Post by swampiewolfess on Jan 24, 2008 8:31:52 GMT -5
Just what is a vampire?
Whew, this is a hard one...and one that can't be summed up in 50 words or less!
Well, vampires are not all beautiful, undead creatures that roam the night, killing any human they cross...Actually, they're the guy next door. They're the Smiths and the Jones of the world. They blend in and they play by the rules. They pay bills. They have car payments. They have jobs and they have worries. They live normal, living, breathing lives and do normal "human" things.
So what makes vampires so special?
I don't know actually...I think they're just normal people with an abnormal need. Do they drink blood? Yes. (unless you're a Soul Sucker, or "psy vamp" or "psi vamp" as I hear them called of late. See psychic vampires for more info) If you want a more detailed article on a general example of vampire traits, see the "General Info" essay.
Do vampires kill people and drain them dry?
No! Incompetent as they may be portrayed on TV, cops in the real world are smart. They can track blood traces that go back three years! A vampire is not going to ruin their lives with random murder for blood. Also, you have to remember that vampires grow up in human families, with normal friends, and normal lives. Vampires live in and of society and will have the same morals instilled in them as any other. Yes, it is possible that some might not be as moral as others - after all, "normal" humans can be serial killers - but, for the vast majority, no vampire is going to actively harm someone they feed from. (vampires use volunteer donors - see "Donors" for more info)
Are vampires immortal?
No, not in the common sense of the word. Some vampires reincarnate again and again (but so do "normal" humans) and many have better then average immune systems. That's not to say they won't get the flu or chicken pox or something (they probably will just as easily as anyone) but, chances are, they'll get better faster. And it takes more to put them down (although a double-barrel shotgun will do it nicely I imagine) They'll heal more things - and quicker than most - but they do not come back from the dead, or walk away from being fatally wounded, ok? Under the right circumstances, I'd say, yes, they will have a longer lifespan than the average human, but not by centuries.
Are Vampires divided into cliques, clans, or groups like in Vampire: The Masquerade (V:tM)?
No. Vampires have their friends, they have their enemies, same as anyone. (Vampires have pecking orders, I suppose, like any group, but those are always subject to opinion and mostly centered around organizations or local areas) The only real division in vampires is Natural (born) vampires, and Created ("turned") vampires.
What is a "Natural" vampire and what is a "Created" Vampire?
Natural vampires are those that are born this way...although, the need to drink blood does not manifest itself until adolescence or even adulthood. (Average of say 17-24 years old) Sometimes, the vampire will start having weird dreams - things he/she can almost recognize, but not quite. Most of the time, someone the soon-to-be vampire knows will start being around more - maybe pushing conversations in new, odd directions. But not always...no two are going to be alike, and for crying out loud, please don't think that just because you had a dream with blood or vampires in it, you're suddenly going to turn into one.
Created vampires are those who are "turned." Don't even think of asking me how or if you can be turned cause neither will happen. Trust me, you wouldn't really want it anyway... (see "Talk about Turning" for more info)
Can vampires have children? Does it run in families?
Unless the vampire is afflicted with some other physical ailment, of course they can! And yes, it can run in families, but again, not always...there's not a lot that's set in stone because remember, it's not really known what it is that makes a vampire a vampire. If you or your partner (or both) are vampires, you can have a child who's one too. But, you can be Joe Schmo and have a vampire child as well. I believe that the odds improve if both parents are, but there's no guarantee.
Do vampires eat food (besides blood)?
Yes!! They'd be pretty d**ned scrawny if they lived on blood alone!! Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, popcorn at the movies, hell yeah! Vampires love food. Vampires do live in normal, living bodies!
What about all that sunlight, crosses, garlic, stuff?
These are the questions most aggravating only because most of the myths are so silly, it would be impossible for a vampire to survive if they had to live with those restrictions. However, here's a rundown on some of them...*deep breath* sunlight sucks only in that it's too bright (they do have slightly more acute senses, so it's annoying, but no more than that), crosses/religious symbols are only special to the wearer (cross, pentagram, little-red-Hindu-dot, etc. - no religious symbol will ward off vampires-they're not evil after all!) Garlic is a great addition to food, not to mention garlic bread, garlic sticks, mmm...mmm...good. (Now, it can happen that a vampire has an allergic reaction to garlic - my poor Love- but that's nothing more than a coincidence). What else? No, they can't change forms (period)...no, they don't need permission to enter a home...yes, they do have reflections in mirrors...There are no problems with them crossing running water...They do not have to sleep in coffins, nor with native soil...They do not have to drink 9-12 pints of blood a night (the amount in the human body)...They do not fly....Basically, if you read it in an Anne Rice novel, or saw it in a movie it's just NOT true. (see the "Vampire Guide 201" for more info)
Do all vampire women have huge, unnatural breasts and a penchant for wearing lingerie in public?
