Races

Khavosian Vampire - by T.A. Saunders ©2009 v1.8

Racial Articles History: The Fall of Ishaela and the Rise of Vampires

There are few tragedies greater than the Cataclysm of Ishaela. Once a world of peace and understanding, Ishaela and her various populations of races lived in mostly harmony with one another. No greater of these races were the wise and powerful Sivanoshei or Elves of the Wood. Proactive and champions of causes great and small, the Elves sought to help other peoples increase their awareness of the world through magic and divinity through nature.

Largely this was successful with mutual cooperation. The Dwarves of Ishaela assisted the Elves in constructing great spires within their vast forest lands where magic was taught to all who would learn, including the comparatively young race of Humans. While the Dwarves shared with Humans the knowledge of metal and stone, the Elves shows Man how to call mystic forces to their aid or to heal the wounded without bandage or salve. Initially the Elves were very apprehensive about teaching the Humans magic of any kind. It was the Prince of the Sivanoshei that felt that Humans would not be responsible with such power, but many of the Elvish Magi felt differently, even going as far as teaching the Humans in secret. Eventually the Prince relented and the knowledge was freely gifted upon Humankind.

But not all Humans used this gift wisely. Sorcerous power opened the pathway to temptation from infernal powers that poisoned the mind of some of the Humans, drawing them to dark rites and whispered the names of long forgotten Evils into all too carefully listening ears. Hidden amongst the trusting Elves, hard-working Dwarves and the majority of responsible Humans, these blackened hearts lurked in wait.

The accounts of the events that led to the Great Exodus have been lost, but it is widely believed that it started with Human priests that began performing black rites to an Arch-Demon known as Khavos. This largely secretive cult performed sacrifices on an almost nightly basis, in an attempt to open an infernal gate to the Abyss. Stray children, homeless and those caught walking alone; no one was except from this silent bloodbath that happened in every city across Ishaela.

This of course was just the beginning. To prove their loyalty to Khavos, the most devout priests and priestesses subjugated themselves to powerful black rites that corrupted their mortal soul and eventually turned them into vampires. They would, in turn create their acolytes into vampires by the more commonly understood method of exchanging blood.

Turning this cult into a coven of vampires then ensured Khavos would have obedience and control through the head priests and priestesses, while they controlled the clergy through sharing of their blood through ritual. These blood slaves or blood dolls (in the case of particularly willing female blood slaves) brought them sacrifices and new followers to Khavos.

Eventually, the good races of Ishaela took notice. It was the Elves that were the last to concede that there had been Humans that had twisted the knowledge they had given them, although that was largely in part due to a great deal of in-fighting amongst the various sects of the Sivanoshei as to why so many humans had fallen under the thrall of Khavos.

By this time however some Elves had joined this cult as well, swayed perhaps by human lovers or other lure of power or prestige. Even a handful of Dwarves were sucked into this addictive cult that only required that one drink ‘the wine of life' from a cup to prove their loyalty — a cup of wine tainted with the blood of a vampire.