Vampire

**Vampires**, also known as the **Immortal Accursed**, the **Cold Ones**, the **Children of the Night** or simple as **Vamps**, are a supernatural species of predatory immortals that originated as magically reanimated corpses inhabited by the spirit of the deceased person in question. Vampires are nocturnal by nature, as the touch of sunlight burns their skin on contact, though there are magical means by which they can prevent this reaction. The species is characterized by their need to drink blood in order to maintain their immortality and supernatural abilities.

## History

### Origins

The Original Vampires were once a family of powerful Atlantean witches some 10,000 years ago circa 8,000 BC. At some point, the youngest son of the witch Esther Gallio and the mortal warrior, Mikael, was brutally killed by a neighbouring pack of werewolves who lived in a nearby village during an uncontrollable frenzy induced by the Full Moon, causing Esther to harness the dark powers of her accursed bloodline in conjunction with the spells of the Darkhold to turn her children into vampires. The Original siblings spread vampirism like a plague, raising vast armies and causing untold destruction until they were eventually imprisoned for the next few millennia, during which time their surviving progenies and vampiric descendants suffered as they were cut off from their progenitors, mutating them and giving rise to various new vampiric species in an attempt to emulate the purity of the Original Family.

## Description

### Physiology

#### Nutrition

Vampires subsist on blood as their only food source. Human blood is by far the most common source and the most appealing, and subsequently the most difficult to resist.

As blood is the only component of a vampire's diet, failing to drink blood (whether human or animal) for an extended period of time will physically and mentally weaken a vampire. The longer a vampire abstains from blood, the more likely the vampire will lose their rationality and mental faculties until they give into their thirst, because their throats are described to be in "burning pain", which will worsen the longer they do not drink blood. Although it still gives them nutrition, animal blood is less appealing to vampires.

Vampires who wish to blend in with human society are also seen to ingest human food and drinks, but, their bodies derive no sustenance from this, only pleasure. On occasion, the appeal of human blood can be so enticing that a "vegetarian" vampire will lose control, especially if their self-control is weak. To a "vegetarian" vampire, carnivores' blood is more appetizing than herbivores, though still not quite as good as humans.

On the moral grounds that all human life is precious, a very small proportion of the vampiric population refuse to drink human blood, even from blood bags. Instead, these immortals derive sustenance solely from animal blood, jokingly calling themselves 'vegetarians'.

##### Singers

The blood of each human has an individual taste and smell; sometimes a certain vampire finds a particular human whose blood he or she finds nearly absolutely irresistible. The Volturi call such a human "la tua cantante"—your singer—as their blood "sings" to that particular vampire. To most vampires, such discovery is an experience to be savoured. These singers often make excellent mates.

#### Appearance

Vampire blood brings ordinary human genetics to its greatest, most extraordinary potential, conveying preternatural beauty, longevity, strength, height, and senses to the former human (there are rarely ugly vampires). They are described as being impeccably beautiful in appearance, and as being angelic or even god-like. This is one of the several features meant to attract their prey—more specifically, to attract, fascinate, and (if necessary) seduce, unsuspecting humans. But their most striking feature are their bright inhuman eyes, which are said to be so alluring that to gaze upon them would cause one to fall into a hypnotic state. This makes vampires more efficient predators, as it allows them to attract and seduce humans. The attractiveness of a vampire is determined by how desirable they were before they died. If an already attractive human were to be sired, their physical beauty would be "breath-taking". If they were of average interest, their attractiveness would be lower, but still stunningly beautiful. If however they were not particularly pleasing to the eye, they would become average (as shown with James), but this is a rare occurrence, as vampires normally select exceptional humans to turn. They do not age physically; instead becoming more "statuesque" as they age, developing very smooth, flawless, marble white skin. Their features are refined and perfected (including their voices), rendering them supernaturally beautiful to lure in prey. Vampires can be noticed by their lack of body heat as well as the absence of a heartbeat. However, their hearts do actually continue to function but at a very slow and near-imperceptible pace.

