Dracula

Real Name
Vlad Tepes Dracula

Occupation
Lord of Vampires; former prince of Transylvania and Wallachia

Citizenship
Formerly Transylvania and Wallachia

Place of Birth
Schassburg, Transylvania (now Sighisoara, Romania)

Known Relatives
Vlad Dracul (Vlad the Elder, father, deceased); Mircea, Radu the Handsome (brothers, deceased); Prince Basarab the Great (ancestor), Prince Mircea the Old (grandfather), Stephen Bathory (cousin); Zofia, Maria (wives, deceased); Domini (wife, separated); Vlad Tepulus (son, deceased), Janus Tepes (son); Xarus (son); Lilith (daughter), Frank Drake (descendant by Tepulus)

Group Affiliation
Lord of Vampires; former member of the Legion of the Unliving; sometimes uses vampire and humans pawns, e.g., Brides of Dracula, Children of the Night, Darkholders, Legions of the Damned, Legion of Doom, Order of the Dragon, and others

Education
Tutored by finest instructors of the 15th century; extensively self-taught

Height
6'5"

Weight
220 lbs.

Eyes
Red

Hair
Black

Powers
Dracula possesses far greater powers than most vampires. He has superhuman strength, speed, stamina, agility, and reflexes, and is immune to aging, conventional disease, and most forms of injury. He ignores most assaults and regenerates damaged tissue rapidly; however, he must drink blood regularly to survive, and is vulnerable to silver, garlic, sunlight, a wooden stake through the heart, and religious symbols (whose threat is related to the strength of faith of their wielder, provided said religion existed during his human life) and other magic items, such as the Bloodgem. Certain spells, such as the Montesi Formula, can destroy Dracula; however, in all circumstances of apparent destruction, Dracula has been revived by some means. If Dracula fatally drains a victim, that person will arise in three days as a vampire. Dracula can control others with a glance or by drinking their blood; command animals such as rats, bats, and wolves; command other vampires (with limited exceptions); transform into a bat (normal or human size), wolf, or mist (partially or fully); and summon thunderstorms. Dracula does not cast reflections, and he usually cannot enter a house without being invited. His powers have sometimes been greatly amplified and his weaknesses circumvented by magical sources, such as spells of the Darkholders.

Abilities
Dracula is a skilled combatant and swordsman, specializing in 15th-century warfare and military strategy.

Other Info
Vlad Dracula was born in 1430. In 1444, he accompanied his father and his brothers, Mircea and Radu, to Turkey to discuss peace; however, they were ambushed, and the sons were held prisoner by Sultan Murad II to force Vlad the Elder (their father) to favor Turkey. After five years of torture, Radu had died, and Vlad the Elder and Mircea were killed by Vlad's advisors, led by John Hunyadi, for supporting Turkey. At 18, Vlad escaped and returned home, taking the title of Prince of Wallachia, but he fled after a year, fearing his father's killers. Vlad Dracula later returned in 1451 and threw himself at the mercy of Hunyadi , who trained him in war. Following through with a prearranged marriage, Vlad Dracula wedded Zofia, whom he despised.

After a year, his obligations fulfilled, Vlad expelled Zofia and their infant daughter, Lilith. Again becoming prince of Wallachia, Vlad married his beloved Maria and later had a son with her named Vlad Tepulus. Later, he ordered the impalement of all involved in his father's death, and ordered an assault on Turkey. However, Vlad Dracula was defeated in battle. The warlord Turac had him spared though, hoping to use him to seize control of Transylvania. (To learn about Dracula's daughter, click on her name above. Note: Beware of the revealing outfit on her bio page.)

After this, Dracula was taken to the Gypsy Lianda (secretly a vampire) who used her "healing powers" on him. Dracula revived, but realized his new vampire powers moments too late to save Maria from being murdered by Turac. Soon after, Turac fell before Drucula. Afterward, Dracula gave his son Vlad Tepelus to gypsies to be raised. It was also during this time, Varnae (the original vampire--created in 18,500 B.C.) found Dracula to be a worthy heir. Therefore, Dracula became the "Lord of Vampires" by consuming the blood of Varnae, who then destroyed himself. (To learn about the original vampire click on his name above.)

