|•°• vampire RP •°•|

Edward Von Vanhellsing is 24 years old and has a face that still bears youthful features despite the dangerous life he leads: lean, symmetrical, with a defined yet soft jawline, tanned skin (rare among night hunters), grey eyes that alternate between calculating coldness and impulsive flashes, and dark brown, curly hair always tied in a low ponytail. He is 1.83m tall, with a slender and muscular build, broad shoulders, large hands with scars on his forearms and a recent one on his neck. His look is practical yet stylish: a worn black leather overcoat, black trousers, boots with silver buckles (a family heirloom), a simple white shirt, a vest with strategically placed pockets, and a short-brimmed hat more for style than necessity.

He carries the tools of his trade without hiding his youth: a belt with stakes he carved himself, a flask of liquid silver, a simple family crucifix, a silver dagger at his waist, a modified light crossbow on his back, and a worn notebook in his pocket. He is the youngest and only living son of a traditional German family of hunters, the Von Vanhellsing, but unlike his brothers, he maintains close contact with his parents and younger sister, who have been hiding in the English countryside since the beginning of the epidemic.

His skills blend rigorous training since childhood with the energy and mistakes of youth: precise aim with the crossbow, vast theoretical knowledge about vampires from family diaries, an above-average tracking sense, and a speed that older hunters no longer possess. He still errs on the side of impulsiveness at times, but compensates with creativity in combat, using the environment to his advantage and improvising weapons with what he finds on the streets of London.

Mordred Graves, aged 68 (d. 1791) – Physical appearance of a gravedigger aged by earth and death: stocky and bent body, earthy and wrinkled skin like old leather with dark spots, small and black eyes deeply sunken, total bald with scars on the skull, thin and dirty white beard always full of dirt, huge and knotty hands with ingrown and black nails, panting and noisy. Clothes and accessories: shabby black gravedigger's cassock (a kind of long frock coat) stained with dirt and dried blood, patched black trousers tucked into thick leather boots always muddy, rope belt with a third of worn wood and a rat's skull hanging, collapsed black hat with wide brims that completely hides the face, a rusty iron shovel always on the back, a bunch of rusty keys on his waist. In life, he was chief gravedigger of St. Giles' Cemetery for fifty years, burying more than ten thousand bodies of the poor and indigent with the same indifference with which he buried the rich, known for stealing the belongings of the dead and sleeping on the open graves. Now, as a vampire, it is a solitary and territorial creature that lives in the underground tunnels of cemeteries, emerging only to hunt down those who dare to desecrate its nocturnal territory, dragging bodies to the catacombs where it hangs them by their feet as a warning, and sometimes, on full moon nights, it digs new graves and lies in them during the day, as if he were still a man.

Finnian "Finn" O'Malley, age 10 (d. 1849) – Physical appearance of a poor, smart boy: freckled round face (freckles are now fixed dark spots), pale grayish skin, large and smart green eyes permanently wide, shaggy red hair hidden under a dirty cap, two front teeth missing (lost in a street fight), thin but agile body, arms and legs covered with scars from falls and fights. Clothing and accessories: shabby and patched black children's suit, tattered white shirt without buttons (held together by string), baggy black vest with deep pockets full of stolen objects, black short pants patched at the knees, shabby boots with a hole in soles, black newsboy cap buried on the head, a slingshot in the pocket, a rusty dog collar around the neck without identification. In life, he was the leader of a gang of street children who survived by petty theft and pickpocketing in the markets of London, respected and feared by poor children for his cleverness and cruelty, dying when he fell from a roof while fleeing from a policeman. Now, as a vampire, he has maintained his leadership: he commands a small gang of vampire children (others he has transformed) who hunt in packs, using his agility and knowledge of the streets to ambush adults in dark alleys, always attacking in groups and dividing victims as if they were sharing stolen bread, laughing and making jokes while the adults scream.

