Larp 101: The World » The Vampiric Existence

You became a vampire when the vampire who created you (your Sire, regardless of gender) drained your blood and then fed you their own; this caused you to die and be reborn as a vampire yourself, in a process known as the Embrace.  Blood (aka Vitae) now animates your body, and is the source of your power.  You are unable to consume mortal food and drink, and your own blood now has mystical powers of its own.  Although you can consume the blood of animals, the blood of live humans is preferred.

Vampiric blood can be used to:

  • power vampiric abilities known as Disciplines;
  • heal injuries;
  • temporarily make the vampire physically stronger;
  • enslave a mortal or vampire to their will, through a process known as the Blood Bond;
  • transform a mortal human or animal into a servant known as a Ghoul; or
  • transform a mortal human into a vampire. (The parent vampire is known as the Sire; the newly-created vampire is their Childe, plural Childer.)

The power of vampiric blood weakens as it is passed down from sire to childe.  The closer a vampire is to the mythical founder, and thus the lower their Generation, the more potential power they possess.  The only way to lower one’s generation is to consume the blood and soul of a vampire of lower generation in the process known as Diablerie, but this is considered the darkest crime a vampire can commit.

Vampires are vulnerable to fire and sunlight, which can destroy them completely; this destruction is known as Final Death.  Normal injuries, including bullets, can injure a vampire, but will leave them in a state of unconsciousness known as Torpor rather than destroying them; bullets in particular are much less effective against vampires than mortals.  A wooden stake through the heart will place a vampire into torpor until it is removed.  Folk methods such as garlic, crosses and running water are generally ineffective against vampires, though there may be exceptions.

A vampire’s predatory nature expresses itself through their Beast, the instinctual part of themselves that struggles to overwhelm their rational nature.  The Beast may threaten to break through when a vampire is enraged, terrified, or hungry.  A vampire overwhelmed by the Beast may enter Frenzy, which may cause them to attack or flee.  Fear triggered by the threat of fire or sunlight is known as Rotschreck.