Vampirism
A foreword: Vampirism takes many forms, even in Ravenloft, let alone in Dungeons & Dragons. As such, we have devised our own system which encompasses everything in a system that can be implemented in NWN in a way that players whom wish to play tragic or antagonistic characters can engage in the system themselves. As such, it while there are citations to canon parts, these mechanics nor the lore are to be considered definitive anywheres outside of the TOUD server.
Summary
Background
The Embrace & Enveneration
Half-Vampires and Dhampir
Common Traits of most Vampires
Bloodlines
Generation
The "generation" of a vampire is how close to the original progenitor of their bloodline. A vampire "higher up" on this scale has both costs and benefits, as they will express the bloodline's advantages and disadvantages more readily. In practical terms, a vampire with higher generation needs to feed less to gain their blood level, and can maintain it for longer.
This breaks down:
First generation (progenitor) Second generation Third generation Fourth generation Fifth generation Sixth generation Seventh generation Eighth generation Ninth generation
Mechanically, a half-vampire counts as ninth-generation. Without a special Embrace as described above, they can never reach higher.
Diagetically, the concept of generation is understood mostly-accurately understood as a general belief that older vampires are more powerful than 'younger' ones. This is mostly true - exceptions exist. As one example Lyssa von Zarovich became a vampire through a magic alchemical ritual and as such, essentially became the youngest first generation vampire known - not that most know her true nature.
