The Clan of Marduk
The Clan of Marduk is a vampire clan bound by a strict warrior culture. A member of the clan is called a "martyr". Martyrs are warm-blooded and have more "living" characteristics. They believe in internal justice, an innate drive inside those who carry the blood of Marduk which dictates a moral compass. Justice is the natural state and it is the outside world and influences that cause a vampire of Marduk to commit injustice. Martyrs are insular because of this belief, living away from diverse settlements and preferring their own company. Marduk's Blooded travel in small "packs" with little centralized authority. They only gather in large numbers when called upon by a respected member of the clan to deal with a crisis. A gathering of the majority of members of the Clan of Marduk is called "The Phalanx". Martyrs often form strong bonds with certain animals, particularly wolves, hounds, and horses. These animals will often act as familiars.
According to legend, their progenitor Marduk was a hunter. He was turned by a vampyr while hunting one night but abandoned with no one to teach him the ways of the Blooded. He wandered, consumed by hunger. His hunting hound, who had run off to answer the call of the wild, returned to him. Her teats were full and she had just given birth to pups. Deranged and starving, he attacked her. She let him drink her and her puppies' life away, loyal to him until the end. With his sanity restored, Marduk hunted the vampyr who had turned him. Along the way, he came across a burning house. The vampyr was fleeing the scene and Marduk went to follow before he heard a child's cry. He entered the house and retrieved an infant. She was burned and dying. Had he not hesitated, she may have survived. Marduk fed the dying child his blood and it sustained her. He brought her with him as he continued his hunt. Each time he nearly caught the vampyr, there was a wrong that needed righting and he was stopped. Marduk's adoptive daughter, Martyr, grew strong from his blood and his mission for justice passed onto her as innate as the need to drink blood.
Marduk's journey took him to a holy mountain where the eggs of a new generation of gods had just been laid. The vampyr, too tired to run anymore, fell to the ground to beg for mercy. Marduk had spent his mercy on Martyr and the others who had suffered along the journey and he slayed the vampyr. The vampyr's blood tainted the god eggs and their mother, a great serpent, appeared. She demanded justice to wash away the taint he had spilled on her unborn children. Marduk cut his stomach open and bled. The justice in his veins was enough to wash away the taint. The serpent was pleased with his sacrifice and promised his justice-filled blood would continue through Martyr.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Martyrs look the same as they did before their vampirism, save when they use mental or magical abilities. In those moments, their eyes turn red. They are equipped with fangs and claw-like, hardened nails. They tend to be muscular and scarred from centuries of battle.
Genetics and Reproduction
Martyrs can procreate as vampires or as vampyrs, birthing their own children or by turning others. They will often "turn" their own children once they come of age to strengthen and affirm their ties to Marduk. To turn others, they need only feed them their own blood.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Martyrs consume blood as their primary source of nutrition but also need regular food to sustain themselves. They cannot survive indefinitely on animal blood but they can drink vampire blood to the full effect of "regular" blood. Blood is not just nutritious but empowering for the martyrs, enhancing their strength, magic, and mental abilities.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Weaknesses:
Marduk's vampires are weak to daylight, which burns them slowly (about three to five hours to kill them). They can sustain damage from most sturdy weapons, not just stakes. They tolerate garlic, running water, and holy symbols. They have no ties to a coffin.Strengths/Abilities:
Marduk's vampires are physically stronger than most vampires, boasting strength similar to, if not stronger than, the elyr. They can heal minor wounds with their saliva and regenerate larger wounds over time with the exception of the complete loss of a body part. They form psychic bonds with their familiars, using them to spy, send messages, and fight. They can create special blood crystals called "sanguinite" which can amplify their psychic powers, allow them to communicate with others from the clan over great distances, and be used in blood magic rituals.Descriptor Stats:
Strong: +1 to your Might Edge. Resilient: Heal an additional +2 for every saving throw or received healing spell. Ability: You are trained in all grappling actions Inability: You have had a rough life and lack the social graces typical of living among "civilized" company. All actions performing etiquette, charm, or persuasion are increased by one level of difficulty for you.Additional Equipment:
Sanguinite: You carry with you a piece of sanguinite, a blood-red crystal that allows you to sense other members of your clan nearby and acts as a focus for the sanguine arts. You are trained in blood magic when carrying the sanguinite. Familiar: You may also have an animal familiar which is either a horse, a wolf, or a raven. Familiars can fight, spy, and carry messages.Initial Link:
From the following list of options, choose how you became involved in the first adventure. 1. You are looking for a way to ensure that your name is remembered in the songs of your people for the rest of time. You think this adventure will help you win glory. 2. You consider one or more PCs to be your family, either by blood through your lineage or blood you have spilled together. You won't let them go on this journey alone. 3. You have a deep anxiety for the future of your people. The Starving has begun to take its toll and you are willing to ally with snakes to find a way to stop it. 4. You are a loner and are most interested in the reward Queen Carmilla is offering.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
