A Journey of Black and Red Glossary 2.0

Vampire ‘physiology’

The different stages of vampire life.

Vampires are made by a sire ranked at master or above. A mortal is drained of blood and fed concentrated essence (in blood form) over three days, following which they die and are reborn as vampires. The process is punishing for both parties and cannot be reversed for the mortal. The mortal enters a state of suspended life where they can survive devastating bodily harm but if it stops, they die.

Once reborn, the vampire is a drone (except for rare exceptions). They are apathetic and listless for a few nights, during which they have to be fed. Reborn vampires must be fed the blood of their sire once more to finalize the transition and solidify their minds.

Vampires under two years old are fledgelings. Fledgelings are only awake a few hours, must consume blood every night and cannot do much without feeling Thirsty. They are normally protected by their covens for an easy transition. They have an undying loyalty and love for their sire.

The next rank is that of ‘courtier’. Contrary to the other ranks, courtier is as social as it is physical. Vampires usually become Courtiers after they have proven their ability to function as ‘adults’. Requirements vary from clan to clan and even coven to coven, but there are common elements. Vampires of that age start to influence mortals instinctively, an ability known as Charm. They also have enhanced senses and improved physical abilities. A relative mastery of all three, as well as other elements such as learning and the successful completion of tasks are what most clans demand.

Masters are the next step. Not every vampire becomes a master. At this stage, the vampire unconsciously severs the bond with their sire and gain the ability to control their essence. Masterhood also comes with an improvement of all their attributes as a result. Essence allows vampires to fuel blood magic, spawn fledgelings and obtain soul weapons. Masters are usually independent-minded and will try to gain a measure of freedom at this stage. Masters start waking up before dusk.

Lords and ladies stand at the top of vampire hierarchy. Only a minority of vampires will ever reach that stage, even if they live for centuries. Lords and ladies have fully unlocked their potential and received a mysterious power known as the Magna Arqa as a result, which reflects their nature. Lords and ladies are unmatched in terms of battle potential and those who have trained for war are devastating agents of destruction, guiding entire covens to war with merciless efficiency. Their reach extends to banks and government bodies and to attack one in their hold without an army is a foolish and short-lived prospect.

Progenitors are outside of the standard hierarchy. They are made by ingesting a mysterious potion created by Semiramis herself, under the Watcher’s direction. The mysterious entity selects candidates through means unknown. Each progenitor represents a value, an ambition, and a flaw. They are born immensely powerful and transmit those to their spawn by creating a new bloodline. Constantine was the latest Progenitor.

Vampire bodies.

Vampires look similar to humans besides being usually pale and a few other details. They have slightly sharp and black toes and nails, actually crystallized essence and deadly weapons in their own rights. They also have fangs in their upper and lower jaws where canines are. Vampire blood is black, and actually their essence. Any body part taken from a vampire will eventually turn to dust and all of it turns to dust when they die. Vampire hearts sometimes beat and they have low circulation. They do not exactly fully exist in this realm. Their bodies do not change outwardly as they age, however it becomes resistant to damage from mundane means.

Despite their human appearances, vampires are the deadliest entities on earth. they are faster, stronger, and more resilient than even werewolves. The only blessing is that they remain extremely rare.

Vampire Weaknesses.

For all their powers, vampires have several limitations. They are few and creating offspring is a difficult prospect. They will ‘die’ with dawn and only wake up at dusk. Note that masters and lords wake up earlier but they remain weakened during the day. Vampires must sate the Thirst or risk degenerating into beasts. Sunlight will set them on fire and disable them instantly. Fire scares and hurts them. Silver and enchanted weapons will inflict lasting damage (according to vampire standards). Faith repels them. They may not enter any home without invitation. They may not perjure themselves without inflicting terrible harm upon themselves. Those weaknesses do not even the playing field but they prevent the illusive creatures from taking over the world to brazenly.

List of bloodlines

Amaretta: A bloodline focused on prophecy and vision. Their Progenitor is active but only meditates. Most Amaretta members are female and they are concentrated around the western Mediterranean.

