On his hand Vlad wore the infamous Carstein Ring, a magical artefact that gave Vlad the ability to cheat death time and again. The origins of the ring are as mysterious as Vlad's own. One Imperial scholar claims that the ring dates back thousands of years, and was created by Nagash for the Vampire Vashanesh. Through the ring, Nagash was able to control the Vampires and make them his warrior-slaves. To free the Vampires from this control, Vashanesh killed himself, knowing that the ring would eventually return him to un-life and that, without the Vampires, Nagash would fall. A few self-styled 'experts' on the Undead even claim that this means Vlad was actually Vashanesh. However, there is only one obscure reference to this meeting, thought unreliable by many. Also, the appearance of the Carstein Ring, as described by those who fought Vlad, was more contemporary in design. If indeed Nagash ever made such a ring, it is more likely that the Carstein Ring is a less powerful copy. Vlad demonstrated no particular skills of artisanship, so it is certain that the Carstein Ring was not made by him. It is more likely that Vlad forced a thrall Necromancer to create it or took it from its owner. The Carstein Ring was most famously worn by Vlad von Carstein during the Wars of the Vampire Counts, during which it saved him from final death many times. It was stolen from him by an Imperial thief, though rumour has it the thief would not have been able to approach Vlad if it wasn’t for the treachery of Mannfred von Carstein who magically aided him, shielding the thief from Vlad’s gaze. Some believe that Mannfred spent much of his time away from Sylvania seeking Felix Mann to recover the ring. If he was successful, he never revealed this to anyone else. Vlad knows the secrets of the Carstein Ring and uses the full extent of its powers. This ancient heirloom of the twisted house of Sylvania makes the Vampire carrying it almost impossible to kill.