Vampire
Vampires are beings of the Night, mortals whose body and soul have been corrupted by the curse of Baelhor, who now walk the darkness in an endless hunger for blood.Vampires are mortals who contracted the disease of vampirism following the consumption of infected blood. The disease effectively affects both the body and soul of the victim, who most notably develops an unnatural thirst for mortal blood and a severe reaction to sun exposure. Vampires are feared throughout Tharan as their savagery and near-immortality makes them incredibly difficult to deal with, even for seasoned Hunters.
Known Vampire Species
Many mortal species, primarily aquatic species, are immune to the curse of vampirism. Known species to be vulnerable to the disease include:Dwarves
Gnomes
Beastmen
Goblins
Basic Information
Anatomy
The anatomy of Vampires mostly depend on their original species, as they keep much of their original appearance, though some species are more impacted by physical mutations than others. The most recognizable characteristic of vampires, regardless of species, is their sharp, over-developed canines, meant to rip the throats of their victims in order to feed off their blood.
Genetics and Reproduction
Vampires don't actually reproduce. Since they are undead, they are completely sterile. However, they can transmit the disease to mortals who will then become newborn vampires.
The process simply requires a person to drink the vampire's blood. After a small window of incubation, the victim is going to slowly turn until they either die from the change, or turn into a full vampire.
The process generally takes up to a few days. Different species have different incubation periods, from a mere few hours for Goblins to an entire week for some subspecies of Beastmen.
In average, only a tenth of people who are infected fully turn into Vampires.
Growth Rate & Stages
Once a Vampire is fully born, it's developmental process is stopped. It will not go through any more changes and will stop growing. If a child were to be turned, it would remain a child until definitive death.
Ecology and Habitats
Vampires can thrive under any climate and habitat, with the notable exception of not being able to expose their skin to sunlight.
Most Vampires tend to inhabit dark and cold places, where mortals would normally not set foot. This allows them to be left alone and stay safe while sleeping during daylight.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Most types of Vampires feed on the blood of mortals.
Historically, they hunted their victims at night, when the Sun could not hurt them, and preyed on isolated and vulnerable people.
With the increase in security brought by the development of new technologies in the last two centuries, Vampires now tend to keep to themselves. They feed either by feeding off the blood of animals or by acquiring blood bags on the black market or other sources.
Depending on their species and individual specificities, Vampires need to feed in intervals ranging from a mere four hours to sometimes multiple weeks in between feeding. The quantity of blood ingested can range from a few drops to up to 5 liters in one sitting.
As a general rule of thumb, older Vampires tend to require less blood to survive.
Behaviour
Vampires' psychology is incredibly versatile depending on many factors, the most significant ones being: the Vampiric Type of the Vampire, the original species of the Vampire, the original species of the Sire, the Vampiric Type of the Sire, the Vampiric ethnicity and culture of the Vampire and the individual's personality before Turning.
All these factors can make one Vampire act very differently from another. However, all Vampires tend to be relatively more aggresive than when they were mortal and be less restrained by societal norms and peer pressure. Some hypothesis suggest that Vampirism might cause Antisocial Personality Disorder, a claim few dare challenge, judging by the violence portrayed by Vampires throughout history.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Vampire society is stucutred very differently from one ethnicity to another. Some have no stucutre at all, while others have a very intricate hierarchy and regulations.
Domestication
It is recommended by all mortal authorities to not try to domesticate a Vampire. Risks can include the contraction of Vampirism, loss of limb, significant blood losses, enslavement, and in the most fortunate of cases, death.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Vampires can be found throughout Tharan, mainly in dark and cold places, but only on land. However, the actual number of Vampires and their exact geographic distibution is unknown.
Average Intelligence
The average intelligence of Vampires is varies significantly between Vampiric Type and subspecies.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Vampires possess extremely acute senses, particularly when it comes to sight, hearing and smell.
They can easily see in the dark, regardless of their original species' vision, and perfectly hear sounds barely audible for other species. They are also able to smell the blood of their prey from up to 30km away.
These increased senses makes Vampires perfect hunters and almost impossible to evade.
Some species also benefit from specific enhancements from vampirism.
Civilization and Culture
History
The first Vampires were born after an invasion force of Lorhain soldiers conquered the High Elf city of Sunhaven.
According to the legends at the time, the Elves of Sunheaven were granted eternal youth by the river coursing through the region. This water borne its source from a deep magical well, supposedly granting those who drank it immortality.
Greedily, the humans sought to get this power for themselves and massacred the inhabitants of Sunhaven. However, the High Elves managed to block the river’s abilities before the humans could get it.
After finding out the fact for himself, the Lorhain general, Julius Leontius, made a deal with the demon Baelor to unblock the river’s magic. But Baelor tricked Leontius and corrupted the river’s power. The river did grant immortality to the few who drank from it, but at the cost of their soul and ability to stand in the sun.
Forced to walk forever in the darkness and feed on his kin, Leontius became mad and eventually killed himself by walking into the sun. From the others, many other vampires saw the dark of night.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Vampires are feared and hunted by the vast majority of mortals, which they view as little more than food or pets. They seldom interact with mortals other than to feed or entertain themselves (which is often bloody).
They do tend to keep close relationships with demons however. Vampries often try to enter the services of a powerful demon lord for protection and consistent food supply or merely out of boredom after centuries of life. Demons tend to appreciate the sheer brutality and lack of empathy displayed by Vampires and regard them as precious allies in the material world, often using them as enforcers or representatives on Tharan since Demons often cannot materialize themselves directly.
Vampire Placeholder by Starlord Osmyr with Canva.com
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