Known members:

• Aisha, member of the North American knight squad
• Amaretta, the Progenitor

Cadiz: A clan based in Spain, whose members are known to achieve supernatural focus. They boast many of the world’s greatest duelists, though they sometimes suffer from tunnel vision. Their Progenitor has gone through a portal in search of a challenge. Many of their members support the Eneru faction.

Known members:

• Ceron: Lord, first met by Ariane in the fortress, contributed to her escape in exchange for Lancaster confidential information. He later backed the attempt to contest Ariane’s claim over Illinois. Their relationship has been chilly ever since.
• Jimena, Ariane’s friend and blood sister, knight, owner of a soul sword called Justice.
• Suarez: Lord, first encountered during the Charleston heist. Ariane had previously rescued his Vassal and he repaid his debt by helping her escape the knight squad when they came to slay her.

Constantine: Constantine himself has not yet sired a Spawn. The Constantine power is to grant Servants a portion of the vampire’s strength. Constantine believes that any spawn he sires may be able to bind a Servant immediately, but not to share their strength. It is also likely that only Servant-vampire pairs could be turned and the consequence of losing one of the two might just be fatal.

Known members:

• Constantine, the man who established the political order for all vampires in North America, under a unified system of laws called the Accords. He is the Speaker. He has some limited military power and is also one of the world’s greatest living blood mages, making him a powerhouse. His Servant is his twin sister Melitone.

Dvor: Dvor vampires bind with a territory and mostly remain there. They are significantly stronger when defending it against intruders and weakened while away. All of them support Eneru and make up most of the alliance’s upper ranks. Their Progenitor is asleep in his city somewhere in North Africa, while his descendants concentrate around the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

Known members:

• Torran, Lord. Torran is an old and respected Dvor lord with a passion for art and the organ. He has strong and amused feelings for Ariane, with whom he maintains a loose relationship. He is also one of the four soul smiths alive and forged her soul weapon himself. Torran has grey eyes, long grey hair to his shoulder and a powerful swordsman build.
• Nina, a lady with designs over Torran. Her advances were firmly rebuked after she attempted a mental attack on Ariane. She has black hair and the appearance of a beautiful mature woman.
• Viktoriya. An ancient City Master with a humorous personality, Viktoriya has seen much and does not take herself too seriously. She possesses a very youtful appearance, close to fifteen, and is the only vampire to fight with a trident.

Erenwald: Based in Germany and central Europe, Erenwald vampires favor nature and the wilderness. They are the only bloodline animals do not shun, and rear most Nightmares. Some of them can perform druidic magic and their Progenitor turned himself into a tree. They contribute heavily to the Followers of the Path, the third vampire faction.

Known members:

• Ogotai: Ariane’s jailor back at the fortress when she first woke up. He turned against his superior Lady moor out of hatred and opened the fortress to the Order of Gabriel. He was subsequently abducted and reduced to insanity by the Order. He was killed years later by Ariane.
• Wilhelm: Constantine’s stewart and a powerful axe-wielder, Wilhelm is in charge of the vampire fortress’ gardens and orchards among other things. He enjoys a keen strategic mind.
• Luther: the Eneru ambassador to Mask, based in Paris. A man with a dry sense of humor.
• Otto: a lord slumbering on an island in the middle of the Mediterranean, he was killed and Devoured by Ariane in single combat. Isolation and boredom had weakened him.

Hastings: Hastings can walk in undirect sunlight, though they consider it unpleasant. They also naturally wake up early and can consume food and drinks. In exchange, they are physically weaker than the other bloodlines though they should never be underestimated. Their Progenitor recently eloped with a mortal and they hide somewhere in the English countryside. The clan is a major contributor of the Mask alliance. They concentrate in the United Kingdom and France.

