"The saliva of a vampire will often mix with the blood of their prey, inducing a temporary transformation. They consider this a "temporary gift" because it is only by the blessings of the deity that such can become permanent." "Promising some the gift of immortality, vampires have been known to even brand citizens of Aabahran as their property. Killing a branded is seen as an insult to a vampire, and can easily raise their ire - it is also an accepted method within their society to settle or continue disputes."
My Idea: Familiars
Familiars are humans who gain the favor of a Vampire. Familiars willingly serve vampires in exchange for wealth, protection and the possibility of one day being turned into a Vampire. All Familiars wear a brand, something like a cattle-brand, of their master. This glyph has the duel purpose of providing a small taste of the power possessed by a Vampire, allotting the Familiar abilities to manipulate the very shadows, and warns other members of the Continuum not to harm them... unless they would like to answer to the Master it serves. Familiars can function in daylight and may occupy crucial positions in human society which aid the vampires' infiltration and influence.
The Process: Branding
Branding occurs during the course of a human's transformation, when the Vampire imparts their temporary gift and calls on the powers of the Cycle to bind the intended Familiar to them. As the effects of the bite seem to fade, the human is transitioned into a Familiar... gaining all the strengths and weaknesses it entails. A Vampire may only possess a single Familiar at a time and can't create another while the Familiar yet lives, thus it is always in the Familiar's best interest to remain dutiful.
**Hard-coded Benefits and Drawbacks for the Familiar: **
Benefit: Vampire ability pertaining to Shadows. (can't provide further detail) Benefit: Shadowform with its current restrictions to duration and lapse of time before reuse. (can't provide further detail)
Drawback: Gains a weakness to Light.
Benefit/Drawback: A visible brand that permanently takes the place of a piece of eq. Glyph of -Vampires Name- (the brand doesn't have to take the place of an item, it could work like an Imm tattoo... in which case, it doesn't have to be visible... the brand could remain hidden, except from Undead/Vampire/Lich, until their Master reveals its own true nature)
Hard-coded Benefits and Drawbacks for the Vampire:
Benefit: Consume command that allows them to drink blood from their Familiar's (the Familiar must be following the Vampire at the time)
Requirements:
Class: Any
Race: Human (we could open this up to other races, limiting its power because of racial bonuses... the brand aspect alone could carry over to non-humans)
Level: 30-50
Must be Evil or Neutral
Must be a follower of the powers of Death or Chance
Note to Immortal from the Vampire regarding his intentions and for whom. This scroll must bear the title which includes the words "Familiar" and "Candidate"
Application to Immortal, scribing of your history, goals and any deeds you think may help your chances to be approved. This scroll must bear the title which includes the words "Familiar" and "Application" or it will not be considered. If your scroll is approved, you shall be made to know what else is required of you.
[the concept is the premise of this post, the details are just examples of what could be]
