark and coagulated. They take approximately four times as long to succumb to any adverse effects from bleeding or blood loss, but their bleeding similarly takes about for times as long to clot and stop.​

[Enthrall] The Vyre targets another of their kind, feeding on them and then allowing their target to feed on the user in turn. This may only be used on another Vyre. The Vyre using this ability must be of higher rank than the Vyre they are targetting (i.e. Consumed vs Enthralled, or Enthralled vs Fledgling). This ability converts the Vyre that is being targetted into the user's bloodline, making the target their progeny, and the user their sire. The target's old sire is no longer their sire for mechanical purposes.​

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C O N S U M E D ​

Psychophysiological || With sunken eyes and grey ashy skin that is discolored and disfigured by patches of rot, a Consumed Biter truly looks like a corpse. They no longer have even the faintest of heartbeats.​

Strengths || They need not breathe, sleep, or do anything but feeding, as a fed Consumed Biter will sustain themselves indefinitely. Biters are, in a way, the most honest of their kind, for there is little concealing the fact that they are surreal horrors - corpses whose souls have been bound to their bodies, cursed and with a highly diminished sense of pain. They feel only the most grievous of wounds, such as broken bones or other tremendous injury. They gain two steps of advantage on stat checks to overcome pain. They are not immune to injuries that would otherwise kill someone; they simply have a greatly enhanced ability to fight through injuries that would debilitate.​

Weaknesses || The Biter is now averse to holy symbols within three meters of them, with otherwise the same effect as at Enthralled. Contact with a holy symbol sears their flesh like a hot brand, not igniting it, but the pain of it is felt in full without being diminished by their resistance.​

As their bodies grow more decrepit, they are less able to move with the vigor of the living. Mortals have an easy time outrunning a Biter at this stage of infection.​

Abilities;​

[Durable III] As long as any limb of the Biter is not burned to ash, they may manipulate it and move it throughout the world. The limb is still beholden to its mechanics, and doesn't move in a way that it would otherwise be unable to if it weren't a disembodied limb. Limbs lost in this manner can be reattached as long as there's enough flesh intact to do so, as per Autonomy.​

[Autotomy] A Biter is able to remove a limb, digit, or any part of their body without permanent damage, leaving an ache and great discomfort at the point it was separated.. It does not bleed, and neither does it rot. They may then reattach it at will, but the ache remains for the rest of the day.​

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[HollowWorld]

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THE
N O B L E S
All Vyres are born of envy. Nobles envy wealth, prestige, and status.

- - -​

FEEDING REQUIREMENTS || Nobles need to consume blood from sentient mortals. It is uncomplicated and simple, like with Ferals. Three pints of blood for a Noble constitutes a satisfying meal, both for mechanical and flavor purposes. However, it cannot be from people who are of poor health or otherwise unhealthy.​

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FEEDING PROCESS || Nobles have no special mechanism for consuming blood. They drink it like a liquid, and blood is edible to them in any form. Half of the feeding requirements (one pint, in this case) can be substituted by Bloodvine or the blood from a divine spell that specifies working as such, with each one holding half a pint in content.​

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FEEDING SICKNESS || People who have been fed on by a Noble suffer symptoms of blood loss. They find themselves pale, weak, light-headed and anemic. It is quite severe, given the quantity needed to satisfy them. If they are fed on a second time by a Noble, they are likely to die of bloodloss.​

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STARVATION || Starting one month after their last full meal, Nobles begin to develop symptoms of psychosis. They see and hear things that aren’t there, and they begin to have hallucinations of people they know. It gets more intense and incites an increasingly irrational paranoia until they feed. If they do not feed in two month’s time since their last meal, Nobles break down into starved Ferals until they do finally feed again. Nobles are, however, by their nature the most poised of the Vyres and are able to survive without feeding for longer.​

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WINDOWS TO THE SOUL || Nobles' eyes change as detailed below. Their natural eye color mixes with a reddish hue, the red becoming more vibrant and apparent as they become closer to consumed. As they grow closer to starvation, the red also becomes more pronounced.​

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INFECTION ||​

[Investiture] To become a Noble, a prospective Vyre must first mix the blood of a Noble with their own. Then they must be formally acknowledged as a member of their Noble sire’s society. The actual acceptance can be as simple as a few words from a Noble acknowledging them as a vassal or peer, all the way to a large and grandiose ceremony. As part of the ceremony, or shortly thereafter, the prospective Noble must then feed on another to complete their transformation.​