Known members:

• Hastings, the Progenitor. She is on holiday.
• Sephare: a powerful lady and the loser of a power game, she exiled herself to America and took over Washington. She is the Accord’s most accomplished politician and plays a major role in the world post revelation. Her control over several government bodies has proven instrumental in preventing the mortals from acting against the magical community. Ariane and her own the most newspapers among all of the Accords. She is petite with  blonde and blue eyes. Her skin is quite pale and with her thinness, they confer her a deceptive angelic appearance.

Ekon: Ekon vampires are obsessed with new experiences, gathering their impressions in a magical repository known as the Great Book of the Ekon. Their Progenitor died to experience the sun and share his experience. Several copies of the Book exist across the land updating themselves as soon as a new entry is made.

Ekon vampires possess increased Thirst and pain resistance to assist them in their endeavor. They are mostly neutral and seldom gather, preferring to travel the land in their never-ending quest for the new and the exciting. As a result, they do not have a main territory. They are also one of the few clans recruiting in central Africa and the Guinean gulf.

Known members:

• Naminata the Singing Spear, Master, Ariane’s friend. Known for her reckless nature and legendary sexual appetite, Naminata is equally at ease in the sancing room and the battlefield. A Fula woman from Africa, she has a lithe and muscular build as well as long hair she usually keeps free. Naminata is somewhat legendary due to her unusually high amount of entries in the book.
• Kouakou: Lord, one of the few Ekon who does not travel much. He handles Ekon financial interests in Louisiana and is a major supporter of the clan as one of their few sedentary Lords. He is a very tall man with short-cropped hair originally from the Guinean gulf.

Kalinin: Kalinin vampires can resist and even wield holy symbols so long as they believe their cause is just. Their Progenitor was killed in combat and devoured by Nirari. They make their home in western Russia, particularly around Moscow and Saint Petersburg. They are neutral.

Known members:

• Sergei, a blond, barrel-chested man and the current leader of the Knight squad in America

Lancaster: Lancaster vampires are exceptional at Charm. They are the other clan operating in the United Kingdom and also support Mask. Their Progenitor was killed by a once in history alliance of mages, Gabrielites and even some vampires.

Known significant members:

• Moor: Lady, (previous) head of the Louisiana House. She exiled herself after the trial that made Ariane into a member of the Accords. She is a crafty and devious person but not quite as smart as she thinks she is. Moor has a statuesque appearance with black hair and vivid green eyes.
• Melusine: Master, made a nuisance of herself for Ariane for a long time before joining her in Illinois and becoming the City Master for Chicago. Melusine is a competent mage, even more so now that she has been trained by Martha. She is also one of very few vampires who can still reliably cast fire spells. Melusine is short and curvy, with red hair and a heart-shaped face.
• Lambert: Master, enforcer, mage, had his heart on the other side of his chest. Slain by Ariane in single combat.
• Martha: An old, grumpy and powerful Lancaster lady, Martha is one of if not the best non-progenitor spellcaster among vampires. She has an interest in training Melusine who is her actual descendent, and controls Mexico for the Mask faction. Martha has many mortal mages under her wing who serve her when the time comes to conduct large rituals. She looks like Melusine’s older sister with dark hair.

Natalis: Natalis vampires boast incredible physical strength. It comes at a cost to their intellectual abilities, though most of them are not completely stupid. Their Progenitor has disappeared and some suspect that he has died. Natalis are mercenaries and bodyguards, having very few holds of their own. Most Natalis Lords support the Eneru faction.

Known members:

• Jarek, Lord. Jarek took over vast swaths of territory in Texas and recently New-Mexico in order to create a haven for his clan. He is an extremely powerful battle lord with ambition and a drive rarely seen in his bloodline. Jarek was made by the Natalis Progenitor quickly and he is over six hundred years old. Jarek is half again as tall as a tall man with the muscles of a prize fighter. He fights with armor
• Doe, also known as John Doe, is Ari’s most dedicated helper. She saved him as he was starving in the streets and brought him up. He acted as her muscle for a while and decided to be turned when it became apparent that the world was dangerous. He was turned by Jarek. Doe has mortal children. He favors two-handed weapons. Doe is massive with a dark beard and dark hair. He is exceptionally ugly.
• Islaev: Jarek’s second, originally a cossack. Bald and muscular with a long moustache

