World Of Darkness - Blog Posts

Dance or die

I fell in love with another fic by @ulysses000 and then Spotify provided me with a perfect song. I had to draw them to exorcise that image from my head.

As per tradition - below is my attempt in translation. I want to make complete translation so badly (this is probably one third)! I believe this story deserves more attention. But can some kind English speaker confirm it is readable???

Love this fic specially from WoD perspective, it cultivates such delicious feeling of emptiness. And while technically, it has a happy end, you can not get rid of bitter taste of loss. Their requiem is not life, and there no way back. All is gone!

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Music stops abruptly. The dancefloor is silent, mob looks around in bewilderment. All eyes are focused on a flimsy, dirty stage. There, litten by sophites, stands brunette, cladded in a black robe. Calmly she re-adjusts many necklaces and bracelets, adorning her bosom and wrists. She checks microphone, softly tapping it with elegant finger, nonplussed by screeching sound it makes or the yells thrown her way from down the stage. For a while she silently stares in the drunk faces below, until eventually rowdy voices are reduced to quiet, unhappy mumble in the back rows.

-"What would you like to say, before the end of the world?"

-"Go fuck yourself!" - someone yells back from the crowd. Brunette’s smiles softly. Her blue eyes sparkle. This sight will be their last before headless body collapses to the floor.

View from the stage is absolutely terrific. It reminds of a late spring evening in the mansion by the sea. Bodies sway in panic, almost as grass would in a lush fields. Writings on the wall glitter with red as if they were remnants of the sunset caught in clouds. Screams - voices of seagulls. Sweet aroma that spreads across the room reminds of freshly brewed Irish coffee. Eyes locked on the bright fountains. Droplets shimmer in the air with a multitude of colour. Content. Do not argue with Mother. It is a simple rule every kid should know. Because, no matter how kind, gentle and understanding Mother is, she is not all sweets and praises. She also has an iron glove to treat the unruly child. Anyone who dares to confront her will surely drown in their own blood.

-"Now, dance or die."

Music never heard in this walls engulfs space. Stirring voice of the violin is echoed by screams, cello is perfectly complimented by heart-rending howls. Robin is not at all surprised by this harmony of cries and choir chanting. Clocks have just reached zero and this means, time for celebration has finally come. Perfect night to forge a timeless bond between the beloved child and the dear friend. Trafalgar stands on the stage, as if he always was there. Pity no one minds what is happening in the spotlight. He looks tidier than usual, ceremonial. Shirt, tie, three piece suit, shoes - all in various shades of black, all fitted perfectly. His gaze briefly stops on the couple of cadavers lying by the stage, then moves to the brunette.

-"Playing with food, aren’t we?"

-"Tarao, symbolism never was one of your strengths." - She smiles softly and shakes her head, - "Don’t try to grasp, what is beyond you. Just think of it as a cog in the well oiled machine."

Flowers on wreath along the walls move, as if troubled by the gust of wind, candle lights flicker, and blond man appears by Robin’s side. Sanji fiddles with the hem of his suit anxiously, fixes invisible wrinkles on the bouquet wrap. Trafalgar thought he put more than enough efforts to look decent tonight, however he wouldn’t stand a chance if this was a competition. Sanji's clan has been know for this aura of perfection, but even among his kin - he is special. Where the rest emmit light of the full moon, Sanji’s light would blind you as hot summer sun in zenith. He holds ten white roses - stark contract against his black suit. Pale of petals resonates with pale of the skin, highlights the gold of his hair. Trafalgar cannot possibly look away and no disciplines are to blame for this magic. Little smile slips from under his control “this is beautiful” he thinks.

-"Sorry for being late" - blond tuck one long golden lock behind the ear. Eyes drift towards the dance floor, but do not linger there. Woman chuckles softly - so innocent.

-"I was worried you made your escape."

-"Please, don’t ruin the moment" - gaze of his blue eyes seems to be glued to the wooden planks of the stage, then he looks up, eyes meet with Robin’s.

They nod, almost simultaneously, and only after Sanji musters enough of courage to look to the other man. His gaze shamelessly devours all the minute details he can grasp, it is hard to tell, if he desperately tries to avert attention from the bloodbath on the dance floor, or genuinely admires the sight. Trafalgar thinks he would be happy with both reasonings. Laws lips move soundlessly forming few words. Sanji chuckles and replies in the same manner: “you too, idiot”.