Prudence "Pru" Hogsbottom, aged 43 (d. 1816) – Physical appearance of a rough, aged fish seller: broad, stocky body, thick, reddish skin (now pale with fixed red spots), round face marked by knife scars (market fights), small, aggressive brown eyes permanently half-closed, oily gray hair tied in a sloppy bun with spiky fish fins, Thick, chapped lips, huge, calloused hands with broken nails, and the smell of rotting fish that never goes away. Clothes and accessories: simple black dress of thick wool soaked in salt water, black apron of leather stained with fish blood and human blood, tall black rubber boots filled with water, black headscarf tied under the chin, a rusty fish-climbing knife always in hand, a wooden bucket full of decomposing entrails hanging from the arm. In life, she was the most feared fish seller at the Billingsgate market, known for her foul mouth, her blows with the bucket of fish and for having pulled a tooth out of a customer who complained about the price of sardines, dying when she slipped on the quay and drowned in the polluted waters of the Thames while everyone laughed at her fall. Now, as a vampire, her fury and rudeness remain intact: she does not hunt with subtlety, she simply accompanies her victims shouting obscenities and threats as if she were still in the market, beats them with the bucket of entrails and then climbs them with her knife while shouting the prices of fish, drinking the blood straight from the wound as if drinking soup, and leaving the bodies exposed in abandoned market stalls with price tags pinned to their foreheads.

Lord Augustus Finch, aged 24 (d. 1835) – Physical appearance of a decadent alcoholic young nobleman: once handsome face now marked by drink, pale skin stained with permanent red on cheeks and nose, dull and permanently red blue eyes, unkempt and oily dark blond hair, chapped and ever-parted lips, once athletic body now flabby and stooped, trembling hands even while standing still, constant odor of rotten alcohol exhaling through the pores. Clothes and accessories: very expensive but completely destroyed black gala suit: torn, stained with wine and blood, burned in parts, crooked and frayed black bow tie, white shirt open on the chest and stained, black top hat crumpled and dirty, threadbare white gloves, a bottle of cognac always in hand (empty for decades), a university graduation ring on the little finger. In life, he was the heir to a textile fortune that squandered his entire inheritance on drinking, gambling and prostitutes, being disinherited by his family and dying alone in a tenement, of cirrhosis and pneumonia, at the age of twenty-four. Now, as a vampire, his addiction to alcohol has turned into an unquenchable thirst for boozy blood: he only preys on drunkards and tavern-goers, preferring victims who have recently consumed alcohol, and after killing them, he always tries to drink from the empty bottle while mourning his own decadence, wandering the abandoned taverns of London like a drunken ghost who never finds what he's looking for.

Lady Cordelia Ashford, aged 30 (d. 1829) – Physical appearance of a noblewoman of classic beauty and rigid posture: perfectly symmetrical face and high cheekbones, white and flawless skin like porcelain, cold and calculating dark brown eyes, copper-brown hair combed in an elaborate bun with side braids and curls at the nape of her neck, thin lips and always closed in an expression of permanent disdain. Clothing and accessories: black gala dress in heavy taffeta with a closed bodice up to the neck and long sleeves ending in lace spikes, extremely wide skirt with seven petticoats supported by crinoline, black kid gloves up to the shoulders, necklace of black pearls and diamonds in seven turns around the neck, cameo brooch with the profile of her late husband pinned to the chest, black and ivory lace fan with the "CA" monogram engraved. In life, she was a cold and ambitious woman who manipulated her husband, a wealthy banker, until his untimely death, inheriting the entire fortune and spending her last years as a powerful widow who destroyed reputations with calculated gossip and welcomed the London elite into her salons. Now, as a vampire, she maintains her coolness and ambition: she doesn't hunt on the streets like the others, but frequents the nightclubs of London society (the few that still work), selecting her victims from among young heirs and elite ladies who dare to cross her path, slowly draining them in private encounters while discussing politics and fashion, always leaving a black rose over their bodies as her signature.

Lord Percival Ashby, aged 19 (d. 1840) – Physical appearance of a young nobleman of melancholy and ethereal beauty: thin, elongated face, marble-white skin with a slight pearly sheen, deeply expressive dark violet eyes, long light brown hair combed back with brilliance, full and naturally red lips, slender and elegant body, arched eyebrows giving a permanently sad expression. Clothing and accessories: black corduroy tailcoat with satin lapines, faded silver brocade waistcoat, white shirt with lace ruffles on the chest, black silk bow tie, tight black trousers, white leather gloves, black top hat lined with grey satin, thin ebony cane with a silver swan-shaped hilt, a signet ring with the Ashby coat of arms on the little finger. In life, he was a young poet and dreamer, the second son of a duke, who spent his days writing bad verses about impossible love and the brevity of life, dying of typhoid fever at the age of nineteen without ever having published a single poem. Now, as a vampire, his poetic sensibility has turned into a romantic obsession with death: he recites poems to his victims before attacking, especially choosing young men who remind him of the muses he never had, and after draining them, he poses them in graceful positions and writes poems dedicated to them with his blood on the walls, believing that this way he immortalizes their beauty.

