Vampire

Vampires are beings that live on Earth. They possess immense magical and physical capabilities, and are nearly unmatched craftsmen and forgers. Their weapons and armour usually have great powers. They also possess great intelligence, being able to grasp concepts and technologies that the humans of Lafita would have assumed to be witchcraft or impossibilities.

Vampires
Vampires look exactly like humans, but their skin is pale (with the most powerful, it even glows a pale green in the dark). Their canines have small grooves in them to carry the vampire infection, but their molars and incisors do not have the grooves - meaning an individual will not gain vampirism if bitten by those teeth. The canines also grow faster than the rest of the teeth. The males also have no bodily hair, with the exception of head hair and beards. It was noted by Oliver that they take much longer to grow than humans'. Another intriguing thing about vampire beards is that they grow throughout the vampire's lifetime - meaning even the toddlers can have them, if they are not cut. However, this is a rare sight, as most parents shave their children. Otherwise, they externally look no different to human, except that they are far more graceful and athletic than most humans (Sir Jake noted that Scorpio would easily be able to keep up with a vampire, and probably even best one in hand-to-hand combat - though only if the vampire didn't use super strength or super speed).

Rogue Vampires
They look humanoid, but otherwise they look incredibly different to regular vampires. Their skin is pale yellow or green, with no obvious reason why an individual will be one of the two. Their ears are long and pointed at the end. Their fangs are far longer than regular vampires' - regular vampires wear away at their teeth to keep them a reasonable length, but rogues never (or rarely) do, leading to their teeth becoming very long. Some rogues are even unable to completely close their mouths, due to their fangs reaching a length at which they could be considered tusks. Their noses are also hooked at the ends.

Due to their

Vampires
Vampires all live in families - like humans - and all follow a royal family - also like humans. There are many social classes. These are all mentioned below.

Rogue Vampires
Unlike the "normal" vampires, "rogue" vampires - due to the harsh conditions they chose to live in - were usually far less organised when working in groups, and could be easily provoked into fighting and attacking one-another over prey that they found. In this respect, rogues also seemed to normally hunt alone and only work together in groups and packs when they shared a common target. Some would live in packs as wolves, rarely changing into their humanoid forms. However, they would sometimes form a basic society around a clan leader, which are explained thoroughly below.

Vampires
Vampires can use a variety of techniques and abilities in combat situations, as well as others. They are all listed below.

Metamorphism
Vampires can voluntarily transform into either a wolf (with their fur matching their hair colour and sometimes even clothes. The Seventh Vampire King, for example, has red patches in his fur that match the colour of his royal robes.Jake was shown to be blonde and black.), a bat, or a black shark.

Immortality
Vampires age incredibly slowly, and it is possible that they do indeed live forever (unless killed), as Jake Steelbeak is over 13.8 billion years old in Age of Evil - older than any other vampire there has ever been.

Strength
Vampires can use super strength at will. The First Vampire King was even shown in a vampire tapestry to throw a mountain at an approaching armada, and Jake once threw a galaxy at Anatic.

Speed
Vampires can move at very fast speeds, often appearing as blurs of colour to those who see them, vampire or not.

Hearing
Vampires can alternate between regular and super-sonic hearing. When using super-sonic hearing, they are extremely vulnerable to loud noises - causing them to feel agony and even go temporarily deaf, depending on the volume of the noise. This was shown in Age of Evil when Jake was listening out for Bluebird. The latter then fired a gunshot into the air, causing enormous pain for Jake.

Hypnosis
All vampires can hypnotise other vampires, as well as non-vampires. The trance can only be broken by a sudden shock, eg: being punched, being kissed, very brief exposure to sunlight to cause pain, etc

Anti-gravitational Walking
All vampires have the ability to temporarily shift their 'centre of gravity', leaving them able to walk, sit, and run perfectly normally on ceilings and vertical surfaces. Most vampire mothers consider this power, along with teleporting, one of the most annoying for a young baby to have, due to how hard it makes them to find.

Fire Control
Vampires all have an extraordinary influence over fire. They can make it into shapes, and even cause spontaneous combustion of objects. They can also light candles by touching the wick of it with a fingertip. Almost all vampires are invulnerable to explosions and flames. Vampire battle armour and robes also share this invulnerability.

Teleportation
All vampires can, even in childhood, teleport. This has a very short range, however, and so it is mostly used in a leisurely way, or to escape from combat scenarios. No-one knows what the range is for a teleport journey, but Jake told Scorpio in Age of Evil the furthest he had ever managed to teleport at a time was ten miles, which is much further than the average vampire. Most vampire mothers consider this power, along with anti-gravitational walking, one of the most annoying for a young baby to have, due to how hard it makes them to find.

Telepathy
Vampires can communicate telepathically. This ability is available to all known vampires, other than rogues. Like mobile phone numbers, vampires can give away their telepathic frequency to others. However, intense meditation together is required for one vampire to pass his or her frequency to another. Some non-vampire beings are known to have telepathy. Blood-Eye Bones, Anatic, and Sir Jake could all telepathically communicate with vampires. Scorpio can also telepathically communicate with Jake, though through sending wireless signals via implant in a similar fashion. However, most vampires do not consider his technological substitute 'true' telepathy.

