Post by 𝐊𝐀𝐓 ᴀᴋᴀ 𝓡𝓮𝓭 𝓥𝓲𝓹𝓮𝓻 on Mar 22, 2022 14:31:27 GMT -4
Vampires are different depending on which 'world' you know them from. From Dracula, to Anne Rice's, to Vampire the Masquerade, Twilight, and so on.
They all have their unique abilities and flaws, and characteristics.
But, since this is ESO, we are going to be talking about vampires in Skyrim. No sparklie vampies here, folks.
ESO vampires are new to me. So i set out to learn what i could about them, so i could have at least a general idea about them, and not appear like a total idiot when coming across those who RP them.
A list of mentions is at the bottom, as a lot (likely most) of what i'm about to say comes from what i learned on the ESO forum from RPers who know much more than me about vampires in the game; and a link to the thread on the ESO forum. i'm grateful they took the time to educate me.
i was a vet when it came to Vampire the Masquerade, first and second Ed-ish. That was a long, long time ago now. However, the game left a mark on me that helped shape who i am today, and helped when i created a character; and looked at other peoples characters.
No character should be all merits. (Good things). A good character, be it a human, or a vampire, needs to have an equal amount of flaws (bad things) to balance out the merits.
This write-up is only an entry level bit of information (at best). They were questions i had as a new to vampires in ESO player. If you are looking for more information, there are dedicated vampire RPG guilds in ESO who could help you out, and then, of course, ESO forums and or google.
Immediately, what i learned, is that Role-Players in ESO, take the bulk of their vampire lore from The Elder Scrolls. (TES).
Vampires of Iliac Bay is a (small) book found in the game itself, and gives a glimpse into what being a vampire is like.
And HERE, are books in the game, relating to vampires and vampirisim.
ESO vampire lore is complicated for a few reasons.
- Vampire mechanics are more lenient for player characters, because unlike in other games, we can't press a button to wait until night.
- Some fan conjecture has made into the game, including Molag Bal's claim to vampire souls and the TESIV's strength through starvation feature becoming universal rather than a quirk of one or several clans.
My question:
The answer: Creation
It all started with Molag Bal, the Daedric Prince of Domination and Brutality did a crime most vile (raped her)to a priestess of Arkay named Lamae which caused her "death". From there on it spread, and from others Bal "gifted" with the disease.
Mortals then usually get infected with these through various means. A vampire can infect them willingly, or not willingly. They can fight or be attacked by a vampire and accidentally end up being infected etc. From there on two out of the three most known strains have an incubation time of three days. The infected is not truly a vampire yet during this time and can be cured from the disease (easily) like any other.
As RP goes, well there's no rule really. Your character can already be a vampire and have been for a long time. You can set them up to be infected in a storyline willingly or accidentally etc.
The altar in the game, where it 'must' happen, is just there as a game mechanic and should not be taken as cannon when it comes to someone becoming a vampire in character.
There's no Camarilla policing who gets embraced and how, but some vampires are stigmatized based on their background. For example, the vampires of Castle Volkihar in Skyrim took a lot of pride in having either received vampirism directly from Molag Bal or somebody else who did (although they don't say how many generations they have). And the more organized vampires in Morrowind call the player character an accident/abomination/monster because they got turned by a random infection.
My question:
The Answer:Cures/Prevention
It's a bit up to debate. In other TES games (and also a bit in ESO's quests and such...) curing vampirism that has passed the incubation time is more or less unheard of. It happens but it's more like myths and the person that has usually searched for a way to cure it for a long time and it's then a complicated thing to do.
There have been cures for vampirism in most TES games. ESO's is unusually easy to find, but maybe that says more about Prelate Sabinus. Generally, they are very obscure. Most vampires don't get that choice. Even when the player character of Morrowind asks Molag Bal himself for a cure, Bal gets it from Vaermina. There are of course the priests of the Arkay, (if they can be found ICly, make a good story out of it) and being turned into a werewolf.
