The problem with vampire survival is knowing the rules.
What type of vampire are we dealing with?
arrow The idea that silver is harmful to vampires is pure Hollywood.
A silver weapon would be no more harmful to a vampire than one made of steel.
arrow The idea that vampires burn in sunlight is a relatively modern invention; in traditional European folklore, sunlight either turned the vampire into a lifeless corpse, took away their supernatural powers, or paralyzed them, depending on the mythology.
arrow Vampires in European folklore were known for supernatural strength, speed, and resistance to injury. The smell of garlic was repulsive to them as well as the scent of wild roses, and although vulnerable to fire, decapitation, and dismemberment, only a fool would fight a vampire on their terms.
arrow Most vampires were weak and helpless by day, and according to European legends could only rest by returning to their graves. Contrary to popular belief, a wooden stake through the heart was only the beginning; not only did the stake have to pierce the heart, but it had to be driven into the ground beneath it, thereby pinning the vampire to its grave. This was because in most legends, vampires were corpses possessed by evil spirits and unless the spirit was bound to the earth, it would simply take over another corpse.
arrow Once the stake was driven through the heart, the head of the vampire was chopped off. The mouth was stuffed with garlic, then the priest would perform a rite of exorcism to banish the evil spirit; both the stake and the heart were removed and burned to ashes, then the head and body were placed in the coffin and moved to a crossroads, where a funeral service would be held for the deceased. After the head and body were buried, the ground would be sown with salt and the ashes of the heart scattered across the grave.
arrow Crosses and holy water were a later addition to the vampire myth and in some parts of Europe were not effective against the undead.
Frankly, if I were a vampire hunter I would take a scientific approach to the undead. Once I had figured out a few of their basic weaknesses, I would attempt to capture a vampire and experiment on them in the hope of determining the most effective method of disabling and destroying the undead. For example, I would apply garlic oil to the skin, expose them to crosses, holy water, and different wavelengths of bright light, wound the creature with silver, etc. One question I would definitely answer: does faith play a role in the use of crosses and other religion icons?
If so, does it have to be the Christian faith, or would other religions be just as effective?
My basic tool kit for vampire hunting:
two .45 automatic pistols
wooden stakes (made from baseball bats)
rawhide mallet
fire axe
hatchet
crowbar
bowie knife
machete
can of home-brewed napalm
lighter
extra ammunition
Don't forget that vampires have servants!
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