Vampyr

'''Vampires or vampyr are a type of undead known to drink blood. The cursed affliction associated with vampires is often referred to as vampirism, though some have also called it a blood curse.'''

Nathrezim
'''Though not technically vampires, the Nathrezim are very similar to vampires in their abilities and characteristics, with the later creation of the San'layn possibly even being inspired by their role in the Scourge. Nathrezim have been witnessed dominating the minds of the weak-willed and possessing a vampiric aura capable of leeching life force from their foes.'''

San'layn
Up until the third invasion of the Burning Legion on Azeroth, knowledge of vampyr was mostly limited to the San'layn.

'''After the defeat of Illidan's Forces at the base of the Icecrown Glacier, many of the Blood Elves who served under Prince Kael'thas were risen into the San'layn. As a mockery of their new name - Blood Elves - they were raised into vampirism. Within the ranks of the Scourge, the San'layn fulfilled a similar role to the Nathrezim in overseeing Scourge operations, as well as infiltration to sabotage enemy societies and leadership.'''

Scholomance
'''Though his form was comparable to a gargoyle, Kirtonos the Herald was, for all intents and purposes, a vampyr. Long ago, he became the master of Scholomance's Doctor Theolen Krastinov. Responsible for many of the atrocities during Krastinov's rule over Scholomance, Kirtonos fed on the blood of his innocent victims. To appease his master, Doctor Krastinov had to provide the gargoyle with more and more blood.'''

Kirtonos was known to be capable of shifting into the form of a vampyr at will.

Stormheim
'''Blood-Thane Lucard, a vrykul vampyr, was discovered by Sir Finley Mrrgglton in Dreyrgrot in Stormheim. His state was specifically compared to the San'layn by Mrrgglton, who had long suspected that some vrykul had also been cursed like the blood elves.'''

'''The Red Blade fleet of human pirates found the tomb of Lucard, who upon being woken up seeped out a mist from the ancient ruins, transforming the pirates into blood-crazed vampires. Sir Finley gave an order champion a sharp wooden stake to stab Lucard through the heart, but it turned out to be ineffective. This ancient vampyr was killed, though Mrrgglton had his doubts as to whether vampyr can truly die.'''

'Info largely adapted fromWowpedia. Any additions on this article that cannot be found on the Wowpedia page are fanon additions.'

Fanon
'Disclaimer: This section pertains to info that has not been confirmed or observed in lore, largely based on ideas explored in other people's roleplay and speculation based on what we have seen. Nothing here is official and does not need to be acknowledged as such. Everyone is more than welcome to contribute their ideas, but please do not blur the lines between canon and fanon.'

Curse
'''Details of the curse that afflicts vampires continue to be an unknown, for the most part. The origin of vampirism is unclear, though like most necromantic creations it is unlikely to be a natural phenomenon. Possible sources could include practices of necromancy and blood magic, ancient Vrykul, or even demons.'''

'''Vampires, as undead, exist through the use of necromancy and blood magic. The oldest known vampire to have been observed is Blood-Thane Lucard, a Vrykul, suggesting that the Vrykul may have their own history with vampirism that predates the San’layn by possibly hundreds or even thousands of years.'''

'''Though vampirism does not begin with the Scourge, many of the Scourge’s unique qualities and capabilities stem from their origin with the Burning Legion. Eredar warlocks and the Nathrezim were witnessed raising the dead as far back as the War of the Ancients, and vampires often develop in such a way that they become reminiscent of the Nathrezim. Between the Legion’s first appearance and the present day, there is some possibility that vampirism was planted in the world by demons.'''

'''Another subject that is generally unknown is a vampire’s ability to transfer the curse to another. It is unknown if this is contingent upon a vampire’s power or age, or if simply any vampire can create another. Among the San’layn, however, individuals known as “blood royals” are typically only created by other blood royals, if not the Lich King himself.'''

Characteristics
'''Vampires are undead, and most immediately share many characteristics that undead do, such as pale appearance. However, vampires rarely decompose as the life essence they consume sustains them and keeps their body intact. If starved, however, a vampire may become withered and gaunt.'''

'''The curse of vampirism changes the victim on a physiological level, beginning with the most expected change of vampiric fangs. Sometimes this occurs with the canines extending beyond their natural length and becoming sharper, though some have also developed teeth akin to vampire bats, with their incisors changing instead. Many vampires may also experience elongating of the nails to form into durable claws. These changes may be accompanied by a dramatic change in eye color, such as red, white, yellow, green, blue or black.'''

'''Possessing a distinct affinity towards bats, some of the bodily changes a vampire experiences may result in their appearance becoming progressively similar to a bat, oftentimes with the ears or the nose. Ears may become wide and pointed (or simply widened among Thalassian elves), and the nose may become flattened. Powerful vampires may even develop wings, as observed with Blood Queen Lana'thel.'''

Strengths and Weaknesses
'''Strengths: As undead, the standard strengths and weaknesses of undeath apply, such as a weakness to the Holy Light, yet an inability to physically tire and remarkable durability. Vampires are predators of life, and are naturally attuned to seek it out. A vampire may experience increased sensitivity to their senses of hearing and smell, being able to detect heartbeats and the scent of blood. They may also develop unimpeded vision in the night. In some cases, a vampire may also possess a natural affinity for blood magic.'''

