Alterveins were the original strain of vampire-like entities made by Blight — the first transformative blight that Blight made. They infect others by sharing blood, referred to as Alteric blood, and they have considerable a craving to both drink blood and a minor compulsion to infect others. They develop sharper teeth and pupils that become slits while they are excited or experiencing cravings. They have minor sensitivity to sunlight and a minor degree of shapeshifting, able to transform into certain animals or creatures. They gain minor powers to manipulate blood.

Genesis

Most new Alterveins are made by turning. Only organic beings with blood that can be "infected" by the Alteric blood can be turned. The process involves giving an individual Alteric blood (blood of an Altervein) to ingest, then draining that individual of all the blood in their body. The individual will experience death, and return as an Altervein. They may remain unconscious for minutes to days, with those who have more injuries to heal and those experiencing more notable changes taking longer. 

If not all the blood is drained, the individual may become ill but recover with no lasting effects if above a certain threshold. Below that threshold, the original blood will war with the Alteric blood, resulting in either death or a slow, painful transition. This method is considered cruel and is a criminal act under the laws of the Alteric Council.

When consensual, turning is generally considered a very intimate affair—though not sexual by default. The process brings the sire and to-be-fledgling very close physically and mentally. The sire will usually drink all of their fledgling's blood, creating a profound and euphoric experience for both, then stay by their fledgling's side to soothe and comfort them as they die and rise once more. When turning is not consensual, it can be terrifying and painful. Multiple Alterveins can take part in siring if they both give blood and both take part in draining, though this is uncommon.

An existing Altervein can have their bloodline changed by having another Altervein go through the siring process again. This requires a significant amount of blood from the new sire and is usually done with permission from the original sire unless they are unavailable or have a poor relationship with the individual.

Characteristics

Appearance

Alterveins generally look mostly like their original species, with some notable characteristics in their natural state. They can hide some Alteric features with shapeshifting abilities, but this takes effort. For Alterveins who were originally human:

• Pale or grayish skin: Alterveins generally have very pale skin. Darker-skinned individuals typically have desaturated skin colors but may retain their shade. 

• Fangs: Most Alterveins have extended canines containing their venom. These can be extended or shortened to some extent. Some Alterveins naturally have all their teeth sharp.

• Slit/glowing eyes: In day-to-day activities, an Altervein's pupils may seem round enough to appear normal. When feeding or using their abilities, Alterveins' eyes tend to "activate" — their pupils become slitted and their irises glow. Some may also have the sclera turn red or black.

• Pointed ears: This varies: some have distinctly elongated and pointed ears, some are only slightly pointed, and still others may not have pointed ears at all.

• Pointed nails/claws: This can also vary. Some may have humanlike nails that are just slightly pointed—this is most common. Others may have longer and stronger nails, varying to the point of them becoming actual claws.

Physiology

Alterveins need only blood to survive—about a liter of blood a week, more if they are injured, more if they are substituting with other blood. Generally, the blood of their own source species provides the most "nutritional value." Alterveins can absorb an unlimited amount of blood, with their Alteric blood increasing in density to absorb the volume. While Alterveins primarily take in blood by rapidly absorbing what's in their stomach, they are able to absorb blood that is in any contact with them. They cannot choke, but may feel congested for 30 minutes to an hour if blood goes down the wrong pipe. They can also absorb blood through their skin, but this happens much more slowly. 

They do not need sleep (though they can and appear dead when they do), nor do they need to breathe (except to speak). They will gradually become weaker the longer they go without feeding, and the stronger their bloodthirst will become. As the strength of their bloodthirst increases, they lose more of their sense of reason—their instincts of bloodthirst begin to overpower them. If they are unable to feed for a significant span of time, which varies between bloodlines and individuals, they may enter a bloodthirsty frenzy in which they will attack anything with a heartbeat.

Alterveins cannot consume any solid food, though they are able to taste it. It would make them extremely ill in a way similar to food poisoning; they would become nauseous and would have to expel it. They can chew on something and spit it out, but they still can become quite ill if they accidentally swallow any. They can consume small amounts of light liquids (generally transparent) such as tea, water, and wine, though they are immune to bioactive effects of substances such as caffeine and alcohol. They can tolerate extremely small amounts of heavier liquids (generally opaque) such as milk, coffee, certain soups, etc. If they drink too much of either, they will experience a less intense form of "food poisoning."

