Vampires

== History and Hierarchy: ==
Many theories surround how Vampires were first created and brought into the world, to a disease that was magically mutated, to a failed necromancy attempt, to a strange infliction brought about by beasts. In reality, the first Vampire came from a failed magic ritual that would grant immortality that was attempted in China by a male magician thousands of years ago. 
The magic was indeed granted some form of immortality, but he was also turned undead, with an intense thirst for blood that was used to destroy his town and spread the Vampiric disease. The ritual began spreading around after the event, and the infected began spreading it with more bites. While originally recorded as a myth in the West, sudden influx of famous Vampires such as Dracula, Vlad the Impaler, Carmilla, and Elizabeth Bathory began to make these rumors seem truer.
Vampires were one of the earlier species to reveal themselves to the world, using their world renown fame from popular media to help boost their status temporarily, before their true nature of hunting down humans for food came into play. As a result, the Masquerade Night's pact was made. An agreement between Vampires and the other races to not over-hunt human beings, and to never kill them while feeding. 
A pact originally brought up and agreed upon to help the Vampire's conceal their activities better, as well as lower the amount of humans hunted as it began to interfere with many other things. As for killing a human being while hunting, that's entirely left up the Vampire who's feeding. Vampires only have few physical traits that make them stick out, being their fangs and pale skin.
While many believe that a bite from a vampire means certain death once they drink all blood, this isn't true. It's rare for a vampire to drink all of someone's blood, and someone isn't converted to a Vampire with a bite unless the Vampire doing the biting so chooses to plant some of their essence. More often than not nowadays with the Pact in play, a Vampire will feed on someone and erase the memory of them being fed on with their hypnotism. As such, it's possible to be bitten by a vampire and still continue a normal life.
Vampires have an odd hierarchy of sorts, the older ones being regarded as the more powerful ones both political and magically, despite this not always being true. Vampires can be made in several ways, either through biting and pouring enough of their essence into a person, through sexual reproduction with another vampire, or through magical means to turn oneself into a powerful undead.
Vampires that are made by magic tend to be the strongest, but the rarest as well, as the ritual to turn oneself into a Vampire was lost and burned during the Crusades, last between the Third and Fifth in the years 1187-1221. 
Vampires made by bites are actually quite rare as well, as many nowadays tend to avoid the risk and simply let their targets go, or kill them and remove all evidence of their involvement. These made through bites are moderate in strength, while vampires made through procreation tend to fluctuate. Vampires are popularly known as blood-suckers, something which is quite true. In order to survive, vampires need to drink the blood of others to sustain themselves, as their own bodies lack the ability to reproduce it. Their advanced healing abilities come from a byproduct of this, their bodies attempting to keep in as much blood as possible. 
Older and more powerful vampires can go longer without blood, some even being able to sustain fine without it, relying on their own magic instead and simply drinking blood as a luxury akin to fine wine. Vampires can't really "overeat," in terms of Blood. Rather, should they drink more than they presently need to survive and sustain themselves, it begins to temporarily empower them. Sometimes, it's permanently if enough blood is drunken. Though, the amount it takes to do this is nearly half a village.
Most Vampires tend to come from before the 22nd and 21st century, days from before when the Pact was made. While Vampires tend to seem invincible with all their abilities and their near super regeneration, they do have one fatal weakness, one put onto them as a side-effect of the original failed ritual. Sunlight. In their own way, each ranking of Vampire is susceptible to Sunlight in one form or another. The lesser one's may find themselves killed, while the older ones may find it as a nuisance. If sophisticated enough, this can include artificial sunlight, though light made through magic (including Holy) does not fall under this.
In their own right, vampires do have their own social circles, often having “families” that represent their power. In truth, these are not real “families” but often drudges and lesser vampires serving a more powerful vampire that refers to them as such for the sake of appearances. There are many well-known families throughout the world, their territories set in famous cities and small towns for them to feed on. The more powerful families cover entire portions of countries rather than mere cities, often competing against each other for territory.
