Elizabeth Báthory

Name	Elizabeth Báthory
Race	Vampire
Type	Domnitor
Faction	Nightbred
Premiere	Desideratum: Blood Bonds
Relative(s)	N/A

Elizabeth Báthory

"I think that I shall soak in this nice, warm bath and contemplate my next move."

Biography

Pre-Desideratum: Blood Bonds

Elizabeth Báthory was born on a family estate in Nyírbátor, Royal Hungary, in 1561, and spent her childhood at Ecsed Castle. Her father was Baron George VI Báthory of the Ecsed branch of the family, brother of Andrew Bonaventura Báthory, who had been voivode of Transylvania, while her mother was Baroness Anna Báthory (1539–1570), daughter of Stephen Báthory of Somlyó, another voivode of Transylvania, who was of the Somlyó branch. It was this proximity to Vlad Țepeș and her bloodline that would eventually secure her immortality.

Báthory was engaged at age 10 to Ferenc Nádasdy, the son of Baron Tamás Nádasdy de Nádasd et Fogarasföld and Orsolya Kanizsay in a political arrangement within the circles of the aristocracy. As Elizabeth's social standing was higher than that of her husband, she refused to change her last name, and instead Nádasdy assumed the surname Báthory. The couple married when she was 15 (and he was aged 19) at the palace of Vranov nad Topľou (Varannó in Hungarian) on 8 May 1575. Approximately 4,500 guests were invited to the wedding- one of which was Vlad himself.

He admired the brazen girl and he saw, even at her wedding, her penchant for inflicting pain and demanding respect. For a time, he concerned himself with his kingdom and lands. However, the Ottomans began invading again. With her husband away at war, Báthory managed business affairs and the estates. That role usually included responsibility for the Hungarian and Slovak people, even providing medical care. Vlad saw how shrewd the woman could be and grew impressed at her abilities to handle affairs on her own. He also marveled at how the woman seemed ageless, even as her husband showed signs of mortality, Elizabeth did not. Piquing the vampire's interest, he discovered that she had been bathing in the blood of vulnerable women, and then and there, Vlad was in love. Vlad had learned that while those he turned to Nightbred could not directly harm him or even disobey, the royals that he chose were superbly suited to politics and finding ways to attempt assassinations or other such issues.

However, he wanted her for himself, and so, he needed to break her before taking her. He set events in motion by first draining- but not killing her husband, Ferenc. Surprised that the man managed to last as long as he did, Vlad then watched as a power struggle unleashed. He had his minions leak the information about Báthory's baths. As word spread of Báthory's atrocities had spread through the kingdom, Lutheran minister István Magyari made complaints against her, both publicly and at the court in Vienna. Vlad watched as the world of humanity did what it did best- react to fear, within little time Báthory was imprisoned, her lands ceased, and her estate sectioned off. Vlad ensured no public trial or execution would take place, detaining her in the castle of Csejte for the rest of her life. Her will broken, Vlad visited the woman on the evening of 20 August 1614 hidden in the shadows of her room, his very presence gave off a feeling of cold death. Báthory complained to her bodyguard that her hands were cold, that the entire room seemed darker than usual, whereupon her guard replied "It's nothing, mistress. Just go lie down." She went to sleep and was found dead the following morning for that night, Vlad Țepeș drained her of her blood.

She awoke the next night into a whole new world. Vlad took her back to his castle and she learned that the entire government in the area was secretly being led by vampires. Vlad was known to her, but had been thought dead almost a century before she was born. He showered her in affection and gifts, the opposite of what she had been left with in mortal life, and the Countess fell in dark love with her savior, not knowing that Vlad was personally responsible for all the hardship that she had faced or even for the death of her husband, Ferenc Nádasdy; Elizabeth fell into his arms. Eventually, she learned of Vlad’s plots and how he orchestrated the entire thing, but by then, more than a century had come and gone, and she had grown to respect such cruel and Machiavellian methods.

