Dhampir (World of Darkness)

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In the Vampire: The Masquerade role-playing game universe created by White Wolf Game Studios, a Dhampir is the child of a 15th generation Vampire and a Mortal. It is worth noting that two 15th generation vampires can't procreate, because without at least some "spark of life", a new life is not possible.

In 1999, White Wolf introduced an end-time scenario which affected all of their game lines; included in this was the "Vampire: The Masquerade" series. In the book Time of Thin Blood, weak-blooded Western Vampires—whose blood was sufficiently distant from that of the original Vampire, Caine—lacked many standard vampiric powers and were often incapable of creating further vampires, but became capable of conceiving and birthing dhampirs. This was considered a sign of the coming eschaton, known to Vampires as "Gehenna."

While a Dhampir is not technically a Ghoul (a human given supernatural powers by drinking vampire blood), they have biological similarities to Revenants (ghouls that are literally bred to serve vampires). The most important differences between Dhampirs and Revenants are cultural. Revenants grow up in a freakish, monstrous subculture of Vampires and Ghouls. Only quite unusual circumstances could lead to a Revenant growing up among normal, contemporary humans. A Dhampir probably spent most of their time among normal humans. They might not even know about their supernatural heritage. Learning about the secret World of Darkness may come as a bit of a shock.

All Dhampirs are young, without exception. The Thin-blooded (weakest of all vampires, so far removed from Caine that they are nearly human) themselves have appeared only within the last 20 years (as of 1998).

[edit] Kindred of the East

In the Kindred of the East role-playing game universe created by White Wolf Game Studios, dhampyr means the offspring of an Asian vampire (also called Cathayan or Kuei-jin) with a human or with another of its kind. Dhampyrs, or Shade Walkers, can function both day and night, although they find sunlight uncomfortable. They can breed with humans, but not with Kuei-jin or other dhampyrs.

Dhampyrs must eat, drink, and sleep. By using chi energy, they can perform feats not possible for humans. They can regain chi through rest or by eating flesh (usually they cannot by drinking blood). Dhampyrs are mortal but can live for centuries. Once mature, they age at roughly 1/10 the rate of humans. Severe injuries can kill them, but they can withstand far worse damage than humans. Under certain circumstances, a dhampyr who dies can return as a Kuei-jin.

About half of all dhampyrs conceived are not carried to term; this apparently is true for both human and Kuei-jin mothers. Dhampyrs tend to grow up psychologically disturbed, whether raised by a human or a Kuei-jin. Their unusual abilities make them useful tools for their parents in the Kuei-jin courts; however, they are never fully accepted in Kuei-jin society. Their half-monstrous nature also prevents them from participating fully in mortal society. They are often loners and wanderers by nature.

Although Kindred of the East is set in the same World of Darkness universe as Vampire: The Masquerade, dhampyrs do not mix well with the Western vampires of that universe (Cainites). Dhampyrs cannot be ghouled (made subservient to a Western vampire) or Embraced (transformed to Cainites). Conversely, in Kindred of the East source material, Cainites cannot produce dhampyr offspring.

Vampire: The Masquerade

Dean Shomshak and Sarah Roark. Time of Thin Blood. Clarkston, GA: White Wolf Publishing, 1999. WW2101. ISBN 1-56504-245-X.

Kindred of the East

Hal Mangold. Half-Damned: Dhampyr: Children of the Living Dead. Clarkston, GA: White Wolf Publishing, 2000. WW2920. ISBN 1-56504-247-6. Especially pp. 23-26.

Phyllis Bowen, Mark Cenczyk, Jess Heinig, Amy Lindgren, Steve Long. Kindred of the East Companion: A Sourcebook for Vampire: The Masquerade. Clarkston, GA: White Wolf Publishing, 1998. WW2901. ISBN 1-56504-223-9. pp. 38-42.