Origin
Once known as Yueqin Shen Lan, Nite Hook was a ruthless assassin for the Triad in southern China, feared for her deadly martial arts and merciless efficiency. Master Zhong Qiren was a powerful and enigmatic figure in the dark underworld of China. Born into a secretive family of sorcerers with a deep knowledge of ancient Chinese magic, Zhong Qiren became fascinated with the Jiangshi, the undead vampires of Chinese folklore. His family had long studied these creatures, seeking to control them as a source of immense power. Through forbidden rituals and dark pacts with malevolent spirits, Zhong Qiren mastered the art of Jiangshi manipulation, bending these terrifying beings to his will.
Zhong Qiren’s rise to power was largely due to his ability to control Jiangshi. With these undead minions at his command, he eliminated other criminal rivals with Jiangshi henchmen that couldn’t be contained or arrested, enforced his will, and expanded his influence throughout the criminal underworld. The Jiangshi were his enforcers and assassins, bound to him by the dark magic he wielded. No one dared to challenge Zhong Qiren, knowing that those who crossed him would meet a grisly end at the hands of his Jiangshi.
Yueqin , a talented and ambitious assassin, was drawn to Zhong Qiren’s power and sought to learn from him, hoping to enhance her own abilities. Impressed by her skills and potential, Zhong Qiren took her under his wing, training her in the ways of dark magic and martial arts. Yueqin quickly became his most trusted human disciple, carrying out his most dangerous missions with deadly precision.
However, Yueqin ’s ambition grew with her power, and she began to resent Zhong Qiren’s control over her. Desiring more power and freedom, she devised a plan to overthrow her master. She secretly forged a pact with a rival gang lord, promising to deliver Zhong Qiren, once dead she would be able to control his Jiangshi minions.
On the night of the betrayal, Yueqin lured Zhong Qiren into an ambush, only to find his one of his Jiangshi had killed the rival. Although Yueqin was powerful and skilled, she was no match for a Jiangshi and for the treachery Zhong Qiren cursed Yueqin, transforming her into the very creature she had sought to control—a Jiangshi. Knowing with his magic Zhong would be able to more easily control her, she ran and using her skills managed to escape him. She later boarded a plane and while in the throws of transformation, she was able to keep her composure, timing her flight to land at night allowing her to get off the plane and find a place to hide, becoming a full Jiangshi moments after touch down. She wandered through various cities across Asia and Europe, seeking to harness her newfound powers and find a place where she could truly belong. The curse had made her stronger and her magic more powerful, but it also isolated her, as she was now a creature of darkness, feared and shunned by most of the supernatural community.
While in Europe, Nite Hook began to hear whispers and rumors of an ancient, powerful American organization known as the Sisterhood of Lilith. This secretive cult, dedicated to the worship of Lilith, the first woman and mother of demons, was said to be a refuge for those who had been wronged by the world and sought vengeance. Intrigued by the stories of Lilith’s defiance and her army of devoted followers, Nite Hook began to dig deeper, using her skills in stealth and subterfuge to track down any leads on the Sisterhood.
Her quest eventually led her to a hidden coven in the remote mountains of Romania, where she encountered a small, but devoted group of Lilitu who were members of the Sisterhood. These darklings, beings of shadow and malice, recognized the power within Nite Hook and saw her potential as a valuable asset to their cause. They introduced her to the teachings of Lilith, explaining how the Sisterhood sought to overthrow the world of men and restore Lilith’s dominion by destroying the descendants of Adam and Eve.
Fascinated by their goals and drawn to the idea of being part of something greater, Nite Hook agreed to join the Sisterhood. She later went Chicago, the Sisterhood’s main stronghold, where she met Atraria Atieno, also known as Nightevil, the powerful Lilitu who had united the various factions under Lilith’s banner. Nightevil welcomed Nite Hook into the fold, recognizing in her a kindred spirit who had also been betrayed by those she once trusted.
In the Sisterhood, Nite Hook found the purpose she had been searching for. No longer was she a lone, cursed Jiangshi; now, she was part of a larger movement, dedicated to the destruction of the world that had wronged her and so many others.
Story Arcs
Nite Hook has a cameo as one of the possible brides to be at Damious’ wedding in CurseRisen #2, where he mentions when he was younger she would periodically try to bite him.
Powers and Abilities
As a Jiangshi, Nite Hook possesses supernatural strength, agility, and durability far beyond that of a normal human. She can leap great distances with terrifying speed, making her a relentless predator. Her most fearsome weapon is her razor-sharp talons, capable of tearing through flesh and bone with ease. Nite Hook can also drain the life force from her victims, which temporarily boosts her physical abilities and allows her to heal rapidly from injuries. While she shares some weaknesses with traditional vampires, such as an aversion to sunlight, religious iconography and a need for life energy to sustain herself, her Jiangshi nature grants her a resistance to many of the traditional methods used to repel vampires. Her cold, calculating mind and mastery of the martial arts and dark magic make her a deadly and formidable member within the Sisterhood of Lilith, where she serves as both a warrior and a symbol of the cult’s dark purpose.