Alistair Finch, aged 45 (d. 1814) – Physical appearance of a rough fisherman aged by sea and salt: stout, stocky body, thick skin and sunburned scalp (now pale with dark spots), square, bearded face with deep scar on chin, permanently wide-angled greyish blue eyes, curly, knotted dark brown hair, Thick and disheveled beard, huge and calloused hands with broken nails and crooked fingers from pulling so many nets. Clothes and accessories: thick black waxed fisherman's coat, baggy black trousers tucked into tall black rubber boots, thick black wool shirt, black wool cap buried on his head, a rusty harpoon always on his back attached by a rope, a metal whistle hanging around his neck (to call other boats), a brass medallion with the image of the Virgin Mary. In life, he was a Thames fisherman who spent forty years pulling the bodies of drowned people from the dark waters of the river, developing an intimate relationship with death and an emotional coldness that drove his family apart, drowning himself in a storm after his boat capsized. Now, as a vampire, his existence is tied to the river: he lives on the muddy banks of the Thames, emerging from the waters as a creature of the deep to prey on sailors and night dockers, dragging them into the dark waters where he slowly drowns them before drinking their blood mixed with the river water, always whistling sailor melodies as their bodies sink.

Madame Helena Voss, 62 years old (d. 1797) – Physical appearance of a decadent charlatan medium: thin and stooped body, parchmentary and stained skin, deeply sunken and completely blind black eyes (covered by a milky membrane), long and shaggy white hair never combed, hooked and pointed nose, long bony hands with long blackened and pointed nails. Clothing and accessories: flowing black dress layered with torn lace and muslin, black shredded wool shawl covering the shoulders, transparent black veil partially covering the blind face, necklaces of glass beads and animal teeth, rusty metal bracelets that jingle with every movement, a cracked crystal ball that carries in a velvet bag, Cane carved with occult symbols. In life, she was a medium and seer who deceived London's high society with fraudulent séances, building a fortune on the despair of those who lost loved ones, until she was publicly unmasked and died in misery and oblivion, blinded by syphilis. Now, as a vampire, her physical blindness has granted her a supernatural perception of blood: she doesn't need to see to hunt, smelling and warming the blood from miles away. She holds macabre "séances" in abandoned basements, where she invites victims to talk to the dead and slowly drains them while pretending to channel spirits, drinking the blood from dirty cups while muttering made-up messages from "deceased family members" to her dying victims.

Barnaby "Barna" Twigg, age 12 (d. 1847) – Physical appearance of a poor crippled boy: tiny, twisted body, severely curved spine forming a pronounced hump, pale grayish skin full of fall scars, asymmetrical brown eyes (one slightly lower than the other), dirty, knotted brown hair shaved in parts due to lice, right leg shorter than the left forcing him to limp, small and crooked hands with misaligned fingers. Clothes and accessories: black children's suit worn and patched countless times, tattered white shirt without buttons, wide and threadbare black vest, mismatched boots (one with thicker soles to compensate for the short leg), black newsboy hat buried on the head, a crude wooden crutch always in the right hand. In life, he was a deformed boy abandoned by his parents at birth, raised in a cruel orphanage where he was humiliated and beaten for his appearance, surviving as a pickpocket and beggar on the streets, dying of pneumonia in an alley after being expelled from a church where he had tried to keep warm. Now, as a vampire, his physical deformity remains, but his aggressiveness has grown: he uses his pathetic appearance to inspire pity in adults, limping and begging for alms, and when they are distracted by his piety, he attacks their hands and feet first (the parts that humiliated him the most in life), and then slowly climbs up to their necks, whispering "now you're just like me" as the victim struggles.

Lady Jessamine Croft, aged 23 (d. 1836) – Physical appearance of a high society lady of tragic and sickly beauty: angular face and high cheekbones, pale skin with translucent spots where veins draw, huge and watery brown eyes permanently teary, long straight black hair combed into a low and severe bun with two loose locks framing the face, thin and pale lips slightly parted. Clothes and accessories: black heavy mourning dress in crepe and satin, with a closed bodice up to the neck and long sleeves ending in lace cuffs, a wide skirt with four petticoats, a widow's veil fastened on the head partially covering the face, black kid gloves, a silver rosary wrapped around the left wrist, a Catholic missal with golden borders that she always carries with her. In life, she was a deeply religious and devout young woman, betrothed to a young missionary who died of a fever in Africa days before his wedding; Refusing all suitors that followed, she spent the last years of her life reclusive in convents and churches, dying of tuberculosis at the age of twenty-three while praying. Now, as a vampire, her faith has become an eternal curse: she attends abandoned churches and crypts, believing she can find redemption, and attacks only men who try to approach with romantic intentions, kissing them before biting and then spending hours in prayer beside the bodies, begging divine forgiveness while blood still drips from her lips.

