Black Court: Vampires, former humans who are now undead. They have several weaknesses, among them garlic, tokens of faith, sunlight, running water, fire, and decapitation.[1]
The basic powers of a Black Court seems to be speed and strength superior to humans. They seem to be the most physically powerful of the courts, as Mavra was able to move so fast as to be only a blur. All but the most powerful of them must sleep during the day. Vampires seem capable of exerting a certain mind control and are able to create thralls and the more violent, insane, renfields. They are also able to control animals and increase their natural abilities.
Their similarity to vampires in European vampire (most notably them being animated corpses) appear to indicate that Black Court vampires have originated there.
Red Court: Vampires less human-like than the White Court. Instead they were slimy bat-like creatures hidden behind incredibly sensuous human costumes (made of an outer skin). They used these costumes to trick their prey into being more comfortable and to hide in plain sight. They were incredibly strong and fast, and could shake off any injury quickly. The Red Court was vulnerable to sunlight and to having their bellies cut open, which could spill the blood they had drunk and eventually kill them. Their saliva contained a potent magical narcotic which gave the prey a euphoric feeling and was highly addictive, allowing the Red Court to control their victims rather easily. The narcotic lowered the victim's inhibitions while dulling the pain of the vampire's bite. Addicted humans had been shown to go to great lengths to protect their vampiric masters, and willingly provided information from the mortal community as needed. -Source
White Court: Vampires born to their vampiric state, rather than being created (as is the case with Black and Red Court vampires). They are for all intents and purposes human until their vampirism manifests, which occurs sometime around the age of their maturity. As with the Red Court, their first feeding, with its subsequent and almost inevitable kill, usually marks their full transformation. However, under specific circumstances, individuals descended from White Court vampires may curtail their transformation into vampires[1]. White Court vampires are not endowed with as much physical strength as Red or Black Court vampires, under normal circumstances. Their physical performance levels (standing jump heights, endurance, and so on) are slightly better than those of an ordinary human of equivalent size and health, but they can channel unused emotional energy as fuel for performance boosts of limited duration. This energy is gained by feeding from their victims through acts of lust (or fear or pain, depending on the family). Unlike the Black or Red Courts, White Court vampires do not drink blood. However, similar to the Red Court, the feeding is addictive, and victims usually come back for more.(1)
They make up for this lack of physical prowess by having far fewer vulnerabilities than other kinds of vampires. Sunlight and symbols of faith do not harm them at all. (Thomas feels "uneasy" at the thought of entering a church, but this is possibly due more to his own guilt than to any objective vulnerability, as he was physically able to enter the church.) Their power derives from an internal demonic essence they call the "Hunger", which acts as a kind of a battery. If they refrain from feeding for too long, this "Hunger" drives them into a frenzy where they must feed (almost always killing their victims), and can drive them permanently insane.
When needed, they can tap into this store of energy to augment their strength, speed, resilience, and healing ability far beyond normal; while doing this, they radiate waves of cold (possibly an illusory reaction of normal humans to their energy sink), their skin whitens, and their eyes turn an unnatural silver. White Court vampire blood is pinkish instead of red.
Their largest weakness is true love. People who are (or who have recently been) in real, affectionate, sacrificial love are highly resistant to White Court control, and can even physically burn and blister vampire skin. Also, White Court vampires are born, not turned like Red and Black Court vampires; if the offspring of a White Court vampire falls in love with someone who feels the same way before feeding for the first time, the love can destroy the demonic side before it can manifest. This allows the person to live a normal, mortal life. Otherwise White Court vampires are long lived, possibly immortal. Thomas raith's father has lived for centuries. -Source
(1) Molly has twice been exposed to this sort of experience, the first time vicariously through a corpse, the second time more recently, with Thomas. With her sensitivity and the addictive nature of the vampiric control, Harry's been noted to be worried about what effects it could have had on her.
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Vampire Courts
They have several weaknesses, among them garlic, tokens of faith, sunlight, running water, fire, and decapitation.[1]
The basic powers of a Black Court seems to be speed and strength superior to humans. They seem to be the most physically powerful of the courts, as Mavra was able to move so fast as to be only a blur. All but the most powerful of them must sleep during the day. Vampires seem capable of exerting a certain mind control and are able to create thralls and the more violent, insane, renfields. They are also able to control animals and increase their natural abilities.
Their similarity to vampires in European vampire (most notably them being animated corpses) appear to indicate that Black Court vampires have originated there.
-Source
Red Court: Vampires less human-like than the White Court. Instead they were slimy bat-like creatures hidden behind incredibly sensuous human costumes (made of an outer skin). They used these costumes to trick their prey into being more comfortable and to hide in plain sight. They were incredibly strong and fast, and could shake off any injury quickly. The Red Court was vulnerable to sunlight and to having their bellies cut open, which could spill the blood they had drunk and eventually kill them. Their saliva contained a potent magical narcotic which gave the prey a euphoric feeling and was highly addictive, allowing the Red Court to control their victims rather easily. The narcotic lowered the victim's inhibitions while dulling the pain of the vampire's bite. Addicted humans had been shown to go to great lengths to protect their vampiric masters, and willingly provided information from the mortal community as needed.
-Source
White Court: Vampires born to their vampiric state, rather than being created (as is the case with Black and Red Court vampires). They are for all intents and purposes human until their vampirism manifests, which occurs sometime around the age of their maturity. As with the Red Court, their first feeding, with its subsequent and almost inevitable kill, usually marks their full transformation. However, under specific circumstances, individuals descended from White Court vampires may curtail their transformation into vampires[1].
White Court vampires are not endowed with as much physical strength as Red or Black Court vampires, under normal circumstances. Their physical performance levels (standing jump heights, endurance, and so on) are slightly better than those of an ordinary human of equivalent size and health, but they can channel unused emotional energy as fuel for performance boosts of limited duration. This energy is gained by feeding from their victims through acts of lust (or fear or pain, depending on the family). Unlike the Black or Red Courts, White Court vampires do not drink blood. However, similar to the Red Court, the feeding is addictive, and victims usually come back for more.(1)
They make up for this lack of physical prowess by having far fewer vulnerabilities than other kinds of vampires. Sunlight and symbols of faith do not harm them at all. (Thomas feels "uneasy" at the thought of entering a church, but this is possibly due more to his own guilt than to any objective vulnerability, as he was physically able to enter the church.) Their power derives from an internal demonic essence they call the "Hunger", which acts as a kind of a battery. If they refrain from feeding for too long, this "Hunger" drives them into a frenzy where they must feed (almost always killing their victims), and can drive them permanently insane.
When needed, they can tap into this store of energy to augment their strength, speed, resilience, and healing ability far beyond normal; while doing this, they radiate waves of cold (possibly an illusory reaction of normal humans to their energy sink), their skin whitens, and their eyes turn an unnatural silver. White Court vampire blood is pinkish instead of red.
Their largest weakness is true love. People who are (or who have recently been) in real, affectionate, sacrificial love are highly resistant to White Court control, and can even physically burn and blister vampire skin. Also, White Court vampires are born, not turned like Red and Black Court vampires; if the offspring of a White Court vampire falls in love with someone who feels the same way before feeding for the first time, the love can destroy the demonic side before it can manifest. This allows the person to live a normal, mortal life. Otherwise White Court vampires are long lived, possibly immortal. Thomas raith's father has lived for centuries.
-Source
(1) Molly has twice been exposed to this sort of experience, the first time vicariously through a corpse, the second time more recently, with Thomas. With her sensitivity and the addictive nature of the vampiric control, Harry's been noted to be worried about what effects it could have had on her.