Amid the ravening wilds of Erendorn’s Dead Forest, corrupted wizards connive their wicked plots. Evil and depraved, the Vemm are maniacal and deceptively intelligent creatures of the Undead. Masters of written spells, this race has access to thousands of incantations that are inscribed on the scrolls they carry; but the magic the Vemm utilise is dark and sinister, and they savour every morsel of it like an insatiable hunger.
Vemm of Erendorn
Long ago, when the first signs of void magic began seeping through Erendorn’s cracks, a new race of wizards emerged from the shadows. Unlike many other spellcasters who succumbed to the temptations of the void, Vemm were corrupted from the start. Bred from the illicit cloth of selfishness and evil, what tiny fragments of good remained in their souls were quickly effaced by their all-consuming hubris and appetite for power.
Well-versed in dark incantations and ruinous magic, Vemm take unusual delight in watching the effects of their powers take hold, laughing mockingly over the screams of their enemies. When overcome with this delectation, it is hard to see Vemm as anything more than puerile troublemakers; but this race actually possesses extremely high intelligence, allowing them to cast ancient spells that are rooted in pure evil.
With these abilities, Vemm are among some of the most highly skilled magic users in Erendorn; even the spells cast by a seasoned mage are no match for the immense power that these creatures are capable of wielding. Over the unfolding centuries, Vemm have inked their formidable spells onto many parchment scrolls. Clad in their hooded robes, numerous of these scrolls hang from the belts of every Vemm in Erendorn, the soft folios sleeping like dormant weapons until their master is ready to use them.
As the first of their kind, many believe that these scrolls are written in an unofficial language that only Vemm can understand. Others question the efficacy of the Vemm’s abilities without their scrolls, leading many to their deaths as they foolishly attempt to strip these wizards of their tools. Indeed, their wicked nature made the Vemm a great target in the Old Times, with many races making a concerted effort to cull this budding species before their untethered delirium spiralled out of control. To avoid their massacre, families of Vemm began fleeing towards the Land of the Dead, a melting pot of many black-hearted creatures.
The Land of the Dead
The Land of the Dead is a baneful place that teems with inconceivable horrors. Hordes of the Undead roam aimlessly through these lands, from Feeding Zombies and Regenerative Skeletons to Eternal Ghouls and Nightmare Wraiths. Meanwhile, in the charred remains of the region's Dead Forest, a humanoid spider species known as the Zentragals uses deceptive magic to lure prey towards their underground broods, mercilessly toying with them before obliterating their bodies with dark magic. The Land of the Dead always seems to be filled with a cacophony of blood-curdling sounds; but none have the coldness of the Vemm’s demented laughter that rings through the air as they indulge their deranged amusement.
To the southern edge of the Dead Forest, a stark wasteland stretches out between towering mudslides. Only the hollow wail of the wind passes through this region, occasionally accompanied by the maniacal cackle of the ones who live in the caves. Indeed, from within the cavities that are scattered haphazardly across these famished plains, families of Vemm can often be heard revelling in their deviance.
Vemm fit in well in the Land of the Dead. While they may appear Human from afar, their sickly skin, slowly decaying and tinged in green, gives their true nature away. This race is more closely related to the Undead than the Humans, staying alive for over seven centuries and lacking much of the empathy and desire for comradeship possessed by simple mortals. Vemm are actually very disassociated from other members of their race, except those with whom they share blood.
Way of Life in Vemm Culture
The extreme arrogance possessed by each individual Vemm leads them to believe that they are the most superior of their kind. As such, they rarely interact with anyone other than family. Because of this mindset, Vemm have no appointed leader. Each family lives in a small yet deep cave where they practice their magic and conspire under candlelight. While many of these caves excavate the earth of the dead plains, they are each separated by significant distances and different families of Vemm rarely interact with each other.
The depravity that takes place within families of Vemm has been spoken of throughout Erendorn, for the members of this species refuse to breed outside of what they consider to be the superior bloodline. Incest is rife within the walls of their foul cavities; and as a result of this inbreeding, families of Vemm can grow to become quite big. Their sickening cruelty to others and deplorable acts among themselves make Vemm a truly horrifying species that has repulsed Erendorn for many, many centuries.
In recent times, Vemm have begun entering the dungeon depths of Erendorn as they search for more magical items to obtain and more powerful spells to learn. Reports have noted that while young Vemm tend to venture through the upper levels of the dungeons on their own, entire families have been sighted stealing through the darkness of the tunnels beneath. But even these powerful wizards should beware; the depths of Erendorn are an unpredictable place, more harrowing than the Land of the Dead and containing more evils than can be dreamt of in nightmares. Vemm will have to use their darkest magic possible if they want to survive these dungeons.
