The Darkholders are a fictional cult featured in comic book titles published by Marvel Comics. They are part of the mainstream Marvel Universe, as well as the "Sword & Sandal" continuity of titles and first appeared by name in Doctor Strange, Volume 2 #59 in June, 1983.
The Darkholders were ancient practitioners of the occult who were once the followers of a powerful sorcerer named Thulsa Doom. They were adepts at black magic and followed the tenants laid forth in the pages of the Book of Sins that came to be known as the Darkhold. During the years before the oceans drank Atlantis, the Darkholders used this mystic tome to create a monstrous creature called Varnae - who was the world's first vampire.
From Varnae, an entire legion of vampires was born, and grew in number through the ages. The Darkholders continued in their efforts to maintain control over the evil tome, but the Darkhold changed hands many times over the centuries.