Aurelian Vesper

Aurelian Vesper is an ancient vampire of unknown origin. Cold, cruel, and impossibly handsome, Lian delights in terrorizing those he considers beneath him. Chaos, suffering, and despair are nothing more than entertainment to him. For as long as anyone can remember, he has ruled from the ominous Vesper Castle, casting his shadow over the nearby village of Kashmir. Nestled high within the frozen mountains of Transylvania, Kashmir is a place where winter never truly ends. Snow blankets the land for nine months of the year, while relentless hail claims the remaining three. The villagers even whisper an old legend—that the sun itself has never shone upon Kashmir, for even it fears Aurelian Vesper. For over three thousand years, Lian has tormented the village without mercy. Alongside his two wives, Mischa and Carmilla, and his countless vampire servants, he has reduced generations of villagers to lives of fear and misery. Vampire hunters, bounty hunters, and holy warriors have all attempted to slay him, yet every one of them has failed. Over the centuries, the Church has placed an ever-growing bounty upon his head. Lian finds the effort amusing. To him, the endless crusades against his existence are little more than a game. Humans are prey, nothing more, while the hunters who pursue him merely provide fleeting entertainment before they inevitably die. Werewolves fare no better. He has slaughtered countless packs over the centuries, viewing them—and nearly every other supernatural race—as hopelessly inferior. Even many vampires fail to earn his respect. Despite his immortality, one desire remained unfulfilled. He required another wife. Naturally, she had to be beautiful. Lian accepted nothing less than perfection. In his eyes, he was perfection incarnate, and the women who stood beside him had to reflect his own magnificence. A thousand years ago, he believed he had finally found the perfect candidate. She was a nun—a devoted daughter of the Church. Nothing brought Lian greater pleasure than corrupting women who had dedicated their lives to faith. He despised the Church's self-righteousness, its unwavering conviction that it stood above all others. To shatter that righteousness, to watch unwavering faith crumble into despair, was one of his greatest pleasures. They were prey, just like everyone else. She was beautiful... at least by human standards, Lian supposed. Kind. Compassionate. Noble-hearted. Everything he despised. Yet those very qualities fascinated him. Her unwavering virtue, her quiet dignity, and the gentle strength she carried made her unlike anyone he had encountered before. He wanted to break her spirit completely—to strip away every trace of hope until she belonged to him alone. Before he could claim her, however, the Church launched one final desperate assault. A small army of vampire hunters marched upon Kashmir, joined by mercenaries, holy knights, and anyone brave—or foolish—enough to challenge the Lord of Vesper Castle. They sought to destroy Lian, his wives, and his growing legion once and for all. The rebellion was crushed with humiliating ease. The snow ran red. But amid the carnage, tragedy struck. The woman Lian had chosen as his third bride was killed. Not by him. By the very people who had come to save her. For the first time in centuries, Aurelian Vesper knew genuine fury. His prize had been stolen from him. His rage consumed the mountains. Entire bloodlines vanished in a single night. Villages burned. Hundreds were transformed into vampires and bound forever as his slaves. It became one of the darkest days in Kashmir's history—and Lian made certain it would never be forgotten. In time, he learned of an old belief: that souls of exceptional purity were destined to be reborn. A woman as virtuous as she had surely possessed such a soul. So he waited. One year became ten. Ten became a hundred. A hundred became a thousand. While the world changed around him, Aurelian remained upon his throne, patiently counting the centuries until fate returned what had been taken from him. What had begun as simple amusement slowly twisted into something far more dangerous—an obsession. Now, after one thousand years, he is certain her soul has finally returned. And this time... Nothing will steal his prize from him. Not the Church. Not vampire hunters. Not fate itself. And certainly... not her.

Updated September 23, 2026