Vampires

## “The Vampire poses an ever-growing danger to the JPCU, as well as the rest of mankind.” -Dr. Jason van Hellsing.

Vampires are quite common across the globe, some iteration or version of the species having infiltrated regions across North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and even Asia. The JPCU has a strict “no prisoners” policy in regards to Vampires, due to their pervasiveness and ability to overcome the minds of mortals.

## Types of Vampires:

1. Man-Made: Although one may think it insane to want to create a vampire artificially, one must then doubt the insanity of the JPCU. The corporation has created vampires through genetic manipulation and viral manipulation, but these specimens are extremely aggressive, undergo extensive mutations and physiological changed, and often lose their sanity as a result. Can spread vampirism as if it were a mundane virus, primarily through bites and the sharing of blood.
2. Normal: This most common form of vampirism occurs as a result of deals with Demonic entities, rituals and rare forms of necromancy, or through the bites of old or True Vampires.
3. Thralls: Thralls are blood-bonded to the vampire who created them, forced to serve their maker's every whim as if under a spell that cannot be broken. Created when a mortal drinks the blood of a Vampire, Thralls are living humans who are incredibly addicted to Vampire blood and who will follow their masters' orders to the letter to ensure their next fix.
4. Abominations: Those who seek the power of vampirism may be tricked by those who seem to be helping them, often in the case of a Vampire Lord towards their underlings. Those Vampires with a desire to increase their martial capabilities rely on purposefully sabotaging the transformations of weaker Vampires to allow for the creation of horrible monstrosities and evil eldritch horrors. These monsters can manifest in any number of forms, although the most common of which is usually either a giant, humanoid bat creature or a large Demon-looking beast. Mutations and other forms of such beings are very common, and often taken as pets by their stronger Vampiric overlords. These monsters are far stronger physically than their normal counterparts, but lack the intelligence or sentience to operate on their own, their Vampiric masters usually stealing what little intelligence remains to ensure complete loyalty.
5. True Vampires: When a Vampire Lord wishes to spread his lineage beyond simply turning others or wage war and destruction on a global scale, they may choose to develop a True Vampire. These beings are born with the Vampiric abilities of their sires, products of careful rituals and delicate procedures during pregnancy to ensure that the child is born with abilities to surpass almost everyone else in their particular noble house. True Vampires and the process to create them are shrouded in far more mystery than their normal counterparts, due to their rarity and sheer strength. The JPCU has been unable to capture or study a True Vampire, and their abilities are only rumors and legend. What is known is that the birth of a True Vampire comes with several telltale signs and very specific conditions, the exact details of which are kept a close secret amongst the paranormal community.

### Powers of all Vampires:

1. Unnatural Speed/Agility: Vampires are all far faster than normal humans, and the untrained human eye cannot keep up with their movements.
2. Superhuman Strength: Vampires can channel their energy to summon levels of brute strength beyond any human. Can lift any man with one arm, and snap his neck with that same hand.
3. Shadow-Step: Vampires are naturally at home amongst darkness, and blend in almost perfectly when submerged in a shadow's gloomy gaze. They become almost invisible when in darkness, even to beings that can normally see in the dark.
4. Night-Vision: Vampires can see perfectly, in color, regardless of light levels. The use of this function causes the Vampire's eyes to reflect any incoming light, making them appear to glow red (or yellows, for newer Vampires), however their eyes do not actually produce their own light to create the glow.
5. Enhanced Sense of Smell: Vampires can smell a drop of blood from up to 10 kilometers away, and can sense the past presence of blood for up to several days after it has since dried up or been washed away.
6. Unnatural Charm/Hypnotism: It is not completely known whether or not Vampires gain their charisma through life experience, the application of magical charm spells, or a mix of the two. What is known is that they can come off as very affable and trustworthy, if they are strong enough, even being known to take people by the hand and lead them to their deaths or enthrallment. Blended with this unnatural charisma is the supernatural gaze of a Vampire, capable of overcoming the willpower of mortals and force them into doing the Vampire's bidding.
7. Transformation: Vampires across folklore are said to possess the ability to turn into any number of things, from swarms of bats to fog to wolves and other creatures; in truth, only some Houses have access to some or all of these alternate forms, but powerful Vampires of any House are believed to be capable of developing the ability.
8. Unnatural Resilience: Vampires are far tougher than the normal human person, and, while normal bullets will kill them eventually, it is known to take upwards of 2 to 3 times more than it would to kill a human.
9. Supernatural Survivability: Even basic Vampires can survive the loss of their limbs, extreme blood loss, and damage to the brain and head that would kill a normal person. Vampires feel little pain normally, and when in a Bloodlust feel none whatsoever.
10. Sleeplessness: Contrary to popular belief, Vampires do not need to sleep during the day, although many do simply out of boredom. Vampires can continue to remain conscious perpetually, so long as they have access to blood that can keep them going. Vampires that suffer grievous injuries may rest or sleep for extended periods of time to heal their wounds and preserve themselves without the need for blood, but is a very slow process.
11. No Need to Eat or Drink: Vampires do not require food or drink, although they can physically consume said substances normally. Vampires can only obtain true sustenance and nutrients through the consumption of blood, an activity that brings them incredible pleasure and supposedly tastes better than any mundane food or even sexual pleasure. Many older Vampires lose a taste for food and drink altogether as time goes on, losing the ability to taste mundane foods entirely, but may still do so out of habit or as a method of concealing one's true nature.
12. Oxygen Independence: Due to being Undead, Vampires do not require air to survive, and can exist in even the vacuum of space with little issue.
13. Regeneration: Vampires, especially during or after feeding, can regenerate from basically any injury within 30 seconds or less. The longer it has been since feasting on blood the slower the regeneration, however.
14. Disease Immunity: Due to their precarious relationship with both life and death, Vampires are not affected by any mundane illness; magical or supernatural diseases will affect a Vampire, but only the strongest will incapacitate or kill them.
15. Contaminant Immunity: Vampires are immune to all forms of poison due to their lack of reliance on normal digestion, and do not suffer from the effects of alcohol or drugs; blood is known to have an intoxicating effect, and can produce a powerful high in Vampires that consume enough of it at once, often caused by the draining of an entire person in one sitting. Powerful Vampires build up a resistance to this effect, while others become addicted like alcoholics or drug addicts and must seek far more blood than normal in order to survive and maintain homeostasis.
16. Semi-Immortality: Vampires do not age like normal humans, and are immune to the effects of time. If a Vampire does not feed regularly, the effects of their age will begin to show through, eventually leading to their death, but the consumption of blood will immediately reverse all previous conditions and return the person to their peak physical state.
17. Hell-Fire Immunity: Despite being vulnerable to mundane fire and Holy Fire, Vampires are immune to Hell-Fire thanks to their curse's origins in Hell.

