Manor Sanguine

"Old Manor Sanguine was set to flame long ago."

- Agatha the Grey  

At a Glance
Manor Sanguine was an ancient Vryloka city renowned as the home of an mysterious medical remedy to plague and disease. Over the years, many desperate travellers ventured to this city in search of this cure, but sometime during the Era of Upheaval the city was set to flame by the decree of Queen Delhalla and its buildings left in a decaying state. Since then, at various times over the year, people have continued to sneak into its ruins for any sign of its mysterious remedies -- unaware of the city's true purpose since its conflagration.

History
Hidden high in the mountains of The Western Peaks, Manor Sanguine was one of the first barbarian villages to arise on the continent. The shamans of the village came to be known for their "blood ministrations", alchemical remedies that had exceptional healing abilities. As these blood ministrations became more popular in curing everyday ailments, the leaders of Manor Sanguine worried that its prevalence was corrupting other aspects of everyday life and ordered its teachings and tomes to be outlawed, banned, and hidden deep in the city's libraries for generations.

During The Scattering, the barbarians and their kin of nearby Mace Cross faced the threat of annihilation by the forces of The Raven Queen. Searching for a means to fight back against the forces of death, the warrior Delhalla turned to her clan's shamans and proposed a taboo solution to stand against The Shadowfell -- convincing the clansmen to dig up these old tomes of blood magic long forgotten, Delhalla commanded the shaman to empower her with their heretical blood magics. Equally desperate for survival, they oblidged, infusing Delhalla with blood ministrations, transforming her into the first Vryloka -- a living vampire. With her added strength Delhalla was unconsumed by the hunger typical of life-drinkers and marched vengefully into battle where, for the first time, the barbarians met the Raven Queen's soldiers on equal terms. The war would eventually subside in a stalemate and Delhalla would go on to unite the barbarians in her new keep - Castle Delhalla. As barbarians flocked to their new capitol, Manor Sanguine stood silent, blasted by hundreds of harsh winters as its shamans delved into the renewed blood magics.

D uring the  Era of Upheaval rumours of the Vryloka's power had passed into everyday legend. Manor Sanguine became  renowned as the home of mysterious medical remedies to plague and disease and over the years many desperate travellers ventured to this city in search of this cure. Without explanation, the city was abandoned overnight and set to flame by the decree of  Queen Delhalla. With its buildings left in a decaying state, the blood shamans were relocated to Castle Delhalla and Manor Sanguine was boarded up.

Age of Adventure
Every 215 years, a clandestine and horrifying ritual would occur at Manor Sanguine. Groups of slaves and prisoners would be captured and marched past the ruins of the city where they, in a carefully orchestrated and theatrical skirmish, would seemingly escape their Vryloka captors and take refuge in the city, believing it to be a safe haven due to the Vryloka superstitious fear of it.

Tricked into thinking the city was a safe haven, these prisoners would sometimes be met by explorers and adventures who would stumble into the ruins as well. Pressed into strong emotional distress by the Vryloka "raids" that would keep them contained, this order would remain until the city would reach a set capacity...

During the Age of Adventure, the city once more reached an appropriate size for "consecration". When it did, a cabal of Vryloka led by Agatha the Grey and Queen Delhalla herself arrived, accompanied by other prominent members such as   Katrina Harkimarr,   Feyd Harkimarr , Conrad Obik, and Lorelai Femcah, known together as "The Hand". Agatha would briefly shunt the "Chosen One and their kin" into a realm between the physical realm and the astral realm that lies within the realm of Hextor. Once there, she would brand the prisoners with an magical sigil, marking those to be sacrificed. Then, thousands of Vryloka, who attend for the sacred "Blood Moon" were allowed to feed on the branded ones, sparking a horrifying battle across the sub realm in which hundreds were slain and devoured.

Legacy
The last survivor, or Chosen One, would be allowed to be reborn as a member of the Hand, the association of Vryloka Blood Shamans who, every 215 years, recruit "New Blood" to keep the competition between Vryloka strong. They provide Delhalla with adequate competition for her throne, and ensure that Vryloka culture remains focused and strong.

Branded individuals who are fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to survive and escape the interstice between the Physical and Astral worlds, would continue to bare their brand for all time. In response to evil, the brand would bleed and cause pain. Around ordinary evil spirits the blood will only trickle out, and the pain would be relatively minimal. Around a Vryloka, the brand would shoot blood out in huge gushes, and the pain inflicted will be truly agonizing. Around a member of The Hand, the pain could supposedly kill the Branded unless they were strong enough.

Religion
Hextor. Shamanistic Blood Magic.

Notable Residents
None.

Political Structure
Abandoned.