"Awake O Dead, for there can be no rest for ye beneath the earth. Let the splintered bones burrow from the grave pall. Let cold fingers grip time-worn blades, and unseeing eyes survey the fields of slaughter. For your time has come once more. And the dead shall walk again."
- —Motto of the Sylvania Press
Banner of the Von Carstein
The Vampire Counts are amongst the most notorious faction of powerful Vampires to have ever terrorized the civilized lands of the Old World, whom are all known to be the bearer of the unholy blood of the Von Carstein bloodline. The Vampire Counts are fiends without equal. They seek only to topple the civilizations of the living and supplant them with an Undead Empire that shall reign forever as Lords of the Night. These Vampire, for all their power and cunning, is ultimately a base, selfish creature driven by the same motivations of the mortals they deem themselves superior to. They are remorseless in their advance, killing without thoughts of mercy or compassion, and whose motive is entirely bent on only ones own selfish needs.
Indeed, the entire structure of the Vampire Counts are built by the selfish desires of the individual, whether it be for the pettiness of greed, glory, beauty or power. To the Vampire Counts, they simply want it all, for they consider themselves above the living, and would stop at nothing to delude themselves about their cursed and lonely existence within a world that only shows death or cruelty to such a foul and unloved race. For all of their refinement, in the honest truth, these Vampires are nothing but simply rotting corpses held together by Dark Magic and the horrific consumption of Human blood.
From their powerbase within the former Imperial province of Sylvania, the descendants of the Von Carstein bloodline have vied time and again to topple the authority of the Empire of Man. Since the time of Vlad von Carstein, it is the sole purpose of the Von Carstein family to inherit the Realm of Sigmar in their deluded attempts of legitimacy, assassination and outright invasion. Yet time and again they've been pushed back towards their coffins and hunted ceaselessly for their horrific origins. Yet no matter how many Von Carsteins fall, there always seems to be another willing to take its place.
History
The Origins of the Vampire Counts can be tied together with the origins of the entire Vampire race. From the deserts of the far south, there once laid an ancient and powerful Human kingdom that once ruled unchallenged for many long millenium. This ancient and beautiful civilization once held the name of Nehekhara, a mighty human civilization that was once the pinnacle of Mankinds achievements. Within those once verdant plains, the people of Nehekhara had lived a prosperous life admist the many rival cities that dot its landscape. Massive pyramids were built to honor the many long-dead Priest Kings that once ruled this ancient kingdom, and whose obsession to avoid the cold touch of death has lead to pursuit of eternal life. Eventually, this obsession with achieving immortality would bring about Nehekhara's demise and, from its death throes, the birth of the first Vampire.
The Rise of Nagash
The Ruins of Khemri
Some two and a half thousand years before the birth of Sigmar, the ancient civilization of Men known as Nehekhara dwelt along the banks of the great River Vitae. Of all the Kings of Nehekhara, none could match the splendor, cruelty and arrogance of Settra, the First Priest-King of the city-state of Khemri. Under his inspired leadership and unparalleled ruthlessness, the many Priest Kings of Nehekhara's city-states were conquered and forced to pay tribute and acknowledge Khemri as the greatest city of the land. But Settra was unsatisfied, knowing that one day death would rob him of all he had accomplished.
In his arrogance, he vowed that the grave would not claim him and proclaimed that he would cheat death, setting his wisest and most powerful priests towards working on a means of preventing his passing. Soon, all of Nehekhara became preoccupied with death and the afterlife, building many huge temples and monuments to the dead. These huge tombs became so frequent and huge that the rulers blocked them all into the giant cities of the dead called Necropoli. In the end however, Settra could never evade death for long, and after living for many years afterwards, he was eventually entombed within a vast pyramid.
