Dhampyr

"Foul creatures they are, born of the union of vampire and mortal. It is not enough that the blood-drinkers turn our friends and family into more of their spawn, they must also taint our unborn children into these things!" - Anonymous Orator

Called monsters by the commonfolk of the world and spat upon as lesser beings by the greater vampires, dhampyrs are a people who don't belong. Sometimes referred to as half-vampires or daywalkers, dhampyrs are the spawn of mortals tainted by the blood or energy of greater vampires. Despite truly being the spawn of mortals more than vampires, the dhampyrs are still ostracized among normal society, confused for their vampiric relatives. While the prosecution is often unwarranted, many people only see the similar appearance and think of old wives' tales in which people are turned into monsters from being bitten by a vampire or dhampyr.

Basic Information

Anatomy

For most intents and purposes, dhampyrs are the spitting image of their mother's species. A human dhampyr will appear to be a normal human, if pale and with a somewhat feral appearance at times. A very small number of dhampyr's do develop more vampiric traits as they mature, especially if they do not control the innate vampiric hunger they inherited. Those who fall to their vampiric instincts, called Kindred, have unnaturally long limbs for their species, with a pointed nose, flared nostrils, and ears that move to downward curving points.

Genetics and Reproduction

Dhampyrs are not bred, they are made. When a pregnant woman is fed upon by a greater vampire, there is a small chance some of the vampire's own essence will infect the woman, and although her body is strong enough to fight off the metamorphosis, the child within her sometimes is not. The very energy of the vampire infects the child, latching itself into the babe's very being and changing it. The result of this metamorphosis is a dhampyr. This process is the reason folk believe that vampires can change humans into other vampires, believing the strange transformation can be imposed onto adults as well. There are not recorded accounts of an adult becoming a dhampyr after a vampire feeds upon them, nevermind a full fledged vampire. Those adults that are fed upon by vampires and survive can become sick with an illness called Sanguinosos, literally "Blood Fever", and although some die from the disease, none are transformed into any sort of sanguinid. Some women who have been fed upon by a vampire do not necessarily know, however, as many greater vampires can paralyze or numb their victims before feeding, and these promote the misconceptions that people can become vampires as a developed mortal. There are many accounts of young men or women seemingly becoming animals out of the blue, devouring those they once called friends before vanishing into the woods to never be seen again.
Dhampyrs themselves cannot create more dhampyrs, and oftentimes dhampyrs are simply infertile. The sort of vampiric parasite within them prevents the production of young through normal means. Some dhampyrs have had children, however, and when they do they are not dhampyrs, instead they are members of their parent race. It is unknown whether the children of dhampyrs are effected by the pseudo-vampirism of their parents, but if there are side effects due to their parent's condition, it is not noticable.

Growth Rate & Stages

One must remember that a dhampyr is not a type of vampire, but rather a type of mortal being which has become the host which has gained pseudo-vampiric abilities and tendencies. The majority of a dhampyr's lifecycle is akin to that of their parents. A human dhampyr grows up at the same rate of humans, reaching puberty in their early teens, before maturing into an adult in their second decade. Rare cases of dhampyrs have been recorded with variations in their growth stages, younger dhampyrs developing quicker than normal or finding they being growing at a rapid pace for short periods of time. The major difference with dhampyrs is the development of their powers. Just as puberty begins to enact upon the young dhampyr and develop their body, so too do their powers and hungers develop. The young person will begin to notice increased strength, speed, and supernatural senses which rapidly develop over the course of their teen years. Despite the uses of these vampiric powers, the dhampyrs also inherit the hunger for blood and flesh of their forebear, which is a curse no dhampyr would wish upon their most hated enemy.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Just like vampires, dhampyrs have an innate hunger for blood and flesh, something which lesser vampires require to survive, while in greater vampires like the ones who create dhampyrs, it is merely an addictive indulgence. Dhampyrs do need sustenance like any other mortal, but they can eat normal food, unlike vampires who have trouble digesting grains and vegetables. The hunger within dhampyrs is described more akin to a highly-addictive drug, one which can sustain them too, but nevertheless a drug which one can become hooked on quickly. Some dhampyrs have checks in place to prevent themselves from becoming overly addicted to human blood, such as eating animal flesh instead to satiate themselves or retreating into isolation. Those dhampyrs that succumb to their baser urges become like their vampiric kindred, driven by their lust for blood. This is one of the many reasons the commonfolk of Iyandros confuse dhampyrs with vampires, as there are many stories of young men growing up and then suddenly

Behaviour

Dhampyrs are caught between the wants and desires of their mortal and vampiric blood. Each dhampyr must struggle with this conflict, urged to devour those they call friend or family while constantly guilty at their natural wants. This conflict drives most dhampyrs, forcing them to ride the line between monster and man or pick a side. Those that give into their vampiric instincts become like their vampiric forebears, hungering after blood and flesh like a beast, but with the cruelty and intelligence of a mortal. Dhampyrs who reject their vampiric nature often are forced to live lives of seclusion, meditating and coming to terms with their nature. Some who reject the darkness within them join mercenaries and monster hunters, forcing themselves to overcome their urges or kill which they view as personifications of their own inner monster. Regardless of which path they choose, dhampyrs are caught between two worlds which vie for power of them their whole lives.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

As the folk stories and superstitious tales tell, vampires have sharp senses and supernatural capabilities, and some of this is true of dhampyrs as well. Dhampyrs inherit some of their forebears abilities, depending on the type of greater vampire which infected them. Some dhampyrs gain a hound-like sense of smell while others gain the ability to crawl up walls with nothing but their hands and feet. All dhampyrs, despite the many variations, have vampiric sight, however, able to see at night far better than the average mortal and many have the ability to use a sort of echolocation due to their advanced hearing.