Additional characteristics: 

• Sunlight sensitivity: The degree of sensitivity varies depending on the bloodline. Some burn horribly and turn to ash very quickly; some become badly burned but can survive for significant lengths of time; some only get "sunburns," if quickly. In the Age of Reunion, magic sunblock, enchantments, and items are often available and sufficient to shield all Alterveins to at least some extent. A few rare bloodlines, typically referred to as "daywalker" bloodlines, have a high prevalence of members that are entirely immune to sunlight. Around 3-5% of Alterveins are daywalkers, most of them with the yellow eyes of Elune's bloodline.

• Absent reflections in silver: Alterveins will not show up in any mirrors mostly made with silver; they will appear faded and translucent in mirrors partially made of silver, with the degree of transparency depending on the purity. They show up just fine in other mirrors, though.

• Undead body: Alterveins do not generate any natural body heat and do not have a heartbeat. If they were to take a warm bath/shower or something similar, their body could retain heat for a short time. If they were to walk around in freezing environments, their joints and musculature can actually freeze. They also cannot have biological children.

Feeding

Alterveins must consume blood to function properly. All blood in their body is consumed blood that is transformed into their own through Alteric essence. They may feed from live donors, other Alterveins, blood bags, and other creatures with blood. Live donors of the same source species are generally the most satisfying and filling experience, allowing the Altervein to taste unique flavors associated with an individual.  

In united society, both Altervein and donor must get approval for live feeding. When done as a practical act between those not very close, Alterveins usually bite at distal locations like the wrist or elbow rather than the neck, with less intense physical and psychological effects. It is possible for both donor and Altervein to develop behavioral addiction or dependency requiring intervention, though Altervein venom is not physically addictive and one cannot build biological resistance to its effects. 

Sire-Fledgling Bond

When an Altervein turns another individual and becomes their sire, a sire-fledgling bond is formed. This can allow the sire and fledgling to share a long-lasting, stronger version of their feeding bond, in addition to fostering certain instincts in both the sire and fledgling, though the exact effects can vary across bloodlines and individuals. 

The bond varies in strength depending on the time since the turning and how much the fledgling has fed from their sire. A strong bond may cause instincts, if triggered by circumstances (such as danger or harm to the fledgling or forced separation), to override rational thought unless the individual is well-practiced in control. A moderate bond will have the instincts present but the individual can easily choose whether or not to act on them. A weak bond may manifest as weak, subliminal desires and urges that can easily be ignored. 

Typically, the sire has strong instincts to care for, protect, and provide comfort to the fledgling; the sire may feel the need to feed their fledgling blood and may become hostile and hissy if unfamiliar individuals approach their fledgling, especially if they are still yet to rise from the dead. Many sires feel the need to keep their fledglings nearby in the first few months, feeling agitated if apart. If the fledgling is misbehaving or out of control, they may also have the instinct to bite their fledgling's neck, which acts similarly to scruffing a kitten, making them go limp. Once the fledgling is released, they are typically able to move, though they may be wobbly; some bloodlines or individuals may have strong venom that makes the paralysis longer. Note that scruffing only works if the sire is the one performing the bite. 

The fledgling has strong instincts to stay close to their sire, feeling a sense of trust and safety with their sire. They may instinctively feel anxious or abandoned if their sire is far apart from them for extended periods of time. Additionally, their venom has no or negligible effects on their sire; instead, when they feed directly from their sire, they will feel a euphoric sense of comfort, belonging, and safety. 

The sire-fledgling bond weakens slowly, but it is extended the more the fledgling feeds directly from their sire. If the fledgling never feeds from their sire, which is very unlikely as sires typically feed their fledglings as soon as they rise from the dead, then the bond may only be strong for 1-2 weeks and very weak afterwards. If the fledgling consistently feeds from their sire without stopping, the bond will be strong for around 1-2 years and maintain moderate strength until the fledgling stops drinking their sire's blood for at least a month.  If the fledgling feeds from their sire again, the bond will return to moderate strength. Some covens or individuals encourage the maintenance of bonds over eternity, while others encourage independence; there is no overall societal expectation for either route, and it tends to be the choice of the parties involved. 

In the rare case of multiple sires, the bond forms with each sire proportional to their contribution of Alteric blood and how much blood they drank from their fledgling, though the strength of each sire bond can subsequently be strengthened or weakened depending on how much the fledgling feeds from each sire. If an Altervein has their bloodline changed through re-siring, a new sire-fledgling bond forms with the new sire and the original is broken. To maintain the previous bond, the old and new sire should both be part of the re-siring process. 

