Vampires
Vampires are a cursed species born from the wrath of the dark goddess Krorone. Once devout followers of Tyshala they were transformed as punishment for their resistance to fully embrace Krorone after her transformation. Their existence is defined by their dependence on the vitality of humans and their inability to survive in the light of day, forcing them to embrace the darkness completely and always being considered less than human by her due to their need to feed off of mortals.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Vampires closely resemble their original mortal forms but are typically more pallid with faintly luminescent skin under moonlight. Their eyes become more striking, often reflecting hunger or predatory instincts, with colors ranging from blood-red to deep black. Fangs are prominent and retractable and are optimized for puncturing and draining blood or vitality. Claws may develop under duress or in feral states. Vampires do not produce their own warmth and are cooler to the touch than living beings. Their hearts stop entirely along with natural body functions such as breathing, blinking, and sexual functions. They heal rapidly from most injuries but are vulnerable to sunlight, fire, and certain magical or divine energies.
Biological Traits
Vampires do not age and are immune to most diseases; however, they have a few weaknesses such as sunlight, fire, divine magic, the inability to enter a home unless they are invited. A wooden stake to their heart can incapaciated them; however, it cannot fully kill them.
Genetics and Reproduction
Vampires reproduce by turning mortals through a blood ritual. The mortal must drink a vampire's blood and then die, awakening as a fledgling. Newly turned vampires inherit certain traits, strengths, and weaknesses from their sires, including aspects of their personality and bloodline powers. Vampires cannot reproduce biologically.
Growth Rate & Stages
- Fledgling/Spawn: Newly turned, fledglings are weaker and more instinct-driven, requiring guidance from their sire.
- Neonate: After gaining control over their urges, they start learning vampiric skills and integrating into vampire and mortal society.
- Elder: With centuries of survival, elders gain advanced powers, wisdom, and influence but are often more vulnerable to the ennui of immortality.
- Ancient: Few reach this stage; these vampires are immensely powerful but deeply tied to their curse, often losing their humanity entirely.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Vampires sustain themselves on blood, preferably from living creatures. Some may subsist on animal blood, but it is less nourishing. Beyond blood, vampires may also consume the life force of others, typically through touch or proximity. Many vampires develop rituals or preferences for feeding, often tied to their past lives or cultural influences. Without feeding, vampires weaken over time, becoming feral and eventually crumbling into ash.
Behaviour
Vampires are driven by hunger, power, and a predatory instinct that conflicts with their retained humanity. Prolonged undeath causes many to grapple with existential dread, moral decay, and emotional detachment.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Vampires possess heightened senses of sight, hearing, and smell, especially in the dark. They can perceive heartbeats and blood flow in nearby creatures. Many vampires develop abilities such as detecting emotions, compelling others through their gaze, or reading thoughts. All vampires have darkvision and bright light may cause discomfort. They can also sense the vitality of creatures within a certain range, detecting fear, illness, or strong emotions that affect blood chemistry.
Civilization and Culture
Major Organizations
- The Nightborn: Vampires who embrace Krorone’s will, seeking to expand their influence through domination.
- The Hollowborn: Vampires who reject their curse, striving to limit their hunger or atone for their existence.
- The Bloodweavers: Masters of vampiric magic, manipulating their curse to gain power over life and death.
Beauty Ideals
Smooth, unblemished skin, regal features, and a commanding presence are highly valued as well as eyes that hint at predatory nature or an aura of confidence are seen as marks of strength.
Relationship Ideals
Relationships are often complex and fraught with power dynamics, though companionship among equals is highly cherished. A sire and their progeny have an intense, often unbreakable connection that may range from paternal to romantic.
Common Taboos
Vampires view the murder of their own kind as a grave sin, punishable by death or eternal torment. Creating child vampires is forbidden due to their inability to control the curse. Feeding is prohibited on specific groups such as clergy as no vampire wishes to make a true enemy of a church or religious group.
History
Long ago when the twin goddesses Krorone and Tyshala were united in balance, mortals flourished under their shared light. But their unity was not eternal and when the judgements of the murder of Tyshala came down and the memories of her existence were erased, there were some worshippers of the dark that still could not truly love Krorone. There were some that felt such an emptiness such as Lady Sythra, The Endless Grief that death was too sweet of a release; however, there were others that simply did not accept Krorone as the dark goddess for some unknown reason. Out of spite she cursed those in defiance of her. She decreed they would live only in darkness; the touch of the sun would burn them to ashes. A wooden stake through their heart would stop them directly. To survive, they were cursed to drink the vitality of mortals, sustaining themselves on the blood of the living. And to mark them forever, Krorone ensured that mortals would fear them, shunning them as monsters.
