Vampirism

Vampirism is a supernatural condition with unknown origin. It causes cravings of blood and speculated immortality

Types of Vampires

There are two main types of vampires;

Born-vampires were those born with the condition, and sometimes have special mutations and abilities from their vampirism (more on this further on). Born vampires take a while for all the affects and symptoms to kick in, often not reaching the ageless stage until their late twenties, with blood cravings and fang growth around 15. Born vampires also have some physical differences apart from fangs that their turned counterparts don't have, such as slightly sharper ears and much more advanced senses.

Turned-vampires are those bitten by vampires. Their changes are immediate, with fang growth and blood cravings occurring often within the same day that they were bitten. It is extremely rare for a turned-vampire to have abilities or mutations, as this would require being bitten for a very long time by an extreme (born) carrier of one of the subtypes.

Vampire Subtypes

There are few different subtypes of vampires:

Sprint Vampires are the most common form of vampire, they can use their condition to speed up their mind, allowing them to think and react faster. They can also flood the affects to different parts of their body, allowing them to move much faster than the average human. This requires a lot of energy however, and means they must feed afterwards. Turned vampires can also commonly be classed as sprint vampires, but their abilities are less powerful.
Beast Vampires have stronger blood cravings and more violent reactions, they also sometimes have bigger fangs, and the teeth around them are sharper. Beast vampires can survive on just meat alone, but this means they must feed more, as meat is less rich than blood. They are also known to eat human meat sometimes when they lose control. Beast Vampires are significantly easier to spot, as their fangs are much harder to hide, and they lose control much easier than most other vampires. Beast vampires are usually more resistant to sunlight, garlic, and wood, but lack silver resistance.

Bat Vampires are a slightly rarer type of vampire that exhibit traits and abilities similar to bats. They often have a heightened sense of sound (even more so than other vampires) and slightly weaker sight. Some have even learned to echolocate. Bat vampires are extremely sensitive to light and often stay in much darker places.
Shadowed Vampires are a rare type of vampire. Shadowed vampires can manipulate a smoke like substance. The smoke can blend in well with shadows, and is often used to camouflage fangs or aid in hiding. The origin of the smoke is unknown, but is often attributed to demons. Shadowed Vampires are typically more sensitive to sunlight and garlic, but are immune to silver. They also tend to have longer fangs.

Transmission & Vectors

Vampirism is transmitted mostly through blood. Prolonged contact on the bloodstream with an infected person can lead to the victim becoming infected. This is why a lot of vampire bites lead to a turning.

Symptoms

The main symptom of Vampirism is a craving for blood, it is speculated that the consumption of iron is what allows vampires to stop aging. Fangs are grown to facilitate this strange diet, with the length of them depending on the subtype of the vampire.
Paler, cooler, or more desaturated skin is also one of the telling signs, the skin growing pale and grey on individuals with lighter skin, and shifting to a cooler tone on those with darker skin.
Vampires also often have strange reactions to seemingly mundane items. Garlic is a common allergy, especially prevalent among shadowed and changer vampire (and strangely, asymptomatic vampires as well). The reactions often result in an inflamed throat and tongue. Silver can cause skin irritation for some vampires, as well as sun which can range from slight irritation to an unpleasant burning sensation.

Hosts & Carriers

Born-vampires are the main carriers of vampirism, with some bats and corvids carrying milder or mutated versions. There have been extremely rare cases of other animals (such as insects, land mammals, and fish) carrying the condition, but these cases are few and far between. Afflicted animals mostly feed within their own species, much like humanoid vampires, but sometimes feed on other species.
Being bitten by an animal with vampirism will most likely lead to contracting a mutated version of the condition, this mutated version will often fall into the description of one of the subtypes (most commonly beast vampire, bat/raven vampire or changer) but it doesn’t count as one. Alongside it’s other symptoms, the mutated version often also show symptoms similar to rabies.

by IoTheSC

Photograph of two crows with vampirism feeding off of a normal crow

Prevention

There are a few different methods and measures taken to prevent contracting Vampirism.
Some Fellians carry small wooden daggers on them in case of an attack, thought most lack the skill for this to be of any use, paired with the speed of vampires.
Vials of garlic juice are also a common item carried for this purpose, some even hiding the juice in perfume bottles (also making is easier to spray). Some even spray it on themselves before leaving their homes at night.
Amulets are often worn by more paranoid individuals to 'ward off vampires'. The effectiveness of these amulets are up for debate. These amulets sometimes have a small compartment to put in garlic juice.

History

Vampires have a long history, the first mention of them being in a document from the year 1048. It told of “Demons disguised around us, preying off the blood of the living,” - a direct reference to the feeding of vampires. (This document is currently on display in the Fellian Historical Museum ). There are many records of vampire attacks, ranging from humans to animals being drained. Vampires also appear in many folk tales and stories.

Cultural Reception

Vampires are seen in Starfell as dangerous creatures that need to be captured or culled. This applies mostly to born-vampires, while turned-vampires are often pitied by more sympathetic people. But there are some in Starfell who have an interest in vampires, and some who want to contract the condition itself. These individuals are labelled as heretics, and the more extreme amongst them are often put in Asylums or are subjected to the same culling of actual vampires, often finding themselves at the silver blade out of the hunter's pair.

These blades cull all drainers, and those who long to be among them.

— General Ora Browning of the Vampire Hunters

[warning: this article contains mentions and depictions of blood]

Type

Supernatural

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired & Congenital

Rarity

Common

Terminology

A Feeding: the act of a vampire drinking blood from a live victim
A Turning: A feeding that leads to the victim contracting Vampirism
A Draining: A feeding that completely drains the victim of their blood, leading to death.