The Vampire Diaries

Lycanthropes, or werewolves, are people with a kind of familial curse, something genetic, so to speak. The curse is activated if the person kills someone, and every full moon they transform into wolves. There are packs in various forests, towns, and other places. The one currently found in Mystic Falls is Tyler Lockwood.

Witches are people who come from bloodlines, covens, or who were born with that power. One of the most powerful bloodlines is that of the Bennett witches, which began with Ayana and continues with Bonnie Bennett. They are not immortal, but they can cast spells to last a little longer, like Gloria, who is an acquaintance of the Mikaelsons, the Original vampires. They have the power to weaken vampires and werewolves; they can break a bone or cause aneurysms in their brains, or simply cast very dangerous and powerful spells.

Vampires are a predatory species that have existed for over a thousand years. The first of their kind are the Originals: Finn, Elijah, Klaus the hybrid, Rebekah, and Kol. They were turned by their mother, Esther, the Original witch. While all vampires are immortal, there must always be a balance. They cannot go out in the sun unless they have a solar ring. Venom burns them, as does sunlight, and they can only be killed with a wooden stake. In Mystic Falls live the Salvatores brothers, one of the founding families, who are also vampires but are around 140 years old.