-"Ladies and Gentlemen." - maybe a dozen of eyes flicker back in response to sweet, calm voice of the woman. Short break taken from tormenting the flesh, generously soaked with blood and tears. Bodies contort with the fear for their life. - "Tonight, before the Dark Mother’s eyes, souls of two cursed sons of hers will be united. Every kindred present here shall witness the making of endless, mutual death." - her eyes run across the dance floor, reading the mood of the guests. - "the Vinculum should not be broken. Anyone who dares an attempt to weaken the bond will be hunted by The Circle of the Crone," - she looks for a moment into particularly dark corner - "as well as by our brothers and sisters from Ordo Dracul."

Her gaze shifts to the dark haired man, waiting for him to return the attention.

-"Now you can speak your vows."

Trafalgar makes a step forward, reaches to touch cold pale fingers, swallows heavily before he starts to speak.

-"I, Trafalgar D Water Law, hereby take Vinsmoke Sanji into my Requiem forever." - envelops his hand gently and carefully - "I swear before all that is holy and all that is unholy that we, tonight, seal our fates by bonds of dedication and honor. When my partner is hungry, I will bring food." - Sanji chuckles quite and bright - "When my partner sleeps, I will watch and bear witness upon waking." - He squints, eyes slit, as if targeted by bright lamp. - "When my partner is afraid, I will give comfort, and when my partner is wronged, I will have vengeance." - Cool fingers caress back side of the hand. - "This I swear on the blood, and the flame and the spirit."

In his blue eyes flashing light reflects, candles burning twice as bright with the last spoken words. Law squises cold hand, trying to reassure, give comfort, prevent flashes from setting kindred's mind aflame.

-"I, Vinsmoke Sanji, hereby take Trafalgar D Water Law into my Requiem forever." - his voice sweetest thing that ever touched ears, in both life and un-life, - "I swear before all that is holy and all that is unholy that we, tonight, seal our fates by bonds of dedication and honor." - His fleeting touch playfully skims through tan fingers, icy sensation brings sober clarity and bliss of inebriation at the same time. - "When my partner is hungry, I will bring food." - Law’s smile is barely there. - "When my partner sleeps, I will watch and bear witness upon waking. When my partner is afraid, I will give comfort," - he is the most gentle and kindhearted, so much is obvious in every syllable of every word. - "And when my partner is wronged, I will have vengeance. This I swear on the blood, and the flame and the spirit."

Sanji’s hold on the hand gets firmer as he expects another rise of firy glow to radiate the room. Little girl steps forward from behind the stage, she is silent and obedient. So small, seven years at most, her deep chocolate eyes glazed with indifference, strawberry blond hair braided in two pig tales, white gown hugs fragile figure. She stares ahead absently, woman’s hands leading her by shoulders.

-"Time to make the sacrifice." - hand outstretched to pass the ritual knife. Fingers gently support ragged blade.

Trafalgar feels how kindred’s claws pierce his skin. He might have broken few bones, if older wouldn’t strengthen his grip in response. It is heard for Sanji. This is easily seen, his eyes shift frantically, his lips stripped of smile and crooked. Even his touch feels colder than before. He never have taken the life of a sentient being. Even in death Sanji remained pure, his hands and soul unmarred by murder of mortals. Law knows other is hurting, in his eyes this child is seen as a spit image of the older sister. Trafalgar himself lost in the shattered memories for a moment. Girl reminds his late sister, who died too young too long ago. Despite that he knows he will have enough resolve to put this innocent child to rest, as she obediently waits for her own demise.

This is essential part for the completion of the ritual. Sanji knows it. This is not news, but he can’t keep his long dead heart from burning and spasming disgusted by creeping acceptance. He was the one who proposed marriage. He organized most of the celebration. He thought about it many times, about this particular moment he has to take someone’s life, scenario played in his head on repeat. But it is not something you can be prepared for. This is wedding. They are about to enter mutual un-life, their souls are to be bound for the eternal death, forfeiting innocence, killing personification of their past. Together.

His hand is shaking, but Sanji hides it, only grip on the hilt gets stronger. Her face is gentle and soft, with neat childish features, but her eyes are dead already, trapped under Mother’s hypnotic influence. Embroidery on the gown matches hair colour. She looks like a little princess. Sanji forgets to imitate the leaving, his thorax freezes mid inhale, mechanical movement abandoned. He thought he would be able to do it, to confront the past, to kill for the sake of something new, for the sake of future. But this first step is terrifying. All his being is trapped, Staring in the eyes of the Beast, unable to move. Sanji doesn’t want to lose his humanity, he is afraid to slip, to get comfortable with the idea of supremacy over humans, his own strength, his right to take life. Few months in his death, as soon as fog of newly obtained supernatural powers thinned, allowing him to think clearly again, he made a decision to give his all to keep whatever “human” have left in this damned shell of the body. Once he got accustomed with business run by The Circle of the Crone, he found plenty of friends in each and every city morgues and knew without failure when fresh carcasses were delivered to local butcheries. When ritual required freshly drawn blood he used his own vite with no second thought. And now all workarounds are closed, blocked by unmovable boulders. Only one way ahead.

