Vampirism

Transmission & Vectors

In order for a human to become a vampire, at least two conditions must be met:

1. The human must be drained of at least 30% of their blood, and
2. The human must ingest at least a small amount of vampire blood

Because vampires either drain small amounts of blood or drain the whole body dry, and because very few people know about the second condition, it's very rare for a human to accidentally become a vampire. Even when all of the conditions are intentionally met, there's no 100% guarantee that the human will survive the process long enough to become a vampire.

Causes

No one is certain what exactly causes vampirism, not even if it's magical or natural in origin.

Symptoms

Humans can develop symptoms of vampirism even without becoming one. If a human has been fed on multiple times, they may develop paler complexions, become fatigued, experience weight loss and loss of appetite, and suffer from fever and chills. These symptoms will go away after a while if they aren't fed on, and as long as vampire blood stays out of their systems, they won't become full vampires.

Treatment

There is no cure for vampirism that doesn't involve death. That said, there are many treatments and services available to help vampires stave off their blood hunger. These range from specialized blood stores that offer donated human and animal blood to iron- and protein-rich blood substitute serums.

Prognosis

If a human has ingested vampire blood and at least 30% of their own blood has been drained, they will start going through all the symptoms of heavy blood loss (decreased blood pressure, increased pulse and breathing rate, etc.). If their body stabilizes, they will slip into a state of suspended animation. The victim remains in this state for three days at most, during which the majority of their internal organs either slow considerably or cease functioning altogether. Finally, if they don't die during this whole process, they'll awaken with an intense blood thirst, which must be quelled quickly in order to prevent early starvation.

Hosts & Carriers

Vampirism only affects humans.

Prevention

Given that one of the criteria for becoming a vampire is drinking vampire blood, one of the easiest ways to avoid being turned into one is simply not to drink it. If a human manages to ingest vampire blood without having any of theirs drained, they should avoid getting bitten for a minimum of four months (by which time the majority of their red blood cells will have been replaced). Garlic, silver, and wolfsbane may be utilized for protection in the mean time.

Type

Supernatural

Rarity

Rare

Affected Species

• Human