Silent Angels

Silent Angels refer to specific statues constructed in cemeteries in the Eastern Kingdoms. They are named for their unique posture in which their hands cover their mouths.

They resemble a feminine figure with wings typically associated with angelic imagery, their hands constantly covering their mouths, staring up into the sky. Because their mouths are covered, many passerby individuals have considered it to be representative of silence.

Function
Silent Angels appear to be little more than ornate decoration for a grave, but in reality they are constructions of the Mortraust, serving as a lock mechanism for vampyr tombs. In the presence of a vampyr, a Silent Angel will move its hands to its sides, revealing its open mouth. In order to activate the lock, the Angel must be fed the blood of a living individual - the blood of a vampyr will have no effect.

When fed with blood, the Angel will unlock the tomb, awakening the individual held within and revealing the sarcophagus beneath the grave. If the Angel sustains damage that impairs its function - such as removal of the head - it will awaken the individual kept within.

Sarcophagus
The vampyr's sarcophagus is hidden beneath a stone tablet. When the Angel is fed, the tablet parts to reveal the sarcophagus, which is elevated to ground level and opened to permit entry or exit. Once the lid of the sarcophagus is closed, the tomb will seal itself once again until the Angel is fed.

The design of the sarcophagus essentially draws the necromantic energies from the body of the undead housed within, killing them. These energies are then stored away, the body preserved for future reanimation. When the Angel is fed, this triggers a response within the tomb to reanimate the body kept within the sarcophagus. Due to the nature of the sarcophagus, any undead individual can hypothetically be housed within.