Voices of The Deep
◈ A Z U R E ◈
"Prey on the weak and you may survive. Prey on the strong and you will truly live~"
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: To create an exotic species of force hunters rarely seen in the galaxy after their initial extinction
Image Credit: Banished Shadow [X] | Diablo Wiki [X]
Canon: N/A
Links: N/A
Name: Vycan
Designation: Sentient
Origins: Outer Rim
Average Lifespan: 1-50 (Pups) 50-500 (Adolescents) 500-1000 (Adult) 1000+ (Elder)
Estimated Population: Semi-Unique
Description: Distinct Bright Eyes | Pale Skin Colors | Protruding Fangs | Sharp Nails
Breathes: Type I
Average Height of Adults: 6FT - 11FT
Average Length of Adults: Varies
Skin color: Various Pale Colors
Hair color: Varies
Races: Royalbloods | Elderbloods | Direbloods | Blackbloods | Vilebloods
Force Sensitivity: All
DISTINCTIONS
Royalbloods: Royals are considered to be the superior Vycan race. Born as full blooded originals and inheriting the most potent strengths of the species the Royals have overwhelming mental domination of the lesser sub-races and are seen as the ‘Alphas’. While they inherit all of the strengths of the species due to the purity of their line it comes with the weaknesses being that much more severe. Their senses are hypersensitive and they are much easier to exploit despite the strength they possess. But despite all this, Royals are the only one of the races that possess the ‘infectious’ trait and can turn other species into one of their own. Royals can only be created when two Royalbloods reproduce together. But given the mass extinction of the species Royals are thought to no longer exist.
Elderbloods: This subrace of Vycan are the diluted spawn of Royals, often conceived when a Vycan reproduces with another species which results in the potency of their bloodline being ‘corrupted’ and thus creating a child that only possesses half the power that Royals possess but also gaining less severe weaknesses. Their need to feed on others is less overwhelming, sunlight does not ‘hurt’ them nearly as much as it does a Royal, their senses are more muddled and while acute, is nowhere near as hypersensitive as a royal, and they are the only one of the sub races with the distinct ability to not become frenzied when overfeeding or starving themselves. While the thirst can sway them greatly and make them irrational, they don’t become ‘feral’ like the other races. Elderbloods also blend in better with humanoids as they tend to keep the color in their skin.
Direbloods: Direbloods are the successfully changed individuals that were born another species. Those who survive the initial transformation become ‘enhanced’ and gain many of the traits Vycan possess. However, due to them being ‘turned’ Dires only gain a few of the blessings a Royal or Elder have but also inherit all the weaknesses. Dires, when turned, become mentally linked to the Royal that turned them and very easily succumb to the will of their masters even against their will. A small price to pay for the power of the Allfathers. Direbloods also have a reliancy on the master who turned them, often thirsting for the blood of their Royal to keep them from going mad, creating a cycle of power that keeps Dires under control and reliant on their superiors.
Blackbloods: Infected souls that fail to survive the transformation become ‘Blackbloods’. Thrall that lose all sense of self and become corrupted into mindless slaves who obey the will of the Royal that infected them. They have none of the strengths of the species and ALL of the weaknesses in their most potent forms. Their skin burns away in the sunlight, they are hyper vulnerable to fire, and are highly sensitive and frail, Almost sickly. Blackbloods are used as pawns and little else and given the ease of which a blackblood can be made they make for excellent fodder considering most who are bitten don’t have the mental or physical fortitude to survive the full transformation. Blackbloods have many physical traits that make them easy to pick out in a crowd. They are extremely pale, deathly so. Incredibly skinny, slow, exhausted, and unhealthy looking as the Vycan blood introduced into their systems eats away at them slowly. They can feed on others to keep themselves alive but it is a painful existence to do so.
