The Children of Dracula
(the Dracul)

That being which is popularly known as Dracula was once a mortal warlord called Vlad Tepes. Tepes ruled an area of eastern Europe, and defended Christendom against the invading Muslim infidels. Vlad Tepes was known for his ruthless methods, which included torture and the killing of innocents, anything to protect his beloved homeland. It was for this that he earned the name Dracula, "Son of the Dragon". But Vlad was still only mortal, and his efforts were not enough.

And so he made a pact. The nature of the entity which Dracula dealt with is unknown, although popular lore claims that it was the Devil himself. Whatever the entity was, Tepes sold his soul to it in exchange for unearthly power. And power he gained; Dracula was like a demon on the battlefield, with unholy magics granting him great strength and abilities. He was also undead; a creature that hungers after the lifeblood of humans, and hides from the Sun.

Dracula's evil came to an end when he attempted to take control of the British Empire; a small number of occultists and vampire hunters destroyed his physical form. But his influence may still be felt. Those who came into contact with his tainted flesh and blood were in turn infected, becoming Dracul. The Dracul have spread across the world slowly, but they are definitely there - approximately 19% of the world's population of vampiric beings (mostly in the Old Country). Possibly three or four currntly live somewhere in Australia. Possibly a greater threat comes from Dracula's spirit. It occasionally reaches out from whatever plane it resides upon, always attempting to make it's way back into the world...

The Path of the Dracul

Nickname:

Transylvanians

Basic Beliefs:

Everything is owned by somebody else. Just as the master owns his ghoul, and vampires as a race own humanity, so are they in turn owned by other beings; their bodies are owned by the twisted mutations of the flesh, their magics are owned by the power of the ancestral land, and their souls are owned by the Dark Master, Vlad Tepes.

Nobody knows for certain the nature of the being that owns Tepes. Some whisper that Tepes is owned by the Lord of Lies, the ruler of Hades; some heretics even claim that he owns himself. The truth may be far worse, should any mortal or vampiric being ever discover it.

The Path of the Dracul involves understanding of one's place in the cosmos - who one owns, and who one is owned by. To a degree, it also involves a certain amount of taking over that which others cannot keep.

The Ethics of the Path

• Know your place. Do not rebel against that which owns you. Do not allow that which you own to rebel.
• Your power comes from the ancestral land. You belonmg to it, and it is a aprt of you. Keep the earth of that land near you always.
• That which you create belongs to you. Do not allow another to take it from you.
• That which others cannot keep from being taken by others should be taken by you. Nothing may be unowned.
• That which you lose must be regained before it is claimed by another.

Path of Dracul Hierachy of Sins

Path Rating	Minimum Wrongdoing for Path Check
10	Giving anything in trade for goods or services
9	Not taking from those to weak to control what they own
8	Allowing others to use you to their benefit without payment
7	Allowing those that you control to have free reign
6	Not obeying those who own you
5	Allowing those that you own to disobey you
4	Not sleeping in the soil of the European homeland
3	Swearing allegiance to someone that does not own you
2	Not taking that which is freely offered or unowned
1	Voluntarily giving away something of value that you own for no reward