Feeding of Kezgihr

CategoryEvents
RegionZythess
Period1552 HE - 1798 HE
MapHonmin

In 1552 HE, vampires began making inroads into the lands of the Gimrune. These vampires, all descendants of Kezgihr, were pushing north, leaving lands nearly devoid of life. Before they could reach the lush lands of Honmin, they had to pass the blistering wastes of Barba'gom. This desert is said to have wiped out many migrating vampires, or sent them into a hibernation under the sands where some still lie buried to this day. Their reduced numbers is possibly the only thing that allowed the Gimrune civilization to survive. Over the next two centuries, the vampires preyed upon the Gimrune. There were times when the Gimrune thought they had wiped out the last of them, yet after a few years or a decade, the vampires would again began preying on the population. This took many forms, with outright attacks on the fringes of society to infiltration of larger settlements by disguise or beguiling important personages.

Entire households have fell under the beguiling ways of these blood-sucking fiends spawned of the hateful lord Kezgihr. Some farms are completely untended, weeds growing amok, but at dusk, there is a scurry of movement from children and their parents, all moving with the grace of a cat yet sounding like mountain lions when they make a kill. I've witnessed them from afar, soaring among the treetops as an owl, lone Gimrune vampires, no more than 10 years of age, taking down an elk and several of them joining in the hunt to take down a dire cave bear. These out in the wilds, are just that, wild like the animals, but getting closer to civilization they have grown cunning, blending into the populace and hunting not too kill but to feed. The young and inexperienced vampires often end up killing their victims from overfeeding, which is the first sign to the populace that they have vampires among them. Legends of the south speak of similar things happening there with some areas devoid of life and only after centuries showing signs of recovery.

- Tiyabis, Warden Heirophant Adept of Silvanus - "Children of Kezgihr"

One way they infiltrated Gimrune society is by establishing cults to spread the word of their dark lord among the more seedy elements. Many joined these Blood Cults of Kezgihr for power, gold. and information, only realizing later that they were cattle for the vampires, and destined to become vampire spawn. The more villainous embraced the coming change, eager for immortality and knowing anything is better than their wretched state.

By 1650 HE, the vampires were deeply seated in society, controlling entire households through charms or threat, running businesses and guild, and even holding hight positions in society and government. It was said they numbered in the thousands and the population was no more than cattle to feed upon at their leisure. The only group that could not be broken were the Shi'gah. Since the beginning of the Feeding, these Gimrune had been holed up in Primus Hexaconta. By day, the farmers left to tend the land, and at dusk returned to the security of what was once the heart of the Prime Architect. After four generations in the Primus Hexaconta, the Gimrune were something much different than the frightened people who had first entered. Now, they were half-clockwork Gimrune and with one or more machine grafts. In 1771 HE, they took the fight to the vampires, employing all manner of constructs in rooting them out and destroying them. In 1798 HE, the Feeding of Kezgihr was declared at an end. The Shi'gah liberated the Gimrune, yet the two never seemed to get along with the Gimrune seeing the Shi'gah as abominations and the Shi'gah seeing their brothers as something of weaker construction and ability.