'''Weaknesses: Despite what common myths may suggest, many alleged vampire weaknesses are false. Garlic and sunlight are unlikely to affect a vampire, they typically possess reflections, and a stake is not a guaranteed means of killing a vampire. The major weakness a vampire may face comes from the Holy Light and anything affected by it, including blessed items such as holy water.'''

'''In some cases it is also possible to "poison" the vampire's blood supply with magics that are either incompatible with their affliction or tamper with the life essence within. An individual who heavily uses the Light may inadvertently cause their blood to become painful to consume. Heavy Fel corruption - due to Fel magic naturally consuming life - will foul the life essence within blood and possibly make it toxic. Old blood can also poison a vampire if it has effectively rotted and lost the life essence that it bears.'''

Abilities
'''Enthralling: Also considered compulsion or geas, enthrallment refers to a vampire placing a victim under a magical form of subjugation that binds them to the vampire's will, making them obedient and effectively a slave. It is not a means of mind control, but rather an implanted compulsion for the victim to obey their master. They may experience euphoria or heightened suggestibility. Enthrallment is ultimately a contest of wills, for it lasts only as long as the vampire's will can allow, and a strong-willed individual can potentially break free. The most notable presumed usage of enthrallment has been Prince Valanar's capture of Leryssa and General Arlos.'''

'''Blood-Craze: More a side effect of a failed action than an ability, inducing a blood-craze is the result of a failed transference of essence required to create a vampire. Whether it be due to insufficient essence transferred or a failure for it to take root, the essence does not fester to convert the victim, but instead drives them into an uncontrollable thirst for blood that will pass with enough given time.'''

Shapeshifting: Though it is unclear as to what the full extent of vampire shapeshifting is, Kirtonos the Herald was capable of shifting into a different form at will.

Turning
Though the process of cursing a victim with vampirism and their transition into becoming a vampire has rarely been observed, there have been various ways for vampires to be created.
 * Bites: A vampire bite in itself has no guarantee to turn an individual, however in some cases vampires have been created through little more than a bite. Most notably, Blood Queen Lana'thel and her daughter Thal'ena have accomplished this feat before. Logistically, this involves a transference of essence, like an infection, that will ultimately drive them into a frenzied bloodthirst that must be quickly sated. If left unattended, the victim will lose their mind in the hunger.
 * Raising: The San'layn were created by the Lich King following the Blood Elves' defeat at Icecrown Glacier. It is likely that they were dead for some period of time even before being raised as San'layn, and that creating a San'layn or a vampire does not require the victim to be alive or very recently deceased. That said, this was also a feat accomplished by the Lich King, it is unknown if this is achievable by others.
 * Rituals: Among San'layn there are some who have undergone rituals to be converted, with the results almost instantaneously turning them afterwards, rather than anything progressive.
 * Mist: The exact properties of this mist are unknown, however the mist that Blood-Thane Lucard exuded in Stormheim was able to convert humans into vampires. It is unknown if the change was progressive or instantaneous.

Feeding
'''One of the most well-known elements of vampirism is the individual’s need to consume blood. Oftentimes the hunger for blood is not at all comparable to a living individual’s hunger for sustenance, as a vampire’s bloodthirst quickly becomes violent in nature and causes intense pain and madness when left unattended. It does not need to be sated as regularly as a living person’s hunger, as some vampires can feed only once a day, or go days before needing to feed.'''

'''The most common means of feeding for vampires uses the fangs that develop from their affliction, biting down and piercing the skin to cause blood to flow, which is immediately consumed. Vampires are often expected to feed from the neck, and this is sometimes true, as a hungry vampire may be tempted to targets areas with greater blood flow. This is liable to kill the victim.'''

'''If a vampire wishes to spare their victim, however, they can feed from areas where there is more muscle, with a lesser likelihood of causing lethal damage to their prey. It is also possible to create a safe incision on the body where blood flow will not be lethal, and feed from that. Blood can also be stored in items such as cups or vials, and consumed immediately or later.'''

'''Some vampires, such as the San’layn, have also developed a technique of feeding with the use of blood magic to essentially siphon blood from a source into their body. Oftentimes this involves the use of blood orbs, though blood can be siphoned forcibly from the body to deadly effect.'''

'''Vampires are prone to hunting sentient individuals such as humanoids. Though it is possible to feed on the blood of animals, it is rarely ever enough to sustain a vampire, and may not be satisfying to consume.'''

Views on Vampirism
Vampires are almost universally regarded as monstrous in nature, due to their unnatural thirst for blood and a tendency to prey on people. For this reason, many civilizations will treat vampires in contempt, sometimes casting them out if not killing them on sight. Many cultures have created stories of vampires - some true, some based in fiction - that typically portray them as irredeemable monsters who pose a dangerous threat to society. Furthermore, the San’layn, the most well-known form of vampire in the present day, have a history with the Scourge that has tainted the reputation of vampires even further.

'''It is difficult for a vampire to ever truly coexist with the living in society. Unless they are hidden, they will likely face intense discrimination and become a target for harassment, and are liable to be murdered. Therefore, it is most optimal for a vampire to conceal themselves rather than attempt to be public about their true selves.'''

'''Vampires, as a people, have made very few attempts to integrate with society. Typically, a vampire existing within a civilization is either doing so as an individual or part of a very small group. Currently, the only observed instance of vampires attempting to find a place within society was Prince Dreven and his San’layn seeking to join the Horde, however this attempt ultimately failed. Few factions in the world accept vampires, and those that do are typically not explicit on the matter.'''