Vampires

A vampire is an undead creature that feeds on human blood. They have a weakness to sunlight.

Origin
It is unknown where the vampire myth originated but there have been many accounts of vampirism in the ancient world, such as in Greece, Mesopotamia, India, Asia, and many other civilizations. Though their origin is hard to pinpoint, vampires are a common myth, mostly spread across Europe, and are usually said to be undead. But there were also vampires in Africa and Asia, so their origin is really unknown.

Medieval Times
Mass hysteria gripped the people of Europe in the Middle Ages, including the belief in werewolves and vampires. It was thought that people who lived a wicked life or those not given proper burial rites would after death return as vampires. Another belief was that werewolves became vampires after death.

Attributes
Vampires have had many things said about their powers. Below are the attributes that have held up the most in folklore.

Their lifespans are usually well into the 100s of years. Though not living forever they certainly live longer than most mythical creatures.

They also have increased strength, speed and endurance.

Most myths show vampires being unable withstand direct sunlight. Although many of these accounts have different ways of illustrating this weakness, most of them show it as a simple burn. In older myths they turned completely to stone when exposed, however there have since been many stories to change the generally accepted myth about this.

They are also unusually resistant, if not immune, to disease, poison and magic, although in most myths vampires have a weakness to holy water, iron, wooden crosses and sometimes silver.

In many accounts, a vampire's image is not reflected in a mirror and this is often used as a means of determining whether or not a person is really a vampire.

Vampires are also purported to have the ability to change their shape, usually transforming into a wolf or a large bat, but also into a pack of rats or a cloud of smoke or fog.

Perhaps a vampire's most fearsome ability is its power to charm, allowing it unrestricted access to its victim, whom it bites on the neck, drinking his or her blood to replenish its strength. The creature's bite also drains the victim's lifeforce and upon death, usually after several consecutive nights of feeding, they will become a vampire as well.

It is also said in myths in North America that vampires are immune to holy water and crosses but are suspible to silver, garlic, stakes, and UV light. A vampire in Sumatran myth is said to be completely immune to sun light but is as weak as a human during the day.