Is THIS how you imagined the vampires?

[THE Ka]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

... not transform into the likeness of Thurngwethil, she merely put on the 'bat-fell' of Thurngwethil after she was killed, just as Beren wore the 'wolf-hame' of Draugluin. Tolkien refers to vampire bats at the Battle of Five Armies as well, and they are indeed bats.

I once did an illustration of this event (sadly, it no longer is with us, my brother by *accident* threw it into the fire along with some junk mail long ago), and since Tolkien was rather vague about how actually Luthien might have looked, I highly doubt it is what the designers at GamesWorkshop thought of.
Though, I agree with you on how to consider the matter. Really, I can't see Luthien turning into a two-story vampire of sinewy porportions. When I drew it, I tried to get across the concept that it was a *cough* disguise, to give the sense of how Luthien wanted to appear to her surroundings and other creatures. There seems to be more of a sense towards secrecy and being unpretentious around other beings at Angband than, 'bwah! I be big vampiric monster...'.

~ Ka

[Knight of Gondor]

I do not recall Tolkien mentioning vampires??

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Knight of Gondor

I do not recall Tolkien mentioning vampires??

Yes, actually, in the Silmarillion in the Tale of Beren and Luthien (a single reference to a possibly Maiaric entity, Thuringwethil, and then another reference to Sauron turning into a bat), and then again in the Hobbit during the Battle of Five Armies. I can't recall any references to vampiric creatures in LotR, but it is Sunday morning and I am far too lazy to do the research.