Lahmia deWinter
Love You Like a Vampire
- Intent: To describe Lahmia deWinter's genetic background as being a mix of various samples.
- Image Credit: DeviantArt (Lahmia), Artstation (Male), Pinterest (Female)
- Canon: No
- Links:
Energy Vampire - Lahmia deWinter
- Name: Devoratrix
- Designation: Sentient
- Origins: Magical Genetic Sampling Incorporation
- Average Lifespan: Unknown. Theorized in hundreds of years.
- Estimated Population: Semi-Unique
- Description: The Devoratrix are not a species born through natural evolution. They came about as a result of Lahmia deWinter's magical incorporation of genetic samples from extra-galactic species to sustain bodily functions. An Energy Vampire's genetic sampling has remained the dominant code since its inclusion early on. Almost every sample was from a species devoted to combat or survival, and as a result goading one into a brawl may result in a life or death struggle for all involved.
- Breathes: Type I Atmosphere
- Average Height of Adults: 1.83 meters
- Average Length of Adults: N/A
- Skin color: Red, Blue, Gray, and Black
- Hair color: Black, Blue, Red, and White
- Distinctions:
Horns - Devoratrix spot at least two medium to large-sized horns on their crown, with some having up to six of varying sizes. - Fangs - The Energy Vamprie genes always manifest two to four elongated canines to bite into prey to drain them of their life-force.
- Skin - The colorful array of skin tone set them apart from most Human or Human-like species.
- Tail - Lahmia found having a tail to be useful and has not once since sought to dispense with it. All of her children possess tails, with those still alive having prehensile tails able to manipulate and lift objects.
- Skeletal-Muscular - The older the Devoratrix the more likely their skeletal-muscular build is larger, thicker, and hardier. Not that recent generations have grown weak, but as Lahmia's own frame became more agile her most recent children exemplified this as well. Male and Female spawn show minimal dimorphism, however, aside from obvious procreative differences. Denser muscle tissue across generations supplies greater strength than a comparable Human body shape.
[*]Races:
- Monstrous - The Old Guard, some of Lahmia's earliest children resembled monsters of Galactic nightmares more than they did people. This was back when Lahmia (the progenitor of the species) possessed more monster-like qualities. They possessed armor plating, razor claws, and were ravenous carnivores. There are no known survivors of this genetic race.
- Demi-Fiend - As Lahmia gradually became more Humanoid in mind and body so too did her offspring. While still possessing more aggression than social graces, the Demi-Human children started to walk on two legs and could carry on a measure of conversation. Tactics and strategy slowly dawned upon them in terms of battle, and the world became less about slaughter and more about cooperation for survival. There is only one known survivor of this genetic race that remained Beyond the Rim.
- Fiend - After considerable work, Lahmia was able to return to something resembling her original self. Her most recent children have very humanoid-shaped bodies and true sapience, but have not completely dispensed with their hunger for conflict. Thick hides or armor platting is rare or isolated, but some less Galactic-common features like horns and tails remain.
[*]Force Sensitivity: All
- Instinct: Battle Precognition - Similar to the Echani battle sense of anticipating the movement's of the enemy, and the flow of battle.
- Energy Vampire - Able to drain the life-force of others as their main source of sustaining their own life. Additional Energy Vampire abilities include:
Enhanced Strength - Enhanced Speed
- Accelerated Senses
- Cellular Regeneration - Sufficiently fed they can heal wounds, resist toxins or poisons, and can live centuries.
[*]Skeletal-Muscular - Monstrous and Demi-Fiend generations ('races') tend to possess various aspects of armor plating, spikes, claws, even stronger bones, denser muscle tissue, depending on at which point in Lahmia's life they were spawned. This was often at the expense of sophistication and ability to learn; the more brutish of the lineage being driven more by instinct than rational thought.
- Berserker - Though numerous genetic samplings of species devoted to slaughter through close quarters and hand-to-hand combat, it is literally part of their DNA to fight tooth and nail without restraint. Once combat begins it would be difficult to convince a Devoratrix to stop short of reaching a self-satisfying conclusion (often involving the death of an opposing party, or reaching a stalemate). Older generations were at times provoked by a single drop of blood.
- Energy Vampire - Draining energy from victims is their primary means of sustenance. Food and drink are palatable, but not life-sustaining alone. In order to extract the life force of those targeted one must bite the victim -- even a nip can provide a 'taste.' Consumption of blood is not required. While able to forestall feeding for prolonged periods of time (potentially compromising the ability to regenerate), the temptation remains and grows the longer it has been since the last meal. A Devoratrix may feed off someone without asking permission, and at times may be forced to permanently silence any victim to maintain their cover -- resulting in legal entanglements.
- Thrill Seeker - The older a Devoratrix becomes the more they seek out new experiences. Even just a slight alteration on an otherwise tiresome activity can be enough to provide a measure of entertainment. Some mistake that for being an adrenaline junkie, a hedonist, or enslavement to any other addiction; their physiology often makes genuine addiction difficult, however. This can take many forms, including but not limited to climbing without gear, provoking others to combat, and indulging in some new form of mind altering chemical.
- Over Confidence - Able to survive or heal wounds that might kill creatures of comparable size and physical make, Devoratrix may be reckless in battle. This can go hand-in-hand with Thrill Seeking when engaged in combat. Underestimating the wrong opponent could result in a genuinely fatal wound as even their nature as an Energy Vampire can only withstand so much trauma.
- Genetic Diversity - Because of the genetic sampling Lahmia underwent resulting in the wide array of appearances and attributes of her spawn, there may be strange, unusual, or outright unnecessary characteristics possessed. Some traits include, but are not limited to: extreme size (can't fit through doors), sensitivity to bright light or loud sound, inability to stand upright, inability to form coherent words, and fine motor control (being able to interact with small or fragile objects).