If Blight is the sire, they do not experience the sire instincts while their fledgling will still experience the fledgling instincts. However, Blight will typically do all the things sires should do for the fledglings, so this is not a major concern for those who want to be sired by them. 

Life Cycle

Upbringing

The sire is responsible for bringing up new fledglings and preventing them from running wild. If unavailable, the closest older Alteric relative takes responsibility. In united society, fledglings become legal dependents of their caretaker until the caretaker deems that the individual can be independent; this can range from a few months to five years, with the average being one year. 

Sires often sequester fledglings from living beings to prevent frenzies. In the early stages of adjustment, fledglings can be overwhelmed by bloodthirst and new senses, leading to catastrophic situations. The sire may bite the fledgling to comfort and/or restrain them if necessary.

To feed fledglings, sires may hunt independently or feed from blood bags and have the fledgling bite and feed from them—this addresses fledglings' strong urge to bite while strengthening the sire-fledgling bond.

In united society, fledglings should gradually be exposed to situations testing their control against bloodlust. 

Death and Eternal Sleep

Alterveins generally remain active for several hundred years or only a few if killed while vulnerable as fledglings. Some Alterveins tire of immortality and choose eternal sleep. Another trusted Altervein will drain them of all blood, putting them into coma, then they are locked away in eternal sleep.

Theoretically, Alterveins can be revived from eternal sleep, but there are often seals and deterrents preventing access, and reviving an Altervein from eternal sleep is considered a great transgression by other Alterveins. 

Reawakening

Alterveins may undergo reawakening in various circumstances: 

• Some Alterveins may request for their Coven, an Elder, or Blight to wake them from eternal sleep if certain conditions are met. 

• An Altervein who entered a coma due to starvation can reawaken if exposed to blood. 

• An Altervein in eternal sleep may be accidentally reawakened. 

There is no set proper way wake an Altervein from eternal sleep. That said, some covens will awaken the Altervein through what is referred to as bloodrise. This is a ritual (ritual magic is present, but it simply speeds up the process and makes it go more smoothly) where covens will prepare a shallow bath of blood containing a mix of the coven members' blood and fresh blood of the awakening Altervein's original species. The awakening Altervein will be placed in the bath, and they may take anywhere from 5-10 minutes to awaken. Covens may have their own variation of what they do in the interim; some only have a small group in attendance, some have the entire coven, some may wait in silence, some may chant or sing, etc. After an Altervein reawakens, they will be extremely thirsty; typically, they will drink the majority of the blood in their bloodrise bath. Any remaining blood goes back to the coven. 

The simpler approach is to pour blood into the Altervein's mouth. This can wake them in around a minute. If some ends up in their lungs, they might feel somewhat congested until their body absorbs it over the next hour or so. Additionally, if they are not fed a large volume of blood, they might be a bit tired or disoriented until they drink enough.

Abilities

Immortality: Alterveins do not age and are extremely difficult to kill. They can undergo grievous injuries, regenerating with optimal health with sufficient blood in their system. When turned, they are cured of all infectious, degenerative, and other physical ailments, and that remains the case throughout their existence. If they bleed out or cannot feed for significant time, they enter a coma from which they can be revived by feeding them blood. They can only be killed if their body is destroyed (such as by burning to ash) or by permanently separating the soul from the body.

Physiological Enhancement: Alterveins have sharper senses of sight, smell, hearing, and taste, along with immense strength and excellent agility. Only their sense of touch is relatively dulled from their living state. They feel little to no pain, even from extreme injuries, and can sense temperature without experiencing discomfort from it. Additionally, Altervein saliva has healing properties; it can rapidly close a wound as well as stimulate the production of more blood.

Blood magic: Alterveins have blood magic that varies between individuals and bloodlines. There are two varying aspects—domain and type. 

• Domain: Can be limited to their own blood, or can include the blood of their progeny or any blood that makes contact with their blood.  A few can manipulate any blood, though this often requires individual practice as well as the right bloodline.

• Type: Alterveins can have any number of different types. Physical blood magic allows for the manipulation of blood to form any shape, including writing, wings, limbs, tendrils, etc. Arcane blood magic can include teleportation via reconstitution (re-forming from any blood in their domain), binding blood contracts, bloodbound writing (e.g. enchanting a set of papers/notebooks such that a message written in blood on one will show up on the others), and more.