The first vampires were few, wandering the desolate places of the world. At first they sought redemption, hoping to reclaim their mortal lives or gain Krorone's forgiveness. But as the centuries passed, hope gave way to despair. The hunger consumed them and they turned on the mortals they once called kin. Over time, vampires began to organize, forming clans and bloodlines based on shared traits and origins. Some sought to master their curse, ruling over mortals from the shadows as kings and tyrants. Others descended into savagery, becoming little more than beasts driven by hunger.
As the number of vampires grew the faithful rose against them. Newly formed clerics and paladins harnessing the power of the gods declared vampires abominations and launched purges to cleanse the night of their presence. Krorone, unwilling to let her creations be extinguished, granted the vampires new powers to withstand the light. She taught them to manipulate shadow, corrupt the minds of mortals, shape change, turn into mist, and even bind their essence to crypts and relics, making them harder to destroy. These gifts ensured the survival of the vampiric race, though it also deepened their dependence on Krorone.
By this time, the vampires had fractured into distinct bloodlines, each shaped by their adaptation to the curse. Some bloodlines embraced savagery, becoming monstrous predators, while others pursued elegance and control, embedding themselves in mortal society. The bloodlines developed distinct hierarchies, with elders and sires ruling over fledglings, spawns, and thralls. The eldest vampires became known as the Ancients. These powerful beings were revered and feared, their blood carrying potent magic but also an insidious madness.
In the current era, vampires exist as shadowy figures in mortal societies, manipulating events from behind the scenes. They are scattered, their unity long fractured by ambition and paranoia. Yet their presence is felt in every corner of the world. From decadent courts to isolated wildernesses, vampires persist, clinging to power while struggling against the ever-present hunger. Though Krorone no longer walks the world directly, her influence remains. Vampires revere her as their dark mother, and many believe she will one day return to unite her children under her shadow. Others fear her wrath, knowing that their defiance—or even mere failure to embody her will—could result in their destruction.
Common Myths and Legends
"Listen closely, child. There is a tale every vampire should know—a name you must never speak lightly, and a lesson you must never forget. That name is Alessa the Hollow. She was not like us. Not entirely. Alessa was turned against her will, stolen from a life of healing and devotion to the light. Her sire was Kaelisar, a cruel elder with grand ambitions. He saw potential in her—a sharp mind, quick hands, and a heart full of strength. But Kaelisar made a grave error, for he underestimated her heart.You see, even as the hunger took hold of her, even as she was shaped into something dark and eternal, Alessa clung to her mortal compassion. She refused to feed on innocents, seeking to aid mortals in secret when she could. To Kaelisar, this was an insult—weakness he could not allow. He sought to break her. No, worse—he sought to teach her that rebellion was pointless, that she was his tool, his creation, his property. He orchestrated a massacre in the very village she once called home, slaughtering those she loved and leaving her to witness the blood and ash. Then he bound her, body and soul, to the bloodline. Every step she took, every life she drained, would serve to feed his power. But Alessa... she would not bow. In a desperate, forbidden act, she severed her bond to the bloodline. Do you understand what that means? It is unthinkable! She tore away her very essence, the thing that makes us immortal, the thing that ties us to the night. In doing so, she damned herself, becoming something worse than undead. Now we call her The Hollow. She is neither mortal nor vampire but a wraith of wrath and sorrow. A vengeance so pure it burns. Alessa hunts our kind, child. She has no pity, no mercy. She walks between the planes, slipping through shadow and light, and when she finds her prey—be it Kaelisar’s kin or any vampire who preys too cruelly on mortals—she strikes.They say her touch drains the soul, leaving only a husk. Her presence burns like the sun, yet colder than death. And her eyes... they say her eyes burn with the memory of the life she lost. Never forget, child: her story is a warning. Compassion is a virtue the living cling to. But for us, it is a danger, a thread that unravels the delicate web of power and survival. Alessa’s defiance made her a legend, yes, but her wrath has become our curse. So, should you ever feel a chill in the air when no wind blows or see a black rose bloom in the shadows, run. Run, and pray it is not too late."
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
- Humans: Seen as prey but also as companions, tools, and sometimes allies.
- Elves: Relations vary by culture; some regard them as kindred spirits in longevity.
- Werecreatures: Hostile relationships dominate as werecreatures often see vampires as abominations.
- Other Undead: Vampires generally see mindless undead as beneath them but may respect intelligent undead like liches.
Scientific Name
Vampire
Lifespan
Immortal
Geographic Distribution
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