Vampire

Vampires are immortal undead beings like that of popular literature.



They follow the typical cultural formula, as a wooden stake through the heart would be fatal, garlic in all forms are incredibly toxic, and a vampire must be invited in order to enter a residence, as is with mythology. They crave and must consume human blood to survive, although a soy substitute is available.

Born vampires are the offspring of two undead parents, and typically live a human-passing life until they reach the age of sixteen: they have a heartbeat, breathe and an automatic self-functioning circulatory system. On the offspring's sixteenth birthday, they go through the transformation, and gain the traits of their parents and fellow vampirekind.

Half-fangs are breathers who have gone through the transformation via the bite of a vampire. They display the same traits and abilities of born vampires, although typically remain loyal to their sire. This loyalty often fades with time or outwards interference. In vampiric culture, half-fangs are typically thought lesser of because of their human roots.

Vampires are governed by the Vampire High Council, and lead by the Grand High Vampire. Their prophecised leader is known as the Chosen One, Vladimir Dracula.

Biology

A vampire and all derived subspecies is, for all intents and purposes, undead. Whilst being, at the core, a human-like creature, they lack a working circulatory system and subsequent heartbeat, resulting in a evolutionary craving for blood to sustain themselves and an incredibly low body temperature. Due to their sluggish blood they cannot flush, and what blood they do have is blackened and dead.

A vampire's craving for blood can effect them immensely, intense emotions including most commonly rage, even sadness, and lack of sustenance can result in reduced ability to function. A vampire can survive off of human, animal or soya blood, although the latter is a recently developed substitute. Typically sheep or cow's blood will be chosen if human is not available, although vampires have exhibited being able to function equally well when drinking soy.

A born vampire will not showcase these traits until their coming of age. Previous to that, they maintain a human body temperature, circulatory and respiratory system.

As is in mythology, they showcase a variety of weaknesses as well as strengths and particular abilities. Garlic will burn them upon contact, in vaporised, liquid or solid form, although cannot be fatal unless ingested. Sunlight and other direct UV light also burns them, and has the ability to kill if exposed for too long, especially in less powerful or newly turned individuals. It is unknown if holy water or religious imagery effects vampires, although it has been shown that they may enter (previously abandoned) holy ground. They live immortal lifespans, despite these weaknesses, and it is fairly common for a vampire to be centuries old, although they still slowly age; a vampire who is six hundred years old may appear as a middle-aged breather would.

They are naturally nocturnal beings, and will typically sleep by dawn. They may awaken during the day, as long as they avoid direct contact with sunlight. Coming of age vampires are known to fall asleep unwillingly during the day as their transformation date approaches, and Half-fangs may find it difficult to adjust to this new schedule.

Due to the lack of UV exposure and the vampire's natural deadened body and blood flow, they are unable to tan and commonly are very pallid, excluding darker skinned individuals.

Perhaps the most important and well known evolutionary tool is a vampires fangs: sharp, retractable incisors or canine teeth used for feeding and intimidation, typically in the place human canine or premolar teeth are situated. Commonly, a vampire may have a single pair of fangs within their upper jaw only, although a double set have been shown to exist, as well as smaller canines within the lower line of teeth, similar those of a dog-like species may have.

A vampires eyes are known to show a semi-controllable shift in colour. This is perhaps an evolutionary intimidation trait, or simply an emotional signal. When angry, or craving human blood, the iris may shift to a shade of red. An individuals entire eye (iris and sclera both) has also been known to shift to black, typically when angry, but also in the case of hunger. The eye may also turn a shade of gold during hypnosis. These changes, whilst connected to emotion and ability, appear to be controllable.

Behaviour

Vampires may be human-passing, however their behaviour lacks basic humanity. Characteristically they seem to lack empathy or kindness, and are easy to anger or irritate. They are often described as evil or cruel, and especially disregard the emotional component of most interactions. Beings deemed lower than a vampire, such as an animal or breather, are treated with little to no respect. Most startling of all, they typically take pride in these traits, and praise evilness where a breather would praise kindness.

They are often delighted by destruction and bringing misfortune upon others. Notably, Ivan Dracula has been known to throw the Hellhound, Zoltan, from upon castle battlements. Described as selfish and apathetic, vampires have been shown to not hesitate to enact violence or revenge upon others, regardless of human social standards.

As with all beings, individuals will vary. Vladimir Dracula, noteworthily, was seen as a "soft-hearted" vampire, displaying a more typically humane personality despite other vampiric characteristics such as a shortened fuse, and general apathy. Ivan Dracula has also notably shown to be a calmer, more empathetic vampire, describing himself as vegetarian and blood-free, although he eventually reverted to his truer vampiric nature. It is possible for a vampire to remain kind, although these individuals will commonly be looked down upon.

Despite often treating their source of food, breathers, as less-than beings, vampires have displayed heightened care for their own kind, especially family or those within their clan. They are malicious beings but retain intelligent, human thought and emotion.

Violence is an integral and unavoidable characteristic when interacting with vampires. As is their trait, they are an easy to anger species, fuses lengthening or shortening on simply a person to person basis. This often results in needless arguments, physical incursions and use of individual power within vampiric social circles. They are shown to be sensitive and easily offended or taunted, particularly to defend one's honour or show loyalty to the clan. Intimidation is frequent and vampires will commonly bare their fangs or hiss as a sign of anger or dominance, as well as engaging with certain powers and abilities such as elemental manipulation or booming their voices: notably within the Dracula family, one may (unconsciously or not) manipulate thunder or lightning when angered.

Subspecies of a Vampire

such as in the case of Wolfie, the offspring of a vampire and a werewolf, is known to be possible but the outcome of such pairings are unknown. It can be assumed the offspring will retain the powers of both parents, or as such in the case of the Dimidius, the hybrid will have to choose.

The known members of the vampire family include the Half-fang, the product of a breather suffering the bite of a born vampire; the Dimidius, the product of a breather and vampire pairing; the Shadow Warriors, the hybrid of a vampire and a demon; and the Shapeshifter, a vampire who has learned the ability to shift into any possible form.

People throughout history believed Vanity and Aldric the Sasquatch had a dimidus child, it was proved false.