Dead Apostles (死徒, Shito?) are humans that became vampires either by the use of Magecraft (like Nero Chaos, though this kind is rare) or by the actions of another vampire of similar nature (in this case, either a True Ancestor or another Dead Apostle). Among the creatures that fall under the vampire category, they are the most numerous. The main targets of the Executors of the Burial Agency, an organization created for the purpose of stopping the spreading of the heresy known as vampires by exterminating the Dead Apostles and sealing the 27 Dead Apostle Ancestors.
Origin
The original members of this kind of vampire were created to act as counter-measures in the case of a True Ancestor being overwhelmed by his or her thirst for blood. In exchange for losing their free will and becoming a tool to relieve the vampiric impulses of the True Ancestors, these individuals were granted powers and longevity similar to their masters. However, what they received was still a flawed form of immortality and it was soon discovered that they needed to suck the blood of others to survive.
The result of repeatedly sucking the blood of humans was the emergence of a sense of superiority in the heart of the servants of the True Ancestors. Such a thing eventually gave birth to a feeling of rebellion towards their masters, which then lead the servants to find ways of strengthening their mental control and escaping from the domain of the True Ancestors. After the rebellion, these blood-sucking humans became known as the Dead Apostles.
Although the Dead Apostles are maverick and individualistic by nature, there is a form of ruling body among them: the 27 Dead Apostle Ancestors. At first a group formed only by the original Dead Apostles who escaped from the True Ancestors, today however it is more of a collection of very odd, but powerful bloodsucking characters who are divided into multiple rival factions. Most of the original Dead Apostles were destroyed along the generations or sealed away by the Holy Church. Afterward, their seats among the 27 Ancestors were either left empty or filled by somewhat suitable replacements. On a side note, those sealed away are actually just placed into eternal imprisonment inside special coffins, for the Church lacks the means to definitely destroy them. Meanwhile, some of the factions of minions of those sealed Ancestors still remain and are slowly gaining power to either free their masters or destroy them.
The oldest of the Dead Apostle Ancestors is said to be about 4,000 years old.
Characteristics
Although they appear to have capacities beyond human limitations, most vampires actually acquired their powers by constantly refining human-inherent abilities throughout their extended lives. In other words, anyone with a similarly long lifespan has the potential to reach a level comparable to the Dead Apostles. Also, contrary to popular belief, vampires can be killed with conventional weaponry. However, that is a feat near impossible to accomplish since their superior reflexes and physical abilities allow them to dodge a bullet after it has been shot. Incidentally, the 10 strongest of the Dead Apostle Ancestors can no longer be killed by ordinary means. That is because after dwelling so deep into the supernatural, their existences became something similar to high-level mysteries: a fantasy that can only be suppressed by an even greater fantasy.
However, the downside of acquiring a power that humans originally would not have is that the bodies of the Dead Apostles are constantly degenerating. The only way to interrupt and reverse this degeneration, even if just temporarily, is by regularly ingesting the blood of living creatures. On that note, even though human blood is the most suited to the needs of the vampires, the blood of animals is a viable alternative.
On the issue of the actual bloodsucking process, a vampire can either hunt prey himself or acquire the blood indirectly through the use of familiars. Although The Dead are the traditional familiars of the vampires, few actually use it today since their presence will alert vampire hunters such as the Burial Agency. Thus, the use of familiars from different species is somewhat more widespread. By pushing his capacities to their limits, a Dead Apostle can possess either about 30 animals of the same species or one member of the Phantasm Races that belongs to the Demonic Beast or Phantasmal Beast-class as familiars. Stronger Dead Apostles were known to have used familiars of different animal species simultaneously.
Vampires can repair damage to an injured area by turning back time around the damaged part. Most of the older and powerful Dead Apostles possess the Mystic Eyes of Enchantment and can create Territorial Fields.
Growth Process
If a vampire injects some of his own blood into his human victim’s bloodstreams, said victim will be infused with some of the vampire’s own power and become unable to completely die. Though the soul is unable to leave the body, the flesh will decompose regardless. In most cases, the final result is a mindless undead familiar known as The Dead. But in the rare chance of said victim possessing an above-average magical potential, he will become a Ghoul and start climbing the ladder to become a full-fledged Dead Apostle. How far the newly created Bloodsucker will go in that climbing is decided by the magical potential of the body. Furthermore, the extension of its powers is dependent of the powers of the one who created it, its parent vampire, whom it is bound to by a mental and spiritual connection.
Ghoul
屍食鬼 - Shishokuki
Corpse Eating Demon. Born when a human soul becomes completely bound to the rotten body of a vampire’s victim. With mental capacities pretty much equivalent to that of a savage beast, the Ghouls spent most of their time resting in their tomb and eating other corpses to reconstruct their own degenerated flesh. 1 out of 100 individuals has the potential to become a Ghoul.
Living Dead
リビングデッド - Living Dead
The result of Ghoul that successfully reconstructs its own body, though inferior to The Dead in terms of raw strength, the fact that it regains its own will puts it on a different standing than a mere puppet. At this stage, they can remember most of their former lifes and abilities. 1 out of a 1000 individuals has the potential to become Living Deads.
Vampire
吸血鬼 – Kyuuketsuki
Blood Sucking Demon. After several years of development, the Living Dead regains a full human intellect, attains power of his own and becomes a mature Vampire, capable of creating other vampires and having his own minions. However, he is still bound to the will of his parent vampire and forced to supply him with blood. A vampire can only become a full-fledged Dead Apostle after breaking free from the control of his parent vampire.
1 out of a 10,000 individuals has the potential to achieve this level. Yumizuka Satsuki was a rare case among rare cases, for she had enough magical potential to skip the first two steps and become a vampire from the beginning.
See also
- Vampire
- True Ancestor
- Dead Apostle Ancestors
Source: the Tsukihime Laboratory entry.