It was into this culture that Nagash was born, brother of the currently reigning Priest King of Khemri. Nagash was the first son and was given to the Mortuary Cult as tradition demanded. He soon rose to the position of high priest. He observed the Morticians as they prepared the dead for internment. He learned all of their ancient spells but, because Nehekhara was so far south of the Winds of Magic, he was too weak to cast them. Nagash took to unspeakable experiments in his quest for immortality and soon all the citizens of Khemri shunned him. But then, a group of Dark Elves was blown off-course and captured by the Zandri navy, whom are then given to Khemri as a gift to be sealed in with Nagash's father in his tomb. Nagash only pretended to poison them; he then proceeded to learn in secret all they knew.
Nagash kept them sealed in his father's pyramid as a bargain: he would learn their sorcery and they would get out alive. They taught him how to reap souls and use their energy to cast spells of his own. With this knowledge, he created the elixir that made him immortal as long as he continued to drink it. Nagash's experiments met with limited success: he was able to prolong his life and forestall the effects of aging, but there was something missing, something that evaded Nagash. He shared his elixir with depraved noblemen, building support for himself before he finally killed his own brother before he seized power in Khemri. He and his immortal supporters were tyrannical rulers, slaughtering many of the citizens of Khemri. With their newfound power, they constructed the Black Pyramid, the largest structure ever built by Mankind. Nagash supervised the construction of the Black Pyramid, and although it cost a great many lives to built, the blood, sweat and souls of those that died only served the purpose to its construction, as the pyramid was meant to attract the foul winds of Dark Magic. For the Priest Kings of the other cities, long disturbed by events in Khemri, this was the final blasphemy.
Slowly the other priest kings gathered their innumerable armies and formed a confederation to stop Nagash tyranny. A bloody war broke out, where waves of dark magic spread out from the Black Pyramid and blasted the lands of Nehekhara. Once verdant plains of wheat slowly became tainted and soon the life-giving waters of the lands many oasis grew sickly and killed all which drank from it. After nearly a century of warfare, the armies of the Priest Kings shattered Nagash's power and sacked the capital city of Khemri. As Nagash fled the burning city into the cold depths of his pyramid, the Great Necromancer swore to the Priest Kings that he shall return and swore that he shall enact his revenge. To the Priest Kings, they considered this an empty threat, and laughed as their acolytes found Nagash's disciples within the pyramid and dragged them screaming to be burned and beheaded in the sunlight.
All of the morbid statues and monuments to Nagash's glory were toppled into the sands. The sanctums of the Necromancer's disciples were plundered and dispoiled, and the practice of Dark Magic was outlawed under the pain of death. Yet the agents of the Priest Kings could not find the renegade himself. Although his disciples claimed to have seen Nagash enter his sarcophagus, the coffin itself was mysteriously empty.
Unbeknownst to the Priest Kings, Nagash escaped and rebuilt his power once more. To the far north, he constructed a vast citadel, which became known as Nagashizzar, in the mountain known as Cripple Peak, seeking to take advantage of the huge reserves of warpstone there. The Skaven, also desiring the warpstone, tried many times to sack Nagashizzar and take Cripple Peak for their own. After many years of conflict, his ended in a stalemate, for they couldn't take the fortress; however, neither could Nagash drive them away. Recognizing the potential for mutual benefit, Nagash negotiated an alliance with the Skaven, supplying them with warpstone in exchange for their aid with his plans.
The Damnation of Lahmia
Queen Neferata, the first of the Vampires
In defiance of the laws imposed by the Priest Kings, Neferata, the Queen of Lahmia stole the most potent of Nagash's books and pursued her own studies of the dark arts. She attempted to replicate the Elixir of Life, and eventually she had a small measure of success. Neferata no long seemed to age, but was possessed of a terrible thirst for blood. Over time, many of the court of Neferata also drank from the elixir, and joined her as the first Vampire. Thus was the dynasty of the Lahmian Vampires were born unto this world. More cautious than Nagash, they took pains to conceal their nature from the other Priest Kings. The first Vampires reigned liked Gods over Lahmia, governed by their undying Queen and hidden from the ire of the Priest Kings.