### Most Common Weaknesses of Vampires:

1. Extreme OCD: According to original folktales, it was said that Vampires are compulsed to count everything, and that presenting a Vampire with a sack of rice or sand can drive a Vampire to count every grain before they stop, which was previously used in some areas to keep a Vampire outside until the sun came up, when the Vampire would burn up. This is not true for all Vampires, and only 1 House suffers from this unfortunate mutation.
2. Crossing Running Water: Vampires are said to be unable to cross running water, but this is just simply false. Running water has the same effect on a Vampire and on all other undead as it does to normal humans—makes a person damp.
3. Crossing Thresholds: It is believed that Vampires cannot cross thresholds of buildings without first being invited inside. This is not true for all Vampires, and only certain Houses require an invitation to enter; some Vampires may ask for permission anyway, just to be polite.
4. Wooden Stake Through the Heart: A wooden stake driven through the heart of a Vampire is said to kill them regardless of power or level of strength, but if the heart is missed by even a millimeter then this method has no effect; aspen wood is said to be particularly potent and destructive, as Jesus' cross was said to have been made of aspen wood.
5. Decapitation: Cutting off the head of a Vampire is likely to kill it outright, as such a thing tends to do to most living creatures, but some Houses are known to come back from the dead or retroactively regenerate from intense wounds, meaning that they may die and then rise again later; to prevent this, decapitation is one of the most common and easiest methods of preventing resurrection and regeneration, as well as outright killing weaker Vampires.
6. Holy Bullets/Weapons: Any death-dealing weapon can bring a vampire down, but their effectiveness decreases exponentially once the vampire begins increasing in power. Weapons or bullets blessed by a priest or holy man will subdue and kill any vampire far faster than normal weaponry, but are not guaranteed to succeed against older Vampiric veterans.
7. Holy Water: Blessed water is said to burn or melt a Vampire in the same manner it does other Undead or Demons, and is usually lethal unless the Vampire is truly good of heart or strong enough to be immune.
8. Holy Ground: Holy or sacred land will weaken and cause discomfort or pain to a vampire, but not to the extent that it would a Demon. Stronger vampires can hide this pain or discomfort for up to several hours, but even they eventually succumb to the ever-worsening burning pain.
9. Silver: Silver is a blanket weapon against nearly all forms of supernatural entity, Vampires included. Silver prevents regeneration of wounds suffered by a Vampire and takes far longer to heal than normal.
10. Sunlight: Direct sunlight may or may not kill a Vampire, depending on the House from which the Vampire hails and the Vampire's power, but all Vampires possess a weakness and natural aversion to sunlight in some capacity. Some Vampires are simply nocturnal but take no damage from it, and others may slowly burn up and die in the sun due to an intense heatstroke or sunburn; unless a Vampire is powerful enough to be immune to the sun's rays, sunlight always prevent Vampiric regeneration and may or may not impede their superior physical abilities and transformations.
11. Empyrean Steel: Anything made of the God-essence metal will bring down any unholy being in one strike, regardless of wound size or type.

### Compulsions:

All Vampires, regardless of House, inherit Compulsions from their ancestors and tainted Undead blood; not all Compulsions are the same, and not all are of the same degree; some might even be outright helpful. These thoughts, actions, and physical tics compel Vampires to follow the nature of their Blood, the nature of their twisted Souls. Every House has around three (3) Compulsions; one (1) or two (2) are Active, meaning they can be triggered by specific conditions or circumstances, while one (1) or two (2) are Passive, and are generally lower in intensity but constantly affecting the Vampire. Knowledge of House Compulsions can be valuable weapons when dealing with Vampires, particularly if the Compulsion can be specifically triggered to the user's advantage.