So, many consider ESO's "just go and throw some coin at that npc" as more of a game mechanic that is needed in an mmo and how vampirism work there, than an accurate lore representation.
It's also more interesting from an RP view to be stuck with it, or go through a very complicated hunt for a chance of a cure than just visiting the Mage's Guild.
I think one of the most interesting reasons to RP a vampire in TES is the bad stuff. One of the biggest downsides for both vampires who became it willingly and unwillingly is the fear of dying, because it's believed by most they're doomed to end up in Molag Bal's Coldharbour when they die. Vampires do not have to end up there, but most likely will.
It is perfectly possible that one could simply air on the side of caution, if they are extra paranoid or whatever, to drink a nightly potion to cure disease each day, and that would indeed prevent someone from contracting the disease, and likely make the vampire who possible bit/drank from them pretty sick as the blood would be 'fouled'.
Banes
At worst, they burn in daylight and temples and more easily by fire, and everyone can tell that they're vampires by looking at them or hearing their voices, or even by their actions. Research the different Clans to see. At best, they're fine in daylight and temples and either they pass as mortal or nobody acknowledges it.
Some conjecture about euphoric bites. I don't think they'd need their bite have that effect. Player vampires either bite to kill, bite people in their sleep, or use spells to sedate or feed directly.
Nuisances people either assume or borrow from VTM
- Vampires in The Elder Scrolls lore are more alive than dead. This bothers some people, but unlike World of Darkness the term undead is very very very loose in its interpretation and meaning in TES lore. Think of it more like a sliding scale between alive and dead than a definite "they're dead but reanimate".
- This means that TES vampires have working bodies for the most part and can bleed, still breath, are not immune to poison except in cases like the Volkihar clan, have working hearts, and can take some benefits from eating food without the need for having a high humanity score like in VtM. Of course there are the nuisances between bloodlines with some being more closer to actually being dead than others, but as a general rule of thumb they're better described as blood cursed individuals. (NOT 'undead'.) Those who are on 3-4 of the vampire scale in ESO are as close to an undead as you may see, lacking the ability to procreate, heal, sweat, etc. The heart would beat very, very slowly.)
- TES vampires don't have retractable fangs. I hope I don't need to explain this more, but in none of the games have vampires had the ability to hide their fangs outside illusion magic. Order vampires in Oblivion did look more vampiric and monstrous as they starved, though with their fang length maybe increasing as well. Or that was just a Argonian and Khajiit thing... I'd have to look back at it. (Or, could simply be explained by the recession of gum line, as one starves, making teeth appear longer, and fingernails too.)
ESO vampires don't have fangs more out of technical limitationsor laziness than because they actually don't. Going off the vampire skill line pictures, it's safe to assume they have the 4 fang thing going for them (2 top and 2 bottom) like the Volkihars do.
There are NO Ghouls in ESO
Thralls in TES lore are either vampires or not, there are no ghouls.
A vampire can seduce a mortal with vampiric seduction (provided the vampire is of the clan who has the ability), then bite them to assume control over their will. This seems to last an unknown amount of time, but it's assumed it'll need refreshing every so often to keep the person under control. Killing the vampire will break the illusion and free the thralls under the vampire's control. They seem to keep some of their personality, but their every waking desire is to serve their Master, even if it means dying. In fact, they might even be happy to die by their Master's hand if they fail.
The second kind of thrall is the blood thrall, and since there are no ghouls.... well... yeah.... Turning mortals into vampires and using vampiric powers to control the childer is a way of enthrallment, but unlike illusionary enthrallment, the thrall is no longer mortal and sometimes degrades to nothing more than a feral beast called a blood fiend. It's more used when a vampire needs shock troops than a means of concealment or a supply of blood.
Thralls are shadows of their former selves, but there is a chance to give them more autonomy. It's just not seen often, because TES vampires are like the Dark Ages VtM vampires. They're a bit open and brazen, with not many actually trying to hide and blend in.
