Vampirism (Skyrim)

Vampirism is a Disease featured in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, as well as earlier Elder Scrolls games.

Contracting Vampirism
Players can contract the vampirism disease, Sanguinare Vampiris, through combat with a vampire. The player will be notified when they have contracted the disease and will have 72 hours to cure his or her self. After 72 hours, the infected player will become a vampire, obtaining the abilities of a stage one vampire. The player can cure themselves at an altar of a church or altar in front of a Statue of the Eight (ie. Talos in Whiterun), before becoming a full vampire. Vampirism benefits in past games have varied greatly (including stat increases, new spells or powers, or even new game play mechanics).

Sanguinare Vampiris is easiest to contract in Broken Fang Cave due to the two fairly weak vampires living there. If the player has high enough magicka and enough magicka potions, they can just keep healing themselves with the healing spell, and let the vampires attack them until they contract the disease. Another tip is to turn the game difficulty down in the menu, this way the vampire attacks will cause very little damage allowing you to contract the disease with minimal risk of death.

At Half-Moon Mill there is a man named Hern and his wife, who are vampires. You can tell that because of their teeth and red eyes. You have to kill the man in the Dark Brotherhood quests called "Contract: Hern".

In Morrowind as well as Skyrim, it is possible to cure early Sanguinare Vamparis (before conversion) using any standard disease curing method. The cure for Vampirism is much harder to obtain than the cure for Sanguinare Vampiris.

Vampires can also be found in Pinemoon Cave just West of Solitude, or Shriekwind Bastion.

Stage One
Abilities:
 * Champion of the Night- Illusion spells cast by your vampire are 25% more powerful.
 * Night Stalker's Footsteps - Vampires are 25% harder to detect while sneaking.
 * Resist Disease - Your vampiric blood gives you 100% resistance to disease.
 * Resist Frost - Your vampiric blood gives you 25% resistance to frost.
 * Resist Poison - Your vampiric blood gives you 100% resistance to poison.
 * Weakness to Fire - Your vampiric blood causes you to be 25% weaker to fire.
 * Weakness to Sunlight - Health, Magicka, and Stamina do not recover while in sunlight and are reduced by 15 points; however, if you equip apparel that grants a faster regen percentage on any of the three stats, or take a perk that grants faster regen, they will still recover in sunlight. (only when you're outside during the day)

Powers:


 * Vampire's Servant - Reanimate a weak dead body to fight for you for 60 seconds (can only be use once a day).
 * Vampire Sight - Improve night vision for 60 seconds (can be used multiple times a day and be toggled on/off).

Spells:


 * Vampiric Drain - Absorb 2 points of health per second from target (novice destruction spell, cost of 5 magicka per second).

Stage Two
Changes from Stage 1:
 * Resist Frost - Your vampiric blood gives you 50% resistance to frost.
 * Weakness to Fire - Your vampiric blood makes you 50% weaker to fire.
 * Weakness to Sunlight - Health, Magicka, and Stamina do not recover while in sunlight and are reduced by 30 points; however, if you equip apparel that grants a faster regen percentage on any of the three stats, or take a perk that grants faster regen, they will still recover in sunlight. (only when you're outside during the day)
 * Vampire's Servant - Reanimate a more powerful dead body to fight for you for 60 seconds (can only be used once a day).
 * Vampiric Drain - Absorb 3 points of health per second from target (novice destruction spell, costs 10 magicka per second).

Powers:
 * Vampire Seduction - Creatures and people up to level 10 are calmed (cease to fight) for 30 seconds.

Stage Three
Changes from Stage 2:
 * Resist Frost - Your vampiric blood gives you 75% resistance to frost.
 * Weakness to Fire - Your vampiric blood makes you 75% weaker to fire
 * Weakness to Sunlight - Health, Magicka, and Stamina do not recover while in sunlight and are reduced by 45 points; however, if you equip apparel that grants a faster regen percentage on any of the three stats, or take a perk that grants faster regen, they will still recover in sunlight. (only when you're outside during the day)
 * Vampire's Servant - Reanimate a powerful dead body to fight for you for 60 seconds. (can only be use once a day)
 * Vampiric Drain - Absorb 4 points of health per second from target. (novice destruction spell, costs 12 magicka per sec)

Stage Four
Changes from Stage 3:
 * Resist Frost - Your vampiric blood gives you 100% resistance to frost.
 * Weakness to Fire - Your vampiric blood makes you 100% weaker to fire.
 * Weakness to Sunlight - Health, Magicka, and Stamina do not recover while in sunlight and are reduced by 60 points; however, if you equip apparel that grants a faster regen percentage on any of the three stats, or take a perk that grants faster regen, they will still recover in sunlight. (only when you're outside during the day)
 * Vampire's Servant - Reanimate a very powerful dead body to fight for you for 60 seconds (can only be used once per day).
 * Vampiric Drain - Absorb 5 points of Health per second from target (novice Destruction spell, costs 15 Magicka per second).
 * People will be hostile towards you and might attack you on sight.

Powers:
 * Embrace of Shadows - The vampire becomes invisible, with improved night-vision for 180 seconds (can only be used once per day).

Curing Vampirism
Make your way to Falkreath. Once there, speak to Valga Vinicia at the Dead Man's Drink and ask about any rumors going around. She will tell you that Falion in Morthal studies vampires. Speak to him and he will tell you that, in order to perform the ritual, a black soul gem must be filled. To get the black soul gem you need to speak to Falion again and he will offer to sell it to you (you can also obtain the black soul gem in various other, cheaper ways). To fill it, cast a Soul Trap spell on a human target and proceed to kill them. The Soul Trap spellbook to stage 1, making it easier to be cured, or continue living happily as a (non-stage 4) vampire.

Side Note:

Becoming a Werewolf also cures Vampirism (this works if you contract Lycanthropy as a quest reward ONLY, ie from the Companions' questline)

Potions of Cure Disease will cure Sanguinare Vampiris, the disease which progresses to vampirism, but will not cure vampirism itself. You can also activate the Shrine of Talos in Falkreth and Whiterun

Any bartender can tell you about Falion when you ask them about rumors enough times.

Skyrim Vampire Lore
The book Immortal Blood from Oblivion which is also found in Skyrim tells a tale of a vampire hunter being mentored by a priest, it briefly describes vampire clans from Skyrim and other locations. Skyrim's vampires were said to reach through ice without breaking it, live underneath great frozen lakes, and be able to freeze flesh. Interestingly enough, the vampire hunter from the book Immortal Blood is named Movarth Piquine, who is attacked by a vampire at the conclusion of the book. Movarth Piquine is in Skyrim in a quest named "Laid to Rest." and is a vampire NPC. It is very possible it is the same individual.

Note: Nothing new has been confirmed at this time. Given the nature of the vampire hysteria, it's fully possible that these are nothing more than superstitions.

Related Pages

 * Lycanthropy - Werewolves in Skyrim
 * Race - Races in The Elder Scrolls Universe
 * Vampire - Vampires in The Elder Scrolls Universe