Vampire (Species)

*“Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!”*

― Bram Stoker

### Other Names

Fangs, Drinkers, Bloodsuckers, Leeches, Mosquitoes, Night Walkers, Bat-People, Coffinheads, Lestats, Draculas

### Distinctions

* Retractable Fangs
* Undead
* Drinks on the blood of humans
* Immortal

### Origin

Earth

**Vampires** are sentient reanimated corpses that drink blood to survive and maintain their powers. They were originally humanss (or other humanoid creatures, such as a psychic or witch) that are changed into vampires by a "Maker". Being technically deceased, they do not possess a psychic aura and are immune to enchantments of all kinds. They are immortal creatures, living forever until they meet a violent end.

Vampires are a feral, predatory species and are far more savage than their human appearance would suggest. When provoked, they snarl, growl, hiss and curl their lips back, baring their fangs. Vampires are keen in self-preservation and will leave an area if they believe they are threatened. Vampires are cunning hunters, and they enjoy playing with their food before indulging in it; that is to say, they drive the victim's blood pressure high to ease bloodflow and this makes the blood's taste better. They have been known to bully other, smaller creatures into subservience to ease their hunting.

While the bite of a vampire can sever the limbs of an animal or human, vampires are also capable of human emotions, like compassion, love and self-control. Vampires experience emotions that are far more intense than those of a human, and it can be overwhelming to a vampire at first. Thus, many vampires tend to be cold and aloof to avoid a rush of emotion. Their long lifespans tend to rob many activities of their thrill, so many vampires adopt a hedonistic lifestyle in order to feel anything at all.

## History

Nobody knows when the first vampire sunk its teeth into the neck of a human victim or what circumstances or dark magic allowed it to happen. There are many theories, of course, but nothing can be proven or confirmed, and there are no vampires old enough to remember. What *is* known is that the first vampires, known as the Vampire Lords to modern-day vampires, are the progenitors of the modern vampire species. These powerful vampires are believed to have been hunted to extinction, though some claim that there are those vampire lords who remain.

The first accounts of vampires in history were writings in ancient Egypt, where it is said that the "angel of death" could bring to life a corpse and would pretend to be a traveler in need of shelter in order to be invited into a home. These attacks began to ravage villages and cities under moonlight. These creatures were unkillable and virtually unstoppable, but would flee to shelter in daylight, for the sun would destroy them. Egyptians soon learned from their Wisemen that sharpened wooden stakes through its heart would them and humans could finally fight back against this feral species.

There are some reports during the Crusades that Vampires were present, stalking the battlefield dressed as soldiers from either side, feeding on the dying. It was said by a Catholic priest traveling with the crusaders to be a big problem.

The best known documentation of vampires arrived in the late 15th century, by a Romanian doctor named **Constantin Mironescu**. This man followed patterns of deaths, charting the movements of the creatures and much of the knowledge of modern vampire-slaying techniques is believed to come from Dr. Mironescu's journals. Mironescu was the first to witness a vampire turning a human, and noted the process in great detail.

During the next few centuries, vampire lore spread throughout Europe, until the founding of the **Order of St. George** in Rome in 1698. The order began spreading through catholic-influenced Europe, hunting creatures of the shadow, but they developed a particular rivalry with vampires.

In 1883, the **War of the Dragon** occurred in secret in the London streets, the result of **Dracula** coming to England. This was the largest-scale vampire invasion that had occurred up to that point, and was one of the only times vampires had organized on such a large scale, and was certainly the largest such organization.

Since the death of Dracula, vampires have once again been driven to the darkness, waiting in the shadows and preying on unsuspecting humans.

## Psychological Traits

Vampires tend to be arrogant and cocky, often acting on impulse without thinking the situation through. They are prone to overreacting and tend to act like the leader of a group, even if they aren't. The vampire's longevity, breadth of supernatural powers and near invulnerability are the cause of this behavior, as it tends to make them take greater risks. After a century or two, one tends to grow a little overconfident.

Vampires are naturally predatory creatures and are often incredibly violent and aggressive. They are capable of human emotions, obviously, but their long lifespans often dilute them after a long time. Vampires also have a tendency to slip into nihilism and discard their sense of morality, especially in their younger years.

Despite having been humans themselves once, many vampires believe that their advanced abilities and immortality justify their brutality toward their prey; they consider themselves higher beings, entitled to do what they please with "lesser creatures". Not all vampires endorse this philosophy, of course. Others justify their actions by arguing that "it's out nature". Others, Dante Bianchi, don't bother justifying their actions at all and do what they want because they can.

## Breeding

*"...the vampyre poured its own blood into the mouth of the woman, and she drank it like a fine wine. Then the beast killed her by snapping her head around. She lay still as death for hours until she arose, her eyes turned white. The vampyre brought forth another, a child it seemed to me, and told the woman to feed to finish her transformation. She leapt at the boy, snarling like a beast and fed, drank him until he was dry. Never a more evil sight have I beheld in all my days and may the Lord have mercy upon me, for I witnessed and did nothing. When that was complete, she was no longer human but of the damned."*--The Journals of Doctor Mironescu, volume IV, chapter XII.

