There was a warrior in the ancient city of Lahmia, greatest amongst the captains of the king's guard. Handsome, strong and virtuous, Abhorash was a matchless fighter, and he soon caught the eye of Neferata, the Queen of Lahmia. Thus Abhorash was summoned before the mistress of the Temple of Blood, and he was given a cup to drink from in honour of his Queen. When he lifted the cup to his lips, his fate was sealed and damnation seized him with an iron grip as he drank. His mind filled with visions of death and blood, for he had been given the Elixir of Life by the Queen herself. Soon the rays of the sun started to sear his skin and he no longer felt the need for meat or water. Instead a terrible thirst for/the blood of living men started to plague him. Long did Abhorash fight the urge to prey upon his people, but the necromantic powers invested in the blood of the Queen were too strong, and finally he succumbed. In a single night of rage Abhorash slew twelve men and women. He drained them of blood to quench his unnatural thirst. Only after he had done the deed did he understand what had happened.

It is said that Abhorash wept tears of blood for his victims and from that day on he travelled to the desert to prey upon the scattered nomads instead of his own people. He vowed to learn a discipline to keep his raging thirst under control, and practised the way of the warrior to harness his great strength under his iron will.

Abhorash rose quickly in the ranks of the Vampire nobility until he became the supreme commander of the Lahmian armies. He was given the honorary title of the Lord of Blood and busied himself in bringing law and order to the kingdom. While Lahmia was in many ways a city of nightmares, where the ivory-faced aristocrats hunted for blood during the night, there was at least order in the kingdom. Laws were upheld and bandits were kept in check. The officials were so afraid of their immortal overlords that corruption and bribery became virtually unknown in that land.

But the Vampire nobles of Lahmia were above the laws enforced by Abhorash. Despite his warnings they often hunted for human blood in the lands of other kings. This finally raised the other kingdoms' suspicions and Abhorash could only watch as the arrogant Vampires roused the rulers of Numas, Zandri and Rasetra against Lahmia.

Then came the day when the kings of Khemri forged the grand alliance. Their countless armies marched over the Worlds Edge Mountains and thus war came to Lahmia. For many long months Abhorash led the defence of his homeland and won many battles. But, inch by inch, the vast armies of Nehekhara forced Abhorash back. Finally the gates of Lahmia itself were broken and the ancient tombs, pyramids and high spires of Lahmia were toppled. Even the great library was burned down. Street by street, building by building, the Khemrian soldiers fought their way towards the Temple of Blood. Here Abhorash led the bodyguard of Queen Neferata in a last, hopeless defence of the Temple of Blood but, as fires raged all around him, he was forced to retreat. As the great Temple of Blood collapsed, the keening cry of Abhorash echoed throughout the city. He had failed as a warrior and his beloved city was no more.

Abhorash was irreversibly changed as he saw his beautiful city razed and his people slaughtered. He vowed to be the enemy of all Mankind for eternity. He turned his back to the lands of the south and fought his way through the blazing streets. While the other fleeing Vampire Lords collected as many treasures and riches from the ruins as they could, Abhorash took only his weapons and armour with him to exile. Four of his vampiric minions followed him.

Few of the Vampires escaped the pursuit of the vengeful Khemrians. Abhorash did not join the other immortal aristocrats in their exile. He forsook their company, blaming them for their arrogance which had brought the armies of Khemri to the gates of Lahmia.

The Lord of Blood headed north with his disciples, seeking a sign which would give a new purpose to his existence. Legends say that after many years he came to a great mountain, the pinnacle of which was wreathed in fire. Abhorash was strangely drawn to this lonely mountaintop and, ignoring the advice of his followers, he decided to scale its face. As Abhorash reached the summit, a red dragon of immense size emerged from the crater and descended on the Vampire Lord. At the prospect of testing his martial abilities to the full, Abhorash drew his sword. For an entire night Abhorash and the great wyrm fought, and in the end the Vampire was victorious. As the Dragon lashed in its death throes, Abhorash seized its throat with his fangs and drank deep. Intoxicated by the blood of the Dragon, Abhorash cast the broken carcass of the creature down from the mountaintop and emitted an exultant cry of victory. His search had ended. Now Abhorash no longer craved the lifeblood of men. He had found an escape from the curse of Vampirism and had become the ultimate warrior, a man with the strength and powers of a Vampire who had no need to hunt for blood.

Now he bid his vampiric minions to go forth and hone their martial skills, so that when their prowess equalled his own they could also escape the curse of vampirism and became free of the predator inside them. Thus he told his cursed followers, "I will watch you and when I decree that you are ready, I shall call you." Then he bid his warriors go forth, perfect their martial skills and find others worthy of joining his immortal warriors.

Since those days Abhorash's immortal sons have called themselves Blood Dragons in memory of the great dragon vanquished by their mighty sire, and they have sought to perfect their martial abilities in order to be worthy enough to rejoin with their master.

To this day the Vampires of Abhorash's bloodline believe that somewhere, in a dark and shadowy corner of the world where the face of the sun is pale, Abhorash waits for the return of his immortal sons to his mountain home.

Of the Blood Dragons, many became infamous in the kingdoms of Men. Walach of the house of Harkon, the favourite of Abhorash's minions, travelled north, to the land which men called the Empire. Here he entered the gates of the Blood Keep and challenged the entire Order of Templars to single combat. One by one he slew the knights and their men-at-arms. To those he found worthy he gave a portion of his blood and gifted them the curse of immortality.

He reigned over the Undead knights until Blood Keep was razed by the Templars and witch hunters of the Empire.

Though the Knights of Blood Keep are by far the most famous of the Vampire warriors, they are by no means the only sons of Abhorash. In the lands of Tilea, Estalia, Araby and Bretonnia there are also legends of Vampire knights. The most infamous of them was the legendary Red Duke, the scourge of Aquitaine. This mighty and fell Vampire Lord rose in the land of Bretonnia, and only after the fierce and bloody Battle of Ceren Fields did the ruler of Aquitaine vanquish his Undead legions. But though his army was destroyed, the Red Duke escaped and many believe that he still lurks in the mountains or trackless forests of Bretonnia. And who can say where else Blood Dragons can be found? Perhaps in the guise of a proud hermit warrior living high in the mountains, perfecting his martial disciplines. How many matchless assassins hide ivory skin and the fangs of predators-behind their masks? How many knights of the secluded Templar Orders are, in reality, immortal creatures of darkness? Blood Dragons can be found guarding places such as bridges and fords, challenging all who pass to test their mettle. Blood Dragons strive for perfection and practice different fighting styles unceasingly. But the rage inside them rarely gives them peace.

Unlike the pernicious Vampire Lords of Sylvania, the Blood Dragons never attempt to gain supremacy over entire nations. Nor do they try to raise huge armies, preferring forces consisting of Wight men-at-arms to act as hideous parodies of the retinues of mortal nobles. The principles and ideals of the Blood Dragons are more concerned with the martial prowess of individuals, rather than with attempting to create empires. But when challenged to come to war, the Blood Dragons are terrible in their wrath. Though less powerful than many other lords of Undeath in the art of necromancy, they can still summon Undead hordes to fight for them, and their prowess in combat is second to none.