Vampirism

Vampirism is a supernatural affliction with abyssal origins. The first form of what would be considered vampirism today was originally a blessing from the greater demon of hunger, Maris. The term has since expanded to include a varity of conditions that are related only on a surface level.

Symptoms

Types of Vampirism

The term vampirism, in the modern day, encompasses multiple different conditions with similar symptoms and modes of expressions, but with vastly different sources, causes, and cures (or lack thereof). The form of vampirism that most think of when hearing the term is blood vampirism, a form of vampirism which requires the afflicted to consume the blood of others to sustain themself. Lesser vampirism is a sub-type of blood vampirism that is significantly weaker, though has the same source and cause. Other slightly less common forms of vampirism include arcane vampirism, where the afflicted requires the magical energy of others, and psionic vampirism, where the afflicted feeds off of heightened emotional states of others. Some demons could be considered vampiric in nature, as they feed off of divine energy, but this is not typically thought of as vampirism by most. Similarly, some undead who feed on the souls of others are occasionally referred to as vampires, though are more generally considered part of a larger undead category. In most academic circles, the term vampirism is agreed to comprise blood, arcane, psionic, and lesser vampirism, and nothing else.

All forms of vampirism share at least one characteristic: all vampires are undead. The requirement for a vampire to feed on arcana, blood, or psychic energy comes from a lack of ability for that vampire to produce their own energy. The hunger that grips them in every moment of every day comes from a biological panic within their bodies, alerting them to this fact. To vampires, as with most undead, eating typical food is unpleasant, five-star meals tasting akin to ash.

Transmission & Vectors

The way that vampirism is transmitted depends on the form of vampirism in question. In general, the way that the condition is transferred is similar to the method which that type of vampire gathers their energy. Blood vampirism is contracted upon consuming the blood of a vampire who has bitten you, arcane vampirism contracted through using the magic of an arcane vampire. Psionic vampirism is slightly different in that any victims of the vampire have a chance, albeit very small, to contract any form of vampirism. Lesser vampirism is contracted when a transformation to blood vampirism is incomplete - generally, if the turned is dead before the transformation. It is possible to be born with a form of vampirism, if a vampires has a child with a living mortal. Dhampirs are the results of such unions - mortals with vampiric qualities. Dhampirs are more than often sterile, or at the very least infertile, and it is near impossible for two vampires to reproduce with one another, this almost always resulting in a stillborn child. Lesser vampires cannot transmit their condition to others, nor can dhampirs.

Treatment

Whether or not there is a treatment for vampirism again depends on the specific type. Most people think of vampirism as incurable because blood vampirism, the most common form of vampirism, is famously irreversible. However, this does not apply to the other forms of vampirism - and doesn't even truly apply to blood vampirism, either. The cure to blood vampirism involves the killing of the blood vampire with non-magical means, while keeping their remains in good condition. Then, they can be revived using death magic. However, there is one caveat to this method - the time limits between death and revival include the time during which an individual was undead, and so has limited efficacy or requires stronger magic the longer that a person has been a vampire. Lesser vampirism requires a similar process to cure. In the case that the individual has been undead for too long for healing magic to be effective, powerful divine magic can sometimes be used to cure them, calling upon the gods themselves to reverse the condition. This is incredibly dangerous, however, as it can take a large toll on the caster.

On the other hand, arcane vampirism and psionic vampirism are a bit easier to cure. In addition to the method used to cure blood vampirism, these types of vampirism have their own cures. Arcane vampires can remove their condition if they find a source of magic strong enough to overload their system, which leaves them undead, but removes their hunger for magic. Psionic vampirism can be treated through a similar process, using emotions, memories, or other mental energy, rather than arcane. There is no "cure" for dhampirs, however, as their nature is not a condition, but a core part of their biology.

Type

Physiological

Parent

Undeath

Children

• Arcane Vampirism
• Blood Vampirism
• Psionic Vampirism

Origin

Divine

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired & Congenital

Rarity

Rare

Vampirism from a Cultural View

For a vampire to survive requires the active harm of another living being, in most cases. This in combination to the fear of becoming a vampire means that the mere mention of this condition is often enough to terrify many mortals. Vampires are usually feared by mortals, requiring them to keep to the shadows and hide their condition else a monster hunter get the wrong (or right) idea and try to kill them. Once a person is revealed to be a vampire, villages will sent countless monster hunters after them to kill or imprison them, meaning that if one's true nature is publicised, they are usually forced to flee their home and find somewhere else to reside.