THE EPIC UNIVERSE

Shop

The Blood Borne: Chaos, Power, and Adaptability

The Blood Borne are fierce, rebellious vampires who wield Blood Magic with wild, unpredictable power, embodying the raw side of vampiric strength. Unlike the disciplined Blood Lords, the Blood Borne thrive on instinct and innovation, adapting their magic in the heat of battle to create weapons and shields as needed, and seizing any opportunity to gain an edge. Driven by freedom and survival, they perform chaotic rituals like “The Devouring” to amplify their powers, embracing the risks that come with pushing beyond tradition. As champions of rebellion and change, the Blood Borne are symbols of a new, evolving power within the Bloodlines, inspiring fear and fascination as they redefine what it means to be a vampire.

Power and Dark Artistry
The Red Market
Blood of The Children
Power in Chaos
Characters

The Blood Borne: Chaos, Power, and Adaptability
In the untamed reaches of the Epic Universe, the Blood Borne embrace Blood Magic with a raw, unrestrained energy, wielding it with chaotic innovation and rebellious strength. As the defiant faction of the Bloodlines, they embody the untamed side of vampiric power, tapping into Blood Magic with an adaptability that thrives on improvisation. The Blood Borne are driven not by rules but by freedom—a power honed through risk and instinct, wielded with primal force and fierce independence.

Unpredictable Mastery and Adaptive Command of Blood Magic

  • Dynamic Power: The Blood Borne approach Blood Magic with a creative force, their spells fueled by instinct and spontaneity. They see Blood Magic as an evolving force—an adaptable weapon that shifts and grows with every encounter, embodying their refusal to be bound by traditional constraints.
  • Pioneers of Chaos: Unlike the Blood Lords, who rely on ancestral rituals, the Blood Borne embrace the chaotic potential of their magic, pushing its boundaries through experimentation and risk. Each Blood Borne vampire crafts their own unique approach, bending Blood Magic to their will in ways that are as volatile as they are powerful.

Loose Structure and the Power of Individuality

  • Rebellious Practices: The Blood Borne operate outside the rigid codes of their counterparts, shunning strict rituals in favor of freeform, adaptable practices. This independence allows them to wield Blood Magic with an unpredictability that keeps foes off balance, constantly shifting and adapting.
  • Merit of Strength: In Blood Borne society, strength alone dictates respect. Their hierarchy is fluid, based on raw power and adaptability rather than structured ranks. The strongest rise as leaders, and each vampire is valued for their personal abilities, creating a culture where innovation and self-mastery are paramount.

Blood Weaponry and Improvised Arsenal

  • Unpredictable Constructs: Blood Borne vampires can shape blood into weapons and tools in the heat of battle, creating whatever they need in the moment—from daggers to shifting barriers. Their constructs may lack the polished control of the Blood Lords, but their sheer force and adaptability make them devastating on the battlefield.
  • Instinct-Driven Tactics: The Blood Borne don’t wait to calculate each move; instead, they react swiftly, turning blood into offensive or defensive tools as situations demand. This instinctive approach keeps their enemies guessing, transforming combat into a chaotic, fast-paced storm of blood and fury.

Empowerment Through Chaotic Power Amplification

  • The Devouring: In dire moments, Blood Borne vampires may perform “The Devouring,” a ritual that amplifies the powers they’ve absorbed from enemies, albeit with unpredictable outcomes. Unlike the Blood Lords’ orderly rites, this ritual is chaotic, enhancing their abilities while heightening the risk of losing control.
  • Frenzy of Predation: To fully unleash their potential, Blood Borne vampires can enter a “Frenzy of Predation,” amplifying the powers taken from their prey in a chaotic surge of strength. This state grants them immense power but at a cost—they risk losing themselves to the primal instincts of the creatures they’ve consumed.

Fierce Fighters and Intuitive Warriors

  • Combat Instincts: Blood Borne vampires excel in unpredictable, high-stakes combat, relying on raw instinct and swift reactions rather than structured tactics. They thrive on fast-paced encounters, reading their enemies and adapting with every move, turning battles into a dance of blood and instinct.
  • Fluid Combat Style: Their approach to combat is rooted in spontaneity. Blood Borne vampires don’t hold back, using every ounce of strength to overpower and outmaneuver their enemies, with each strike fueled by their survival instincts and fierce independence.