Civilization and Culture

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Among human societies, dhampyrs generally forego surnames or titles, wishing to separate themselves from the societies which ostracized and shunned them. Daywalkers who are deemed part of a vampire bloodline or clan are sometimes granted the privilege of using the title Mariesh, meaning "Servant" or "Kin" in the vampiric language.

History

It is truly unknown when the first dhampyr was born, but it most certainly occurred either during, or after, the great Cataclysm lost to ancient history. The northern Valgar people have extensive tales and studies on the vampires due to their long struggles and history with the nightwalkers. While most scholars do not believe the Valgar origin story for sanguinids, it is the earliest information we have and perhaps holds seeds of truth.
According to Valgar myth, the first half-vampire was born during a great war between the humans and demons of old. During the great war, the demon-king Nav found a young boy who was injured during the battle. The young man pleaded for his life as Nav grabbed him, but instead of killing him, Nav drew his own blood and forced the young man to drink it. As the blood touched the young man's lips, his teeth grew into fangs, his arms and lengths lengthened, and the boy ceased to be a man, now the first vampire, now remembered as Verdilak the Fallen. Nav was killed as Verdilak transformed into a vampire, as the Valgar hero, Sviatogor, drove his axe into the demon's back. Verdilak attacked Sviatogor, but was fended off by the magical axe of Sviatogor, and so Verdilak attacked a village nearby, feeding upon a young woman before being wounded by a mob of peasants. This young woman's daughter became Mikula, the first of the dhampyrs.

Common Myths and Legends

Dhampyrs are surrounded by false superstition and folktales by the people of Iyandria, the peasantry calling the daywalkers monsters and undead, which ultimately is false. Dhampyrs are not vampires, and they cannot create more dhampyrs or vampires by feeding on another mortal, nor can vampires for that fact. With the mysterious nature of sanguinids among the general populace, legends have sprung up around greater vampires, many believing lesser vampires and dhampyrs are mortals which have been converted to undeath by the mulas and alpors. Where do these myths come from? The simplest answer is the lack of knowledge about vampires throughout recent history. Greater vampires appear mainly human, with some having the ability to change themselves to look more humanoid. This eventually gave rise to the myth that vampires were once mortal, and as lesser vampires dwell around graveyards or battlefields to search for food, many began to believe vampires are mortals returned from the dead, rather than a different species of being like elves or orcs.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Dhampyrs are generally shunned by mortal and vampiric society for their differences. Mortals fear dhampyrs for their power and hunger and so most leave greater human society or isolate themselves. Greater Vampires treat dhampyrs as second-class citizens, and are often delegated tasks deemed beneath true vampires. Some communities of dhampyrs are believed to have been established throughout history, oftentimes cultivated under the watchful eyes of estries or mulas who wish to utilize the half-vampires.

"What are the dhampyrs? The Misus Vampiris is strange, to say the least. I have examined many of their kind, just as I have with other sanguinids and their kin. Unlike the Greater Vampires I have examined, the Misus Vampiris maintain strong heart rates, a resistance to sunlight (although notably still uncomfortable during coronal storms), and they can sustain themselves entirely on normal human food if they so choose. I do not believe these poor wretches to be monsters. These creatures do not live in graves or feast upon the blood of virgins and orphans, but that is not to say they should not be feared in some capacity. If am being honest, the true reasoning behind their existence is still quite beyond me. I need more specimens of Greater Vampires to utilize their blood in my experiments, maybe then will my hypothesis be confirmed." - Memoirs of Professor Brander von Ulbrecht

Scientific Name

Misus Vampiris

Lifespan

Varies On Parent Species: Typically 150-270 years

Average Physique

Due to their body having been changed by the energy of a greater vampire, dhampyrs are known among mortals for their deceptively slender builds. Even among the firbolgs, who are known for their immense size and bulk, dhampyrs are thinner with more slim muscles that cover up their immense strength. This slender build can be exaggerated depending on how often the dhampyr partakes in its vampiric hungers. Dhampyrs which allow their vampiric urges to rule them grow emaciated as their hunger grows and they discover their appetite is only sated with growing portions of mortal blood.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

While not deathly pale like the greater vampires, of which they are commonly mistaken for, dhampyrs are paler than the typical specimen of their race. Some dhampyrs have other special vampiric traits which begin to manifest during puberty. Oftentimes these bodily markings are accentuated when the dhampyr is hungry or emotional, their veins popping out as a dark black color when they smell food or their nails growing more claw-like when angered.