Vampire. Vamphyri. Kuei. Draugr.

For as long as humanity has existed, there have been tales and legends that speak of supernatural beings that feed off of the living in some way, which can think and speak and roam at will so long as the sun is not in the sky, which are not alive and yet are not dead either. The western version of the word used most commonly today is that of 'Vampire'. Today, these creatures are known to exist in religious communities, in the scientific community, and as a matter of common knowledge. Some are more famous than others, actively seeking out the spotlight and the adoration of mortals. Others retain the habit of avoiding mortal spotlights as much as possible, finding safety in anonymity.

Since the landmark U.S Supreme Court case Addison V. Clarke, vampires have enjoyed some of the rights of legal citizens, which has resulted in a gradual accumulation and recognition of other rights under the law. Ever since then, vampires have lived 'openly' in the United States. Many people consider vampires to be 'sexy' and are willing to offer their blood to vampires in return for the ecstasy of being fed from or for other favors. These individuals are commonly referred to as "Blood Dolls". Vampire lovers are regarded as a status symbol in some communities, and as a result of the resurgence of the 'sexy vampire,’ a number of former subcultures are now more mainstream. "Fangbanger" is intended as an insult to mark someone who engages in sexual relations with vampires, and while viewed as a derision by some communities, in others it is a badge of honor.

What is a Vampire?

Vampires are reanimated human corpses which feed on living blood and emotions to sustain themselves. Creating a vampire is a deliberate process where the creator ("Sire") initiates the change and leaves an imprint on the person ("Childe" or "Progeny") that permanently ties the two together. Much like human ancestry, one uses the sire/progeny relationship to trace their Bloodline back into the distant reaches of history. Each Bloodline has unique characteristics and talents that belong to that Bloodline alone.

The process turns the victims into supernatural creatures who possess enhanced speed, strength, senses, and near immortality. Upon "turning", all vampires also gain several innate mental abilities and specialized abilities from the Bloodline they belong to. It also creates weaknesses in the vampire, such as burning in sunlight and potentially fatal reactions to silver.

Who leads vampires?

Up until recently, Vampires were led by a council of older vampires who are believed to be the ultimate source of each of the Bloodlines. A truly ancient vampire, called Marmee Noir, arose recently, declaring herself to be the first vampire and bringing the revelation that the Vampire Council are her agents and governed in her name. Anita Blake, famed vampire executioner, with the help of others, was able to stop Marmee Noir from her plans to enslave and devour other vampires and by extent the rest of humanity. The Vampire Council was however fractured and several members were slain outright - but their Bloodlines did not follow into madness or death as might be expected, hinting that there are older vampires somewhere which are the true progenitors of the Bloodlines. In the wake of this disaster, a vampire named Jean-Claude has been trying to form an American Council.

Vampires, however, do not relinquish power easily, or lightly, and so most vampires answer to their local Master of the City, who governs over all the vampires in a given city or territory. As alliances are made, shift, and are broken between different Masters of Cities, there does not appear to be an American Council that will emerge from the chaos, and most Masters are content with this state of affairs.

Vampires in Denver

Recent events have left vampires in Denver a little on edge. There is a new Master of the City, Isidore D'Aiglemort, who has made several changes in the city’s power structure, in addition to demanding that vampires no longer meddle in the affairs of the other supernatural beings. Among these changes, he has parceled out territory known as Baronies, to vampires in the city in order to spread them out and make them less of a target for whatever forces were brought to bear against Denver in recent months. Whether or not Isidore will remain the Master of the City is a subject of debate among the Kiss, as there have been indications he does not truly want to rule the city and is only looking for a worthy soul before stepping down.

Because of changes in Colorado law, the Master of the City is an acknowledged member of the executive government of the city (and the state). The Master of the City has formal offices located in the City & County Building and is a mayoral appointment. The Master’s 'official' duties extend to advising the Mayor and other law enforcement officials about the state of Denver's supernatural citizens, governing the vampires of the city, and complying with the law. Although a mayoral 'appointment', the Mayor tends to appoint whomever claims to be the Master of the City.