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Morticia:
Vampires

Reality, Myth, and Folklore


Vampire, the word strikes fear into the hearts of people world over. Though is a vampire really something we should fear? Is a vampire really an undead creature of the night, which bears it?s fangs at the sight of a young victims neck, and feeds from the blood of the living. Or is a vampire what we perceives it to be in movies; a pale faced man with short jet black hair and spooky fangs in a tuxedo and cape? Or is a vampire something more than is perceived by legend, Hollywood, and role players.

Many people have theories to what a true vampire is. These theories are passed down through centuries in myth and legend. There are many kinds of vampires, both real and myth, which Konstantinos proves in his book, Vampires the Occult Truth. Konstantinos proves that there are four general types of vampire. A vampire can range from being a deceased phantom entity of a once living person, or a living psychic vampire. "Vampires, in reality, are those creatures who prey upon others for sustenance. The source of that sustenance, the method of obtaining it, and the need it fulfill are what distinguish the different type of vampires from each other", Konstantinos (pg 10). As long as it?s a creature which must feed or take sustenance for itself, from another person for it?s survival then, is considered a vampire. For a fact are there real vampires, but they aren?t what Hollywood perceived them to be, nor are they undead creatures of the night.

Perhaps the vampire evolved from it?s myth, or perhaps they were here before us. No one is really quite sure, but again, there are theories. Such as what is written and hypothesized on. Let us begin with the bible or religion. In some texts it is believed that Lilith was the first living vampire. Lilith was also known as the Queen of the night, Lili, Lilu, or the Mother of Demons. Jehovah crafted Lilith, out of mud, as the original wife for Adam. Though her soul was marred and she only spawned evil, then eventually deserted Adam and joined Satan. Though Lilith isn?t considered a vampire, but a succubus.

Next we move onto a very well known vampire. Dracula, or Vlad Dracula. He is also known as Vlad the Impaler, and is very prominent in all Romanian history. Though ancients texts and hundreds of books state and believe that Vlad Dracula was not a vampire, I have found reason to believe otherwise. Prince Vlad Dracula was born around the year 1431 in Sighisora, Transylvania. His father was Vlad Dracul, which meant "Vlad the Dragon". Dracul received his name from the Order of the Dragon., a legion of soldiers which protected Christianity and Easter Europe from the Turks. The "a" at the end of "Dracul" means "son of", so the name "Dracula" means "son of the dragon". Later he was known as Vlad Tepes, meaning "Vlad the Impaler". Supposedly Dracula used to watch , and enjoy many executions from when he was young. Under Dracula?s reign crime eventually became nonexistent. Vlad?s cruelty was not unusual for his time, torture was the normal way of dealing with criminals. Reasons we have to believe Vlad Dracula was a vampire are many. It has been said that often while Vlad had dinner he liked to watch executions in which he ordered, and on occasion, he included the blood of the executed in his meal. It is believed he dipped his bread into the blood. Though I found two direct descendents of Vlad Dracula?s blood line, who wish to remain anonymous; I will call them K and L. Each told me stories of their ancestor and both concluded that Vlad Dracula was a mortal vampire, and "the Order of the Dragon was a legion of soldiers fighting for Christianity and was a house of vampires", said K. "The house had survived the centuries and still stands today, as well as many other branches of vampire houses from that time era", said L. Yet these vampires aren?t immortal, nor are they undead, or so my sources say.

Though why are these creatures called vampires, and what does this word, which burns a terrified hole into our stomachs, originate from? The word "vampire" wasn?t used until the eighteenth century in English literature. The first documented case of the dead rising to consume blood was written in the twelfth century by William of New burgh. He described the creature as sanguisuga which is Latin for "blood sucker". Though in the eighteenth century it (vampire) was used to describe a horrific case reported in Medvenria, Serbia, describing an incident about a man known as Arnold Paole. It is believed that the word evolved from the Serbian word ?vampir? and the Russian ?upyr?. Before it was known as vampire in English literature the vampire in eastern Europe was known as ?Nosferatu?. Although different classifications were given to individual types of vampire. A scientist trying to justify the mass hysteria of vampire cases, from the seventeenth century to the early nineteenth century, in eastern Europe believed it could be a disease known as porphyria. The condition porphyria is also known as the vampire disease because of it?s symptoms. "Porphyria can result in bodies inability to make hemoglobin, the part of the blood that makes oxygen. Without Hemoglobin, the disease can cause chemicals to build up under the skin making the person extremely sensitive to sunlight."says Jill Burcum (pg 123). Other symptoms include: excessive hair growth on the face, hands and legs and cause teeth and eyes to develop a reddish hue.

