Vampiric Undead

The Vampiric Undead originates from the western reaches of the Empire. Their lands were divided into a handful of counties made up of small villages scattered over the Western Steppes, beyond the Dwarven Mountains. Far from the centre of the Old Empire, these lands were undeveloped and often overlooked, raided by nomadic Ogres and other neighbours. When the Havoc Wars began, most of the armies and nobility of the Steppes were summoned, along with the rest of the Imperial vassals, to defend the Empire’s northern borders. The Steppe was left largely unguarded, and it was soon overrun by marauding neighbours and outlaws. Desperate to defend their lands, the remaining nobles began to listen to the promises of an exiled wizard, known as the Great Necromancer. This wizard offered these nobles the armies that they needed, in exchange for an oath of loyalty to his mysterious patrons. Those nobles who accepted his offer would see their enemies driven out and their graveyards emptied, as the wizard raised the dead to fight. The Great Necromancer introduced the nobles to his patrons, strange and lifeless beings from another plane. These patrons offered the nobility the secret of immortality if the nobles would give them a piece of Tyria to live in. The nobles eagerly accepted the pact and began using their undead armies to conquer their neighbours to carve out a new realm. Yet, when the time came to complete the deal, they betrayed the wizard and his patrons, severing the link between the planes, and stealing the knowledge for themselves. They eagerly attempted the ritual, sacrificing the wizard in the process. However, the ritual did not result in their immortality, but instead turned them into the first generation of Tyrian Vampires. The Vampiric Nobles, lacking a clear leader, shifted the blame on each other for the ritual’s failure, and soon fought for dominance over the rest. These Vampires viewed their mortal subjects as mere cattle, useful only as nourishment and a means to create more undead. When the Rift opened, some whispered that the Great Necromancer’s old patrons had returned, seeking revenge. Meanwhile, from the east, one of the Emperor’s own children arrived in the steppes as an undead immortal. Desperate and weary of their endless internal conflicts, many Vampires have submitted to him, hoping that they might unite together to protect themselves and expand their realms once more. How will you harness your power over death itself?