Nirari: The Devourer bloodline, the first vampires. Nirari can absorb a fragment of the strength of their victims and keep it for themselves at the cost of particularly strong instincts. Because of the Progenitor’s use of his Spawn, only four Devourers are currently alive while some newer bloodlines boast numbers in the hundreds. Lord Nirari himself is locked in a secret war with his mother, a conflict that has spanned millennia. He is considered unstoppable by most organizations.

Known members:

• Nirari: Ariane’s sire. Ancient Prince of Babyon. The first one to receive the elixir of flawed eternal life. He is cruel and vindictive though he always respects his word. Nirari ate earth’s only dragon and is on an eternal quest to kill his mother.
• Ariane: so far, has collected every essence except the Kalinin’s, also has the werewolf essence and a unique Herald essence that allows her to break magical constructs. She has devoured plenty of humans and mages as well, giving her blood magic power, if not subtlety.
• Svyatoslav : the first Spawn to gain his independence. Svyatoslav was a prince of Kivan Rus'. He is currently operating in Russia where he has a standing agreement with the Kalimin Vitiazy. He has withdrawn himself from the power struggle and uses a bow as his soul weapon. He is tall and sturdy with dirty blond hair and moustache.
• Malakim: Nirari’s right hand, a tortured soul devoured by hatred. He has dark long hair, pale blue eyes and an insane, vicious streak a mile wide. Malakim’s drive is unmatched and he has pretty much to be dismembered to be disabled. He wears a collar and breastplate made out of dragon leather, making him excessively hard to kill.

Roland: Roland vampire boast an unbreakable will that lets them train harder, fight longer and pursue passions with more determination than any other bloodline. They, unfortunately, tend to be stubborn as a result. They originated in France and make up the core of Mask’s military. They have a tradition of being patrons of the arts, even more so than the Rosenthal. Their progenitor is currently slumbering in an unknown location. Roland were created in the 8th century and have spread far and wide.

Known members:

• Gaspard: Lord, slain by Nirari at the vampire fortress after provoking him.
• Anatole: a Master previous head of the knight squad, he is an arrogant prick. He went after Ariane hard out of blind hatred and got exiled for it. Nashoba called him a pretender. He is back at the fortress to oversee the retraining of a squad.
• Bertrand: the head of Mask’s expansion faction, he is a powerful, stout man with dark beard and dark hair. He looks to be in his forties. Bertrand has a long-lasting magna arqa that turns him into an avatar of war and is therefore extremely dangerous on the battlefield.
• Dominique: The leader of Mask and one of the most mysterious figures of vampirekind, Dominique is of unknown gender with an androgynous appearance, long blonde hair and an excellent political acumen. They have ruled the notoriously seditious faction for over a century.
• Jean-Baptiste: a lithe man with dark hair, he is Domonique’s enforcer. He is the only known vampire to use a war scythe.
• Ignace: Constantine’s head torturer.
• Maximilien: a short pot-bellied man and the Master of Paris, he has a sense for presentation.

Rosenthal: The Rosenthals boast an eidetic memory and synthetic mind. They are completely neutral and act as the lorekeepers, bankers and administrators of vampirekind. They benefit from a positive relationship with other factions of the supernatural world and boast a powerful mortal military made of well-trained and loyal mercenaries. Rosenthal vampires are mostly uninvolved and are forbidden from taking part in conflicts by their Progenitor herself. They operate out of Switzerland but recruit everywhere.

Known members:

• Isaac, Ariane’s banker and wealth manager. He became a Master following a hunt they shared. He has a rebellious streak.
• Salim: Isaac replacement after he departed from America.
• Rosenthal: A possessive and controlling woman (according to Isaac) who takes care of her own.

