Rifts World Book #1: The Vampire Kingdoms is the first expansion to the setting of the Rifts Role Playing Game. It is not
a stand alone manual; rather it expands upon Mexico of Rifts Earth.
Vampires and their servants have taken root in the lands below the Rio Grande.
The spread of vampirism is almost like that of a biological disease. The source of this
supernatural plague is the Vampire Intelligence, a powerful, god like being similar in concept to the nameless horrors mentioned in the fiction of H. P. Lovecraft. In order to manifest itself into a world, a Vampire Intelligence will contact a foolish mortal. A pact will be made, causing the Intelligence to invest some of its power into the former mortal being, who has now become a Master Vampire. The Master Vampire is the suave, debonair supernatural villain that most readers will be familiar with. This vampire serves as the bridge between the victim world and the Vampire Intelligence. Master Vampires create Secondary Vampires (lesser in supernatural power) and Wild Vampires (a supernatural killing machine). Once a Vampire Intelligence has a colony of about 2500 vampires (vampires that are descended from it), it can magically “rift” itself to that world.
Not much will kill a vampire; however, its one true weakness is running water, which is why the Rio Grande makes such a powerful barrier to these supernatural creatures.
The Vampire Kingdoms also serves to flesh out some of the cities of Mexico (most infested with vampires). The text also provides many non player characters (people that player characters can meet and interact with), including the “heroes”, Reid’s Rangers, a group devoted to the hunting and extermination of all undead. This sourcebook also adds 13 different Racial Character Classes (everything from aliens to vampires) from which new players can choose to play.