An extensive and 100% fan made guide about the Volkodlak Fae kind,
specifically the “vampire” kind (Vourdalak). Nothing here is canonic, as
there's little to no information about them in game as I'm writing this.
IMMORTALITY
They do not die from disease, aging, or common injuries. There is no known limit to how long they may live.
HEALING & REGENERATION
They are capable of regenerating from any wound, even the most severe. Recovery may take anywhere from a few seconds to several hours or days, depending on the severity of the injury. This includes the regeneration of amputated limbs, with the exception of the head.
ENHANCED SENSES
All five senses are highly heightened, with vision, hearing, and smell being the most pronounced.
• Vision: In addition to being able to see across vast distances, up to several thousand kilometers, Nightbound also possess night vision.
• Smell: Their sense of smell surpasses even that of the finest tracking dogs and is especially sensitive to blood, particularly human blood, much like a shark’s.
• Hearing: Their hearing is extraordinarily sharp, allowing them to perceive heartbeats and breathing from living beings kilometers away.
FANGS & CLAWS
Their sharp fangs and claws are not constantly visible. They may extend or retract them at will, though control becomes more difficult when they sense blood or are hungry.
TRANSMUTATION
The ability to transform into animals and alter one’s physical appearance.
Volkodlak are hybrid of certain animals, such as bats, rats, cats, crows, foxes, and wolves, but which animals, and how many, varies from individual to individual. Addicionally, some of them appear to have the ability to change one's appearance, being able to look older or younger than they actually are. For most Vourdalak, the age of which they stop to age is random, but always after they reached maturity.
STRENGTH, SPEED & AGILITY
Beyond their heightened senses, their strength, speed, agility, and reflexes are also greatly enhanced.
MENTAL MANIPULATION
The ability to manipulate, persuade, and or hypnotize humans. Not all of them possess this skill, as it is complex and difficult to master, being more common among older Vourdalak. Most are generally capable of manipulation and persuasion to a limited degree.
LEVITATION & LEAPING
They possess the ability to float or glide and to leap to extraordinary heights, though not true flight.
SILENCE
Another ability that must be learned, and one not all of them possess. It is more common among more experienced Vourdalak.
NOCTURNAL EMPOWERMENT
They grow stronger at night, particularly under moonlight, most of all during the full moon.
IMMUNITY
They are immune, or at the very least highly tolerant, to most, if not all, drugs, medicines, and poisons. As a result, they take a long time to become intoxicated and do not become easily impaired.
MENTAL RESISTANCE
They are resistant to mental manipulation.
BLOOD EMPOWERMENT
By consuming blood, their powers intensify, as do their instincts and emotions.
INSTINCTS
They possess feral instincts and intense emotions. It is as though everything is felt a thousand times more strongly.
Human blood — or that of humanoid species in general — is the only form of sustenance capable of quelling a Vourdalak hunger and nourishing their body. Not even animal blood can achieve this. Human flesh may provide a brief, fleeting sense of satiation, but it is so slight as to be nearly negligible.
Even so, Vourdalak are fully capable of eating and savoring human food. Though it will not satisfy their hunger, their heightened senses allow them to enjoy flavors and textures, making the act of eating a sensory experience rather than a necessity.
Vourdalak blood, while less efficient, can also alleviate thirst. Drinking from another Vourdalak is considered an act of extreme intimacy – not necessarily romantic or sexual, though it is the most common practice – and is typically reserved for those who share a profound connection. At least, this is how the majority believe it to be.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A NIGHTBOUND IS CONSUMED BY THE ABYSS?
The case of Ajax is unique. When she fell into the Abyss, she plunged into a lake steeped in abyssal energy, reminiscent of the corrupted waters found in the abyssal realms beneath Liyue and Monstadt in historical records. The energy entered through his wounds, flooding her bloodstream with corruption. Months of exposure to this toxic environment irrevocably altered her.
CHANGES
• The Abyss amplified Ajax’s abilities far beyond those of ordinary Vourdalak. She became stronger, faster, and more formidable. Yet the power consumes her internally. Much of her regenerative energy is constantly active, repairing the internal corruption, which diminishes its efficiency for other injuries. This mirrors how Abyss-influenced beings in Teyvat are simultaneously empowered and burdened by the corruption.
• Her feral instincts intensified, surpassing even those of newly transformed Vourdalak. The struggle for control over her own body is constant, reflecting the destabilizing influence of the Abyss seen in those affected by abyssal rites and monsters. Her thirst for blood grew dramatically, further compounding her struggle.
• In his corrupted state, Ajax’s blood becomes toxic, capable of burning flesh and poisoning those who consume it. In her natural Vourdalak form, it remains normal.
