Supernatural
Creature Data Files: Vampires (‘Imp’)
Description: ‘Imp’ vampires are all violent,
childish, psychopathic sadists. This trait drives them to be ‘evil’, though
when questioned they will insist that they were just having ‘fun’. Imps appear similar
to ordinary vampires (sans glamours), appearing as deceased (for perhaps a day)
corpses with healthy, red lips. Appearance differences from ordinary vampires
include finer (thinner) fangs, and no eye colour change.
Instead of glamours, imps are capable of generating flickering lightning (similar to the rarely observed ball lightning). This energy release can also be tuned by the imps to affect nearby electrical equipment. It has been theorised that a group of imps could cause a potentially useful EMP effect, however, attempts to get a group of imps to co-operate to achieve such have proven fruitless.
Imps to do not differ in strength, or speed, or other physical characteristics from their living selves. Due to the chaotic, broken and hyperactive natures of their psyches they often seem to be faster moving; however tests have concluded that they are no faster than they are pre-death. It is important to note that imps (as well as other vampire varieties) tend to be in peak physical condition at all times; as such, many imps do become faster/stronger/tougher than they were in life – but no more so than they could have managed themselves, given training.
When a corpse returns as an imp vampire, the mind of the returning individual is severely warped. A full psychological analysis of the alterations can be found in various experiment/analysis documents, but in summary the individual experiences: loss of any revulsion/avoidance of violence, complete lack of empathy to non-cursed beings (and moderate lack of empathy towards non-imps), mild confusion, enjoyment of pain expressed by non-cursed beings, a generally childish demeanour and seemingly random outbursts towards non-cursed beings (what ‘seems fun’ at the time). These traits mean that although the risen imp is a little like their former self, and has memories/skills from their prior life, they have a completely new (and often quite vile) personality.
Imps are unusual amongst vampires in that they have no need – or even desire – to feed on human blood. Comparative to the normal necessity of feeding, however, is the behaviour of an imp that is unable to satisfy their dark urges. When confined – or otherwise unable to act upon their urges – an imp will gradually attempt/desire to do more or worse things, until eventually (after a period of about a month) they will attempt to harm themselves. After succeeding in self-harm (or even just having what amounts to a fit if properly bound) they will calm down. Note that the self-harm is not escapist or actually intended to hurt – the imp is instead acting out a violent urge or fantasy upon themselves instead of an innocent bystander.
Imps are usually only found in small numbers. If a group of imps reaches more than ten members (and often without reaching that number) the group will be split due to some sort of internal drama. Most imp groups are encountered along with other vampires, frequently aristocrats.
Instead of glamours, imps are capable of generating flickering lightning (similar to the rarely observed ball lightning). This energy release can also be tuned by the imps to affect nearby electrical equipment. It has been theorised that a group of imps could cause a potentially useful EMP effect, however, attempts to get a group of imps to co-operate to achieve such have proven fruitless.
Imps to do not differ in strength, or speed, or other physical characteristics from their living selves. Due to the chaotic, broken and hyperactive natures of their psyches they often seem to be faster moving; however tests have concluded that they are no faster than they are pre-death. It is important to note that imps (as well as other vampire varieties) tend to be in peak physical condition at all times; as such, many imps do become faster/stronger/tougher than they were in life – but no more so than they could have managed themselves, given training.
When a corpse returns as an imp vampire, the mind of the returning individual is severely warped. A full psychological analysis of the alterations can be found in various experiment/analysis documents, but in summary the individual experiences: loss of any revulsion/avoidance of violence, complete lack of empathy to non-cursed beings (and moderate lack of empathy towards non-imps), mild confusion, enjoyment of pain expressed by non-cursed beings, a generally childish demeanour and seemingly random outbursts towards non-cursed beings (what ‘seems fun’ at the time). These traits mean that although the risen imp is a little like their former self, and has memories/skills from their prior life, they have a completely new (and often quite vile) personality.
Imps are unusual amongst vampires in that they have no need – or even desire – to feed on human blood. Comparative to the normal necessity of feeding, however, is the behaviour of an imp that is unable to satisfy their dark urges. When confined – or otherwise unable to act upon their urges – an imp will gradually attempt/desire to do more or worse things, until eventually (after a period of about a month) they will attempt to harm themselves. After succeeding in self-harm (or even just having what amounts to a fit if properly bound) they will calm down. Note that the self-harm is not escapist or actually intended to hurt – the imp is instead acting out a violent urge or fantasy upon themselves instead of an innocent bystander.
Imps are usually only found in small numbers. If a group of imps reaches more than ten members (and often without reaching that number) the group will be split due to some sort of internal drama. Most imp groups are encountered along with other vampires, frequently aristocrats.
Physiology: Imps are a ‘curse’ type of
being, along with other vampire varieties, lycanthropes and a few extremely
rare oddities (for example, the Ayn’Sca’Raer). The physical alterations to
their body (and their revival) are caused by the effects of the curse. Further
details about (and theories about the origins of) curse magic can be found in
Supernatural Power File: Curse Magic.
