CLAN GREY RAVEN
For thousands of years we were the Children of the Raven. The word vampire didn't exist until recently but tales of blood drinkers have been part of many cultures for thousand of years from the ancient Egyptians up until recent times. You can put aside any idea of a Count Dracula. I knew him by sight and can tell you categorically he was never one of us, neither did even a rival clan consider turning such a man as Vlad the Impaler. We avoided his kingdom like the plague.
Unlike fictional vampires we do take food and drink regularly and in fact we must eat and drink if we want to remain alert. However we have no ability to taste food and drink. We do take blood but contrary to the popular mythology we don't take it from humans unless they're willing donors. Animal blood is adequate for our needs and of late the new synthetic blood. Our powers of regeneration are remarkable and we recover from apparently fatal wounds in a short space of time, often within seconds. We are immune to all known diseases and do not age, hence the need to 'retire' our personalities from time to time. To be honest you wouldn't know you were looking at a Child of the Raven. We look like you, talk like you and dress like you. We don't explode in the sun but we think the movies with exploding vampires are hilarious. Crosses don't fill us with fear, holy water won't make us burn, we have worked with priests from time to time. Some priests have even joined our ranks. A stake through the heart will just make us angry. We don't like sharp silver objects because a silver blade will poison our blood. Excess sunlight will weaken us but blood will restore our strength. We don't stalk humans for blood either so put that myth out of your mind. Some of our best friends are human beings and we actively work for their benefit wherever possible. We have doctors, lawyers, police officers, business people, artists, writers and many other vocations represented in our clan.
We of the Grey Raven have been living alongside humans for thousands of years. Our oldest member, Morganna, is also our clan mother and she was turned in the year 267 BC after the Battle of the Allia. Her mother was Amalthea, the last of the Firstborn and the first one to suggest that the Children of the Raven could also survive on animal blood. She founded Clan Grey Raven and imparted her wisdom and teachings to all who swore allegiance. In the beginning we were a mere sect, a breakaway clan who refused to hunt mortal men. In 1920, following the Great War the High Council and the Council of Shadows enacted the Amalthean Proclamation, which banned the taking of blood from humans without their consent. It was deemed the most prudent action now that the world was shrinking and discovery an ever present danger.
Eighty three years have passed since the proclamation and in that time I have seen many many changes. We are more organised and networked than at any time in history but since 9/11 we have become alarmed at the Big Brother society and we are not alone there. Other clans also fear discovery and yet we know it is inevitable. They will find us and then we we will have to give an account to humans for our deeds and our misdeeds. But for now we remain secret and undiscovered. Those mortals who know of our existence guard us jealously and we protect them. The future lies ever before us, a road stretching out into the horizon and who knows what lies around the next bend in the road?
Unlike fictional vampires we do take food and drink regularly and in fact we must eat and drink if we want to remain alert. However we have no ability to taste food and drink. We do take blood but contrary to the popular mythology we don't take it from humans unless they're willing donors. Animal blood is adequate for our needs and of late the new synthetic blood. Our powers of regeneration are remarkable and we recover from apparently fatal wounds in a short space of time, often within seconds. We are immune to all known diseases and do not age, hence the need to 'retire' our personalities from time to time. To be honest you wouldn't know you were looking at a Child of the Raven. We look like you, talk like you and dress like you. We don't explode in the sun but we think the movies with exploding vampires are hilarious. Crosses don't fill us with fear, holy water won't make us burn, we have worked with priests from time to time. Some priests have even joined our ranks. A stake through the heart will just make us angry. We don't like sharp silver objects because a silver blade will poison our blood. Excess sunlight will weaken us but blood will restore our strength. We don't stalk humans for blood either so put that myth out of your mind. Some of our best friends are human beings and we actively work for their benefit wherever possible. We have doctors, lawyers, police officers, business people, artists, writers and many other vocations represented in our clan.
We of the Grey Raven have been living alongside humans for thousands of years. Our oldest member, Morganna, is also our clan mother and she was turned in the year 267 BC after the Battle of the Allia. Her mother was Amalthea, the last of the Firstborn and the first one to suggest that the Children of the Raven could also survive on animal blood. She founded Clan Grey Raven and imparted her wisdom and teachings to all who swore allegiance. In the beginning we were a mere sect, a breakaway clan who refused to hunt mortal men. In 1920, following the Great War the High Council and the Council of Shadows enacted the Amalthean Proclamation, which banned the taking of blood from humans without their consent. It was deemed the most prudent action now that the world was shrinking and discovery an ever present danger.
Eighty three years have passed since the proclamation and in that time I have seen many many changes. We are more organised and networked than at any time in history but since 9/11 we have become alarmed at the Big Brother society and we are not alone there. Other clans also fear discovery and yet we know it is inevitable. They will find us and then we we will have to give an account to humans for our deeds and our misdeeds. But for now we remain secret and undiscovered. Those mortals who know of our existence guard us jealously and we protect them. The future lies ever before us, a road stretching out into the horizon and who knows what lies around the next bend in the road?
Clan Grey Raven, the accompanying book, Angel of Mercy, The Nosferatu Project and any other subsequent books featuring the Children of the Raven are works of fiction and although some historical events did occur, the re-imagined short stories and articles are the product of my imagination only. While children aren't forbidden from viewing this site, parents should be aware that adult concepts are discussed and recounted without warning.