Kain's Empire
The Zephonim
History
Centuries past the time of the Pillars falling, Centuries
past the Defeat of the Hylden Seraphan lord and Centuries before an Angel with
Bat wings Fell from grace, Kain Sired his Dark sons.
Zephon, Fifth of Kain's dark children, was to create the Clan of the Zephonim.
Zephon, though second youngest, was a proud man and was quick to bring his army
to life and into the service of his lord Kain and growing in number became the
third largest vampire clan in Nosgoth (third only to The Razielim and Turelim).
Once he was ready, Kain assigned him to fight alongside his brother Rahab and
wage war on the south of Nosgoth, commanded to 'bring Freeport and Meridian to
their knees'.
The greatest Honour of the Zephonim was that they were the first to gain Clan
Territory. In the early days of the empire the clans were alerted to a human
threat in the southwest. Humans from Freeport were building a giant Cathedral that
would have the power to bring all vampires to there knees. This was something
that could not be allowed to happen especially in the very conception of the
Empire and so all clans were set out against the Cathedral.
The clans fought on the outside of the Cathedral for many a night and day but no
progress was made. The walls were to high and to thick to brake through, there
were no passages in the water to the Rahabim to get in through, no secret
tunnels only a front Gate of that seemed impassable. Time was passing quickly
through this battle and the clan leaders knew it was only a matter of time till
the humans weapon was complete.
Zephon soon concluded that it was left to he and his kind to take the Cathedral
on there own. He concluded that if no one could get through the walls then they
would have to go over them. Zephon and his children were gifted with claws
stronger and sharper then his brothers, claws that could pierce most surfaces,
making it possible to climb any vertical service.
Through cunning and stealth, Zephon soon had some of his forces sneak inside and
shut off the mighty organs whose sound was debilitating to vampires. With those
dealt with, Zephon personally led the charge up the great stone walls and into
the cathedral while his brother waited outside for the gates to be opened, which
they never were. The Zephonim took on the forces of the cathedral on there own
killing every human in sight and then as the battle came to a close Zephon
himself climbed to the highest tower and placed his flag on the battlements
marking that now The Zephonim owned this land.
Through this act Zephon became disliked by all his brothers except for Raziel,
who was proud of him. The dislike from his brothers grew so great that he soon
became all but an outcast among them except in matters of war and at Kain's
command, only in these times would the others tolerate his and his clans
presence, otherwise they stayed in there territory antisocially. Zephon himself
would retreat to his sanctuary at the top of the Cathedral and not leave there
for days and nights on end.
This Victory was marked as the Vampyric Empires first true strike against humanity
and it was because of the Zephonim that it was possible. However, they did
suffer heavy casualties during the battle, meaning they were often used merely
as a reserve force for numerous engagements. They have since managed to
recuperate their losses to some degree - to the detriment of Humankind.
Doctrine
The Zephonim tend to appear more lax and laid back than other
Clans, but always enjoy to have a good fight like their lord Zephon. They are
sneaky and stealthy in their approach to life and warfare, preferring to strike
only when the advantage is theirs and theirs alone. They have forged a close
bond of friendship with the Razielim, who both find the Dumahim's arrogance hard
to bear. As such, they often receive surplus spoils of war that the Razielim
win, something that infuriates the Turelim and Dumahim Clans.
The Zephonim arm themselves with a wide variety of weapons, depending on which
regiment the Vampire is part of and what that regiment's role is in the legion
as a whole. Spears, halberds, swords, bows and crossbows are the common weapons
of choice for this Clan. Preferring mobility and speed in combat, the Zephonim
choose not to wear heavy plate armour like some of their brethren, instead going
into battle clad in sturdy leather armour to protect the vital parts of a
Vampire's body.
Weapons and Armour
The Zephonim have one principal weapon that they favour: the polearm. This polearm, fitted with a serrated blade and tiped with a spike, is made in two sizes - the nine-foot polearm to defend against enemy charges and the smaller, five-foot one was used in close combat. The Zephonim polearm is a truly versatile weapon that could be used defensively and offensively, offering the Zephonim immediate retaliation with a choice of four points of attack. The five-foot polearm features spikes at both end, making it a dangerous weapon. Both are backed wit ha curved spike sharpened on the outer edge. The shaft of both is made with oak, and tinted a crimson colour. Shields are used rarely, and are similar to those of the Razielim - perhaps due to trade between the Clans.
The Zephonim are adept at creating small interlocking lames of steel that are combined to produce their distinctive jagged scles on the armour plating of the warrior. Their armour consists of a stomach-plate and groin-guard made of rivteed plates and lames, a collar, pauldrons, vambraces, cuisses and greaves; in all they are relatively well protected, the only weak point being from behind, but as they prefer to fight in tight groups this helps to conpensate for this weakness. Thier armour is inscribed with the strange glyphs of their Vampyric language, but their meaning is known only th those of the Vampire race. Their other clothing is loose-fitting, light fabrics dyed a turqoise-gray colour, which blend in well with the colour of their armour. Helmets are used by captains: the undercut helmet features a cheek- and eye-guard.
Supernatural Abilities
This Clan's unique ability has proven invaluable - the claws on the hands and feet of a Zephonim Vampire are stronger, sharper and more durable than those found on the Vampires of the other Clans. This means that in hand to hand it is easier for them to penetrate enemy armour, providing as useful ability. However, it has also become apparent that due to their stronger claws a Zephonim can also climb certain scale wall surfaces, gaining access to places other Vampires could not go.
The Kin of the Zephonim
