Vampire

Vampires

Status	Extant {{#if: Related Species\|
Related Species	Humans, Witch, Old One {{#if: Book(s)\|
Book(s)	The Original Series, The Return Series, The Hunters Series, The Salvation Series, The Evensong Series {{#if: Powers and Abilities\|
Powers and Abilities	Standard vampire powers and abilities (enhanced speed, enhanced strength, enhanced physical condition, enhanced senses, enhanced hearing, enhanced sight (or night vision), enhanced taste, enhanced touch, immortality (also known as eternal life, endless life, death immunity, or longevity), enhanced immunity, enhanced endurance, enhanced stamina, enhanced reflexes, enhanced durability, enhanced combat, eternal youth or delayed aging, mind control or mind compulsion, mind reading, enhanced agility, enhanced invulnerability, weather manipulation, regenerative healing factor (also known as enhanced healing, enhanced healing factor, healing factor and regeneration), aura reading, telepathy, dream manipulation, shapeshifting, self-sustenance, daytime walking, blood consumption, enhanced leap, fear inducement, enhanced bite or fangs, animal morphing, crow form, wolf form) {{#if: Weaknesses\|
Weaknesses	Wood, Sunlight, fire, magic, holy items, running water, veil matter
Distinction	Undead humans who feed on the blood of living beings
First Appearance	The Awakening
Last Appearance	Evensong: War Of Roses
Homeworld	Earth
Current Members	Stefan Salvatore, Damon Salvatore

Vampires are supernatural, undead, immortal beings that were once human, but were turned by another vampire. To survive, vampires need to feed from the blood of humans, and, in some cases, animals. Vampires are magically reanimated human corpses which are inhabited by the spirits of the deceased person and who closely resemble the living human they were before their transformation. Vampires feed and survive on the blood of the living, typically on that of humans, and they can also transform other humans into more of their kind. Vampires are one of the many known supernatural species in The Vampire Diaries universe.

History[]

The origin of the vampire race remains a mystery, but it is known that The Old Ones are the world's first vampires, as well as the most feared and powerful of all vampires in existence. They have never been human, and they have existed long before the pyramids were built. It is unknown when and how The Old Ones appeared, but Klaus says that his first memory is related to the Bronze Age (between 4500-3200 BC). In The Return series, vampires who are destroyed are sent to the Netherworld, a purgatory for vampires. Possibly this place and the Dark Dimension are related to the beginning of The Old Ones, as well as the vampire species in general. In the books, The Old Ones do not live or travel together; Klaus arrived alone to Fell's Church and participated in many major battles in history, but he mentioned that he is one of The Old Ones, the Originals, which confirmed that there are more of the species than just himself.

Creation[]

A human who has consumed vampire blood and has subsequently died with the blood in their system will be magically revived as an undead vampire, just like the vampire who sired them. The exact nature of the human's death is irrelevant to this process; the only condition that must be met is that the body has to be more-or-less intact and able to function once they reawaken in transition. Most fatal injuries, such as snapped necks, slit throats, stab wounds, and shattered bones from falls will be healed before the fledgling vampire awakens in transition. Furthermore, the person must be mortally wounded or ill to the point that conventional means cannot save their lives, otherwise the vampire blood in their system will only heal whatever non-fatal wounds or illness that the victim sustained prior to dying. However, in recent years, it has been discovered that there are several illnesses and conditions that cannot be cured by ingesting vampire blood, such as cancer and tuberculosis. In the case of tuberculosis, those who have the disease will not be healed by ingesting vampire blood, and if they die from the condition, they will be healed of the diseases effects and will awaken in transition. Those who die of cancer with vampire blood in their system will still have cancer even as a vampire, as the mutated cells will continue to rapidly multiply as a result of the vampire blood speeding up their regenerative capabilities. Following a human's mortal death after consuming vampire blood, the recently deceased will awaken in a state of transition. In order to complete the transition into a vampire, the person must then consume a significant amount of human blood, at least a sip's worth, within the next twenty-four hours, or else they will die. Vampires can only feed on human blood to complete their transition, though once they complete this process, they can then choose to feed on blood from other sources, such as the blood of animals, or even that of other vampires. Until a vampire drinks human blood to complete their transition, they will be not be susceptible to the standard weaknesses of the species they are soon to become (i.e. they can still walk in sunlight and can enter homes without an invitation). However, some vampires and hybrids in transition have demonstrated vampire abilities despite having yet to feed on the blood they need to officially become vampires; most commonly, these abilities are super-strength and the appearance of vampire fangs. Once the vampire completes their transition, they will develop the rest of their supernatural abilities, such as super senses, speed, accelerated healing, mind compulsion, and their true vampire face.