## Culture:

Vampires have been around for millennia, and as such they have developed a careful organization and culture around themselves, both to protect themselves and to obtain as much wealth and power as possible. Vampire society is based on a specialized ranking system, meant to denote the age, ability, and value of a particular Vampire. Progression through the ranks of the Vampiric culture is difficult and takes centuries of work, but it is possible.

Vampires intertwined with Vampiric noble Houses and courts will be familiar with the Sanguinary Code, a special code-language spoken only by Vampires that makes extensive use of Vampires' elongated fangs to form lisping words and sentences. The Sanguinary Code is esoteric in nature and holds mystical, magical properties, particularly in the field of blood magic and necromancy.

### Ranks:

1. Vampire Kings: These Vampires often wield untold magical power, gifted to them via thousands of years of study. They are the strongest, wisest, and most connected Vampires in the blood-thirsting society, and make up the original generation of Vampires; lead Vampire Houses and the minor Cults underneath them.
2. Vampire Nobles: These entities usually rule over a region of the world corresponding to their rank within their House, controlling Vampiric activity in that area under the gaze of their Kingly masters. They are incredibly powerful and usually lack a majority of the common Vampiric weaknesses. Commonly, Vampire Nobles reach their positions of esteem at around five hundred (500) to one thousands (1,000) years of age, although most will be far older.
3. Vampire Knights: The soldier class of Vampire who dedicate their lives to serving their Nobles and Kings, assassinating the enemies of their House and carrying out the orders of their masters. They are very well trained in combat, usually being experts in firearms, offensive magic, and melee weapons. The more veteran Knights can lack some of the more glaring weaknesses of their lower-ranking associates.
4. Vampires: Normal, baseline monsters who usually serve a Cult, Lord, or King. They are employed by their masters to conduct the mundane tasks around the estates and properties of their masters, handling the more boring elements. May not belong to a house, but may instead be an independent force.
5. Thralls: Slave workers who must rely on the energy of their masters or other Vampires to continue surviving, having been left in a state of living limbo thanks to their partial transformations into Vampirism. They are looked down upon by even independent Vampires, and primarily deal with outsiders and those unaware of the paranormal. Thralls are still mortal and technically living, working for many years to potentially earn the freedom of full Vampiric transformation or the release of death.
6. Abominations: Monstrous pets without sentience are seen as property, even though they were once sentient human beings or other Vampires.

### Noble Houses

Since the creation of Vampires all those millennia ago, Vampires have run and controlled a majority of the world from the shadows. This has led to the creation and continued survival of long-dead families and monarchies. These noble houses control areas of the globe, maintaining the Vampiric secret and manipulating the politics of the mortals they off whom they feed. Noble Houses often wield extreme amounts of political, social, and economic power in the areas they oversee, bribing mortal politicians and authorities to ignore their activities, possess access to specialized assassins to remove competitors, and more.

