Vampires

A  is a creature of the night. They are not evil creatures like in horror movies but are usually nice people who need to drink blood to live. They don't resemble most of what we know about fictional vampires. They die if exposed in the sun for too long and they drink blood. They don't drink you dry, unlike their distant cousins, the Vampaneze with whom they are enemies. They can stay in the sun for a few hours, they can run very fast (called flitting) but only for short periods of time.

Their skin and nails (their nails are longish and claw-like) are stronger than humans. They DO NOT have sharp fangs like all legends state. Mostly because they don't suck the the blood from the neck. They put the lonely human to sleep using a gas they can expel with their breath, make a small cut on their body, pop out a vein, drink, seal the wound up with their saliva and they're done. They have great stamina and a very keen sense of smell, much like that of a wolf. They don't have innate superhuman healing but their saliva does possess the ability to heal. If they spit on a wound it heals extremely quickly. Vampires can sense the auras of people, homing in on them enabling them to track that person (close to telepathy). Half-Vampires cannot do this however. However they can be killed by the same things which kill humans, such as any missile weapon, but it takes a greater effort to do so. Garlic and holy water don't effect them as most legends state. The vampires age according to a system of Vampiric years, basically since a full-fledged vampire ages one year for every ten (human) years, if you are in your Vampiric twenties then you are two hundred years old, etc.

Powers

 * The ability to Flit.
 * Super Strength.
 * Tougher than humans.
 * Tough teeth and nails.
 * Telepathy.
 * Can heal cuts with spit

Culture
They believe in Paradise, which is vampire heaven. They do not use missile weapons like guns, bows, crossbows, etc. They fight physically in hand to hand combat by using many medieval weapons such as swords, maces, spears, axes etc. They feel that they are in a way related to wolves. This might be why they cat blood is poisonous to them. If a vampire wanted to become a Vampire General or to otherwise prove themselves, they must go through the Trials of Death. The vampire goes through a long series of tests, each one more deadly than the last. If they aren't able to complete their trials, it probably means that they died trying, but if not, they are killed by being dropped into a pit where they are impaled by spikes. When they are to die of old age, they feel it nobler to die in a battle or to go to the chamber of death (I can't remember what it's exact name was).

Leadership
The vampires have a base in a mountain they call Vampire Mountain. They have leaders called Vampire Princes, who run the vampire clan. Vampire princes get their title when they add their blood to the Stone of Blood and are nominated by the other vampire generals. The vampire princes can also sentence vampires to death, if they break the clan's sacred laws or do something particularly dishonourable. Kurda Smahlt was dishonourable when he betrayed his clan by letting in vamapneze into vampire mountain. He was therefore killed by being dropped into the pit of stakes while facing backwards, which is considered a very horrible way to die amongst the vampire clan.

Half-Vampires
Half-Vampires are young Vampires who are inexperienced and in training. They are created (or blooded) by more experienced vampires.

In the Books
Half-Vampires are unable to flit and do not have the power to heal wounds with their saliva. They are able to walk around in the day and not get injured by the sun light.

In the Movie
Half-Vampires are able to flit, unlike the books, and heal wounds with their saliva, also unlike the books. They can still come out during the day.

Known Half-Vampires

 * Darren Shan
 * Darius Shan