It's assumed curing the blood thralls could free them. Good luck holding them down to do it though. i'd also suggest a roll out of 10 to determine the amount of damage the blood had done to the brain, to see what type of person is left.
For example vampires of the Noxiphilic Sanguivoria strain (ESO's) which originates from the first vampire Lamae Beolfag, have the plus of not being harmed or weakened by day/sunlight, but their appearance show their nature. Meanwhile vampires of Porphyric Hemophilia can supposedly blend perfectly in to society without any illusions as long as they are kept fed, but are a lot more sensitive to sunlight and if not kept fed will burst into flames in it.
No strain of vampirism is sensitive to garlic. (unless the person has a garlic allergy, but that has nothing to do with being a vampire or not)
*You can be from whatever Clan you want.
If you are a new player, and you want to start the game as a vampire, you do NOT have to be the same clan as Lamae Bal (the one the game uses exclusively). That is just used for mechanics, as itt shows you that not all vamps are allied with Molag Bal or serving his will, like many of the NPCs you see, and explains where your skill development comes from.
There are many different Clans in Tamriel.
List Here May be incomplete.
And for those dying to be a special snow-flake...
There are NO 'half' vampires. You either are, or you are not. A rare child born of a human and vampire, does NOT make you a half blood. Vampirisim is a disease, not a special race.
This was all just a starter...
Each clan has it's own special perks and flaws. When choosing one, be sure to research what best suits your character/playstyle etc.
Special thanks to the following for chiming in on my ESO Forum Thread
kaushad
Vevvev
NotaDaedraWorshipper
They all have their unique abilities and flaws, and characteristics.
But, since this is ESO, we are going to be talking about vampires in Skyrim. No sparklie vampies here, folks.
ESO vampires are new to me. So i set out to learn what i could about them, so i could have at least a general idea about them, and not appear like a total idiot when coming across those who RP them.
A list of mentions is at the bottom, as a lot (likely most) of what i'm about to say comes from what i learned on the ESO forum from RPers who know much more than me about vampires in the game; and a link to the thread on the ESO forum. i'm grateful they took the time to educate me.
i was a vet when it came to Vampire the Masquerade, first and second Ed-ish. That was a long, long time ago now. However, the game left a mark on me that helped shape who i am today, and helped when i created a character; and looked at other peoples characters.
No character should be all merits. (Good things). A good character, be it a human, or a vampire, needs to have an equal amount of flaws (bad things) to balance out the merits.
This write-up is only an entry level bit of information (at best). They were questions i had as a new to vampires in ESO player. If you are looking for more information, there are dedicated vampire RPG guilds in ESO who could help you out, and then, of course, ESO forums and or google.
Immediately, what i learned, is that Role-Players in ESO, take the bulk of their vampire lore from The Elder Scrolls. (TES).
Vampires of Iliac Bay is a (small) book found in the game itself, and gives a glimpse into what being a vampire is like.
And HERE, are books in the game, relating to vampires and vampirisim.
Reading the wiki gives a lot of information regarding vampires, despite not being a very long page.
There are also a lot of youtube videos with some great information. Most are pretty long so settle in. Some even outline the clans and each ones special abilities.
ESO vampire lore is complicated for a few reasons.
- Vampire mechanics are more lenient for player characters, because unlike in other games, we can't press a button to wait until night.
- Some fan conjecture has made into the game, including Molag Bal's claim to vampire souls and the TESIV's strength through starvation feature becoming universal rather than a quirk of one or several clans.
My question:
i am aware that a person can become infected by a blood fiend. It doesn't happen often. To my knowledge, in order for a vampire to create another, it has to be done at a special altar, via the Ritual of Blood. In the RP community, is this enforced? Or has it become acceptable to create vampires anywhere, anytime, because you just want to. What is PROPER?
The answer: Creation
It all started with Molag Bal, the Daedric Prince of Domination and Brutality did a crime most vile (raped her)to a priestess of Arkay named Lamae which caused her "death". From there on it spread, and from others Bal "gifted" with the disease.