Vilebloods: For the souls who fall to the dark impulses all Vycan must fight against. Vilebloods are the Vycan who fall into the ‘frenzied’ state far too often and end up becoming uncontrollable feral monsters whose only desire is to hunt and kill needlessly. Devouring any sentient lifeform that moves like a rabid animal with no impulse control and no logical thought. Vilebloods often make up the Dires that can’t control themselves, Blackbloods that feed too often, and even Royals that fail to keep themselves fed. Viles are the easiest to distinguish as their skin becomes wrinkled and deformed, their eyes dark and gruesome and their bodies completely corrupted and warped. Hair falling out, teeth becoming mangled and their bones contracting. Becoming full fledged predators whose only desire is to kill and eat~
STRENGTHS & BLESSINGS
Devour
Vycans all possess the base need to feed from the life force of other sentient beings. Driven by a thirst that is never quite quenched which is what pushes a Vycan to hunt as vigorously as they do. With blood as their primary sustenance they have gained the unique ability to feed from the blood of other beings and gain physical strength from the substance. Draining the life force of others to replenish their own which can be used to heal mortal wounds, regenerate wounds, and even fuel the potency of their force sensitivity. Additionally, when feeding from their prey they can ‘collect’ the memories of the victims depending on how much blood is taken. A small amount granting a Vycan the recent memories of their target while bleeding them dry will grant them memories all the way back to their childhoods. Even gaining temporary access and muscle memory from the skills or talents the prey had in life for a short time.
Thrill of the Hunt
The Vycan were often considered the ‘apex predators’ of the galaxy back when they were in their prime before their extinction. The reasoning for this was their enhanced senses which allowed them to hunt their prey with such efficiency that very few ever escaped their hunts. Their eyes are keen, capable of spotting movement from miles away and even visually dilating their eyes to ‘zoom’ in closer and get a closer look, giving them amplified vision at a moments notice. They can also shift the way in which they see the world, having superior night vision and capable of seeing the world in the thermal spectrum. Additionally, their sense of smell is so high that they can track prey over long, vast distances. They can smell individuals based on scent alone and select which scent they wish to follow, they can also smell sickness or illness on sentient beings when up close, allowing them to identify healthy prey for them to hunt. Their sense of hearing is just as advanced, their ears acting almost as sonar dishes which allows them to hear the heartbeat of their prey even behind obstructions. With these three senses and their instinctual ability to track and locate their prey made them one of the most fearsome and deadliest predators to ever travel the stars. 
Infectious
A trait shared by every race of the Vycan is the biological ability to produce an extremely toxic venom inside unique sacs within the mouth that they can push through very small holes within their fangs. This venom however must be constantly replenished as the holes that inject the venom can also be used to pull in blood that they are stealing from their victims which refills the ‘vial’ and mixes with the special substance which creates the venom. Once injected into a sentient beings bloodstream the venom causes extremely agonizing pain and completely muddles the mind as the senses are corrupted. Symptoms vary from species to species, but common displays are blurry vision, ringing deafens the ears the sense of touch is sometimes amplified to be extremely sensitive to pain as the venom spreads throughout the bloodstream. A Royalbloods bite however has a slightly different effect however. If bitten by a Royal their fangs can not only inject the venom, but a small portion of their own blood as well which is naturally mixed with the Venom. But when a royal injects a humanoid with said substance it can randomly trigger a mysterious, biological breakdown of the victims DNA and restructures it after the new DNA introduced into the blood. Corrupting the body and twisting it until the transformation is complete. This process is extremely painful and very few survive such an injection, but to those that survive they come out the other side as either a Direblood or a Blackblood. Royals can inject other species and rewrite their DNA to become a fellow Vycan. The more humanoid the species, the more likely the success of the transformation. Additionally, once a species is turned they lose all previous racial abilities once possessed. For example, if a Epicanthix is turned they will lose the genetic trait that grants them immunity to mind tricks. While a newly turned Vycan possesses many of the abilities of the species they will never be quite as powerful as a full blooded Vycan, but will still gain the abilities and weaknesses associated with them which tends to be a lot better than what they may have had as a simple human. Other species that a Royal attempts to turn sometimes turn out problematic. The further away they are from being ‘humanoid’ the higher the chance of failure. Infecting Wookies, Hutts, or Cathar tends to be a gamble that doesn't always work out to well. Once an individual is turned there is still a chance they can return to their original forms by engaging in constant blood transfusions mixed with herbal remedies that Vycans are intolerant towards which can cause the Vycan DNA to fizzle away and leave the victim as whatever species they were born as.
