The Spellvampire Court
The Spellvampire Court is a minor organization operating within Old Scarlet. Whereas many Vampires are focused on acquiring thralls or acquiring political influence, the Spellvampires are focused on one simple goal…the pursuit of power. With the unique ability to retain powers from those they have consumed, the Spellvampire Court is known for holding grand hunts against some of the most dangerous creatures on Chronus and beyond.
History
The Spellvampire Court’s history, relative to some of the organizations in Scarlet, is short. When the Scarlet Kingdom collapsed, the Spellvampires gathered individuals with similar interests and consolidated their power at the manors and other lands held by their high-ranking members. It is unknown to outsiders whether the Spellvampire Court existed within the Scarlet Kingdom before its collapse, though its existence has become more prominent without a ruling government to obscure their existence or place laws upon them.
Spellvampires are a unique breed of vampires who, in addition to the traditional abilities of their kind, can retain the powers of powerful monsters. Due to this ability, Spellvampires are solely concerned with the consumption of powerful foes through which they can expand their own abilities. Spellvampires view their thirst for blood not as a hunger to satiate, but as a refined palate that can only be satisfied by consuming more powerful and rare creatures.
In the aftermath of the Scarlet Kingdom’s fall, an enigmatic figure known as the Duchess rose to power. A noblewoman of Scarlet who owns a large amount of land, the Duchess embodied the ideals of the Spellvampire Court while providing a power structure to their order. Prior to her arrival, most of the Spellvampires were lone wolves, individually hunting and consuming prey. Under her rule, they became organized, working as a team to capture these powerful monsters and pursuing them on their lands in a bizarre and twisted game.
The hunt of these creatures became both a regular event for the Spellvampires and a way of life, with their order gathering frequently for the sole purpose of hunting a rare creature on their lands. The Spellvampires became so accomplished as hunters that they grew bored with the hunts, sometimes inviting visitors if only to make things more interesting.
The Plot to Reunite Scarlet
One of the Court’s leading members, the Enforcer, recently attempted to use the power of the Spellvampires for his own goals. Under the guise of the hunt, the Enforcer captured some key figures within the Scarlet Kingdom’s natural enemy, the Kingdom of Sarent, and led a hunt against them. After realizing the true identity of their targets (one of whom was a godling of Sarenrae herself), the adventurers who had joined the hunt decided to defend her instead. Had he succeeded, the Kingdom of Sarent likely would have invaded, forcing the divided leaders of Scarlet to join forces to fend off their foe.
It is unclear how many of the vampires within the Court were loyal to the Enforcer, though it was clear that the Duchess herself did not support the plan. She asked one of her fellow Vampires, Carmilla, to capture him for her, with the promise that his position and lands would be hers as a reward. Having done so, the Enforcer is now the Duchess’s prisoner and a pet that she loves nothing more than to practice new torture techniques on.
Key Members
The Duchess
The Duchess is a bloodthirsty predator under the guise of sophistication and social standing. As the leader of the Spellvampires, the Duchess adores nothing more than hunting rare and exotic creatures. For her, the hunt is more important than any amount of power political maneuvering could provide for her. The extent of the Duchess’s abilities is unknown, but presumably she has slain enough powerful creatures to have become a considerable threat.
The Enforcer
The Enforcer is the Duchess’s former right-hand man, a skilled assassin who was seemingly loyal to the Court above all else. However, it was revealed that the Enforcer had other goals contrary to his master, and feels that the only way that Scarlet can become powerful again is by reuniting against a common foe. At this time, the Enforcer’s exact fate is unknown, but having been captured, is likely a plaything for the Duchess.