Shift Fantasy AU - Base Lore
I'm not going to detail everything here rn because there's a lot of irrelevant minituae, and things that are kind of weird and IDK if I want to keep it, and just. Look there's a lot of it. So I'm just going to outline the things that are really important to what's going on in the AU. Might fill this in fully later idk
Vampires and Werewolves as Counterparts
Since vampires and werewolves originated from a feud between sibling/twin gods, they are closely related, if not always directly mirroring each other. Both sire new members via the introduction of bodily fluid - saliva for werewolves, "blood" for vampires - and both are vulnerable to faith-based magics (although the exact degree varies both within and when comparing the groups). Both groups also have the ability to shapeshift into animals; shifted vampires are, of course, not particularly more dangerous than any other wild animal of their kind, and werewolves may not strictly be in control while shifted, but the similarity persists nevertheless.
One oft-overlooked trait; while the blood of werewolves and vampires are both magical and carry many effects upon consumption, they are much more potent and strengthening when consumed by the opposing being. Indeed, there are forms of werewolf that physically could not exist without having consumed vampire "blood".
Vampire Notes
Why do you keep putting "blood" in quote marks
Vampire blood isn't so much blood as condensed magic running a good imitation of blood. Several forms have "blood" that appears not much like human blood, anyway. I think this makes ethically sourced vampire "blood" vegan? But I'm not sure. I'm not vegan.
If vampires need to get their "blood" into someone's system, how do they turn people by accident?
Vampire "blood" is incredibly potent - aerosolised "blood" inhaled during a struggle can sometimes be enough to turn someone. Thus, any injury a vampire sustains is a turning risk - and people don't tend to like being snacked on! They wriggle! They scratch! Sometimes they bite back!
Generally, accidental turnings are from weaker vampires who aren't so damage resistant as their stronger counterparts, but these weaker stages can still last for centuries. Besides, even more powerful vampires are fairly likely to sire if they attack someone who manages to nick them with a faith-enhanced object or something. A lot of vampires get pretty careless, though, or just don't care that they're creating more of themselves - which can come back to bite them in the butt when their spawn resurrects, pissed off and supernatural.
What sort of magic do vampires have, exactly?
It tends to vary between type, but illusory magic, physic magic, glamours/shapeshifting, or general "fuck physics" are pretty common. Rarely, if a vampire had an affinity for more elemental magics in life, they might display these even in undeath.
Werewolf Notes
How can a person not know how they got turned by a bloody werewolf
Werewolf saliva, while less potent off the full moon, can build up in the body and will lie dormant until someone sustains a near-fatal injury, at which point it will kick in to transform in an attempt to preserve their life. The bodily saliva contents resets after each full moon, but that still leaves a month to acquire it from all sorts of sources.
In addition, werewolf bites are painless (though they do produce sensation, which makes them strange and kind of wet). This is not only a fun way to not notice you've been bitten on-moon, but also a fun way not to notice off-moon.
Thus, a short list of ways to accidentally get werewolf saliva in your system:
- Saw a weird dog out at the bins that snapped at the ankles
- Everyone else in the house is a werewolf and it's hayfever season and none of them are covering their sneezes properly
- Drank out of someone else's mug
- Licked on an injury by a rogue five-year-old
- Too much time spent around someone who spits when they talk
- Attacked by werewolf in the forest, too busy running away to notice they bit you on the butt
- Too enthusiastic kissing
- Too enthusiastic biting
- Look if you're going to have relations with a werewolf maybe just accept that if you get hurt you're also going wolf
- Unpleasant TikTok trends