Vampire

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### **General Overview**

Vampirism can be contracted via the exchanging of blood with a mortal individual - this means that the mortal party must both have their blood consumed by a vampire (exposure to the virus through venom) and consume the blood of a vampire (exposure to the virus through blood).

#### Newborn

Newborns are newly transitioned vampires. They become unstable because of their heightened senses and emotions.

Newborn vampires are thirsty, and they will need to feed regularly on blood to survive. They are  heavily controlled by their impulses, and can cause serious damage and accidental deaths to humans around them. In addition, infants can not resist blood at all, as resistance develops only  with age.

A Maker is responsible for their child. Unless extreme circumstances that prevent the  creator to be there when the baby wakes up, the creator is responsible for providing support for  the child and to teach them the ways of a vampire. This process typically takes only a year, even if  the majority of the producers keep their child with them for as long as possible.

Existence of a newborn depends on their ability to survive, tactics and techniques that are taught by their creator  and utilised by them themselves. These skills take time to learn and develop, and as vampires  age, they become more adept at controlling their animalistic urges. Two-thirds of infants die  during their first year without the guidance of their creators.

#### Fledgling

Fledglings are junior vampires. They begin to learn to control their thirst and only feed  when necessary, as well as not kill the victim while feeding. They remain a fledging until the age of  50. Upon death they turn to a charred or desiccated corpse and in the sun they burst into flames  and turn into ashes. It is normally at this age that the prodigy is released via "I renounce the ties of  our blood, and my dominion over you as my progeny. As your maker, I release you."

#### Ascendant

Ascendants are mature vampires. They are the most common types of vampires  found in the known world. Upon death, they turn into a pile of ashes and bones, and upon contact  from the sun, their skin wears off and they just rust into ashes or they just desiccate. Ascendants  are between the age of 50 to 400.

#### Elder (Incredibly rare/extinct)

Elders are vampires between the age of 400-800. They are much more powerful than other vampires. Elders cannot be slain in easy ways, because they burn in  sunlight much slower than ascendant vampires and they are a lot quicker and stronger.

### **Powers, Abilities, and Affinities**

#### Decelerated Ageing:

Vampires age much slower than the average mortal, their full life span  of 80 years being that of a mere ’20’ in her own. This means that a vampire can live up to at  least the lifespans of 5 mortals before disintegrating into dust. Much like mortals your health  and youth will also deteriorate as you age but your powers have room for growth. Info: Hair and  nails will grow back in their sleep if it is cut. As they lose all natural fluids, with the exception of  blood, vampires are infertile. Both fingernails and toenails thicken and grow at a rate tenfold to  that of normal.

#### Vampirism

Vampirism can be contracted via the exchanging of blood with a mortal  individual. The virus takes three to twelve days till the four stages are passed and the victim  dies and is reborn as a vampire. Till then, one can prevent vampirism by curing it and killing the  virus via a combination of a blood transfusion/blood letting, being ‘blessed’ by a religious figure  or item and frequent ingestion of Hawthorn and Wolfsbane.

#### Feeding

Vampires must drink blood to sustain their life force. How many times a vampire  needs to feed to prevent becoming feral depends entirely on their age. For example, if an  Ascendent does not feed at the end of a full week they’ll begin to lose control of their hunger  and the body will enter a state of ‘survival’ where little rationalisation will occur. Dead mans  blood/Toxic blood/ or blood with a high fat content can both kill a vampire or make them feel  incredibly sick (‘Food poisoning’). With time they’ll be able to stomach other liquids such as tea  and alcohol without feeling ill but they cannot eat human food.

#### Regeneration

Vampire regeneration is directly dependent on the amount of blood a vampire has in its system. If they are properly fed, they will heal quicker. Vampires do not instantly regenerate and can still be harmed by normal means (i.e. being cut, breaking bones, etc.). Healing themselves will increase their thirst level and make them inherently weaker until they have more blood.

Unlike Werewolves Vampire healing is tied directly to how well-fed they are. Vampires use the blood they have consumed to fuel their healing abilities as such a Vampire can be in three states.

Starving - 1 heal every 24 hours (per scene)

Hungry - 2 heals every 24 hours (per scene)

Well-fed -  3 heals every 24 hours (per scene)

Healing times and methods differ depending on the wound and how substantial the damage is. For roleplay purposes damage has been divided into four categories and assigned healing times:

Minor Wounds - light cuts, bruises and light burns. Heal time - 6 turns

Major Wounds - higher degree burns, fractured bones, lacerations. Heal time - 10 turns

Internal Wounds - organ damage, broken bones, nerve damage. Heal time - 15 turns (10 turns if the vampire can rest in their coffin).

Critical Wounds - severe organ damage, loss of limbs. Heal time - 30 turns (20 turns if the vampire can rest in their coffin).

Any damage to the head or brain will severely weaken a vampires ability to heal. Doubling the potential healing time for any and all wounds. There can also be lasting side effects that come with brain damage such as loss of; memories, skills or senses.

#### Sunlight

Direct sunlight causes any vampire to become ablaze in flames and extensive  exposure means they’ll disintegrate entirely. Although clothed and covered up being in the  sunlight prevents the use of a vampires supernatural powers entirely.