Gradually, the Vampire Cult of Lahmia began to grow in confidence, and their excessed began to increase. They would not submit to walk the earth like common soldiers and insisted upon being borne upon ornate thrones at all times. Hundreds of slaves entered the palace daily to be used as servants or to drunk for their blood. Once these Vampires have learned about Nagash's powerbase within Nagashizzar, they sent out envoys to make contact with him. Bound by the powers of the Elixir of Life, the Vampires slowly became the thralls to Nagash's will. However, agents of the Priest Kings have managed to capture and interrogate these heralds, whom soon reveal about the hidden cult. Ernaged beyond measure, the Priest Kings once more amassed a grand army and made war upon the city-state of Lahmia. The fight for Lahmia was long and bloody, with the Vampires using all of their supernatural strenght, cunning and sorcerous abilities to slay hundreds of the Priest Kings warriors.
In response, the Priest Kings sent forwards magical spellcasters of their own, and with an armies numbering in the tens of thousands, the Vampires of Lahmia were slowly being corned, outpowered and outnumbered. Eventually, the Vampires lost the battle. The population of Lahmia was enslaved, the pyramids were toppled to the ground, and the Vampires were hunted down. Most fled northwards, one-by-one arriving within the court of Nagashizzar where they were welcomed by the Great Necromancer. Nagash looked upon the corrupted immortals and was pleased, for now he had worthy champions to lead his new Undead army.
The War with the Priest Kings
Nagash had not been idle and had learned much about the art of necromancy and animating the dead, conceiving of a mad and deadly master plan. He vowed to turn the entire world into a necropolis filled only by the unquiet dead, where no action would be performed, no deed done save when he willed it. Nagash would be the lord over all of it. The first step on Nagash's road to utter dominion was the elimination of his former homeland, for he wished a bitter vengeance upon the Priest Kings for what they've done. At his command, the Vampires led his legions forth to war. On ships made of fused bone, the Undead horde made its way from the Sour Sea, down what future generations would know as the Straits of Nagash, to the Bitter Sea. The Undead legions made landfall within the ruined ports of Lahmia and surged forwards onto their lands of Nehekhara, the exiled Vampires spearheading the attack.
However, Nagash had seriously underestimated his former countrymen. In the time of his absence, the Land of the Great Vitae River had become a mighty empire ruled by a single Priest King, known by his people as Alcadizaar the Conqueror. Alcadizaar was the greatest general of his age and his Empire was at the zenith of its power. When the Undead came, they found themselves opposed by a massive, unified, and highly marshaled grand army of warriors, chariots and cavalry. Moreover, the enchanters of the Great Kingdom had made progress in the arts of magic, particularly in the creation of animated war-constructs. No easy victory was possible against them.
The ensuing Wars stained the sands of Nekehara red for many years. The Vampires were mighty sorcerers and fell warriors, and they were determined to reclaim their kingdom. Wherever they appeared, terror and dread came upon the enemy, yet the Vampires, for all their claims of power and immortal, can still be cast down to the cold furrow of death. The war swayed backwards and forwards for a decade. At first, the legions of the Undead had the upper hand, then the armies of Alcadizaar struck back with displays of tactical genius. Battle after battle was fought until finally, all of Nagash's legions were destroyed. The defeated Vampires fled across the desert to Nagashizzar to bring their dark master the report of their failure.
Vampire Bloodlines
There are five distinct families of vampires, each descending from one of the "first vampires" or original ones created Neferata, these families are called "Bloodlines", each with different characteristics that affect the way the armies of each operate, although the more powerful members of any vampire bloodline can cast spells, and that all vampires are formidable in combat. Games Workshop has removed the bloodlines from the new edition of the Vampire Counts Armies book; replacing them with selectable skills associated with the original bloodlines (yet mixable as though having aspects of many bloodlines). The known vampire bloodlines are as follows:
Von Carstein
The Von Carsteins are the descendants of Vashanesh, Neferata's husband. However, most of the history of the bloodline is lost: specifically, everything between Vashanesh becoming a vampire and the resurgence of Vlad. Some claim that Vlad and Vashanesh are one and the same, but none can confirm this. These vampires are somewhat stereotypical vampires, modeled very much in the manner of Dracula. They are seen as having close bonds with animals such as wolves and bats. These vampires have no particular modifications and several of their bloodline powers emphasize their ties with animals. They are hereditary rulers of Sylvania.