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[Cure] Only the Noble that sired a Vyre, or the one that sired them and so on, is able to cure them. There is no cure other than this, besides becoming a Sunblessed or Gravewalker. For a sire to cure their spawn, their spawn must feed on them until the sire is near death.​

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F L E D G L I N G ​

Psychophysiological || Nobles become paler and their eyes change from whatever it naturally was to a mix of red and that natural color. They grow fangs that are either pronounced or subtle, depending on the person.​

Strengths || The fangs. Their teeth are unnaturally sharp, for teeth, and able to bite through clothes with ease.​

Weaknesses || Nobles of this rank cannot stand the touch of pure salt, silver, or gold (that is: not as part of an alloy). To them, coming into contact with these materials is physiologically equivalent to touching boiling water. Additionally, they cannot pass over closed circles made of this material, whether inlaid in the ground or dusted over it like salt. They cannot touch it at all as it functions as an invisible, impermeable and indestructible barrier over the surface of these materials that they can in no way pass. The closed circle does not necessarily need to be “circular,” but as stated above; it needs to be pure.​

Abilities;​

[Invasive] Nobles may slowly move along vertical or sheer surfaces - even upside down, but if their concentration is broken (such as by pain or combat), they fall.​

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E N T H R A L L E D​

Psychophysiological || Their skin becomes even paler, and they cannot tan. They grow haughty, and their view of people becomes more myopic: only they and theirs matter, the rest inconveniences or tools at best.​

Strengths || They age more slowly, at a rate of one year for every ten that passes.​

Weaknesses || The touch of the materials mentioned in the prior rank is now equivalent to that of red hot, scalding metal.​

Abilities;​

[Invasive II] Nobles may move normally along any vertical or inverted surface. It is as if they control their personal gravity, and are able to simply move with the ease along another dimension as a mortal would on the ground.​

[Paternalism] A Noble is aware of their progeny. They know how many there are, whether they are alive or dead, and if they are starving or not.​

[Enthrall] The Vyre targets another of their kind, feeding on them and then allowing their target to feed on the user in turn. This may only be used on another Vyre. The Vyre using this ability must be of higher rank than the Vyre they are targeting (i.e. Consumed vs Enthralled, or Enthralled vs Fledgling). This ability converts the Vyre that is being targeted into the user's bloodline, making the target their progeny, and the user their sire. The target's old sire is no longer their sire for mechanical purposes.​

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C O N S U M E D ​

Psychophysiological || The paleness of their skin is more pronounced, and their eyes are even more red than before. Noble Vyres of this rank become taken by a pervasive sense of greed; the urge to collect, possess, and consolidate. The focus of this greed can be any number of things, be it wealth or power or land, all that matters is that there is something to amass and accumulate in the Noble's possession. They are incapable of feeling content in their collection, any sense of satisfaction fleeting against the greater high of collecting more.​

Strengths || Nobles stop aging entirely. They are as if frozen in time.​

Weaknesses || The touch of the materials mentioned prior is now equivalent to an open flame, with direct contact causing combustion at the point of contact.​

Abilities;​

[Invasive III] Nobles may, at will, convert themselves into a flammable (equivalent to gasoline vapor in flammability) human-sized cloud of blood-red mist that may take any amorphous shape but must remain contiguous. While in this form they can move at up to the equivalent of a brisk jog; fast enough to move around, but easily outpaced by anyone earnestly trying. They may squeeze through tight spaces while in this form, such as through keyholes or the small gap beneath a door. The transition takes a few seconds, one combat round. Any heavy armor (chainmail, any form of plate) does not transform and is left behind.​

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[Elz]

After a while of working on it, editing, and multiple reviews with the lore team, this lore is now live - Ensure you check out the event thread for how to get this applied IC. Big thanks to all of the team who worked on it.

 

[blargtheawesome]

Amended some of the Gravewalker section.

 

[blargtheawesome]

Amended Enthralled and Consumed Lovers,

This is an illusory effect, not a physical change. It can be disspelled like illusions. It does not actually change their body.

 

[Elz]

Amendment to staked bodies, thank you to Lannis for the writeup:

The sires or direct progeny (directly turned) of the Vyre who is staked feel a pang in their chest and are innately aware that said Vyre has been staked. Immediately after feeding from a fresh source, these related Vyres may get a sense of the direction to the staked Vyre's corpse by focusing their thoughts upon it. This provides a heading about as accurate as the nearest common compass point (north, northeast, etc.), and may eventually lead them to the general area where the body is located (within a 100 block radius of it, about the size of a small town). This works so long as the corpse remains staked, and the Vyre has not revived by other means.