Vampire Lore?

[ElectricPaladin]

I'm finding myself wandering back towards Vampires as my second army. I don't really know why - maybe it's because they have such a different aesthetic from my lizards? Maybe it's because using the Dip on my lizards has reminded me of how easy it can be to paint a horde of, say, ghouls?

Part of it is because I get the impression that the Vampires are compelling anti-heroes. As in, they are definitely bad people, but they aren't Chaos bad. In their drive for wealth, power, and security, they sometimes find themselves fighting on the same side as the world's white hats, but they have that black hat flare.

Am I correct? Can anyone support or shoot down this impression? Add any more cool stuff about vampires? I'm curious!

[eldargal]

I think that is accurate. It may no be exactly canon anymore but Stom of Chaos had the Vampire counts (or von Carsteins at least) marching to aid the Empire against Chaos because while Chaos wants to destroy humanity Vampire Counts want to control it, whether as over rulers or simply covertly to keep themselves safe.

I'd recommend reading the Ulrika the Vampire series, it does a verygood job of illustrating how vampires might not necessarily be able to be 'good' but they don't have to be 'evil' either, very shades of grey. But the good kind. Well the morally ambiguous kind. Not the smutty kind.

Edit: From Nights Dark Masters a WFRP sourcebook:

The Lahmians have also protected mankind by strengthening it against other threats. It would achieve nothing to rule humanity only to watch them fall before the fores of Chaos. Nor would it do to have the Old world fall to the von Carsteins whose control of the nobility of Sylvania and period attempts to wage war on the Empire have long been thorns in Lahmias side

[Mr Mystery]

I'm not sure Vampires can really be considered 'evil' overall.

Your average Vampire just wants power, as does your average human. It's just the way they can go about it (but not necessarily do go about, see Sylvania for an example of a living kingdom of the Undead) is morally questionable to those with a pulse.
All part of the joy of Warhammer!

[eldargal]

Some are I think, particularly in bloodline like Strigoi and Necrarchs. But yes, what separates a von Carstein from a regular noble? Why is a von Carstein that protects his villagers and looks after them the way a shepard tends his flock more reprehensible than a nobleman that exploits his peasants mercilessly, forcing them to live in grinding poverty while he maintains an opulent, luxurious lifestyle?

[Mr Mystery]

Indeedy.

And they probably treat their peasants marginally better than many lords, on account they can pretty much guarantee a safe and secure realm!

Thinking on this, I'd really like to see a novel written from the perspective of a Sylvanian village just after Vlad takes over the Von Drak estates. It's noted in the background he was really quite pleasant to his underlings, even if the odd good looking one went missing.

Even a short story would be awesome!

[FireHazard]

If you can get hold of a copy, I would recommend you read Liber Necris. It's an older BL background book about the undead. Some of what's in it may well have been rewritten by now but it still has some interesting ideas and information. Also, its author is Mannfred von Carstein :)

[Alex Knight]

The way I've often envisioned the Vampire Counts is that their evil is much more of the "Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely," variety Their power is beholden to none (though rumors say, save Nagash...) unlike the servants of Chaos - who are often at the mercy of their dark masters. That said, what they do with their power is dedicated to their own personal ambitions. Some seek a world of undeath, others to dominate and/ or enslave humanity (which isn't that far different than the nobility of the Empire, if you ask me...), some seek to restore a lost glory (cough Lamia), and others seek nothing more than 'honorable' battle. I would have to disagree Mr Mystery in that I still consider them 'evil' simply because they circle around cultural taboos to achieve their ambitions that no sane living person would seek to avoid (And those living that do avoid those cultural taboos? We call them evil.)

That said, I love me some Vampire Counts. They were my first Fantasy army and have never been replaced or discarded. My Empire has a max point size. My Orcs and Goblins have a (larger) max point size. My future armies will have an end point value. Vampire Counts will always grow in size. :-)

[Lord-Boofhead]

Some are I think, particularly in bloodline like Strigoi and Necrarchs. But yes, what separates a von Carstein from a regular noble? Why is a von Carstein that protects his villagers and looks after them the way a shepard tends his flock more reprehensible than a nobleman that exploits his peasants mercilessly, forcing them to live in grinding poverty while he maintains an opulent, luxurious lifestyle?

Hey the Striogoi are juist misunderstood! :P The Striganini see them as protectors and many Ghoul tribes worship them as gods.

Also don't forget the Blood Dragons who are pretty noble and honourable.

[Psychosplodge]

Helpful reminder vampires don't sparkle, fairys sparkle...