#### Sleeping

A vampire is bound to their coffin at least 3 times a week for 12 hour periods.  Newborns may sleep more frequently.

#### Night Vision

If their sight is not affected by the transformation process, vampires have the  ability to see in low light conditions or even total darkness. How far they can see is dependent on  the vampire but they cannot exceed 30 metres. Naturally their eyes are incredibly sensitive to  sudden flashes or bright light and it can take up to 20 minutes or more for their eyes to re-adapt  to regular light.

#### Healing Blood

Vampire blood has the ability to increase the speed of healing in other    species. However, this is not an instant heal to be given to another person. Applying vampire blood directly on a wound risks the spread of the virus to the recipient. In order to avoid the spread of the virus, vampire blood must be used in a healing mixture that very few even are aware of. This property of vampire blood is dangerous and is the reason vampires dare not reveal themselves.

* Species that are immune to the virus: lycan, fae
* Species that cannot heal from vampire blood: fae

### Weaknesses

#### Wooden stake through the heart

This is only fatal to Newborns and Fledglings. If attacked an Ascendent will be heavily subdued and MUST return to their coffin, or a safe dark place void of sunlight, to carry out a prolonged sleep in order to recover. During the moment in which an Ascendent is subdued they’ll be vulnerable and exposed. If the stake itself is made  from the same material as the vampires coffin or is enchanted/holy then this will kill any type of  vampire.

#### Objects of Intense Belief

This doesn’t necessarily mean a religious artefact, but  simply the power of the belief itself. For example, if someone truly believed a pencil was  magically imbued with power that could repel evil and their belief was concrete with little doubt,  it would hurt them. This extends to 'holy’ magic and items enchanted or imbued with such magic.

#### Running Water

Acts like a barrier which they cannot cross but this can be bypassed if another  being is transporting them i.e a carriage/horse.

#### Solid Food

The consumption of solid food can make a vampire physically ill. As a vampire ages, they will build up a sort of tolerance to solid foods, however consuming more than a few bites will make any aged vampire vomit. Liquids may be consumed without reaction as the vampire builds up a tolerance.

#### **Necromancy**

As Vampires are essentially dead, they are susceptible to necromantic magic. This means that a vampire may become manipulated or injured through necromancy and those who wield such powers.

### **Appearances**

As usually depicted, vampires have **fangs**. These fangs are not retractable and are always visible unless the vampire learns how to hide them when speaking, smiling, etc

When experiencing strong emotion - be it love, hate, hunger, rage, etc - a vampire’s eyes will turn red. Some vampires may have **red eyes** all the time, but all vampires have red eyes when in a heightened state of emotion.

Vampires may have been of any non supernatural race prior to be turned. Races that could not be turned into a vampire include werewolves, fae, pixies, other types of undead races, anyone that is cursed, or any race that is able to shift between a second form.

### **History**

How exactly vampires came to be

is unclear, though the most common story tells of a covenant made with the forbidden gods in the name of life everlasting only for those to realize such boons come at great cost. While not exactly immortal, vampires do enjoy a much longer life than most species in Aether. Vampires were once greater in number than the few scattered across the Aether now. Small covens of five to ten vampires were rumored to be found around cities, though they were careful to remain undetected and hidden. Alliances and territory boundaries were determined between covens and strict laws were placed by Elder Vampires to help protect other vampires and limit how many and who could be turned. For a time, vampire populations were stable and were largely hidden from others. Vampires of all races lived in relative secrecy and safety.

However, a rumor began to spread across Aether - a rumor that would ruin the fragile peace that existed for those of the undead. Though the origins of the rumors are unclear, stories of vampire blood being used in alchemical and healing potions spread like wildfire. Some stories told of incredible healing properties that could essentially heal any wound - even those that would have normally been considered mortal wounds. Others told of magical properties that, through alchemical means, could be used to imbue treated weapons, armor, and even mortals who consumed the potions with incredible strengths and powers. Though no proof seemed to surface validating the rumors, bounties and hunters for vampires increased tenfold.

Having become prey themselves, Vampires took to the shadows deeper than before. Precautions were taken and sacrifices were made in the name of protecting the covens and the species. Once the proud hunters of yore, vampires became paranoid, fearful, and even more dangerous. Lashing out in desperation, violent acts and needless slaughters occured at the hands of terrified and rageful vampires. As a result, entire covens were eradicated in the name protecting the morals nearby while vials of blood were extracted from their corpses. Even the powerful Elder Vampires of legend sacrificed themselves - in many instances to save their covens.

As the number of vampires became fewer and fewer, it became easier for remaining vampires to hide in shadows and in plain sight. Generations passed and rumors of the capabilities of their blood became scarce with only few written and unclear accounts scattered in the oldest references. For all the bloodshed, little was ever definitively proven of what a vampire’s blood could do. For now, those few that still exist hide in the shadows and must protect themselves not just from persecution of their race, but also from being hunted in the name of profit. Large acts of violence are rare as a result and vampires have become mostly solitary creatures without the protection of covens.