The curse only causes minor alterations to the physiology of the imp. Their body takes on a corpselike appearance (which is somewhat strange, as although they lack a heartbeat their blood still flows through their body, and is red). Their maxillary canines are replaced with long, thin and sharply pointed fangs. Over a period of several months, the imp’s fitness level will increase to the ‘peak’ of what they would have, in life, achieved with moderate exercise. If, in life, the individual was fitter (e.g. body builder, steroids user) they will instead decrease in fitness/strength/etc.
Like most other vampire varieties, imps are harmed by sunlight. Exposure to sunlight causes the imp’s body to begin generating a toxin. This toxin is causes the imp’s body to rapidly shutdown, forcing even a partially exposed imp into a coma within seconds. After about thirty seconds of normal (clothed, but fully in sunlight) exposure the imp will be unable to recover by itself, although it will take another ten to fifteen seconds for death to occur. The toxin is somewhat acidic, and will dissolve much of the imp’s body after death (over the course of a couple of hours) before settling.
Imps turn humans by killing them after or while mixing their blood into the human’s blood stream. As imps do not require blood – although they often drink it, or eat small pieces of flesh – an imps victim will usually die from inflicted wounds, rather than blood loss. These wounds are healed by the curse while being reanimated. Due to their nature, imps rarely intend to bring an individual back as an imp – this often occurs by accident, after the imp is injured or injures themselves while tormenting a victim.
The curse only causes minor alterations to the physiology of the imp. Their body takes on a corpselike appearance (which is somewhat strange, as although they lack a heartbeat their blood still flows through their body, and is red). Their maxillary canines are replaced with long, thin and sharply pointed fangs. Over a period of several months, the imp’s fitness level will increase to the ‘peak’ of what they would have, in life, achieved with moderate exercise. If, in life, the individual was fitter (e.g. body builder, steroids user) they will instead decrease in fitness/strength/etc.
Like most other vampire varieties, imps are harmed by sunlight. Exposure to sunlight causes the imp’s body to begin generating a toxin. This toxin is causes the imp’s body to rapidly shutdown, forcing even a partially exposed imp into a coma within seconds. After about thirty seconds of normal (clothed, but fully in sunlight) exposure the imp will be unable to recover by itself, although it will take another ten to fifteen seconds for death to occur. The toxin is somewhat acidic, and will dissolve much of the imp’s body after death (over the course of a couple of hours) before settling.
Imps turn humans by killing them after or while mixing their blood into the human’s blood stream. As imps do not require blood – although they often drink it, or eat small pieces of flesh – an imps victim will usually die from inflicted wounds, rather than blood loss. These wounds are healed by the curse while being reanimated. Due to their nature, imps rarely intend to bring an individual back as an imp – this often occurs by accident, after the imp is injured or injures themselves while tormenting a victim.
Identification and Destruction: Identification of imps is
usually not difficult; due to both their corpselike regular appearance and
their abnormal (often attention-seeking) behaviour. When they choose to conceal
it, however (through makeup or other means) they can be difficult to discover
without forcing them to open their mouths, feeling their skin, or tempting
their broken minds severely. This is because when they hide their nature it is
for a ‘good’ reason – generally either the imp wishes to play a particularly
sick game, or a cursed being they respect (often an aristocrat vampire) has
told or forced them to. Thankfully, these cases are very rare, as the imp’s façade
will often crack due to their exceptionally childish nature.
Killing an imp is no different from killing an ordinary human, with the exception that imps (like other vampire types) do not actually need to breath and thus have no difficulty with choking (additionally, of course, starvation and dehydration have no effect). Imps can often be eliminated utilising sunlight as their childish nature can make them easy to fool, enrage or otherwise lure into traps.
Killing an imp is no different from killing an ordinary human, with the exception that imps (like other vampire types) do not actually need to breath and thus have no difficulty with choking (additionally, of course, starvation and dehydration have no effect). Imps can often be eliminated utilising sunlight as their childish nature can make them easy to fool, enrage or otherwise lure into traps.
Other Details: Imps have not been encountered
except in the company of other cursed beings (usually vampires, but on rare
occasion, werewolves). Most vampire varieties (especially ordinary and
aristocrats) treat them as one would a younger sibling/relative that you feel
kind of sorry for. That is to say, they keep the imps safe and often let them ‘play’
with people they wish to see dead (and may allow them to live if they return as
an imp). In some instances, aristocrats are especially maternal/paternal about
the imps living with them.
The initial encounter with imps was during a raid on a werewolf ‘base’ hidden in deep in a massive nature reserve. The nature of the imps – violent and sadistic – meshed well with the nature of the turned werewolves after they embraced their inner beast; an interrogated individual stated that they were ‘impressed’ by the evil and depths to which imps would go. Although the first encounter with imps, this was one of the very few times imps have been encountered with werewolves.
The initial encounter with imps was during a raid on a werewolf ‘base’ hidden in deep in a massive nature reserve. The nature of the imps – violent and sadistic – meshed well with the nature of the turned werewolves after they embraced their inner beast; an interrogated individual stated that they were ‘impressed’ by the evil and depths to which imps would go. Although the first encounter with imps, this was one of the very few times imps have been encountered with werewolves.
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