Dhampirs are the children of vampires and mortals. To the inhabitants of Golarion, they are a mystery, shadows on the border of life and death, eternal wanderers, outcasts among the dead and the living.
A lot of players have been waiting for an opportunity to play as the mysterious offspring of vampires and mortals ever since Pathfinder: Kingmaker, and finally this chance appeared in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. The commander of the Fifth Crusade can be unusually pale, cold, and... Oh, by Iomedae, are those fangs?
But don't be unduly alarmed: despite their grim and tragic origins, dhampirs are not always predisposed to evil. There are also several lineages of heritage among them that give dhampirs a variety of talents.
Among them, for example, are the offspring of vetalas, the unpredictable, dangerous, and perpetually curious body snatchers. Their descendants are called ajibachana: extraordinarily inquisitive, assertive, and advanced beyond their years. In their pursuit of knowledge, they can only be halted by weakness near holy and unholy places: a trait inherited from their undead parents.
There are also dhampirs who stand out even among their own kind. Such are the children of the Vampire King, the few and mysterious shadows on the border between humans and vampires. Often their lives are focused on a single goal to which they are devoted with all their soul. Dhampirs of such sacred ancestry are very rare and it's almost impossible to meet them in the lands of Mendev... but such a rarity can become the main hero of Wrath of the Righteous.
The most beautiful of the dhampirs are svetochers, born of the moroi vampires. The beautiful and sweet-tongued svetochers tend to have an easier time than other dhampirs when associating with mortals, though they must take care to ensure that their relatively wanton social interactions do not breed jealousy, resentment, or disdain.
Deprived of such beauty are the ancient-born, or nosferatu. Even in their relative youth, a nosferatu is so terrible to behold that any such coupling must be the result of arcane manipulation or insanity. Some nosferatu flee home in search of solitude, some hatch plans for revenge, and some become travelers and adventurers to seek fame... or their doom. It's hard for a nosferatu to break through others’ fear and loathing – but maybe you've played as an ancient-born before, and you've succeeded?
Another bloodline stands out among the dhampirs. Also called born of jiang-shi, or ru-shi, these dhampirs are usually the result of some nefarious ritual or the spawn of a magically possessed father, rather than the direct union of a human and a jiang-shi. This grim legacy is reflected in the physiology of these dhampirs: jiang-shis lack any natural desire for physical contact or procreation, and their putrefying internal organs make most unable to conceive.
All dhampirs, regardless of origin, have in common the lonely and dangerous life they face. Many people make guard signs when they encounter them, fearing to even speak. Some dhampirs spend their entire lives without ever learning what a friendly embrace or a polite handshake feels like: rejected by society, the children of vampires and mortals become loners with no affection or love for anyone. Some of them, holding a grudge and anger against their vampire father, become hunters of the undead, and such warriors are feared by vampires more than anyone else.
Needless to say, dhampirs are very rare in Mendev and are treated with great distrust – like tieflings, they are met with prejudice and fear from the common folk. However, a dhampir can also gain good repute through their actions. Many are known as fighters against the undead, rebelling against their own kind; many are known not for their crimes, but for their good deeds.
Have you already played as a dhampir? If so, be sure to share your characters' stories!