Vampires are found in the mythology and folklore of many of mankind's cultures as creatures sustained by the blood or lifeforce of a human.
In the Mythos
While Lovecraft's work is often focused on the undead such as the Hound, vampires themselves are never featured. Other contributers to the Cthulhu Mythos, however, have used these creatures in their stories.
Among those are:
- Star Vampires from "The Shambler from the Stars" by Robert Bloch
- Fire Vampires and their Lord Fthaggua from "The Fire Vampires" by Donald Wandrei
- Nioth-Korghai, the Space Vampires from "The Space Vampires" by Colin Wilson
- Seekers, the Shadow-Vampires from "The Abyss" by Robert A.W. Lowndes
- Mind Parasites, the Mental Vampires from "The Mind Parasites" by Colin Wilson
Call of Cthulhu
Chaosium first made vampires part of the Mythos in 2007 when they were added to the Malleus Monstrorum sourcebook, and though supernatural are neither creations of the Mythos deities nor are they aligned with them in any way.
Vampires vary in abilities and characteristics, with origins in the various legends and folklore of the world. Such as to whether they cast a reflection, have to return to the soil they were buried, are repelled by the cross or holy water, turning into animals (e.g. wolf or bat) or mist, etc. Examples include vampires that are handsome or beautiful, those without fangs that use razor-sharp fingernails to open veins, flying vampire heads with bloody entrails trailing from the neck, monstrous bald-headed pointed eared pasty-faced rat-fanged vampires, etc. Beings which regenerate any damage but a stake through the heart kills it.
Marvel Comics
In Marvel, vampires (Homines nocturnae) became part of the Mythos when the Old Ones and Many-Angled Ones were retconned into being one and the same, as the vampires were a race of magically reanimated corpses which was created by the Darkhold.
Gallery
.jpg "Conan 2 (Modiphius).jpg (110 KB)")
.jpg "Nosferatu (Paizo).jpg (104 KB)")
.jpg "Jiang-shi (Paizo).jpg (129 KB)")