Empire of Shadows, Noctem Wu Dynasty (ACCs)

Clan: Empire of Shadows, Noctem Wu Dynasty (ACCs)
	Sovereign:	Mϊŋɠ Xϊąσ ИeσpσℓιϮαη Ɯu (mingxiaoclementine)
	Co-Sovereign:	Not Assigned
	Ambassador:	Not Assigned
	Proxy:	Not Assigned
	Special Envoy	Dj CrąϊɠE ИeσpσℓιϮαη Ɯu
Patron Diabolic:	Parthenia Church-Horngold (partheniachurch)
Political Faction:	Apostate Clans Coalition (ACCs)

• History:

The Wu family, a noble and progressive vampire clan, endured the Red War, a conflict that reshaped the vampire community in profound ways. While the struggle brought pain and loss, it also sparked a wave of change and evolution. New opportunities for progress and equality began to emerge in its aftermath, creating a shift in how vampires viewed their place in the world.

Standing by Empress Ming and her family during the war was her brother, a formidable Viking King and the Arch of their bloodline. As a warrior forged in the fires of countless battles, he carried with him the honor and traditions of their ancient lineage. His leadership and unyielding strength proved pivotal in the family’s survival. In the face of chaos and conflict, his battle cries echoed across the fields, striking fear into their enemies and inspiring courage among their allies. He became a beacon of hope for those seeking progress and unity. A salvation to his people.

After the war’s end, seeking respite and safety, the Wu family retreated to their swamp plantation in New Orleans back in 1924. This plantation was not just a home—it was their salvation. It provided them with a place to rest, recover, and regroup after the grueling war. Though Empress Ming hailed from the Far East, the South had become a refuge for her. The symphony of crickets, the slow movement of crocodiles, and the timeless beauty of plantations nestled among live oaks draped with Spanish moss offered a sense of peace and solace in troubled times. It was here that the family, with their Viking brother ever-watchful, found a momentary reprieve.

But the Wu family’s ideals had drawn powerful enemies. Anarchists, long resentful of Empress Ming’s trailblazing presence and her family's evolving influence, sought to tear them down. Together, Ming and her husband, King CraigE, worked tirelessly to promote progress and equality among vampires. Their efforts inspired admiration from many but also fear and resentment from others. Adding to the tension was the legacy of a bloodhunt once called against the Wu family by a powerful Cabal—an act that marked them as targets. For Ming her pursuit of justice and refusal to yield made her an icon of defiance, but also placed their family in constant peril.

Fast forward a few centuries when word spread of King CraigE’s apparent death at the hands of anarchists, Empress Ming was devastated. Yet she clung to her resolve, determined to meet with the Sabbat to negotiate her family’s survival. However, the meeting revealed their true intentions—they planned to use her as a pawn to weaken the family while launching an assault on their home. In a daring escape, Empress Ming fled the meeting, racing back to find her plantation under attack. Amidst the chaos, a shocking revelation awaited her: King CraigE was alive.

CraigE’s survival brought hope but stirred conflicting emotions in Ming. He had been gone for centuries after finally marrying her in what she could only describe as a turbulent, clandestine, yet deeply meaningful affair. They had even been blessed with a love child, their Eddie. But during their darkest struggles, CraigE had become guilty of the ultimate betrayal—abandoning the family he swore to cherish.

Now, he stood before her, stripped of pride, raw and repentant. Falling to his knees, CraigE pleaded, "How can you give up on us? All that we have shared—a love like ours is once in a lifetime. I cannot live without you." His voice, trembling yet resolute, carried a sincerity that pierced through her fury, melting the ice around her heart. Though anger and pain burned brightly within her, Ming could not ignore the enduring flame of love she still bore for him.

Against all odds, she chose to forgive—not for him, but for the unbreakable bond that time, betrayal, and even eternity itself could not sever. In her heart, Ming understood that the darkness they both carried was their shared burden, and it was only together that they could navigate the eternal night. Forgiveness came slowly, but with it, the warmth of rekindled love began to thaw the centuries of pain.