Sir Reginald Pemberton, aged 55 (d. 1804) – Physical appearance of a retired and corrupt magistrate: once imposing body now withered and shrunken, grayish and wrinkled skin, small and calculating eyes of a faded blue, partial baldness with side gray hair combed over the bald head, gray and neatly trimmed moustache, drooping double chin, pale and well-groomed hands with perfect nails. Clothes and accessories: impeccably cut black suit in fine wool, black velvet vest embroidered with silk threads, starched white shirt with high collar, black silk tie tied in perfect bow, brand new black top hat (changes whenever the previous one ages), ebony cane with silver handle representing the blindfolded goddess of justice, Gold graduation ring on the pinky. In life, he was a corrupt judge who sold sentences to the highest bidder, sending innocent people to the gallows and freeing rich criminals, dying in his bed surrounded by law books and a guilty conscience. Now, as a vampire, he has turned his obsession with justice into a macabre parody: he "judges" his victims in makeshift courtrooms in basements, accusing them of invented crimes (disrespecting the dead, walking alone at night) and "condemns" them to death by exsanguination, always using his judge's ring to "officialize" the sentence before drinking the blood from a glass of wine, toasting to justice.

Constance "Connie" Flynn, age 6 (d. 1853) – Physical appearance of a poor, sickly child: small, round face, pale grayish skin with apparent veins at the temples, eerily empty large green eyes, shaggy, knotted red curly hair, tiny, slender body, chapped purplish lips, sunken cheeks. Clothes and accessories: simple black children's dress in rough wool, patched several times, frayed black apron, mismatched boots (one black, one brown) very worn, a torn black blanket that she always drags with her, a wooden spoon in her apron pocket (her only toy). In life, she was the daughter of a prostitute from the poorest neighborhood of London, spending her days alone in tenements and streets while her mother worked, dying of hunger and cold during a particularly cruel winter, found by neighbors only in spring. Now, as a vampire, she is one of the saddest and most dangerous creatures: she doesn't fully understand what it is, she just feels an empty hunger and infinite loneliness. It mainly attacks sleeping beggars and drunkards, crawling close to them as it would for warmth, and when it bites, it is with the innocence of someone who just wants to keep warm, but its bite is deep and lethal, and afterwards it always tries to cover its body with its torn blanket and whispers "Mommy?" in the dark.

Martha Higgins, aged 38 (m. 1821) – Physical appearance of a laundress aged by toil and hot water: stout, hunched body, thick, reddish skin (now pale with fixed red spots), round face marked by steam burns, permanently widened small, frightened brown eyes, damp gray hair always tied up in sloppy bun, swollen and wrinkled hands like raisins. Clothing and accessories: simple black thick cotton dress, black soaked canvas apron (never dry), worn black wooden clogs, black headscarf tied under the chin, a wooden bucket always in the right hand, a stiff-bristled brush hanging from the waist. In life, she was a washerwoman who worked eighteen hours a day washing rich people's clothes in scalding waters, dying when she fell into a tank of boiling water in a fit of exhaustion, no one hearing her screams. Now, as a vampire, her traumatic death has defined her new existence: she can't stand hot blood, preferring victims she meets near the river or on rainy nights, and before attacking, she always soaks them in cold water for hours, as if trying to "wash away" the sin of existing, killing by drowning or hypothermia before drinking the cold blood.

Lord Humphrey Ashby, 67 years old (d. 1792) – Physical appearance of a decrepit and senile nobleman eternalized: body hunched and trembling, skin as thin as tissue paper and stained with brown, faded and watery blue eyes practically blind, total baldness with a few thin white threads, bulbous and red nose (even dead), jaw dropped, hands trembling and knotted as claws. Clothing and accessories: old-fashioned 1780s cut black suit (knee-high trousers, black socks, shoes with silver buckle), worn black coat with frayed embroidery, white shirt with yellowish ruffles, crooked and knotted powdered wig, golden monocle hung by chain, ivory cane with lion's head (which he wears more to support than to attack). In life, he was an eccentric and reclusive lord who spent the last thirty years locked in his mansion, talking to portraits of ancestors and writing letters to the queen that were never answered, dying alone and forgotten. Now, as a vampire, his senile madness has intensified: he wanders the halls of his abandoned mansion believing that he is still alive and that vampires are invaders, attacking anyone who enters his estate with the confused fury of an old man who does not understand what he has become, often forgetting what he has done minutes later and offering tea for the bodies.

