Overview
The Vampire Counts are the undead lords of Sylvania, a cursed province of the Empire where the dead do not stay buried. Descended from the first vampire Neferata and the bloodline of Vlad von Carstein, the Vampire Counts have launched multiple invasions of the Empire, raising vast armies of undead to overwhelm the living. They are masters of Necromancy, commanding legions of skeletons, zombies, and more terrible creatures.
History
The Vampire Wars are among the most devastating conflicts in Imperial history. Vlad von Carstein, the first of the Carstein bloodline, nearly conquered the Empire before being slain by a holy relic. His successors — Konrad and Mannfred — continued the wars with varying success. Mannfred von Carstein, the most cunning of the Carsteins, has survived multiple defeats and continues to plot the conquest of the Old World from his stronghold in Sylvania.
Military Forces
Vampire Count armies are built on the Lore of Vampires — Necromancy that raises and empowers the dead. Skeleton Warriors and Zombie hordes form the expendable core, while Grave Guard and Black Knights are elite undead soldiers. Cairn Wraiths and Banshees are terrifying ethereal creatures. The Mortis Engine amplifies necromantic power across the battlefield. Vampires themselves are supernaturally powerful warriors and sorcerers.
Culture & Society
Vampire society is a dark mirror of human aristocracy — the Vampire lords rule over their undead subjects and living thralls with absolute authority. The different bloodlines — Carstein, Lahmian, Blood Dragon, Necrarch, and Von Drak — each have distinct cultures and abilities. The Lahmians are masters of seduction and infiltration, operating in human society. The Blood Dragons are warrior-vampires who seek worthy opponents. The Necrarchs are twisted scholars of death magic.
Notable Places
- ✦Sylvania — the cursed province, heartland of the Vampire Counts
- ✦Castle Drakenhof — the seat of the von Carstein bloodline
- ✦Mousillon — the cursed Bretonnian dukedom, touched by vampirism
- ✦The Vaults of Nagash — the ancient tomb of the first Necromancer