Vampire

**Vampires** are sentient reanimated corpses that drink blood to survive and maintain their powers. They were originally humans converted into a vampire by a "sire". Being technically deceased, their primary characteristics include a lack of a heartbeat, body heat, brainwaves, electrical impulses, need to breathe, and other bodily functions.

## History

### Origin

Vampires are said to have existed since the early days of humanity. According to the sacred scrolls written by the Lilin, God twisted a human girl named Lilith into the first vampire as punishment for leaving her husband, Adam.

### Creation of The Lilin

Shortly after becoming the first vampire, Lilith crossed paths with the Devil Sammael, who taught her everything there was to know about her vampirism and how to make more of her kind. After this, Lilith began to sire humans she deemed worthy of the gift of immortality. These humans she sired became known as The Lilin. The Lilin still exists to this day, treated as royalty and the ultimate authority in vampire circles, however, in the modern day, there are only 52 known members of the Lilin. The Lilin, for generations, controlled vampire society the way Lilith instructed them to, until Lilith grew tired of them and slowly came to resent them, seeing them as monsters. Eventually, Lilith abandoned the Lilin, but left them with a vial of her blood. Lilith supposedly left the Lilin around the year 1605.

## Siring and Newborns

In order to create a vampire, a human must be drained of their blood to the point of near death by a vampire and the blood lost needs to be replaced by some of the vampire's blood.

Newborn vampires will be thirsty and will need to feed to survive. Although newborns have some control of their abilities, they are mostly controlled by their impulses and can cause serious harm and accidental deaths to humans around them. In addition, newborns can hardly resist blood at all, as resistance develops with age.

A newborn's existence depends upon their abilities, which are taught to them by their sire. These abilities take time to learn and develop. As vampires age, they become more adept at controlling their abilities.

## Characteristics

### Appearance

Vampires are indistinguishable from humans, and appear as they did when they were turned, albeit with a paler complexion due to lack of blood flow. Also, they have fangs that usually extend and retract willingly, though they can be stimulated to unwillingly extend. A vampire's eyes also tend to appear slightly "brighter" than normal.

Vampires remain identical forever after they are turned. Due to this, vampires cannot lose or gain weight. Vampires however can grow hair, and their fingernails and toe nails still grow as well.

### Anatomy

Vampires are recognizable from their fangs, which are located behind the canines. Fangs can be extended and retracted by choice, and are controlled by the movements of certain facial muscles. However, fangs protrude automatically when vampires are feeding, angry, excited, sexually aroused, need to fight, or see blood. Fangs can also be removed, but grow back after three months. Without fangs, vampires cannot feed on live victims unless the victim is already wounded.

Due to the lack of blood flow, vampires do not have any bodily functions. Because of this, vampires do not produce waste, and are unable to become pregnant, impregnate female humans or supernatural creatures, and have lower body temperatures than humans.

Vampires have anatomically different tear ducts from humans, as they expel blood, not tears.

Although vampires do not need to breathe, most still do out of habit, to aid in speaking, and for a sense of smell.

### Feeding

Vampires are reliant on mammalian blood, as they cannot consume human foods or drink. If a vampire goes for an extended period of time without feeding, a vampire will slowly grow weaker and weaker, until eventually, they desiccate and die.

Blood according to nutritional value:

* **Fresh Human Blood:** Fresh human blood is the most nutritious for a vampire and is the best blood for them to consume. It also tastes the most pleasant. The fresh blood of a hereditary witch has the same nutritional and taste value.
* **Stale Human Blood:** Not as nutritious as human blood and not as pleasant to drink. The stale blood of a hereditary witch has the same nutritional and taste value.
* **Fresh Vampire Blood:** Not as good as human blood, however, vampires can sustain themselves by drinking the blood of one another, however, the Lilin discourage this practise.
* **Stale Vampire Blood:** Said to taste a little on the bitter side, but still more nutritious for a vampire than animal blood.
* **Werewolf Blood:** Fresh or stale, werewolf blood tastes all the same and has pretty much the same nutritional value. It is said to have a musky earth taste but it is still better for vampires than animal blood.
* **Fresh Animal Blood:** The blood of most animals taste bland to vampires, the equivalent of drinking clean water for them. It does however still have some nutritional value and can sustain them.
* **Stale Animal Blood:** Has very little nutritional value and often tastes bad, some vampires even likening it to "wet dog food." Drunk in copious amounts, however, it can sustain a vampire.

### Vampire Blood

Vampire blood is the life essence of vampires.

Vampire blood has the following effects on humans and supernatural creatures:

* **Blood** **Bonding:** if the user drinks fresh blood from the same vampire on three separate occasions, a psychic and emotional bond is created. The human's physical attraction to the vampire will grow because of the bond and vice versa. The vampire, in turn, will be able to sense the location, emotions and state of the human and vice versa.

* **Healing:** A human or supernatural creature that ingests vampire blood will be able to heal wounds at an accelerated rate.

### Psychology

Vampires are predatory creatures, and are far more brutal than their human appearance suggest. Although they can control themselves in a sophisticated and human manner, duress reduces them to a more feral state. For instance, threats or insults are met with hissing, growling, and baring their fangs.

Vampires are capable of human emotions, such as compassion, love, and self-control. However, vampire emotions are far more intense than human emotions, some describe them as "heightened".