For the next thousand years, Ming and CraigE rebuilt their lives, their love deepening with each passing century. Under their stewardship the house flourished. Generations of their descendants, born from their blood and immortal legacy, thrived under their protection. The Noctem Wu Empire grew vast and enduring, a symbol of resilience and unity amidst the shadows.

The centuries passed like a dream, but even in the comfort of their peace, Ming's sharpened instincts never dulled. She felt it—a subtle shift, like the tremor of a ripple across an otherwise still pond.

It began as whispers, carried on the wind like a haunting melody, unsettling and persistent. Dreams that once faded with dawn began to linger—a shadowed presence, fleeting yet suffocating, touching the edges of her consciousness. The shadows grew heavier, the air thicker, as if the world itself was holding its breath in anticipation. Something ancient was stirring. Something wicked.

One evening, as the sun dipped low Ming stood upon a cliff overlooking the sprawling lands of her domain. Beside her, CraigE joined her vigil, sensing unease. "Do you feel it?" he asked softly, his voice tinged with apprehension.

Ming didn’t answer immediately. The air seemed to pulse with an unseen energy, and a deep frown settled on her face. "Yes," she finally replied, her tone firm but laced with foreboding. Change is coming."

As the first stars of the evening emerged and the night settled in, Ming turned to face her husband. She could see the same determination in his gaze that had drawn her to him so many centuries ago. They had faced storms before, but this was different. This was not a threat from petty anarchists or rebellious clans. This was something primal, something ancient—something that reached beyond even their vast understanding of the eternal night.

A cold wind swept through, rustling the leaves and carrying with it the faint sound of something howling in the distance. A warning, a message from the beyond.  

Realizing the plantation was no longer safe, Ming and CraigE made the heart-wrenching decision to leave. The plantation, imbued with memories of joy and resilience, was a symbol of their legacy. For Ming, the thought of leaving cut deeply, and as they departed, visions of the past flooded her heart. She could see their wedding, a joyous celebration that had filled the plantation with laughter and love. She remembered the birth of their children, many of whom had taken their first breaths within those walls.

As they stepped into the night, the plantation stood bathed in the silvery light of the full winter's moon, its once vibrant rose gardens now dusted with frost. Moss draped from the ancient oaks swayed gently in the winter breeze, their gnarled roots intertwined with the soil that held so many of the Wu family’s memories. The main house, with its wide verandas and towering columns, loomed like a proud sentinel, refusing to bow to the encroaching cold. Lanterns flickered faintly by the front steps, casting a warm glow that seemed to whisper of the life that had thrived within those walls.

In the distance, the swamp stirred softly, its waters reflecting the stars like a broken mirror. The croak of frogs and hum of distant crickets were muted by the chill, though the occasional ripple of a crocodile breaking the surface added an eerie but familiar cadence. Beyond the plantation's edge, the endless stretch of cypress groves beckoned them forward, their tall, shadowy forms both a barrier and a guide to the unknown.

Ming’s heart felt heavy, the weight of memories nearly overwhelming her. A single tear escaped, tracing down her pale cheek. Craig turned to her, his own heart aching at the sight of her sorrow. Gently, he wiped the tear away with his thumb, his touch lingering for a moment. “We’ll carry this with us,” he whispered, his voice low and steady. Taking her hand firmly in his, he gave it a reassuring squeeze as they took the first steps away from the life they had built, and toward the uncertain path ahead.

With each step, the plantation seemed to recede into the misty darkness, its silhouette growing smaller against the horizon. Every detail of the landscape—the whisper of the wind through the reeds, the soft crunch of frost underfoot—etched itself into Ming’s mind, a final goodbye to the sanctuary that had cradled her family through both triumph and tribulation. Though leaving felt like abandoning a piece of her soul, Ming held tightly to the hope that somewhere ahead lay the promise of safety and renewal.