Though the vampire isn?t prominent just in eastern Europe. There are beliefs of vampires all over the world: in India and it?s surrounding countries, China and the Pacific, Africa, and North and South America. Most or all of these countries had their own belief in the supernatural or the paranormal. In Hindu religious texts is a particularly vicious species of vampire, called the raksahis. Those creatures were described as having five legs , fangs, and bodies soaked in blood. To add to these creatures vampiric traits they often lived in graveyards and are described in many texts as blood drinkers. In China resides the myth of the Chiang-Shih, a vampire with strong resemblances of the modern vampire myths of today. The Chiang-Shih was supposedly created when a person died of a horrific or immoral death. Thus the soul could not rest and it would return as the Chiang-Shih, or a vampire. Like modern vampire myths the Chiang-Shih could be warded off by garlic, running water, and fire could destroy it. Though instead of the chiang-shih rising from the grave at night it is believed that it would have to somehow escape the grave before it was buried. In Africa it is believed that vampires were living witches called Obayifo. It?s believed that the Obayifo could leave her body at night, astrally, and feed off the blood of it?s sleeping victims. In South America we find yet another living vampire called the Asema. Like the obayifo this was a sorcerer whom could leave his or her body at night. In North America there is no prominent vampire folklore in the area. "The Native American Indians, who were the earliest verifiable inhabitants of the continent, have little or no mention of vampires or the undead in their folklore. It is safe to assume that the first vampire beliefs (and maybe vampires) probably came to North America with the settlers", Konstantinos (pg 33). There are many, many more, but these myths were the most relevant of the rest and tied with the vampire, we all know, the most.

As mentioned before there are four main types of vampire, both real and myth. They are as listed : immortal blood drinkers, mortal blood drinkers, unintentional psychic vampires, and intentional psychic vampires. The immortal blood drinkers are those described and characterized in religions and ancient texts. These vampires are ones which authors and screen writers use their works as well. Though not much strong evidence throughout history is given as to whether these vampires exist or not. Immortal vampires are the least likely to exist and, again little information is given to prove their existence. Though there are three other types of vampire which exist today. As I mentioned before Vlad Dracula was a mortal vampire. A mortal blood drinker or mortal vampires is a person who needs blood to sustain their health and aren?t immortal in any way. Unintentional psychic vampires psychic vampires who are unaware of their vampirism which makes them most dangerous out of all living vampires. They have no control of the energies they take making them the most harmful. Last, but not least out for the four are the intentional psychic vampires. This is a person who needs psychic energies constantly to sustain their health. These are people who know about their vampirism and can control how much they feed, or how much energy their body consumes. Later I?ll go into how these vampires feed, and by what means they take their energies.

Though there are still many unsolved cases of vampirism today, Some of these cases are mortal blood drinkers and others may just be clearly insane. Lets begin with a man mentioned earlier, named Arnold Paloe. Arnold Paloe was a Serbian soldier who lived in the early 1700s. While alive Paole witnessed some gruesome occurrences and later admitted as to have been attacked by a vampire. After attempting methods of curing himself of the vampire disease; he had dies after a fall from a hay wagon and was buried. A month after his death the townspeople began reporting that people began reporting that Paole was attacking them at night and four victims eventually died. Hunters decided to dig up the supposed vampire and they found Paole?s body undecayed, his skin and nails fallen off with new ones in their place and streams of "fresh blood had flowed from eyes, nose, mouth, and ears; that the shirt, the covering, and the coffin were completely bloody", Paul Barber (pg 93). According to hunters Paole let out a groan and blood erupted from his chest when a wooden stake was lodged into his heart. Paole never bothered anyone again. Though this case seems to be of an immortal vampire, this next one might as well just be made into a movie one day. Fritz Haarman, born in Germany in 1879, went into the military after a rough childhood. For someone as disturbed as Haarman it was a surprise he did so well in the military. After having medical problems he was discharged from the military and soon after went back to openly hating his father and child molesting. Sometime around 1917, Haarman met a male prostitute names Hans Grans, who would later become as much a vampiric fiend as Haarman. Haarman and Grans would later bring young males to their home, dine them, and feast from their necks, once the victims became tired, until the victims died. Haarman and Grans were later accused of killing twenty seven males and later admit to hiding the bodies by chopping them up and selling them as beef in the local meat markets. When Haarman confessed to the crimes he became known as "the vampire of Hanover", and was sentenced to death. At his own request, he was decapitated in a public execution in 1925. Hans Grans would go on to serve only twelve years in jail.

