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A Vampire is a preternatural being, commonly believed to be a reanimated corpse, that is said to suck the blood of sleeping persons at night. Vampires of The Elder Scrolls derive themselves from real-life lore, with many myths and characteristics expanded upon and/or exaggerated. In summary, the vampires of Tamriel are undead, diseased persons who possess dark gifts that lead to them being hated, hunted, and misunderstood by the living. Whether they consider themselves cursed or blessed, or whether they have given into their animalistic instincts or have sought to rid the world of the disease, vampires are nonetheless considered abominations.

Characteristics

The true nature of Vampires has only been revealed by those proficient in the subject or who have fallen victim to the disease and have made their affliction known through documentation. What is known through writings is that vampires look distinctly different from unaffected persons; their faces are unusually pale, teeth sharp, and vampires who haven't fed have their eyes ablaze with hunger. Vampires are unable to age, but that does not make them immortal or impervious to death; a vampire may be killed, but only by a violent end. Vampires who have been living for long periods of time, becoming ever more powerful in their old age, are commonly called "ancients". A vampire's skin is extremely susceptible to sunlight and flame, enough so that contact with it burns the skin. Another aspect of vampires is the dust that is produced when they die, which can be used as an alchemical ingredient. It is unknown from documents what the dust consists of, or what causes it; though, because of the skin's ability to burn under sunlight, the dust might actually be an ash that results from burning of vampire skin. It's more likely however that the skin and internal organs in a vampire are so dry and withered that it turns to dust once a vampire dies; this seems to be the more accurate cause as documents describe vampires being turned to dust without being slain by flame. A vampire's undeath seems to affect its holiness, or some aspect of it; a report states that entering places of worship pains a vampire. Arguably, the most distinguishing characteristic of vampires is their unnatural need for blood to satisfy a seemingly unsatisfiable hunger; blood may not be needed to stay "alive", but doing without it can cause a vampire to become extremely weak and rabid. Blood also allows a vampire to maintain a more humanlike appearance, aiding those that conceal their nature among the living. This bloodlust also serves as a means for transmitting vampirism: if a vampire's bite leaves it's victim alive after a feeding, the disease can infect the victim. Blood itself may not be needed to keep a vampire healthy; it is suggested that vampires are able to drain a warmblooded creature's "life force" to replenish their own. This could pertain to the vampire's state of being undead, and needing the very essence of life of one who lives to stay healthy.

The Opusculus Lamae Bal ta Mezzamortie tells of how the vampire race came about, owing its creation to the Daedric Prince Molag Bal. The tale goes that Molag Bal thought of the Aeadra Arkay as prideful of his dominion over the spheres of death among men and mer, and so sought to overcome death by traveling to a still newly formed Tamriel. There, he brutally raped the Nedic woman Lamae Beolfag and departed Nirn. Lamae was found and nursed by nomads, but death eventually overtook her. On the night of her cremation, she rose again, and killed the nomads. Wreaking havoc across Tamriel, the undead she created became vampires. This account has variations in Temple doctrine, such as Molag Bal spawning the first vampire from a defeated foe, such as a Daedra Lord, a Temple Saint, or a "powerful beast creature".

Vampirism

Vampirism, also known as Porphyric Hemophilia, is described as a disease, although one that is little understood. Contraction consists of vampire caused wounds, usually in the form of bites and scratches, or even magic; however, since few survive attacks from a vampire, the actual contraction process is misunderstood. The actual disease during its 72 hours incubation phase (although another report claims the phase can occur from two to four days) exhibits no symptoms, although those afflicted may experience nightmares and insomnia, and can be cured like any other ailment. Once Porphyric Hemophilia has fully spread and symptoms start to appear, the disease is said to be "incurable".

The symptoms have been described as thus: the disease causes one to "die", making a vampire, in a sense, undead. After this death, the victim is a vampire, the result being immune to diseases and becoming unable to age biologically. It's skin becomes pale and dry, it's teeth sharpens, and the victim gains an insatiable hunger for blood (or life force, as stated above), which is needed to maintain it's strength and heal itself. This hunger is not limited to human blood, as the blood of creatures may satisfy the craving, though it seems the blood must be obtained from a warm-blooded one. The vampire gains abilities such as enhanced strength, agility, and speed, though exact abilities are determined by the type of vampire that infected it. This suggests that different strains of the disease exists.

Although a vampire spreading its disease to another can be seen as "reproduction", vampires have been documented to be able to have children with living partners through intercourse. The one report of this occurrence, in the Journal of the Lord Lovidicus, in which a vampire Imperial impregnated an Orc woman, resulted in a male Orc child being born, but it is unknown if the child inherited the disease or any part of it.