Size Increase
Only the First Vampire King was known to use this technique. As the name implies, the user is swollen to a tremendous size. Clothes and weapons are increased in size also. The First Vampire King was known to use this to great effect in battles.

Shielding
Vampires can create invisible force-fields around themselves, which are invulnerable to most magical and vampiric attacks. These shields can be enlarged or shrunk to any size. However, the more powerful are the smallest.

Gliding
The First Vampire King realised long ago that by temporarily emptying out his bones, he could glide in a similar fashion to pterosaurs and some birds - which have hollow bones. Since then, a select few vampires have mastered this discipline. However, very few vampires are willing to attempt it, as it results in incredible internal agony for those who use. Jake Steelbeak used it several times in Age of Evil, on one occassion even using it to chase The Raptor in a gliding chase.

Flight
Very experienced vampires can even fly by using telekinesis to shift objects around them. Some vampires move their own bodies around, some move the air around them to push them. This ability is technically not individual, but in reality an extension of telekinesis - so not many count this as an actual vampiric ability. The power of flight requires extreme concentration, so not many can master it. Extreme pain, extreme emotion, or exposure to sunlight can disrupt the concentration, and the flyer will fall to the ground.

Scream
Vampires - as well as a regular scream - can produce a barrage of sonic energy. This sound can shatter glass, deafen adversaries, and even crack rock. As well as destruction, the sheer force of the sound wave can occassionally even send opponents flying backwards. It can be heard from as far away as several light-years, depending on the power of the scream and the power of the vampire. Jake was once one-shot teleported to a distant planet (before he was aware he could survive in space), and he escaped by using his vampiric scream to attract a passing ship's sensors.

Telekinesis
Experienced vampires can use the power of telekinesis to move objects without touching them, but with simply a hand gesture. Some vampires, such as Jake, do not even need to use a hand gesture - leaving them free to use both hands. This makes telekinesis a potent combat maneuver, as the vampire wielding it can send telekinetically send objects flying towards their opponent as a distraction technique whilst the vampire themself is free to attack the opponent. Jake was shown in the first two Scorpio games - as well as various battles and duels throughout his life - to be incredibly powerful at telekinesis, able to send even vehicles and buildings flying. Once he even threw an entire galaxy!

Water-sinking
Vampires can - if they wish - sink to the bottom of deep water bodies. This is often used as an effective hunting and combat tactic. Jake has never done this - though he is fully capable - due to his extreme hydrophobia. Vampires can also walk on top of water.

Smoking
A common vampire ability is to turn oneself into a large amount of black and grey smoke. It is often used to escape traps, scenarios that would lead to their demise, or heavy combat. 'Smoked' vampires can survive in direct sunlight, but only for as long as they remain 'smoked'.

Possession
A very effective - and almost unstoppable - force in combat and spying is the ability to possess a victim. The victim is afterwards left with no memory of what happened whilst inhabited. It was demonstrated that any number of vampires can possess other vampires, as shown when Jake Steelbeak and Oliver together both possessed the Seventh Vampire King.

However, it does lead to multiple-personality disorder for as long as they are possessed (the multiple personalities being, of course, the multiple vampire souls inhabiting the body). Brief periods of M-PD only occur if a vampire possesses another vampire. Also, when there are multiple vampires inhabiting a body, their voices will turn into that of the body they are in (i.e.: if Vampire A possesses Vampire B, both vampires will sound like Vampire B). The vampire possessing the body will be able to use any abilities they have that the host does not. For example, an vampire inside a humans body will be able to make use of any vampiric abilities it can use (since some abilities require extreme training, patience, power, or age - so not many vampires can use all vampiric abilities).

Another interesting fact about possession is that when a vampire possesses a creature, they gain all of the abilities and weaknesses of that host. For example: if Jake possessed Scorpio, Jake would gain Scorpio's intricate knowledge of computers, and would be able to survive. However, he would have no superpowers (other than vampiric abilities). However, since vampire souls possess the brain, it is unknown if a vampire could possess Scorpio, since his brain is missing a large section - replaced with the implant.

The Black
This was created by the first Vampire King as a technique that "could end a battle before the battle began". It has been named The Black because of its appearance. it takes the form of a huge, rippling, crescent-shaped black wave of death energy, able to cut through very nearly anything and resulting in huge explosions of purple and black flame. As it gets further away from its caster, it increases in size until it collides with a solid object. The Black does have other negative effects - it drains the user of energy, health, and even vampiric abilities for a brief period. It was only ever show to be used by the First Vampire King and Jake Steelbeak. It was shown that invulnerables such as Anatic are vulnerable to it. However, Blood-Eye Bones was not, as he conjured a hellfire protection globe, which reduced the wave to ash. Due to its incredibly destructive nature on the local environment and upon the user, it is very rarely used by Jake in combat.

Silent Walking
Most older and experienced vampires can walk and run completely silently if they so desire. It is unknown exactly how they do this. It has been shown that Scorpio, Bluebird, Anatic, Blood-Eye Bones, and the Seventh Vampire King can all hear those who are walking silently.