Blood of the Beast
Vycans possess highly enhanced physical strengths to aid in their hunts. Most Vycan are physically superior to other humanoid races, their raw strength surpassing that of wookies when they are healthy and well fed. Ripping apart droids with their bare hands and completely dismembering their prey with nothing else but their physical might. Their reflexes are beyond human, capable of snatching flies out of the air with pinpoint precision and react to oncoming threats quickly with enough practice. The greatest benefit they have however is their enhanced speed, fully capable of outrunning speeders when at full sprint, although running at such high speeds drains them rather quickly especially if exposed to heavy sunlight. Resulting in burnout and fatigue after only a couple of minutes of running at their fastest. Because of these traits Vycans are highly durable, capable of shrugging off blaster fire and rather gruesome wounds with relative ease due to their high pain tolerance so long as the wound itself is not fatal or damage anything major.
WEAKNESSES & DRAWBACKS
Bloodborn
The Vycan are an extremely exotic species in the galaxy and as a result there have been those who have ‘attempted’ to create clones of a Vycan or even Sith Spawn from the species. All recorded attempts have failed miserably for largely unknown reasons. It is suspected that Vycan have a defect in their blood which prevents their genetic code from being ‘copied’ into anything not born purely from another Vycan. Additionally, hybridization is impossible. A Vycans blood is so potent and devouring that even if a simple human and a Vycan were to reproduce together the child will always, one hundred percent come out as a Vycan. Hybrids among this species of Apex Predators do not exist and their DNA is impossible to tamper with, making the species a ‘all or nothing’ kind of thing. 
The First Curse
Due to the origin of their creation under a dark force nexus the genetic line within Vycans became corrupted by the dark side, saturating their blood so much that they became bi products of the dark side of the force. As a result Vycans have a severe vulnerability to Force Light and other Light Sided offensive abilities that can damage them. Upon being struck with such an ability or weapon the pain felt is so extreme it can often kill a Vycan outright or at the very least completely cripple them. Weapons imbued with the Light Side of the force as well as abilities similar to Force Light are some of the only weapons that can cause extreme pain and agony to a Vycan. 
Radiant Dawn
Vycan are severely sensitive to sunlight and solar energy. While in the presence of the sun their skin does not ‘burn’ but they become increasingly exhausted in the daylight and fatigue extremely quickly. Their minds are dazed, their senses foggy and their bodies sluggish when forced to be active during the day. And while their bodies don’t react to severely to sunlight their skin is highly sensitive to highly concentrated UV rays which can burn their skin in the same way fire burns a human's flesh. Furthermore, a Vycans eyes are sensitive to ‘all’ forms of vibrant light which can be used to blind them in certain situations. 
Lust for Blood
These creatures of the night are completely ‘driven’ by their desire to hunt and feed from sentient beings due to their corrupted biology which forces them to drink the blood of others. This lust however causes them more trouble than it's worth. If a Vycan fails to feed for longer than three days (depending on the race) they go into a ravenous hunter that consumes them. Forcing them into a ‘feral’ state and turning an individual into a wild animal for long periods of time as they try to hunt and kill anything that moves. Unable to distinguish friend from foe. This feral state can also be reached if a Vycan feeds too often and too quickly which makes them frenzied as well. Not only that, but drinking from the blood of someone who is ill or perhaps infected with a sickness will make a Vycan deathly ill, their bodies unable to properly fight off the effects ‘dirty blood’ has on their immune systems. Drinking ‘dirty blood’ causes a number of effects such as nausea, causing the body to become weak and frail, dizziness, coughing, and occasional blackouts. 
Silver Lance
Vycans possess a mysterious vulnerability to the metal silver for reasons that are unknown. Not even Vycan themselves quite understand why but it is suspected that there is a mineral within the substance that causes a Vycan to have a severe allergic reaction which causes their enhanced senses to go into complete shutdown. Their eyesight becomes about as good as a bats and their hearing becomes so muddled that they can barely hear their own footsteps. Their sense of smell is completely lost as well, essentially making even the strongest of Vycan blind, deaf, and dumb. There are antidotes to this allergy but it is not commonly found in the world. It comes from a flower that grows naturally on their planet, known to Vycan as a ‘Lunar Flower’ which blooms only during full moons.
