Vampirism

Transmission & Vectors

Vampirism is usually transmitted when a vampire bites and kills a humanoid creature

Causes

A Twisted Gift from a Dark Deity: In the forgotten corners of Ealathra's history, a malevolent deity, jealous of the elves' immortality, bestowed upon them a twisted gift: vampirism. This curse, meant to punish their arrogance, spread like wildfire, turning their blessing into a burden. The elves fought back, eventually sealing the deity away, but the curse remained, a constant reminder of their brush with darkness.

Symptoms

Awakening to Eternal Night
In the shadowed realms of Ealathra, vampires emerge from the abyss of death, thirsting for the life force they've forfeited. Sunlight, a scourge upon their cursed existence, forces them into seclusion, as its touch is an unrelenting burn. Vampires shun reflections and cast no shadows, veiling themselves in darkness to move undetected among the living.
Twisted Desires
In the transition to undeath, a vampire's emotional core decays, morphing pure sentiments into darkened perversions. Love becomes a ravenous obsession, and friendship twists into bitter envy. Rather than genuine emotions, vampires fixate on physical symbols of their desires. A vampire yearning for love might be drawn to a young beauty, while one obsessed with youth may fixate on a child. Sinister items like torture devices or trophies from conquered foes might become morbid companions.
Birthed from Death
Most victims of a vampire's thirst are doomed to become vampire spawn — creatures driven by the same insatiable bloodlust but tethered to the will of their creator. A unique bond exists; a vampire spawn can transform into a true vampire if granted the rare gift of drawing blood directly from its progenitor. Yet, few vampires willingly relinquish control, and the transformation to freedom occurs only upon the demise of their maker.
Bound by the Grave
Each vampire remains shackled to its coffin, crypt, or burial site, compelled to rest during the day. If denied a proper burial, the vampire must lie beneath a foot of Ealathra's soil where it underwent the transformative ritual. Movement of its burial site is possible by transporting its coffin or a significant amount of grave dirt to another location, with some vampires establishing multiple sanctuaries in this manner.
Eternal Unlife
Void of the need for air, vampires and their spawn navigate the realms of Ealathra in an eternal dance with the shadows, where the line between life and death is blurred, and their existence is marked by a relentless pursuit of the crimson nectar that sustains their accursed unlife.

Treatment

Once embraced by the curse of vampirism, the affliction becomes an indelible mark on the soul, resisting all attempts at mundane and magical remedies. Resurrection magic, though potent in many aspects, falters in the face of this dark metamorphosis. Attempts to restore the original life, even through the mightiest of spells, prove futile unless the vampiric essence is obliterated.
The twisted nature of undeath clings tenaciously, rendering traditional treatments impotent. Only when the vampire is laid to final rest, its cursed existence extinguished, can the specter of their former life be summoned back through the channels of potent resurrection magic. This rare and formidable process, akin to coaxing a lost soul from the abyss, remains the sole pathway to resurrecting the once-cursed host into the embrace of the living once more.

Prognosis

The course of vampirism unfolds like a malevolent saga, etching an unalterable path for those ensnared by its curse. The journey of the afflicted is fraught with distinct stages, each marking a descent into the shadowed realm of the undead.
Eclipsed Vitality: At the onset, the victim experiences a diminishing of their mortal vitality. Fatigue sets in as the curse intertwines with their life force, heralding the beginning of their transformation.
Thirst Unquenchable: As the curse tightens its grip, the insatiable thirst for the crimson elixir awakens. The victim's need for blood intensifies, and any lingering attachments to their previous life wane under the vampiric hunger.

Eternal Night's Embrace: The transformation reaches a critical juncture as the victim succumbs to the curse's full effects. Sunlight becomes anathema, and the creature, now a fledgling vampire, is bound to the nocturnal realm.
Predator's Plight: In this stage, the vampire fully embraces its predatory nature. Emotional ties wither, replaced by obsessive desires. The vampire begins to build a new existence, driven by dark instincts and the pursuit of what it craves.

Undying Legacy: Should the curse persist, the vampire evolves into a formidable entity. Mastery over their condition grants them power, and they may create spawn to share in their immortal existence. It's in this stage that the vampire becomes a lasting force, weaving their legacy in the fabric of the undead.
Outcome Forecast: While the condition is not inherently fatal, it irreversibly alters the afflicted. Becoming undead, the victim sheds their former life for the perpetual night. The stages, though sequential, may vary in duration, influenced by the resilience of the individual and the circumstances of their transformation.

Sequela

1. Eternal Craving: The most immediate and relentless effect is the unyielding thirst for blood. This insatiable craving, akin to a constant, gnawing hunger, propels the vampire to seek the life essence of the living.
2. Photonic Aversion: Exposure to sunlight becomes not just a discomfort but a direct affliction. Sunlight, once a source of warmth and life, transforms into a searing agony for the vampire, forcing them to embrace the shelter of eternal night.
3. Mortal Frailty: The vitality of the vampire diminishes in response to their severed connection with the natural order. While they gain supernatural strength, their once-enduring mortal resilience wanes, rendering them vulnerable to specific weapons and tactics.
4. Obsessive Fixation: Emotional metamorphosis accompanies the physical changes. Vampires often develop obsessive fixations, be it on individuals, possessions, or even abstract desires. This fixation manifests as a sinister echo of their former passions.
5. Nocturnal Sovereignty: As the vampire matures, they establish dominion over the night. This comes with enhanced supernatural abilities, including heightened senses and strength. However, this power is juxtaposed with a curse that binds them to shadows.

