Fire vampires are fictional characters in the Cthulhu Mythos

Cthulhu Mythos

The Cthulhu Mythos is a shared fictional universe, based on the work of American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft.The term was first coined by August Derleth, a contemporary correspondent of Lovecraft, who used the name of the creature Cthulhu - a central figure in Lovecraft literature and the focus...

. The term refers to two distinct types of beings: the Flame Creatures of Cthugha, created by August Derleth

August Derleth

August William Derleth was an American writer and anthologist. Though best remembered as the first publisher of the writings of H. P...

, and the Fire Vampires of Fthaggua, created by Donald Wandrei

Donald Wandrei

Donald Albert Wandrei was an American science fiction, fantasy and weird fiction writer, poet and editor. He wrote as Donald Wandrei. He was the older brother of science fiction writer and artist Howard Wandrei...

.

Flame Creatures of Cthugha

The fire vampires that serve the Great Old One Cthugha

Cthugha

Cthugha is a fictional deity in the Cthulhu Mythos genre of horror fiction, the creation of August Derleth. He first appeared in Derleth's short story "The House on Curwen Street" .-Description:...

 appear as many points of fiery light. They always accompany their lord whenever he is summoned to the Earth (though they may be summoned separately with the proper spells). Upon arriving, Cthugha's fire vampires ignite every flammable object they touch.

Fthaggua

Fthaggua appears as an unsteady orb of blue flame. He is the high priest of Cthugha

Cthugha

Cthugha is a fictional deity in the Cthulhu Mythos genre of horror fiction, the creation of August Derleth. He first appeared in Derleth's short story "The House on Curwen Street" .-Description:...

 and is probably also his servant, or possibly his offspring. Like Knygathin Zhaum, there is some controversy regarding his status.

The Fire Vampires of Fthaggua

The Fire Vampires of Fthaggua resemble crimson bursts of lightning. They gain sustenance by draining energy from intelligent beings; the subject so affected bursts into flames as if experiencing spontaneous combustion

Spontaneous human combustion

Spontaneous human combustion describes reported cases of the burning of a living human body without an apparent external source of ignition...

. The fire vampires also absorb all memories from the targeted victim. Since the minds of the fire vampires form a collective "hive mind", all knowledge gleaned from a slain being is shared by every member.

Description of Fthaggua

Fthaggua is the regent of the fire vampires, and like his minions, gains energy and knowledge from the intelligent creatures they slay. With the knowledge so accumulated, Fthaggua and his minions can better plot their attacks on the sentient races of the universe, whom they regard as mere sources of food.

Fthaggua and his servants dwell in a huge building on the surface of a mysterious comet

Comet

A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet...

 called Ktynga. They can guide this comet throughout the cosmos

Cosmos

In the general sense, a cosmos is an orderly or harmonious system. It originates from the Greek term κόσμος , meaning "order" or "ornament" and is antithetical to the concept of chaos. Today, the word is generally used as a synonym of the word Universe . The word cosmos originates from the same root...

searching for intelligent civilizations to feed upon.