Mortals then usually get infected with these through various means. A vampire can infect them willingly, or not willingly. They can fight or be attacked by a vampire and accidentally end up being infected etc. From there on two out of the three most known strains have an incubation time of three days. The infected is not truly a vampire yet during this time and can be cured from the disease (easily) like any other.
As RP goes, well there's no rule really. Your character can already be a vampire and have been for a long time. You can set them up to be infected in a storyline willingly or accidentally etc.
The altar in the game, where it 'must' happen, is just there as a game mechanic and should not be taken as cannon when it comes to someone becoming a vampire in character.
There's no Camarilla policing who gets embraced and how, but some vampires are stigmatized based on their background. For example, the vampires of Castle Volkihar in Skyrim took a lot of pride in having either received vampirism directly from Molag Bal or somebody else who did (although they don't say how many generations they have). And the more organized vampires in Morrowind call the player character an accident/abomination/monster because they got turned by a random infection.
My question:
Is it accepted the cure can be taken as a potion?(Since you can buy them from the crown store) Or is it more widely accepted only a specially ordained priest can do it. Or is it frowned upon. Why, or why not.
The Answer:Cures/Prevention
It's a bit up to debate. In other TES games (and also a bit in ESO's quests and such...) curing vampirism that has passed the incubation time is more or less unheard of. It happens but it's more like myths and the person that has usually searched for a way to cure it for a long time and it's then a complicated thing to do.
There have been cures for vampirism in most TES games. ESO's is unusually easy to find, but maybe that says more about Prelate Sabinus. Generally, they are very obscure. Most vampires don't get that choice. Even when the player character of Morrowind asks Molag Bal himself for a cure, Bal gets it from Vaermina. There are of course the priests of the Arkay, (if they can be found ICly, make a good story out of it) and being turned into a werewolf.
So, many consider ESO's "just go and throw some coin at that npc" as more of a game mechanic that is needed in an mmo and how vampirism work there, than an accurate lore representation.
It's also more interesting from an RP view to be stuck with it, or go through a very complicated hunt for a chance of a cure than just visiting the Mage's Guild.
I think one of the most interesting reasons to RP a vampire in TES is the bad stuff. One of the biggest downsides for both vampires who became it willingly and unwillingly is the fear of dying, because it's believed by most they're doomed to end up in Molag Bal's Coldharbour when they die. Vampires do not have to end up there, but most likely will.
It is perfectly possible that one could simply air on the side of caution, if they are extra paranoid or whatever, to drink a nightly potion to cure disease each day, and that would indeed prevent someone from contracting the disease, and likely make the vampire who possible bit/drank from them pretty sick as the blood would be 'fouled'.
Banes
At worst, they burn in daylight and temples and more easily by fire, and everyone can tell that they're vampires by looking at them or hearing their voices, or even by their actions. Research the different Clans to see. At best, they're fine in daylight and temples and either they pass as mortal or nobody acknowledges it.
Some conjecture about euphoric bites. I don't think they'd need their bite have that effect. Player vampires either bite to kill, bite people in their sleep, or use spells to sedate or feed directly.
Nuisances people either assume or borrow from VTM
- Vampires in The Elder Scrolls lore are more alive than dead. This bothers some people, but unlike World of Darkness the term undead is very very very loose in its interpretation and meaning in TES lore. Think of it more like a sliding scale between alive and dead than a definite "they're dead but reanimate".
- This means that TES vampires have working bodies for the most part and can bleed, still breath, are not immune to poison except in cases like the Volkihar clan, have working hearts, and can take some benefits from eating food without the need for having a high humanity score like in VtM. Of course there are the nuisances between bloodlines with some being more closer to actually being dead than others, but as a general rule of thumb they're better described as blood cursed individuals. (NOT 'undead'.) Those who are on 3-4 of the vampire scale in ESO are as close to an undead as you may see, lacking the ability to procreate, heal, sweat, etc. The heart would beat very, very slowly.)