#### Known Houses (by race):

##### Human:

1. House Lilu:  Middle Eastern Vampires descended and led directly by Lilith, Queen of Demons, Mother of Succubi.  This matriarchal House is characterized by its propensity to enlist Demonic entities into its forces, its hatred for and active war against religion, and its skills in sexual manipulation and an unnatural charisma; Vampires of House Lilu are said to be the most beautiful of all, and feed primarily through sexual contact or manipulation.
2. House Cain:  Descendants of Cain, the First Murderer, who are known for their brutality and survivability, but suffer from a lesser version of the Mark of Cain just as their patriarch does; must be invited before crossing thresholds, but are renowned for their retroactive resurrection.  It is rumored that Cain rules his House from the City of Zaral in Limbo/Nod, the Realm of ever-changing Chaos.
3. House Lotophage: A Demonic Vampire House influenced by the infernal plants and workings of the Sin of Sloth, Vampires of House Lotophage are known for their domination of others in order to perpetuate their own intellectual laziness; rather than feeding on blood straight from others, these Vampires draw sustenance from the Lotuses of their Demonic masters, which can only grow outside Hell when quenched with sufficient sacrifices of human blood. They rely on Enchantment and Illusion Magic to sway the weak minds of mortal men, converting them into Thralls with their use of the Lotuses or unholy Spells; these slaves are then used to do the House's work while their masters partake of the Lotuses in excess. Their increased physical prowess is curbed by their lack of motivation, diminished intelligence, and dependency on the Lotuses; while difficult to get moving, Vampires of House Lotophage are forces of nature when properly motivated. Like many other Vampire Houses, those of House Lotophage are allergic to sunlight/UV rays, but do not burn in its presence.
4. House Vagari: Vampires of House Vagari are those nomadic wanderers, cursed by the Mark of Cain to travel the world endlessly, rejected by all those who meet them; their version of the Mark means that all mortals recognize them as evil or monstrous. They often hide themselves among nomadic tribes around the world, hitching rides along dark roads at night, smuggling themselves aboard trains or ships, etc. Cursed with wanderlust and a rebellious nature, these Vampires operate without a centralized authority structure, and most do not recognize any other Vampires as superior to themselves; instead, Vagari Vampires have set meeting places and codes to denote when and where a group intends to gather, a method that keeps them hidden from outside interference and allows them to remain on the move, with safehouses dotting the entire world. Unlike most other Vampire Houses, House Vagari does not maintain any set territory, but instead considers the ability to travel and move freely their equivalent to owning land; anyone who disrupts a Vagari's ability to wander is bound to meet an unkind fate sooner rather than later. On top of their wanderlust. Vagari are known to be particularly violent, antisocial, and mildly allergic to sunlight/UV rays. They are compelled to move around and cannot sleep in the same place twice; if trapped or otherwise confined, they are compelled to enter an animalistic fury until they are free; and if faced with someone attempting to dominate or exert power over them, they are compelled to rebel and disobey.
6. House Pazuzu: One of the oldest Vampire Houses, beaten only by House Lilu, House Cain, and other Antediluvian Vampire Houses, House Pazuzu originates in the ancient civilization of Sumer, where the residents performed mass acts of human sacrifice to appease their gods; the Demon god Pazuzu was known to possess these bodies and the bodies of those who came into contact with the House's Abominations. The Vampires of House Pazuzu possess a lethal weakness to ultraviolet light (sunlight) and have been locked away in hibernation for millennia; woe unto anyone foolish enough to awaken these ancient Demon-worshipping magicians.
7. House Yima: Founded by Loco Yima of Congolese mythology, House Yima is the oldest House in Africa; evolved to survive on a post-Great Flood absence of humans, House Yima Vampires can survive on very little blood and have an immunity to sunlight but lack the supernatural strength and speed of other Vampires. Instead, House Yima is deeply attuned to nature and can transform into any animal a user has killed and eaten. They are often worshipped as gods or shamans by local tribes. Vampires of House Yima are compelled to maintain awareness of a backup source of blood at all times, even if not hungry; they are compelled to hunt and kill an animal at least once per week, adding the slain animal to their list of possible transformations; and if faced with a large-scale threat to a local population of either mortals or Vampires, they are compelled to act in preservation of the threatened population.
8. House Shullat: Founded shortly after House Pazuzu at the peak of Sumerian civilization, House Shullat are the inventors of slavery and all of its associated institutions; since the beginning of human civilization in Sumer, House Shullat has bought, sold, traded, captured, and hunted humans as chattel and labor. Vampires of House Shullat are allergic to but not killed by sunlight, possess intense powers of mental manipulation, and are gifted with enhanced sanguinary senses which enable them to determine a target's lineage, health, and blood quality through proximity alone; similarly, Shullat Vampires are known to possess longstanding traditions of Hemomancy Magic, often applied for means of Divination. Furthermore, House Shullat trains all members in the ways of hunting, trapping, psychology, torture, intimidation, and the ways of slave trading. House Shullat's proximity to the purity of Cain's blood imparts a Biblical curse on these slaver Vampires; Vampires of House Shullat cannot tend or grow crops, and any plants tended to by these Vampires will die almost immediately. Shullat Vampires are compelled to avoid manual labor of all kinds at all costs, exact bloody justice on anyone who breaks the Vampire's personal code of conduct, and must only make new Shullat Vampires out of their own slaves.
9. House Vetr: One of the oldest human Vampire Houses to exist, created by Mother Winter many ages ago. Vampires of House Vetr wield potent Cryomancy Magic and have no weakness to Moonlight or Silver; they serve Mother Winter directly, and are found almost solely in the Froderlands, foregoing adherence to the Cult of Sanguinity and Ten Tenets in favor of their goddess.
10. House Mellifir: [HONEYED CORPSE VAMPIRES]
11. House Asanbosam: Monstrous Vampires evolved to stalk the jungles and forests of Africa; blessed with iron teeth, overlong and hooked legs, and strong climbing skills, these Vampires are feared for their "protection" of wooded areas. Lethally allergic to sunlight and with a monstrous appearance, Vampires of House Asanbosam cannot blend in with normal mortals. They are compelled to hunt in their specific way (hooking people with their legs and dragging them into the treetops), compelled to stay in or near wooded areas or as high up as they can get, and are compelled to [FEAR].
12. House Set:  Egyptian Vampires originally seen as gods during ancient times, renowned for their immunity to sunlight, natural psychic abilities, and propensity for magic—Necromancy in particular; Vampires of House Set are said to be able to feed off the life energies of mortals without needing physical contact, making them very social and very dangerous Vampires. They are compelled to feed via their Psionics rather than through normal bites; when faced with loss of wealth/power, they are compelled to regain what was lost and become obsessive and agitated without doing so;