Agility
Vampires are usually incredibly acrobatic, meaning that even without other fighting maneuvers they usually win their battles, unless against a very experienced opponent or a less acrobatic vampire. However, lots of training is required in order to gain such agility.

Cloning
Vampires cannot technically clone themselves without sufficient technology (which they do not possess), but they can create copies of themselves. These copies exist for an hour, after which they spontaneously combust. These copies are capable of feeling both emotion and physical pain, but possess no vampiric abilities of their own (other than those in vampire swords, if they are given one). They are not technically a vampiric discipline, but require creation through a mystic ritual that not many know. Details are given below. They are created with the clothes of who they are 'clones' of. The clothes are whatever they-are-'cloned'-from is wearing at the time of the ritual taking place. The Seventh Vampire King used them to great effect during his duels against Jake Steelbeak and Venlom.

Rogue Vampires
Most rogues are blind. These rogues work by echo-location, and are incredibly sensitive to sound - even being able to detect Scorpio's heart beating next to a waterfall in the Caves of Kor. This scene implies that they can temporarily prevent themselves from hearing certain sounds in order to better focus on other ones. They are also mildly stronger and faster than regular vampires. Jenny stated in New Blood that only a very small number of rogues can metamorph. Even fewer possess vampiric abilities such as 'smoking' and super speed.

Conversion
Vampires can turn humans, fae, meta-morphs, and most other humanoid species into vampires with a bite to the wrist, throat, or any other area of the body with a major link to the bloodstream. Traditionally vampires bite the throat - as the throat is a major part of the breathing process, so it is seen as somewhat symbolic to bite the throat.

Carbon Dioxide Conversion
All vampires breathe in CO2, and breath out fresh oxygen - like trees. They have been known to breath oxygen through a special form of meditation if there is no CO2 available.

Vampires
Vampires are almost unrivaled masters of sorcery and witchcraft.

Rouge Vampires
Rogue Vampires never use magic. They only use their skills at savagery.

Civilian
Civilians are the vampires with the least physical, magical, or authoritarian power. Civilians still drink Black Life when they become of age, but since they receive no training they are only able to access one or two of the potential abilities it grants them.

Vampire's Guard
The Vampire's Guard was a protective organization founded by the fourth Vampire King, Perin Joesan.

Perin the Enforcer decided that Rankorak's people needed protection from their many enemies. Perin did not posess his great-grandfather's power and ruthlessness, but he had too many enemies to simply stay peaceful like his father and grandfather, Johan and Dai respectively.

Perin the Enforcer - as his title would suggest - therefore commited himself to the defence of Rankorak, its people, and its secrets. His great-great-grandson Shinji Donaharu would later follow in his footsteps. The enhancements Perin made to Rankorak's security included Rankorak's outer wall and the formation of the Vampires Guard. During the reign of Darkrodae Rornkray, an apostrophe was added to signify the fact it was made more to protect Darkrodae himself than Rankorak.

Members of the Vampire's Guard would wear Vampirium armour covering their arms, shoulders, and legs. Under this, they would wear Vampirium chainmail. Most members also were given cloaks in the colour of the current monarch's court (eg: emerald green during the reign of Johan Luten) and a Vampirium weapon, if they didn't already have one from previous combat-related services (such as bodyguard or military duty). Unlike those of soldiers or bodyguards, the weapons of the Guard's members were not enchanted to cut through (most) metals and other tough materials.

On a full set of VG armour, the seal of the current King was engraved on the kneepads, right shoulder cop, the cloak, and the back of the gauntlets. Perin's crest was left on the left shoulder cop, even throughout later reissues of the design.

The Vampire Army
The Vampire Army are the main military force of Rankorak.

Soldiers' weapons, armour, horse armour, and sunlight masks are all Vampirium. Their weapons are given special enchantments that make them capable of cutting through almost any solid object, with the exception of Dark Matter, other Vampirium weaponry with the same enchantments, and Ankan. Their armour is also enchanted with a serious of complex and incredibly difficult spells, which make it change to the appropriate shape and size for animal forms - should a soldier transform into one of those three forms.

Pack/Clan members
The members of the packs/clans were not divided into seperate ranks, as with their civilized cousins, but rather lived equally under one leader. The "pecking order" the oldest went before the middle-aged, then the middle-aged, and then the young.

Pack/Clan leaders
Pack or Clan leaders usually wore basic clothing (as opposed to their fellow, who were either bare naked or wore the most incredibly basic of undergarments eg: loincloth) and decorated themselves with bones and dried meat.

Most leaders also carried staffs as tall as themselves, made of wood and decorated with bones of personally slaughtered enemies. These were symbols of power and respect, and to break one intentionally was seen as the most unforgivable of insults towards a leader, often inviting a one-on-one duel against the leader. Challengers were often known to break the staffs as a sign of superiority.

One Tarrannian pack leader wore the face of the former leader as a mask to simultaneously intimidate and impress.

The leaders would always come first in the group's "pecking order", then the oldest - eventually leading down to the youngest, who got the scraps (if any).