Dracula then reclaimed his Castle. Later he learned about the Montesi Formula (a spell that would put an end to all vampires) that was contained in a book of dark spells known as the Darkhold. He sent a thief to steal the Darkhold from the Vatican, but the book was stolen. In addition, Dracula transformed several women into his brides (aka Brides of Dracula). After fighting off an assassin in 1471, Dracula renounced his rule, though he remained in his castle for over a century. (To learn about the magical spell, item, and/or group above, click on their highlighted names above.)

In the 16th century, a man named Durenyi stole Dracula's diary, which revealed his weaknesses. Dracula's diary would eventually be read by 19th-century writer Bram Stoker who wrote the book Dracula. Dracula left his Castle near Snagov and moved into one near Burgo Pass.

In the 17th century, Dracula encountered the Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory, whose practice of bathing in virgin blood allowed her to resist and nearly entrap Dracula. However, in the end, he slew her. Later, when Dracula was unable to pierce the anti-vampire defenses of a Swiss village, thirsty for blood, Dracula resulted to feeding on a cow named Bessie. (To learn about Hellcow, click on the highlighted name above.)

In the mid-18th century, Dracula fled his Castle due to the combined threats of the Turks and Catherine the Great's Russia and relocated himself in France. In 1775, Dracula even became advisor to King Louis XVI. However, later, Dracula left France, and tried to dominate Transylvanian Baron (Grigori) Russoff, but he was staked and destroyed by Russoff. After Dracula was revived, he retook his Castle and created defenses, such as his Pit of Death. However, later, even the Pit of Death failed to stop Lupescu, who sought vengeance for his vampirized wife Velanna and slaughtered Dracula's Brides.

In the 19th century, Dracula was destroyed by an American Marshal with silver buckshot; however, he was later resurrected. But, when he resurrected, minute silver particles temporarily weakened Dracula, causing him to age rapidly when he went without blood. Dracula was later staked in the heart by Abraham van Helsing. However, in 1898, a vampiric Gypsy woman, Marguerita, freed Dracula by tricking into believing she knew the location of the last living Frankenstein. When the monster removed the stone at the mouth of the cave, Marguerita removed the stake from Dracula's body, reviving him. (To learn about the group and/or character highlighted above, just click on their name.)

In the early 20th century, angered by Dracula's disruption of the natural order, Death took the form of Carlos Muertos, and raised a mob against Dracula in Madrid. The mob staked and buried Dracula. However, before too long, grave-robbers found the body and removed the stake. Later, Dracula vampirized John Falsworth (who would become the Baron Blood). During World War II, Dracula opposed the Nazis as they destroyed his Gypsy servants. Once, he even lent his aid to an invading American unit, Nick Fury's Howling Commandos. (Click on the highlighted names above to learn about the characters and/or team. Note: Beware of the revealing outfits worn by some in the background of the main picture on Nick Fury's bio page.)

A few years later, Dracula's descendant, Frank Drake, joined a band of Vampire-Hunters including Blade and Hannibal King that continually pursued and sometimes even temporarily destroyed Dracula. Later, Dracula created a new Castle Dracula from Castle Dunwick, usurped from Sheila Witter. Later, somehow entering the Vatican, despite great agony, Dracula slew Giuseppe Montesi, but, not before Montesi had sent a copy of the Montesi Formula to Quincy Harker. (To learn about the above highlighted characters, click on their names.)

Later, Dracula infiltrated Anton Lupeski's Church of Satan, posing as the devil and seeking to sire a human son. Lupeski saw through the farce but hoped to control the child, and he presided over Dracula's wedding to Domini and the mystic ceremony through which Dracula fathered Janus. At one point, Lupeski even summoned the Silver Surfer to destroy Dracula. Silver Surfer and Dracula fought to a standstill before Domini convinced the Surfer to leave Dracula be. Lupeski then attempted to kill Dracula, but inadvertently slew Janus instead--Dracula killed Lupseki in return. However, Domini was able to magically revive Janus. Dracula was later skewered by a silver spoke in a battle with Quincy Harker, who also perished, destroying the most recent Castle Dracula in the process. (To learn more about the highlighted characters above, just click on their names.)

