Races

Dhampir - by T.A. Saunders ©2010 v1.0

Racial Articles Light Within Shadows: The Dhampir

They are children of two worlds and reviled by both. To the vampires, the Dhampir are abominations that must be destroyed or turned whenever found or run the risk of having one become a hunter of their kind. To humans, the Dhampir is a wolf in sheep's clothing, a monster hidden amongst them that has no place in society. This intolerance has given those Dhampir that survive into adulthood a rough and unwelcoming road to trod upon. Some make it; those that do often become renown for their skills and prowess in battle. Others fall to the shadow within and allow themselves to be fully consumed by their vampiric nature.

A Dhampir can only be created one way; if a female blood slave or blood doll becomes pregnant to another mortal, while under the influence of their master's blood. The vampiric blood taints the fetus within the mother, fusing with the child's blood as the mother takes it in. In nearly 75% of cases, this causes a stillbirth of the child; the ones that survive are born Dhampir.

Surviving is a relative term; out of the 25% that survive simply being born, an undetermined number are destroyed by the vampire master to ensure the child never grows up. Those slim few that make it past infancy must forever live on the run, or risk being found and slain by the vampire master of the blood slave.

Only a vampire will be able to tell a Dhampir from a regular mortal. While mortal themselves and do not truly begin exhibiting their vampiric traits until puberty, vampires can sense the inner strength in their heartbeat and will know the potent taste of Dhampir blood the moment it touches their tongue. They also smell differently than normal mortals, though only vampires and were-creatures would notice such things.

Once the Dhampir in question hits puberty the onset of vampiric traits slowly takes place over the course of several years. The urge to drink blood grows, incisors drop out and new ones grow in that are somewhat elongated and the manifestation of superhuman strength, speed and endurance sets in. Actual powers inherited from the vampire do not manifest until much later in the development, but suffice to say, the transition makes adolescence that much more difficult than it all ready is for growing teenagers. This is a dangerous time for the Dhampir, because it is here they will be tempted by the dark craving for the blood without ever realizing the danger it possesses for them.

Soon the connection between blood and power becomes clear and so does the connection between blood and the temptation. For Dhampir, feeding is every bit the sensual experience it is for vampires, eliciting something of a euphoric rush. So, for the adolescent discovering their vampiric side, this can become extremely awkward and has more times than not, led to a vampire hunt for a Dhampir, not a vampire.

Once adulthood is reached and full understanding and mastery of their powers is claimed, the Dhampir can blend in perfectly with society. Without any of the vampiric weaknesses, save the need to drink blood, it becomes entirely possible to sate that need in secret while maintaining a normal and otherwise uneventful life. It is theorized that perhaps there are more Dhampir than anybody realizes, but that because they are so afraid to reveal themselves, that knowledge of their existence is a vague shadow of the truth.