The physical changes that occur whenever a human becomes a vampire are apparent: their eyes become luminous, their skin pale and reflective, and their fingernails become translucent. Their muscle mass is enhanced and perfected, and they have no further need to breathe, though many still do so out of habit. The ability to cut off airflow from their lungs allows them to remain submerged underwater for as long as they wish, and contributes greatly to their excellent swimming capabilities. The hair, nails and skin of all vampires are flawless and their entire bodies are textured with a sleek, marble-like substance which continues to smoothen over time. The teeth of all vampires are beautiful and unbreakable equipped with two pairs of visible, elongated fangs along the upper canines and lateral incisors that they can extend and retract at will.

##### Eye Colour

Like the majority of supernatural creatures, a vampire's eyes reflects their true nature. Most of the time they retain their normal human eyes, but theirs are more luminous than an ordinary human's. Their eye colour depends heavily on their diet. A diet of human blood would eventually darken them to a rose red colour. However, a diet of animal blood would instead dilute their eyes to a golden colour. A vampire who has recently fed on animal blood will have light, honey gold eyes, while a vampire who has recently fed on human blood will have vivid crimson eyes. All older vampires' eyes darken perceptively as they abstain from blood, until their eyes become *onyx*, or *coal* black. The process usually takes one to two weeks before the eyes are turned completely black. Chance Mikaelson is an exception, as his eyes do not take half as long to reflect his eating habits. Pureborn vampires are actually shown to possess electric blue eyes on occasion. When a vampire is thirsty or experiencing strong emotions, the veins beneath their eyes protrude as blood rages through them, clouding their eyes in a dark, reddish bloodshot-like haze.

##### Teeth

The bite of a vampire can sever the limbs of their opponents, as vampires are known for having extremely sharp and strong teeth. A vampire's teeth appear no different than regular human teeth, but when they show their 'True Face', their canines extend into fangs that they can retract at will. A vampire's teeth are flawless, unbreakable, and razor sharp at the edges, even when not elongated. They are also incredibly strong, able to bite through almost any solid substance, including vampire skin. Their teeth are also venomous, affected by the vampire venom that flows in their mouths.

#### Creation

The majority of vampires are made, not born, from human stock. There are long-standing cultural prohibitions against turning an already existing supernatural being - considered higher life-forms than humans - into a vampire. Humans, however, are perfect candidates. Vampires select potential humans according to their needs at the time, whether that be a mate, soldier, assassin, skilled servants, or to fill out their clans. In order for a human to become a vampire, the potential make must bite and feed on a human to the point of near-death. At the right moment, the vampire offers the human their own blood, refilling their veins and altering their DNA. Extremely old and powerful Master Vampires no longer need to perform this lengthy exchange, instead their blood is so potent that only a few drops is necessary for the human to drink even without being drained before hand. The human must then die within twenty-four hours of consuming vampire blood. The nature of the human's death is irrelevant; however, the body must be preserved and able to function upon reanimation. If the human is killed by decapitation, fire or corrosives, damage to or removal of the heart, or excessive loss of body mass, reanimation will not occur. Upon physical death, the human will awaken as a vampire and may require blood to complete the Transition. Vampires call this process the "Embrace". Once made, vampires usually experience up to five years of vampire infancy. During this time, they are under the almost constant supervision of their maker or another powerful member of their family while growing accustomed to their new talents and abilities.

During the Transition, a vampire's nature and characteristics are dependent on who and what they drink from to complete their conversion. For example, the first of the Nosferatu was an individual who drank the blood of Belial, a Prince of Hell, to complete his transformation. The Gangrel are those who took the blood of shapeshifters, and the vampires of the Red Court descend from the one who drank of the essence of Camazotz, the Mayan god of bats.

#### Genetics

Upon their transformation, the newly born vampire's bodily functions will alter. They are unable to produce bodily waste but can consume human food and drink with as much ease as any ordinary mortal, but this provides absolutely no sustenance, and merely dissolves once the system has time to disintegrate it. Although they are capable of shedding ordinary tears, in moments of extreme emotional upheaval, some vampires are actually seen to cry blood. Another unusual trait is their inability to sweat, unless they are weakened or in the midst of sexual intercourse with their mate.