The isolated farm, though vastly different from their plantation, offered safety and self-sufficiency. Empress Ming, unaccustomed to such a rugged life, faced an uphill battle adapting. CraigE, eager to atone, stood by her side, helping her adjust. Despite the challenges, the beauty of their surroundings brought them solace: the lively hum of honey bee hives, winds whipping through the apple orchard, and a bubbling swamp.

One evening, as Ming and CraigE sat on the porch, vibrant streaks of sunset painted the sky. CraigE put his hand on Ming’s growing womb and grinned, his touch radiating hope for their family's future. The sound of distant thunder rumbled through the air, a reminder of storms yet to come. But in that moment, there was peace. With clean laundry swaying in the breeze and the warmth of their love rekindled, hope flickered anew.

And yet, as they had left the plantation behind, an eerie stillness had settled over the land, one that followed them into their new life like a shadow refusing to fade. Ming, ever attuned to the subtle undercurrents of the night, had felt it—an unspoken presence lingering just beyond the edge of her perception. An unsettling silence.

The farm, though a sanctuary, did little to quell the faint, gnawing sense that their safety was borrowed time. Dreams, vivid and unshakable, plagued her sleep—a shrouded figure watching from the distance. Whatever was coming, they would face it together. For in the heart of the shadows, the Wu family had always thrived. And so, they pressed forward, uncertain but unyielding.  