Families tend to be run different depending on who's the Head of said family. As each Family is from before the 21st century, this is when Vampires were still mostly forcibly turn, and as such each Head tends to have different values and beliefs as compared to the other. Most tend to line-up, such as the need of power and recognition to survive, but how it's handled may differ, one running it more militaristicly while another may run it more akin to a business. More often than not though, the issue of dealing with illegitimate children tends to be mostly the same, tossing them aside in villages since they can't be bothered to care for them all.
Vampires also have their own towns where they gather, being in locations magically hidden away and run by a ruling Family that establishes it. These towns are not modern looking, looking more akin to something from Victorian times due to the ruling Vampire's and their ages, also simply because some of them are that old. While old in stature and appearance, this does not make them absent to modern pleasures and news. These towns also tend to have an over-abundance of surplus of orphan Dhampires, the before mentioned over abundance of abandoned and orphaned illegitimate children after being left in them to fend for themselves. 
The Running family will more than likely know what goes on in the outside world, as in a town entirely filled with Vampires, it's quite impossible to survive without anyone to feed on. The locations for these towns can get rather odd, though despite the locations, it somehow always appears as though they're outside, the sun and moon hanging above, cool breezes blowing through, and even the occasional rain. Popular locations are behind waterfalls, through deep tunnels, underneath bridges, deep in forests, through sewage systems, and so on.
== Types ==
=== Drudge ===
Technically not a full vampire, but rather a half-vampire that is usually kept around to act as a mindless slave. These can only be created through bites, however. Often have no will of their own, following the will of their creator. Have boosted abilities as compared to a normal person, though still weaker than a full-blown vampire. Typically, their sheer number make up for this. Have none of the magic capabilities of Vampires. If one wants to free a drudge, one must slay their master and then heal them, or convince the master to release them from their command.
Drudge's live as long as the Vampire does, getting a sort of faux immortality where they don't age due to the magic placed on them. They are, however, still very susceptible to damage. They're immune to sunlight, needing to be to fulfill the tasks and chores assigned to them.
=== Lesser Vampire ===
A vampire that was just recently made. Quite weak, though stronger than a drudge. The hungriest of all vampires with an actual need, the blood acting as a way to sustain and accustom the new body. While it takes about 3 months for a Lesser Vampire to become a full blown Vampire time wise due to their developing Dark Magic, they can speed this up by draining more blood than they need. Noted earlier to their developing Dark Magic, they can't use any of its active effects, and only really have hypnotism and minor shapeshifting. The only Vampire that is capable of being cured of vampirism, usually lasting between 1-6 months. As time goes on, it gets much more difficult to revert them, until it's not possible entirely.
It takes about one year to a decade for a Lesser Vampire to naturally mature to a simple Vampire. Lesser Vampires are extremely weak to sunlight during their 1-6 month period, their skin bubbling and disintegrating with the smallest peek. It gradually gets better over time until their irreversibly a Vampire, but at best they can last about 10 minutes to an hour before fully disintegrating. They're mostly unable to use any of their abilities while in sunlight, needing to escape through normal means.
=== Plain Vampire ===
Your average run of the mill vampire. A more controlled and refined being, being the ones you’d typically see on the street doing nothing in particular. Made shortly after a Lesser Vampire fully matures, their Dark Magic able to manifest somewhat and focus on one person with minor to standard effects. Their Hypnotism is stronger, as is their shape-shifting, being able to change fully into a selected animal of their choosing, though, this is only for stronger Vampires. 
Most are tied to the typical bat. Their Necromancy is untrained and being able to summon about one three undead creatures at best without training. While Vampires have to live for centuries to mature their Dark Magic naturally into a Higher Vampire, as per a Lesser Vampire, they can speed up this process by consuming more blood than is needed. If one is born between two Vampire parents, then they just jump right to here, ignoring Lesser Vampire as a whole. 
Vampire's find about half of their power taken away while present in silent, bubbling slightly. They can last about a good few hours in Sunlight with only moderate damage to themselves, but a full day will kill them. A Vampire roughly takes around 500-600 years (naturally) before fully maturing into a High Vampire. 
=== High Vampire ===
A vampire that has lived for quite some time, being several centuries old. These are vampires who have accumulated great power over the years, being heads of “families,” running them as well as towns. Generally the more well known and feared. 