They can hear sounds coming from several miles away, and even with their eyes closed, they can be sure that there are multiple people in a room thanks to their varied breathing patterns. They can hear the sound of a heartbeat, a pulse thudding in a vein, and words spoken too quietly or too fast for humans to detect. Their enhanced vision allows them to see the smallest details - dust motes floating through the air and ultraviolet light. Vampire vision is unhindered by darkness, and is so acute that they view humans as blind, or "mud-eyed", in comparison. Josie describes her sight as being better than an eagle's. Vampires find wearing glasses or contact lenses to be uncomfortable or irritating; they see the miniature imperfections (ex. scratches). Their scent is based on their venom, and is pleasant, not only to humans, but to other vampires as well.

Though resistant to the diseases that affects warm-blooded beings, vampires are subject to a genetic illness called "blood rage". Once known as "the Vampire Curse", this illness leads to hyper-aggression and insatiable desire to hunt and kill. While all vampires need to hunt for physiological and psychological reasons, vampires afflicted with blood rage are unable to stop themselves from doing so. During the Vampire Wars of antiquity, vampires with blood rage were highly desirable and efforts were made to raise armies of blood-rage vampires, known as Rippers. At some point in time, it was discovered that the Vampire Curse may also bring a surprising benefit; blood rage actually holds the key to a vampire's unusual ability to produce natural, as opposed to made, children. However, only male Rippers are capable of sexual reproduction, along with female Heretics.

### Psychology

Vampires have the capacity to be extremely feral, predatory creatures, and can be more beast-like and savage than their human appearance suggests. They growl, hiss, snarl, and curl their lips back when provoked, baring their fangs as a sign of aggression when faced by a threat. Many of them tend to often be very sexual and erotic beings, usually taking up hedonistic lifestyles as they revel in their vampiric powers, but this is not always the case. The bite itself is an orgasmic experience, and can induce extreme pleasure in both the vampire and the victim.

Despite their nature, vampires are also capable of human emotions, such as compassion, love, and self-control. However, it's in a vampire's nature to be violent, and no matter what their morality or kindness, they will almost always resort to such acts if it's necessary for their survival. While vampires typically maintain their human personalities after their transformations (though magnified by the magical properties of vampirism), they are usually dehumanized to some degree, and due to both the violent tensions between witches, werewolves, and vampires (along with the in-fighting within the vampire community itself), violence, tragedy, and death of the aforementioned groups and humans caught in the crossfire seem to follow vampires wherever they go, even despite their best efforts to avoid it. Many (though not all) vampires are inherently selfish and consider other beings, especially humans, to be inferior to themselves, as they see themselves as the top of the proverbial food chain. Even the most compassionate of their kind will often resort to cruelty and torture if it means protecting themselves and their loved ones from danger.

For example, Stefan Salvatore, despite his generally kind and compassionate attitude, has been shown to be unafraid of killing when the situation calls for it, though he makes it a point not to harm or kill humans unless absolutely necessary. Similarly, Caroline Forbes, while saving Stefan and his brother Damon from her mother and her police force, ended up slaughtering two of her deputies in an animalistic and stealthy manner and was completely calm and unfazed afterward; this contrasted greatly with her reaction after she had accidentally killed a carnival worker out of hunger just hours after she had completed her transition, which upset her so much that she began to sob and insisted she was a monster. This suggests the longer one spends as a vampire, the more tolerant of violence and murder they become.

Additionally, over the course of their ten millennia of life, Elijah and Rebekah have also become somewhat dehumanized after spending so much time as the most powerful beings on earth, even despite their generally kind and gentle nature; their penchant for the "snatch, eat, erase" method of feeding and their dedication to avoiding unnecessarily large demonstrations of violence and cruelty if at all possible is typically more out of their desire to protect themselves from exposure than a desire to not harm others. In recent years, both Elijah and Rebekah have mellowed out, and are not as quick to harm or kill out of anger, they still are known for being ruthless against their enemies or anyone who tries to harm their family and friends, and have shown no discomfort in torturing others to get the answers or results they need.

However, vampires experience sensations and feelings much more intensely than humans, and as a result, they have a much more difficult time controlling their emotions, all of which are tied to their hunger in some way. Whenever a vampire is overwhelmed by powerful feelings (such as extreme hunger, fear, anger, happiness, love, lust etc.) their faces become pale, and blood rushes into the veins surrounding their eyes, darkening them tremendously. Their canine teeth will lengthen into fangs, giving them a more predatory look to scare off or threaten their prey and to aid them in feeding on humans and animals. This intensification of emotions experienced by vampires also extends to their personalities as well, both the good and the bad aspects of it. For example, Elena and Stefan were both compassionate and kind as humans, which amplified these traits to the point of being self-sacrificing as vampires; conversely, Vicki Donovan, who was a troubled teenage girl with addictions to drugs, carried these personality traits into her vampire life as well, making her subject to violent mood swings and making it even harder for her to resist her cravings for human blood until she had to be killed to save Elena and Jeremy from being killed.

