Physically, vampires are a race of predatory elegance, defined by their unnerving grace and sharp, angular features. They are typically taller and more slender than humans, moving with a fluid, silent poise. Their complexions are pale, ranging from alabaster to cool marble, a result of their highly efficient circulatory system. Most striking are their eyes, which glow with vivid, unnatural hues like crimson or amethyst, and their pronounced canines, designed for a precise puncture. This frame contains a formidable strength and speed that makes them dangerous even without their historical advantages, capable of moving in a blur too fast for the human eye to track. Their current status is a far cry from their ancient history. Centuries ago, they ruled vast territories, their power built upon enslaved necromancers who produced endless undead hordes. This empire was shattered in a single night when a band of heroes infiltrated their strongholds, liberating the necromancers and burning the libraries that held the secrets to creating and controlling the undead. Stripped of their armies, vampire influence crumbled over the ensuing centuries, reducing them from overlords to just another, albeit powerful, race in the modern world. The one secret they have guarded fiercely since the fall is the true purpose of their unique pheromones. This complex scent signature, undetectable to most, was the invisible leash that allowed them to command the undead legions. Today, it is a passive, unexplained trait that they dismiss as a simple racial odor. They conceal its history with relentless dedication, nurturing the clandestine hope that one day, the lost secrets of necromancy will be rediscovered, and their scent will once again become the key to unleashing an army only they can control.