Vampires : Version #8

There’s barely any physical difference between vampires and humans. The biggest difference is in the vampire’s canines, which are longer and sharper. Fun fact: if the human doesn’t have canines before the transformation, the canines will sprout, and it can be a very painful experience.

Some vampires may experience a change of eye color, usually to red, orange, or purple. There’s little information on why this happens, and some theories blame demon-related genes for such change. Almost any species can become a vampire, as long as it’s alive.

Most vampires have some sort of animal form. They vary a lot, from wolves to bats to dragons. In general, the animals are winged, even if they normally aren’t (i.e. winged wolves, winged foxes, winged pangolins). Most have dark-colored patterns, but it’s not unheard of to have bright colored patterns.

Obviously, they are the reason for the vampire myth. As for their origin, some believe a deity (the perpetrator changes a lot according to who tells the story) created vampires to antagonize loups de lune, defying Luna, the goddess of the moon and creator of loups de lune. Some deny any creation, and claim vampires are just a byproduct of evolution, the perfect symbiosis between human and microorganism.

To create a vampire, one must enter in contact with copious amounts of infected blood, from someone who is already a vampire. The most common way of infection is by ingesting a chalice of vampire’s blood. There’s many rituals on how to do it, many involving exchange of blood. However, the only thing truly needed is for the wannabe vampire to drink infected blood, or at least have the infected blood to enter in contact with mucous or open wounds. The parasite is not sexually transmitted, needing more than small cuts and wounds from the vampire to infect its host.

Since the beginning, vampires flock together in covens or clans. In general, a vampire is considered responsible for the vampires they have created, at least until they have acclimated to the new life. Turning someone in a vampire and abandoning them before they have learned how to hunt without hurting his victims, is very frowned upon, and in some places with rigid regulations for covens, it will result in punishment. Turning someone against their will may also be punished by death in some places.

A registered clan needs to have a leader, and it’s normally decided by seniority or a democratic election. Most clans have as their leader the vampire who founded it, until their death. Some clans may work as families, growing as the family grows. However, most clans are ones of opportunity. As bigger clans have more influence, many clans will form as political alliances. Smaller clans usually are a result of small families wanting to not take part in political games, or rifts caused by now opposing political views.

Clans are urged to register as to avoid issues with hunting territories. Unregistered cans have no say in territory claims. Territorial disputes are resolved by the voting of each clan leader, with the biggest clans’ votes having more weight. Votes are regularly traded by political favors.

Most vampires like to live in densely populated cities, as it makes it easier to find blood. More traditional vampires would lure their victims and take the amount they need, without killing them. Nowadays is considered impolite to not ask for permission to take blood, and it’s easy to find blood donation centers specialized in vampires.

Unique Abilities 

• Those can change from vampire to vampire. Usually, one vampire will have only some of those powers, and some can even have other abilities not listed there.
• Shapeshifting (usually to only one other form)
• Telepathic communication
• Immortality
• Unusual strength and agility
• Accelerated regeneration

Vampirism is considered either a parasitic or symbiotic relationship. The microorganism that infects vampires needs blood to survive, making its host crave for blood. In compensation, it gives the host many desirable abilities. Yet, as there’s no cure for vampirism, it’s medically considered a disease caused by a microscopic parasite.

Vampires may still be killed by severe wounds to vital organs. Wounds that would be life-threatening to humans, may not kill a vampire, as they usually have a fast regeneration power. Garlic, crosses, and other things commonly associated with killing vampires do not work. Stacks to the heart have a high chance of killing vampires, as well as most other creatures.

Vampires seem to prefer loups de lune’s blood, which caused in history many deaths of loups. Vampires are as old, if not older, than loups, and have been incorporate in their myths. There’s still much hostility between the two species. No hybrids would be accepted by neither species.

• Vampires need to feed on blood at least once a week, or they suffer extreme hunger.
• The vampires’ body still need normal food to survive, they can’t survive only on blood.
• Telepathic powers are quite common on vampires, but it’s rare to be able to do much more than read someone’s mood.