Vampirism
Vampirism is a disease that can affect most living creatures. Though creatures who are affected by vampirism as a whole are called vampires, some creatures have a separate classification unique to their species, such as in the case of Vampillions.
Transmission & Vectors
Vampirism is almost universally directly transmitted by the bite of a creature in the second stage of the disease, though a few species can transmit it through claws and various other means. Creatures in the first stage of the disease are unable to transmit the disease outside of direct blood transfusions. All creatures who are not immune to vampirism have a one hundred percent chance to become infected by any viable transmission method.
Causes
Vampirism is caused by a transmittable curse which causes the soul to be trapped in a body after death, creating a form of undeath of immense strength.
Symptoms
The first stage of vampirism manifests as a persistent bite wound in which the blood clots but the wound itself does not close, caused by the previously affected creature. Alongside this, the affected creature suffers minor bloating, nausea, drowsiness, and headaches, and a vastly reduced immune system. Should the creature survive this stage, the wound will begin to seal up and the disease will leave their body.
Should an affected creature die by any means during the first stage, their corpse will enter the second stage of the disease roughly one day after death. At this point of the disease, their bodies will reanimate with all the memories and abilities of their previous life. However, their mentality and personality will almost universally be drastically altered. Creatures affected by this partial undeath will become cruel and sadistic and will gain significant physical and arcane strength. Their bodies begin to regenerate at inhumane rates, brushing off most minor injuries in seconds, and most gain the ability to walk up walls and other objects as if walking on solid ground. This strength is not gained without side effects, however, and all creatures in the second stage of vampirism will suffer from certain physical and magical setbacks. This includes weakness in the sun and bright lights, running water, wooden stakes, and most notably the inability to enter residences without permission from a resident.
Treatment
While vampirism in its first stage is impossible to treat, the disease will be naturally filtered from the body after one week, with symptoms generally dissipating after three days. The second stage can be cured by the ingestion of Ambrosia daily for one year, though this is generally difficult due to the other side effects of the disease.
Prognosis
While the first stage does not have any innate risk of death, due to the reduced efficiency of the immune system and the frequent infections caused by the disease, many creatures die from sicknesses they encounter while under its effects.
Sequela
The bites of creatures affected by vampirism almost universally leave scarring and occasionally nerve damage in the affected area, but beyond this there are no lasting effects of the first stage of the disease. The second stage of the disease shows no additional side effects outside of those that can be expected of a near death experience and those caused by the extended use of ambrosia.
Hosts & Carriers
Any creature can carry the disease, but due to the fact that the transmitting creature must be in stage two to transmit it to other creatures, some species are unable to transmit it.
Prevention
It is near impossible to be affected by vampirism outside of being bit by an affected creature, so avoiding such creatures is sufficient for preventing the disease.
Cultural Reception
Though the general consensus towards vampirism is one of fear and disgust, there are some who see it as a form of piety (such as The Bloodletters), or as a strength that can be used for good (such as Morvall).
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