- Loss of Intellect - Monstrous and Demi-Fiend generations ('races') to varying degrees may lack the social graces, sophistication, or even the ability to understand complex subject matters or skills. A natural consequence of the eldest being spawned when Lahmia was more monster than she was sapient 'Human.'
- Diet: Life-force (Energy). Able to ingest food and liquids as an Omnivore, but this does not provide life-sustaining energy.
- Communication: Spoken Language (Devora, Old Basic), Body Language, and Pheromones.
- Technology level: Galactic Standard.
- Religion/Beliefs:
The fittest survive... The Devoratrix believe in being strong physically, mentally, and emotionally; able to survive the strongest or the most cunning of foes. These are not qualities one is born with necessarily, but many come to expect it is every young Devoratrix's destiny. By honing their abilities over the course of their extremely long lives they become the strongest, and seek to maintain the height of their achievement. - The fittest grow weak by complacency... It is one thing to desire to be the best, but it is another to obtain it. Without opponents able to truly push a Devoratrix to their limits and to surpass them, how can they ever hope to retain the height of their achievement? How can they hope to go further? Therefore, they do not seek power for its sake alone, and do not strive to suppress any worthy challengers. Let the enemy grow stronger, and then face the Devoratrix on the field of battle. Genocide is not an option -- except during all out war, and then everything is on the table.
- Do not judge a species on whether it is the fittest today... Pity them, but do not crush them. Those with potential to become something more with time and effort, ensure they do not perish from the lack of basic necessities. Do not shield them from conflict, however -- do not addle their development in a vain attempt to protect them so they can grow, because they will never grow.
- Slaughter those strong in body or in spirit if they challenge you... Those that seek to prove themselves the fittest will seek you out. Meet them in combat. This will test the Devoratrix righteously. There will also be those far beneath you that will demand combat regardless; weigh their resolve, and if it is true you may grant them the glorious death they seek. Others may be inspired by this bloodshed and seek the Devoratrix out later as worthy opponents.
[*]General behavior:
- Meaning of Life - To demonstrate one's worthy by deed not word. A Devoratrix seeks to secure a place for one's own, to hold it, and to annihilate anyone or anything that seeks to take it from them. They strive to surpass their limits and become the strongest possible, while ensuring lifeforms beneath them do not become complacent.
- Rearing of Young - Devoratrix are taught to read, write, and how to assault enemy strongholds as children. They're taught that arrogance is as much the enemy as a beast with razor sharp claws. While much is imparted through verbal or computer-led instruction, practical or field-based education is often seen as far more educational in nature. It would not be unusual for Devoratrix spawn to be found off to one side observing their elders in battle.
- Social Interaction - Competitive. While able to get along and taught the strength in cooperation, there is an undeniable fact that there is only one Sovereign to please or one day surpass. Complacency breeds death, and so while they get along amicably there are ample opportunities to test one another against each other or opponents.
- Mating & Procreation - Because their species came about through a blending of numerous genetic codes, Devoratrix procreate with other species. However, it can be a challenge to locate one compatible -- potentially impossible within the known Galaxy -- and so population growth is not a concern. Mating rituals vary, but often demand a show of strength or ability to survive in a ruthless, merciless, and savage world. Being few in number they cannot afford to adopt weakness into the bloodline. Furthermore, unlike some vampiric species, consumption of Devoratrix blood yields no benefits nor is able to confer any abilities or longevity to the one consuming the blood.
- Xenological Disposition - Their progenitor managed to build a loose Empire of sorts Beyond the Rim despite the anarchy that reigned and the savagery found around every corner. Though it would not be seen as such by a Galactic outsider. From this feat, the Devoratrix view themselves as capable -- not guaranteed -- to be a superior species. One that does not need to rule by crushing all others, but ensuring the rest continue to challenge the Devoratrix bloodline. Complacency brings death, and lacking in worthwhile opponents brings complacency. It is a tenuous balance of maintaining their place at the top while not becoming Nobles as Galactic participants would understand it. Consequentially, they can interact with other species in a social setting; but remain vigilant for signs of weakness or vulnerability that could be exploited later.
The Devoratrix are a species that came about as a result of a spell that Lahmia deWinter developed Beyond the Rim of the galaxy. A ship carrying her and her crew ventured Beyond in the hops of making a name for themselves; her government even began to encourage it as oracles spoke of a coming plague. What they found was a rift or hole in space that carried them to some unknown destination in the universe; their instruments had no way to calculate how far, however. And upon their arrival they found a galaxy of endless battle, where every species and every ounce of technology developed was made for war.
After considerable time struggling to survive, Lahmia managed to create a spell intended to grant her the strength to endure the unrelenting brutality of the realm. By acquiring samples of defeated foes, Lahmia altered her own genetic makeup slowly, bit by bit. Each sample only carried across one or two traits and at times not ones that were expected. In essence, it was a lotto whether the samples would be for good or ill.
Over time Lahmia came to better understand how to acquire far more benefit than detriment from the samples. A measure of control over tinkering with her own DNA. As a result of this on-going manipulation, however, few of her spawn ever shared similar appearances or abilities. This was most easily seen than by comparing pictures of them across the generations.
Their 'culture' or way of life changed gradually changed over the centuries as Lahmia and her spawn became increasingly humanoid in appearance once more. A desire to test their strength in battle, however, never faded; nor did the Energy Vampire desire to feed off the energy of other lifeforms. Neither has been diluted over the many changes and long-life of the longest Devoratrix alive -- Lahmia deWinter herself.
By returning to the Galaxy there exist only a small handful of Devoratrix, who must now find worthy adversaries to test their strength, and prey to feed upon. Else they might go mad from the tenuous 'peace' the known Galaxy holds dear.
