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 Vampires
are the lords of the dead, and all the Vampires in the
Old World are descendants of one of the great Masters.
Men dread these mighty creatures, for Vampires are immortals
with great powers who require only blood to sustain
themselves. They are physically stronger than any living
man and can endure wounds that would slay a mortal in
an instant. They have a natural ability to command necromantic
magic and to bind Undead to their will. The greatest
among them are also able to command the skies, so that
when their armies march to battle, the skies darken
with heavy storm clouds. This ability casts dismay in the hearts
of the mortals facing the Undead and protects the the
Vampires and their minions from the touch of the sunlight,
which is the bane of their kind.
 Of
the various Vampire bloodlines, the one that remains
closest to the Vampire's ancient origins is the one
descending from Neferata, high priestess and Queen of
Lahmia. Neferata, together with her sisters, was already
far to the north and safe from the wrath of the kings
of Nehekhara when they attacked Lahmia.
Nothing was heard from them for many centuries until,
at a place called the Silver Pinnacle by the Dwarfs,
a strange event took place. The Dwarfs had been mining
in this remote part of the World's Edge Mountains and
had built a small stronghold there. One nigh,t an invading
horde somehow broke into the mountain, taking the defenders
by surprise. These invaders were Zombies and Skeletons
led by someone who is recorded in the Book of Grudges
as the "Queen of Evil."
 Many
centuries have passed since that time. The Dwarfs have
long gone from the area, and now, only travelers from
the lands of men tread within sight of the place. There
are few who have visited the Silver Pinnacle and returned
alive to tell the tale. Their tales do not speak of
horror. Instead, they tell of a splendid court, arrayed
in the fashions of some ancient civilization, and of
a palace cut out of the rock with statues and walls
adorned with strange inscriptions. Yet it is a place
of darkness, where the light of day is not permitted
to enter. The queen who rules here is said to be of
exquisite beauty, attended by handmaidens any man would
die for. Stories of this Palace of the Night Queen have
been told for centuries in the ballads of Bretonnia,
the writings of the Empire, and the poems of Tilea. Even
in the kasbahs of Araby and in the sweat lodges of Kislev
can similar rumors
be heard.
 Lahmian
Vampires are fast as quicksilver and their Vampiric
powers allow them to melt into the shadows and vanish
from the eyes of mortals. They can move so quickly that
they are virtually invisible to the eye. The talons
of the Lahmians reach to all levels of human society.
They take an active interest in human affairs, and no
one can guess how many powerful eccentric noblewomen,
widows of princes and dukes, and high-born ladies who
shun the light of day are in truth of the Undead. They
have a great talent for art and statesmanship, and their
powerful personalities hold an irresistible charm for
mortals. However, their temper matches the quickness
of their bodies – they are easy to anger, but hard
to appease.
A Lahmian may be included in your Vampire Counts army
as a Vampire Lord (as both a Lord and a Hero choice),
a Vampire Count (as a Lord choice), or a Vampire Thrall
(as a Hero choice).
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