Vanheim: The wild cards of their kind. Their powers are unpredictable. Vanheim are rare, few, and often isolated though they are not shunned outright. People with peculiarities or strong traits are often picked. The Vanheim Progenitor is an unknown figure to most, and shrouded in mystery.

Known members:

• Urchin, one of Ariane’s subordinate and an ex street rat who now obsesses over appearance. He has a bit of an unfortunate face and a light build. He is an expert knife wielder and can teleport small objects around him.
• Vanhein: the mysterious progenitor and a shapeshifter, his purpose seems to be to make the world more interesting. They revealed themselves to Ariane as a favor.
• Esmeray: Ariane’s team mate in the Knights, she is capable of turning into a black wolf.

The main vampire alliances:

Mask.

Masks dominate Western Europe. They favor infiltration and influencing the world from the shadows. They are known patrons of the arts, funding extravagant works and hosting grand balls. Their games and contests are often cruel. Masks dominate Western Europe except for Spain.

Eneru:

Eneru members postulate that vampires, as long-lived and resilient individuals, have the potential to be superior rulers. That is not to say that any vampire has the necessary leadership skills, of course. Member of Eneru will semi-openly rule small domains over which they have near complete control, employing talented mortals as representatives and agents. They tend to be traditionalists though many of them still understand the need to change. Eneru vampires control Spain, parts of north Africa, parts of the middle east and parts of the Balkans. They are more fragmented than Masks.

Followers of the path.

The Followers, also known as the brotherhood, are isolationists and can be considered a faction only insofar as they oppose the two others. Followers control central and Northern Europe as well as Western Russia.

The Accords.

A good number of vampires have moved to North America, until a community formed under the patient rule of Constantine. The Accords heavily regulate conflict between the eclectic members of the group. Constantine’s personal guard as well as himself and a squad of knights ensures that discipline is enforced with deadly efficiency.

The Knights.

Based in Russia and formed by disgruntled Italian vampires, the Knights are an association dedicated to peace and the general prosperity of vampirekind. They are often called in to mediate conflicts when the other alternative is war, or to conduct missions ranging from investigative work to exterminations and assassinations.

Knights operate in squads of four to six members, each filling a specific role. Vanguards are the melee experts and usually the best combatants of the squad, used for the direct approach. Shades are infiltration experts and can be used as assassins. Faces are expert negotiators and schemers while Vestals specialize in information gathering and battlefield control, often through the use of magic. Although they do train with their roles in mind, full Knights can play any role with a measure of competence. Finally, there is not a single Knight who is not trained for war.

The Knights were founded by a triumvirate: Octave, Lorica and a third member whose identity is not know but who is still active. Octave is quite possibly the second deadliest duelist in the world after Nirari.

Other supernatural alliances.

The White Cabal.

Based in the state of New York, the White Cabal is a group dedicated to the protection and development of mages in north America. They are the largest alliance in North America  by an order of magnitude, and the most involved with the government. They have a standing alliance with Ariane and are in a state of truce with the Accords. They are growing extremely fast as more and more casters are exiled from the Old Continent. They are ruled by a council of archmages and their military became  very effective after it was reformed by the ‘black dog’ Hopkins, a mundane man who has since retired. Main members are:

• Sola, a healer and Hopkins’ wife.
• Frost, an ice archmage now deceased. He has a granddaughter.
• Mina Hope Kincaid: an dark-haired archmage specialized in spell efficiency, wife to William Hope.
• William Hope: the current black dog, an archmage specialized in infiltration and deception with a keen strategic mind.
• Carmela Von Leeb: a blonde fencer and ice user, ambassador to the werewolves.
• Reginald Lewis: a charismatic and intelligent man who acts as the public face of magic in the United States, his relentless efforts have allowed him to shift public opinion in favor of the mages though it is an uphill battle.
• Cedric Birmingham: a solid bearded archmage, shield specialist.

The Order of Gabriel.