13. [ODIN VAMPIRES]
14. [SCANDINAVIAN BLOOD MAGE VAMPIRES]
15. House Tenebri: Vampires whose House and methods were founded shortly before the rise of the Roman Republic, these Vampires pride themselves on maintaining the [REDACTED] and keeping Vampirism a secret from as many people as possible; with a potent grasp on Umbramancy, Enchantment, and Illusion Magic, Vampires of House Tenebri rule as politicians, CEO's, or wealthy aristocrats from the shadows, neatly cleaning up the messes created by other Houses and dedicating themselves to the secrecy of Vampirekind. They prefer to use money, Magic, or machine guns to censor and suppress their enemies rather than relying on Vampiric power, and the House's members are hired out to other Vampires around the world to carry out these duties, often as Sheriffs or Spymasters. Do not mistake their stealthy behavior as acceptance of humanity, however; Vampires of House Tenebri are trained as assassins as much as cleaners, and hide themselves from mortals only until the Vampires think they can win. Their obsession with political power and wealth is expressed in their weaknesses, which manifest as obsessions with wealth, the hoarding of favors, influence, and/or money, and their talent which Umbramancy makes them lethally allergic to sunlight and UV rays.
16. House Momoztzi: A Vampire House descended from the Olmec and Aztec civilizations of Mesoamerica that developed independently but in parallel to the Judeo-Christian Vampires that are more common across the globe; due to their origins, stronger Vampires of this House obtain psionic abilities and access to a Hivemind, while normal Vampires of this House are immune to sunlight (although still nocturnal in nature), possess heightened regenerative abilities, a natural connection and control over bats, and echolocation. The House suffers from a weakness to the usual Undead weaknesses (Silver, fire), in addition to a phobia of dogs and an inability to kill on hallowed ground; House Momoztzi does not follow the Cult of Sanguinity or the Ten Tenets.
17. House Vetala:  Vampires reigning from India that come in the form of spirits that inhabit reanimated corpses; possess innate abilities to turn into fog and bats, are known to be expert fortune tellers with extreme OCD and a propensity for Divination Magic, and can leave their possessed corpses at will to resume their life as a spirit.
18. House [FLESHCRAFT]: Originating from the Balkans/Caucasus regions of Europe, these Vampires tossed aside all humanity in favor of raw power; where some Vampire Houses may seek out knowledge of Arcane Magic or use technology to their advantage, those of House [FLESHCRAFT] have dove head-first into the well of Vampiric Hemomancy and Carnomancy. Often forsaking humanoid forms entirely, these Vampires are more monster than man, treating humans as if insects and other Vampires as ignorant children. Their ultimate power over physical flesh, even beyond the knowledge of the Daevites or Sarkics, allows them to customize their appearances to fit their needs at any given moment, allowing for potent shapeshifting and adaptability; moreover, these Vampires are incredibly sadistic, and prefer to use their touch-based Carnomantic powers to induce torturous agony and hellish pain on their victims before killing them, studying their deaths and the new applications of their "art" that the slaughter produces. Their weakness under the Mark of Cain makes them immediately recognizable as Vampires to all who see them, regardless of their current appearance, which makes it very difficult for them to blend in with mortal society; excessive self-manipulation makes them easily changed by Magic Spells, and they are lethally allergic to sunlight (unless transformed such that they are immune). Their forsaking of humanity means they are unafraid to display their Undead natures proudly, however, and they are prone to converting non-humans into Vampires or experimenting on non-human races, like Fae or Dragons, in order to increase their powers further.
19. House Tepes:  One of the most famous Vampire Clans that was founded by Vlad "Dracula" Tepes prior to his death.  The House lacks most of the common weaknesses of Vampires due to their extreme age and power, but are notably lethally allergic to garlic; masters of Magic and technology alike, commonly found in Eastern Europe where they rule over regions and small kingdoms from the shadows; may also possess Lycanthropic infection amongst the family, also originating from Dracula.
20. House Phegor: Vampires of House Phegor are those unfortunate artists, aristocrats, scholars, and curious minds that are swayed by the mighty Demon Prince Belphegor, headquartered out of [NAME], their sanctum in Paris, France; enchanted by ingenious inventions, technology that eases the difficulties of life, and forbidden knowledge that brings wealth, power, and decadence, Vampires of House Phegor are considered some of the smartest but least active. Their decadence and Demonic Domain means they have a need to eat and drink to survive, experience expensive compulsions and obsessions, and possess an aversion to physical effort/labor of any kind; Vampires of House Phegor rely on Psionics, Thralls, cultists, and constructs/machines to do as much of the work and fighting as possible, relying on their unholy inspiration to conjure solutions to any problem that might rise against them. They also have a non-lethal allergy to sunlight/UV Radiation and are physically less imposing than other Vampires.
21. House Bathory: Those Vampires descending from Elizabeth Bathory, a ruler of Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages; her propensity for torture and sadism led to rumors of her Vampirism, which culminated in her investigation, arrest, and execution by the Inquisition. Her husband and maids, however, went on to perpetuate her Vampire House posthumously, spreading the affliction among the female nobles of Europe for centuries. These Vampires do not drink blood, but must instead bathe in a pool of it every week in order to remain healthy and supernaturally beautiful; they are mildly allergic to sunlight/UV rays, and are compelled to cause pain in suffering in others.
22. House Interitu: Many practitioners of Necromancy follow the path of the "Dark Arts" for the sake of achieving Immortality, and many find themselves consumed by insanity or old age by the time they discover what they seek; one (1) such Necromancer decided that Vampirism was a suitable alternative to Lichdom, and used a Crimson Font to forge for himself a new Vampire House. Unlike other Houses, House Interitu is not truly immortal; instead, their Vampires decay over a period of a few centuries, slowly rotting to bones unless the member achieves Lichdom, in which case they become considerably stronger than normal Liches. These Vampires are exceptionally talented in Necromancy and innately powerful spellcasters, but are physically weaker and live on a ticking clock before they die "naturally"; they are allergic to sunlight/UV rays and, unlike almost all other Vampires, do not regenerate their wounds and must instead rely on Necromancy Spells to heal themselves.
23. House Moldark: Noble Vampires from Poland, Ukraine, and Russia, House Moldark represents an ancient and traditional Vampire House; still bound by ancient blood, members of House Moldark are born into nobility, wealth, and power, continuing to rule over ancestral lands in broad view of mortal governments. Moldark is one of the largest Vampire Houses, able to field armies of thousands of Vampire warriors at a time; additionally, members of House Moldark are known for their strategic minds, being master manipulators, social climbers, and puppet masters, and some of the most adherent to the Cult of Sanguinity. Thanks to their use of blood magic, members of House Moldark do not have or need hearts, and as such are immune to the usually-lethal wooden stake-to-the-heart.