Though there are many people who aren?t insane, these are real vampires, psi or psychic vampires. Unintentional and Intentional vampires fall into this category. Though unintentional aren?t aware of their vampirism, international?s are very much aware. Intentional?s; are much more award of the world around them and often seem paranoid around large crowds. The second type of real vampire is the sanguine or blood vampire. Where psi vampires can be dangerous to others; if sang vampires aren?t careful they can harm themselves and would contract a blood related disease.

Yet, if there are real vampires wouldn?t the world know about them? Most of the world does know yet real vampires aren?t immortal, they don?t kill people, and aren?t affected by silver, garlic, and crosses in any way. A real psi vampire is a normal person with en energy deficiency in their astral body. The astral body is the mental/spirit body which resides in the physical body, which it uses as it?s host. So this energy deficiency is caused by the astral body having it?s own astral leak, causing it to leak energies which are vital for human life. In order to get this energy back the psi vampire takes energies, or "feeds" from other people?s astral bodies to sustain itself. A sanguine or sang vampire has the same deficiency, yet it?s more closely related to Porphyria and the vampire can?t make it?s own hemoglobin very well. Though this vampire takes it?s energies by means of blood or ?life force?.

Yet how are these beings possible? Well the answer has been contemplated , time and time again. Many believe that a person can become a vampire though it is more common to hear a person say you are born one. The latter of the two seems to be more accurate, the vampire gene is passed on through blood. Depending if there is a normal person who conceives a child with a vampire, then odds are the vampire gene will skip a generation. It?s based mainly around dominate and recessive genes. Yet others theorize and say that you are either born a vampire, or can become one. "Children who are either pampered or who have a cold, or distant relationship with a parent are prone to psychic vampirism. Also, certain personality characteristics such as identity conflict, a poor self-image, and deep-seated insecurity and inferiority are common in psychic vampirism among both sexes", Joe Slate (pg 75). It has also been said that a person can just train their astral body to psi feed, though it really wouldn?t be considered vampirism like a blood drinker would just be considered a fetishist.

Though real vampires may be different, that doesn?t quite mean that they are immortal, nor do they sleep in coffins. Real vampires can be anyone. Though recently vampires have been accepting their ?true nature? and have begun to dress the part. Though stereotypical, a vampire will normally dress in all black, renaissance and or Victorian period clothing. What is considered ?Goth? keeps a vampire happy and at peace with him or herself. Not all vampires dress in black and play upon their nocturnal nature though, on the contrary many vampires just try and live as normal a life as possible. Mostly to try and fit in because of the constant fear of feeling different or like a ?freak?.

Real vampires are real people, they must go to school, go to work, and pay bills just like everyone else. Yet they have a few problems to live with such as sunlight. Even though sunlight doesn?t fry a vampire into a bubbling puddle of ash and goo, doesn?t mean the sun still doesn?t hurt. Vampires are less sun tolerant and most stay out of the sun as much as they can. The sun UV?s have a massive effect on vampires, which can cause large rashes or even worse, skin cancer. Most vampires try and wear sunglasses at all times of the day and tend to wear long sleeves to protect their skin in the summer. Another thing a vampire must deal with is the constant task of feeding. If a vampire doesn?t feed it could get sick or could even die. Sang vampires feed by using a sterile lancet and normally don?t take anymore than a tablespoon of blood from its donor and must feed at least once daily. A donor is a person who donates his or her blood to the vampire community to help in whatever way they can. Psi vampires can set their astral body to feed themselves automatically, though they can also feed whenever they feel like it by using their astral body as a sucking mechanism or a vacuum type thing to feed. Psi vampires also have astral tendrils which enable the vampire to be able to feed from a distance.

