THE CRIMSON UNION
The sacred binding of two immortals in the presence of the Blood and the Night.
Setting
The ceremony is held only in sacred vampire ground—an ancient crypt, ruined cathedral, or black marble hall lit solely by candlelight and moonbeams.
Guests stand in a circle, cloaked in black, holding silver goblets of wine laced with blood.
A black altar stands between them, draped in crimson velvet.
Upon it rests:
- The Chalice of Binding (gold, rimmed in rubies, filled with mingled blood and wine)
- The Thorn Dagger (an obsidian blade for the offering)
- The Ribbon of Eternal Night (black silk embroidered in silver thread)
The Ceremony
[1] The Summoning of Night
The officiant (usually an elder vampire or royal kin) raises their hands.
“In the shadow of moonlight, in the hush of eternity,
we gather where no sun may trespass,
to bind two hearts already beyond death.
Let the Night bear witness,
let the Blood be the seal,
and let the Darkness claim what it hungers for.”
The guests drink from their goblets. The candles flicker low.
[2] The Offering of Blood
The groom and bride each take the Thorn Dagger and poke their fingers.
They let their blood drip into the Chalice of Binding.
Officiant:
“As your blood mingles, so shall your fate.
You are no longer alone in the hunger,
no longer alone in the night.”
They each drink from the chalice, never breaking eye contact.
[3] The Vows of Eternal Night
The officiant speaks, and the couple repeats:
“By shadow and silence,
by the kiss of the fang and the heat of the heart,
I bind my eternity to yours.
No sun shall warm me,
no dawn shall take me,
for I am yours beyond time and beyond death.”
[4] The Binding of the Ribbon
The officiant ties their wrists together with the Ribbon of Eternal Night.
“The ribbon may fade, the silk may fray,
but the bond is of the Blood,
and the Blood does not die.”
[5] The Kiss of the Fang
The couple bite one another—not to wound, but to seal the vow in pleasure and pain.
A drop of blood falls to the floor, marking the union.
[6] The Final Blessing
“The Night has claimed you both.
May your hunger be shared,
your shadows entwined,
and your love as endless as the dark.”
Post-Ceremony Custom:
Tradition dictates that the newly bound couple feed together on a mortal brought to the altar—a symbolic first hunt as one.
They then retreat into the night, leaving the guests to feast and dance until dawn.