The disease is thought to be incurable by the Dunmer of Morrowind; however, a Buoyant Armiger named Galur Rithari claimed that he was cured of the disease. In his papers, the Armiger states that while he was a vampire, he undertook a task from Molag Bal at a shrine, and after the completion of the quest he was cured of vampirism. Rithari later disavowed his claim under threat from the Tribunal Temple. This account is supported by another task Molag Bal had given to a person wanting to rid themselves of vampirism; at the completion of this task, the Daedric Prince acquired the cure from Vaermina. This suggests that Vaermina is somehow connected with vampirism also, which would fit into her sphere of evil omens. Another report from a supposedly cured vampire also suggests that curing the disease is possible, although it gives no clues as to how. A similar mention of the cure lies within the journal of a Crimson Scar, wherein a mysterious ingredient called Purgeblood Salts is referenced; the journal hints that bathing in the salts releases its effects. The witches of the Iliac Bay seem to have created a cure for vampirism, so much so that their cure has caught the attention of the Mages Guild; this is further evidenced by Melisande, a witch of Glenmoril that has created a cure for vampirism. The cure is a potion, consisting of six cloves of garlic, two shoots of bloodgrass, five leaves of nightshade, the blood of an Argonian, and the ashes of a powerful vampire; these same ingredients were used to cure Count Skingrad's comatose wife, Rona Hassildor, of her vampirism.

In Tamrielic Culture

The violent nature of most vampires and their unethical abilities and needs lead to them being considered abominations in Tamrielic lore. This is very apparent in Morrowind, where vampires are held to the same hatred as necromancers. The Tribunal Temple has some control over the avialable knowledge of vampires, but cannot keep it completely unknown. In the past, Ordinators and Buoyant Armigers were in charge of eradicating vampires, leading to their supposed extinction. There seems to be a discreet hunting order in western Tamriel, comprised of healed vampires; any hunting orders that exist in the east are unknown.

Types and Clans

The vampires of Tamriel are commonly grouped by their territory and "bloodline". A vampire's bloodline is determined by the vampire who infected it, which in turn affects its abilities. Some vampires have created clans according to bloodline and territory. These clans normally consist of vampires of the same bloodline, or who share the same feeding grounds. Some clans are powerful enough to have established strongholds and captured "cattle": prisoners who they feed off of without turning them into vampires.

Black Marsh

The Whet-Fang vampires of Black Marsh are known to capture victims alive and keep them in a magicka-induced coma, allowing the vampires to extract blood at their own leisure.

The Order vampires of Cyrodiil believe the Whet-Fang vampires to show "signs of enlightenments", regarding them as more intelligent than the other "barbaric" tribes. For this reason, the Order considers them a possible threat to their dominance in Cyrodiil.

Cyrodiil

Only one known tribe exists in Cyrodiil; they are experts of concealment, their true name lost in history. Much like the Imperials, they ousted their competition. Indistinguishable from the living if well-fed, these Cyrodiilic Vampires are cultured and more civilized than vampires of other provinces, using their stealthy abilities to feed on the sleeping and unaware. Calling themselves the Order, they have made Cyrodiil their home as of the Third Era, and in accordance with their strict tenets, these vampires follow the Daedric Princes Molag Bal and Clavicus Vile.

High Rock

The Glenmoril Wyrd vampires live in the Breton cities of High Rock, though no information about their abilities or feeding habits is known. It is known, however, that they are one of tribes considered more intelligent by the Order vampires of Cyrodiil; possibly implying that, like the Order, they live disguised among the normal population as stealthy manipulators.

Iliac Bay

The Iliac Bay region hosts nine bloodlines of vampires, each with their own special abilities: the Anthotis, Garlythi, Haarvenu, Khulari, Lyrezi, Montalion, Selenu, Thrafey, and Vraseth. The clans inhabit their own regions, usually more than one, and a strong sense of rivalry is present with other clans.

Skyrim

The Volkihar vampires of eastern Skyrim live under haunted, frozen lakes and only leave their dens to feed. They have the power to freeze their victims with icy breath, and can reach through the ice of their frozen lake dens without breaking the ice.

Valenwood

In northern Valenwood, there are the Bonsamu vampires which are indistinguishable from normal Bosmer unless seen by candlelight, the Keelrlith who can disintegrate into mist, the Yekef who swallow men whole, and the Telboth who prey on children, take their place in the family, and eventually murder all of the family members.

Vvardenfell

The vampires of Vvardenfell are distinguished by three bloodlines, which differ in accordance to their "approach to prey". The Quarra are aggressive and fierce when it comes to hunting, while the Berne clan prefer a stealthier approach. The Aundae bloodline consist of vampiric mages, who use the dark powers associated with vampirism to entrap prey. These vampires not only have their own strongholds, but are also dispersed amongst the Daedric shrines and abandoned Dunmer and Dwemer strongholds. Ironically, these clans show great hostility to new-born vampires, considering them abominations as their living counterparts do.

Game Specific Vampires

Daggerfall

In Daggerfall, vampires group themselves according to bloodline. See the Daggerfall Vampirism page for more information

Morrowind

In Morrowind, they are grouped into clans. See the Morrowind Vampirism page for more information.

Oblivion

The vampires of Oblivion are documented on the Oblivion Vampirism page.

References

• Opusculus Lamae Bal ta Mezzamortie — Mabei Aywenil, Scribe
• For the vampire societies of Cyrodiil, eastern Skyrim, and northern Valenwood, see Immortal Blood.
• For the vampire bloodlines of Vvardenfell, and Dunmer antipathy, see Vampires of Vvardenfell, v I.