Breeds of vampyr

Vampyrs, like any other animal, vary in species. There are a number of different classes of vampyr, all easily identifiable if you have a few minutes to sit and have a cup of tea with one. But, seeing as though they'd drink you than a decaf chai, it's probably best to run away from any of these.

1. Ekimmu - this is the lowest form of vampyr, and may better be classified under "zombie." An ekimmu is a weak-grade vampiric spirit possessing a recently dead body. They have little mental capacity beyond hunger, but can sometimes be controlled by a clever human. Unchecked, they will shamble around chasing people until daylight, at which point they will hide (if shelter is available). A small toddler with a wooden leg could outrun them. Ekimmu do not think in advance; if they can be lured out into an open field near daybreak, they will perish at sunup. The only thing that makes this breed sort of dangerous is that they are often confused with real vampyrs. Ekimmu are not bothered by crosses or stakes, and need no invitation to stink up your home. Misled villagers tend to rely on these inappropriate methods, which can lead to unnecessary deaths.


2. Pseudo-vampire - The psedo-vampire is a human who fancies him/herself a vampire. They may wear fangs, stay indoors all day, and even drink blood. Their presence is a nuisance to vampyr hunters, whose tracking efforts may be misled by these ridiculous posers. That they are ranked above the ekimmu only goes to show how ridiculous the latter species is.


3. Vampyrus vulgaris (the common vampyr) - this is your average, run-of-the-mill vamp. They crawl around, snarl, drink stuff, and generally infest a neighborhood if left unchecked. They are not particularly bright, and have no greater scheme than to eat and occasionally fuck a corpse. They are usually pretty easy to kill with a standard daylight drag-and-burn scenario. Vulgaris generally nest in packs, and usually follow an alpha, which may be marginally more intelligent than the rest of the pact. In rare instances, vulgaris have been found under the command of a persuasive human.


4. Vrykolakas - the vrykolakas is rare, and is a mystery even to self-imposed "experts." Traditional wisdom suggests that the vrykolakas came from Greece (well, the word is Greek). The vrykolakas is much more dangerous than the standard vulgaris because it possesses human-level intelligence and can control its hunger in favor of self-preservation. Very little is known about the vrykolakas, because very few have ever seen one (in fact, there have been barely enough sightings for the Guild to acknowledge the existence of this species). Anecdotal evidence suggests that they can pass for human in low-light conditions, withstand indirect sunlight for a short time, and are immune to silver.

In my admittedly short career, I have only personally seen the vulgaris breed, and a few human posers. Ekimmu rarely require the attention of a specialist; a well-informed and open-minded town population can handle an infestation with greater ease than, say, rats or roaches. In addition, there have been no recorded incidents of ekimmu problems in the U.S. (my territory) in the last three decades.

I remain unconvinced that there is such a thing as a vrykolakas; historical evidence is dodgy at best, and the stories we do have may very well be exaggerated accounts of common vulgaris. However, the Guild seems to lend some credit to these legends, so I won't rule them out.

You may comfortably assume that when I use terms like "vampyr" or "vamp," I am referring to the vulgaris variety. I will refer to human pseudo-vampyrs with terms like "stupid fuck" and "fang-wanker."