-"We are both dead. It’s not going to get any worse." His whisper is scolding hot against the skin, it reminds to expand lungs, air forced in with fake inhale. Warm palm touches softly, fingers carefully wrap around the hand that holds the hilt, the touch reassures, hand redirected slightly - outward and up.

-"Beheading is better."

For once Sanji is genuinely grateful that Trafalgar never listens and reads his thoughts at any given moment. -"One." He angles cutting edge . -"Two." Skin is burning hot -"Three." Thud. Mortal dread frozen in the eyes of the dead girl.

_________________________

And song that was a catalyst for all the efforts

Random sketches/memes from my finished VTM campaign go (But mostly it's my nosferatu dirtbag Sparrow)

Treating myself by making some dirtbag Nosferatu dude, as I’m gonna play VtM soon for the first time :^) His name is Sparrow Cutter btw!

finally have a name for this lil (100+ year old) shit (its cosimo)

evil fucked up vampires should get couples counsel- nevermind

new oc for wod :3

World of Darkness

World of Darkness versions of Dancy and Meredith for an april fools gag

has this been done yet

I need to see them in a fight

Top Ten moments before Disaster

Fun time with Babylon and Mercy, The malkavian that she had diablerized.

Mercy stared at the creature before them, the voices in their head practically humming with excitement, whispering things that could, will, won't and can't happen in their head. The creature makes clicking noises as it stares at her.

The grip of the hand around their throat was tight but not suffocating as it seemed to look her up and down almost deciding something, their green eyes dilated as their toothy maw showed itself

Perhaps the moon would finally be unshattered

That Was her last thought before As the razer sharp teeth tear into her throat and drink

Is Robin an imbued hunter?

Ah, a fellow HtR enthusiast I see.

Robin is a bystander. She has supernatural powers although they all come from her True Faith... also Tremere blood. Mostly Tremere blood 🦟

A Priest gargoyle with unproportionally huge hands, my beloved <3

In addition to that post I also have a height chart. Died in the process of drawing so many fullbodies and it's not even all of them :')

Dunno how to present them to my audience to make it entertaining and not too complicated so here's the universal solution:

Memes

Please enjoy!

Icons of my WoD OCs! I'll put some info below, tho it's full of in-game terms 🤡

Blackbird (With-Friends-on-the-Other-Side), Theurge metis garou from Children of Gaia tribe.

Čížek, Sheriff of Darwin, Australia. Mysterious malkavian of unknown generation rumoured to be a survived ravnos antediluvian.

Golden Magpie, Anathema. Polish partizan embraced during WW2, 8th generation nosferatu Autarkis, previous Anarch.

Fénix-Otis Merlo-Ortega, 10th generation gangrel caitiff, shovelhead on the loose who managed to retain his 9 dots in humanity.

Robin, vampire hunter who targets Tremere clan only. De jure a ghoul of one young lasombra antitribu, de facto involved in a complicated slow-burn relationship.

Tiger of the South, Ductus, 9th generation gangrel from Australian Sabbath. Fénix's Sire, although they never met after the embrace.

Diablo, Priest, 6th generation tzimisce diablerist from Australian Sabbath. Follower of Wild Heart path.

Alva, nocker, run away from her parents after Chrysalis. Was picked up by an old samedi vampire who later became her parental figure and probably role model.

If you'd like to hear more about them - my DMs and askbox are always open.

Ps. I'm fairly new to WoD community and wouldn't mind to chat about other WoD characters and stuff 👉👈

From 0 to 10 how scary they is?

Check out their reference under the cut. I'm no gore nor body horror artist tho I won't stop trying to master this skill. At least to me this was a nice attempt compering to what I usually draw. So, what do u think?

Their name' Diablo tho. Australian Sabbath tzimisce at your service.

So proud of this one tbh. Worthy enough to post separately. Artfight attack for @loxanchives and cluttered.sketch on insta.

Progress!