Oh, yeah, and they wear capes too. It makes them feel like superheroes... (can you feel the sarcasm?)
Can vampires read minds/control people/dominate thoughts?
Hmm...this is one of those questions that can't be answered fully on this kind of broad base...Most vampires tend to use more mental control than your average human (and Natural vampires have much more control than created ones because as a rule, they've been using their natural talents/gifts longer). Does this mean they can get you to kill someone for them? Probably not. I think it might be possible to "push" someone a little...give them the nudge they needed to do something they had already been contemplating. They can scare someone I'm sure...maybe even give them nightmares. Many vampires also have some sort of "psychic" powers to one degree or another (example: empathy, precognition, divination, etc.) This is something that is different for each vampire - again, no two vampires will be exactly the same. They can kinda let some basic things be known from one vampire to another (like, "let's take this outside") but this is very limited and not really at all like the telepathy of TV.
So vampires can recognize each other?
Almost always. Vampires generally always know when another is around...although, if you are a very weak vampire in the presence of a very strong vampire, you may not notice him/her if they want to remain anonymous. Sometimes it can be as simple as a "chill" of sorts like a warning...that's just one example though...other vampire, feel/know it other various ways.
Where do vampires come from? Is there a cure?
Who knows...No one really even knows what exactly it is that makes a vampire a vampire...ideas range from genetic differences, to different species/race, to a difference in the soul/spirit...who knows? And, without truly knowing the cause, there is no known way to stop. Some people say that it's just a matter of will - you decide that you no longer want it enough and it will cease to be, but that's certainly not scientific and could be dangerous to the health of the vampire. Again, until it's better understood the how it happens, I don't think there's anyway to know the ways to "treat" or "cure" it.
Whew, this is a hard one...and one that can't be summed up in 50 words or less!
Well, vampires are not all beautiful, undead creatures that roam the night, killing any human they cross...Actually, they're the guy next door. They're the Smiths and the Jones of the world. They blend in and they play by the rules. They pay bills. They have car payments. They have jobs and they have worries. They live normal, living, breathing lives and do normal "human" things.
So what makes vampires so special?
I don't know actually...I think they're just normal people with an abnormal need. Do they drink blood? Yes. (unless you're a Soul Sucker, or "psy vamp" or "psi vamp" as I hear them called of late. See psychic vampires for more info) If you want a more detailed article on a general example of vampire traits, see the "General Info" essay.
Do vampires kill people and drain them dry?
No! Incompetent as they may be portrayed on TV, cops in the real world are smart. They can track blood traces that go back three years! A vampire is not going to ruin their lives with random murder for blood. Also, you have to remember that vampires grow up in human families, with normal friends, and normal lives. Vampires live in and of society and will have the same morals instilled in them as any other. Yes, it is possible that some might not be as moral as others - after all, "normal" humans can be serial killers - but, for the vast majority, no vampire is going to actively harm someone they feed from. (vampires use volunteer donors - see "Donors" for more info)
Are vampires immortal?
No, not in the common sense of the word. Some vampires reincarnate again and again (but so do "normal" humans) and many have better then average immune systems. That's not to say they won't get the flu or chicken pox or something (they probably will just as easily as anyone) but, chances are, they'll get better faster. And it takes more to put them down (although a double-barrel shotgun will do it nicely I imagine) They'll heal more things - and quicker than most - but they do not come back from the dead, or walk away from being fatally wounded, ok? Under the right circumstances, I'd say, yes, they will have a longer lifespan than the average human, but not by centuries.
Are Vampires divided into cliques, clans, or groups like in Vampire: The Masquerade (V:tM)?
No. Vampires have their friends, they have their enemies, same as anyone. (Vampires have pecking orders, I suppose, like any group, but those are always subject to opinion and mostly centered around organizations or local areas) The only real division in vampires is Natural (born) vampires, and Created ("turned") vampires.