For a Higher Vampire, at base, their Dark Magic is about the size of half a village, and steadily increases the more and more blood they consume. Necromancy wise, at base, they can summon 10 undead creatures with ease, higher trained ones capable of numbers near an army. Their hypnotism can make several people fall under with a simple gaze. Shape-shifting, if focused on, one could turn themself into an entire swarm of bats, or something else similar in grandeur fashion.
High-Vampires mature naturally into an Elder Vampire at around 1,000 to 1,200 years time, though most die in this time-frame as High-Vampires are constantly challenged by others for their positions. A High-Vampire can be out in Sunlight for almost the entirety of the day, only suffering minor damage that makes more difficult to regenerate, and a quarter of their power taken.
=== Elder Vampire ===
There aren't many Elder Vampires, but they certainly aren't the least amount present, that being Shinso. Only a few dozen run Families and tons, those tending to be the more powerful ones. Some, with their power, tend to get tired of the countless challenges to be head of a Family, and simply leave to wander around the world.
Their Dark Magic is fully matured here time wise, and can only be raised higher by drinking more blood than is needed. At base, one could raze multiple villages on sheer whim alone. Their hypnotism evolves to the point that they can fabricate memories, thoughts, and emotions all with ease, effectively being able to turn someone into someone else entirely. At base their Necromancy can raise an entire village, and their shape-shifting doesn't do much evolving, if any.
They don't evolve/mature further past this point, though their power can be increased through blood. They're practically immune to Sunlight entirely at this point, really only serving as a minor nuisance with slight barely noticeable wounds and a small sliver of their power sealed away.
=== Shinso Vampire ===
Beings changed into vampires via magic or other means. Arguably the most powerful of all vampires, having used a cheat method to increase their power quickly, greatly. Besides that, Shinso Vampires are usually some of the oldest, the ritual for Vampirism having been lost and burned during the Crusades, no trace of it left. Their blood-lust is higher than the others, and they require more to sate themselves. 
A purely psychological need, as they don’t need blood to sustain themselves in the slightest, their Dark Magic sustaining themselves well enough with the ritual change. Their Dark Magic, at its base, is the highest, being able to drain the vitality of others. Their hypnotism is about the same as an Elder Vampire's, being able to affect multiple people, while with their shape-shifting they could change parts of their body to monstrous forms, though their entire body is actually difficult for them. For their Necromancy, at base, a Shinso could raise an entire village with no difficulty.
Shinso's are immortal and don't age from their age upon the ritual, not being able to evolve further from their base power, but they can raise it through natural means. Shinso's deal with minor bubbling that slightly offsets regeneration while in Sunlight, only really serving as a nuisance that constantly brings pain. That, and half their power is taken while in it, though most only need half to deal with their problems.
=== Dhampire ===
An odd form of Vampire. While originally only considered to be a born between a human and a Vampire, is now the term largely used for someone born between a Vampire and any race. Depending on the race mixed, a Dhampire usually only gets one feature from their Vampiric side, and it's never the blood-sucking. It should be important to note, that while a Dhampire may inherit the physical traits of their Vampiric parent, such as fangs, and they can suck blood, they don't need it to sustain themselves, nor do they feel a psychological need to do so. It's only purpose would serve to increase their own power. While it can be used to increase their own power, a Dhampire doesn't always inherit Dark Magic. 
They can inherit hypnotism or shape-shifting as well, while necromancy is as simple as choosing to practice it or not. Should they, they'll find they have a certain knack for it. A Dhampire always inherits fangs, while anything else inherited depends on genetics. It's usually just fangs, sometimes pale skin, and one portion of their abilities, such as Dark Magic, hypnotism, or shape-shifting. If they're lucky, it could be two. A Dhampire, if they find themselves even more fortunate, can also inherit the abnormal healing factor of Vampires. They cannot, however, obtain the immortality of their Vampiric parent, and are totally immune to Sunlight.