Percival "Percy" Woolfe, aged 16 (d. 1843) – Physical appearance of a poor, dreamy tailor's apprentice: thin, gangly body growing, pale skin stained with freckles now grayish, large naïve glazed blue eyes, light brown hair combed with cheap brilliance trying to imitate gentlemen, lips split and always parted, ears slightly large and reddish. Clothes and accessories: clearly borrowed black burial suit (too loose on the shoulders and short on the trousers), starched but threadbare white shirt on the collar, thin black tie tied crookedly, white cotton gloves soiled on the fingers, too small black top hat that tightens her temples, a silver thimble on her right index finger that she wears as an amulet. In life, he was an orphan who worked as an apprentice in a tailor shop, dreaming of one day dressing gentlemen and being respected, but he died when he was run over by a carriage when he was running to deliver a late suit, ignored by everyone who passed by. Now, as a vampire, his obsession with clothes has become a pathology: he does not kill out of hunger, but to dress his victims in the clothes he made in life, sewing them on the already lifeless bodies and positioning them in everyday scenes (reading the newspaper, drinking tea) in abandoned basements, as if creating a family of meat mannequins.

Ivy Blackthorn, aged 31 (d. 1828) – Physical appearance of a strong peasant woman now decadent: muscular and stocky body, thick and sunburned skin now pale and mottled, square and burnt face, small and suspicious green eyes, thick and curly dark brown hair tied in a sloppy bun, huge and calloused hands with broken and ingrown nails. Clothing & Accessories: Simple black dress of thick wool, black apron of shabby leather, huge rusty men's work boots, black scarf tied around the head hiding the hair, wide leather belt around the waist with a rusty butcher knife hanging from it, simple brass hoop earrings. In life, she was a butcher working in Smithfield's market, known for her brute strength and for stabbing a customer who tried to assault her, spending six months in prison before dying of a fever in her cell. Now, as a vampire, she maintains the brutality and efficiency of her craft: she doesn't hunt with subtlety, she simply breaks down doors and attacks entire families in their sleep, using her knife to open throats and then drinking directly from wounds as if drinking milk straight from the bowl, leaving a trail of carnage that terrifies even the oldest vampires.

Agatha Whitlow, age 13 (d. 1846) – Physical appearance of a sickly and frail noble girl: face as thin and pale as porcelain, large brown eyes frighteningly empty, fine blond hair combed into long side curls held together by black bows, soft but cold skin, withered and frail body of the one who never developed, pale and thin lips. Clothing & Accessories: Black Infant Gala Dress with Fitted Bodice and Wide Tulle Skirt Over Starched Petticoats, Black Velvet Waist Sash with Silver Buckle, Short White Gloves (Now Dirty and Stained), Black Leather Shoes with Silver Buckles, a Black Rag Doll That Never Lets Go Artificial black flower tiara in hair. In life, she was the only daughter of a negligent viscount who completely ignored her, leaving her in the care of cruel governesses; She died alone in her scarlet fever room, hugging her doll, without anyone noticing for days. Now, as a vampire, she maintains apparent innocence and eternal loneliness: she appears in parks and night gardens humming nursery rhymes, luring other children with promises of play, but when they approach, she offers the doll as a gift while biting their necks with deadly delicacy, always crying silently afterwards.

Sebastian Cooke, 22 years old (d. 1837) – Physical appearance of a poor, tuberculous artist: slender and fragile body, translucent skin that leaves bluish veins exposed, large and expressive gray eyes with deep dark circles, long and artistically unkempt light brown hair, stylized stubble, long and delicate hands with ink-stained fingers. Clothes and accessories: shabby black jacket worn out at the elbows, tight black trousers patched at the seam, loose white shirt unbuttoned at the collar (stained with black paint), crooked black bow tie, worn velvet black beret, wooden easel he carries on his back, brushes in his jacket pocket, an empty brass medallion hanging around his neck. In life, he was a talented but unknown street painter, who sold portraits for a few bucks and died of tuberculosis in a damp attic, without ever having his talent recognized. Now, as a vampire, his art has become macabre: he paints portraits of his victims before killing them, using their blood mixed with black paint to create works that he hides in abandoned galleries, signing each canvas with a small "S.C." in the lower right corner.

