Characters and History in Ancient Empire

Main characters and history in Ancient Empire

We only understand the recent history of the Drakuls from some 250,000 years ago, when Vadhul Drakul severed links with their home world, Vasudha. 

Tepesch Drakul

Central character Tepesch is the son of Vadhul Drakul, born during one of the most turbulent episodes in the history of the planet Vasudha. Thoughtful, far-sighted and wise, he can foresee the many pathways of the future.

The birth of Tepesch fell during the first war between vampyra and the proto-Zilon, an early hive species that absorbs different races. During the war, Drakul I, father of Vadhul, sacrificed himself and thousands of his followers to eliminate the threat and, in doing so, allowed Vadhul to take the throne.

Tepesch’s mother was of high caste and, unusually, survived the birth of a male. Imolda Drakul was very beautiful and, despite her sadistic nature, loved her son jealously and possessively. She showed him surprising tenderness, protecting him from their enemies. When he was old enough, Tepesch learned his real father was a vampire priest named Rul. Tepesch disobeyed her and sought out Rul, wanting to learn his ways. He persuaded his father to accept Rul as part of the royal household, and eventually travelled to Earth with him, becoming immensely rich and wise as the centuries passed.

Having learned the ways of humankind – and despite their many failings – he decides to invest massively in communications, genetics and artificial intelligence, creating a business empire with the ultimate intention of creating a new race with the best of each. His goal is to prevent chaotic humans from destroying themselves and their planet. His efforts are not appreciated, and Tepesch finds himself facing powerful enemies who will stop at nothing to steal his secrets.

Saskia Drakul

One of the most curious characters in Ancient Empire, Saskia Drakul is an immensely creative and talented sculptress, holding several exhibitions around the world over the centuries.  Like her father, she has a deep love of the arts and collects many priceless works. This is what she most misses in the homeworld.

When she returned to the homeworld Vasudha, Saskia learned from witch-queen Fei Chok how to control dark magic within her blood and chose to end her days as a human. She is still there. Saskia never ceased loving Finn Angmon, but the murder of their child removed any compassion for humankind.

Saskia is the second daughter of Tepesch Drakul. Ancient Egyptians worshipped her as a goddess, and it was there she first met Finn Angmon. Saskia had a child by him, but it was murdered by his crusading knights, and she swore vengeance upon them all despite her love for Finn. Saskia is very different from her sister Angelica, able to think before acting, and follows the teachings of her father in order to live in the shadows.

Angelica Drakul

The oldest child of Tepesch Drakul, is far from what her name suggests. Proud, defiant, and angry at living in the shadows on Earth, her fury was unleashed by the torture of her lover, who was dismembered and kept alive in a laboratory. Above all, she is resentful that her father denied her the right to return to her home world, Vasudha, but she finds her way there eventually before returning to take her revenge. Angelica Drakul is one of the most compelling characters in Ancient Empire.

Rul

Rul took Tepesch Drakul into the desert and taught him the ways of Vasudha, but he also told the boy that he would one day rule a distant world and not to trust his father. He taught Tepesch about the Jananii, the powerful and meddlesome witches of Vasudha, warning him of their creation, the vorkha werewolf spirit.

Rul also revealed to Tepesch the mysteries of Vasudhan ecology and the beautiful creations of former civilisations, giving him a lifelong love of art and science when he came to Earth. Tepesch is thoughtful, far-sighted and wise, and unpredictable. He can foresee the many pathways of the future.

Vadhul Drakul

Tepesch Drakul’s father, Vadhul, was the only son of Drakul the First. He was sagaraah bhuuta (a vampyric sub-species, lit. demon of land and sea) and saw himself as inferior to obyri bhuuta (lit. demon that walks and flies). However, Vadhul was a vampire king and, at one point, the ruler of two worlds. He had immense powers, able to bring destruction by natural means as well as shape-shifting.

When Vadhul first travelled to Earth, he found a primitive world where the most intelligent life forms were little more than apes, but life abounded. Trade was established to send living food back to Vasudha using the torana gateways.

Vadhul was renowned for his cruelty, but he was also wise. He needed intelligent life to do his bidding, and so the power of jiivaa (the curious life within vampire blood) was used to advance humankind, to increase its numbers and feed his people. He ordered the city of Nagarah to be built on the North West coast of India (now below the Gulf of Khambhat). There, Vadhul raised Tepesch Drakul, but great enmity grew between them.

Finn Angmon

Slayer Finn Angmon is a central character of Ancient Empire, the result of an experiment when  Tepesch Drakul summoned ancient magic from the Outer Darkness and implanted it in the unborn child of a slave girl.

