Difference between revisions of "Vampire"

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After this event the vampires fled and spread across the known world founding their own [[Bloodline]]s.
 
After this event the vampires fled and spread across the known world founding their own [[Bloodline]]s.
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 +
==Appearance==
 +
Vampires have no set appearance although they do share a set of common physical characteristics. Vampires are invariably tall and pale skinned, they are many times stronger than a mortal man and can move faster than the mortal eye can see. Some of them can pass for human in low light, and indeed many live among the the aristocracy of Bretonnia and the Empire, feeding on unknowing individuals.
 +
Vampires are all extremely charismatic individuals and are known to beguile their victims with their shear force of personality before feeding.
 +
 +
What all this cannot hide, however, is that all vampires are Undead. And are essentially living corpses with no pulse or breath.
 +
Vampires need to regularly feed off human blood to stay strong and keep up the appearance of being alive. If they can feed regularly they can maintain a convincing façade of life, but if they cannot gain a regular supply of fresh blood they will soon degrade into little more than walking corpses.
 +
 +
Vampires are unique among Undead in that they maintain full conciousness after being given the Blood Kiss. This means they keep all of their human ambition and desires. This also means that they can learn new skills over time, making the ancient Vampires powerful foes indeed.
 +
 +
==Magic==
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All Vampires are magical creatures who have dark magic flowing in their veins. This means they can achieve a mastery of Necromancy that few Necromancers could ever possibly hope to achieve. As they grow older their powers of Dark Magic also grow. Vampires also do not need corpses to protect themselves while performing Necromantic rituals, making them very powerful.
 +
 +
==Reproduction==
 +
Vampires can create other vampires through a process known as the "Blood Kiss", the "Dark Awakening", the "Turning" or the "Red Ascension". Whatever these rituals involve is unknown as Vampires do not discuss the process, even amongst themselves. the Blood Kiss may also be unique to each Vampire. Vampires do not give another the Blood Kiss lightly as, all vampires have the blood of [Neferata] running in their veins, with each generation of vampires [Neferata]'s blood becomes diluted and vampires become weaker.
 +
The new Vampire will be a thrall to the old, and as time goes will either become nothing more than a mindless null, or become stronger and break free from their master.
 +
 +
==Killing a Vampire==
 +
It is not known fully how sunlight effects Vampires, but it is believed that it will only kill the weakest of their kind.
 +
It is also kwown that Vampires are nigh on impossible to kill, they can ignore wounds that would slay a mortal and continue fighting.
 +
When they are eventually killed they, can burst into flames, crumble into dust, or leave a human corpse.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
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== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
*[[Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts (7th Edition)]]
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*[[Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts (7th Edition)] Pages 6 - 35]
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*[[Warhammer Rulebook 8th Edition] Pages 244 - 247]
  
 
[[Category:Vampires & Necromancers]]
 
[[Category:Vampires & Necromancers]]

Revision as of 10:39, 4 November 2011

A powerful Vampire lord

Vampires are one of the most powerful types of Undead existing in the Warhammer world.

Origins

The origins of the vampires can be traced all the way back to ancient Nehekhara, to the evil priest-king Nagash. Nagash was the first and most powerful necromancer to have ever lived. Eventually, the other priest-kings joined forces in order to crush Nagash and rid the land of his evil; they succeeded, though only temporarily.

However, Neferata, the queen of Lahmia, in her thirst for immortality and eternal life, stole some of Nagash's books instead of destroying them as the kings had agreed, and took them back to Lahmia. Once safe within the walls of her own city, the queen began trying to replicate the Elixir of Life which had given Nagash eternal life. She succeeded to a certain degree, her heart stopped beating and she stopped breathing, yet she did not die; she had become the first vampire.

Realizing that she would need powerful lieutenants she shared the elixir with an unknown number of individuals.

These ancient beings discovered that they could produce new vampires through a process known as the "Blood Kiss", and before long, the entire court of Lahmia had become blood-drinking creatures of the night. However, their new-found powers also served to make the vampires arrogant. When the vampires discovered that Nagash still existed, they sent envoys to meet him at Cripple Peak. Some of these messengers, however, were captured by neighboring kingdoms. Realizing that the threat of Nagash was not yet ended, the priest-kings once again banded together, and marched against Lahmia.

During the ensuing war with the other kingdoms Lahmia was sacked, and most of the vampires were slain. Fleeing Lahmia, the vampires made their way north, where they regrouped upon meeting up with Nagash and were made generals of his armies. Nagash intended to turn the entire world into a kingdom of death, were no action would be taken except when he willed it. However, Nagash was unprepared for the might shown which his former homeland could muster. Ruled by Alcadizaar, the armies of a unified Nehekara rode out to meet Nagash's undead horde. When Alcadizaar defeated them all of the vampires, except the line of W'soran fled. For their cowardice, Nagash cursed the Vampires to be burnt by the rays of the sun.

After this event the vampires fled and spread across the known world founding their own Bloodlines.

Appearance

Vampires have no set appearance although they do share a set of common physical characteristics. Vampires are invariably tall and pale skinned, they are many times stronger than a mortal man and can move faster than the mortal eye can see. Some of them can pass for human in low light, and indeed many live among the the aristocracy of Bretonnia and the Empire, feeding on unknowing individuals. Vampires are all extremely charismatic individuals and are known to beguile their victims with their shear force of personality before feeding.

What all this cannot hide, however, is that all vampires are Undead. And are essentially living corpses with no pulse or breath. Vampires need to regularly feed off human blood to stay strong and keep up the appearance of being alive. If they can feed regularly they can maintain a convincing façade of life, but if they cannot gain a regular supply of fresh blood they will soon degrade into little more than walking corpses.

Vampires are unique among Undead in that they maintain full conciousness after being given the Blood Kiss. This means they keep all of their human ambition and desires. This also means that they can learn new skills over time, making the ancient Vampires powerful foes indeed.

Magic

All Vampires are magical creatures who have dark magic flowing in their veins. This means they can achieve a mastery of Necromancy that few Necromancers could ever possibly hope to achieve. As they grow older their powers of Dark Magic also grow. Vampires also do not need corpses to protect themselves while performing Necromantic rituals, making them very powerful.

Reproduction

Vampires can create other vampires through a process known as the "Blood Kiss", the "Dark Awakening", the "Turning" or the "Red Ascension". Whatever these rituals involve is unknown as Vampires do not discuss the process, even amongst themselves. the Blood Kiss may also be unique to each Vampire. Vampires do not give another the Blood Kiss lightly as, all vampires have the blood of [Neferata] running in their veins, with each generation of vampires [Neferata]'s blood becomes diluted and vampires become weaker. The new Vampire will be a thrall to the old, and as time goes will either become nothing more than a mindless null, or become stronger and break free from their master.

Killing a Vampire

It is not known fully how sunlight effects Vampires, but it is believed that it will only kill the weakest of their kind. It is also kwown that Vampires are nigh on impossible to kill, they can ignore wounds that would slay a mortal and continue fighting. When they are eventually killed they, can burst into flames, crumble into dust, or leave a human corpse.

See also

Sources

  • [[Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts (7th Edition)] Pages 6 - 35]
  • [[Warhammer Rulebook 8th Edition] Pages 244 - 247]