=== Ghoul ===
A vampire lost in their lust for blood, hardly distinguishable as a living being and more so a monster. Hunts indiscriminately for people, tearing them apart and drinking their blood for its sick glee. Poses a problem for other vampires as much as people, and is only ever active at night as most tend to flinch from the slightest bit of pain caused by sunlight. Any type of Vampire can become this save for Drudges, and are usually referred to as the ranking of Vampire gone mad. Lesser Ghoul, Ghoul, Higher Ghoul, and Shinso Ghoul. Ghouls tend to be the strongest, and more dangerous, of Vampires as they have removed all constraints from themselves. 
However, due to their madness, they have lost much of their magical capabilities. Their hypnotism is no longer available to them, necromancy at best could raise one or two people, while shapeshifting is minor at best, being used to increase limbs. Dark Magic wise, at their base, focuses on area of effect however, appearing as a dark gas. Their lowered magic is made up for their ridiculously increased physical capabilities however, a Lesser Ghoul alone able to raze a town.
=== Playability ===
Lesser Vampires, Vampires, and Dhampires are allowed as First Years, while High Vampires are allowed as Third Years. Shinso and Elder are teacher only. Drudges and Ghouls are largely left as NPC, given their nature of being uncontrollable and mindless.
As for what can be turned into a Vampire, first and foremost, it is important to remember that Vampires are undead. So, beings with ties to the Afterlife are barred from becoming them, such as Angels, Demons, and Ghosts. The beings that can become Vampires include Humans, Maji, the Fae, Aoquid, Kitsune, and Deities. However, upon becoming a Vampire, they lose any racial abilities they had previously, as they are now technically dead. They do, however, retain personal abilities and technological implants, should they have had them prior.
=== Extra ===
While there are different types of vampires classes, such as the Chinese Jiang Shi, the Romanian Strigoi, the German Nosferatu, and the Philippine Mananaggal. The Ghouls have a different name in Slavic as well, being referred to as Nelapsi. These typically fall under normal vampire classification parameters.
== Families ==
Vampire Families are well-known throughout the world. Many more are run by High-Vampires than Elder's, as there are only a handful of Elder vampires present in the world. Some of the more popular, powerful, and well-known Families and their locations as well as influence can be found below, as well as the towns they run.
Osaka - Currently, no Vampire family resides within Osaka's domain, or has any reach inside Osaka's domain. In agreeance with the town after some debate and events, Osaka is currently neutral territory and not owned by any Family or within it's reach. The decision was made about 100 years ago after a turf battle began for the town and started affecting its residents, to which case the nearby Principal and his staff had to intervene in. As for vampire ground, it could be said to be Osaka's, letting its Vampiric students go out and hunt in the town, so long as no civilian is killed and their life isn't put in any danger.
== Inherent Magic and Abilities: ==
Vampires have quite a few inherent magics. Dark magic is the life sustaining force of Vampires, being what gives them "life," and can largely be considered their essence, so to speak. Their fuel, to speak again. What powers and heals their wounds, found in every trace of their magic. While it can be depleted through continuous use, it's impossible to deplete completely as their is always a small subconscious amount left to allow life. 
This can be equated to if a person tries to strangle themselves, their subconscious functions won't allow it. Dark Magic can be manifested in other ways as well, specifically offensively to limit the capabilities of others. Essentially, their Dark Magic can trained to act as debuffs. More powerful Vampires, such as Higher, can train it further it to act as a draining effect, taking an opponents speed, strength, or vitality for themselves. 
They also have hypnotism and shapeshifting (to a decree), though, the level for these two depends on the type of Vampire and much they've trained it. While other races are capable of necromancy, Vampires have more of a knack and are more advanced in it due to their Dark Magic, however, not every Vampire practices it. Typically only the older and more powerful ones do. 
While it's thought to, not all Vampires have night vision. Anything lower than an average vampire doesn't, while the average vampires and everything above do. This is due to Lesser Vampires still adapting, and Drudges not having any real vampiric powers and simply being slaves. 
Vampire physical capabilities are higher than an average person, being an Undead and are not bound by living constraints. Their healing abilities are amped up as well, powerful vampires being able to reattach limbs with ease, and can general heal from many wounds after drinking some blood. They have higher senses as well, often being able to spot a target from sometimes even a mile way, and smell fresh blood from even farther. While immortal and unaging, Vampires can die if they sustain enough damage, just as any other race.
Category:Lore