Vlad is a master of the academy where the wizards begin their journey. He acts as a guide to the players throughout the campaign in Adventure mode. He is most definitely not a vampire. Vlad is also the senior tutor of the university the wizard starts off in, as well as the narrator of the magicka story.
Future Vlad is your guide from Chapter 7 onwards. Future Vlad eventually leads you to his present self and tells you to
inform present Vlad on the current situation, however present Vlad immediately turns hostile and you have to engage in battle
with him.
Trivia
Although Vlad and the narrator continually tell the player(s) that Vlad is not a vampire, he is in fact a vampire. However, this is just a rumor.