The higher Nyeusi are the direct descendants of Zadre and Diosa, the human twins who made a deal with the fire elemental Leona, gaining a share of her immortality in exchange some of their mortality. Zadre’s descendants include Fariza, Siete and Triste. Diosa’s include Cera and Macht. Cera and Siete have a son, named Leben.
There are some traits that all Nyeusi share. All of the higher Nyeusi are able to manipulate thought and dreams. They are all able to alter their forms, though some are stronger at that than others. To varying degrees, they have control over the physical world, most particularly weather and geological events. With the exception of Leben, all the higher Nyeusi were born human and only later given a share of Leona’s immortal power.
Zadre and Diosa
Zadre and Diosa were human twins who made a deal with the fire elemental Leona, their human mortality for her immortality. Zadre was willing to go farther to gain his immortal power and therefore gave his blood for the sacrifice. Doisa lived through the ritual; however Zadre was reduced to his raw immortal power, and not a mortal body. Zadre's descendants were stronger but required living mortal power. With the exception of Siete, Zadre's descendants cannot breed.
Doisa's descendants, on the other hand, can sustain themselves on food and beverage, but do not have the power of immortality. However they do have the ability to breed.
Zadre's Descendants- Fariza, Siete, Triste
Doisa's Descendants- Cera and Macht
(Cera and Siete sired a son named Leben)
Siete
Siete and his twin Triste were abandoned at birth, they were found by Leona and Zadre who raised them. As he grew his parents powers were entrenched into himself, and he was taught to feed on mortal beings, locking his mother's immortality into his mortal form. By the time Siete reached adulthood he was able to easily manipulate his powers, and began to experiment. He began sharing his immortal blood with mortals, thus creating the first lunar vampires.
Triste
Triste like her brother Siete also learned to manipulate her power. However in her experimentation, she gathered a few chosen disciples how to manipulate this power. She also granted them immortality; and these creatures are now known as Triste Witches.
Unlike Vampires Tristes have conscious control over the flow of immortal and mortal magics, they are also more-or-less alive. Tristes are extensively trained in their powers before initiation. They are taught how to control their heartbeat, body temperature, and even nerve impulses; this gives them the ability to heal faster than even the vampires. They are also taught how to manipulate auras.
Manipulating auras gives Tristes the power to heal others. It can also be used as a weapon, causing physical pain, or even killing a person by draining thier aura of its living power. The blood of a Triste is harmful to a vampire, and can be deadly if too much is taken.
"A tiny thread of power can calm a heart attack-or cause one."-Atwater Rhodes
Notable Tristes
Tatiana- A Triste known for long-term teaching of multiple students. She forms cult-like rings, and may teach a group for decades before deciding none of them are worthy of Triste power. Most of the time she accepts, not original cult members, but the offspring of two cult-members who were consciously raised with thier power.
Pandora- Initiated by Siete in 1200 B.C.E, she is one of the most powerful Tristes in the world. She is one of few who can change their shape (her second form is a bat) and her students tend to be the most powerful. High mortality rates in training weed out most, however those that survive have the highest survival rate among Tristes.
Jesse Fontes- Born in early B.C.E. Jesse is an extremely powerful Triste, known for controlling and containing vampires, he also hires out his abilities. He has worked with both Midnights to keep vampires from transporting in and out of the buildings.
Dinah Alina- A student of Jesse who specializes in healing. She is known to have a good eye for potential.
Alexander Weatere- One of Pandora's fledglings, and brother of Rachael Weatere. (Risika)
Christian Denmark- A new initiate of Pandora's, he is currently the leader of the Frost Bruja Guild.
Adjila- Yet another of Pandora's students he co-founded Bruja. Currently he is in a relationship with Shevaun of Kendra's line. He has a second form of the raven.
Ramsey- Triste's fourth fledgling was initiated in 1312. She is a well known mercenary, was influential in the founding of Bruja, and in 1700 was responsible for training Eric Marinitch, a Macht witch.
Eric Marinitch- A student of Ramsey who was forcibly changed (into a vampire) by Kendra and several others.
Rikai- No one knows who turned her, and they swear the trainer she knows never existed. Her raw power unnerves most of the Higher Nyeusi, as does her madness. She is one of the Wild Card and specializes in evil.
Fariza
Fariza was the creator of the Solar Vampires. Using Zadre's power she created a nation, and set herself up as the goddess. She gave some of her power to her priests and priestesses, when her people betrayed her she destroyed them, save for those within her power. Without her direct support however, the priests and priestesses needed to feast, and the solar vampire was created.
Macht
After Diosa and Zadre parted ways Diosa traveled to a human village, there she met Macht a local wise-woman. Diosa passed some of her power to Macht in order to protect the village. Macht's power was passed along to her daughter Vida, and to a lesser extent the rest of the village, they became known as the Macht witches.
Cera
Cera was a child in the village who learned to flawlessly change her form into that of any animal she chose. In her travels she met the Siete, and the two began an affair. Leben was produced, the only of the Nyeusi ever born already immortal.
Leben
Cera and Siete had an affair that lasted several years, and in the end produced Leben, the only nyeusi ever born already immortal. Leben was mostly raised by his mother, but it became evident as he reached adulthood... and never grew past it... that he took after his father more. After his mother’s death, he left his homeland and began to travel. Over the next several millennia, he shared his power with many groups, creating the various vie elavie.
The Kiesha'ra series includes myths that tell how Leben created the serpents and falcons of the Dasi. Falcondance tells how the Avians were created.
