Vampirism

In the northeastern fringes of the Empire, where the nights are long and creatures of the darkness roam, there are rumors and legends about monsters so foul and corrupting, that merely speaking their name aloud will garner one the attention of the Inquisition. These creatures name is said in hushed tones and never written, so that it will not taint the people. That name, is Vampires.

The following is forbidden knowledge, known only by the most holy and trusted of Paladins and Inquisitors.

— The Inquisition is watching

  It is believed that a Vampire is a creature of undeath, though wholly different than any other known undead, such as zombies or skeletonsa. The Vampires have the ability to sustain their un-lives through drinking the blood of mortals, instead of sustaining themselves through purely magical means. Scholars theorize, that the blood of the first vampire was cursed millennia ago, and that first vampire created 4 children, before it disappeared. The process of creating another vampire, called Siring, is a two step process. Firstly the Sire will drain the blood from a mortal, and then the mortal will be fed some of the blood of the Sire. However, this process dilutes the potency of the blood, and as such there are only five known generations of vampires with varying levels of powers, weaknesses, and abilities. However, all vampires know not to sire too much, as uncontrolled vampires running around can cause problems and even create problems for the Empire, which would bring back problems to the Realms of Blood.

Vampire Generations:

• The first vampire, the original target of the curse who started it all. It is unknown who it was or where he existed, or if he even existed at all. It is theorized that one person started it all millennia ago, but there is no evidence as to how or when.
• The Ancients, also known as Vampire Counts, are the oldest and most powerful vampires in the world. They have almost complete control over their blood, and are extremely powerful both physically and magically. As far as the Empire knows there are only 3 of those creatures alive right now, Alabaster Von Shleiher, Irvina Asreihart and The Beast of Blood. They each have distinct strengths and exemplify the three main aspects of a vampires power, intelligence, seduction and brutality. They are rarely present, but their plans and machinations form webs of alliances, and politics between them, as they each try to wrestle power from one another and become the ruler of the Realms of Blood.
• The direct children of the Ancients, Elder Vampires are few and far between, as the Vampire Counts have little care for Siring outside having servants to do their bidding. Elder Vampires have some control over their blood, allowing them to regenerate from any wounds, and even in the circles of scholars only legends speak of artifacts powerful enough to kill one, save of course for the direct powers of the divine. They tend to live either at the castle of their Sire, and have a close connection with them, be it adversarial or accepting, or live far away from their Sire, where the influence and power of the Ancients can't easily reach. In comparison to mere mortals, these creatures are living gods, being able to slaughter and destroy with little care, and having strong magical, physical or psychological powers. They are also impervious to most banes of evil creatures from folklore. Running water does not hurt them, a steak to the heart will not hurt them more than anyone else, they do not care for permissions to enter homes and while sunlight and fire do hurt them a bit, if destroyed by these their blood can take into the air as steam, and reform their body after they escape. It is a boon to the world therefore, that there are not many of these creatures that stalk the lands.
• Below the Elder Vampires are what most people consider 'vampires'. These are the ones that legends and stories talk about. These vampires have little control over their blood, being able to regenerate from most wounds, and have the skills of mortal experts in their fields of expertise, as well as some magical boost to their abilities. They are vulnerable to vampiric weaknesses, such as running water, fire, sunlight, a stake to the heart and they cannot enter a home without being invited. They are however the most ambitious,and as they have little experience compared to the centuries of their elder kin, they see themselves as superiors to mortals, and believe it is their right to rule over them. As such, most of the unrest and border friction between the Empire and the Realms of blood come from arrogant vampires and hunters clashing. While of considerable power, are no match for the mighty Elder Vampires or any seasoned groups of Inquisitors that might find them outside the protections of the Mists.
• Not being true Vampires themselves, Vampire Spawn are corpses animated by any Vampire, and are completely under their masters command. They are created when a vampire drains a mortal of their blood, and then buries the body in the ground. The following night, a vampire spawn will emerge, lacking any self control or personality, save from a bestial intelligence, and obey its master to the death. They possess the same basic regeneration ability that regular vampires do, and some of the physical might, but none of the cunning and charm that a true Vampire wields. They can also drink blood, though the only thing they require to stay alive is the magic of their masters blood, and as such any vampire can build and sustain any number of Vampire Spawn, making them a considerable threat, more than they already were.