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Vampir are fork-tongued, blood-drinking ab-dead humanoids whose abilities are conferred by a bacterial disease. The condition is also known as Photophobic haemophagy (lit. "light-fearing blood-eater").

Description[]

Vampir possess superhuman strength and speed, as well as healing, night vision and enhanced hearing, but are highly vulnerable to sunlight. Exposure to sunlight does not instantly turn them to ash, but weakens them and causes them sustain severe burns.

Vampir are notable for their pale skin, long, serpentine tongues, and of course, their fangs. Unlike humans, vampir do not age. It is not known if xenians can contract the disease.

Transmission[]

Vampirism is transmitted by a specific strain of bacteria which is very sensitive to environmental conditions and only carried in spit. It usually takes numerous repeated direct feedings by a vampir to cause an infection. Once the infection begins, the victim suffers from fevers and delirium over the course of a week. If they survive the week the victim will still die, but will be renewed as a vampir, with changed physiology.

Cultures[]

New Crobuzon[]

Vampire are a source of terror for most humans, such as citizens of New Crobuzon, where the vampir resort to darker and stealthier methods of obtaining their nutrition. One known vampire was a well-known factory owner, Andrew St. Kader, in East Gidd, who had kept his condition secret by preying on prostitutes prior to himself being preyed upon by a slake moth.

High Cromlech[]

In High Cromlech, vampir are considered the lowest of the low. The vast majority of High Cromlech's vampir population lives in shantytowns. The vampir are notorious for coming out at night to beg on the streets for blood from the living.

Armada[]

In Armada's Dry Fall riding, the vampir are much more well-received. The Brucolac and his small council of vampir impose a relatively harmless blood-tax on their surprisingly loyal citizens.

Despite the open reception of vampir in Dry Fall, at the time of The Scar the Brucolac had secretly built up the number of vampir, composed of "men and women and androgynous youths" who hide their true natures from the rest of Armada, as part of his plan to oppose The Lovers. Despite the Brucolac's preparations, during his uprising in 1780, many of his vampir are killed and the rest driven into hiding before a truce is reached after The Lover's exile. After the truce, the status of the vampir seems to have returned to status quo ante bellum.

Notes[]

See also[]


Significant races
Xenians

Anophelii · Cactacae · Cray · Grindylow · Hotchi · Khepri · Llorgiss · Scabmettler · Vodyanoi · Hotchi · Hotchi ·

Ab-dead

Thanati · Vampir

Other races

Abnatural · Humans · Constructs · Dolphin · Handlinger · Menfish · Stiltspear · Strider · Wyrmen

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