24. Kharisiri: The cursed Undead that have fallen victim to the curse of an eldritch god known as the Father of Maggots, the Kharisiri are Bolivian and Peruvian Vampires with transformative abilities and strange, fat-sucking tendencies driven by a need to feed themselves and, more importantly, feed their trapped god; the Kharisiri hunger for fat and crave the hoarding of gold, a cursed greed brought about by the origin of their Clan's creation. Notably, the Kharisiri will burn when in contact with the pieces of gold removed from their god's sacred ziggurat prison, will rapidly age and die if their connection to their god is severed, do not have a weakness to sunlight or Silver but maintain a weakness to fire, can transform to hide their true appearances, and will resurrect unless entirely dismembered or set on fire. Their curse is not based on blood, but on the parasitic larval chunks of flesh which inhabit and merge with their bodies; unless an agent of Nyarlathotep leads the Kharisiri, they will operate as little more than disorganized servants caring for an ailing master, but become terrifying monsters of the night if such a leader is present.
25. Clan Anayama: The Continent of Pilbo's Methamura Shogunate is as rife with monsters as the rest of that mystical land; understandably, then, is the region beset on all sides by hordes of the intelligent Undead. Vampires of Clan Anayama practice a form of Neidan, "internal Alchemy," that grants them the knowledge and skill to eventually mutate into powerful Vampires; Clan Anayama adherents make use of corrupted, Undead Dark Chi which they use to animate their Undead bodies and strike against their foes with forms of mystical martial arts. These Vampires are notable for their lack of reliance on blood consumption, a reliance on a form of trance-like meditative rest which replaces blood consumption, an inability to eat or drink anything in any form, powerful Blood Magic, powerful self-mastery and shapeshifting, etc. Vampires of Clan Anayama are not weak to sunlight but instead meditate during some daylight hours; they are, however, known to be noticeably uncharismatic and isolationist, poor at blending in with human society, weak to Alchemy, and susceptible to [REDACTED].
26. House Alagadda:
27. House Rhaine: Those Vampires borne of Oliver Rhaine, Crimson Admiral of the Isle of Wights.  These piratical Vampire raiders possess innate necromantic powers, the ability to swim at incredible speeds and breathe water, and a resistance to sunlight.  Unlike the older Vampire Houses, Vampires of House Rhaine are intrinsically tied to Oliver Rhaine by blood, making them unwaveringly loyal to their sire.
28. House [ITALY]:
29. House Mathilda: These Vampires represent a strange and truly horrific tactic employable by the likes of the Superior Undead; Vampires of House Mathilda are stuck as children for eternity, their bodies locked in prepubescent forms while their minds develop with the centuries into coldhearted thieves and killers. Most well known for their childlike appearances, House Mathilda is also known for its presence on the Continent of Pilbo as a major influence on orphans and orphanages; House Mathilda is also infamous for its employment of children into its Pilbo-spanning network of "thieves' guilds" comprised entirely of children. Once the children reach adulthood, they are either killed and fed upon by the Vampires or banished; exemplary thieves and dedicated members are converted into Vampires of the House, de-aging into prepubescents children as a result; adult associates and contacts of the House are made into Thralls, forced to perpetually view their Vampiric masters as innocent children who could do no wrong. Vampires of House Mathilda possess an aversion to sunlight that removes their powers in daylight, eternal adolescence, increased stealth and thievery capabilities, a talent for shadow Magic (*Note: House Mathilda is thought primarily responsible for common legends of "black-eyed kids" around the world*), an underground network of fellow children spies/associates, and a hatred for adult mortals.
30. [ELECTRICITY VAMPIRES]
31. House Rasputin: The Vampires sired by Rasputin, a powerful mage and heretical, Demon-worshipping priest during the early Twentieth (20th) Century, are dedicated to doing their master's bidding and serving in his never-ending spider's web of schemes and plots; the Vampires work to gather as much information about as many people as possible so as to offer their services in advising and blackmail to the highest bidder. Vampires of House Rasputin are innately gifted in Divination Magic, suffer only an aversion to sunlight without allergies, "eccentric" or insane tendencies, extreme paranoia, a deep connection to Ritual and Blood Magic, fanaticism for the Cult of Sanguinity, easy access to the governments and royal courts of the world (not including the Continent of Pilbo), and unnatural charisma accompanied by a supernatural influence over the minds of weak-willed mortals.
32. House [HUMANE]:
33. House Nosferatu:  Animalistic and powerful Vampires whose corpses were disfigured and mutated by their transition, permanently scarred for all time.  In exchange, Clan Nosferatu possesses greater speed and strength than most other Vampires, but cannot hide amongst normal society and as such are commonly sequestered in sewers, mountains, or under bridges.
34. House Argenti: The Vampires of The Hunters Grimm are modified through secret alchemical rituals to enhance them beyond normal Vampiric capacities, preventing the Vampires from succumbing to common Vampire weaknesses; Vampires of House Argenti are immune to (and infused with) silver, are unfazed by sunlight or ultraviolet rays, show up in mirrors, they have silver manipulating magic, and combat-specific silver-infused blood magic. Due to their separation from Demonic energies, Vampires of House Argenti are harmed by both Holy/Divine magics/energies and Demonic energies/Hell-Fire.
35. House [SOUTH]:
36. House Carter: The Vampires that descend from the original Carter Brothers of New Orleans, a duo of Vampire killers that terrorized the city and killed over a dozen people before their capture and execution; after their entombment, their bodies disappeared and some of their previous victims would go on to prey on the population of New Orleans, establishing House Carter as a Louisiana-centered Vampire House. Vampires of House Carter are known for their ability to feign death, feign being alive (as opposed to being Undead), exhibit control over weak-willed mortals, etc. The group is infamous for its gang-like structure, criminal ties, habit of kidnapping and ritually exsanguinating victims, and violent tendencies.
37. House Work: [TECHNO-VAMPS]
38. House Bellator: The Vampires sired by The Eternal Conquistador as a result of The Conquistador's interactions with a corrupted chalice of water from the Fountain of Youth.  Vampires of this House possess innate talent with swords, guns, and crossbows, and are all trained in several forms of combat and strategy as part of their initiation rituals into the House.  House Bellator also possesses a "blasphemous touch" that removes the holy aspect and power from sacred and blessed objects; this power allows them to move on hallowed ground, but their ability is unable to overcome stronger sources of divine blessing like the presence of powerful relics.  As part of the House's warrior heritage, the stronger members possess powerful vocal authority over mortals and weaker Vampires that can induce absolute discipline and nigh-instantaneous reactions to orders.