After being revived once again, Dracula came across Howard the Duck and bit him (which left a bad taste in his mouth) which sent Howard on a brief bite-frenzy. Dracula failed twice in attempting to make Storm one his vampire brides. Later, Dracula even fought Thor before being utterly destroyed (along with the rest of the vampires on Earth) when Dr. Strange recited the Montesi Formula. However, Strange's cryogenic suspension of his own vampire brother, Victor, years before weakened the mighty spell and it was eventually broken (Click on the highlighted names above to learn about the different characters. Note: Beware of the EXTREMELY revealing outfits on Storm's bio page--block images if possible.)

From within his Transylvanian castle, Dracula prepared himself for the Ritual of Ascendance (which would exponentially amplify the Vampire Lord's power). Weakened during the incubation period, Dracula surrounded himself with armies of vampires from across the world. Succeeding despite a new batch of Vampire-Hunters, Dracula immobilized Blade and completed the Ritual, assuming immense size and power. Then Dracula claimed Vampire-Hunter Divinity Drake as his bride; however, her true identity was revealed: it was Aamshed (the Sumerian sorceress who had created the Ritual millennia ago). Having created a supernatural lodestone to attract the souls of those slain by vampires over the last two thousand years, Aamshed unleashed those souls on Dracula, their purity setting him on fire. And as icing on the cake, Blade then leapt forward, plunging a stake into Dracula's chest. As the vampire lord was consumed by the souls, the residual energy spread throughout the castle and the surrounding countryside, consuming the vampires there as well. (Click on Divinity Drake's highlighted name above to learn more about her. Note: Beware of the bare midriff on Drake's bio page.)

Sometime later, a corrupt division of S.H.I.E.L.D. (heavily infested by vampires) stole Dracula's body and brought him back to life. Dracula then remained low for several years following that. He eventually met with Victor von Doom on Earth's moon where Dracula proposed a non-aggression treaty with Doom, which enabled him to coordinate plans for an attack on England without encroaching upon any of Doom's prospective interests. Using the scientific wizardry at his coven's disposal, he genetically mutated vampire assassins. (To learn about S.H.I.E.L.D. and/or Dr. Doom, click on the highlighted names above.)

Some time later, Dracula attended the gathering of all the vampire sects that happens every century. All the vampire sects had gathered including his two sons, Janus and Xarus. At the beginning of the meeting, both the leaders of the Anchorite and Atlantis sects expressed their concern about the expansion of humankind on their territory. The leader of the Atlantis sect put the blame on the lack of leadership of Dracula. In addition, Xarus defended the Atlantean, saying that he had raised a good point, all while approaching his father's throne. Xarus then said that the expansion of humanity was a problem and that vampire-kind shouldn't run away from their territory. Dracula responded that humanity had their world and that they had their own, and it should stay like that. Xarus then expressed his thought that one day, things would change. Then he brutally staked his father in the heart, all while saying that that day was sooner than Dracula expected. Dracula then pushed away his traitorous son, but was attacked by the leaders of the Nosferatu, Atlantis, and Charniptura sects, who staked him several times despite his incredible strength and resistance. When Dracula finally fell, Xarus decapitated him with a sword, saying that now there was no going back. Afterward, Xarus ordered that the remains of his father be separated. Then Xarus asked from the other leaders to choose between siding with him or being exterminated. Twenty-four hours later, all of Xarus' enemies (with the exception of his brother Janus had been exterminated and he had succeed in becoming the new Lord of Vampires.

Later, Dracula was brought back to life by the X-Men who hoped that he would aid them against Xarus. However, Dracula declined their offer and left. (To learn about the X-Men, click on their name above.)

To learn more about Dracula, click on the following link, http://marvel.com/universe/Dracula.