Physiology[]

Blood is the main component of a vampire's diet, be it human, animal or vampire blood. If a vampire fails to regularly drink blood, their body will become severely weakened, and will ultimately desiccate into mummification until they are able to get blood into their system. Blood (especially human blood) does not only satisfy a vampire’s thirst, but it also heightens their supernatural abilities, making them stronger, faster, and able to heal much more quickly than they would after not eating for a significant period of time. The longer a vampire abstains from blood, the more likely the vampire will becoming feral and unable to resist feeding on whomever they come upon. In many cases, a vampire who has been starved for a long period and is risking desiccation will eventually become so overwhelmed with hunger that the lose all sense of their humanity and rationality altogether and finally give into their bloodlust. It has been demonstrated that vampire blood, just as with human and animal blood, can be used to revive a vampire who has been desiccated (even if they ordinarily do not partake in the consumption of vampire blood), and it can also help a badly injured vampire heal more quickly if human or animal blood is not available. However, human blood is most compatible with a vampire's dietary needs, and because of this, the majority of vampires rely on it as their sole food source.

Due to their acute senses, a vampire can detect whether or not a human has recently consumed alcohol or drugs, because their blood tastes unclean and can leave a vampire with a chemical aftertaste. This also extends to vervain as well, as vampires who feed on a human who regularly ingests vervain will be burned and weakened upon contact with their blood. Due to a vampire's amplified senses and feelings, their hunger cravings are much stronger and harder to control than those they felt when they were humans, and will often be connected to powerful emotions. Vampires are magically preserved in the physical state that they were in when they died, therefore making a vampires body a freshly dead corpse, though it is reanimated and protected from decay with dark magic. Vampire's bodies remain in the exact same state as they were just prior to their deaths as humans (aside from the injuries or effects of most illnesses) from an anatomical standpoint, except when it comes to their supernaturally-enhanced abilities and the addition of vampire's true face. Their true face is a slightly transformed version of their human face, which includes red, blood-shot sclera with protruding veins around the eyes and elongated fangs. The bite of a vampire is so powerful that it can sever the limbs of both animals and humans, as vampires are known for having extremely sharp and strong teeth. Similarly, a vampire has human-like physiology, and their bodies continue to function normally as long as they have a steady diet of blood. Because of this, vampires can eat human food, though it doesn't sustain their life or provide any nutrition like blood does. Regardless, many vampires continue to eat regular food out of human habit, to maintain human appearances to prevent their exposure, and to help sublimate their eternal hunger for blood.

Vampires can also become intoxicated by drugs such as alcohol and marijuana just as humans can, although they do have much higher tolerances due to their rapidly regenerating cells. In fact, most vampires frequently drink alcohol throughout the day to help them deal with their perpetual hunger, much in the way that some vampires eat human food to help curb their cravings. Vampires are immune to the majority of human diseases and illnesses. One exception of this rule is cancer, though the vampire had to have had the cancer before they are turned. These aforementioned vampires continue to have cancer even after their transition is complete, as cancer cells rapidly regenerate in the presence of vampire blood due to the cells being functionally immortal; normal human cells have "suicide buttons" that allow them to die once their organelles have worn out, but cancer cells have no such button, and vampire blood only serves to accelerate the regeneration of cancer cells. The only known substances that can have a serious negative effect on vampires are vervain and werewolf venom.

The mystical effect of vampirism is the only thing that keeps vampires and their bodies alive. If vampirism is removed through the cure to immortality, the body will return to the state of a healthy alive human so long as the cure remains in their blood. However, once a vampire is reverted to being a human after ingesting the cure, the cure will remain in their bloodstream, allowing any other vampire who wants to be cured to do so by feeding on the cured vampire's blood to nearly full consumption. Should the cure leave the veins of a cured vampire, their bodies will rapidly begin to age to catch up with the time they spent as vampires. This usually poses no problem in vampires who have only been turned for several years.