Corrupt Senses
Probably the greatest gift a Vycan possesses can also be used by their enemies as a powerful weapon to those cunning enough to exploit them. Their sense of smell is so high that anything with an overwhelmingly foul scent can be used to throw a Vycan off a trail or daze them, making them nauseous and unwilling to breathe in. For their eyesight any kind of extremely bright light can blind them and their sense of hearing is vulnerable to severely loud high pitch noises which can cripple a Vycan and force them to retreat and regroup. The usage of garlic seems to be an especially potent repellant to a Vycan as it stings their scent receptors rather painfully.
CULTURE & BELIEFS
Diet: Blood (Main Food Source) | Carnivore (Healthy) | Herbivore (Basically as healthy as Candy)
Communication: Spoken Language & Body Language
Technology level: (Varies)
Allfathers: The first god and the spirit all Vycan worship and prey to. The Allfathers are great hunters depicted as bipedal or sometimes ghostly canines in the shape of vicious wolves. The Allfathers are believed to have granted their blessings to the first Vycan, a young woman who would later go on to become a deity herself. The Allfathers however have the most praise in Vycan society by far, often being prayed to before, during, and after a hunt.
Bloodmother: Akasha, the first ‘Royalblood’ and the mother of all future Vycans. She is often considered the ‘maternal’ figure in Vycan religion. While the Allfathers are prayed to during a hunt which is the main focus of Vycan society, Akasha is prayed to for almost every other facet of life. Prayer before meals, thanking her for a bountiful feast. Before bed, thanking her for the blessings she has passed to them, and even praying to her when baring children so that one's offspring may be blessed with the might of a true hunter.
The Old Hunters: Written into the very blood of every Vycan is the code in which The Old Hunters perfected and passed onto future generations. The Old Hunters were some of the original Royalbloods who practically wrote the guidelines that every Vycan follows to this very day. The original clan were known only as ‘The Valentines’ and are thought to still linger in the galaxy as ghostly wraiths, still hungering for a proper hunt and quench a thirst that can never be satisfied. The Old Ones are told to younger Vycan as horror stories to scare children into being proper hunters and not to dishonor the legacy left behind. Otherwise, The Old Ones will steal the spirit of said offender and lock it within a dark cage, which to a Vycan is a fate worse than death.
GENERAL BEHAVIOR
With their entire society based around this ritualistic hunting of the galaxies most dangerous subjects the Vycan have created into guidelines, honor codes, weapons and ways of life dedicated to The Great Hunt. Courting is based entirely on a Vycans ability to hunt and how many kills they have under their belt. There is no gender discrimination in Vycan culture but any individual with a pitiful amount of kills or lacking the skills or honor of a true hunter aren’t even considered for mating. Females have no interest in a male without weight to his name and males are rarely interested in soft females without any rep of their own. This tends to thin out the herd and create a culture where only the strong carry the bloodline.
The Vycan even have ranks dedicated to the titles and reputation other Vycan might gain in the course of their life. Un-blooded Vycan are young ‘children’ in the eyes of experienced Vycan. Those who have yet to even complete basic training and have their first hunt and devour their very first kill. Un-blooded are commonly avoided by other Vycan and aren’t even glanced at as candidates for potential mates.
The top of the food chain are known only as ‘Blooded’, elite individuals who have been known to not only kill vicious and powerful prey, but relish the chance to do so again and again. Blooded Vycans are the cream of the crop and emboy what it means to be an Apex Predator dedicated to The Great Hunt. Blooded, in Vycan culture always get first mating rights and are permitted to choose who they wish to bare children with. Young Bloods and even Un-blooded Vycans aspire to become a true Vycan like these individuals.
