Vampire

Vampires are Undead, sentient, obligate nocturnal obligate hematophages. Due to their strange traits unique amongst Undead, scholars conjecture that they originate from humans who were experimented on by mages seeking importality, but have now become a race of their own.

Nature

Studies of captured Vampires have revealed that they differ considerably from the likes of Zombies and Skeletons. Field experience has long shown Vampires to be sentient, highly intelligent, and powerful in spellcraft. Clerical studies indicate they also possess something similar to Souls, unlike spellcrafted Undead. Their Souls don't seem to behave exactly like Lich, Human, or Fae Souls, and are of a category all their own. These Souls seem to deteriorate when the Vampires are deprived of sentient blood, to the point that the captured Vampires eventually "starve" to death despite being otherwise well-fed. Although not observed in captivity for somewhat obvious reasons, there exists a strong body of evidence for Vampires being able to have viable offspring.

Threat

Vampires are obligate hematophages, and display a clear preference for Human blood above the blood of other species. Hundreds of Vampire attacks are reported each year, and thousands more injuries and deaths are uncertainly attributed to Vampires. Most attacks are fatal, resulting in nearly complete exanguination of the victim. Some victims survive, and a portion of survivors catch Vampirism themselves. Various local authorities are more or less systematic about Vampirism control measures, such as survivor quarantine, culling, and imprisonment. However, attacks are greatly under-reported by survivors, as suspected Vampire attack survivors are subject to harrassment, ostracism, and murder due to general fear of Vampirism transimssion.

Spellcraft

Vampires are known to be Arcane spell casters. A number of Vampires are known to have possessed no such ability prior to being turned, and all Vampires exhibit a high level of proficiency in Enchantment. As a result, Mages and Clerics have long theorized that the magic that causes Vampirism must also grant some level of Arcane ability. However, since the mechanisms behind Vampirism are extremely poorly understood, theories abound as to how this ability is actually granted. Some fringe theories propose that Vampires teach each each other these skills, but these theories fail to adequately explain the widespread and uniform nature of Vampiric Arcane ability.

Creation

Vampirism is known to be bite-transimissible, and this is the one agreed-upon way that the condition proliferates. Thus, Vampires may be Undead of any race, although there are disproportionally more recorded former Human Vampires than any other. According to a meta-analysis by Samirus et. al. from the 990s AB, the elevated number of Vampire attacks on Humans as compared to attacks on other races explains nearly all of the difference. The cause of this prey preference, however, is unknown. Many field encounters and attack reports indicate that Vampirism may be hereditary. If true, this would indicate that Vampires can reproduce, a capability no other Undead possesses. Traditionally, scholarship has rejected this as a fringe idea, but more and more evidence has been published by reputable Mages and Clerics, to the point that general consensus has been moving towards acceptance of this idea. This has prompted a flurry of expeditions attempting to find irrefutable evidence of Vampirism inheritance, as well as much theoretical work to explore how Undead fertility is even possible. Unlike Zombies and Skeletons, no published ritual or spell exists that can create a Vampire. Unlike Liches, not even any secret ritual is known to be able to create a Vampire. Some theoretical work has been published on how Vampirism may be replicated through Arcanery, but no theory is widely accepted. Thus, although Mages and Clerics agree that the first Vampire must have been created similarly to other Undead, the theoretical mechanics have been lost to time.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

• Bite Transmission
• Sexual Reproduction (Controversial)
• Magical Creation (Proposed)

Dietary Needs and Habits

• Same as Base Species
• Obligate Hematophagy