##### Lizardfolk/Wad-Thet:

1. House Ssok'Shah: The first cases of Vampirism ever recorded by any humanoid race on Earth come from the Wad-Thet, who discovered that the powers of Undeath can grant its users with immense power and potential; using rituals older than mankind, the Wad-Thet have been able to maintain their ancient House over millions of years. Vampires of House Ssok'Shah possess a number of strengths and weaknesses depending on the individual's subrace, but are most notable for their enhanced personal poison, power over disease and plague, and their mind-controlling abilities; House Ssok'Shah features a weakness to [REDACTED].
2. Tribe Droqurzi: The second (2nd) oldest Vampire House ever recorded by a humanoid race on Earth, Tribe Droqurzi comes from an unnatural case of Undeath in Lizardfolk; due to their degeneration over time as per the curse placed upon them by their gods, Lizardfolk who are converted into Vampires suffer an immediate degeneration that reduces even the most intelligent Lizardfolk into a rabid, mindless killing machine. Members of Tribe Droqurzi possess thermal vision in addition to night vision and blood flow vision, enhanced senses, an unnatural skill in climbing, and animalistic strength and speed that makes them dangerous to any and all living things. Their weakness comes in their lack of higher thinking and self-preservation, which prevents them from developing any social hierarchy beyond a simple pack and eliminates the chance for long-term survival by removing their ability to form plans or calculate consequences.

##### Other:

1. House Zobolzus: Dragonkin Vampires converted through a very difficult and long process that requires a Vampire Lord or True Vampire and has a 14-day reanimation timer; due to the Dragon half and mortal half of their souls, they gain access to special blood breath weapon that coincides with the type of Dragon their patriarch/matriarch belonged to in life; they can expend health for access to pseudo-magic and the ability to corrupt and absorb magical energy in order to gain access to their innate magical abilities; they can extend the Draconic half of their soul partially out of their body in a form of pseudo-Astral Projection and use it to attack others; high-level Vampires of this House can permanently sever their Draconic soul from their body and place it into another vessel, giving themselves a second life should their original body die, although their original body becomes more corrupted and unstable; due to the disparity between Dragon and mortal halves of their soul, they are feral or insane; their Draconic nature drastically extends the duration of their reanimation after initial conversion, it takes 14 days for them to reanimate.
2. House Knott:
3. House Mordeth: Vampires of House Mordeth are no mere undead- they are High Elves, corrupted and driven mad by the magical energies trapped within their Undead bodies. Vampires of House Mordeth possess a powerful but very unstable magical affinity, and can no longer stem the flow of Elven magic potential like they could in life; this potential grants them with soul magic, and further enhanced physical capabilities that make them superior to even high-ranking Vampires of other Houses. However, House Mordeth suffers from strange side effects, primarily a tendency towards insanity caused by their unleashed magic potential, hallucinations, and an unpredictable magic potential that can cause equal harm to the user as to one's enemies. Due to their mystical nature, it takes High Elves 10 days to resurrect after their conversion to Vampirism.
4. Clan Bloodfueled: Berserker Dwarven Vampires fueled by blood; when berserk, they put off incredible amounts of heat that make them glow like melting iron and can set them ablaze when enraged; possess an immunity to fire, but prefer colder climates as a result of their high internal temperatures.
5. House Furtim: The indigenous people of Pilbo are not free from the plague of Vampirism.  Developed as a result of the generational use of blood magic, Felinid Vampires possess innate blood magic and an affinity with darkness and stealth, possess incredible senses and an emphasis on unnatural speed, but lack the physical strength of other Vampires.  In addition, they have a weakness to the sun and lack a reflection.
6. House Siren: Vampires of House Siren can trace their lineages back to Ancient Greece, where their three (3) progenitors were made from Mermaids turned Undead. Vampires of this House are infamous for their control over Magic, matriarchal structure, enchanting voices and intense control over the hearts and minds of mortal men, shapeshifting abilities, and their affinity for both Hemomancy and Hydromancy.
7. [RATMEN VAMPIRES]:

#### House Relations:

The many Houses of Vampires exist as separate arms of the same Demonic force, spread across the entire world like the roots of a great tree or the veins of a body. These separate and unique Houses function independently of one another in almost all affairs, and acknowledge the borders between House territories out of respect for their fellow monsters. The founding, maintenance, and inter-House relations of Vampire Houses is a tradition as ancient as Vampires themselves, and follows a specific set of universally-accepted rules passed down from [REDACTED], the Vampiric god, to Cain, the First Vampire. These Ten (10) Tenets were created by [REDACTED] in an act designed to spite God and establish universal rules for Vampires; the Ten Tenets are provided below:

1. Thou shalt embrace thy heritage among Hell and reject Heaven as Heaven rejected thee.
2. Thou shall not take the name of thy god in vain.
3. Keep holy the art of secrecy, and bring not destruction upon thee or thy Kin by word or action with mortals.
4. Respect thy sire and thy House or face the wrath of thine Elders.
5. Thou shalt not spill the blood of thy Kin without permission from thine Elders.
6. Thou shalt not consort with the living, nor bear offspring with mortals.
7. Thou shalt respect the borders of thy Kin and treat their Elders as thine own.
8. Thou shalt respect the rules of thy Kin and their Houses as if they were thine own.
9. Thou shalt not treat mortals as equal to thee.
10. Thou shalt not seek conflict with thy Kin without reason or merit.

These Ten Tenets were, according to ancient Vampire beliefs, transcribed by Cain, under orders by [REDACTED], onto slabs of stone which continue to be preserved by Cain in his city in Limbo.

#### House Creation:

The establishment of new Vampire Houses is an ancient tradition stretching back to Cain's First Deal with [REDACTED]. For a Vampire to establish a new Vampire House, the Vampire(s) in question must undergo the following steps, as stated by [REDACTED]:

1. Vampires wishing to form this new House must possess abilities, beliefs, forms, abilities, and/or weaknesses different than any other House in existence.
2. This new House must provide its list of Tenets adhered to by all of its members to the Cult of Sanguinity, who will determine their efficacy and substance in the eyes of [REDACTED].

#### Blood Money

Like many groups within the K2 Universe, Vampires operate using their own system of currency that is used exclusively with other Vampires and Vampiric associates. This currency has the following components:

1. Blood Diamonds: Magically-created artifacts of great power that combine a large diamond with the blood-essence of many mortals, requiring the total blood of hundreds, if not thousands, of people to properly create; its worth in mortal currency is almost incalculable, as Blood Diamonds are also capable of gifting the holder with powerful blood magic and blood manipulation abilities. Only the most wealthy and powerful Vampires are said to be in possession of even one of these items, with the oldest Vampires proudly showing off their entire collection.
2. Pigs' Blood: Magical crimson coins made of the blood of mortal beings ranging in quality (and therefore value) from Tainted to Royal; the utterance of a phrase in the Sanguinary Code with return the coins to their original liquid form, ripe for consumption by the owning Vampire. The least worth of a single Pigs' Blood coin is ~5 copper coins (Tainted), and the most expensive would be 100 gold coins (Royal); rumors pervade of Vampires who have made Pigs' Blood coins from the blood of emperors and gods, although such artifacts have never been found and rumors never confirmed.

### Independent Vampires:

Not all Vampires consider themselves apart of a House, however. Some Vampires knowingly separate themselves from the House that sired them, tossing aside the ancient traditions of their Undead ancestors in favor of freedom, while others are created outside of the standard conditions and are deemed Homeless, without a House, and are left independent. Some independent Vampires are Avatars of [REDACTED], the Vampire god, or are created by the Cult of Sanguinity specifically to be devoid of House loyalties to guarantee obedience. Regardless of their origins, many independent Vampires do not live to see their first century of Unlife; without a House to support them or a Sire to teach them the ways of being a Vampire, many independent Vampires are discovered by mortal authorities and slain. Therefore, those independent Vampires that have survived for extended periods of time are not to be trifled with; their struggles in independence make independent Vampires far stronger than their Housed counterparts, and frequently possess abilities far beyond the standard strengths and weaknesses of the Houses.

#### List of Known Independent Vampires:

1. The Red Death: A strange and enigmatic Avatar of [REDACTED] known for carrying a strange and Magic disease, the Red Death, wherever he goes; this Avatar of Vampirism and Undeath is horrific in appearance and mysterious in origin, and has appeared a few times throughout European history to spread death and destruction on behalf of his master.
2. The White Crow: [REDACTED]