- TES vampires don't have retractable fangs. I hope I don't need to explain this more, but in none of the games have vampires had the ability to hide their fangs outside illusion magic. Order vampires in Oblivion did look more vampiric and monstrous as they starved, though with their fang length maybe increasing as well. Or that was just a Argonian and Khajiit thing... I'd have to look back at it. (Or, could simply be explained by the recession of gum line, as one starves, making teeth appear longer, and fingernails too.)
ESO vampires don't have fangs more out of technical limitations
There are NO Ghouls in ESO
Thralls in TES lore are either vampires or not, there are no ghouls.
A vampire can seduce a mortal with vampiric seduction (provided the vampire is of the clan who has the ability), then bite them to assume control over their will. This seems to last an unknown amount of time, but it's assumed it'll need refreshing every so often to keep the person under control. Killing the vampire will break the illusion and free the thralls under the vampire's control. They seem to keep some of their personality, but their every waking desire is to serve their Master, even if it means dying. In fact, they might even be happy to die by their Master's hand if they fail.
The second kind of thrall is the blood thrall, and since there are no ghouls.... well... yeah.... Turning mortals into vampires and using vampiric powers to control the childer is a way of enthrallment, but unlike illusionary enthrallment, the thrall is no longer mortal and sometimes degrades to nothing more than a feral beast called a blood fiend. It's more used when a vampire needs shock troops than a means of concealment or a supply of blood.
Thralls are shadows of their former selves, but there is a chance to give them more autonomy. It's just not seen often, because TES vampires are like the Dark Ages VtM vampires. They're a bit open and brazen, with not many actually trying to hide and blend in.
It's assumed curing the blood thralls could free them. Good luck holding them down to do it though. i'd also suggest a roll out of 10 to determine the amount of damage the blood had done to the brain, to see what type of person is left.
Vampirisim is a DISEASE
Vampirism in TES is a disease, and like many diseases and virus it has gotten several strains, and all of those pluses and minuses will vary depending on which one you have been infected with. They even got medical names such as Porphyric Hemophilia, Sanguinare Vampiris, and Noxiphilic Sanguivoria, which are the three most known ones but there are more.For example vampires of the Noxiphilic Sanguivoria strain (ESO's) which originates from the first vampire Lamae Beolfag, have the plus of not being harmed or weakened by day/sunlight, but their appearance show their nature. Meanwhile vampires of Porphyric Hemophilia can supposedly blend perfectly in to society without any illusions as long as they are kept fed, but are a lot more sensitive to sunlight and if not kept fed will burst into flames in it.
No strain of vampirism is sensitive to garlic. (unless the person has a garlic allergy, but that has nothing to do with being a vampire or not)
*You can be from whatever Clan you want.
If you are a new player, and you want to start the game as a vampire, you do NOT have to be the same clan as Lamae Bal (the one the game uses exclusively). That is just used for mechanics, as itt shows you that not all vamps are allied with Molag Bal or serving his will, like many of the NPCs you see, and explains where your skill development comes from.
Being a Scion of Lamae, rather than a Scion of Molag Bal, in this game also permits a player character to use Dawnbreaker, or be a Templar, and still be a Vampire, since Meridia and Stendarr are allied with Lamae in their opposition to Our Gracious Lord Mogal Bal.
* Unless your character is bitten randomly, then you must slide into whatever Clan that vampire is from. Have fun learning from them both IC and OOC!
There are many different Clans in Tamriel.
List Here May be incomplete.
And for those dying to be a special snow-flake...
There are NO 'half' vampires. You either are, or you are not. A rare child born of a human and vampire, does NOT make you a half blood. Vampirisim is a disease, not a special race.
This was all just a starter...
Each clan has it's own special perks and flaws. When choosing one, be sure to research what best suits your character/playstyle etc.
Special thanks to the following for chiming in on my ESO Forum Thread
kaushad
Vevvev
NotaDaedraWorshipper
Urzigurumash
tsaescishoeshiner
TX12001rwb17_ESO