Vampire

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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. [7a]

Realising that she would need powerful lieutenants she shared the elixir with twelve individuals including Abhorash, Naaima, Ushoran and W'soran.[1][7a]

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 neighbouring kingdoms. Realising that the threat of Nagash was not yet ended, the priest-kings once again banded together, and marched against Lahmia. [7a]

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 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. [7a]

After this event the vampires fled and spread across the known world founding their own castes, based on their ideals and abilities. [7a]

Types of Vampire

Aside from the standard Vampire, some of these undead beings may follow a certain path or excel at certain abilities in which others do not, often becoming one of four archetypes. Most followers of these archetypes belong to, or are allied with the powerful Von Carstein Dynasty, the rulers of Sylvania. There are many more smaller families, all vying for power and control.

Blood Knights - are fallen Knights, usually from the realm of Bretonnia; they are portrayed as souls in suffering, neither good nor evil. They desire skill in military combat. Their goal is to not find the Grail as a Bretonnian Knight would, but rather succeed in mastering combat, and obtaining the same ability of permanently suppressing the need to drink human blood to survive as the first Blood Knight, Abhorash did.

Lahmians - Are spies and Assassins. They emphasise the seductive nature of vampires and many of their powers center around influencing the behavior of enemy heroes. Neferata was queen of the city-state of Lahmia and the first of all Vampires and thus the first Lahmian. After the city was destroyed by the Kings of Nehekara, she fled with her minions to the mountain known as 'The Silver Pinnacle'. After driving out the mountain's Dwarf inhabitants, Neferata established a new court, where she rules as the leader of a Sisterhood of enchantingly beautiful vampires who use secrecy, cunning and intrigue where others would use brute strength, to sway the political powers of the human kingdoms to do their will.

Necrarchs - Are powerful Necromancers. Necrarch vampires appear monstrous and wizened, thus they are weaker in combat but have much greater magical potential than the other vampires. Overall they are still vastly more dangerous than an equivalent level wizard in close combat, and on par with the more dangerous of melee fighters. They are described as solitary researchers, working on ever more terrible spells as they live out their undying centuriesm, like the first Necrarch, W'soran. Because of their studies the Necrarch armies field large numbers of necromantic constructs, spell casters, and zombie dragons.

Ghoul Kings - Are hulking Monsters, warped by feeding on rotting corpses. In appearance they are even more monstrous than the Necrarchs and are huge and heavily built. The first Ghoul King was Ushoran who with his followers fled north to what is now the Badlands and built a great empire; when it was destroyed by Orcs the Strigoi were scattered and eventually degenerated into the first Ghoul Kings, with many more outcast vampires joining them since. Ghoul Kings are animalistic, half-mad and can be barely intelligent. They have similar combat ability's to the Blood Dragons, but in terms of sheer strength and bestial fury rather than skill-at-arms.

It is the common conception, even among our kind, that the founders of the five bloodlines somehow left their stamp upon their blood, and any who receive it will share their personalities and predilections - they of the blood of Abhorash will become mighty warriors, the daughters of Neferata will be seductresses, the descendants of W'soran will wield powerful sorcery, the get of Ushoran will be mindless beasts and the sons of Vashanesh will burn with unbridled ambition - and to a certain extent, this true. But it is not that simple.

~ Gabriella von Nachthafen to Ulrika Magdova.[6a]

Titles

As a Vampire ages he becomes more powerful, the greatest of Vampires often lead others into war, and command entire armies of undead.[3][4]

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 facade 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 consciousness 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.[1][2]

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.[1]

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 her 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.[1]

Let us not be foolish here and talk as if to children. It is painful, extremely so. The flesh tears, the blood gushes forth, the pain is like a blow to the head, knocking one senseless. One feels one’s very life is draining away, and with that comes panic and terror. But pain and terror can be weathered and controlled. And what in this world is worth having does not come with a price of pain or suffering.

~Lady Ariette von Carstein .[3]

Vampires across the World

Araby

The Blood Dragons retain a presence in the western desert but the wider familiarity with necromancy means less ignorance about vampires and other undead. [3a]

Bretonnia

Many peasents in Bretonnia fear vampires as it was home to the Red Duke and others of his kind, but the Lahmians find inflitrating high society easy. [3a]

Cathay

There they are known as Yiangshi or corpse-ghosts. [8a]

Estalia

They have not forgotten that Nourgul razed the lands between the Southern Sea and the Irrana Mountains. They trust to Myrmidia to aid them still in protecting their nation from vampires. [3a]

Kislev

Many believe that regular consumption of Chesnochnaya - garlic vodka keeps the bestial vampires found here at bay. The frozen corpse of the vampire Tsarina Kattarin remains on display to warn others of her kind. [3a]

Tilea

Although the states seem mostly vampire free save for Strigoi nests in the country, it is easy for them to remain hidden and work in the shadows with Miragliano rumoured to be a haven for vampires. [3a]

Weaknesses and 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 known 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. [1]

