Vampires (The Case Study of Vanitas)

Vampires are a species that feature in The Case Study of Vanitas.

History

Vampires (Japanese: 吸血鬼ヴァンピール, Hepburn: Vanpīru) were a species born of humanity as a result of the Babel Incident. During the 16th century, when alchemist Paracelsus attempted to apply his theory of the World Formula. After a period of plague, famine, and other disasters, certain people were discovered to naturally perceive and alter the previously inaccessible World Formula. These people- distinguished primarily by their transiently red eyes- consequently gained a number of abilities beyond that of humans. While these people were born of humans and did not seem psychologically distinguishable from humans outside of their abilities, having no need or natural inclination towards violence, their ability to access the world formula was considered an abomination before God. Thus, the Catholic Church called for their deaths, naming them "vampires" after legends of monsters from Eastern Europe.

In subsequent years Vampires formed their own culture and hierarchy as they resisted attempts at genocide by the Church, who developed a class of elite soldiers called Chasseurs to hunt vampires. Leading the vampires was the Queen Faustina, who appointed the Vampire Senate to govern affairs among Vampires. At some point between the late 16th century and early 18th century, a War broke out between humans and Vampires. Internal conflict arose within Vampire circles, however, including the efforts of August Ruthven, a teacher and speaker who called for coexistence between the two races. It was during this period that Vampires developed the Bourreau class, a slave class made of the descendants of race traitors.

Among those race traitors a vampire known as Vanitas of the Blue Moon, born some time prior to the end of the War but after the establishment of Vampire culture. Unlike most vampires, who were born under the Crimson Moon, Vanitas was born under the Blue Moon—a great taboo which divided them from their people. As Vanitas was shunned, they declared revenge against their people, and eventually created the Book of Vanitas. The Book of Vanitas was a cursed grimoire which could remotely alter the World Formula in a manner distinct from the power of a Vampire's eyes, most notably, through the corruption of a Vampire's True Name. This created an infectious disease among Vampires which eventually came to be known as Malnomen, an incurable, invariably fatal illness which would drive a Vampire to extreme bloodlust prior to their death.

The Vampires fought a losing war due to the technological advancement of humans and the deaths of over a thousand Vampires to their own kin. Many of those were former students of August Ruthven, who lost an eye and was disgraced as a teacher. Nonetheless, he persisted, and while Vampires were nearly driven to extinction, Ruthven- who managed to earn a place on the Senate- devised a solution. He determined the alternate dimension of Altus to be safe for Vampires to travel to and inhabit. Thus, an agreement was made with the Church that Vampires would survive given they did not involve themselves in human affairs, and most Vampires chose to make the exodus to Altus. The war ended at some point in the late 17th century to early 18th century.

Overview

Born from the Babel Incident, they are the product of humans whose constitutive formulas were rewritten to give form to a new kind of being entirely. They are named after the monsters of legend due to their penchant for blood drinking, but otherwise the similarities end there; their supernatural abilities are far more fantastical and distinct. A Vampire's signature red eyes allows them access to the World Formula, interfering with it and producing incredible phenomena which could be called "magic."

The only defining visible feature which separates a Vampire of the Crimson Moon from a human is that a Vampire's eyes can turn red. Otherwise, a Vampire may look and act indistinguishably from a human, as is the case for many Vampires both among humans and in Altus.

A Vampire's power lies in their ability to perceive and edit the World Formula, which itself is bound to their eyes. An eyeless or blind Vampire cannot edit the World Formula and thus does not possess abilities much greater than a human. Thus, Vampires are particularly susceptible to weapons such as flashbangs, and Chasseurs are taught to prioritize gouging the eyes.

While Vampires do not need blood to survive, many enjoy it. The process of imbibing blood transfers "vital energy" and can increase the power of he who drinks blood, applied for such purposes as healing wounds. This made drinking blood from humans common practice during the War. By the late 19th century, however, drinking human blood is generally regarded with disdain, and drinking blood without consent is illegal. Blood drinking is known as an indulgence, similar to drugs, sex, or alcohol. Like other such indulgences, most find such actions pleasurable, though plenty do not. Overindulging in blood is taboo. Blood addiction may manifest in Vampires who become emotionally or chemically dependent on blood.

When a Vampire drinks blood from a human or another Vampire, they can impart some of their power into the bite and bestow a Mark of Possession. This Mark takes an appearance unique to the individual Vampire, and upon seeing the Mark, other Vampires will instinctively know who had left it. It is unclear to what extent a Mark of Possession changes the physiology of one Marked. While Marks can disappear, the mechanism for this is unknown. A Vampire can unintentionally leave a Mark of Possession, and they do not need the consent of the person bitten to Mark them. Multiple Vampires can Mark the same person.

The differences between Vampires and humans have caused incredible tension between the two races, with the Catholic Church in particular advocating for intense suppression, discrimination, and violence to be committed against Vampires. This has lead to a race War to occur which slaughtered many from either side. Eventually a tenuous peace was reached and the majority of Vampirekind retreated to Altus, a parallel dimension which was treated as something of a paradise for the race, where they continued to live in peace.

Members

• Faustina :
• Antoine de Sade :
• Veronica de Sade :
• Marquis Machina :
• Dominique de Sade :
• Louis de Sade :
• Noé Archiviste :
• Luca Oriflamme :
• Jeanne :
• Vampire of the Blue Moon :
• Nox :

Notes

• Vampires were created by Jun Mochizuki where they featured in the setting of The Case Study of Vanitas universe.

Appearances

• The Case Study of Vanitas:

External Links

• The Case Study of Vanitas Wiki Entry

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