I'm slowly starting to whittle them down to the idea. Well, hopefully, at least. There are always a few hiccups here and there, moreso along the lines of our get togethers being sparse, and either involving full-on socializing with big groups, or plain ol' Magic: the Gathering and spiting Hasbro with the full force of proxies (Take THAT Chris).

But I've got a friend comin' back from living in the -comparitive hellscape- Midwest, and her drive for TTRPG's rivals my own, so backup is on the way. In the meantime, I've been refreshing my Lancer knowledge and writing extensively as part of stress relief.

What's that? The gambling addict? Nope, never heard of him. There's no one of such origins chained in the depths of my basement drafts.

new giant viking age vampire priestess NPC just dropped could tpk the coterie.... 100/10 Sabrina would smash going to finish this later and do a lot more art of her also she doesn't have a clan yet so suggestions welcome

so while i joke about Sabrina calling a oppsie after be manipulated in to killing 6 caitiffs, shes actually really fucked up by it. not only was it the first time she has killed anyone,(knocked vamps in to torpor yes but never killed ) she was manipulated and used as a weapon for someone else's enjoyment, and the fact she could have avoided killing them just by pulling her hits and having more self control. but in this moment hearing the voice of her "farther " be it in her own mind or through sorcery him asking directly, the one thing that would hurts her the most "are you upset because you killed them... or because you enjoyed it?" (hes trying to help.... but is bad at it) and she doesn't know and now its worse so much worse

Sabrina being a little dramatic in her "final form"

"tragic" backstories

who would have thought drawing the key moments of a OC's life when they have a "tragic" backstory would mean you gotta draw the traumatic moments, like i didn't have to make it this bad for them. but no had to be scaring and nightmare inducing for them to build "character" writing it out is one thing (done that a bunch of times ) but having to sit and draw it just hits so much harder for me. but no i had to make a OC who's life got better after dying and becoming a vamp cos no happy well adjusted person likes to be a undead monster apparently

calling this one done

just my 2 vamps having a quite moment, even in a world of darkness you need to make time for a little romance and companionship because if you don't you may as well just be a walking corpse, be it friends or lovers unlife alone will drive all kindred mad eventually

updated with the breakdowns and reasoning for the numbers

RATE YOUR TRAITS [OC]

VTM OC: Sabrina Florence (real name Amelia Belle Drakulya)

Compassion: 7/10 In life she was a back ally doctor and helped everyone she could even those who couldn't afford it and never really lost all of that after being embraced.

Bitterness: 3/10 bitter nah shes loving unlife she knows she is basically a nepo vampire, she doesn't have time to be bitter.

Happiness: 8/10 again loving unlife her mortal life was rough but she pushed through it all to get to where she is, she literally has a homeless to princess story but as a vampire. so yeah the opposite of most other kindred

Politeness: 8/10 there were a bunch of etiquette lessons before dealing with vampire nobility, tho at her core she is still a underground pit fighter.

Chivalry: 10/10 being honorable is how she keeps her beast / predatory instincts in check, being chivalrous is tide pretty strongly in to that

Pride: 9/10 she is Vlad and Wilhelmina adopted and after some flesh crafting biological child and she knows it, she has pride in herself and being a vampire (refuses to even call herself kindred )

Honesty: 9/10 part of her being honorable she hates lying and manipulating people, even using her fake name to get around under the radar of the camarilla makes her feel a little ick

Bravery: 9/10 she is very brave but swings in to overconfidence a bit to often

Recklessness: 7/10 same as above her overconfidence makes her reckless,

Ambition: 7/10 her whole motivation is to get out of her fathers shadow and make a name for herself, tho what she actually wants to do with that she doesn't know, she wants to be recognized but shes kinda lost in the why of it all.

Loyalty: 10/10 her friends and family mean everything to her she has only ever had found family's and holds on to them tight

Love: 7/10 for romantic love shes capable of it and has had feelings that were close to it, she kinda wants it but isn't seeking it out if it happens tho she will fall hard

Sense of Family: 10/10 same as loyalty its the most important thing to her

Attractiveness: 6/10 her appearance is kinda to her irrelevant being a shape shifter and all but she dose always default back to the face and body Vlad and Wilhelmina made for her, even tho its just a little better then average its made in their image and its a gift se refuses to throw away

Agility: 10/10 shes the partys main fighter and shes is fast and agile AF and in her wolf form.. good luck cos most cars cant escape her :P

Sex Drive: 0-100/10 she has full control of her body/ brain chemistry so she turns off or massively cranks up her sex drive at will. (can and will do it to others if they ask ) not tagging anyone but i would love to see more with the breakdowns and reasoning for the numbers, i want to know more about your vamps!