They are also highly erotic creatures with insatiable sexual appetites. Due to their immortality, most vampires tend to gravitate towards a polyamorous lifestyle. Very few of them limit themselves to a single partner, but many do take mates while maintaining an open relationship. Sex is very pleasurable, especially when sharing blood, and a vampire's sexual preferences tend to become more fluid as they get older, taking lovers of either gender whereas before they believed themselves to be entirely straight or homosexual.

Due to their intensely emotional nature, it is not uncommon for vampires wishing to maintain self-control to document their lives after their transition in journals. Though they have consistently shown considerable powers in recollection of specific memories and dates, vampires still need to peruse their journals in order to reflect on their feelings and other minute details during certain events. Another function of the vampire nature is the ability to "turn off" their humanity in order to make it easier for them to emotionally deal with feeding on (and occasionally even killing) humans to maintain their immortality.

Vampires who have used this coping mechanism, such as Elena, Damon, Stefan, Caroline and Enzo, have described the process as "flicking a switch," which essentially numbs their emotions and disables their ability to be empathetic, allowing them to shut out painful feelings such as guilt, grief, and sadness and turning off the part of them that makes them ashamed of their actions. Vampires with their humanity turned off often think of themselves as purely rational and logical and are not ruled by their emotions. They also have no problem feeding indiscriminately on whomever they please, either using mind compulsion to make the humans forget the experience or killing them outright with no shame or remorse. Chance describes the so called "humanity switch" as being an inaccurate phrase, saying that it rids them of all self-depreciative emotions and allows their instincts and more primal urges to take control. Instead of being emotionally-driven prey they become instinctually-driven predators.

Most vampires have strong family bonds and prize loyalty to family above all else. They are hierarchical and obedience to the leader of the pack isn’t up for discussion. Unlike Daemons, they follow the rules (well, the vampire code of law and order, that is). Most avoid being centre stage preferring solitary occupations where they can hide in plain sight and are possessive in love. When they choose a ‘mate’, the commitment will often last centuries.

Vampires believe that they are top of the food chain as they feed off of warm-blooded creatures, including humans and the majority of animals; they avoid feeding off other supernaturals, and certain animals such as wolves, horses, and dogs. They view themselves as the Night World's apex predators, a role that their ancient rivals, the werewolves, are also contenders for. Despite the animosity between the two species, they tend to show one another a high degree of respect.

Once a vampire has been made and the maker is convinced that the newly-turned vampire is now self-sufficient (initial transitioning period is difficult one for newborns), the vampire begins to establish a new identity. Vampires cultivate passions and interests to prevent themselves from falling into boredom and depression as a result of their prolonged lifespans. This means that they are often found in careers that reward long-term thinking (these include investment banking, art collecting, scientific research, and real-estate). Because they live so long, vampires are adept at a kind of shape-shifting, moving to new countries and acquiring new language skills and identities, new jobs, new houses, new friends and lovers. This is how they not only survive but thrive.

## Society & Culture

### Organization

#### Clans

A **Clan** is a vampiric lineage consisting of vampires who each share common characteristics that distinguish them from the rest of the species. Some clans have more distinct traits than others do, with many exhibiting special abilities exclusive to their particular breed, while others may possess either a heightened tolerance or vulnerability to a vampire's traditional weaknesses. Each Clan has specific strengths and weaknesses, as well as their own distinct history. A vampire without a Clan is Caitiff, generally a second-class citizen in vampiric society.

Each clan has its own organization and culture that is considered important by its members, and though individuals are rarely willing to make any self-sacrifice for their clanmates, a general sense of understanding often elicits some preference for those of similar blood.