ᴍᴀɪsᴏɴ ᴅᴇs ᴏᴍʙʀᴇs~Hσυѕє σf Wυ 殭屍~

ᴍᴀɪsᴏɴ ᴅᴇs ᴏᴍʙʀᴇs~Hσυѕє σf Wυ 殭屍~
	Princeps:	Mϊŋɠ Xϊąσ ИeσpσℓιϮαη Ɯu (mingxiaoclementine)
	Delegate:	Not Assigned
	Liaison:	Not Assigned
	History:	For countless centuries—through the shadowed expanse of black moons—Empress Ming Xiao Clementine Wu prowled the depths of the night, a solitary specter drifting through an endless twilight. Born of a rare and accursed lineage, she was the product of a fractured bloodline—a Jiangshi of half-breed descent, twisted and mutated in ways that set her apart even among the creatures of the dark. Blood magic coursed through her veins like an ancient and forbidden melody, granting her mastery over an arcane art few dared to wield. Her kind was an anomaly, whispered about in terrified awe, their existence often dismissed as myth or nightmare. One fateful night, during a moonlit hunt in the labyrinthine streets of São Paulo, an encounter forever changed the course of her dark tale. A mysteriously diabolical figure cloaked in rags and enigma—a gypsy fortune teller from an ancient line of seers—seized Ming’s wrist in a grip belying her frail appearance. The gypsy’s hollow, abyssal eyes bored into Ming's own as she uttered the cryptic words: "Non ducor, duco"—I am not led; I lead. The proclamation echoed like an incantation, carving itself into Ming’s very essence. But before she could demand the meaning behind the prophecy, the enigmatic woman vanished into the ether, dissolving into the thick fog that cloaked the city. Those words haunted Ming for centuries, a riddle both maddening and alluring. As she wandered across the world, the cryptic prophecy lingered in her mind, shaping her actions, her thoughts, and her growing sense of destiny. Ming’s restless wanderings eventually took her to the mist-laden streets of New Orleans in the year 1924. It was there, amidst the sultry, oppressive heat and the clamor of jazz, that Ming's restless soul found its anchor. The city’s dark alleys, wrought with secrets, and the heavy veil of mysticism that cloaked the bayous seemed to call out to her. She found herself charmed by the abundance of its other apex predators—a dark amusement she indulged in often. In New Orleans, Ming began to weave the threads of her legacy. She opened her darkened halls to those cast aside by the world—the unwanted, the forsaken, and the renegades who sought refuge from their torment. Many of them bore their own scars, outcasts who found solace in the cold embrace of her shadowed sanctuary. Among them were children she sired herself, their fangs as sharp and their loyalty as fierce as her own. Her House became a bastion of loyalty and strength, with its denizens mastering myriad talents: artists who painted the night in hues of despair, warriors who danced the bloody ballet of combat, and politicians whose whispered words bent the wills of mortals. Through heartbreak and betrayal, Empress Ming Xiao forged her dominion from the ash of her solitude. The House of Wu was built upon her sacrifices—each member bound not merely by blood, but by a shared oath, a familial covenant as unyielding as iron. As her empire grew, so too did her influence, her name carried on the tongues of those who feared and revered her alike. It was during this time that she found a rare and unexpected companion—an enigmatic man named CraigE Neopolitan. A stranger in the night, his presence was fleeting yet unshakable, a shadow that slipped through the cracks of her guarded heart and decided to find its home there. Their love, dark and relentless, became an unholy matrimony. Blood-bonded, they swore eternal loyalty to one another and sealed their vows by drinking from one another's veins, their shared immortality intertwined in a way that neither time nor torment could sever. Together, they ruled the House of Wu, a dynasty that thrived in the shadows, its roots spreading like the tendrils of an unholy vine. And now, she was no longer known as Clementine but was his wife, Ming Xiao Neopolitan Wu. The future brought with it trials that tested both mortals and immortals alike—wars that painted the earth in crimson, famines that starved the land, and pandemics that consumed countless lives. Yet, through it all, the darkness of eternity clung to Ming like a loyal shadow, ever by her side. She remained steadfast, unyielding in her commitment to CraigE and the family they had built together. From her tainted blood and immortal flesh sprouted a legion of new houses, each flourishing under the vast umbrella of the Noctem Wu Empire. Her children, forging new legacies, created paths of their own under the watchful gaze of their eternal mother. The empire's reach extended across continents, an intricate web of influence and power spun from that one paramount moment—the creation of the House of Wu. But Ming bore a curse, one that was unrelenting and unforgiving, pressing its weight upon her with every passing century. It was a torment she endured in solitude, even as blessings unfurled like rabid, untamed flowers in the garden of her existence. Each triumph came with its thorns, but she embraced them, for they grew from the foundation of her House. She owed it all to that single, fateful encounter in São Paulo. The cryptic gypsy woman, whose prophetic words still echoed through Ming’s mind, had given her a gift far greater than she could ever repay—her immortality, her purpose, her empire. Without that woman’s guidance, support, and enigmatic encouragement, Ming knew she had been a fragment of nothing. Now, she was everything—a ruler, a matriarch, a shadow eternal. And yet, even as her empire thrived and her House grew mighty, the shadows whispered of a greater storm brewing beyond the edges of her dominion. Ancient forces, long thought extinguished, stirred in the depths of the eternal night, their presence sending ripples through the fabric of the world. Ming, ever watchful, felt the subtle pull of fate drawing her toward an inevitable reckoning—a test that would challenge not only her power but the very foundation of the Noctem Wu Empire. The future held no promises, only the faint echoes of battles yet to be fought and alliances yet to be forged. But Ming's gaze, sharp and unyielding, remained fixed upon the horizon of eternity. She had survived countless trials, conquered despair, and forged a legacy from the ashes of her solitude. Whatever lay ahead, she would meet it not with fear but with the unrelenting will of a ruler who was not led but who led. For the House of Wu was not merely an empire; it was an immortal force, a shadow that could never be extinguished. And as the moon hung heavy in the night sky, casting its silvery glow upon the world, Ming Xiao Neopolitan Wu stood as a symbol of eternal resilience, awaiting the next chapter of her story.