Symbols of Freedom and Evolution

  • Champions of Rebellion: The Blood Borne stand as symbols of defiance, rejecting the rigid traditions of their Bloodline origins. They wield Blood Magic as an evolving force, seeing it as a path to both survival and transformation—a way to redefine power without the constraints of the past.
  • Harbingers of Change: As carriers of a new, unbound approach to vampiric power, the Blood Borne represent the future of Bloodlines. They embody a willingness to evolve, drawing strength from the chaos and freedom that come with living on the edge, unafraid to explore what lies beyond established limits.

The Blood Borne are more than just powerful vampires—they are the embodiment of unrestrained energy, chaotic innovation, and rebellious strength. They channel the wild side of Blood Magic, using it not just as a weapon but as a means of breaking boundaries and redefining their kind. In the Epic Universe, they stand as the evolving force of the Bloodlines, commanding both fear and fascination as they push the limits of what vampiric power can become.

The Shared Traits of the Bloodlines: Power and Dark Artistry

The Bloodline vampires wield a dark, ancient power that makes them both feared and revered within the Epic Universe. Masters of Blood Magic, these beings command extraordinary strength, speed, and regenerative abilities, gaining even more potency as they age. They can weaponize their own blood, forming deadly blades, shields, and barriers, and by consuming the essence of powerful beings, they temporarily mimic their enemies’ abilities. Yet, the Bloodline is divided: the disciplined Blood Lords control their power with precision and ritual, while the wild Blood Borne embrace chaos, unleashing raw force in battle. United by shared power but divided by approach, the Bloodline vampires are both allies and rivals, shaping a world where power and survival mean everything.

The Shared Traits of the Bloodlines: Power and Dark Artistry
In the shadowed corners of the Epic Universe, the vampires of the Bloodlines—the disciplined Blood Lords and the untamed Blood Borne—command a mysterious and ancient power: Blood Magic. Although these two factions differ in their approach to control and chaos, they share innate traits that make them one of the most formidable forces within the universe. These shared attributes define their essence, granting them abilities that intertwine survival with dominance. Here’s what unites them as Bloodline vampires:

Unyielding Vitality and Supernatural Resilience

  • Enhanced Physicality: All Bloodline vampires possess physical strength and speed far beyond mortal capabilities. Their muscles and reflexes are heightened, making them faster and stronger than their enemies and capable of striking with lethal precision in an instant.
  • Age-Driven Power: As Bloodline vampires age, they grow in strength, endurance, and skill, accumulating centuries of experience that make older vampires nearly unstoppable. The oldest Bloodline members have become legendary, their very presence exuding an aura of both power and dread.

Accelerated Healing and Blood-Fueled Regeneration

  • Rapid Recovery: Bloodline vampires heal from injuries with supernatural speed. Minor wounds close almost instantly, while more serious ones mend swiftly as long as they have blood to draw upon. This allows them to endure battles that would be fatal to most.
  • Blood-Fueled Vitality: Unlike Therianthropes, whose healing relies on natural resilience, Bloodline vampires must consume blood to sustain and amplify their regenerative abilities. The more potent the blood, the faster they heal and the greater their resilience, making a well-fed vampire an exceptionally durable adversary.

Innate Magic Affinity with Unique Limitations

  • Blood Magic Mastery: Bloodline vampires possess a natural affinity for Blood Magic, an art that allows them to weaponize and manipulate blood with precision and creativity. This unique connection makes them highly resistant to most external magic, as they can counter many spells with their own blood-based arcane powers.
  • Dependence on Vital Essence: While Bloodline vampires command powerful Blood Magic, this ability is tied directly to the blood they consume. If deprived of blood for too long, their magical abilities weaken, making them vulnerable and diminishing their resilience to outside threats.

Weaponization of Blood: The Art of Combat

  • Blood Weaponry: Bloodline vampires can shape blood into deadly weapons—daggers, darts, and even armor—turning every drop into a tool of destruction. These constructs are as strong as steel, giving vampires an arsenal of adaptable and deadly weapons at close and ranged combat.
  • Versatile Blood Constructs: Beyond weaponry, vampires can form blood into more complex constructs like shields, barriers, and even temporary puppets, granting them control over the battlefield. These constructs function as both offense and defense, enhancing their strategic options.

