Vampire

Overview
Vampires are a near-immortal race of blood sucking humanoids that have existed in some form or another since the dawn of civilization. Vampires are distinguished mainly by their pale skin and red-tinted eyes - however these features vary between vampire sub-species. The original vampires are largely considered to have been the Mors and Royal Bloodlines - two of the most dominant and distinguished vampires. However this theory is largely disputed by the Transylvanian and Peking lines in which the former is far more powerful than any Mors or Royal.

Vampires have a lifespan that varies between species, with the average Blood vampire living to only 150 while a Transylvanian does not actually die of natural causes. The average lesser vampire has an expected lifespan of around 200 while middle and higher vampires can live upwards of 2000 years depending on the species.

Creation
The very original vampires evolved from humans in the Balkans c. 700 B.C. in the form of the Vorvolakas. The Vorvolakas were in fact the original vampires (despite many claims to the contrary) and were powerful beings that grew up alongside the humans that lived nearby - originally these relationships were symbiotic - with many of the Vampires coming to the aide of unfortunate Humans and Elves and often being a net benefit for the society that embraced them. Despite this and their popular reputation, there was never more than six Vorvolakas and that number never grew past eleven until the industrial age. Between mating with human slaves, elves and general abnormalities, vampires have formed many different species that each tend to cling to their own collective.

Sub-Species
Vampires have grown to exist as a multi-racial species with variations between species. This has largely been the result of purposeful breeding between Higher Vampires and Dhampyrs forming their own clans. The first few Vampire species to form were the Mors and Transylvanians, both being exceptionally powerful, however neither quite as much as the Vorvolakas and quickly afterwards the Royals would be formed and would quickly become the most common Higher Vampire - and would remain as the most common Higher Vampire throughout history. After Late Antiquity arrived, a more common Middle Vampire was becoming prevalent in many societies. The Middle Vampire is where the Vampire Clan would originate from, before this Higher Vampire operated either alone or in family units and a power dynamic shifted. Vorvolakas, Transylvanians and Pekings would generally reject the idea of a clan, there were exceptions but this was generally the consensus. However Royal Vampires embraced it, en masse, propping themselves up as leaders of small and large Vampire clans, promoting a new Vampire way, one of torturing and kidnapping humans for blood and in 267 B.C. the tensions between many Royals and their other Higher Vampires reached a head when the Vorvolaka Evadne was assaulted and overpowered by a clan of Vampires led by a Royal named Pandion. Evadne was subsequently raped and killed by beheading. Within a year the first large scale Inter-Vampire war was underway that ended in a decisive victory by Royals - ending the conflict and setting the Vampires as a species en route to being the Dark, Demon-like and terrifying species with a culture of gothic death that surrounds them by the Medieval age.

Lesser Vampires began to pop up around the 1 AD mark, largely due to consistent dwindling bloodlines and weakening resolve. Lesser Vampires were embraced similarly as Middle Vampires, however less respected. Often times only viewed as Canon Fodder. Due to the uniqueness of each Lesser Vampire species and most Middle Vampire species, its very common for variations in the species to exist as each species is formed due to unique circumstances, and thus many Lesser Vampires and some Middle Vampire species are native to specific regions where they thrive.

Culture
Vampire Culture truly became unique by the early medieval ages, spearheaded by Royal ruthless appreciation of all things related to death and a Transylvanian aesthetic of dark and gothic cathedral. By the dark ages, Vampires had formed their own truly unique culture and way of doing things. Vampire laws and customs are very heavily influenced by Royal doctrine which often puts Royals as the ultimate leadership among a series of clans or region. Laws put a high emphasis on dominance and power, rather than cooperation.

Higher Vampires
The name says all, Higher Vampires are the ultimate top. They are the first species of Vampires to originate and therefore the strongest in terms of sheer physical, mental and psionic strength.