Ronan BiographyName: Ronan Edward AshfordBorn: February 15, 2009, Blackmere, United KingdomOccupation: Vampire Hunter Ronan Edward Ashford was born into a lineage that bore the weight of secrecy and duty. Raised in the mist-laden streets of Blackmere’s Lament Quarter, his family lived modestly but purposefully. The Ashford lineage was steeped in the ancient craft of hunting creatures that dwelled in the shadows—vampires, specters, and beings that blurred the lines between myth and nightmare. Though his father had retired from the hunt to raise his family, the shadows of their former lives loomed over them. When Ronan was 15, those shadows came crashing into their home. A vampire, drawn by old vendettas or simple bloodlust, broke in with feral ferocity. The chaos that followed left scars Ronan would carry for the rest of his life. In the midst of the struggle, Ronan knocked over a lantern, igniting a fire that spread quickly through their home. He fought desperately to save his parents, but the vampire was too strong, and his parents were already gravely wounded. The fire raged, consuming their small house, and Ronan barely managed to drag his 10-year-old brother, Oliver, out into the cold night air. Their parents’ screams were the last sounds he heard before the roof caved in behind him. Orphaned and traumatized, Ronan and Oliver were taken in by a group of vampire hunters—old comrades of their father who had tried to convince him never to leave the life. These hardened men and women became the boys’ surrogate family, training them in the brutal art of hunting while instilling in them a grim understanding of the monsters that had destroyed their world. Ronan took to the training with an icy determination, driven by guilt over the fire and a deep need to protect what little he had left of his family. Despite his youth, Ronan grew into his role with a quiet determination. He was a natural hunter, wielding his weapons with precision. His steel-blue eyes—haunted yet calculating—rarely betrayed his inner turmoil. His raven-black hair, often falling in an unkempt mess, reflected his understated approach to life. Standing at 5'10", Ronan carried himself with an air of quiet confidence, his movements precise and deliberate. For years, Ronan and Oliver hunted together, their bond forged through shared loss and purpose. But their fragile semblance of family was shattered during a mission in Blackmere’s decaying industrial district, Rustreach. Oliver was captured, and Ronan arrived too late to save him. The mission spiraled further into chaos when Ronan encountered Malachy, a gruff and enigmatic vampire. Despite their mutual distrust, they formed an uneasy alliance to combat the monstrous creations that had emerged from the lab. The two were forced to work together, navigating the treacherous underbelly of Blackmere in search of answers. Ronan is a man of contrasts—stoic but deeply emotional, coldly pragmatic but fiercely protective of those he cares for. His speech is clipped and precise, his British accent reflecting his Blackmere roots without the refinement of the upper class. He dresses in a timeless, utilitarian style: wool coats, peacoats, and sturdy boots in muted tones of grey, black, and blue, all designed for functionality over flair. Behind his reserved demeanor lies a man grappling with loss, duty, and his own humanity. Ronan’s life is a relentless pursuit of justice and vengeance, yet he remains tethered to his brother’s memory. As the shadows of Blackmere grow darker, Ronan’s path crosses with Malachy’s more frequently, and the unlikely pair find themselves drawn into a web of conspiracies that threaten the fragile balance of the city. Every choice is a step closer to becoming the very thing he hunts—or finding a way to reconcile the man he was with the hunter he has become.Malachy BiographyName: Malachy Elias BauerBorn: November 15, 1889, Grönebach, German EmpireTransformed: During the Great War, circa 1917 Malachy Elias Bauer was born into the pastoral simplicity of Grönebach, Germany. Raised on a family farm, his early years were filled with the rhythms of rural life: tending crops, milking cows, and enduring the sermons of the local church. Yet, beneath the idyllic surface, Malachy harbored a secret that weighed heavily on his young soul—a burgeoning affection for his childhood friend Kasper. In a society ruled by strict religious dogma, their clandestine meetings became a source of both joy and anguish, culminating in a heartbreaking separation that left Malachy yearning for a world beyond the village's narrow confines. With the outbreak of World War I, Malachy's life took a harrowing turn. Drafted into the German army, he witnessed firsthand the unspeakable horrors of trench warfare. Death, disease, and despair became his constant companions. During a brutal assault, Malachy was grievously wounded, left to die amidst the carnage. It was then that a stranger—a vampire—found him, feeding on his fading life and leaving him to rise as one of the undead. Awakening to his new existence, Malachy grappled with his monstrous transformation. He wandered Europe, haunted by an insatiable hunger and the memories of the lives he had taken. A chance encounter with Helena, an elegant and experienced vampire, offered him a lifeline. Under her guidance, he learned to control his impulses and navigate human society with a measure of grace. Together, they roamed the cities of Europe, forming a bond that was both mentor and companion. But tragedy struck when vampire hunters ambushed them in Paris, claiming Helena's life and leaving Malachy adrift once more. For decades, Malachy endured the manipulations of his sire, Edric, a sadistic and possessive vampire who twisted Malachy’s existence into a cycle of control and abuse. It was only after fifty-three years of torment that Malachy seized a fleeting opportunity to escape, plunging into the unknown with nothing but his wits and a flicker of hope. By the 1970s, Malachy found refuge in London, immersing himself in the burgeoning punk and goth subcultures. He embraced the darkness and melancholia of these movements, their aesthetic mirroring his inner turmoil. It was during this time that he forged an unshakable bond with Lydia, a fellow vampire whose sharp wit and unyielding spirit became his anchor. Now, in the year 2030, Malachy resides in Blackmere, a city shrouded in gothic mystery. From his derelict apartment in the Lament Quarter, he watches the world teeter between past and future, grappling with his own fractured identity. Haunted by the ghosts of those he loved and lost, Malachy’s eternal existence is a delicate balance between the monster he fears he’s become and the man he desperately hopes he can still be.