((Yes boss, this sub-forum has been hijacked. Yar!))
Vitae. Latin for blood and the most important word in any ranking vampyre's vocabulary, it is what separates the nobles from the trash.
You are either a noble or you're not, there are very few ways to gain any status beyond your blood in the realm of the Vampyre. The only ways are to become mated to a higher vampyre, kill your way to the top, or sire enough childe to start your own clan. That last tactic, unfortunately, doesn't work very well because it still makes your line low class.
The Vampyres of the universe have been ruled by a Council for millenia immemorial, except for Origin Vampyres who seem to remember everything. (Origin Vampyres are the origins of the Great Lines, high ranked lines, and are often older than the council itself.)
Lycans are a mostly neutral race. The Lycan Council has a treaty with the Vampyre Council that basically states they won't kill eachother unless there is a territory dispute, and that holds true in many places. The lower Lines and Packs, though, constantly squabble and kill eachother. The High Lines and Noble Packs have given up trying to stop them, and let them kill as they choose. Many of the lower Packs have grown resentful of this, seeing it as an abandonment of their Pack. They think neither Council should exist, and thing should go back to the way they were. (The term Pack only applies to Wolf Lycans, as the term Flock would apply to an Avian Lycan of some sort or Pride apply to a Feline Lycan and so on.)
Slayers allow the Councils to exist, if only to keep the Vampyres and Lycans within their limits. Slayers are much as they are now, but a little more like police than destroyers. They only go after Vampyres that attack more than their quota, that kill their prey instead of feeding off of many a night to avoid injury to the prey. They also only go after Lycans that kill other races without reason or provocation. Unforutnately, among those that realize Vampyres and Lycans to not be truly evil creatures out for destruction of other beings, there are those that believe in the more traditional views of Slayers. They believe in the Vampyres and Lycans as abominations, unholy creatures in need of extermination. They are a small sect of Slayers, and most are systematically thrown out of the Order, but there are enough to cause trouble on occasion.
In the last few centuries, though, there has been great unrest among the lower lines and those of low station in the High Lines of Vampyres. Among the banished Slayers and those of their like still within the Order. There has been talk of revolt, uprising, overthrowing the council.....but up until now, it has only been talk.
The head of the Vampyres' Universal Council has been killed. Lower ranking Lines are swarming in to try and fill the power void left by this great Vampyre's death and the extermination of much of his line, and the banished Slayers and their like are having an absolute field day in the chaos it's brought to much of the universe. Many of the lower Lines are overstepping their bounds and hunting more than their quota, stealing from High Lines, destroying Slayer outposts. Many Vampyre Elders see this as the beginnning of a reversion of the old ways, before the Council's peace was forged with the Slayers.
On the Blood Ship of Lady Silver, there will be a meeting to try and choose a new head of the Council. The Origin of the Silver line has no interest in the position, and therefore is more than willing to offer up her home as a neutral meeting place. A few select Slayers will be there as well, a few that have the experiance and knowledge necessary to make sure a good choice is made. Anyone may attend this meeting, from the trash of the Lineless to the Origin of any line. A few non-Vampyres with interest in the outcome will probably attend as well, demons who had treaties with the previous Council and other species who need to know if their planets will be in the Kill Zone, an area where Vampyres may kill and feed freely without hindrance. (The Kill Zone is where the worst of the worst criminals are sent, as well as certain other beings. To travel there is suicide, or a good training session.)
So now you know where we stand. Are you a Vampyre who just wants things to be simple again, watching your quota each night and killing any enemy Vampyres on your turf? A Vampyre who wants to be a higher rank, or maybe one who just wants to kill freely without the danger of the Kill Zone? Or are you a Slayer, interested in the protection of all? A Slayer wishing Vampyre irradication? Perhaps a demon or human, wanting to know your fate. Or maybe a Lycan, wanting to know the future of your standing treaty with the Council?