However real vampires aren?t without their abilities, yet they aren?t like the ones in the movies. They possess small abilities, such as precognition. Normally a vampire can see or do something before it happens, it?s a sort of way to ?predict the future? so to speak. Along with precognition a vampire normally has empathy and telepathy as well. Empathy is a way of feeling or ?reading? another persons emotions and feelings. Often times a vampire feels others emotions so much that it causes a vampire excessive mood swings until he or she is alone. Telepathy is another ability, but sometimes can get as annoying as empathy and the vampire must bear with it as well. Telepathy is the ability to see what other people are thinking, or the ability to ?read minds?. Anyone can develop this ability, in fact it isn?t just a vampire thing. A vampire can develops psychic abilities naturally or they can develop them in a quarter of the time it takes a normal person to develop.

Most vampires respect normal people, and often times envy them. To show respect often times a vampire will follow the ?13 rules of the community? better known as ?The Black Veil?. The Black Veil are 13 rules and guild lines about feeding, who they should tell about their vampirism, discretion, and more. Yet there are others who are not vampire and follow these ?rules? and are normally blood donors for vampires. The vampire community calls these people ?Black Swan?. Yet there are other vampires who ?absolutely hate? the Black Veil and want nothing to do with the vampire community, these people are called ?Rogues?. A rogue is a real vampire who doesn?t associate themselves with the ?popular? vampire community and prefers to be alone or with one or two others like his or herself.

There are real vampires in the world, though they aren?t the night walking creatures of the undead as Hollywood and movies have made them. They are everyday people with a bit of a ?disorder?. However they choose to deal with it is up to them. A vampire could be anyone, even standing next to you right now, standing next to you at a bus stop or even applying makeup in the restroom standing next to you. No one is really sure who a vampire could be, but other vampires can tell who their kin is and pick another vampire out from a crowd. Thus vampires exist and in the words of Konstantinos, "Remember, for those with open minds, there are always new discoveries to be made.

Even if they are of ancient things...

such as vampires...

Razor Blade:
Nice text mort really enyojed reading it thanks.
But a question for you mort do you believe what stands in the text do you believe in Vampires??

James_2k:
well, that was the most indepth discussion i have had on nwn :)

normally constrained to 'gf' and 'bah' :)

Morticia:
well i talked about james about it.
let me explain in a few words.
U dont have to take that text litterairly , but it helps giving u a different view.
When most hear the word vampire they think about the movie/book/ games kinda vampire wich is immortal , cant bear sunlight etc...

But as some of u might know theyre are a different kind of vampire who lives even on today. Some of u (like james) might think theyre a bunch of freaks who like to drink others blood but there is more then that. Let me explain as i tried to do to james :P:

first of all u gotta wonder what was first, the book/movie kind of vampire or some sort of cult/ sect  who did drink each other s blood and were the storytellers got their inspiration from. I believe the second. I mean, they re were all kind s of disgusting things back then like canibalism, voodoo etc. + teyre act cases in hystory wich tells us of such deeds, for example : bloody mary , who bath in human blood cuz she was convinced she would live longer that way. Myths around them could easily be made.
+
To have a real story those storytellers exagerated their story. Didnt that happen too in the bible?

conclusion: i do believe vampires exists , u would be suprized what other acts of torture etc lives on today.
I also believe u gotta split the vampires today in 2 groups.
1.the ones who saw too meny vampire movies and got carried away by it.
2.the ones described above.

now as final point let me make myself clear , im a pretty normal person (really), i am not involved in any kind of that. i m not in a sect or wathever. I m a nice person, realy :P
im just intrested in stuff like that and this vampire thing has come to the question cuz james asked me if i believed in them. It doesnt mean im obsessed with them nor does i wanna be like that. I think its disgusting but i understand its for those vampires not. Ow , and my nwn charatcer is based on the movie like vampire, its a charatcer i play so dont look too far with that .

Does this clear up ur Question Razor? :P

Anheg:
of course there is a nice collection of books on new age magick, religions, explinations for it, and modern monsters and myths at your local book store. Since thre is no specialty shops around me i get my books on that stuff from Barnes and Noble. Of course i protect myself with banishing and phycic protections spells.

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