What is a "Natural" vampire and what is a "Created" Vampire?
Natural vampires are those that are born this way...although, the need to drink blood does not manifest itself until adolescence or even adulthood. (Average of say 17-24 years old) Sometimes, the vampire will start having weird dreams - things he/she can almost recognize, but not quite. Most of the time, someone the soon-to-be vampire knows will start being around more - maybe pushing conversations in new, odd directions. But not always...no two are going to be alike, and for crying out loud, please don't think that just because you had a dream with blood or vampires in it, you're suddenly going to turn into one.
Created vampires are those who are "turned." Don't even think of asking me how or if you can be turned cause neither will happen. Trust me, you wouldn't really want it anyway... (see "Talk about Turning" for more info)
Can vampires have children? Does it run in families?
Unless the vampire is afflicted with some other physical ailment, of course they can! And yes, it can run in families, but again, not always...there's not a lot that's set in stone because remember, it's not really known what it is that makes a vampire a vampire. If you or your partner (or both) are vampires, you can have a child who's one too. But, you can be Joe Schmo and have a vampire child as well. I believe that the odds improve if both parents are, but there's no guarantee.
Do vampires eat food (besides blood)?
Yes!! They'd be pretty d**ned scrawny if they lived on blood alone!! Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, popcorn at the movies, hell yeah! Vampires love food. Vampires do live in normal, living bodies!
What about all that sunlight, crosses, garlic, stuff?
These are the questions most aggravating only because most of the myths are so silly, it would be impossible for a vampire to survive if they had to live with those restrictions. However, here's a rundown on some of them...*deep breath* sunlight sucks only in that it's too bright (they do have slightly more acute senses, so it's annoying, but no more than that), crosses/religious symbols are only special to the wearer (cross, pentagram, little-red-Hindu-dot, etc. - no religious symbol will ward off vampires-they're not evil after all!) Garlic is a great addition to food, not to mention garlic bread, garlic sticks, mmm...mmm...good. (Now, it can happen that a vampire has an allergic reaction to garlic - my poor Love- but that's nothing more than a coincidence). What else? No, they can't change forms (period)...no, they don't need permission to enter a home...yes, they do have reflections in mirrors...There are no problems with them crossing running water...They do not have to sleep in coffins, nor with native soil...They do not have to drink 9-12 pints of blood a night (the amount in the human body)...They do not fly....Basically, if you read it in an Anne Rice novel, or saw it in a movie it's just NOT true. (see the "Vampire Guide 201" for more info)
Do all vampire women have huge, unnatural breasts and a penchant for wearing lingerie in public?
Oh, yeah, and they wear capes too. It makes them feel like superheroes... (can you feel the sarcasm?)
Can vampires read minds/control people/dominate thoughts?
Hmm...this is one of those questions that can't be answered fully on this kind of broad base...Most vampires tend to use more mental control than your average human (and Natural vampires have much more control than created ones because as a rule, they've been using their natural talents/gifts longer). Does this mean they can get you to kill someone for them? Probably not. I think it might be possible to "push" someone a little...give them the nudge they needed to do something they had already been contemplating. They can scare someone I'm sure...maybe even give them nightmares. Many vampires also have some sort of "psychic" powers to one degree or another (example: empathy, precognition, divination, etc.) This is something that is different for each vampire - again, no two vampires will be exactly the same. They can kinda let some basic things be known from one vampire to another (like, "let's take this outside") but this is very limited and not really at all like the telepathy of TV.
So vampires can recognize each other?
Almost always. Vampires generally always know when another is around...although, if you are a very weak vampire in the presence of a very strong vampire, you may not notice him/her if they want to remain anonymous. Sometimes it can be as simple as a "chill" of sorts like a warning...that's just one example though...other vampire, feel/know it other various ways.
Where do vampires come from? Is there a cure?
Who knows...No one really even knows what exactly it is that makes a vampire a vampire...ideas range from genetic differences, to different species/race, to a difference in the soul/spirit...who knows? And, without truly knowing the cause, there is no known way to stop. Some people say that it's just a matter of will - you decide that you no longer want it enough and it will cease to be, but that's certainly not scientific and could be dangerous to the health of the vampire. Again, until it's better understood the how it happens, I don't think there's anyway to know the ways to "treat" or "cure" it.
