Vampire

## **Biology**

A vampire is a Humanoid Empyreal creature, often appearing so Human the average person is unable to tell the difference. Other than their Mana pool, which is composed solely of Red Magic due to the nature of their being, there’s only a few minor discrepancies between the two species. One of the main physical differences are the eyes. A vampire has keen night vision, and as a result of this their eyes will reflect light in the darkness (often a red or yellow hue) where a Human’s eyes would not. Vampires also have their characteristic pointed canines which are used to pierce skin and drain a creature of it’s blood. These fangs may or may not poke out of their mouth. Some more uncommon traits of vampires include pale skin, unnatural thinness, and naturally red eyes, although all of these traits are far more situational.

## **Personality/Instincts**

Being a Red Magic Empyreal, Vampires are all created with a specific goal or task in mind. Originally they were created to storm temples of false gods and wreak havoc on nonbelievers, but over the years many religions have gotten stronger ties to Blue Magic, which wards even dedicated vampires away. Nowadays most vampires are created with the intention of guarding or exploring ruins, searching for information, assassination, or occasionally for the sole purpose of causing chaos in a place DC particularly dislikes.

While they are Humanoid in nature, vampires do have one very strong instinct. Because they’re half undead in nature, Vampires are unable to produce their own blood. Without blood their bodies will begin to rot and decay. Unlike the Hivemind which is kept alive by DC’s magic, Empyreals are their own independent beings. So, in order to sustain themselves, Vampires have been given the drive to extract blood from mortals (or demons, on occasion) as a means of keeping themselves alive.

## **Relations**

Vampires and Humans are both able to coexist pretty much seamlessly. They were created to blend in, after all. Many vampires were created to act politely, or at least lawfully, in order to further blend in with mortal society. Hiding in plain sight, erasing any suspicions of their monstrous nature behind their laid back and personable demeanor.

As for other races and/or species, it really depends on the situation. Many vampires view non-Human species are nothing more than a means of sustenance. A lot of them don’t even like Feline Kodin despite their origins. Typically, if a vampire is getting along with members of a certain race, it’s because its specific job requires them to. That being said, most Vampires are created with the intention of blending in with Human society, so it’s uncommon for them to play nice with anyone else.

## **History**

As previously stated, Vampires were originally created as a means of infiltrating temples of false gods and driving people away from their churches. The first record of them was all the way back in the year 3044BDI. According to legend, they began attacking early churches of Tilvet around the time they first started springing up. After Lykan’s downfall the population of Vampires sharply increased as DC was desperate to dissolve the newly established church of Tilvet and protect his now abandoned temples and shrines. As time went on and churches began shifting to light and Blue Magic, Vampires slowly shifted their goals from disbanding religious groups to exploring ruins to reclaim lost items or assassinating prominent figures in the Human community DC couldn’t get his hands on personally. As time went on and DC remained in hiding, many older/ancient vampires lost their original duties and have since been left to roam free and do as they like. Generally speaking, the older a Vampire is, the less connected it is to whatever their original job was.

## **Adventures**

Seeing as they were created with the intention of blending in with Human society, Vampires don’t stray far from Humans unless they were created with a more niche intent. Those who do are more likely to be spotted, as Humans and their behaviours are very well known across Mirror Domain. Even less intelligent creatures like Sinvian know that a Human doesn’t drink blood or have a nocturnal sleep cycle. It’s easier to excuse these traits in a dominantly Human society where their existence isn’t already odd or unnatural.

## **Abilities**

Vampires host all manner of magical abilities. Because of their nature as a Red Magic Empyreal, Vampires are immune to Red Magic infection. They’re still able to be harmed or killed by it, but it’s far more difficult to do so than it would be for the average mortal.

On top of their ability to drain blood, many Vampires have the ability to shapeshift into a single animal form; more often than not a flighted one. Bats are common, as they’re already nocturnal creatures which populate dark areas like ruins, but they can also commonly turn into birds or, on very rare occasions, Drakes. Unlike true shapeshifters, however, a Vampire only has one form, and that form is solely for the purpose of making a quick escape or hiding in plain sight.

Given they’re beings of Red Magic, vampires have a particular weakness to Blue Magic. Areas with high concentrations of ambient Blue Magic act as a natural ward against Red Magic Empyreals in general. A common misconception with Vampires is the fact they’re “allergic” to certain plants (such as garlic). This is not the case, however. Many plants have higher concentrations of Blue Magic within them, which in turn harms a vampire if they happen to come in contact with it. It’s not the plant itself they’re allergic to.