Shapeshifting: Alterveins are capable of some degree of shapeshifting. Many can change their appearance to be more or less Alteric. Some can take other creature forms, and some can shapeshift freely.

Psychic abilities: Alterveins have psychic abilities varying by individual and bloodline.

• Bloodline link: Alterveins are linked through their Alteric bloodline. The strongest bond is between sires and fledglings, though all bloodline members are linked. They can sense when another is in danger or dies, and some can sense when new members join the bloodline.

• Feeding connection: They can connect psychically to those they feed from. Connection strength depends on the donor's trust level and can persist after feeding if they've fed from the same donor multiple times with great mutual trust.

• Hypnosis/thrall: Most bloodlines can hypnotize mundane beings through eye contact. Strength varies from entirely subjugating will to subtle influence.

Venom: An Altervein's bite contains venom that can induce a variety of effects. Any combination of the following is possible, though specific elements are typically more prominent in any particular individual: 

• anesthetic: the subject does not feel the pain of the bite and/or any pain they may currently feel otherwise. 

• euphoria: the subject experiences a pleasurable sensation that can be non-sexual or sexual. 

• paralytic: the subject becomes unable to move freely. 

• relaxant: the subject becomes mentally relaxed, unable to feel fear or anxiety. 

• aphrodisiac: the subject becomes aroused. 

• healing: the venom promotes rapid and/or long-term healing, potentially affecting just the bite or ailments beyond the bite. 

• blood production: the venom induces more blood production, allowing the subject to recover quickly between feedings. 

The Alteric Council and Coven System

History

The history of Alterveins begins with Krähe—Blight before their Actualization. Krähe would often visit the town near their manor once the sun set, and slowly accumulated a small group of close friends that eased their terrible loneliness. Krähe wished that these friends of theirs could be like them, however—unaging, unneeding of food or drink. These thoughts fermented for quite some time until there was an incident. One of Krähe's friends was at the brink of death, and Krähe tried to craft an infection that would change them, suffusing their friend's blood with it.

They succeeded, and thus Krähe's first progeny was made. This was only the first of many, with Krähe inviting those closest to them to experience the transformation. Then, those who were transformed began transforming others, and they could all meet with a sense of solidarity; Krähe felt a connection to all of them, and no longer felt so alone. 

Those turned by Krähe before their Actualization into Blight would later be called the Originals. This small group of Alterveins, numbering around 15-20 individuals at its largest, formed an intimate community. Together, they learned how to navigate their new existence while maintaining their individual lives and work. They developed informal protocols for feeding and concealment, but needed no formal organization—they were simply close friends who happened to be immortal. Their own progeny were welcomed by Krähe, though the progeny never had the direct closeness with Krähe that the Originals had.

However, Krähe's joy was put to an end in 1460, when the townspeople discovered this new "plague" and started hunting down these "vampires." Krähe, who was in their manor when the people decided to hunt down every one, was startled to feel their connections fizzling out. However, the sun had not yet set and they could not go outside. The townspeople soon came to their manor and set it aflame. Left with no choice, Krähe fled—only to be shocked at the lack of pain when they stumbled into the sunlight. They did not have time to appreciate their freedom from their curse, however—they could only flee as they felt their new family be killed off one after another. Though a few Alterveins survived, their numbers were few and their wariness was great, leading them to scattering across the world and remaining deeply hidden. 

The Alteric Council emerged from the chaos following the persecution of Alterveins around 1460-1468. Elune awakened from dormancy around 1570, during the early Age of Secrecy, and soon recognized the urgent need for organization, communication, and governance among their scattered kind. She scoured the world for any surviving Alterveins, particularly searching for the Originals and recruiting them to her cause: establishing a Council. She was only able to find four other Originals, though her arguments were quite compelling. The other four, along with several other like-minded Alterveins, pledged themselves to her cause. 

By 1600, they established the Council to study their capabilities, create laws and guidelines for their species, and ensure that they could thrive as much as possible in the world throughout the years.

