A Report of the Bloodlines of Tamriel's Vampires Vol IV

Links to Volume I, Volume II and Volume III

Celann

I hope this letter finds you quickly. I paid the courier extra for haste. I pen these words with fear as I have awakened the slumbering beast. I had thought the Whet-Fang of Argonia the most despicable of the bloodlines, and I was right to do so, but they are far from the most dangerous. That title sits squarely with the vampires of Cyrodiil.

I haven't heard much news of your activities in Skyrim of late, I have in fact barely heard any news at all as I have been keeping off the beaten track, but I implore you to cease all ongoing missions in Skyrim and deploy as many brave Dawn Guard as you can spare to Cyrodiil. I have uncovered the existence of an ancient order of vampires, more powerful than any we have faced before as they are undetectable until it is far too late, and they are everywhere where there is power to be had.

I do not know how high up their infiltration goes, but I have reason to believe it may be as high as the elder council itself. I do not know if these words will reach you, nor if I will live to see my home again. I shall head south, I dare not specify where in this letter. But rest assured that I will try to send more communications as soon as I can.

Ragnar Lothbrok

The Vampires of Cyrodiil

While there are few tales of vampires in Cyrodiil, I can indeed confirm that they have a heavy presence within the imperial province. The name of this bloodline has been lost in time as with its origin. There is little to no resources on vampires or their history within Cyrodiil in the imperial libraries, no doubt due to interference from the vampires themselves as they are well organised and very interested in keeping their existence a secret.

They call themselves “The Cyrodiil Vampyrum Order” or just The Order for short. This bloodline is one of the more unique diversions due mostly to the interference of a Daedric Prince other than Molag Bal; Clavicus Vile. While The Order clearly originated from some brutal event perpetrated by Molag Bal, who they venerate for their birth, The Order also offers allegiance to Clavicus Vile for giving them the ability to blend into society without suspicion. How Vile adapted this particular strain of Porphyric Hemophilia is unclear, but his meddling has made these vampires all the more deadly.

Behaviour

The vampires of Cyrodiil are highly secretive, doing their upmost to hide their very existence. I only discovered them when my suspicions about Aquilas Maximus, a noble of the city, asking about my research led me to follow him at night on a whim. I saw him feed on a sleeping beggar in the back alleys of the temple plaza, and delicately give the unconscious woman a potion when he was done. I am convinced it was a potion of cure disease given to stop vampires from outside the order being created during a feeding. An unchecked vampire populace would no doubt bring vampire hunters into Cyrodiil, something The Order certainly does not want.

The following night, while he was out, I broke into his home and searched the place. While nothing was amiss in the main living areas of the home, I noticed that his bedchamber barely looked lived in at all. When I went into his basement however, I found his true den. I also found a manifesto originating from The Order, it was upon reading this that I realised the danger. While it is dated from the third era, I can assure you that The Order is still prospering within Cyrodiil.

The Cyrodiil Vampyrum Order

The note I found describes an ancient order of vampires that have infiltrated the high echelons of society in a bid for power and influence. The thought of the high politics of Cyrodiil being under the sway of such abominations is a terrifying one indeed. The Order seems to follow the doctrines of bureaucracy, politics and structure that have allowed the imperials to flourish throughout the ages. This too allows for The Order to flourish as no other vampire bloodline is present in Cyrodiil barring a few feral vampires living in caves.

They spurn other vampiric bloodlines, proclaiming them to be barbaric animals. They do however have a grudging respect for the Whet-Fang and the Glenmoril Wyrd of High Rock. Their edicts include the suppression of belief in vampires as a whole and above all the preservation of the secrecy of their order. It is unclear if their lust for power is a direct result of the meddling of Clavicus Vile, or if Vile simply gave them the ability to blend in with others and the hunger from power developed quickly after.

Abilities and Weaknesses

Their most prominent ability, as already mentioned is the lack of vampiric features when they are well fed. The book Immortal Blood seems to indicate that they can revert back to the more common gaunt, red eyed figures we are more familiar with when they do not feed as the author of the book claims to have done so in order to reveal his true nature to Morvath. The fact that Morvath did not pick up on the vampiric nature of the priest before then clearly shows that it was a member of The Order and thus able to deceive even an experienced vampire hunter.

As I found out to my delight, they have very little in the way of physical strength, as when Aquilas returned home to find me rummaging through his belongings he immediately attacked me. My trusted flame enchanted silver dagger and fire rune combination quickly dispatched him. Also, as suggested in the manifesto I found, they are vulnerable to sunlight.

Political Sway

However, as I write these words I am on the run from the law. The most dangerous thing about The Order is how long it has gone unchecked. Soon after I killed Aquilas, I was approached by the imperial guard and asked to follow them back to the White Gold Tower. By now I was highly wary of being intercepted by The Order and asked to see the missive summoning me. To my horror the smug guard preceded to flaunt an arrest warrant from the Elder Council itself ordering for my immediate capture. Fortunately I was near the outskirts of the city and was able to slip away from the guard and sneak out of the city by swimming from the docks to the nearest bridge across Lake Rumare. However I do not know if I will ever be able to visit the Imperial City, or even Cyrodiil, ever again. I expect that I shall be hunted down for knowing too much and attempting to spread my newfound knowledge of The Order. My only consolation is that my actions may one day bring their downfall.