The Reaper virus was an artificial strain of vampirism that created a deadlier breed of vampire.
History
Eli Damaskinos, an ancient vampire elder, created this breed in a quest to eliminate the weaknesses of the vampire race via genetic sequencing of his own pureblood DNA. Carriers of the reaper strain were known as "Reapers".
While the "Reaper strain" did improve some vampire strengths, and even removed some of their traditional weaknesses, it was deemed a failure; as it amplifies the carrier’s blood-thirst well beyond that of a traditional vampire, making them almost feral monsters. Their heightened metabolism prompted them to feed every couple of hours or else they'll start feeding on themselves. The comparison was made that if normal vampires are like heroin addicts who need to shoot up every week or so, Reapers are like "crack-heads", constantly consumed minute by minute with the unthinking drive to get their next fix.
With the exception of the first reaper, Jared Nomak, Reapers were incapable of human speech, communicating through snarls and growls, though they retained enough intelligence to follow Nomak's orders, attack in an organized way, feign private and civilized behavior in public when not attacking, and set traps for their enemies and prey.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Reapers possess all of the strengths of Vampirism, albeit to a greater degree, as well as a number of traits specific to the Reaper strain, these include;
- Superhuman Strength: Reapers possess considerable superhuman strength; far greater than normal vampires. Reapers can easily overpower humans and vampires, as well as lift and throw objects with great speed and force. Reapers can force open reinforced doors, knock over large structures, and break bones with ease.
- Superhuman Durability: Akin to their strength, Reaper Vampires are tougher and more durable than Vampires. As well as being invulnerable to most conventional causes of fatality, Reapers are more resistant to harm and injury; whilst traditional vampires are stunned or briefly incapacitated when shot by standard, non-silver bullets, reapers can shrug off most automatic weapons fire. Reapers also develop a thick case of bone, covering their heart in the front and back, making it near-impossible to be staked directly.
- Superhuman Agility: Reapers are superhumanly fast and agile; enabling them to run, move, jump and climb with an animalistic quickness. Most Reapers are able to outmanoeuvre traditional vampires, and can even adhere to vertical and horizontal surfaces. Reapers also tend to hunt in large groups, making them even deadlier predators.
- Superhuman Senses: Akin to traditional Vampires, Reapers are deadly predators, who possess heightened senses of sight, smell and hearing.
- Regenerative Healing: Reapers can rapidly heal and recover from harm and injury. Reapers can recover from injury at a faster rate than vampires; enabling them to regenerate gunshot wounds in a matter of seconds. It is possible that the reason why Reapers heal so quickly is due to their bloodlust; the accelerated metabolisation of consumed blood increases the nutritional content that is obtained.
- Mandibles and Proboscis: A 'three-way' jaw, in which the two sides of the mandible (lower jaw) split apart at the chin, something akin to a bifid mandible. The left and right sides of the lower jaw have fangs that inject a neurotoxin to paralyze their victims while feeding. This jaw is easily concealed, allowing the Reaper to surprise the victim. Their mouth also contains a toothed, inner proboscis: this does the actual bloodsucking when the Reaper's three-way jaw splits apart, and is what transmits the Reaper strain into the victim; the virus is carried by barbs through the Reaper's tongue. In addition, a Reaper's mouth has overdeveloped masseyter muscles which allow for a much stronger bite.
- Heightened Bloodlust: Reapers also develop a highly evolved thirst for blood, which allows them to feed on both humans and normal vampires alike.
- Conventional Weakness Immunity: Reaper Vampires are completely immune to silver and garlic, and have an increased resistance to EDTA. Whilst normal vampires literally explode into a cloud of blood after several seconds if injected with EDTA, Nomak was only briefly stunned and in moderate pain, before shrugging it off with no long-term damage.
Weaknesses
The only reaper weaknesses are to sunlight/ultraviolet light (which causes them to combust almost instantly), and the constant pain caused by the virus which is only satiated by feeding daily. Impaling a Reaper through the heart is possible, but difficult due to the extra layer of hardened bone. Because the heart is protected in the front and back by bone plate armor, it is necessary to impale a Reaper from the side, which is very difficult. Additionally, with the exception of nomak, all other reapers are so dependent on fresh blood that their bodies will start to consume themselves if they are unable to feed for a couple of hours; their bodies will still try and "feed" even after their brains die.
Trivia
- The concept of reapers possessing stingers that protrude out of the mouth were inspired by Polish folktales; where vampires have a stinger or "finger" coming out of the mouth that they use to suck blood rather than use teeth; which is akin to the Balkan vampires that are the predominant influence of modern vampire mythology.