The Council's founders understood that political integration with human society was essential for long-term survival. They established a mundane cover as the "Society for the Advancement of Natural Philosophy," a learned society dedicated to experimental science and natural research, headquartered in Vienna. This cover proved remarkably effective, as their genuine scholarly interests in anatomy, medicine, and natural phenomena aligned perfectly with the emerging scientific revolution. The Society maintained the typical characteristics of 17th-century academic organizations: weekly meetings at established locations, international correspondence networks, published proceedings, and fellowship drawn from aristocratic and professional classes. The "Society for the Advancement of Natural Philosophy" conducted legitimate research that sometimes attracted dedicated human scholars, some of whom unknowingly contributed valuable work while surrounded by beings with centuries of practical experience in their fields of study. The most sensitive Council business occurred in private sessions after the human participants had departed.

The Council's early priorities included establishing comprehensive laws around sourcing blood, turning, handling fledglings, managing disputes, and living well—not just surviving—during a time of Secrecy. Their integration into human academic and political circles provided crucial infrastructure for these activities, offering legitimate explanations for wealth, international connections, and nocturnal behaviors.

After the Age of Reunion arrived, the focus shifted on relations between Alterveins, humans, Edeia, and other sapient species, with the Alteric Council affiliating with united society. Laws regarding turning others with consent, guardianship of fledglings, and handling of resources such as blood and sun-shielding items were established in cooperation with united society.

Today's Alteric Council continues to operate under its dual identity, maintaining both genuine scholarly pursuits and Altervein governance. 

Organizational Structure

The Core Council consists of 7-15 elected members who handle active governance, policy implementation, and crisis response. Members serve 10-year terms and are eligible for one renewal through a simplified process rather than full re-election. Core Council members are obligated to attend all important meetings and carry the primary responsibility for day-to-day decisions.

Separate from but closely connected to the Core Council are the Elders, a permanent advisory body that currently numbers around ten individuals. Elders include the five Founding Elders, who were automatically granted the title during the Council's establishment, and Elevated Elders, who received the honor through unanimous Council vote. The Elder title is permanent unless revoked by another unanimous vote, though such revocations are extremely rare. Elders may attend any Council meeting and offer advice but are not obligated to participate in routine governance. 

Regional representatives form the broader organizational structure, typically consisting of coven leaders and other prominent Alterveins from various geographical areas. This larger group meets annually or semi-annually to address regional concerns, coordinate resource distribution, and participate in the grand academic meetings that serve both as genuine scholarly conferences and assemblies for Council business.

The Coven System

Recognizing that immortal beings could suffer profound loneliness and social isolation, the Council strongly encouraged the formation of covens—groups of Alterveins (typically 3-15 individuals, though some are quite large) who provide mutual support, companionship, and local governance. 

If an individual Altervein (not part of a coven) requests Council help for the first time, they receive full assistance along with a strong recommendation to consider joining a coven. A second incident triggers mandatory consultations with several covens to explore potential fits. By the third request for help, the Council provides guided coven placement, working closely with the individual to find an appropriate community. This system is framed as supportive guidance rather than punishment.

Coven leaders receive certain privileges and responsibilities in exchange for their role. They gain access to Council resources to create false identities for coven members and manage incidents, as well as the right to request Council intervention for member disputes or emergencies. In return, they bear responsibility for the Alterveins in their care and must report dangerous behavior to the Council.

The Originals and Primuses

"Primuses" (singular: Primus) refer to Alterveins directly sired by Blight. The term "Originals" refers to the Alterveins directly sired by Krähe prior to their Actualization. Only five are documented to still exist by present day,  and they are the five Founding Elders of the Alteric Council. All Originals are Primuses, but not all Primuses are Originals. Each Primus tends to have common characteristics that are associated with their bloodline, though there is natural variation and overlap, as the true Source is one and the same: Blight. 

All the Originals are also affected by a sort of prototype for the Eonian blight. The only effect is making them very difficult to kill by providing the ability to regenerate even from ashes. 

Typical Characteristics of the Original Bloodlines

The five bloodlines of the five surviving Originals are the most well-documented bloodlines in Altervein society due to their age and cooperation with research, though they are not necessarily the most prevalent. Typical characteristics of each bloodline are below, but individuals may vary in major or minor ways. 

You are welcome to have your Altervein be part of one of the Originals' bloodlines. If you want them to be directly sired by an Original or if you would like them to be a Primus (sired by Blight), you will need to discuss more details with Auspice. You are welcome to develop your own bloodlines using these as inspiration, but please use general terms for prevalence (common, uncommon, etc.) or discuss with Auspice for a specific number.