The von Carsteins have been prevalent throughout the recent history of the vampire counts, and are the only bloodline to openly go to war with the Empire. The blood line was created by Vlad von Carstein when he married Isabella on the night that Count Otto, her father and the then count of Sylvania, died. The history of Vlad before that night is unclear. Vlad has come close to destroying the Empire, only being defeated in a duel with the Grand Theogonist, on the walls of Altdorf. After Vlad was killed there were five remaining claimants for the throne of Sylvania.
Fritz von Carstein was killed while attempting to besiege Middenheim, Hans was killed in a quarrel instigated by Konrad, Pieter was slain by witch hunter Helmut van Hal (rumor at the time suggested Mannfred led him to Pieter's lair), and Mannfred left Sylvania to travel in search of Necromantic lore. Konrad, who had no ambitions other than mindless and bloody slaughter, wasted no time in marauding across half the Empire and even attacking the Dwarfs of Zhufbar until he was destroyed at Grim Moor. Mannfred then returned to Sylvania and bided his time, rebuilding the bloodline after Konrad nearly destroyed it. Mannfred then attacked Altdorf but was forced to retreat; after a long backwards and forwards chase he was defeated at Hel Fenn, where prince Martin claimed to have killed him, but rumors persist that this is not the case.
Blood Dragons
Blood Dragons are fallen Knights, usually from the realm of Bretonnia; they are portrayed as souls in suffering, neither good nor evil. They desire skill in military combat, but do not particularly wish to become rulers or land owners, thus making them undead Knights Errant. Their goal is to not find the Grail as a Bretonnian Knight would, but rather succeed in mastering combat, and obtaining the same ability of permanently suppressing the need to drink human blood to survive as their leader, Abhorash did. Abhorash was the greatest warrior of Lahmia and held honour above all else, so much so that when Neferata and the nobles of her court turned into vampires, Abhorash who was content to continue to drink Nagash's elixir had to be tricked into drinking the sphinx venom. Initially he refused to feed on the blood of his own people, and desperately fought to control his fury: eventually however, his thirst grew so great that he slaughtered a dozen men and women in one night of gore. It is said that he wept tears of blood for the poor souls he had murdered to save himself, he fled south past Rasetra into the hot jungles of the Southlands, the others attempted to find him but could not.
Abhorash was at the front of Lahmia's defense when the Priest Kings attacked and slew hundreds of their warriors, until the steps of the royal palace and Neferata's temple were covered in blood. Despite his great fighting abilities, the armies of the Priest Kings were too many to defeat: Lahmia was sacked, its people enslaved or killed, and the undead aristocrats hunted down and put to the sword. As the few remaining vampires gathered up as much wealth and riches as they could and fled surrounded by hordes of their minions, Abhorash cursed his arrogant brothers who had brought destruction upon his beloved city, and set off followed by only a few loyal warriors and carrying only his weapons and armour, in exile. He taught his followers that skill in close combat and honour in battle were the only measures of greatness and they would only drink from great fighters, saying that only the impure fed on the weak. Eventually his travels took him to a great mountain wreathed with eternal flames; ignoring the advice of all of his followers Abhorash scaled the side of this fiery mountain. As he reached its summit, a red dragon of immense size emerged from the crater and descended upon the Vampire Lord. At the prospect of testing his martial abilities, Abhorash drew his sword and prepared to fight the great wyrm.
