[ drakenet search engine ]

[shootfirst]

DRAKENET SEARCH ENGINE

[ One of the handy features of your specially issued Drakenet phone is access to the Knight's digital archives anywhere, anytime, on the go. As long as your character knows how to operate a search engine* they may submit informational queries about people, places, species, deities, organizations, businesses, locations, objects, creatures, etc. etc. and receive relevant information here.

To use the search engine, simply leave a comment below using the following code, replacing the "search terms" with whatever you want to research, and replacing the # with your Research (INT) skill check roll:

<font face="courier"><b>Query</b> "SEARCH TERMS" <b>Research Check</b> #</font>

[ This can be used at any time, either in addition to or as a replacement for actual threading out research on any topic. ]


*and even if they don't, a successful Computer Use (INT) check of 10 or above will allow them to use the program

Comments

[lastdragomir]

Query "vampire", "aura", "maiden of pain"
Research Check 18, 13, 21

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"vampire"

A vampire is an undead creature that looks as it did in life, but with paler skin, haunting red eyes, and a feral cast to its features. A new vampire is created when another vampire drains the life out of a virginal living creature, and the creature drinks its blood in return. Vampires are drawn to feed on the blood of the living, and can only survive on blood (normal food and drink do nothing for it and cause it to forcefully vomit it up within moments), obtaining it in any way they possibly can. They do not cast shadows, nor do they possess a reflection.

A vampire retains all the abilities it had in life, and also becomes super-humanly strong, fast, and durable, plus it gains the ability to drain blood and life energy, and to dominate other creatures with its gaze. Vampires gain the ability to shapeshift into a Dire Wolf, Wolf, Bat, Dire Bat, and a Gaseous Form. A vampire can also command rat swarms, bat swarms, and wolves. Despite their many strengths, vampires have a multitude of weaknesses and limitations that cannot be overcome, no matter how old the vampire is. While this may cause problems for the vampire, it provides some comfort for the living who face these creatures.

As unholy creatures of the night, vampires possess a number of weaknesses that aid hunters in taking down this dangerous foe. Their largest weakness lies in being pierced through the heart by a wooden object, such as a pointed stake. If the heart remains pierced through with the object for several seconds, all blood that the creature has taken from its victims dries up, often leaving the vampire a desiccated husk. If given fresh blood within an hour of reaching such a state, the vampire may rise again. Without receiving fresh blood, the vampire's body dissolves into fine dust. Vampires who do not regularly drink blood will suffer the same fate.

Vampires are also susceptible to damage from silver weapons, though not as much as those afflicted with lycanthropy. Unlike lycans, however, they are also damaged by any holy weapons blessed by any good or neutral god. The presence of holy artifacts has also been known to stymie a vampire's natural ability to heal, shapeshift, see in the dark, resist elemental damage, compel humans, or dominate those they have turned. Holy artifacts also slow them slightly, and render fresh blood unable to heal them. Garlic has been shown to have similar effects, but must be closer to the vampire in order to affect them.

Vampires are also very weak against sunlight, whether natural or magical, and as vampires age, it becomes more and more difficult for them to remain in the sun without being burned. The process is very slow, and as powerful vampires are tougher, it should never be assumed that a few moments in the sun will slay a vampire before it can harm you.

Out of all the undead, vampires are the most "human" to a point. They retain all memories of their former human lives, and much of their personalities. In some cases, this may cause the vampire to seek out its friends or loved ones and turn them into one of the unliving, thinking they are preserving this attachment, not realizing that when they are turned, that they are forced into an artificial attachment to their creator.

In general, many vampires are sociopaths and possess a superiority complex. Sadistic predators in a human form, Vampires see no problem in using anyone they view as weak or inferior (which is just about anything they can overpower) for their own personal gains. They do not trust others easily, and only the most careless vampire would let anyone know where they rest. Vampires are extremely paranoid as well, some more than others, and are cowards at heart. Always putting their own existence first, they will happily throw someone else in the way if it meant they could survive, even other vampires or their own spawn. Generally, when a vampire is beaten, it will flee the area, not wishing to put its own "life" at risk. As well, they tend to avoid anyone that could potentially overpower them.

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"aura"

In parapsychology and many forms of spiritual practice, an aura is a field of subtle, luminous radiation surrounding a person or object (like the halo or aureola in religious art). The depiction of such an aura often connotes a person of particular power or holiness. Sometimes, however, it is said that all living things (including humans) and all objects manifest such an aura. Often it is held to be perceptible, whether spontaneously or with practice: such perception is at times linked with the third eye of Indian spirituality. Various writers associate various personality traits with the colors of different layers of the aura. It has also been described as a map of the thoughts and feelings surrounding a person.

