Vampires
The existence of Vampires in Realmgard is not disputed — except perhaps by particularly stubborn or eccentric contrarians. However, few people in Realmgard will ever knowingly cross paths with a Vampire.
The origins of the first Vampires are unclear, heavily mythologised and the subject of much debate. It is generally accepted to be the result of magic and has been compared to be similar to the origins of the Wilderlings, with ancient wizards using magic so heavily that it altered their bodies permanently and came to be passed on to their descendants.
Due to being the object of fear, scorn, and suspicion, Vampires tend to prefer isolation and seclusion. Nevertheless, known Vampires are commonly blamed for whatever misfortunes may befall the local community.
Despite the Vampires’ reputation, most Vampires prefer peaceful coexistence with their neighbours and it is not uncommon for rogue Vampires to be hunted by other Vampires out of self-preservation — one Vampire seen as a threat often leads to all Vampires being seen as a threat.
As such, while Vampires do indeed need to sustain themselves with blood, most Vampires in Realmgard actually use magical and alchemical substitutes rather than preying on Humans. Again, this is largely a matter of self-preservation and keeping a low profile to avoid reprisal from local community.
Some individual Vampires have been able to gain enough trust in their local communities to live openly and even become pillars and leaders of those communities.
The exact nature and limits of Vampiric powers are not well-documented. While it is agreed that Vampires are largely superhuman, there have been few exhaustive studies, largely due to the Vampires themselves not being willing subjects.
I’ve basically established that there are Vampires in Realmgard. Again, it’s partly the result of my dislike for universally evil races — but also the humour of the incongruity — that has me establishing that Realmgard’s Vampires are pretty friendly.
I haven’t given much thought to what exactly Realmgard Vampires can do, though I do want them to be able to turn into bats — largely so I can use the phrase “turn into bats”…
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