Vampirism

Why do we need the day? Darkness is our strength and our weapon, what power has the light to that? ~King Mulok Shadowseeker

Vampires... blood sucking horrors from the heart of the night. And that is only the beginning. Vampires may not be the deadliest of the undead, but they are one of the most feared by the living.

Transmission & Vectors

The primary source of vampirism is vampires. Though the origional vampires were made through a bargain with infernal powers and other vampires could, theoretically, be made in the same manner it is not the usual method. The return of the Tower of Death also inflicted vampirism on some especially in the city of Rocco del Mare.
Still, by far the most common method of contracting vampirism is to be slain by the soul-sucking abilities of a vampire (the most famous being their ability to drain blood, though their touch also can drain.)

Causes

Vampirism is a curse, like most undeath. How deep that curse runs is not generally known, nor the full prameters of it. It's immediate cause is the taint of being slain by the foul powers of a vampire, it is those powers that transmit the curse into the body of the slain.

Symptoms

Vampires grow pale and shun running water and bright light. They also seem to become more refined and sophisticated, or at least more compelling versions of themselves.
Their canines elongate and they have an unquenchable thirst for the blood of mortals, and more their life energy.
Unlike lesser undead such as Zombies and Skeletons, vampires have full charge of their faculties. And unlike some other intelligent undead, they seem to remember who they are and who they were and retain their base skill set, though those who were once champions of light find their powers locked away by the taint of what they have become.

Treatment

The only treatment is to slay the vampire in question as mercifully as possible (often not very mercifully given how difficult they are to slay).
Vampires, like some other powerful undead, resist staying all the way dead and have a myriad of ways of avoiding final death.
Simple damage does not slay a vampire, merely incapacitates it. The following methods are known to slay vampires: 1) Direct sunlight will destroy a vampire in short order 2) Driving a stake through the heart of a vampire keeps it incapacitated until such a time as the stake is removed. If the head is severed and both ends anointed with holy water the vampire is dead. 3) Immersion in running water will slay a vampire in about twice the time of sunlight.
There are rumors of a priest in Rocco del Mare having cured a vampire of Vampirism, but there is, as of yet, no confirmation of this outside of the city.

Prognosis

There is no known cure for Vampirism. The only remedy is, as with most undead, to slay the creature in question for a final time. (Not always as easy as it sounds.)
There have been rumors in Rocco del Mare of Vampires being cured

Sequela

Most vampires that survive give in to their blood lust and have a fairly condescending attitude towards the living. Many vampires do not survive being turned or more accurately do not survive being released from their creator's control.
Newly turned vampires are under the control of their creators, but even the most powerful vampire can only control so many other creatures. Sooner or later a controled vampire is released or wins free of their master's control. Those who have not been corrupted by the intervening time, most often walk into the sunrise, that is deliberately stay outside where the sun can destroy them.
Those who do not, with very few exceptions, are as wicked as the legends portray combining both the worst of human nature and the power and control Vampirism grants.

Hosts & Carriers

Dhampirs are often viewed as carriers of vampirism, though this is not precisely true. They are the progeny of Vampires and mortal women with traits of both. Some of the taint does breed true in their own children and often reveals itself if their own children have sorcerous powers.
While there are no other confirmed carriers, rumors abound. In some place it is thought that being out on certain nights of the year or performing certain vile acts of barbarism can taint a person to rise as a Vampire after death, but there are no confirmations of such things actually occuring.

History

Vampirism is a curse and little is known of the truth of the matter. When the vampire Luciano told his own story he claimed that Vampirism resulted from a bargain made with the Shadow Lord (who also calls himself the World Reaver).
Ten thousand years ago a group of tribal chieftains whose tribes were centered near the Font of Life faced a threat of the rise of a new god, who marched with him many sorcerers. Magic was not unknown, one of their number was powerful in the crude elemental magics the tribes commanded, and his wife was an equally powerful shaman. But these magicians held their magics in an iron control with, apparently none of the risks the tribes were familiar with.
After several battles and the tribes taking many losses, the chieftains met and summoned the Shadow Lord to them and he agreed to give them the power. Only one voiced any concern that there was no condition attached to their request. But, driven by desparation, even he agreed to the bargain. Each Chieftain made a request and each request was granted, though not in the way the giver asked.
The first chieftain asked, boldly to be able to drink the blood of his enemies in victory. Thus were the vampires granted the ability to drain the blood and very life force of their foes, but in return the symbol of any god was hateful to them, either as a memory of the bargain made, or evidence of a pwoer still standing. Also never again could they look on their own reflections, for they were not who they any longer appeared to be.
The second chieftain demanded the power to crush the will of his enemies. And so Vampires can dominate their foes, bending their enemies' wills to their own desires. But in the intricate dance of will, they were now bound themselves to the hospitality laws. Most famous is the need of an invitation. But all the ancient hospitalities rites: duties of host to guest and guest to hoste hold equal strength. Fortunately for the vampires, most have been forgotten in the ages.
The third chieftain wished to fall on his foes in the night as wolves and be able to scale their high towers in the night to fall upon them unseen. So can vampires become wolves, bats, and a variety of other forms... but also they abhore the sun. For as the power of night was granted them, the strength of day is their doom.
The fourth chieftain was a thoughtful man with a command of magic and great strength. He looked at the Shadow Lord and requested simply the strength to see his tribe prosper unto the ten thousanth generation. Thus were the greatest tricks played on him. For the vast strength of the vampire was granted and also the ability to continue breeding, his line being the most firtile. But living things must eat so the ability to drain life energy became not simply a way to drain and weaken the foe, but a necessity. Without feeding a vampire enters blood frenzy and kills and kills until his hunger is sated.
Interestingly, Vampires are not truely imortal, though none has ever died of old age. Ten thousand generations is their life span. Somewhere between 150,000 and 200,000 years. But not even the origionals know that.

Cultural Reception

Anyone slain by a vampire's unnatural abilities rises within a week as a vampire. (Note: this does not apply to those slain by a weapon wielded by a vampire. A vampire shoots you dead you are just dead, which is probably a preferable fate.)
Since they retain the memories and over arching personality of the slain (as well as being generally recognizeable), they are viewed as more of a horror and abomination than almost any other form of undead.

Origin

Divine

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired & Congenital

Rarity

Uncommon

Affected Species

• Half-Elf
• Human