CIty of Vampires

Cryptic glyphs adorn the windowless buildings of Selene, which is often shrouded in mist during the day. The mist is not entirely... natural.

Selene, the city of ghouls and vampires, is located behind a perceptual field in the Mojave Desert. Created by infectious bionitic viruses during The Fall, the vampire elite now feeds upon abducted human chattel; the ghouls use their remains for parts in their quest to build perfect golem husks for their consciousnesses to inhabit. 

Ghoul surgeons playing mix match with body parts

A new creation

The ghouls specialize in macabre medical tech, but much of it is unsuitable for export. The nanotechnology industry is strong with several vampire houses, who have powerful wizards, but the city itself is resource poor. Few human communities wish to trade with a city state of, essentially, intra-species predators, so goods are obtained by proxies, theft or unscrupulous AI intermediaries.

A stylish ghoul in line for a new husk to inhabit

A ritual feeding hall.

A quiet street... during the day.

Red is the favourite colour in Selene.

Red neon lighting is common in the underground labyrinth

The city is unusual in that few buildings have windows; like an iceberg, most of it is under the surface. The architecture is unusually ornate brutalism, embellished with glyphs to convey vampire house status. 

Humans are kept in pens; food markets open after dusk and close at midnight, but the blood bank is open 24 hours. Feeding is tightly regulated: every banquet must have a CDT (Corpse Disposal Team) of ghouls present, by law. Feeding chambers are sealed for easier hosing down after meals. 

A ritual feeding chamber, sealed for easy drainage after the meal

The city is eerily serene during the day; security is provided by familiars, synthetics (androids) and automatons. 

A member of House Kronysk of Selene. Selenites like to dress sharp.

The Selene Defense Force fields a multi-environment Atlas Cruiser, which is used to extort the ‘Seleneblut', or blood offering, from regional farming communities. Humans are abducted directly in raids further afield; some effort is made to keep the location of the city secret. 

All of these images were made with Midjourney (and some editing in ProCreate). 

Dressed for a night on the town, hunting humans. Called Helos, it is a ritual in which humans are set free throughout the city. Those who last until sunrise are pardoned. The rest... are lunch.