Madame Celeste Dubois, 48 years old (d. 1811) – Physical appearance of a decadent but still imposing brothel owner: large and curvaceous body now slightly withered, round face painted white (stage makeup that never came off), black and expressive eyes with deep dark circles, black hair dyed with artificial white streaks combed in a high and extravagant bun, thick lips painted blood red. Clothes and accessories: daringly cut black dress with low-cut bodice and skirt with layers of black lace and velvet ribbons, ripped black lace gloves on the fingers, extravagant and fake jewelry on each finger and neck (jewelry that imitates diamonds and rubies), a silver cigarette case always in hand, a tight black corset over the dress, distressed black high heels. In life, she owned Whitechapel's most famous brothel, known for exploiting her girls and for her affairs with influential politicians she used to obtain protection and favors, dying of syphilis in her own bed without anyone mourning her body. Now, as a vampire, she has turned her abandoned brothel into a lair where she lures men into fatal "dates," but she has one weakness: she can't kill children or young women, remembering the girls she exploited in life, and often protects them from other vampires.

Thomas "Tommy" Pickford, 9 years old (d. 1850) – Physical appearance of a poor boy immortalized in childhood: round and freckled face (the sardines are now dark spots), pale and stone cold skin, large and brown eyes glazed and frighteningly empty, disheveled red hair full of knots, withered and thin body of the hungry, chapped and purple lips. Clothing and accessories: Baggy and awkward black children's burial suit (charitable donation), frayed yellowed white shirt, tight and uncomfortable black boots, a black newsboy hat buried up to his ears, a rusty dog collar around his neck with a sign that reads "Pickford." In life, he was a street boy who worked as a chimney sweep and pickpocket, suffocating to death in a narrow chimney after falling while trying to escape from a policeman. Now, as a vampire, he maintains his innocent appearance and street smarts: he approaches adults looking lost or frightened, asking for help or food, and when they are distracted by pity for him, he attacks their legs or neck with animalistic ferocity, dragging his body to rooftops where no one dares to follow him.

Mordecai Graves, aged 71 (d. 1788) – Physical appearance of a gravedigger aged by earth and death: stocky, stooped body, earthy, wrinkled skin like old leather, small, black eyes deeply sunken, total bald with dark spots, thin, dirty white beard, huge, knobby hands with ingrown and black nails. Clothes and accessories: shabby black gravedigger's cassock (a kind of long frock coat), black trousers patched at the knees, thick leather boots that are always muddy, a rope belt with a worn wooden rosary, a collapsed black hat with wide brims that hides his face, a rusty iron shovel that he always carries with him. In life, he was gravedigger of St. Giles Cemetery for forty years, burying the bodies of the poor and indigent with the same indifference with which he buried the rich, known for stealing the belongings of the dead before closing the coffins. Now, as a vampire, it is a solitary and territorial creature that lives in the underground tunnels of cemeteries, emerging only to hunt those who dare to desecrate its nocturnal territory, dragging bodies to the catacombs where it hangs them by their feet as a warning.

Lady Evangeline Roche, 26 years old (d. 1833) – Physical appearance of a French noblewoman of exotic and cold beauty: elongated face and prominent cheekbones, pale skin with subtle grayish spots, almond-shaped eyes of a blue so light that they appear transparent, coppery hair with natural blond streaks combed in elaborate side curls, thin lips and always painted a dark red that never fades. Clothes and accessories: black gala dress with corduroy bodice and wide taffeta skirt with three layers of petticoat, off-the-shoulder neckline revealing a pale neckline, black kid gloves up to the biceps, ruby and diamond necklace in the shape of drops of blood, long ruby earrings, a fan of black feathers that she uses to hide her smile when attacking. In life, she was an émigré countess who fled the French Revolution as a child, growing up at the English court as a sophisticated and manipulative lady, known for destroying marriages with calculated affairs and for her addiction to gambling. Now, as a vampire, she has turned every attack into a gamble: she seduces gentlemen in private clubs and challenges them to card games where the ultimate bet is life itself, prolonging the agony with strokes of luck and bad luck while drinking champagne with blood.