Complications: Late-stage complications may emerge if the vampire's condition is left unchecked:

1. Feral Regression: Some vampires, unable to maintain control over their bestial instincts, regress into feral states. In this state, they become more akin to predatory creatures than sentient beings.
2. Ephemeral Sentience: In rare cases, the vampire's sentience may fade, leaving behind a creature driven solely by primal urges. Such vampires are more akin to mindless revenants.
3. Chronic Existential Strain: The perpetual existence of a vampire may lead to chronic existential strain. The weight of centuries, witnessing the ephemeral nature of life, can result in deep existential crises.

Acute Conditions: Acuteness in vampirism often correlates with the intensity of the curse's progression. Early stages bring acute sensations of hunger and aversion to sunlight, while late stages amplify the vampire's supernatural capabilities, creating a nuanced dance between newfound power and enduring vulnerability.

Affected Groups

Any non cursed humanoids

Epidemiology

The spread of vampirism, a shadowy affliction, defies conventional vectors of contagion, often rooted in cryptic circumstances and intertwining with both the mundane and the mysterious.
Cryptic Contagion: Vampirism seldom adheres to traditional modes of transmission. A single vampire can initiate a lineage through the creation of spawn, usually those who fall victim to the vampire's insatiable thirst for blood.

Nightfall Encounters: Straying into the nocturnal domains where vampires dwell increases the risk of encountering these creatures. Remote areas, dense forests, and desolate places, especially after nightfall, become breeding grounds for the mysterious contagion.

Spectral Reveries: Vampires, drawn to places of potent magical energy, may be born from the arcane residues left by magical events. Festivals and rituals, especially those marked by fervent emotions, may inadvertently catalyze the awakening of vampiric curses.

Nefarious Rites: Certain secret societies or cults, steeped in dark rituals, may intentionally spread vampirism as a form of unholy sacrament. Initiation into these occult orders often involves a malevolent communion with vampiric forces.

Imbued Artifacts: Esoteric artifacts, bearing traces of ancient curses or imbued with vampiric energies, have the potential to unleash the affliction. Unwitting collectors or explorers may stumble upon such cursed items, unknowingly becoming harbingers of vampiric contagion.

Bloodline Entanglements: Intricacies in familial bloodlines can act as latent conduits for vampirism. A dormant curse may linger through generations, emerging when specific conditions align, awakening the latent vampiric potential in descendants.
Environmental Flux: Extraordinary environmental events, such as heat waves, cosmic alignments, or disturbances in the natural order, might create conditions conducive to vampiric awakenings. The supernatural is often intertwined with the flux of the natural world.

Immigration of the Damned: Movement of vampires or infected individuals across regions can facilitate the spread. Immigration from areas steeped in vampiric lore can introduce the curse to new populations, leading to the clandestine growth of vampiric communities.

History

Before the Veil:

• Whispers of Shadows: Legends speak of a time before the memory wipes, when powerful entities of shadow existed, feeding on the life force of mortals. Were these the first whispers of vampirism, or something else entirely?
• The Shattered Archive: Deep within ancient ruins, fragments of texts hint at forbidden rituals and pacts with dark forces, potentially linked to the origins of vampirism.

The First Bite:

• The Lost City of Aethel: Theories abound about the first recorded case. Some believe it arose from a desperate ritual to save a dying elven queen, while others whisper of a vengeful curse unleashed by a betrayed sorcerer.
• The Crimson Countess: The first widely known vampire, Elara Selene, emerged during the Great Cataclysm. Blamed for the disaster, she vanished, leaving behind a chilling legend of a beautiful monster.

Outbreaks and Empires:

• The Bloodmoon Plague: A millennium ago, a кровавый месяц (blood moon) coincided with a vampiric outbreak, nearly wiping out the elven kingdom of Illarion. The remaining elves were forced to develop potent rituals to contain the curse.
• The Rise of the Crimson Dynasty: In the forgotten era of Xar'thas, a charismatic vampire lord, Kael Draken, united various vampire factions and established a short-lived empire, remembered for its кровавый балет (blood ballets) and reign of terror.

Superstitions and Accusations:

• The Silver Ward: Elven homes traditionally display silver amulets and decorations, believed to ward off vampires. Mirrors are avoided, as some believe they reflect the true monstrous nature beneath a vampire's facade.
• The Blood Moon Curse: During кровавый месяц (blood moons), elves become particularly wary, locking doors and windows, fearing increased vampiric activity and heightened vulnerability.
• The Witch's Kiss: Some elves whisper of a rare form of vampirism transmitted through a witch's kiss, leading to paranoia and accusations even amongst trusted allies.

Unmasking the Truth:

• The Order of the Argent Eye: This secretive elven organization investigates rumors of vampirism, often accused of witch hunts but dedicated to protecting elven society from the shadows.
• The Crimson Legacy: Whispers claim descendants of Kael Draken still exist, plotting to revive the Crimson Dynasty and rewrite history, forcing the Order of the Argent Eye to remain vigilant.
• The Lost Library of Aethel: If the rumors are true, the answers to the origins and true nature of vampirism might lie hidden within the ruins of the lost city, waiting for a brave (or foolish) soul to uncover them.

Cultural Reception

Vampirism elicits a spectrum of responses. Some revere the afflicted as conduits to the supernatural, while the broader populace harbors fear, associating vampires with malevolence. Communities may resort to ostracization driven by contagion fears, leading to the expulsion of those suspected of vampirism. Afflicted individuals may be pitied, shunned, or even romanticized in aristocratic circles, viewing immortality as a unique aristocracy. Religious condemnation is prevalent, with some seeking to "cure" vampirism. Scholars may see it as a mysterious enigma, while marginalized communities offer refuge. This complex cultural dance shapes the fate of those touched by vampirism.

Type

Supernatural

Origin

Magical

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired & Congenital

Rarity

Rare