Mental illnesses will also carry over from a human life to a vampire life, however, sometimes this mental illness is amplified, much like their emotions. For example, a vampire that had bipolar disorder before being turned will still have bipolar disorder after becoming a vampire but their bipolar disorder might become even stronger as a result.

### Aging

Vampires are immortal, and do not physically age, remaining identical forever after becoming vampires. The only noticeable effects of aging are that they become physically stronger with age, will sometimes need to consume less blood to get by, and become more vulnerable to sunlight.

## Reflections

A vampire's image cannot be captured by any sort of film, camera or mirror (although their reflection can still be seen in semi-reflective surfaces).
However, while vampires' image cannot be reflected or captured directly, if a vampire is wet and covered in water, then the water on their body will give an outline of them in photos.

## Dhampyrs

Dhampyrs are human/vampire hybrids. A dhampyr is created when a pregnant, human woman drinks vampire blood three times over the course of her pregnancy (if the pregnant woman already has a blood bond with this vampire, she will only need to drink the vampire's blood twice during her pregnancy). Dhampyrs are stronger, faster, and have overall heightened senses compared to a normal human, but possess none of the psychic powers of a vampire, nor any of their traditional weaknesses, rather they can still be killed just as easily as any human. A dhampyr also has an accelerated healing reflex. If a dhampyr drinks vampire blood consistently, they will not age, however, if they go for long periods of time without drinking vampire blood, they will begin to age. Instinctively, dhampyrs hunt regular vampires and will resent their vampire "parent" with a passion. If they are ever near their vampire "parent", they will be overcome with the urge to kill them.

## Powers and Abilities

* **Eidetic Memory** - Vampires are said to possess perfect recall and to be unable to forget. Their minds are often called "vaults" in which they store all information permanently.
* **Fangs** - Vampires can grow fangs that they use to feed themselves, they might come out when a vampire is close to blood or angry.
* **Flight** - Some vampires have the ability to fly. It is suggested that older vampires can fly, while younger vampires can merely levitate.
* **Hypnosis** - Vampires are able to hypnotize humans and a few of the more common supernatural creatures such as werewolves. Hypnosis requires vampires to make eye contact and use their voices to make humans do their bidding. Hypnosis does not affect other vampires, powerful witches, or faeries. Excessive hypnosis can have a negative effect on the mental stability of a victim. Hypnosis is not an innate ability, as it needs to be taught and practised.
* **Tactile Telepathy** - Vampires are able to read a human's thoughts when they make physical contact with them.
* **Healing Factor** - Vampires have an accelerated healing factor. They are able to heal all types of wounds, including open wounds, massive burns and tissue damage. If an injury is severe, vampires need human blood to initiate the healing process. They are also immune to all disease, save for werewolf venom.
* **Superhuman Durability** - Vampires are able endure physical pain better than humans and can recover from attacks that would cripple, maim, or kill humans with minimal effort.
* **Superhuman Senses** - Vampires have much stronger senses than humans. They are able to see, hear and smell better and can even see in complete darkness.

### Weaknesses

* **Decapitation:** If the head of a vampire is severed completely, the vampire will perish. Breaking the neck of a vampire only causes mild discomfort.
* **Entry to homes:** Vampires cannot enter private human homes unless they are invited in by the owner of the house. Vampires do not need to be invited into public places (such as bars or restaurants). The death of the human owner of a residence allows any vampire to enter even without an invitation. If a vampire ever enters a home without an invitation first, a vampire will immediately start to suffocate and eventually catch fire and die.
* **Running Water:** If a vampire is to cross running water, they must be in a box filled with soil from their native land, or else they will begin to suffocate, and eventually catch fire and die.
* **Werewolf Venom:** Werewolf venom is toxic to vampires. If a werewolf bites a vampire, the vampire will become very sick and eventually die.
* **Holy Water:** Holy water has a corrosive effect on a vampire's skin.
* **Crosses/Crucifixes:** Touching a cross will burn a vampire's skin.
* **Exsanguination:** If a vampire is completely drained of their blood, they can become comatose, and eventually perish.
* **Fire:** Vampires can heal from burns, if given time and blood. However, if a vampire cannot take the time to heal from the burns, the vampire will die.
* **Garlic:** Garlic is "irritating" to vampires. If a vampire's skin comes into contact with garlic, the vampire's skin will become irritated, as well, the smell of garlic is also repugnant to vampires.
* **Magic:** Vampires have no particular resistance to the effects of magic, and are vulnerable to necromancy.
* **Silver:** Any contact with silver will burn and melt the surface of the vampire it touches.
* **Blood Deprivation:** If a vampire goes for an extended period of time without feeding, a vampire will perish.
* **Sunlight:** Vampires cannot endure ultra-violet light in any form. If a vampire comes into contact with sunlight, their skin will burn and they will be severely weakened, and, eventually, burst into flames and perish. The older a vampire is, the quicker they will burn.
* **Wood:** Vampires are susceptible to wood and wooden objects, including stakes and wooden bullets. If the heart of a vampire is pierced with a wooden object, the vampire will desiccate and die.

## Trivia

* Vampires are unable to regenerate lost limbs, however, they can be surgically reattached.
* Drowning won't kill a vampire, but it will make them very uncomfortable.