Power Mimicry: The Consumed Essence

  • Absorbing Abilities: Bloodline vampires possess the dark ability to mimic powers by consuming the blood of their enemies. Drinking from beings with special abilities—such as Magi or Therianthropes—allows them to replicate those powers temporarily, creating unpredictable strengths in combat.
  • Risk of Instinctual Loss: This mimicry, while powerful, comes with risks. When consuming the blood of beings with primal or volatile powers, vampires may momentarily lose control, succumbing to the instincts of their prey. The younger or less disciplined the vampire, the more susceptible they are to these side effects.

Transformation Limits and Bloodline Discipline

  • Controlled Shape-Shifting: While not shapeshifters by nature, Bloodline vampires can achieve partial transformations—growing claws, fangs, or adopting other beast-like traits. These transformations are fueled by intense emotions and bloodlust, allowing them to become savage combatants when needed.
  • Discipline of the Blood Lords vs. Instinct of the Blood Borne: The Blood Lords, steeped in ritual, maintain tight control over these shifts, viewing them as a mark of mastery. The Blood Borne, however, embrace the chaotic freedom of their instincts, allowing their powers to manifest spontaneously in response to battle.

Distinct Combat Dynamics

  • Blood Lord Precision vs. Blood Borne Ferocity: The Blood Lords approach Blood Magic with meticulous control and mastery, wielding it with the precision of a refined weapon. The Blood Borne, driven by rebellion and chaos, unleash Blood Magic with raw force, adapting and improvising in the heat of battle. Together, these factions represent two approaches to vampire power: one honed through ritual and restraint, the other unbound by convention and fueled by instinct.

In this way, the Bloodlines stand united by their shared powers yet remain divided by their approach to control and chaos, forever marking them as both allies and rivals in a universe where strength and survival reign supreme.

The Red Market: The Bloods & the Market

The Red Market is a hidden lifeline for Bloodline vampires, especially the Blood Borne, offering them rare and potent vials of blood that can grant temporary powers, enhanced strength, or magical abilities in moments of crisis. To the Bloodlines, it’s more than just a marketplace—it’s a high-stakes resource for survival and dominance. Here, Magi blood and Therianthrope blood are highly prized, providing vampires with strategic advantages and the chance to turn the tide of any battle. Beyond blood, the Market offers enchanted relics, ancient scrolls, and intelligence, making it a clandestine hub for alliances and secrets. For the Bloodlines, the Red Market is a sanctuary of opportunity, yet its dealings come with immense risk, especially under the vigilant gaze of the Magisterium.

The Red Market: The Bloods & the Market

In the hidden corners of the supernatural world, one place holds an allure like no other—the Red Market. Named for its infamous trade in blood, the Red Market is a clandestine exchange where vampires, particularly the Blood Borne, come to find the vital resources they need to thrive. To the Bloodlines, the Red Market represents a lifeline and a powerful tool for survival, with blood from countless beings traded here as precious currency. But blood is only part of the story. Beneath its shadowed dealings, the Red Market also houses secrets, connections, and ancient relics, catering to any faction that dares to seek it out.

For the Blood Borne, the Red Market is an invaluable resource. Here, vials of blood from various beings can be bought and stored, offering strategic advantages when needed most. In times of emergency, a single vial of potent blood can mean the difference between victory and defeat, allowing a Blood Borne vampire to temporarily mimic abilities, boost their physical strength, or access powers they could otherwise only dream of. Blood from Magi, Therianthropes, and other powerful beings is available for the right price—if one is willing to pay it. These vials are carried as insurance, to be uncorked and consumed in moments of crisis, providing the Blood Borne with a chance to turn the tide of any battle.

Blood as a Tool and Weapon

The Red Market’s blood trade is unique to each vampire’s needs. Blood Borne commonly seek vials that allow them to amplify their strengths or defend against enemies. The most popular types include:

  • Magi Blood: Known for temporarily granting arcane abilities or clarity of mind, Magi blood allows vampires to wield magical spells or focus their senses with an intensity they otherwise lack. Only the strongest Magi blood can withstand preservation, making it one of the most sought-after and costly types.
  • Therianthrope Blood: The blood of shapeshifters offers physical strength and heightened instincts. Though it comes with side effects, the primal energy in this blood gives vampires a surge of raw power, especially effective in close combat.

Blood Borne are known to harvest this blood themselves from fallen enemies or purchase it when the stakes are high. To them, each vial is a lifeline—a means of gaining the upper hand, escaping danger, or even surviving an otherwise lethal situation.

