The eight vampyre houses form the aristocracy of the Sanguinesti region. Their history can be traced back to Vampyrium, where the current houses were formed as a result of a civil war. Previously having a tribal culture, the vampyres were introduced to the concept of civilised society by Zaros. This drastic change of society divided the vampyres which threw the tribes into a civil war. 8 tribes emerged victorious which eventually reformed into the current 8 vampyre houses.[1][2]
On Vampyrium, each house had their personal preference in blood taste and hunting methods. Before the vampyre migration to Gielinor, House Jovkai was one of the more powerful houses on Vampyrium. However, humiliated after losing a war against House Jovkai, Vanescula of House Drakan slowly poisoned their leader, Lord Jovkai, eventually resulting in his death.[3] This vacuum of power allowed House Drakan to take over and become the strongest house, which they remain to this day.
The houses were first mentioned in A Taste of Hope during The Lord of Vampyrium.
As the houses originated from Vampyrium, it is presumed house members are true-born vampyres. It is unknown if human-born vampyres, the majority of vampyres in the Sanguinesti region, have any affiliations with the houses.
House Alzeph[]
They are described as contemptible vyres, they tended to prey on vyres from other tribes. The others tribes feared House Alzeph until the birth of the aristocracy. They preferred spicy blood with a grainy texture.
House Drakan[]
They prefer blood with optimism and hope. They had trained venators to be silent stalkers of their prey. When unable to take their prey unaware, they would allow it to escape and feel safe again before bringing it down.
House Ghrazi[]
They were the most vicious of the tribes, priding themselves on their ability to fight rather than stalk, they would not capture their prey so much as to bait and it into combat. They would only hunt the most fearsome and territorial beasts of Vampyrium, not the myriad of docile creatures.
House Jovkai[]
Prior the aristocratic reformation, the Jovkai were one of the more powerful tribes of Vampyrium in the pre-Zarosian age. Lord Jovkai was a beloved leader, and this love was transposed on to their prey. They would treat their food with care and tenderness, allowing it to live among them feeling safe and cared for before mercilessly slaughtering it behind closed doors.
House Myrmel[]
They would stalk entire families or social groups, quickly striking down one of their number, yet not feeding from that first kill. Instead, they would hunt down the remaining family members as the cries of their wounded rang in their ears.
House Pyrah[]
They were a loathsome tribe of carrion-eaters, they would capture whole families of creatures at a time, keeping them in appalling conditions until death took the weakest of them. Any survivors would be mournful of such losses, their grief heightened by being left with the corpses of their families in tight confines. Once entire families had died off, the Pyrah would harvest their congealed blood for later consumption.
House Shadum[]
Their main source of food was from a race of creatures they had enslaved, a subjugation these creatures had willingly entered into, submitting to another so they would not have to make choices on their own. Perhaps they held a symbiotic need to attach themselves to our kind for survival. The Shadum were sadistic in their dealings with these beings, breeding them as both subservient and food.
House Vitur[]
They were in thrall to their long-dead founder, whom they considered a god. He was a figure of awe and wonder to the Vitur, and there were volumes of histories dedicated to him. Indeed, he was not only worshipped by his vyres, but a number of sapient races sacrificed themselves willingly out of respect for him and House Vitur's opulent culture. These creatures are now scarce on Vampyrium.