Lє Ɠυιη

Lє Ɠυιη
	Princeps:	Ƈσяωιη Lє Ɠυιη    (corwin.auster)
	Delegate:	Mαgησℓια Cнυяcн Lє Ɠυιη    (magnolia.lerintzo)
	Liaison:	Vacant
	History:	"The sunset of January 8th, 1018 ad. She was a favoured daughter of the Jarl, and it was the last time her eyes would see the sun; the glorious red sky warding off the encroaching night, one final time..." "It was evening, that same night a thousand years ago, Lord Corwin took me to the sacred stones and drank my blood. The villages could only see with disgust as he turned me into what I am today ... a svartálfar or as I knew the ones I would meet in the following years: a vampire ... " Twas the birth of our house, twas the birth of the Le Guin Legacy, and it shall live on forever!

† ıηsαηgυıηαтυм †

ıηsαηgυıηαтυм
	Princeps:	нєłłѵєттє Ɯu (angelbenvenutti)
	Delegate:	αgαтнα ωυ (agathaevanoff)
	Liaison:	Domi Hexem V. Ansia  (dominique.mirabella)
	History:	TBA

Contendere Ad Altiora

Contendere Ad Altiora
	Princeps:	λrą Mϊŋɠ Ɯu  (arabeth1)
	Delegate:	Not Assigned
	Liaison:	Raven Crowley (Raveena Absinthe)
	History:	A little about your House Princeps:                                                       My story is just a summary for now. Later, I may elaborate with more detail. For now, this is my story .... It was late Autumn in the year 1523, October 31st...the day I was born. My mother, Empress Ming Wu, was one of the most powerful people in all the realm, she held many titles, and our family was well known and respected among the people.  As I grew up, my mother would always tell me things to guide me and taught me to respect all creatures on Earth, human and others. I wasn't just an ordinary little girl, and my life was far from ordinary. Having been born under the light of the full moon, I had magical abilities. My mother taught me how to control those abilities as I and they grew stronger with each passing year. My mother made sure that I was taught about our family heritage, in order for us to survive...we must keep certain family secrets to ourselves. We were not like most people.... We were unique and powerful. Our family was made up of several creatures of the night, Vampires, Werewolves,.....Shapeshifters of all sorts. Mother was a very high ranking and well-respected vampire. Being born into a family of vampires, I was given blood every day. I didn't understand for many years the meaning of this ritual, but on my 12th birthday, I understood ....the day I was fully turned. The ceremony was short but from that day forward, I was taught to find my own food. I was no longer given a nightly feeding and my powers began to grow stronger with each passing day. Centuries have passed....my brothers and sisters are now many. I have experienced life in many places and been present at many historical events. I have been witness to many disasters and tragedies that have befallen this Earth. My mother has taught me all about the world around me and how to survive in it. She has taught me everything from love and compassion to revenge and the proper time to seek it. I have learned life brings both pleasure and pain. I have learned that people we thought were trusting and loyal will stab you in the back without a moments notice and that sometimes love can be found in the strangest of places. I have not always felt as if I belonged but my family has shown me I do. Some people call us monsters....but we are just different....a species trying to survive like everyone else... Like all creatures, we just want to live. There are some like us, who live to kill and cause destruction, but not all of us are like them. We may be children of darkness, but some of us have great compassion for all living creatures. I am grateful to have been born into the family I have, and to such a wonderful mother. I would have died many times if not for her wisdom and love and for that I am truly thankful. I have wonderful brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles and more cousins than I could ever count in a lifetime. The world may think we are few or non-existent, but we are many. We are powerful. Treat us with respect and we can live peacefully..... Harm even a hair on one's head and we can unleash a whirlwind of evil upon mankind. The choice is yours...... I am Ara, Princess of Wu. I am Nobel and kind but cross me and .. well you don't want to find out.... Our House will be made up of all of the things in life that were passed down to me through the centuries...Love, Respect, Honor, Trust and Loyalty.....  These are the most important things one heart can give to another. Learn them... Live by them....Implement them into your daily lives, for without these, there is nothing....

