Vampire
Free stunts: quick heal, night vision, wall cling
Aspects: high undead, high magical ability
Troubles: inhuman appearance, thirst for blood, nightwalker
Vampires are nocturnal, undead predators that feed on the blood of the living. They reproduce through a virus in their blood, which is prone to mutation, resulting in an extreme diversity within the species. There are 2 primary subspecies, Ekon and Vulkod. Ekon are the most human-looking, while Vulkod develop more... physical characteristics.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Vampires are humanoid creatures. Some are hardly distinguishable from regular humans, some are highly mutated. All have reflective eyes due to tissues on the back of the retina called Tapetum Lucidum . All have sharpened fangs, although some are more extreme than others.
Genetics and Reproduction
Vampires reproduce through their blood; ingest the blood of a vampire to become a vampire. Different bloodlines have diffrent characteristics, some more extreme than others.
Growth Rate & Stages
When vampires are first reborn, they awaken dazed, stumbling towards the nearest source of blood.
Fledgling vampires have limited access to their supernatural abilities.
Ancient vampires have mastered their abilities, and use them in ways previously thought impossible.
Ecology and Habitats
Vampires live primarily in human settlements, more cautious vampires making their lairs on the outskirts, and more bold vampires living in the busiest part of the city.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Vampires require blood to sustain themselves. Without blood for too long, they'll become a dried-out husk, first hibernating until physically disturbed, then dying. Vampires also need the blood to come from a sapient creature; the blood of non-sapient creatures saps at their sapience, resulting in a condition known as Blood Retardation. The less similar a mind is to the vampire's, the more strange it's mind-altering effects are. Human blood will cause a simple endorphin rush; feelings of extreme pleasure. Some fairies can severely alter a vampire's sense of time, or other things if consumed. Drugs can also be metabolized if they're in the blood; draining a drunk human will get a vampire drunk, although not as drunk as the human was.
Biological Cycle
Vampires are strictly nocturnal. When the sun is up, they become extremely fatigued. Should sunlight cross their skin, they will be burned.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Vampires have an odd social structure; they're rather mistrusting of others, and occasionally cannibalistic, but still compelled by their loneliness to seek out others like them. To create order in vampires, they form governmental structures known as 'Night Courts.' How exactly these courts are run varies from court to court, but generally they're led by one or a few vampires, with groups of vampires scattered around the territory acting as liaisons for the court and/or enforcing its laws.
Vampires also form rather close-knit family groups, called 'covens'. Newborn vampires are often referred to as 'fledglings', and are to be protected and guided through the growing pains of unlife. When they've matured into full-fledged vampires, mastering both their instincts and abilities, they're still referred to as their creator's 'childe.' A vampire that turned another vampire can be called their creator or sire. Some vampires have family bonds over several generations. The oldest vampire in this group is called the 'master,' and makes major decisions for the coven.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Their Tapetum Lucidum grants superior vision in darkness. They can also hear and smell far better than regular humans. Blood smells particularly strong to them, and they have the peculiar ability to see blood through objects if they focus. This is used for tracking, as well as to hide messages.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Young vampires retain their human names, and once that name is outgrown, they'll either take another human name, or a title of some sort. Vampires are often named for their achievements, or the things they're most possessive of. Some vampires have many names.
Major Organizations
Providence of Quebec
Brothers' Territory
Great Conquistador's Territory
Lousiana Territory
Olde Nations Territory
Paiute-Navajo Territory
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Nightsong is a language of high-pitched whistles produced by an instrument similar to a dog whistle. Humans can't hear it, making it very useful for conveying information vampires don't want humans to overhear.
Common Etiquette Rules
It's best to greet another vampire at a distance; bowing is considered more respectful than offering a handshake. It is best to focus on the eldest vampire of a group, and if one is the eldest vampire, to stand between younger vampires and an unknown vampire. If a vampire is accompinaed by a Human, respect the other vampire's claim, and show minimal intrerest in the human.
Common Taboos
Bloodline theft is becoming a vampire through illegitimate means. This is typically done by simply injuring a vampire and licking the weapon, but methods such as coercion also qualify.
History
The history of vampires is entwined with that of the humans they prey on. The defining historical event in the Americas for vampires was the European invasion. Over the course of a few years, American vampire society went from loosely-connected nomads and small, territorial groups, to large, structured territories spanning across hundreds of miles. American night courts are largely divided between 'European' courts and 'American' courts. European courts are more bureaucratic, requiring proper procedures and documentation of everything. American courts are looser with their rules, carrying information by word rather than in easily-stolen bits of paper. Things are decided on a case-by-case basis, rather than copying the previous method.
Recently, humans have developed technology that threatens the secrecy of vampires. They went from being able to talk to someone across the world by standing next to a box hooked up to the wall, to being able to send perfect, moving images to everybody across the world with a small, wireless panel in their pocket. Cameras are on every building, and every streetlight. The only place left to hide is in incredulity, which is wearing thinner every day...
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Most sapients who are aware of vampires view them as despicable, deciteful predators. Some of the more scholary view them as facinating treasure troves of history and biology.
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