Vampirism

Transmission & Vectors

Cursed with living death, Vampirism serves as a prison of torment on those the gods wish to truly punish. However, if a Vampire lives long enough to mature into a Vampire Lord then it is possible for them to infect others with Vampirism by a matter similar to how the vampire's feed.
To spread the infection they drain the host of all blood, killing them before then feeding the victim a few drops of the Lord's blood. After a week of deathlike sleep the victim will rise a Vampire. However, unlike naturally occurring vampires the one's created by a Vampire Lord, which are often called Vampire Spawn, are bound to the will of their lord and are not as powerful as a natural vampire.
Spawn can never mature into Lord's themselves.

Causes

When one dies and their soul is judged by Kusha the Adjudicator they are often sent to the realm of that which reflects their alignment. However, there are some cases where one who has died has defied the gods and is deemed deserving of punishment. They are brought back to life to live eternally as Vampires.
Vampire spawn are unnatural Vampires and are caused when a Vampire Lord infects a victim.

Treatment

Their is no cure for natural vampirism, for those inflicted are cursed by the Nine and are thus beyond saving. However Vampire Spawn can be saved if their souls are purified and their mortal forms slain. Afterward if they are truly resurrected, restoring them to True Life, then the Spawn will return to as they were before infection with a hazy memory of their death and time as a Spawn.
The only mark of their Spawndom is the bite mark that infected them in the first place.

Prevention

Infection from a Vampire Lord can be prevented by wearing an amulet of a deity, whilst this prevents infection it does not prevent death and a Lord's Bite remains lethal.

Cultural Reception

Almost all cultures fear and actively hunt down the Vampires as they are often seen as a threat to the safety of the culture. As well the fact they are often those cursed by the Gods.

Type

Supernatural

Origin

Divine

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Extremely Rare