Additionally, despite the savagery in which a Vycan goes about their everyday lives they do adhere to a rather simple code of honor and morality laid down by the Valentine Clan. For example, Vycans who consider themselves ‘true hunters’ should never seek prey that is physically or mentally impaired, terminally ill, elderly, or weak to hunt as it is considered incredibly rude and ‘bad manners’. Vycan are taught to even spare mothers as to not doom the children they have, so unless they are physically threatened rarely will a Vycan ever bring unprovoked harm to someone who does not deserve it. Those who do are often banished from their Clan or executed by the Royalbloods as to not bring shame to the Allfathers.
Vycans also possess a sense of honor. Even if going against worthy prey they would never make the final blow against prey that has been unfairly attacked by someone else. Believing it to be ‘unfair’ to the prey and sometimes calling the hunt off entirely if someone else interferers. And while on that note, Vycan are taught never to meddle in the hunt of another Vycan. Doing so can result in severe punishment if a Vycan steals the kill of another hunter. And while Vycans have been known to hunt in groups or entire clans, most opt to hunt solo and keep the glory of a good hunt for themselves.
Survivors of the hunt are shown great respect by Vycans. Individuals who fight back and kill a Vycan or escape the hunt are considered truly exceptional and are sometimes given a gift or trophy from either the Vycan they defeated or a relative/clan member that they were close to (if the Vycan is killed by the prey). Survivors are often the ideal candidates for being turned into Vycans by the Royalbloods as a ‘Rite of Passage’ from outside species. They are put through a blood ritual, made into Vycan, and start out as Un-blooded hunters being taught the culture of their people similar to Mandolorians.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
They are believed to originally have been a tribal species that remained planetary for most of their existence until their home world was occupied by others. After the occupation they seemed to evolve to become more intelligent and familiar with technology and one of the many Clans pushed the species into a more ‘modern’ image. That clan being the ‘Valentine Clan’. With this new mask of civilization the Vycan began to push the boundaries of their way of life, fleeing to the stars to find greater prey in which they could hunt in the name of their Allfathers.
Much of this however is shrouded in layers of mystery and rumors which vary depending on who is doing the whispering. Fact is no one is really sure how the Vycan came to be what they were, only that they were a species completely obsessed with violence. The Culture that surrounded the species was a simple one, basing their entire lives around the hunting and slaughtering of worthy opponents all across the stars. Needless to say over the many hundreds of years the species became a problem for the galaxy. Opting to hunt powerful force sensitives within The Sith Collective, The Jedi Order, and even enjoying the killing of Mandolorians back when they were in their prime. Wookies, monstrous beast, if it provided a challenge then they were targeted just for the sport. The Sith Empire even attempted to tame the beasts, using them specifically for hunting Jedi and The Siths enemies back during the great conflicts between the two factions.
This however did not last long. Vycans have a base instinct that is far more powerful than any brainwashing or training that can be forced upon them. The ‘need’ to hunt, kill, and devour only the healthiest and strongest of beings is something written into their very plasma and the Sith that found themselves trying to shape that for their own gain quickly discovered that sometimes, animals just can’t be reasoned with. And in the end that is what caused the Vycans tragic downfall. Their brutality, their savagery, their unwillingness to align themselves with any ‘larger goal’ and their constant hunting and violent slaughtering of others caused great animosity towards them. They were becoming a threat that needed to be dealt with and their annihilation came swiftly afterwards. Their species was ruthlessly hunted by entire nations, empires, and factions. Every trace of Vycan on every planet that could be found in every rim were slaughtered. Bounties were put on the species head, assassins were sent, armies invaded the worlds they populated and in the end the Vycan thread fizzled out after nearly fifty years of complete genocide.
To this day, the species is thought to be only a myth. Mere legend and folklore, the scary stories told to children before bed. ‘Eat your veggies of the Vycans will get ya!’~
But...sadly, they are largely forgotten. Those who do remember them only remember the blood that was spilled by their fangs and believe they are better off gone. Most people don’t know about them, or think they are just stories.
However, it does make one wonder...what would happen if a small handful of these vicious creatures survived the slaughter? What if they remained hidden for all this time, waiting for the right time to begin their hunt again? What if...they weren’t truly extinct?
Its an interesting thought...but there is no way any Vycans survived the genocide~
Right?