Angeli Mortis

Angeli Mortis
	Princeps:	Shadowed Death (shadowripper1)
	Delegate:	Kyna Death(triKyna)
	Liaison:	Not Assigned
	History:	Since before the beginning of time we have watched over this world and its creatures guiding them as much as we could. While we watched and cared for these beings threw out the ages they called us many names, you might know some of them, Thor,  Athena, Juno, their Gods, their Goddesses, their Heros and Heroines. We never cared for the names but you know how it goes, people want to put a name to things. Now we come to this chapter of the story , peering back threw the veil of time my eyes saw a strong warrior woman in a place that didn't want her, a family that disowned her, a world that struggled with her. I took her under my wing and guided her to whom she has become today. a Queen in her own right many times over, she gifted me this house not as a reward but of a promise of never ending loyalty, honor and family. We are the Watchers, The Teachers, The Angeli Mortis, Angels of Death

DragonStar

DragonStar
	Princeps:	亗Fargus Starflare亗  (furgus.starflare)
	Delegate:	亗Cade Wu-Starflare亗 (cadence.bloodrose)
	Liaison:	Not Assigned
	History:	TBA

Protego Diabolica

Protego Diabolica
	Princeps:	Diablo Wu May Static (diabloplayer123)
	Delegate:	Bubbles Wu (bubblesstar88)
	Liaison:	Not Assigned
	History:	Long ago in the year 1425 during the Ming Dynasty this house was created. It had survived for centuries long after the Ming Dynasty era had come to pass and conquered the world slowly but surely. During the 18th century, the house Protego Diabolica went dormant. For years to come. the house Protego Diabolica was forgotten until WW2 when daughters of the Ming Dynasty who had been in long slumber awakened and became spies during the war. At night the house members would sneak around and lurk in the shadows to find their next victim, but they never forgot the reason why the house existed and was named Protego Diabolica. The name had come from a dark Greek mage who summoned demonic magic to serve him which also was his ultimate downfall. To keep his powerful legacy he ordered one very powerful spell to be made into a logo to ensure that any clan, house, or family that used it to represent themselves was ensured to be destined for greatness in only the best ways possible. To prevent and protect his future fate and the fate of his offspring from repeating itself, many familiar vampires and demons intertwined in the line incorporated it as a part of their own logos until they united at the end of the Ming Dynasty when they had to help the Emperor build the Great Wall of China. Even today, the Great Wall of China emits the aura of bloody times past, the blood that vampires drank while building it, and the demonic presence of the demons who dragged the dead to Hell to be judged. Today Protego Diabolica is a house of those who choose to educate themselves with the knowledge of our world while roaming the globe choosing to assist and guide those in the family who are in need. Protego Diabloica's members today are out there to help and provide the family joy in their hearts, and smiles on their faces, while collecting the precious knowledge of Progeny, the secret underground society they all choose to co-exist in. Though still a young growing establishing house after its long slumber, it still houses some of the most brilliant, powerful vampires of history.

Mҽɱҽɳƚσ Mσɾι Cσʋҽɳ

Mҽɱҽɳƚσ Mσɾι Cσʋҽɳ
	Princeps:	Meraa Kiyori (meraa.kiyori)
	Delegate:	ЯӨBΣЯƬ VΣGΛƧ (astrafe)
	Liaison:	Not assigned
	History:	TBA

House of Patrova

House of Patrova
	Princeps:	ввуρнαт (ghoulyphat.gyatt)
	Delegate:	ʀᴏsᴇ ᴠ.ʙᴀʟʟᴀ ひ (blueeyegoddess)
	Liaison:	Not Assigned
	History:	TBA

Delgado Coven

Delgado Coven
	Princeps:	Meraa Kiyori (meraa.kiyori)
	Delegate:	ϮAʂէɾἶძ Vεցმ Cհմɾƈհ-CმlհօմղϮ (countessastridvega)
	Liaison:	YEET Miguelito Kiyori (mikeramos)
	History:	TBA