Vampires are a sterile species and cannot breed. Instead, vampires procreate by a process known as "The Embrace", also called Turning or the Transformation. In order for this to occur, a human must die within 24 hours of consuming vampire's blood. The nature of the death is irrelevant, as long as the body is kept whole and unmutilated. After several hours, the body awakens in a state known as "in transition". To complete the process, the new vampire must drain all of the blood from a human being to the point of death. Thus, a vampire dies with blood and is reborn with it.

### Sire Bond

A maker has a deep connection with their progeny, something that humans cannot fully understand or experience. During the transformation, the maker and the soon-to-be progeny "share their essence" during the transferral of blood. This is a supernatural process that not even vampires understand.

This often creates a Sire Bond, which is a link between the Sire and their Sired that exists within the vampire species. The Sired complies with the direct and indirect orders of the Sire in order to show its loyalty. The bond is strongest when the progeny is in the presence of their Sire.

This bond can be broken by the Sire releasing the Progeny from the bond. There might be other ways of breaking the bond, though they are not widely known.

### Habitat

Vampires can be found in any habitat, as weather does not affect them, as long as human and/or plenty of game animals can be found there. Vampires are migratory by nature, rarely settling down in one place for long, lest they be found out by the locals. When they find a place to settle briefly, known as the vampire's Nest, they tend to find a place secluded from all light, such as a basement, deep cave or a house with the windows boarded up.

### Diet

A vampire's primary diet is blood, and they cannot function without it. While human blood is preferred, some vampires take to killing and feeding off of the blood of animals, though animal blood tastes terrible and their powers will become considerably weaker if this option is chosen. Additionally, the blood of animals does not satiate them as long and the cravings for human blood will inevitably return.

Blood preserved in a blood bag is also a serviceable option, but this blood tastes foul and isn't as nourishing. Vampires are not able to feed off the blood from most supernatural creatures, though Fairies tend to be an option; fairy blood, while difficult to come by, grants the vampire temporary protection from sunlight.

## Characteristics

### Appearance

Vampires look, by all accounts, entirely human when they have their emotions under control and have consumed blood. But in times of great stress, such as battle or hunger, their faces contort into something feral, almost shark-like. Veins bulge and their eyes roll back as blood covers them, turning them a deep crimson. Two sets of fangs descend as well, which they use to inflict hideous bite wounds that rend and peel human flesh and are retractable. They can acquire this appearance at any time, but usually try to keep a more human visage.

A vampire's skin is pale and cool to the touch, except for about an hour after feeding. Their eyes often flitter about, constantly evaluating their surroundings. Despite technically being dead, a vampire's hair will continue to grow normally if cut, something that even they cannot explain.

### General Abilities

Vampires are a powerful race of undead creatures, with many supernatural abilities:

* **Blush of Life:** A vampire is a monstrous, undead abomination. In order to survive and perform as effective hunters, vampires have a natural camouflage reflex that allows them to seem human. Called the Blush of Life, this allows a vampire to appear human--they are only a little cool, they have a heartbeat, they breathe, they can eat and drink, etc. Functionally, they are almost human, but not quite. This requires the steady ingestion of blood.
* **Compulsion:** Vampires have the ability to influence and control thoughts, emotions and behavior and can alter or erase memories. There is a sort of hierarchy as to how this ability works. Vampires cannot compel each other. Other sentient supernaturals can be compelled, but supernaturals have a natural resistance to this ability, thus only older vampires can reliably compel supernaturals. A vampire can compel a target to do anything they wish, though there are limitations depending on the age of the vampire; younger vampires can issue short, simple commands that do not put the target in danger, while older vampires can compel their targets to perform complex, long-lasting effects up to and including forcing the target to commit suicide or commit murder.
* **Emotional Control:** Vampires have the supernatural ability to remove or dull their emotions by "turning off" or "switching off" their humanity, which is directly connected to their emotions. Doing so allows them to block out their negative emotions, such as fear and guilt, allowing them to kill and feed without remorse, go against any opponent without fear and relieve themselves of pain stemming from grief, loss, depression or shame. A vampire without their emotions is even more dangerous than normal.
* **Enhanced Durability:** Vampires can take a great amount of physical damage without being slowed down. Even vampires who have been shot with wooden bullets or vervain-touched projectiles--both of which have a weakening effect on vampires--have been seen to continue fighting so long as they were not shot in the heart or head. Vampires still react to physical force in a human manner, though, especially younger vampires. They can also still be stunned and dazed by strikes and trauma, though their tolerance for it will increase as they get older.
* **Healing Factor:** Vampires recover from injury within seconds, though they still feel the pain of a wound before it heals. Vampires can snap their bones back into place after they have been broken and have been seen to fully recover from gunshots, stab wounds and torso impalement very quickly, so long as they have consumed enough blood prior to the injury.
* **Immortality:** A vampire stops aging once turned. Upon transformation, vampires become immune to all conventional diseases, viruses, poisons and infections.
* **Superhuman Senses:** A vampires has extremely keen senses of hearing, sight, smell and taste that far exceed those of humans and werewolves. They can hear whispered conversations, even ones in far-off buildings and on phones, though most vampires typically learn how to tune out most ambient noise when it's not necessary to hear them. Vampires can also smell blood from several meters away, and they can see in total darkness. These senses improve and grow stronger with age and experience. Their senses of taste are also enhanced as well, allowing them to detect the presence of drugs, alcohol or vervain in someone's blood.
* **Superhuman Speed:** Vampires are much faster than humans and many supernaturals, able to move faster than the human eye can see. When running across long distances, they appear as a vibrating blur of motion, allowing them to appear or vanish quickly and quietly. Their reflexes and dexterity are similarly heightened, allowing them to catch certain projectiles such as arrows and thrown stakes from the air with ease. Like their strength, this speed seems to increase with age.
* **Superhuman Strength:** Vampires are noticeably stronger than humans and even stronger than many other supernaturals. They also slowly grow stronger the older they become. They always have the advantage of superior strength when facing a human and are capable of easily lifting a full-grown, adult human off of the ground and throw them through the air. They are also capable of breaking bone with little to no effort. Older vampires have been seen lifting cars with a little effort.
* **Undead:** Despite all appearances, vampires are not living and are, in fact, undead. Vampires are unable to use any kind of magic and are immune to psychic control or any kind of mental effect.