The child Tepesch raised was different from his kind, and the vampire lord grew to fear it. The priests told him the child was eternal and within dwelled the vorkha spirit, a werewolf-like creature of nightmares. Eventually, Tepesch gave the child away, reluctant to kill it.

Finn Angmon grew to be a giant with inhuman strength. Through the centuries, he became the feared enemy of demonkind and vampyra alike. At that time, he took the name Finn Mongan. Many believed him to be the reincarnation of Irish legend Finn MacCumaill.  Others know Finn as Arthur or Artur, and his story appears in many legends.

Finn has experienced much of human history, but remains curiously humble and down to earth. He is straight-talking, intolerant of fools, ruthless and compassionate with a dry sense of humour. ‘Kicking arses’ is what Finn does best, and he is a master of all fighting styles. His reward for saving humankind is to be held in a scientific institute and experimented upon, until he escapes with Fei’s help.

Saskia Drakul, daughter of Tepesch, loved Finn when she existed as Sekhmet, the eye of Ra. They conceived a child during the crusades, who was born and murdered by four comrades of Finn.

Centuries later, Finn meets Fei Chok, a shaolin and slayer, and falls in love. During their turbulent relationship, they conceive Oisin, destined to become king of Vasudha. Like his father, Oisin will become vorkha.

The Vorkha

One of the earliest races in our galaxy, the Vorkha were older than the Obyri (the winged form of vampire).  The Jananii witches imbued them with white magic.  They were in opposition to the vampyra to create balance in the universe.  All the Jananii revered the vorkha, and it is no surprise that Fei Chok fell in love with Finn when she first saw him. 

After the vampyra persecuted the vorkha, the Jananii hid their secret. Tepesch Drakul discovered the blueprint when he unwittingly summoned the vorkha spirit, and Finn Angmon was born. 

The Zhong Kui – Finn’s Sword

The Zhong Kui is Chokutō, a straight-bladed Samurai sword. Finn Angmon made it in the legendary Kashima shrine many thousands of years ago and imbued it with white magic. The sword has a will of its own and can detect demonkind.

Finn used his sword to bind the souls of four crusaders as their punishment for the death of his demon son. He also used the sword to bring them back for their atonement.

How Finn uses the Zhong Kui

Ten-uchi refers to an organised motion made by arms and wrist during a descending strike. As the sword swings downwards, the elbow joint extends at the last instant, popping the sword into place. This motion causes the swordsman’s grip to twist slightly, and it feels like wringing a towel. The blade impacts its target with sharp force and is used to break initial resistance. Fluidly continuing along the motion, the arms follow through with the stroke, dragging the sword through its target.

Because the blade slices rather than chops, it's this “dragging” action that allows it to do maximum damage. The segments of the swing are seamless.

Nearly all styles of kenjutsu share the same five basic guard postures, and Finn is the master of them all. They are Chūdan No Kamae (middle posture). Jōdan No Kamae (high posture), Gedan No Kamae (low posture), Hassō No Gamae (“shaped like number eight” posture), and Waki No Gamae (side posture).

Shaolin Fei Chok

Another main character in Ancient Empire, the Shaolin priests raised Fei after Tepesch killed her parents. She has devoted her life to killing vampyra and ends up working for the Carbon Institute, where she meets Finn.

Tepesch Drakul has fascinated Fei since her childhood, until he eventually seduced her. She resisted the darkness with the help of the Jananii witches. They also told her she would become one.

Fei will eventually to travel to Vasudha, the homeworld of the vampyra. There she becomes Jananii, witch-queen of the Aayus people and defender of Vasudha.

Fei is a complex character and difficult to read, able to draw on the collective wisdom of her sister-witches.  She yearns for a simple life where she can be with Finn, but cannot escape her past.  Blessed with great insight into others and always looking for the best, Fei is not forgiving.  As Jananii, she sees the many pathways of the future and this ability is a curse and a blessing.

The Goddess Kalina

Kalina is an Elemental Being, created before the universe began. She assumes the female form to communicate her thoughts. The creator of the Vampyre race, Kalina, is fashioned in her own self-image. When Tepesch buried the torana containing his father Vadhul and separated the Earth from the homeland Vasudha, he also gave his descendants free will. However, the pull of Kalina is strong, and she has sought to bend them to her own will ever since.

Vasudha faces destruction. too close to the Red Giant sun, which will one day consume the planet. The vampire priests captured Kalina and bound her, forcing her to protect them from the ever-growing sun. They know she’s treacherous, prepared to sacrifice her own children to be free.