Bloodrose

Bloodrose
	Princeps:	Lady Samara Wu
	Delegate:	Not Assigned
	Liaison:	Not Assigned
	History:	House Bloodrose stands on the belief that we vampires are the superior race. For centuries vampires existed as creatures of superstition and eerie fables. We veiled ourselves in secrecy and seclusion while traveling within the mist avoiding recognition by mortals. As time passed more vampires realized that his type of existence was not acceptable and far beneath us. Why should we live as scared animals when we are the mighty immortals? House Bloodrose was created as a vampire haven for those who are not afraid to embrace their darkness and walk with pride and honor. No longer willing to cower within the shadows...we shall hide no more!

Borbón y Castillo

Borbón y Castillo
	Princeps:	Gitana Borbón y Castillo Wu (valenah)
	Delegate:	Not Assigned
	Liaison:	Not Assigned
	History:	Royal House of Bourbon and Castillo. Originating in France in 1268, the House of Bourbon, one of the most prominent and long-lived European royal houses, accumulated wealth, influence, and territories over the centuries through strategic marriages, military victories, and advantageous alliances, reaching its peak in the late 17th century as one of the most noble and powerful families in France, whose dynasty began with the reign of Henry IV and later, with his son, King Louis XIII. Between 1640 and 1668, the House of Bourbon ruled Portugal as the children of Philip III of Spain, who inherited the Portuguese throne after the War of Restoration. The House of Bourbon, through marriages, spread to Spain in 1700, under the reign of Philip V, grandson of Louis XIV, founding the Bourbon dynasty in Spain, which lasted until 1860. Born in the region of Navarre, which would later become part of the future Spanish state, upon her human death in 1145 in an attack by creatures of darkness where she lived as a nun of the Franciscan order and reborn as a vampire, she left her old life behind and abandoned her infant children while she learned on her own how to be a vampire, how to live in deprivation, unable to enjoy sunlight or taste the foods of her former life, in addition to awakening her instinct and insatiable thirst for blood, leaving a trail of bloodless corpses wherever she went, attracting both the guilty and the innocent in her trail of death and unholy pleasures, sparing not even children from her infernal evil. After 15 years, Gitana discovered that her three children had been sent to France as part of their education, and as time passed, she followed from the shadows the trajectory of her children, whom she could never truly know, watching them grow and enjoy what life had to offer. Time passed, but Gitana did not age, while her children, now with descendants of their own, grew old and had children who later had grandchildren, until her children died of natural causes, which caused Gitana to leave France and wander the world, always in the shadows. The descendants of her offspring multiplied, until they reached the origin of the House of Bourbon, so it can be said that Gitana gave birth to those who would later become the French royal family. After more than 700 years, Gitana, now 880 years old since her human death, returns to her homeland, the now-established Spain, passing through the same place where centuries ago she was the victim of a massacre at the hands of other vampires feeding on Christian monks and nuns. For centuries she watched as several generations of her Bourbon descendants ruled parts of Europe. After the end of the royal house's heyday, she decided in the 21st century to create her own bloodline, using the name of her human offspring's royal house, Borbón in Castilian, and merging it with her former human surname, Castillo. Thus, she founded the house of darkness of Borbón y Castillo in vampire society.

