Vampling

Vamplings are a subspecies of Inklings based on the Vampire squid. Many Vampire tropes are incorporated in their design, behavior and lore, giving them a rather supernatural role in the Splatoon series.
==History==
During the events of The Great Turf War, the concept of Vampires were dismissed as one of the myths left behind by the previous civilization, more specifically, Humans. However, this stance grew shifty at the sudden, parasitic behaviors of some Inklings, which were reported to be draining ink supply from Inkling soldiers in the night. For their military factions, this was a massive problem, as the the painless bites did not rouse slumber and left the soldiers with a dried-out ammo bank for battling upon morning’s wake, a point where their ink would've been fully regenerated. After closer inspection, these batty Inklings were dubbed “Vamplings”: differentiated by a strange quirk that left them intolerant to the surface's light and craving ink not of their own. Most dangerously, however, was the fact that a Vampling’s bite would spread influence to their victims, converting them into their own kind.
Perhaps a Vampire, surviving through the flooding sea levels by virtue of their immortality, brought this curse upon the Mollusc Era? Whatever the case, the Octolings not only realized the threat of these sun-avoidant Vamplings roaming about in their overcast abode, but also their potential: as allies. Through crafty negotiation, the Octolings convinced the Vamplings to prey on their once relative Inklings instead of them, all with the promise of safe refuge under the surface.
But eventually, the Inklings witnessed Vamplings’ retreat back into the ground, allowing them to piece together their involvement and the Octolings’ ulterior motives. Fearing the prospect of their entire race turning Vampling, which would force them to dwell underground and forfeit the sunny surface to the Octolings, the Inklings began to take up Vampling Hunting. Figuring a conventional deluge of their ink would only feed a Vampling, the Inklings resorted to the Sunken Scrolls for a strategy. Deciphering the many weaknesses of vampires, these Vampling Hunters were able to stave off their targets with a combination of cross-decorated weaponry, garlic imbued ink, and running water. Of course, none of these tactics were necessary at all, as Vamplings can only absorb a portion of ink from other sources before it overwhelms them and running water is ironically harmful to anyone anyways. But truth be told: the Vamplings weren’t big fans of the pungent scent and flavor of the garlic.
With their failure, the Octolings severed ties with the Vamplings, leaving them with no choice but to fade into the molten rock bottom of the underground: Shella. After years of maintaining their society around subterranean volcanoes, witnessing the melodic battles between the surface dwellers and living off their shrapnel rains of ink; the Vamplings eventually caught sight of nothing but empty space occupying where the Octolings once tread. With curiosity, Vamplings came out of their Shella for the first time and claimed this underground layer as their own lair. But furthermore, the Vamplings caught current of something that would change everything: that both Inklings and Octolings had learned to coexist. In that moment, the Vamplings felt welcomed for once in their lives as they rose to the surface.
Able to shake off the sun long enough for at least a Turf War or two, Vamplings now receive nourishment from enemy ink propelled rather thrillingly towards them, even if that includes the occasional garlicky splash from a particularly superstitious cephalopod. Because of the technological advancement of Brellas, Vamplings even have access to a pocket of shade that allows them to traverse under sunlight for as long as they please without having to take any breaks underground. Though forbidden to bite anyone without consent (punishment being timeout in Shella), deep relationships between Inklings and Vamplings allow the latter to preserve their species.
==Biology==
Being Inklings turned vampiric, Vamplings are naturally similar in build to them. Their facial features have minor differences, though, as their masks come to "teardrop" points as opposed to being completely rounded and their fangs are noticeably longer and sharper, always sticking out of their mouth. Between each tentacle tuft of their hair stretches opaque webbings, the color being identical to the off-white underside of their tentacles, though the inner "succers" of each tendril are replaced by rounded inward “spikes”. Aside from hair, Vampling fingers have webbing between each digit that are the color of their current ink and their ears are also webbed and black, as if bat wings.
They are only able to receive nourishment from ingesting ink foreign to their body, which leaves them reliant on species such as Inklings and Octolings to provide ink either voluntarily (Turf Wars) or by force (draining ink from them via fangs). Though generally unnoticeable in the light, Vamplings themselves produce bioluminescent ink that glows faintly in the dark, allowing them to keep their usually dim turf aglow. More cosmetically, the tips of their hair and their eyes are also highlighted with pale blue bioluminescence. Not to mention, combined with slit pupils, Vamplings impose a rather demonic gaze.
Despite only being able to tolerate sunlight for minutes on end, Vamplings are still able to thrive in extreme conditions by virtue of their species, the infernal Shella being one example. Like bats, they also possess echolocation, allowing them to track down nearby prey, but their limited control and range renders this unviable in a Turf War without Point Sensor support. In squid form, Vamplings exhibit several bat-like behaviors: from wiggling of ears during a Super Jump to imitate flight to suctioning onto ceilings and hanging upside down for comfort during sleep.
In contrast to the futuristic style of Octolings and the modern style of the Inklings, Vamplings bring a sophisticated, 18th century style of clothing to the table. While dismissed as too “frilly” and “uncomfortable” for the sporty nature of Turf Wars, hipster Inklings fancy the fancy garments and have popularized them among a sizeable portion of their society. With this recognition, Vampling-style clothing has been recreated and commercialized in shops for the general public, doubtlessly adding freshness to the fashion industry.
==Gallery==
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Category:Species
Category:Splatoon (series)
Category:Vampires
Category:Articles by Plazzap