  • Daemonsroot: Tangled barbs that cause greater pain to a vampire. [3b]
  • Divine Symbol: Some vampies fear the truely faithful but it means nothing to others. Often the more faithful a vampire was in life, the greater the power it has after death. [3b]
  • Fire: As effective, if not more so than against a mortal.[3b]
  • Hawthorn: Many stakes are made of this hardwood including the ones that claimed the life of Tzarina Kattarin. [3b]
  • Mirror: Most vampires lack a reflection. and some even have no shadow. [3b]
  • Silver: Silver cuts deep into the usually resiliant skin of most vampires, burning into flesh and healing very slowly. [3b]
  • Running Water: Some vampires find flowing water causes the same level of pain and weakness as the light of the sun. [3b]
  • The Sun: For many vampires, the sun burns with terrible, agonising intensity and is a real threat to their unlife. It is however, preventable by suitable clothing, seeking shelter or even staying within dwelling - some Sylvanian castles have indoor gardens, tennis courts and even jousting lists. [3b]
  • Witchbane: It causes pain to a vampire who touches the small white flowers. [3b]

Gallery

Notes

Originally all Vampires belonged to specific and strict "Bloodlines", all of which had specific traits and ideals. This was eventually retconned. With it now seeming that Vampires of any family can follow a specific archetype, such as the Blood Knight Templars of the Von Carsteins.

Sources

The Vampire Counts
Units Abyssal Terror - Banshee - Bat Swarm - Black Coach - Black Knight - Blood Knight - Cairn Wraith - Charnel Guard - Corpse Cart - Coven Throne - Crypt Horror - Dire Wolves - Fell Bat - Ghost - Ghoul - Gloom‎ - Grave Guard - Hexwraith - Mortis Engine - Necromancer - Master Necromancer - Necromancer Lord - Shadow Druid - Simulacra - Skeleton - Spirit Host - Strigoi Ghoul King - Storm Riders - Strigany - Swain - Sylvanian Levy - Terrorgheist - Tomb Stalker - Vargheist - Varghulf - Vampire Thrall - Vampire Count - Vampire Lord - Wight King - Winged Nightmare - Zombie - Zombie Dragon - Zombie Pirate
Characters Abhorash - Aucassin - Adolphus Krieger - Alicia von Untervald - Andraste - Ankhat - Anmar bin Muntasir - Asteron - Brachnar - Caleb - Chandagnac - Chown - Constant Drachenfels - Crovan - Dieter Helsnicht - Druthor - Emmanuelle von Templehof - Estaban Valadische - Evegena Boradin - Faethor - Famke Leibrandt‎ - Frederick van Hal - Gabriella von Nachthafen - Galiana - Gashnag - Genevieve Dieudonné - Gorgivich Krakvald - Gothard - Gugula Skell - Gunther Spengler - Harakhte - Hathurk - Heinrich Kemmler - Helena von Culper - Helman Ghorst - Heloise Kalfon - Hermione von Auerbach - Imentet - Isodora - Jacques de Noirot - Johann Haifisch - Kadon - Kalledria - Kattarin - Khaled al Muntasir - Khemalla - Krell - Laskar Noircouer - Layla - Leanora Navrre - Louis Cypher - Lothar von Diehl - Lupa Stregga - Luthor Harkon - Mallobaude - Malvous - Mangari - Mara - Margritte von Wittgenstein - Mariato - Mathilda‎‎ - Melidere Valadische - Melissa d'Acques - Merovech - Morath‎‎ - Mordac - Morgul - Moriva Darkstalker - Mundvard - Naaima - Nathmar - Neferata - Nicodemus - Nitocris - Nourgul - Obadiah Glothman - Palatine Drego - Petra Hirkeit - Pitre Fonce - Raiza - Rametep - Rasha bin Wasim - Red Duke - Renar - Rolinda - Rudolph Brecht - Sanzak - Sofia - Sorn Ghoulskin - Sycamo - Talia - Theodora Margrave - Thrashlaar - Tiberius Kael - Ulrika Magdova - Ushoran - Urzen - Verek - Anark von Carstein - Antoine von Carstein - Ariette von Carstein - Emmanuelle von Carstein - Isabella von Carstein - Konrad von Carstein - Lydia von Carstein - Malachias von Carstein‎‎ - Mannfred von Carstein - Nyklaus von Carstein - Pieter von Carstein - Vlad von Carstein - Vorag Bloodytooth - Katherina von Dernsbach - Frich Von Haas - Rabe von Stahl - Rodrik von Waldendorf‎‎ - Rametep - Rudek - Ulffik - Ullo - Valnimir Valadische - Vangheist - Varis - Vorag Bloodytooth - Walach Harkon - W'soran - Yamina - Zacharias - Zoar
Organisations Dreadfleet - Lahmian Sisterhood - Necrarch Brotherhood - Order of the Blood Dragon - Vampire Coast - Von Carstein Dynasty
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