She enjoyed being a member of Vlad’s elite court, often finding herself at odds with the other members- one of which was Lord Ivor. She always saw Ivor as a brute, not a calculating intellectual, and stood completely surprised when one of his attempts to end Vlad almost came to fruition- but Báthory discovered the plot and thwarted it. The pair squabbled and feuded often, until Calis Van Gothen arrived with his group of hunters. Báthory fought, but was repelled by the invaders, running to Vlad to warn him. Ivor had already fled as well, facing a similar fate at the hands of the heroic group. Vlad demanded that Báthory flee for her safety and return the following night, while also demanding that Ivor prove his strength and stand.

Báthory did flee Poenari Castle as ordered and returned the next night assuming that she would find Vlad torturing the humans for their insolence, only to find the castle deserted. Vlad’s other minions had fled as well, under Ivor’s orders, after Calis slew Vlad. When Elizabeth heard this, she grew to despise Ivor even more. However, Ivor left Europe directly after that night, leaving Báthory to pick up the pieces of the shattered Nightbred Empire in Europe. She did try to exact revenge on Van Gothen and those that aided him, but found that they, too, had left for the United States- tracking Ivor. She saw the death of Vlad as a curse and a blessing. Her black heart missed her master and lover, but knowing that Ivor was gone and likely slew seemed like a decent price to pay for it.

She slowly called out to other vampires as well as creating her own minions. However, in the early 1900’s she began to find her plans constantly thwarted by Grigori Rasputin and Anastasíya Nikoláyevna Románova. These two Nightbred did not follow the usual decorum and hierarchy that had been in place since Vlad’s return as the vampire lord. Using guerrilla warfare, the pair were a constant thorn in her side, even disrupting her own attempt to summon Nuit into the world. When Ivor’s messengers found the Countess, inviting her to Portland, Oregon, she could not believe that he had survived this long, and worse, that he would succeed where she had failed. So, using her wily cunning, she began weaving plans before her ships even set sail.

Desideratum: Blood Bonds

In Desideratum: Blood Bonds, Elizabeth learned that the nosferatu, Brone Lorcan, was one of Ivor’s minions, and quickly discerned his value- but also the risk. She could see that he would be likely to disrupt her own plans for ascension, and hired the Reaper and other assassins to slay him, but he escaped. Then she changed the band members of Absinthe and Arsenic into vampires in an attempt to take Absinthe as her own. When that plot failed, she again tried to have Brone assassinated. The assassin was to kill Lorcan and steal the Scepter of Osiris. This time, the Anax was present, and he subverted the Reaper, turning her into one of the Shadowed. Once Brone returned- empty handed no less- the Countess had few options left. She told Ivor that everything that was going wrong was due to Lorcan fraternizing with the Night Stalkers.

Ivor had Eleanora Blackwood chain Brone with enchanted bindings. That night, Absinthe Van Gothen arrived and cut a swath through the Nightbred forces. Hearing news of Vlad becoming the Blood Suit, Báthory saw a chance at having her old lover and on the same night capturing the power of Nuit. She hired the blood witch, Sangwen Darkblood, to claim control over the Blood Suit, and then, she could have Vlad freed from the powers of Absinthe. Eventually she plotted to find a way to resurrect him or at least have him merge with her so that they could be together forever, however, Sangwen failed.

Báthory then approached Absinthe and attempted to have the woman lower her guard so that Vlad could rise, but the Van Gothen managed to hold back the corruption and a fight ensued. Báthory had no choice but to retreat. She now spends all her time plotting to gain control over Absinthe so that she can be reunited with Vlad forever.

Appearance

Elizabeth is a slender European woman, with blonde hair who uses a lot of red highlights on her character.

Abilities

• Unholy Strength
• Unholy Speed
• Expert Mesmerism
• Expert Cunning

Notes and Trivia

In the Tunnels Hunt, Elizabeth is able to trigger one of Absinthe's various Bad Ends.