More Than Blood: The Market’s Other Wares

While the Red Market’s primary trade is blood, it has evolved into a bazaar of countless other wares and services. Vendors offer enchanted items, relics of past ages, ancient scrolls, and artifacts imbued with potent energies. The Market has even become a place to acquire information and intelligence, a hub where rumors can be verified, deals can be struck, and alliances can be secretly forged. For many, the Red Market serves as a neutral ground—a rare place where factions can meet without openly aligning themselves or drawing attention.

The Magisterium and the Risks of the Red Market

Though the Magi government, the Magisterium, is largely tolerant of the Red Market’s existence, it remains ever-watchful. The Magisterium rarely intervenes openly but keeps a close eye on its transactions, particularly when Magi blood is rumored to be for sale. Any signs of forbidden or dangerous exchanges can provoke swift and silent action, as the Magisterium will hunt down those responsible. Despite this, the Red Market’s elusive nature keeps it alive and thriving, with its traders skilled in evading attention and hiding in plain sight.

For the Bloodlines, the Red Market stands as both a sanctuary and a high-risk exchange, a place where the promise of survival and power come at a steep price. Whether for blood, knowledge, or tools of magic, the Red Market remains an underground lifeline in a world of hidden battles and shifting alliances.

The Forbidden Blood of The Children

The blood of The Children is a deadly temptation for vampires, forbidden due to its overwhelming psychic energy and the madness it inflicts on those who dare to consume it. Unlike typical blood, The Children’s essence traps vampires in a prison of fractured memories and invasive life force, driving them into madness and corruption. Only one vampire, Sze, has survived drinking this blood, though the experience left her forever changed, with psychic scars and a wisdom few can comprehend. To the Bloodlines, Sze is a symbol of both strength and caution, a living reminder of the danger lurking within forbidden power. While some Blood Borne view her survival as a hint of untapped potential, the Blood Lords uphold the prohibition as an essential line that must not be crossed, warning that the blood of The Children is a path to ruin and destruction.

The Forbidden Blood of The Children
In the ancient lore of the Bloodlines, there exists a strict and unyielding prohibition: no vampire may drink the blood of a being from the group known as The Children. Despite their name, The Children are not young in years; they are entities of immense age and power, with some living for centuries or even millennia. As psychic and energy vampires, The Children feed not on blood, but on the very life force of other beings. Their unique physiology and mystical composition make their blood inherently dangerous—deadly, even—for conventional vampires.

To drink the blood of The Children is a path paved with madness. Legends within the Bloodlines recount tales of vampires who attempted to consume their blood, each story ending in a swift descent into insanity and destruction. The psychic potency of The Children’s blood floods the mind and corrupts the spirit, overwhelming any who dare consume it. This blood is more than a substance; it carries the psychic energy and fractured memories of countless souls, an experience so intense that it shatters the sanity of those who partake.

In the entirety of the known world’s history, only one vampire has ever defied this curse and retained their mind: a vampire known as Sze. Sze is regarded with awe and wariness, the only known being to survive the mental onslaught of consuming the blood of The Children. This feat, however, left Sze forever changed. Some say she bears lingering psychic scars or possess insights far beyond other vampires—a knowledge acquired at the brink of madness itself. The blood of The Children did not merely challenge Sze’s sanity; it rewrote her very essence.

The Poisonous Nature of The Children’s Blood
Vampires refer to the blood of The Children as “poisonous” not because it is toxic in the physical sense, but due to its profound psychic and spiritual effects. Unlike other beings, whose blood might offer strength or mimicry of powers, The Children’s blood acts as a trap—a prison of fractured memories, fears, and life energy that invades the mind of the drinker. Once inside, it corrodes, amplifying insecurities, magnifying desires, and eventually splintering the vampire’s sense of self into madness.

To vampires, the blood of The Children is the ultimate forbidden fruit, a source of immense power that, paradoxically, cannot be harnessed without consequence. Those few who have dared to drink it serve as dark cautionary tales, their names often forgotten but their fates woven into the warnings passed through generations of vampires. The Children themselves are acutely aware of this danger, and they are equally forbidden from offering their blood to any vampire, a pact observed by both groups for their mutual survival.

The Legacy of Sze and the Temptation of Forbidden Power
In vampire society, Sze is both a revered and enigmatic figure, often regarded as more legend than reality. The fact that she alone survived drinking the blood of a Child has led to whispered speculations about her strength, wisdom, or even possible madness. Some view Sze as a symbol of defiance against the constraints of vampire nature, while others regard her as a cautionary figure, a reminder of the delicate balance each vampire must keep to avoid being consumed by their own power.

