Lore
Vampires
Vampires:
Vampires have existed for as long as anyone can remember. There are many theories as to their origin, ranging from that they are a type of demon to cursed souls. Vampires are immortal, or, rather, immune to death by disease or old age. Their bodies are unlike typical humans, requiring blood in order to keep their muscles working. Although they don't have a beating heart, blood suffuses their entire form in an almost sentient manner. Maintaining this requires the vampire to feed normally once or twice a week.
Feeding:
Most vampires feed from humans once or twice a week to maintain a typical level of activity. Very active vampires, particularly vampires who fight a lot, are likely to feed twice as much, while inactive vampires can feed much less. Many vampires have an innate talent with hypnotism, allowing them to place prospective prey in a trance state to feed. The human is left with no memory of the incident, at most feeling a recent rush of vertigo. Most vampires will kill about one person a year from feeding. This is not usually intentional, but a side effect of picking a target who has a weak heart, high level of blood toxicity, thin blood or who has recently lost blood. Regardless of how careful a vampire may be, it is impossible to prevent occasionally killing someone so long as a vampire feeds on humans. See help bite for information on feeding on PCs.
Vampire Blood:
Also known by street names such as V, Juice, Red and Hype. See help vampire blood.
Turning:
New vampires are made by an existing vampire feeding on his target, then feeding the target some of his own blood. Mechanically, this can be done by using the force change command on a helpless target. Turning does not directly affect a new vampire's psychology. However, the combination of access to power and the hunger that drives vampires to occasionally kill do cause changes. Some newly turned vampires cannot adapt and end up killing themselves, but this is rare. Most do adapt, with world views ranging from balancing out their deeds with good works, to the belief that it is their right to be natural predators or monsters. Characters who are already dead, including ghosts and wights, cannot be turned.
Death:
Vampires can die if they take enough physical damage. Vampires who are killed disintegrate into ash.
Staking:
See help stake.
Sunlight:
Vampires are nocturnal creatures. They do not combust with exposure to sunlight, but do find it extremely unpleasant. Sunlight is very bright and painful to them, and is blinding without protection. Exposure to direct sunlight burns them in a manner similar to a sunburn, but much more quickly, particularly at midday. Some vampires can develop a resistance to sunlight, and a rare few are predisposed to it. However, even if they are resistant, the noon sun is still extremely painful to them.
Reflected and Reproduced Images:
Vampires do produce reflections, but these reflections are unnatural. A brief glance may not discern anything unusual, but prolonged exposure to a vampire's reflection first causes an uneasy feeling that gradually will intensify to the point it can cause insanity. Even the vampires themselves are not immune to this, causing them to use mirrors very sparingly. This effect happens with all images that may be considered live, with the vampire in the same room. Filming a vampire live or taking a picture which involves a digital screen will cause this effect. Flat images (photograph prints and portraits) and previously taken video or video not broadcasted in the same room will not cause this effect.
Urban Legends:
Vampires are not repelled by garlic, but find the smell unpleasant. They are not affected by religious symbols or holy water.
Slumber:
Vampires feel the urge to sleep during the day, which feels more or less the same as typical tiredness. However, regardless of whether the vampire has chosen to sleep during the day, all tiredness washes away with sunset.
Fatigue:
Vampires do not experience typical fatigue from physical exertion. Instead, they get hungry. Blood for them is similar to fuel for a car, and the more they exert themselves, the more hungry they feel, until they top up.
Physiology and Aging:
All vampire fluids are tinged with blood, including tears and saliva. Vampires can reactivate their physiology with some concentration. Only by doing this may they mimic typical human physiology in a limited form, allowing them to digest large amounts of food and drink or engage in sexual activity. This reactivation can be emotionally driven, but such concentration does require being awake. Theoretically, a female vampire can reactivate her body to the point she is able to carry a child for nine months, but the effort would require her not ever sleeping. Male vampires can impregnante a living female with much less effort, though it would still require some concentration to do. Sexual activities are the most common cause for vampire activation. Reactivating their physiology causes vampires to age while active. Their day to day business may require activation, though vampires are able to activate parts of their body at a time. Typically, it will take about 100 years to visibly age 1 year, although this can be reduced by refraining from activation.
- Note: Reactivation is not a coded mechanic, but entirely roleplayed.
Food, Drink and Drugs:
Vampires can imbibe small amounts of food and drink without problems. To consume large amounts, they must reactivate their physiology. Drugs taken by typical means do affect vampires, but at a very reduced rate (roughly a third of the rate they would affect a human). Drugs consumed by feeding on blood affect vampires the way regular consumption affects humans.