Dhampirs

Dhampirs are the offspring of a male vampire and a female non-vampire (as female vampires are infertile). They are living beings who, like their sires, must feed on the blood of the living to survive. Dhampirs are exclusively of sapient races, as non-sapient creatures afflicted with vampirism are driven by an instinct to feed rather than reproduce.

Dhampirs are nearly indistinguishable in appearance from their non-dhampir counterparts, apart from their elongated fangs. They experience a biological urge to consume blood, with most sustaining themselves on livestock or other beasts, though some choose to prey on sapient beings.

While not immortal, dhampirs age slowly and can live five to ten times the typical lifespan of their race. Their long lives take many paths—some pursue wealth, knowledge, or renown, while others dedicate themselves to eradicating vampirism from the Splinterlands. Some seek only to coexist peacefully, while others embrace cruelty and destruction. However, such tendencies are not a result of their condition; dhampir blood carries a diluted strain of the vampiric virus that grants many of a vampire’s abilities but does not inherently alter morality.

Even diluted, the vampiric virus has no known cure. It makes dhampirs resistant—but not immune—to full vampirism. If bitten by a vampire or if they consume a vampire's blood, they risk becoming one themselves. The more blood exchanged, the greater the likelihood of infection.

Unlike vampires, dhampirs are unaffected by garlic, sunlight, holy artifacts, or consecrated grounds, and they may enter homes freely without invitation. However, they can still be killed by a stake through the heart, decapitation, blood starvation, fire, or old age. They possess many of a vampire’s strengths, including extended lifespans, enhanced strength, senses, and speed—though not to the same degree as vampires—and accelerated healing. However, they lack true immortality and the ability to shapeshift.

Despite their advantages, dhampirs face widespread social stigma due to their vampiric heritage. Many are suspicious or outright hostie toward them, considering them predators lurking on the fringes of society. Some fear dhampirs will inevitably succumb to bloodlust, while others see them as cursed beings tainted by undeath—despite being very much alive. Subsequently, dhampirs are often shunned, exiled, or even hunted by those who mistake them for true vampires. This alienation often forces them into isolation or transient lives, struggling to find acceptance while resisting the lure of the undead. Even where they are tolerated, dhampirs are rarely fully trusted, their existence a reminder of the thin line between mortality and monstrosity.