Nature[]

Vampires have the capacity to be extremely feral, predatory creatures, and can be more beast-like and savage than their human appearance suggests. They growl, hiss, snarl, and curl their lips back when provoked, baring their fangs as a sign of aggression. Despite their nature, vampires are also capable of human emotions, such as compassion, love, and self-control. However, it's in a vampire's nature to be violent, and no matter what their morality or kindness, they will always resort to such acts if it's necessary for their survival. While vampires typically maintain their human personalities after their transformations (though magnified by the magical properties of vampirism), they are usually dehumanized to some degree, and due to both the violent tensions between witches, werewolves, and vampires (along with the in-fighting within the vampire community itself), violence, tragedy, and death seem to follow vampires wherever they go, even despite their best efforts to avoid it. Many (though not all) vampires are inherently selfish and consider other beings, especially humans, to be inferior to themselves, as they see themselves as the top of the proverbial food chain. Even the most compassionate of their kind will often resort to cruelty and torture if it means protecting themselves and their loved ones from danger. However, vampires experience sensations and feelings much more intensely than humans, and as a result, they have a much more difficult time controlling their emotions, all of which are tied to their hunger in some way. Whenever a vampire is overwhelmed by powerful feelings (such as extreme hunger, fear, anger, happiness, love, etc.) their faces become pale, and blood rushes into the veins surrounding their eyes, darkening them tremendously. Their canine teeth will lengthen into fangs, giving them a more predatory look to scare off or threaten their prey and to aid them in feeding on humans and animals. Due to their intensely emotional nature, it is not uncommon for vampires wishing to maintain self-control to document their lives after their transition in journals. Though they have consistently shown considerable powers in recollection of specific memories and dates, vampires still need to peruse their journals in order to reflect on their feelings and other minute details during certain events. Another function of the vampire nature is the ability to "turn off" their humanity in order to make it easier for them to emotionally deal with feeding on (and occasionally even killing) humans to maintain their immortality. "Flicking a switch" essentially numbs their emotions and disables their ability to be empathetic, allowing them to shut out painful feelings such as guilt, grief, and sadness and turning off the part of them that makes them ashamed of their actions. Vampires with their humanity turned off often think of themselves as purely rational and logical and are not ruled by their emotions. They also have no problem feeding indiscriminately on whomever they please, either using compulsion to make the humans forget the experience or killing them outright with no shame.

Attitudes Towards Humans[]

Vampires generally coexist with humans. Humans are mostly oblivious to the existence of vampires, which makes it easier for vampires to commingle with their human cohorts. Most of the few people who do know about vampires have either been killed to ensure their silence, compelled to forget their encounters with them, or, in some cases, are compelled not to speak of it to anyone, which lessens the chances that the vampire species will be exposed to the public. Attitudes of vampires towards humans vary from individual to individual. Some see humans as simply food, servants, and/or entertainment, while others feel compassion for humans, remembering their lives before becoming vampires and not wanting to cause any more harm to them than necessary. In general, vampires are known to see humans as less compared to themselves and ultimately regard their lives as being essentially insignificant, as humans are mortal whereas vampires live forever. As a result of their immortality and the fatal violence they witness on a regular basis, the death of a human who has no significant connection to the vampire is typically a non-event for them.

Psychological Traits[]

The emotions of vampires are far more intense than the emotions of humans. Anger, depression, happiness, love, sadness, etc. are more powerful and much more overwhelming than when they were as a living human. This explains why newborn vampires are easily annoyed and angered; due to their unsettling feelings, they will continue to have mood swings until they adjust to their new emotions. Physically, vampires have human forms, although their canine teeth elongate into fangs when they feed; and, because their bodies are technically deceased, they can be characterized by their lack of heartbeat as well as lack of body heat. However, the Old Ones were never human, but still have a humanoid form as well, though it has not been revealed if Old Ones have a different physical form as well.

Diet[]

Blood is the main component of a vampire's diet. If a vampire fails to drink blood, their body will become severely weak, and they eventually die of starvation. The oldest vampires do not require a lot of blood to survive, unlike newborns, who have more voracious appetites. For example, Katherine attacked a man for food in her youth, but after, that there was no mention of another victim. Likewise, Klaus was never seen killing a human purely for food.