For some Blood Borne, Sze’s survival represents a tantalizing possibility—the hope that, under the right circumstances, the blood of The Children could be wielded as a potent weapon or transformative force. The Blood Lords, however, uphold the prohibition with an iron resolve, seeing it as an essential barrier between sanity and ruin. They enforce the taboo, warning that to even consider drinking from The Children is to risk eternal damnation.

The blood of The Children remains a temptation as alluring as it is dangerous—a source of unmatched psychic energy that, for all but one, is a path to self-destruction. Vampires continue to regard this blood as the ultimate boundary, a forbidden power that, even in their endless pursuit of strength, they dare not cross.

Blood Magic of the Blood Borne: Power in Chaos

To the Blood Borne, Blood Magic is an explosive, adaptive weapon. Quick and unpredictable, they wield it to gain rapid advantages in battle, relying on instinct and improvisation. Fueled by emotion and fueled by raw need, their Blood Magic is a wild, volatile force that transforms them into relentless, adaptable fighters in the heat of the moment.

Blood Magic of the Blood Borne: The Path of Adaptability, Chaos, and Swift Dominance

For the Blood Borne, Blood Magic is a means of instant power and survival, a tool for dominance in the heat of battle. Unbound by ritual, they wield this force in a volatile, impulsive manner, using Blood Magic as a rapid-response weapon to adapt and overpower their enemies in the moment.

Core Elements of Blood Magic for the Blood Borne

Essence Manipulation On the Fly
Unlike the Blood Lords, the Blood Borne thrive on improvisation. They forge blood into weapons, armor, and defenses spontaneously, making their magic unpredictable and dangerous.

  • Blood Weaponry: Blood Borne create simple yet lethal blood weapons instantly—daggers, spikes, or barriers formed in the heat of battle. These weapons sacrifice stability for speed, transforming in real-time to adapt to any threat.
  • Defensive Constructs: Blood shields and barriers are crafted in seconds, ready to block or counter even the most unexpected attacks, though they lack the resilience of the Blood Lords’ refined defenses.

Opportunistic Power Mimicry
Blood Borne don’t have the luxury of slow mastery; instead, they carry small vials of potent blood from Magi, Therianthropes, and other supernaturals, using them to gain temporary power boosts. This approach, though risky, gives them unparalleled adaptability on the battlefield.

  • Quick Mimicry: By consuming blood as needed, they gain brief bursts of supernatural abilities—speed, strength, or elemental control. The power is temporary, burning hot and fast, risking mental instability if used in rapid succession.
  • Instinctual Cost: Their mimicry is volatile, often leaving them at the mercy of the primal instincts tied to each power, especially if used too frequently within short intervals.

Chaotic Transformation and Immediate Enhancement
For the Blood Borne, Blood Magic brings about instant transformation, enhancing their physical forms with beast-like features to overpower foes. These transformations are temporary but powerful, allowing them to adapt to intense situations at a moment’s notice.

  • On-Demand Transformations: Blood Borne can quickly add fangs, claws, or heightened senses, accessing a temporary, explosive boost in strength or speed.
  • Empowered Rage: In high-stakes moments, Blood Borne unleash chaotic transformations that may destabilize their control but deliver devastating impact, making them unpredictable and lethal.

Emotional Intensity Over Control
The Blood Borne channel their emotions directly, allowing rage, fear, or desperation to fuel their magic. This approach amplifies power quickly but lacks the control of the Blood Lords, often leaving them on the edge of chaos.

  • Emotion-Driven Amplification: Their Blood Magic surges with raw power when fueled by strong emotions, but this can cloud their judgment, creating moments of uncontrollable frenzy that make them both deadly and vulnerable.

Quick and Desperate Rituals
While not ritualistic in the Blood Lords’ sense, Blood Borne may perform quick rituals for immediate, often reckless power gains. These rituals grant short-term enhancements but come with severe risks.

  • Ad Hoc Predation: This fast, intense ritual amplifies any power absorbed from others, allowing them to temporarily reach dangerous levels of strength and speed. However, it often leads to a loss of mental clarity and makes them more vulnerable to their own powers.

For the Blood Borne, Blood Magic is the art of survival, the way of fast adaptation and chaotic dominance. It is power grasped in moments, summoned from desperation and unleashed in ferocity—a path where risks are high, but the rewards can shift the tide of any battle.