### Weaknesses

* **Angelic Smiting:** An angel's smite will utterly destroy a vampire, regardless of age or power.
* **Angelic Weaponry:** The blades of any angel can kill a vampire permanently.
* **Animal Blood:** While somewhat satisfying, animal blood will make a vampire considerably weaker than they would be if they consumed human blood, causing their physical abilities to be inferior to a human-blood-consuming vampires, making them heal slower and their compulsion less effective.
* **Artificial Sunlight:** This strange alchemical compound, when injected into a vampire, causes them to burn as if they were exposed to the sun, from the inside out. This substance is extremely difficult to acquire, next to impossible, really, and it does not have a 100% success rate.
* **Broken Neck:** Breaking a vampire's neck will not kill them, but it will temporarily render it into a deathlike state.
* **Dead Man's Blood:** This acts as a poison to vampires, causing them intense physical pain and incapacitating them temporarily.
* **Death's Scythe:** This weapon can kill a vampire instantly.
* **Decapitation:** Dismembering or manually removing a vampire's head will result in instant and permanent death.
* **Demonic Weaponry:** A demon's blades can kill a vampire permanently.
* **Desiccation:** Vampires who abstain from drinking blood for extended periods of time will eventually desiccate and mummify.
* **Enhanced Emotions:** Vampires experience emotions more powerfully than humans. Emotions like love, joy and happiness are magnified for vampires, allowing them to live life more intensely. Conversely, sadness, depression, guilt, fear and anger are also amplified, causing many vampires to become so overwhelmed that they "turn off" their humanity to block the painful emotions out. This can be controlled with time, but it's still a weakness.
* **Fire:** Vampires are highly flammable and sensitive to fire and will quickly burn and die from it if the flames are extinguished in time.
* **Heart Extraction:** Removing the heart of a vampire will result in instant and permanent death.
* **Hunter's Knife:** These knives cannot *kill* a vampire without the use of the weapon's fire property, but act as a silver knife.
* **Invitation:** Vampires cannot enter a home without an invitation by the owner. This phenomenon occurs with hotel rooms and similar accommodations as long as they are in someone's name (though not the hotel itself, which is public property), though not tents or abandoned structures.
* **Magic:** Vampires are susceptible to the powers of magic.
* **Physical Trauma:** Minor physical injuries such as gunshots, stab wounds and broken bones will cause a vampire pain and slow them down. This is temporary, as they quickly heal, but it's better than nothing.
* **Poison:** Certain poisons can be used on a vampire, as long as they are magical in nature.
* **Silver:** Silver can negate a vampire's healing factor and is often used as a binding agent, as a vampire cannot bend or break silver. Stabbing a vampire in the heart with a silver blade will cause them to enter a deathlike state until the knife is removed.
* **Sunlight:** Sunlight and UV rays burn vampires on contact and prolonged exposure will cause them to burst into flame and die. This weakness can be mitigated by the use of a **Daylight Ring** or drinking Fairy's Blood, but can never be wholly removed or overcome.
* **Vervain:** Exposure to or ingestion of vervain causes a vampire to become severely feverish and weak to the point that it can hinder their healing abilities as well. Physical contact with verain burns a vampire's skin. Vampires cannot compel anyone who has ingested vervain or has it on their person.
* **Werewolf Bite:** The bite of a werewolf is extremely lethal to vampires. It will cause them to go rabid, hallucinate and grow severely weak until, ultimately, they die.
* **Wood:** Wounding a vampire with a wooden weapon, such as a wooden stake, will incapacitate them and slows their healing factor. Stabbing a vampire through the heart with a wooden stake will result in permanent and instant death.