Throughout my years of research on the subject of the sanguinidal creatures the common people refer to as vampires, I have come to a far better understanding than most. My years of study at the various universities eventually brought me to the Garwolin University of Unnatural Studies, and it was here I found many experts on the subjects of many monsters, but still none who could help me with my research into vampirism. Nevertheless I pushed forward with my research, with or without help from others, and I eventually acquired the services of a small group of Trabants, whom I hired to help hunt down vampiric specimens. The group did so, and efficiently so.... even if they went about it in a strange manner. With new specimens in my possession, I was able to continue my research further into the nature of the sanguinids and their kin. What I found was most insightful, to say the least, and I have compiled my findings in this book, De Sanguinae: Concerning Vampires.
Vampires, or sanguinids as they are known in the scholarly world, are a type of creature which came to Iyandros during or after the Cataclysm, as are many other unnatural creatures. Vampires are defined as an Akopon (a creature without a biological niche in Iyandria's ecosystems) which have chiropteran features & subsist entirely off of the blood of living creatures. Lower classifications of sanguinids are more akin to an animal or monster that sustains itself by drinking the blood of other organisms. Higher classes of vampires do not require blood to survive, although they do gain a sort of rush or spike in energy from drinking blood. When a Greater Vampire drinks the blood of a creature, the substance is more like alcohol or a highly addictive drug which enhances certain physical aspects of the vampire while also giving a sensation of euphoria.
There are two major classifications of vampires, although I have proposed a third to the Council of Akopon Studies. The two categories are differed by their intelligence, physical appearance, as well as their dependency on blood as a food source. The first common category is called the Lesser Vampires, called so due to their lower intelligence and more bestial nature. Most commonfolk would not recognize a lesser vampire for its greater cousin, perhaps mistaking the small creature for some other type of Akopon. The connection between sanguinids & bats is very real, both in a physical and psychological sense. Many lugats in my experiments have shown affection for the flying foxes & fruitbats I placed within its enclosure. Regardless of folk tales, Lesser Vampires are fearsome creatures to say the least, feral beasts with a hunger for blood, whether mortal or animal. Greater Vampires are more akin to that in the psyche of the commoners. The shape of a man with the blood thirst beyond that of any natural creature. There is much debate on the 'undead' nature of the sanguinids, and in truth it is perplexing, but I will refrain myself until later in this research, Section IX to be more specific. Some Lesser Vampires seem to be drawn to specific creatures over others, some preferring the blood of specific animal-life, and so are often forgotten about by humans, while others actively seek out humanoids when the opportunity arises. Greater Vampires resemble humanoids in many respect, and I talk about my theories as to why in a later section. Greater Vampires also show sapience, reasoning skills, and do not require earthly sustenance to sustain their bodies like mortals.
Last I was in Garwolin I attended the Assembly of Akopon Research, and there many of the various bores we call scholars, whom I unfortunately refer to as colleagues, discussed many topics such as the 'humane treatment of monstrous creatures' or 'preserving the population of griffins in the Orsinovian highlands'. Truly the discussion of the finest minds of our age. While all the old men rattled on about procuring drakelings to breed in captivity or some nonsense, I brought forth my studies on the sanguinids. I showed them the distinct natures between two groups within the categories of the Lesser Vampires. On one side there are the katakanas and strixes, the larger and more predatory forms of Lesser Vampires which tend to prey upon cattle, large herbivores, and people, and the other are those which cannot or do not.
The other category I have dubbed Minor Vampires, being those bestial sanguinids which are below the strixes and mhachkays. Minor Vampires are defined by their diminutive stature and scavenger-like nature. These small creatures are more like animals than any sort of Akopon, many being confused with large bats or other such pests by commonfolk. The most common of these Minor Vampires is the Lugat, a small creature shaped like a large bat but with a long, rat-like tail and strong digits at the end of their forelimbs. Most Minor Vampires resemble this formula, being small predators or scavengers that commonly drink the blood of rodents, small livestock animals, and wild herbivores. I suppose this really doesn't matter in the end, as once I presented my research papers I was cast out from the assembly. Truly it was my fault for expecting them to understand the dedication I put into my work, so I have turned to publishing this work through the monastery at Avreux here in Tou'lyon. The Knights of the Swan have been very helpful in my work, providing me with tools and specimens to utilize in my research. I must commend Captain Genning in particular, the Tervingian has proved to be a very intelligent man, if still bound by his Northling supertitions.
I admit my knowledge of Greater Vampires is lesser than my knowledge of the Lesser Vampires, but even so I have learned far more about these creatures than any other scholar I have met. During my time in the Valgar Principality, I found a scientist in the service of the crown named Viktor Ar-Kukari who managed to procure an alpor for my research. Through this specimen, who called itself Vorec Adurasham, was critical to the research I bring to you now. Through the year and a half I had to utilize the alpor for my research, I learned many things, and most of my experiments are detailed in the latter half, starting in Section VI. I must truly commend Viktor Ar-Krukari, the old gnome was a capable researcher and an invaluable asset to my research, although I must say the man was quite mad, even by my standards. Truly a worthy companion.
Greater Vampires are fascinating creatures, and even just through my conversations with the alpor did I learn much about their physiology and powers. To start off, vampires are not undead in the normal sense. No strixes or katakana was once a mortal, although the experiments I performed regarding the alpor is not yet conclusive into its way of reproduction. Sanguinids do possess blood, as living beings do, but through my subjects, I've found that none of them exhibit any other aspects of life. The alpor had no heart beat, nor exuded heat nor odor nor breath. It is strange. They move and talk and feel, but they do not need water or air as we do. Vampires are not born naturally as we see it. They do not porcreate like beasts or men, and neither I nor Viktor could compel the alpor do divulge the secrets behind this information. No matter how we tried to coax it out of him. With this said, one must also dismiss the other common tales surrounding vampires. The most common I have heard among the peasantry is holy signs, garlic, running water, and mirrors. From my experimentation, no holy symbol has had any adverse effect on Greater Vampires, although perhaps I should have pulled people who believe in said stories and saw if this had any effect. The alpor could easily be seen in the mirror like you or I, although I believe this myth comes from the fact that bruxae and estries can camouflage themselves. Running water had no effect on the specimen either, although he did seem to dislike it quite intensely, but then again so would I in his scenario. The most accurate I have found is garlic, which is strange as that sounded the least effective to me, the alpor remarked that garlic, particularly wild garlic, can be poisonous to lesser sanguinids, but to him and other Greater Vampires it was simply unpleasant and caused illness.
Truly these tests were fascinating. I managed to procure many volunteers to aid in my research with the alpor, although some were less eager than others. Using the blood of the volunteers I was able to test the rabidity of the specimen as I tempted it with the blood, and although the alpor was not too tempted at first, the more I gave him, the more he hungered. After I gave it samples of blood, I extracted some of its blood and viewed it under a microscope, and I noticed that as I fed it more, the blood itself became more agitated. The blood seemed to change in shape, multiply, divide, and then eventually return to its stagnant form. When I gave an agitated sample to the volunteers, they became severely sick, some even to the point of death, as expected, and as I expected, none of them turned into vampires or dhampyrs in any sense. It was an interesting experiment, and perhaps I shall have to write a paper on the influence of the morphological nature of vampiric blood and its effects on their unnatural abilities. Regardless, there seems to be something I am missing, a component which will help me understand the true nature of vampires, whether undead or simply life unlike what is known.
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