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"maiden of pain"

The Maiden of Pain is another name for the Shadow human goddess Loviatar. She is also known as the Willing Whip or Patroness of Torturers. Goddess of pain, hurt, agony, torment, suffering, and torture, Loviatar is always depicted as evil.

Loviatar, one of the Dark Gods, appears in her religion's art as a pale maiden dressed in white, pleated armor and carrying a bone-white wand, a whip, or a scourge that she uses as a weapon against her foes. She is venerated by torturers, sadists, and other twisted and evil people and creatures, including some nonhumans who love to bully other nonhumans. While he lived, Loviatar served Bhaal along with Talona, though the two goddesses are heated rivals. Loviatar loves to torment and tease Talona and has more than once expressed the opinion that by all rights Talona ought to and eventually will serve her.

Loviatar is aggressive, domineering, and fearless. She has a cold and calculatingly cruel nature and is also almost unreachable emotionally - toward love, fear, or even hatred. She has an instinct for inflicting both physical and psychological pain, and she always seems to know what to say and the way to say it to inflict the most hurt and raise the biggest self-doubts in someone, mortal or deity. And unlike most simple bullies, she does not fear pain or hurt herself and laughs at attempts to physically damage or verbally humiliate her.

Priests of Loviatar are few in number, but widespread in power. Opponents tend to avoid them, since murder is the least that they will do in revenge again insults to their goddess. Women-both humans and half-elves-dominate the ranks of the priesthood both numerically and in rank and have alsways done so. Loviatar's tightly organized priesthood is composed primarily of clerics. Her specialty priests, called pains, operate as a separate arm of the faith, moving from place to place and ensuring that the goddess's will is carried out; they serve as the envoys and secret agents/inquisitors of the church. The clerics hold the pains in great regard, since they are often the tools of Loviatar's punishment.

Priests of Loviatar are known as Loviatans (pronounced "Low-VEE-a-tans" and in old texts are sometimes referred to as Lovites (LOH-vites). They tend to be cruel and sadistic. They enjoy bestowing pain upon others (and receiving it) within a hierarchy of strict rules and discipline. Junior clergy members are often ordered to do tasks in a needlessly difficult or painful way to reinforce this iron discipline. Those who stay faithful usually develop truly awesome self-control, and in battle can carry on thinking and acting calmly even when dying from wounds or lacking limbs. They become very used to pain and are usually much scarred from self-inflicted injuries and hurts dealt by their superiors. To increase the agonies they receive and inflict, handfuls of salt are often rubbed in open wounds.

The church of Loviatar is currently relatively independent, though its members id other evil churches when it suits them. They particularly hate the church of Ilmater, which teaches that strength comes out of suffering, and the church of Eldath, which teaches of peace, the banishment of fear, and living in harmony with nature, since the specialty priests of these deities are resistant to Loviatar's pain-inflicting abilities.

Loviatar teaches that the world is filled with pain and torment, and the best that one can do is suffer those blows that cannot be avoided and deal as much pain back to those who offend. They (chillingly) believe that true pleasure is only won through pain. In the Loviatan faith, the strong are those who taste pain and strive on.

Novices in the Loviatan faith are charged as follows: "Kindnesses are the best companions to hurts, and increase the intensity of suffering. Let mercy of sudden abstinence from causing pain and of providing unlooked-for healing come over you seldom, but at whim, so as to make folk hope and increase the Mystery of Loviatar's Mercy. Unswerving cruelty will turn all folk against you. Act alluring, and give pain and torment to those who enjoy it as well as to those who deserve it most or would be most hurt by it. The lash, fire, and cold are the three pains that never fail the devout. Spread my teachings whenever punishment is meted out. Pain tests all, but gives strength of spirit to the hardy and the true. There is no true punishment if the punisher knows no discipline. Wherever a whip is, there am I. Fear me-and yet long for me."

The most basic ritual performed by Loviatans is a kneeling prayer at morning and at evening performed after striking oneself once with a whip. Other rituals of the faith center on consecrating wine, whips, holy symbols, and other items-both practical, such as potions of healing, and horrific, such as torture implements-used by the devout and on celebrating advancement in priestly rank.

Loviatans of both genders wear high black boots, black choker gorgets, and long black gloves that reach up to their shoulders. They also wear daring-looking leather body harnesses over or under side-slit ritual robes of icy white or black lined with scarlet silk (so that movements cause red flashes).