Thanks to Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls, players can continuously revisit a refreshing open-world fantasy experience where their characters can become anything they want. Aside from being heroes, players in The Elder Scrolls' Tamriel can easily become master thieves, powerful mages, or noble knights. However, Tamriel has its own share of supernatural phenomena, a lot of which may imbue players with remarkable power unlike any other.
The Elder Scrolls has a unique take on Vampires, which serve as some of the most popular creatures in horror fiction. In Tamriel, Vampires appear to have distinct origins, features, and even abilities. Moreover, Vampires seem to have secrets that only the most eagle-eyed of lore hunters could unravel.
10 Vampires Exist To Spite The Divines
Fans of the series might be aware that Molag Bal, Daedric Prince of Corruption, transformed Lamae Bal into the first Vampire. However, he didn't grant this "gift" into Lamae Bal out of desire. Instead, some say he's done this to spite Arkay, the Lord of the Wheel of Life. Arkay values the cycle of life and death, which is represented when he is invoked whenever bodies are consecrated.
Molag Bal despises Arkay for this, as the former believes that he should be able to use souls as he wishes. As such, Molag Bal violated Lamae Bal and transformed her into the First Vampire against her own will. Arkay ignored Lamae Bal's pleas for help to reverse the condition. In turn, Lamae Bal's immortality serves as Molag Bal's proof that his "servants" can escape Arkay's Wheel.
9 Vampires Worship Multiple Patrons
While Molag Bal did bestow the "gift" of Vampirism into Tamriel, the clans and bloodlines these Vampires created aren't always keen on worshipping the Daedric Prince of Corruption. A lot of Tamriel's Vampire clans show devotion to Molag Bal thanks to this "gift." However, other Vampire bloodlines show other forms of devotion.
For instance, Lamae Bal created the Daughters of Coldharbour to in direct opposite of Molag Bal and Arkay. Likewise, Lamae Bal's progeny worship her as the Blood Matron. Meanwhile, the Dark Brotherhood's Crimson Scars worship Sithis. Cyrodiil's Vampire Order worships Clavicus Vile, Daedric Prince of Bargain, for his gift of camouflage. Lastly, Khajiit's Hollowfang Clan worship Sangiin, an aspect of Sanguine the Daedric Prince of Greed .
8 Different Strains Exist
Unlike their Lycanthrope counterparts, Vampires in Tamriel can actually come from various diseases. Similar to Resident Evil, Vampires might share similar appearances and abilities but come from different viruses. For instance, Lamae Bal's Noxiphilic Sanguivoria strain doesn't give her Vampires a weakness against daylight.
Instead, the night strengthens them. Only Noxiphilic Sanguivoria can undertake the Rite of the Scion to transform into Scions, a powerful Vampire variation. Meanwhile, Sanguinare Vampires (in Skyrim) and Porphyric Hemophilia remain the other common Vampire strains. These transform Vampires after a three-day incubation period.
7 Tricky Relationship With Blood
In popular culture, Vampires are best known for their insatiable hunger for blood. Such isn't exactly the case with Tamriel's Vampires. In fact, most Vampires don't necessarily "need" blood for survival. Instead, blood provides some strengthening qualities to most Vampires. For instance, some Vampires become more beast-like in appearance or even be much weaker without being fed.
Moreover, some Vampires blend more with humanoids when regularly feeding. It's theoretically possible for Vampires to simply eat other animals and warm-blooded creatures. Unfortunately, leaving a victim alive after feeding would risk passing the Vampiric condition to the latter – should they survive the process.
6 Vampire Blood Isn't Always Bad
Vampire blood itself doesn't always mean trouble for people who know how to use them. Medicinal experts who use small amounts of Vampire blood may be able to help people who are sick or poisoned. According to lore, doctors can stop poison inside a person by administering Vampire blood into the afflicted. Dying or injured individuals can benefit from the rejuvenating qualities of Vampire blood. People afflicted by diseases of the blood such as Ostraekeratic Fever can use Vampire blood to cure themselves.
5 Cook The Cure With Ingredients
Contrary to popular belief, Vampirism may actually be cured. In fact, some questlines in the games are devoted for players to find themselves a cure should they transform into a Vampire. Moreover, the Mages Guild started to look into the witches residing in Illiac Bay as they've formed a "potion" that can cure Vampirism.
The potion consists of simple ingredients such as five leaves of nightshade, two shoots of bloodgrass, and six cloves of garlic. Unfortunately, the potion also has difficult ingredients such as Argonian blood and a powerful vampire's ashes. Of course, silvered or magical weapons, fire, and sunlight can also "end" the Vampiric condition with death.
4 Odd Fixes To Vampirism Exist
Aside from the aforementioned cure, The Elder Scrolls lore offers rather unique approaches to "treating" Vampirism as a condition. Killing the bloodfather or progenitor of a clan or bloodline should eliminate the condition from all of its members. Unfortunately, this approach risks killing much-older Vampires when cured.
Other unconventional methods exist, albeit lacking information. Vampirism may be cured by bathing in water with Purgeblood Salts, or a ritual involving a black soul gem. Vampires may also "replace" their Vampirism with Lycanthropy. After all, Lycanthropy, like Vampirism, is a Daedric-bestowed gift. Whereas Molag Bal bestowed Vampirism to Lamae Bal, Lord of the Hunt Hircine created the first Lycanthropes.
3 The Vampire Branding
Vampires believe Molag Bal provides ancient artifacts and relics to his servants to grant them various abilities. These include several rings and amulets that augment a Vampire's abilities. Similarly, the Bloodstone Chalice, when filled with Vampire blood and water from the Redwater Spring, may enhance a Vampire's power even further.
Items that can absorb lifeforce or power of any kind often get associated with Vampires. For instance, the Vampiric Ring and Ebony Blade can steal enemy health, the Vampiric Cloud absorbs strength, while the Mace of Molag Bal (the Vampire's Mace) absorbs Magicka. Lastly, the Tsaesci's Bloodthirst, Dawnfang, and Duskfang are believed to be Vampire-related weapons as well.
2 Vampires Can Evolve
Aside from multiple Vampiric strains and bloodlines, certain Vampires may take on various forms as well. However, unlike the multiple werebeast variants of Lycanthrope, Vampirism instead seems to let their kind "evolve" based on various situations. Molag Bal's "blessed" take on the role of Pure-Bloods, the most powerful forms of Vampires. Second to them are Vampire Lords, or beings possessing monstrous forms courtesy of the Daedric Prince.
With Lamae Bal's powers, a Vampire can become a Blood Scion, with power supposedly equal that of a Vampire Lord. Meanwhile, Vampires become Bloodknights after absorbing several Vampires. Unfortunately, they find it difficult to control their beast-like rage while Vampires become Bloodfiends after starvation. Lastly, Harrowfiends come from soulless mortals exposed to a terrifying harrowstorm.
1 Vampire Babies Are A Thing
Vampires traditionally only "reproduce" by turning other people into other Vampires. Thanks to Twilight, modern pop culture has dabbled into the idea of Vampire babies. Bethesda approaches this notion in Tamriel's Vampires, opening the idea that a Vampire may indeed sire a child. However, the series only documents one such child.
In Oblivion, players in the Arena will encounter Agronak gro-Malog, the current champion. Interestingly, fans love Agronak for his incredible speed, agility, and endurance. As players will soon find out, Agronak is a Half-Orc with Vampire lineage, the latter of which he owes to his father, the Imperial Vampire Lord Lovidicus.