Ɲιgнтωιѕн

Ɲιgнтωιѕн
	Princeps:	Yana Nightwish
	Delegate:	Arlette (arlette vlodovic)
	Liaison:	Larissa Nightwish
	History:	It was near midnight. The moon hung heavy and full in the sky, bathing the world in a silvery glow. In a grand old manor veiled by ivy and roses, she sat in her velvet chair, cradling a crystal glass filled with a crimson liquid that shimmered like rubies in the candlelight. Her long, black hair shimmered under the moon’s gentle caress. A wicked smile played on her deep red lips, her fangs gleaming faintly. Her eyes sparkled with memories from another life, long buried in the folds of time. She looked to the children gathered around her — not by blood, but by bond. Her voice, soft yet commanding, cut through the stillness. “Drink,” she said, raising her glass slightly. “Tonight will be long. I have a story to tell… One of blood, roses, and rebirth.” Her eyes flickered with something ancient. “It has been more than five hundred years since I was reborn,” she whispered with a wistful smile. “Yes… reborn. Though I did not call it that at the time.” “Serbia, 1459. March 22nd.” Her voice became a thread tying them to the past. “That was the day I was born — the only child to survive after many who did not.” She paused. “A miracle, they said. But miracles are often fleeting.” She traced the rim of her glass with delicate fingers, her eyes distant. “The Ottomans were advancing. My family fled north, toward the Romanian border. We lost my father on the way... and my mother, oh, she bore the weight of our survival alone. Strong, fierce, exhausted. Until one day… she met a soldier. A kind man who took us to his hometown — a place of shadows and myths. Transylvania.” She laughed softly, almost bitterly. “I thought our suffering had ended. But that land... it breathes legends. And some legends breathe back.” “They whispered of a man — a warlord who had died and returned. A predator of the night, feeding on the blood of the wicked. His victims left with twin marks upon their throats.” She paused to sip her drink, her lips staining the rim dark red. “I was a curious girl of 26. Unwed, which was odd for the time. But I was content — dreamer, wanderer, foolish.” “One night, I took a walk. The moon was bright. The wind howled like a warning. I wandered up the hill toward the castle — the one the villagers feared. They said it was abandoned, cursed. But I had seen a light in the window…” “I should’ve turned back.” Her eyes glinted coldly now. “The iron gate was wrapped in wild roses. Their scent was... unnatural. The wind tangled my hair as I stepped inside. And then—” “A hand touched my shoulder.” The children leaned in. “I ran. Thorns tore into my skin. My blood spilled into the soil of that cursed garden.” “Then came the sound… that inhuman sound.” A pause. “And his shadow. Tall. Silent. Eyes like ancient glass. He bit me before I could scream.” Her fingers clenched the glass. “I ran again, somehow. I collapsed near our home. And when I awoke at dawn…” she smiled bitterly, “…a red rose lay on my chest, and crows watched from above.” “I was no longer the same.” “Sunlight burned. Food turned to ash in my mouth. I grew weak — pale. Dying, they said. Doctors were useless. And then… a friend came to say goodbye. I heard her heart, smelled her blood.” She closed her eyes. “I couldn’t help myself.” “I bit her.” “And just like that… I felt alive again. Reborn.” She looked at them now, unflinching. “I realized the truth — I was not dying. I was changing. And I couldn’t stay. The thirst… it ruled me.” “I wandered. Fed on the forgotten and the damned. I was a monster... or so I believed.” “Then one night, I heard that sound again.” Her voice softened. “And I wasn’t afraid this time.” “He came back to me. The one who turned me. He answered my questions, showed me my new world. We lived in the castle together for a while… but eventually, he left. He was never meant to stay in one place.” “But I stayed.” “I tended the roses.” “I welcomed the crows.” “And I learned.” “Eternal life isn’t a curse… unless you waste it.” “So I sought others — kindred spirits. Souls cast out, wandering, broken. And I gave them what I was given. A chance. A new path in the shadows.” She stood now, her long black dress flowing like smoke, her black hair glistening under the moon. Outside, the garden bloomed with red roses. The crows cried overhead. She turned to her children — her clan, her chosen family — eyes glowing like fireflies in the dark. “You are mine now, as I was his once. We are not monsters… unless we choose to be. Remember this night. Remember this story. And drink…” “…for the night is eternal, and we are its children.” The wind howled again. The moon watched silently. And somewhere in the distance… the crows began to sing.