RATE YOUR TRAITS [OC]

VTM OC: Sabrina Florence (real name Amelia Belle Drakulya)

Compassion: 7/10 In life she was a back ally doctor and helped everyone she could even those who couldn't afford it and never really lost all of that after being embraced.

Bitterness: 3/10 bitter nah shes loving unlife she knows she is basically a nepo vampire, she doesn't have time to be bitter.

Happiness: 8/10 again loving unlife her mortal life was rough but she pushed through it all to get to where she is, she literally has a homeless to princess story but as a vampire. so yeah the opposite of most other kindred

Politeness: 8/10 there were a bunch of etiquette lessons before dealing with vampire nobility, tho at her core she is still a underground pit fighter.

Chivalry: 10/10 being honorable is how she keeps her beast / predatory instincts in check, being chivalrous is tide pretty strongly in to that

Pride: 9/10 she is Vlad and Wilhelmina adopted and after some flesh crafting biological child and she knows it, she has pride in herself and being a vampire (refuses to even call herself kindred )

Honesty: 9/10 part of her being honorable she hates lying and manipulating people, even using her fake name to get around under the radar of the camarilla makes her feel a little ick

Bravery: 9/10 she is very brave but swings in to overconfidence a bit to often

Recklessness: 7/10 same as above her overconfidence makes her reckless,

Ambition: 7/10 her whole motivation is to get out of her fathers shadow and make a name for herself, tho what she actually wants to do with that she doesn't know, she wants to be recognized but shes kinda lost in the why of it all.

Loyalty: 10/10 her friends and family mean everything to her she has only ever had found family's and holds on to them tight

Love: 7/10 for romantic love shes capable of it and has had feelings that were close to it, she kinda wants it but isn't seeking it out if it happens tho she will fall hard

Sense of Family: 10/10 same as loyalty its the most important thing to her

Attractiveness: 6/10 her appearance is kinda irrelevant to her being a shape shifter and all but she dose always default back to the face and body Vlad and Wilhelmina made for her, even tho its just a little better then average its made in their image and its a gift se refuses to throw away

Agility: 10/10 shes the partys main fighter and shes is fast and agile AF and in her wolf form.. good luck cos most cars cant escape her :P

Sex Drive: 0-100/10 she has full control of her body/ brain chemistry so she turns off or massively cranks up her sex drive at will. (can and will do it to others if they ask ) not tagging anyone but i would love to see more with the breakdowns and reasoning for the numbers, i want to know more about your vamps!

i wanted to draw Sabrina Protean wolf form again after that last post about it and decided to make it a little christmassy and no one expects the christmas crowbar to the knees swung by a wolf with potance active

posting this art of my VTM v20 tzimisce Sabrina here on my "nsfw" page cos i plan to post some smut of her at some point

its been years since ive done anything with her as the game she was made for fell a part but im running my own VTM game now with my housemates so im bringing her back with a new zulo form and different background and personality re made her sheet for V20 and while its probably not intended Bloodform slime girl is some what plausible with the Promethean Clay merit (and i just wanted to draw it so :P ) also shes basically just a Vampire version of the thing now... shes a "cleaner" for the black hand of the sabat, but spends most of her time working in the back of a club doing tattoos and cosmetic surgery for kindred with body dysphoria using her vicissitude skills (she can even do hair cuts but isn't very good at that ) also just as a aside shes trans, in life she was MTF but after become a kindred and a tzimisce she mastered her own form and the shapeshifting skills of the tzimisce and is now traveling to help others with that skill who would be stuck with the body they were turned with, kinda a wish fulfillment character i don't normally do but its a character motivation ive not seen in WOD befor and one only a tzimisce can do

I can't stress enough how happy I am to see someone with the same type of brain worms that i have

If this sounds good to you then you'd enjoy Vampire: The Masquerade or other WoD content. If you don't have people to play a TTRPG with there's a couple video games. If that doesn't interest you there's peak fiction in the form of a fanmade webseries called Hunter: The Parenting. Watch it. You'll like Kevin.

I know vampirism is often used as a metaphor for the drain of the aristocracy but I think it would be fun to have more vampire characters who were just some guy before they got turned. You seek out the most ancient vampire in existence and find out he was a 40 year old wheat farmer in ancient Mesopotamia when he was turned 7,000 years ago and he hasn’t been doing much since then.

I’m just throwing out five minute sketches now, i should go to sleep.. my old gangrel character from my old larp days. :)