Turning[]

Anyone can turn into a vampire if they injest the blood of another vampire. Katherine stated that her illness was gone when Klaus feed her his blood because she was now a vampire, this implies that the person can still be alive to turn into a vampire. Also, the transformation only takes a few hours. Virtually all vampires were originally humans who were converted into vampires, the only exception being the Old Ones, who were supposedly either born or created to be vampires. In order for a human to become a vampire, they must die within 24 hours of consuming vampire blood. The nature of the human's death is irrelevant; however, the body must be preserved and able to function upon reanimation. If the human is killed by decapitation, fire or corrosives, damage to or removal of the heart, or excessive loss of body mass, reanimation will not occur. Upon physical death, the magic of the vampire blood prevents the spirit from leaving its corpse, causing the undead body to awaken in a state of transition. In order to complete the transition, the pre-vampire must consume a significant amount of fresh human blood within the next 24 hours or else he or she will die.

Powers and Abilities[]

Mind Compulsion: The supernatural ability to control and manipulate the body, mind, and soul of an animal or person.
Weather Control: The supernatural ability to influence meteorological energy patterns, such as creating rain, wind, hail, lightning, snow, sleet, fog, and temperature changes.
Elemental Manipulation: The supernatural ability to control and manipulate the elements of air, earth, fire, water, lightning, etc.
Animal Control: The supernatural ability to control the behavior of any kind of of wild or domestic animals. However, a vampire can typically only control one species at a time.
Healing Factor: The supernatural ability to heal all infections and injuries at an accelerated speed.
Immortality: The supernatural ability to possess eternal life and youth.
Super Senses: The supernatural ability to hear, see, smell, and also taste beyond the human limit.
Shapeshifting: The supernatural ability to alter and change the physical form of one's self.
Super Speed: The supernatural ability to jump, move and run at superhuman velocity.
Super Strength: The supernatural ability to possess abnormal physical strength, which can be used to single-handedly lift even an overweight grown man high off the ground by the throat and hurl him across a long room with enough speed and force to send him through a wall. As predators of humans, vampires are naturally stronger than their prey; they generally have the advantage of superior strength when in a physical battle with a human, allowing them to restrain and manhandle grown men with relative ease. While limited, the exact limit of their strength remains vague. Another critical factor to a vampire's strength is his or her age; older vampires are stronger than younger vampires. Other feats of their considerable strength include striking opponents with enough force to break bones even by accident, snapping necks without effort, jumping several feet into the air in a single bound, and ripping out a person's heart.
Illusion Casting: The supernatural ability to be capable of disrupting the reality of one or more beings at once. This power is limited, due to the short time span of an illusion, but it can be used to neutralize the enemy without harming the victims.
Telepathy: The supernatural ability to communicate mentally with other vampires and other supernatural beings without physical contact and over long distances. It also allows one to probe the minds of others.

Weaknesses[]

In lore, vampires are repelled by garlic, sunlight, stakes, silver, crucifixes and other holy items. In The Vampire Diaries universe, vampires are weakened by vervain (a herb), sunlight and are killed when stabbed by wooden stakes.

Decapitation: The act of dismembering or removing the head of a vampire will result in death.
Fire or Sunlight: Any exposure to fire or sunlight will result in death to a vampire, though the amount of exposure necessary to kill a vampire depends on their age; younger vampires can survive for longer periods of time than older vampires, who burn up much more quickly.
Heart Extraction: The act of removing a vampire's heart will result in death.
Uninvited: A vampire cannot enter a home without an invitation from the homeowner.
Wood: If a vampire is wounded by wood it will cause the vampire to become severely weak. However, if a wooden stake is penetrated through a vampire's heart, it will result in instant death.
Running Water: A vampire can not cross above running water but can tunnel beneath it.
Veiled Matter (Ghost): A vampire can not hurt and defeat a ghost. But ghosts can manifest and send a vampire to a place where they can not do more damage.
Vervain: Just like in the television show, vervain is harmful to a vampire and protects humans from a vampire's mind control.
Religious Symbols: Stefan mentions that religious symbols (such as Christian crosses) will boost a human's mental resistance to a vampire's psychic powers tremendously, but only if the user truly believes it will protect them.