Torpor

Torpor is a state of near-death hibernation into which vampires can retreat (or be forced) when critically injured. To an outside observer, the vampire appears to be dead, although they can awaken again if certain conditions are met.

The Process

When a vampire suffers so much injury that they can no longer remain conscious and are in danger of Final Death, they instead slip first into torpor. This is a last resort; while they remain technically undead in this state, they cannot control their environment and are easy to kill if they are not removed to safety.

A vampire who falls into torpor becomes completely unconscious and insensate; they can no longer perceive anything around them, nor can they take any actions or use any powers, similar to falling into a coma. While in torpor, they remain completely oblivious to everything around them. During this time, they do not regain any health, nor can they heal their wounds; in fact, if they are injured again by anything that can cause significant damage (for example, being exposed to sunlight), they are likely to instantly die.

Being in torpor makes vampires vulnerable, but it can also be life-saving. While in torpor, a vampire does not require any blood to sustain themself; they can remain in a state of suspended pseudo-death literally indefinitely as long as they are not further harmed. They also appear fully and clinically dead to mortals, making torpor a handy way of falsifying death and getting out of the public eye if necessary (although accidentally being killed by their own autopsy is a nightmare that many younger vampires have reported).

It is rumored that elders and other extremely ancient and powerful vampires are not as fully bound by torpor as their descendants; some elders are said to be able to use disciplines while they slumber, to remain aware of their surroundings, or even to manipulate events from afar without fully waking up.

Awakening from Torpor

Awakening a vampire in torpor depends upon how badly injured they were before they were knocked into it; in most cases, the vampire in question needs at least enough blood to heal their wounds enough to become active again, but this alone cannot awaken them from so close to death. The blood must be from another vampire, and it must be one of at least equivalent or lower generation than the vampire they are attempting to wake. This makes torpor a golden opportunity for bloodbonding as the vampire in question cannot fight back or even object, but many are willing to deal with a few years of emotional discomfort in order to live again.

Most vampires enter Frenzy immediately upon awakening from torpor; the stress of nearly dying, the starvation and injuries they suffer from, and whatever violence they experienced that forced them into torpor in the first place combine to make it almost impossible not to attack and consume everything around them until they come to their senses. A vampire with enough force of will to wake up calmly from near death is a rare being.

Again, some ancient elders are rumored to be able to awaken more easily from torpor, sometimes from as little as human blood dripping down to their hiding place and invigorating them, allowing them to unexpectedly return from the grave without other vampires even finding them first. On the other hand, rumors also exist that say that elders, being older and less connected to humanity, actually have more trouble awakening from torpor than vampires who are closer to their actual lives.

Voluntary Torpor

It is possible for a vampire to place themself in torpor voluntarily; if they wish, they can simply will themself to fall into the death-like sleep. While this can be useful for last-minute escapes or playing dead, it is also risky, since having gone into torpor voluntarily does not necessarily make it any easier to wake back up. Vampires who have willingly entered torpor are usually easier to awaken, however, mostly because they may not be as badly injured or traumatized as those who had no other choice.

Some elders claim that vampires who enter torpor voluntarily can also wake up voluntarily, at least once a suitable period of time has gone by. Younger vampires have not been successful in doing this, so confusion remains over whether this is something that only elders can do, or whether the elders are simply encouraging younger vampires to entrap themselves in convenient torpor states.