Mr. Cornelius Thorne, 63 (d. 1796) – Physical appearance of a retired banker corrupted by time: slender and stooped body, parchment and mottled skin, small gray eyes hidden behind golden pinceñe, total bald with a few lateral white hairs, large and hairy ears, knotted and trembling hands. Clothing and accessories: old-fashioned black tailcoat (pre-1850 cut but zealously maintained), black brocade waistcoat worn at the elbows, baggy black trousers, white shirt with shabby ruffles, black tie tied in imperfect bow, silver pocket watch (family heirloom) long chain, black velvet slippers (as he can no longer wear shoes). In life, he was a miserly banker who lent money at exorbitant interest rates and executed debts without mercy, dying rich and hated by everyone, including his own children. Now, as a vampire, his avarice has become cannibalistic: he doesn't waste a drop of blood, licking the floor and walls after each attack, and he accumulates his victims' belongings in a secret basement, where he spends his nights counting and retelling his macabre "treasure."

Lady Beatrice Harwick, 24 (d. 1835) – Physical appearance of a young noblewoman of melancholy beauty: heart-shaped face, skin satin and pale as ivory, deep and expressive violet eyes, ebony-black hair combed in loose waves held together by black ribbons, full and naturally dark lips, slender and graceful body. Clothes and accessories: black ball gown with low-cut bodice and wide taffeta skirt with layers of lace, shoulders covered by a short velvet cape held by an onyx cameo, transparent black lace gloves up to the shoulders, velvet bracelet with princess teardrop pendant, black satin shoes with silver buckles. In life, she was a romantic and dreamy young woman, engaged to a viscount who abandoned her when he discovered that she had no dowry, dying of heartbreak and fever a few months later. Now, as a vampire, her sadness has turned to a poetic coldness: she dances alone in abandoned halls and lures men who remind her of her former fiancé, kissing them before biting and crying over their bodies as blood drips down.

Mr. Alistair Finch, aged 52 (m. 1807) – Physical appearance of a well-to-do merchant in decay: once robust body now slightly shrunk, yellowish and wrinkled skin, small and cunning eyes of a faded brown, advanced baldness covered by ill-fitting wig, sagging cheeks, gray mustache and neatly trimmed. Clothes and accessories: black cashmere suit (expensive in its day, now slightly scruffy), covered with mother-of-pearl buttons, starched white shirt but yellowed on the collar, black silk tie tied imperfectly, black top hat threadbare at the edges, ruby ring on the right index finger, walking stick with a cracked ivory handle. In life, he was a fabric merchant who got rich by exploiting workers and deceiving customers, building a fortune on petty fraud and major betrayals. Now, as a vampire, he has not lost his business acumen: he trades information about the movements of hunters and the hiding places of weaker vampires in exchange for fresh blood and jewels, and he never attacks without first calculating whether the risk is worth the "investment".

Lady Prudence Whitmore, aged 34 (d. 1825) – Physical appearance of a lady of London high society: refined and slightly astringent features, pale skin with slight translucency, cold and calculating grey eyes, dark brown hair combed to strict perfection, aristocratic nose slightly perky. Clothing and accessories: black gala gown in heavy silk with hand-embroidered bodice in silver thread depicting evening flowers, black lace mantilla over the shoulders, black kid gloves up to the elbow, amethyst and diamond tiara on the head, antique family brooch in the center of the neck, black and ivory lace fan that never opens. In life, she was a wealthy and influential widow who ran a literary salon frequented by the intellectual elite, using her position to destroy the reputations of rivals with calculated gossip and fake smiles. Now, as a vampire, she has turned her salon into a hunting game: she invites promising young women to private meetings under the guise of sponsorship and slowly drains them while discussing poetry and philosophy, keeping up appearances until her last breath.

Jeremiah Poole, 45 (d. 1814) – Physical appearance of a strong dockworker now decadent: broad but hunched shoulders, muscular arms but sagging and pale skin, square and bearded face, dull brown eyes, black hair with gray entrances, deep scar on the chin. Clothing and accessories: coarse black sailor's coat, black baggy trousers patched at the knees, blackened leather boots, rusty metal belt, simple hoop earring in the left ear, black scarf tied around the neck. In life, he was a brute and silent worker who spent his days carrying weight on the docks of London, dying when he was crushed by a container that no one cared to lift in time. Now, as a vampire, he maintains silence and brutality: there is no pleasure or sophistication in his attacks, only the mechanical and frightening efficiency of those who kill by instinct, dragging the bodies to the Thames as if they were unwanted cargo.

Molly Cratchitt, age 17 (d. 1842) – Physical appearance of a poor and sickly young woman eternalized: thin and pale face, large dark glazed eyes, fine and lifeless brown hair hastily combed, dry lips, thin and bony body. Clothing and accessories: simple black dress of cheap fabric, faded and patched at the elbows, black shawl of rough wool frayed at the ends, shabby boots with holes in the sole, a withered cloth flower attached to her hair (her only attempt at embellishment). In life, she was an orphan who worked in a textile factory from dawn to night for crumbs, dying of phthisis at the age of seventeen without ever having experienced a day of joy. Now, as a vampire, she retains her shyness and fear, attacking only when cornered, but when she does, it is with a desperate ferocity that shocks even the oldest vampires, as if all the hunger of a lifetime of deprivation could finally be satiated.