The two fought the entire night and in the end the Vampire was victorious. As the dragon lashed in its death throes, Abhorash seized its throat with his fangs and drank deep. Intoxicated by the blood of the dragon, Abhorash cast the carcass of the broken creature down from the mountain top. His search had ended; he no longer craved the lifeblood of men and had become the ultimate warrior, a man with the strength of a Vampire who had no need for blood. He then dispatched his followers to go forth into the world and charged them to master the arts of combat to such a skill that they could overcome their bloody thirst as he had. When they had succeeded, he would call them back to him, and they would go to war. It is said Abhorash still waits at the mountain, waiting for the day when his followers can rejoin him. Other famous Blood Dragons include: Walach Harkon (who challenged and defeated the entire Order of the Blood Dragon single-handedly), The Red Duke and Varison the Blade.
Lahmians
This bloodline is (almost) entirely female. They are descended from Neferata, the original vampire. They emphasize the seductive nature of vampires and many of their bloodline powers center around influencing the behavior of enemy heroes. Neferata was queen of the city-state of Lahmia and the first of all the Vampires. After the city was destroyed by the Kings of Nehekara, she fled with her minions to the mountain known as 'The Silver Pinnacle'. After driving out the mountain's Dwarf inhabitants, Neferata established a new court, where she rules as the leader of a Sisterhood of enchantingly beautiful vampires who use secrecy, cunning and intrigue where others would use brute strength, to sway the political powers of the human kingdoms to do their will.
The talons of the Lahmians reach all levels of human society and they take an active interest in human affairs. No one can guess how many eccentric noblewomen, widows of princes and dukes, and high-born ladies who shun the light of day and lock themselves up in tall towers and opulent palaces, are in truth the Undead and part of Neferata's brood. Geneviève Dieudonné (who was made a vampire without approval and is not linked to the Lahmian hierarchy) is of special interest to the Lahmians, who guard her in the hopes that her heroic status amongst the humans can be used to the benefit of the Lahmians' goals.
Necrarch
Necrarch vampires appear monstrous and wizened, thus they are weaker in combat but have much greater magical potential than the other vampire bloodlines. Overall they are still vastly more dangerous than an equivalent level wizard in close combat, and on par with the more dangerous of melee fighters. They are described as solitary researchers, working on ever more terrible spells as they live out their undying centuries. Because of their studies the Necrarch armies field large numbers of necromantic constructs, spell casters, and zombie dragons.
Necrarchs claim descent from W'soran, who they revere as the father of Vampires, for W'soran served under Nagash himself. With the fall of Lahmia, the kingdom of Vampires came to an end and the Great Library of Lahmia was burned to the ground. The accumulated knowledge of ancient Nehekhara was destroyed and many disciples of W'soran died in the flames, reluctant to abandon their work. However a handful of Necrarchs fled and survived the pursuit of the armies of the kings of Numas and Zandri, taking with them books and scrolls and other fragments of the dark lore that Nagash created. They scattered all over the world hiding themselves to patiently wait for the death of their enemies and continue their studies. It is implied they are still in the servitude of Nagash, or are attempting to conduct a spell similar to the one he used to decimate Nehekhara and awaken the dead therein. Their progenitor was W'soran, and their previous master Melkhior was known to have served Nagash closely.
Strigoi
In appearance they are even more monstrous than the Necrarchs and are huge and heavily built. They are the descendants of Ushoran who with his followers fled north to what is now the Badlands and built a great empire; when it was destroyed by Orcs the Strigoi were scattered and eventually degenerated to what they are today. The Strigoi are animalistic, half-mad and barely intelligent. They have similar combat ability to the Blood Dragons, but in terms of strength and bestial fury rather than skill-at-arms.
When their capital Mourkain was sacked by an Orc horde, the Strigoi vampires sought out their fellow vampires, who shunned them for Ushoran's snobbery and in some cases, openly hunted them down. The misery of what they had lost and the betrayal of their kin destroyed their minds and corrupted their bodies, and thus the Strigoi degenerated into the insane, feral beasts they are now. Unlike other vampires, Strigoi mainly drink the blood of the freshly dead instead of the living, for fear of attracting unwanted attention from both humans and vampires. Some Strigois have devolved into Varghulf, massive bat-like creatures driven only by the instinct to kill and feast.