A fanatical order devoted to the extermination of all things supernatural, they are well-trained and well-funded for the most part, and do not hesitate to sacrifice their lives in the hope of killing one more monster. They go mostly after practitioners, rogue and otherwise, but will attack vampires if they think they have a shot at taking one down. The attrition rate of the order is extremely high but there is no shortage of volunteers to join their ranks as supernatural entities often leave many vengeful victims in their wake.

At the end of the American Civil War, the Order was almost completely exterminated and their remnants were absorbed by rogue governmental programs forced into hiding by Sephare’s relentless pursuit.

The werewolf packs.

Although not completely unified, there are a lot of organized werewolf packs in Canada under the general leadership of Augustus, an extremely powerful werewolf. Ariane accepted a group in her domain under the dubious and extremely talkative Jeffrey. They founded the town called Moonside and have lived there ever since. Moonside population is currently over three hundred, and they have an extremly large territory.

Known Members:

• Augustus, the alpha of alphas. He killed his predecessor Fenrir in single combat. He looks like the perfect dreamy chad.
• Jeffrey, a scoundrel with muscles like steel wires and a lopsided grin. His ability to bullshit his way through any situation is only matched by his cunning and merciless fighting style
• June, Jeffrey’s second and the placid to his exuberant. She is very short and, like all werewolves, is quite muscular in an athlete sort of way.

The Red Cabal.

More than a true alliance, the Red Cabal is a compact of different entities working around Ollie, Merritt’s son and a powerful fire archmage. Red Cabal teams are made of mages, mundane soldiers and pariah werewolves working in concert.

Known members:

• Oliver Merritt, founder and leader. Although most members of the Red Cabal rotate, he forms a solid core with other forces under Ariane.

The Bingles.

Although not an alliance per se, the Bingles are godlings from the same family. Godlings exemplify a mortal archetype, in the Bingles’ case, that of the adventurer and explorer. Ariane assumes that whatever entity sends them on adventures has taken an interest in her as they often cross her path. She is a romantic at heart and has so far decided to help them.

Known members:

• Cecil Rutherford Bingle, the Patriarch, deceased. He was the dashing English explorer who boasted a stiff upper lip and enough derring-do for a full cavalry squadron. He married Rose, whom he rescued with Ari and Loth’s help. He was a stout redhead with a fantastic moustache.
• Nathan Bingle, the more Romantic and thieving member of the family, who unveils conspiracies and recovers precious artefacts from robbers. Dark of hair and of charisma. He always wear a silver cane and a top hat.
• Miranda Bingle: half scientist, half mystic, fully self-confident and now equipped with one of Ariane’s custom-made revolvers. She is of medium build with wavy black hair.

The free Fae.

Most Likaeans, the fae, arrive in this world weakened and disoriented by its thick and rigid fabric. They are quickly identified and captured by vampires. However, there is a faction of independent Fae struggling to free their Brethren

Known members”

• Sinead, founder, prince of Summer and the most powerful Fae on earth, which isn’t much actually. He taught Charm to Ariane and is a scandalous character. He is betrothed to Sivaya and expressed his attraction to Ariane. In Fae society, this is perfectly acceptable. It was his blood and that of Sivaya, given willingly, that allowed Ari to become a Master. He is of average build with amber eyes and hair.
• Sivaya of the Court of Blue. A genius magical researcher, Sivaya is reinventing dimensional magic with the help of a mage called Ricardo for the purpose of sending her people home. Sivaya is uncharacteristically anti-social. She is a wan and vaporous beauty with dark hair.
• Ricardo: one of the prominent dimension researcher of humankind, he was rescued by Ariane in Alexandria
• Makyas of the Court of Wings and Keyholes: he has the appearance of an innocent  small boy with black hair but Ari believes this is a sham.

The Dvergur:

Based in the Skandes, the Dvergur, or dwarves, are a species close to humans with an affinity for mountain and metal. They have low fertility but can have children with humans. Children with a lot of Dwarf blood become full dwarves on occasion. They live for a very long time and are normally rather isolationists, each clan keeping to themselves.