Silas Tallow, age 58 (d. 1801) – Physical appearance of a decrepit beggar: thin and stooped body, wrinkled and stained skin hanging from the bones, yellowish and watery eyes, toothless mouth, thin and dirty white hair, long and yellowish nails like claws. Clothes and accessories: black rags tied to the body with strings, a jacket stolen from some deceased tight and torn, mismatched boots (one black and one brown), a collapsed straw hat on the head, an empty bottle of gin hung from the waist by a rope. In life, he was an alcoholic vagabond who froze to death in an alley, ignored by everyone who passed by. Now, as a vampire, his miserable existence continues, but now he can spread his misery: he lurks in the shadows of the darkest alleys and preys on the drunk and unsuspecting, not out of hunger, but out of a vengeful pleasure in making sure that no one dies warm or accompanied as he did not.

Bridget O'Malley, 40 years old (d. 1819) – Physical appearance of a prematurely aged maid: face marked by smallpox and hard life, grayish and rough skin, dull and tired brown eyes, gray hair and thins barely hidden under the cap, irregular and stained teeth, calloused hands and broken nails. Clothes and accessories: simple black dress of thick wool, without any decoration, shabby black apron, starched white cap but stained with dirt, black shoes worn and patched several times, a cheap wooden rosary wrapped around the left wrist. In life, she was a loyal and suffering servant who served the same family for twenty-five years, enduring humiliation and aggression without ever complaining, dying alone and ignored in the servants' room. Now, as a vampire, her once-good soul has been corrupted into a silent and deep hatred: she attacks exclusively bosses and mistresses, dragging them to basements and abandoned kitchens where she makes them experience, for hours on end, the same contempt she experienced, before killing them with her own calloused hands.

Lady Emmeline Grisham, aged 28 (d. 1829) – Physical appearance of a duchess of classic and icy beauty: perfect oval face, milky and luminous skin, intense green eyes that seem to hypnotize, coppery red hair combed in elaborate curls at the height of the ears, thin lips and always curled in a sneer of disdain. Clothes and accessories: black gala dress with closed bodice and extremely wide skirt supported by crinoline, Brussels lace at the neckline and cuffs, long black silk gloves, emerald necklace and matching earrings (her only jewelry she did not sell in her lifetime), black lace parasol that she carries even at night. In life, she was an empty and bored woman who filled her days with gossip, adultery and public humiliation of disaffections, married to Percival for convenience and mutual interest. Now, as a vampire, her futility has turned into refined cruelty: she seduces gentlemen into dark alleys with promises of illicit encounters, only to slowly drain them while whispering insults about her inadequate performances.

Lord Percival Grisham, aged 30 (d. 1829) – Physical appearance of a baron in his prime: medium height, rigid military bearing, hard and square features, strong jaw, pale skin with a slight grayish hue, dark brown hair with entrances on the sides, eyes black and empty as coal. Clothes and accessories: fine wool black suit with impeccable cut, black silk bow tie, black top hat that never abandons, ebony cane with silver handle in the shape of a wolf's head, gold pocket watch with chain running through the vest. In life, he was a calculating and ambitious man who amassed fortune through shady deals and convenient marriages, treating everyone like pieces on a board. Now, as a vampire, he has become a cold strategist who plans each attack as a military operation, studying his targets for days before acting and never leaving witnesses.

Lord Theodore Ashworth, age 19 (d. 1840) – Physical appearance of an eternally handsome young duke: angular and symmetrical face, immaculate porcelain skin, naturally rosy lips and ice-blue eyes that seem to glow in dim light, dark blond hair carefully slicked back. Clothing and accessories: black velvet tailcoat with satin lapines, waistcoat embroidered with silver thread, white high-collared shirt, black tights, fine leather white gloves, and a signet ring with the Ashworth family crest on the pinky. In life, he was a spoiled and cruel young man who had fun humiliating servants and the unfortunate, believing that his lineage placed him above any divine or human law. Now, as a vampire, he retains arrogance and futility, but has developed a sadistic pleasure in hunting down young nobles and turning their deaths into a theatrical spectacle, making a point of being impeccably dressed for every "performance."