Vampirism
Warlocks reanimate corpses through Demonic Rituals to press into service. Though they prefer to hunt in the darkness of night, they are able to uncomfortably withstand daylight. The arduous nature of daywalking greatly increases their hunger. The Ashen Eclipse & The Infernal Deluge has drastically muted the light of The Dragonstar and The Moon is completely hidden from view. Vampires are now at a greater advantage with the darkened skies.
Creating Vampires
There is a single moment after the final heartbeat when a vampire can be raised up from a newly deceased body. The timing of the ritual and the killing blow come down to a split second. Failure results in a truly lifeless corpse. Potent Dragon Blood must be used to spawn a vampire.Questionable Loyalty
Vampires are nominally loyal to their creators. They feel compelled to obey commands but are able to resist with enough willpower. A warlock can better coerce their undead minions if they also control a steady supply of blood to keep them fed. It is not a coincidence that The Demonheart Vault hidden under Icewraith Expanse was built as a prison. While the blood from the captives with sorcerous heritage is destined for rituals and bloodstones, the common elves are kept there specifically as a food source for Vareena's vampires.Feeding
A vampire can feed on any blood to survive, including that of animals. Dragon Blood, however, reinvigorates a vampire and can even repair damage to the corpse. It is fortunate for the victim that only a small quantity of blood is needed to keep a vampire going. It is rare for a vampire to need to kill their prey unless they are surviving solely on one person for an extended period. Those who are imprisoned for this purpose are often pale, exhausted, and generally anemic.Ambroze... that means Immortal, doesn't it? Fitting name for an Elf.
Powers
Bloodrage - Using their increased strength during physical altercations, vampires are able to overpower others at the expense of increased hunger. A victim who resists will end up losing more blood for their trouble. Shadow Vision - Vampires, Goblins, and some members of The Voidbound Cult are able to see in the dark. Bright sunlight or fire greatly impairs a vampire's sight. Shadow Cloak - Hiding within a shadow not only makes a Vampire nearly impossible to see, but it also greatly reduces any physical damage done to them. Vampires obscured this way are partially intangible. Draconisense - A heightened sense of smell specialized in detecting sweat, blood, and magic gives a vampire an advantage when tracking prey. A vampire can even smell the magic in a demonic ritual if he's downwind of it. Carnal Aroma - A vampire that has been feeding properly will not only look flush with life, but they will generate pheromones to mimic the living. These are metaphysically empowered and make resisting a vampire's charms a battle of will.He's a good catch - strong, handsome, and a skilled hunter. While we were waiting at the crossroads, he kept flirting with me. I noticed how great he smells up close.
I like your take on vampires. The method of creating them is really interesting, and I really like that it's quite hard to get right.
Explore Etrea
The Carnal Aroma gets me. Why do I always fall for the villains?
For anyone confused by my comment, the original artwork for this article was a portrait of Ambroze. After I wrote up an article for him, his image was moved over there:
Ambroze, The Vampire