Known members:

• A Dvergur (dwarf) from Scandinavia, Loth is a master artificer and a deadly fighter. He is also a scholar who will happily talk about his family’s long and tumultuous history. He recently returned to his home country. Loth is extremely tall, bulky and the proud owner of a dark bushy beard. A few strands of silver have made their way into it, not that he much cares. Notably fond of mature beauties.Bear of a man with dark hair and beard.
• Erlingur: Loth’s grumpy and not too bright uncle.
• Leikny: Loth’s ex-wife, killed in a duel by Ari. Blonde and sturdy.
• Erikur: Leikny’s father, he killed himself after their duel.
• Yngvar, Rolf… are members of the arbitration body of the Dvergur.
• Cousin Okri: a famous relative of Loth with an affinity for thievery and explosives.

Other characters:

• Achille: Ariane's brother, deceased. Started judgemental and stubborn though he mellowed in his old age. Has several children and grandchildren.
• Aintza: Jimena’s Servant and long-term lover. She was instrumental in freeing Ariane from Lancaster servitude.
• Arthur: Melusine's Vassal, he died saving her from an order ambush.
• Dalton: Ariane’s first vassal, he was killed by the key of Beriah during the 1812 conflict. His death was avenged by Ariane after a major battle after which she gained the ability to destroy magic with her claws, at the cost of energy.
• Erlingur: Loth's uncle. One of the oldest living Dvergur and possibly the dumbest as well, he is known for a strange mix of courage, blind luck and sheer stupidity.
• Harrigan: Ariane and now Merritt’s head of security, a despicable but disciplined man.
• Jonathan Hopkins: dark hair, dark eyes, a sober man with a mind like a bear trap. Jonathan first joined the Order before switching allegiance and turning the White Cabal’s military into a professional force.
• David King: a rescued slave who joined the odd squad after Ariane bought and freed him. He sacrificed his life during the Alexandria operation, saving Ariane from the sunlight. His father died fighting wendigos.
• Alexandria Merritt: previously free mage who joined Ariane as her second in command. Merritt is loyal though she is still fond of the occasional mischief. She has two children: Ollie and Lynn. All three are redheads. Merritt is nearing retirement.
• Semiramis: Nirari's mother and the single greatest mage who ever lived, she was granted immortality by the entity known as the Eye or the Watcher against allowing his essence into the world. Semiramis is sometimes tasked by the Watcher with creating an elixir of flawed eternal life. Upon consumption, the chosen will become the Progenitor of a new bloodline. She is trying to become a goddess and is locked in eternal conflict with her son Nirari, the first vampire. Her den possesses strange dimensional properties.
• Nashoba: shaman of the Choctaw nation, deceased. He made the earrings Ariane is still using to evade detection. He could see the future, and called Ariane 'daughter of thorn and hunger'. He died from Ariane's hand as a way to escape the pain of his disease. Ariane liked him fondly and carries his memory.
• Papa: technically named Hercule Reynaud but effectively Papa forever, Ariane's dad was ever supportive of his child even when she lost her soul. He met her several times and they kept a steady correspondence until his death in the early 30's. His wife Diane died very early in Ariane's life, making him her sole parent, a role which he dedicated himself to.
• Sheridan, Marshal, a retired Texas ranger then retired Vassal to Ariane. He is a straight arrow and did his best to keep Ariane’s cruelty and instincts in check. He is of average height with light brown hair and eyes and a well-groomed moustache. He favors the revolver. He decided to settle with Melitone, Constantine’s Servant.
• Syrrin: a mermaid from a Mediterranean-sea based tribe, she was helped by Ariane and her tribe set free. She took part in the second battle of Black Harbor when the assembled forces destroyed the Scourge Hive.
• The Watcher: the embryo of a creator god, the Watcher will one day 'die' to give birth to a new universe, or at least this is what Semiramis believes. Nobody is exactly sure what its agenda is, or indeed if it has one to begin with. All that is known is that the Watcher is sapient, can communicate and is intimately tied to vampires and their existence.