Night-Child Terminology

The terminology commonly used by Notte’s family:

• Amāru: meaning “test,” this is the period of time after being made when the Night-ChildIn a word, vampires. There are two branches of Night-Children, but both stem from Notte, as he was the first. gains control of their Beast and becomes ready to face the world. The length varies unpredictably; some have done years before coming back to themselves, while others (like TerranceOne of Notte’s “first-born,” Terrance is Notte's assassin.) took days.
• Beast: the bloodlust which initially overwhelms a new night child and must be carefully controlled the the rest of their lives.
• Blood Madness: a condition no Night-Child hopes to achieve – when starvation sublimates the self so the Beast becomes all. This leads to complete slaughter and insanity, and usually in the death of the vampire involved. They cannot even feel when they’re injured, and have been known to impale themselves on pikes while trying to reach the owner of undrunk blood.
• Crux: the crucial moment at the end of a Night-Child’s amāru, or test, when they must demonstrate control over their Beast even when presented with tasty humans full of blood.
• Dust, go to dust: conscious disintegration of the vampire’s form into what seems to be motes of dust. In this form, they can travel through barriers and over great distances, and cannot affect or be affected by the physical world.
• Ease: Notte’s term for hypnosis, an ability all Night-Children have. Eye-contact is usually required.
• First-BornThe term used for any vampires Notte created himself.: those Night-Children NotteHe’s one of the oldest living beings among the Mythos. The father of all vampires (or Night-Children, as they’re called),... made himself, making them first-generation. Currently, the surviving number is nine:
  • RavenaA vampire, and Notte’s oldest surviving child (not his first, however). (circa15,000 BC)
  • SiphoOne of Notte's currently living nine "first-born" children - that is, a vampire he made himself. (circa 1500 BC)
  • TahirOne of Notte's currently living nine "first-born" children - that is, a vampire he made himself. He was made approximately... (circa 1000 BC)
  • AdeolaOne of Notte's currently living nine "first-born" children - that is, a vampire he made himself. She was made approximately... (circa 200BC)
  • YuOne of Notte's currently living nine "first-born" children - that is, a vampire he made himself. He was made approximately... (circa 200 AD)
  • EliseOne of Notte's currently living nine "first-born" children - that is, a vampire he made himself. She was made approximately... (circa 500 AD)
  • RoderickOne of Notte's currently living nine "first-born" children - that is, a vampire he made himself. He was made approximately... (circa 1000 AD)
  • Terrance (circa 1450 AD)
  • MarshallOne of Notte's currently living nine "first-born" children - that is, a vampire he made himself. He was made approximately... (circa 1740 AD).
• First-Sleep: The unconscious period after the Gift is given, during which the body and soul undergo mysterious transformation. There is no way to predict how long this will last before they wake and enter the amāru.
• Forged: the connection between maker and child. The maker (who provided their blood and will) forever will feel what their Night-Child feels. It cannot be switched off; yes, it is invasive, but it is part of the price of blood-bought immortality, and Notte ensures all parties understand this going in.
• Gift: The exchange of blood – crucially, accompanied by a force of will – required to transform the Ever-Dying into a Night-Child. The exchange of blood alone is not enough. The Maker has to will the human to survive and to change. Whatever spiritual component ties them together to the Skein, that will is part of it, which means no Night-Child can be made by force… though they can by accident.
• InclusionNotte’s word for the unique and weird magical gifts each of his children has.: Notte’s word, borrowed from the concept of precious gems being uniquely flawed, for the one-off magical abilities his children sometimes manifest.
• Knife, Sword: the chosen assassin and executioner in family line. This is a very taxing position and only given to one person at a time.
• Last-sleep: death for the vampire. When the Tristwch becomes too great, or injury too deep, the Night-Child finally dies. Their bodies go to dust for the last time, and Death takes their souls.
• Made, Make: the process of becoming a vampire.
• Maker: the one has made a new vampire.
• PatronA human being in the business arrangement of willingly supplying blood to a vampire under Notte.: a human who donates blood to Notte’s family by choice, usually compensated very well.
• Skein: The magical connection between all Night-Children, linking them inevitably back to Notte himself. He can feel all of them, all the time, and the eldest can feel each other.
• Tristwch (tris-dou): the deep sorrow which can come upon a Night-Child after too many years alive. This is an exhaustion of self, an inability to see any point to living on, a tiredness and disinterest that often leads to the choice to die. It is a state Notte will do anything to keep his children from, and one of the key reasons he’s so very careful about who is allowed to be made in the first place.
• Viatsa: the first drink of human blood after waking from the First-Sleep, and is essential to the health and eventual sanity of a new Night-Child.
• VotaryOne who is in the process of application to become a Night-Child in Notte’s family.: a human who wants to join Notte’s family and is in the process of application (which can take a while).