Despite what many Hunters think, a vampire does not get to choose into which clan he or she is Embraced. Most of the time, they are apart of the same group as their sire, i.e. should a Nosferatu turn a human, then that human will almost always be a Nosferatu as well. However, there are exceptions to this. During the hours of transition, a potential vampire's DNA is highly malleable and subject to change. They are in a state between life and death. Most vampires complete the transition by drinking an ordinary human's blood, but sometimes, the victim of their first feed is not always ordinary, and if they are not, then that may result in the vampire developing some unique abilities.

For example, the first Nosferatu was born when he drank the blood of the demon Belial, a Prince of Hell, thus mutating him and giving rise to an entirely new clan in the process. The Red Court was created in a similar fashion, with the first Red King drinking from the veins of the Mayan bat god, Camazotz; and the Gangrel, vampires with bestial characteristics born from their consumption of a shapeshifter's blood. Any vampire who successfully survives their transition by drinking a Werebeast's blood will automatically belong to one of the Gangrel Bloodlines, depending on what manner of Therianthrope they fed upon.

#### Houses

Vampires have a strong sense of family that is similar to that of wolf packs. The head, or sire, of a vampire family - also called a **House** - has absolute authority. Etiquette requires that this head of the family be addressed as either Count or Countess. When a sire is not mated, that honour can be bestowed to another. Vampire houses are extremely hierarchical, and disobedience is not tolerated. Insubordination often leads to death, and in some cases, large vampire families are divided into scions with semiautonomous sires who report back to the main sire clan. In addition to making full-blooded vampire children, vampires also have a tradition of adoption. Being the adopted, or "blood-sworn", child of a vampire accords them all the rights and privileges of belonging to a house without having to become a fully fledged vampire.

They are very similar to Broods, though unlike the latter, Houses are almost always more organized and esteemed. In many cases, a powerful Brood may actually be comprised of several Houses, so long as infighting does not occur as is common practice amongst the vampire population.

Houses are extremely important in vampire culture, and even the blood-sworn child of a great vampire sire would be higher of status than the full-blooded child of another subordinate vampire. According to legend, a vampire's blood vow sings for a year and a day. All vampires can hear it, but the song is particularly loud and clear to those who carry the maker's blood in their veins.

#### Broods

A **Brood** is a group that consists of at least three or more vampires working together for a common goal. They are effectively the vampiric equivalent of werewolf packs. Broods are often led by a single, or in the case of especially large broods, several Master Vampires, who are usually the oldest and most powerful members present. Some broods only welcome members from a particular bloodline or clan, while others welcome whoever gains their interest.

### Bonding

#### Mating

The single greatest need vampires have, other than hunting and feeding themselves, is to find their mate. Vampires are drawn to their mates through a combination of affinity and chemical compatibility. The bond between mates is irresistible and lasts for a lifetime. The intensity of chemical and emotional responses to mating make it difficult for vampires to let their partners out of their sight, and vampire widows or widowers often attempt suicide to escape the physical and mental anguish associated with the loss of their beloved. Some vampires do mate again, though this is rare. Vampire mates may be other vampires, or they may be humans or another supernatural. In the case of human mates, difficult decisions must be made about whether to turn them into a vampire. Vampires are extraordinarily protective and possessive of their mates and mark them with the vampire's scent to indicate ownership. A vampire will never touch another's mate without permission as this is considered a hostile action.

### Lifestyles

Vampires, by nature, tend to be solitary predators that will either acquire a lair of sorts where they can lead their victims to be feasted upon, or wander from location to location in pursuit of prey. Though there are a range of vampire lifestyles, the most common is nomadic. The majority of vampires move frequently, never settling permanently in one place. This pattern is partly an attempt to hide from the notice of humans. If too many humans disappear from one area, suspicion might be aroused and the Volturi might take notice. Also, if a vampire interacts regularly with humans, eventually the humans will notice that the vampire isn't aging. Another aspect is boredom; vampire lives are so long that many keep up a continuous search for novelty.

## Trivia

* Contrary to popular belief, both male and female vampires are capable of sexual reproduction, though it is extremely rare.
	+ Some Incubi and Succubi are capable of having biological children. Other than them, only male rippers and female heretics can reproduce.
* Vampires will often drink coffee in order to warm their bodies, so humans are not disturbed by their lack of body heat.
* Vampires have a natural rivalry with werewolves, whom they respect as worthy contenders for the role of apex predator.