CORRUPTED STATE
When emotions overwhelm her, the Abyss takes hold, feeding on her negative feelings. She enters a near-bestial state, her personality altered almost entirely. In this form, control over her Foul Legacy becomes unstable, causing transformations to be unpredictable. Her scent changes as well, fully infused with abyssal energy, attracting monsters as though he were a beacon. This is consistent with recorded effects on Abyss-influenced beings and the traces left in Khaenri’ahn survival logs after the Cataclysm.
INFERTILITY
Prolonged contact with Abyssal energy fundamentally changed Ajax's physiology. The corruption interfered with her reproductive system, rendering her infertile. The Abyssal influence disrupts the delicate balance required for fertility, a side effect of its consumption of life force and amplification of primal instincts.
SUNLIGHT
Exposure to sunlight is extremely harmful. Prolonged exposure burns all skin, organs, and soft tissue, leaving only the bones intact. Unlike legends that claim total incineration, Vourdalak do not turn to ash. If removed from sunlight and provided with sufficient time and nourishment — particularly human blood — they can slowly regenerate, though full recovery may take weeks or even months.
WHITE OAK WOOD
Vourdalak are sensitive to the sacred timber of white oak. Objects made from this wood can prevent Vourdalak from entering homes or certain enclosed spaces, similar to the protective barriers described in early Snezhnayan texts. Stakes fashioned from white oak weaken them considerably, and when imbued with vervain venom and driven through the heart, can cause permanent death.
VERVAIN
This herb acts as a potent deterrent. Contact with Vourdalak, particularly in concentrated form or combined with weapons, weakens them significantly. Its effects are amplified when used in conjunction with white oak stakes.
DECAPITATION
Separation of head and body is fatal if the two parts remain apart for too long. While some Vourdalak may survive briefly, prolonged disconnection invariably leads to death.
BLOOD DEPENDENCE
Human blood is essential for Vourdalak sustenance. The longer they go without human blood, the weaker they become, until replenishment is provided. Prolonged deprivation does not cause death, but forces them into a dehydrated and weakened state, diminishing their physical abilities and endurance.
DO VOURDALAK NEED PERMISSION TO ENTER HOUSES?
Only when the house is protected with white oak. Sacred timber creates a barrier that Vourdalak cannot cross, unless invited, similar to early Snezhnayan writings on protective wards. The myth that Vourdalak must “ask” to enter homes likely originates from this limitation.
DO VOURDALAK REPRODUCE?
Yes. Vourdalak can reproduce just like humans. However, advanced age or forms resembling older humans can make conception more difficult. Interestingly, the breast milk of Vourdalak carries a faint pink hue due to their blood-based diet, containing traces of blood itself.
ARE THEY BORN WITH FANGS?
No. Children develop fangs only once their permanent teeth grow in.
CROSSES AND HOLY WATER
There's no such a thing and the origins of those myths is unknown.
DO VOURDALAK HAVE PERIODS?
No. Their bodies do not require the cyclical regeneration typical of humans, so they do not menstruate.
GARLIC – DOES IT HARM THEM?
It's an extremely common allergy between the species, but not all of them possess it. Effects range from mild irritation to full anaphylaxis. Modern Vourdalak may mitigate severe reactions with epipen usage and sufficient human blood.
DO VOURDALAK APPEAR IN MIRRORS?
Yes. The idea that they do not reflect is a rumor spread to frighten the populace, portraying Vourdalak as soulless creatures.
CAN VOURDALAK WALK IN THE SUN?
By nature, Vourdalak cannot tolerate sunlight; exposure burns all skin and soft tissue, leaving only bones intact. However, over the centuries, some Vourdalak discovered a way to mitigate this weakness. The method involves jewelry crafted from moonstone. When worn, these enchanted pieces allow the Vourdalak to endure sunlight for limited periods without suffering immediate harm.
Scholars speculate that the moonstone channels residual lunar energy into the wearer, providing a protective barrier against the Sun’s divine influence. Though not a perfect solution – prolonged exposure still causes fatigue and requires human blood to maintain the protective effect – it represents one of the rare examples of Vourdalak adapting to a world dominated by their celestial enemy.
In certain historical records, moonstone jewelry is mentioned as a status symbol among the Vourdalak, reflecting both their ingenuity and their devotion to the Moon’s blessing.
VOURDALAK BLOOD
Ancient records state that Vourdalak blood, when consumed by humans in small amounts, does not cause immediate harm. Instead, it produces a calming and stabilizing effect, easing both the mind and the body.
Those exposed report reduced anxiety, physical relaxation, and a gentle sense of warmth. Its taste is described as faintly sweet and pleasant, a result of its refined vitality rather than Abyssal influence. Because of this, it was once studied as an alchemical sedative and emergency stabilizer.
Repeated consumption, however, may lead to dependency, as the human body begins to crave its effects. For this reason, its use was restricted, and most related research was lost after the Cataclysm.
CAN THEY TRANSFORM PEOPLE?
No, Vourdalak do not posses the ability to transform people. This myth likely originates from Changelings stories.