VAMPIRE TRUTHS AND MYTHS!!!
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Vampires don't exist- LIE
Ask any given number of people whether they believe in vampires and the overwhelming response will be in the negative. There are two main reasons for this. The first reason is fear. Not the fear of the common man for Vampires but quite the reverse. As we are all quite aware humans are prone to mass hysteria and violence against anything they cannot understand. Because of this, Vampires over the millenia, have feared the human race and what it may do if the existence of Homo wampyrus were confirmed as scientific fact. Vampires therefore keep themselves well hidden and do all they can to propagate the Vampire as a myth and Hollywood invention. One classic example is the popular fantasy role-playing game by White Wolf, Vampire: The Masquerade. This game describes a rich history of Vampire 'clans', each with it's own back story and complex interactive culture; all presented as a made-up gaming environment. In reality, the book is based on fact with only some embellishments to make it 'more exciting'.
The second reason is connected closely with the first. Remember, Vampires are people too which means any survey will include a proportion of Vampire participants who will naturally vote 'no' in order to discourage belief.
Vampires are evil- LIE
Most Vampires were human once and therefore have the same capacity for good and evil as any member of the human race.
There are evil vampires of course, just as there are evil humans but Vampires are also as capable of as much good as humans.
Vampires are often portrayed as evil because of the nature of their food but Vampire drinking blood is no more evil than a lioness tearing a zebra to pieces for to feed her cubs.
In today's society, most Vampires discreetly advertise for willing 'donors' or purchase from blood banks in those countries that allow it, therefore avoiding the need for any stereotypical neck biting.
Vampires are altered Humans- TRUTH
Vampires cannot be born as active Vampires, although there are certain circumstances where a person may be born human then develop Vampirism as they mature. Vampires are 'embraced' or turned by the introduction into the bloodstream of certain pathogens via an exchange of bodily fluids.
The full details of the fascinating changes that happen during turning are explained at length in the change.
Vampires only feed on blood- LIE
Haemavorous Vampires, those that feed on blood, are by far the most fascinating and varied, however there is another kind that feeds on the life-force generated by every living thing and especially humans. Most of these Vampires, known as Psychic Vampires are outwardly indistinguishable from humans and many do not share other Vampire weaknesses like aversion to sunlight of garlic. Many Psychic Vampires feed on the life-force or 'psychic energy' of those around them without ever knowing that they are doing so and remain blissfully unaware of their true nature.
Vampires can shape-shift- TRUTH
The shape-shifting capabilities attributed to Vampires by popular fiction and the movies have some basis in fact. For most Vampires shape-shifting skills are limited to the extension of fangs, claws or a lengthening of the ears. However there are some individuals, particularly amongst older members of the Wampyrus chiroptera group who have advanced abilities in shape-shifting. They are able to affect a transformation all the way into a huge bat-like creature which, while unable to perform actual powered flight, is capable of gliding over long distances in the manner of a hang-glider.
The transformation takes a huge toll on the Vampire's energy levels and can take upwards of twelve extremely painful hours to perform. Because of these limitations the shape-shifting Vampire rarely uses it's talent during it's usual feeding routine.
Vampires are only active at night- LIE
It is true that the Vampire condition makes them extremely and painfully sensitive to sunlight, or more precisely ultra-violet radiation. However this does not mean they cannot move about during the daylight hours. Humans have evolved as diurnal (daytime) animals but, despite poor night vision and a strong urge to sleep, we still spend a great deal of our night-times fully active. The same is true for Vampires in reverse. As long as the Vampire takes care not to expose his or her self to full on sunlight they are quite capable of acting out a life style approximating that of their human neighbors. Given a choice, most Vampires would choose to sleep during the day and use the night-time hours to feed and socialize but this is in no way a rule. For most Vampires it's a matter of choice and factor 40 sunblock!
Vampires are repelled or hurt by garlic- TRUTH
In fact most haemavorous Vampires are allergic or at least sensitive to the entire allium family which includes onions, chives, leeks, shallots and of course garlic. The degree of reaction varies from individual to individual but it is with garlic that the problem lies. Garlic contains a chemical which causes constriction of the throat and larynx leading to breathlessness and in extreme cases death through asphyxiation.
Vampires are immortal- LIE
Although almost true in the sense that they live to a very old age. Vampires can, of course be killed in all the same ways that a humman can with the exception of resistance to some poisons. The misconception that vampires can not be killed by conventional means may stem from their greater pain threshold, their considerable strength and the fact that their blood clots much faster and wounds knit at an accelerated rate.
A bullet in the chest (missing the heart) will often kill a human just from the shock and blood loss, whereas a Vampire would be able to keep going whilst the wound is sealed with a clot to prevent bleeding to death.
Vampires are also much less susceptible to disease than humans with even HIV unable to get a hold on the Vampire immune system.
The oldest Vampire that I an aware of was 'turned' at the age of 26 in what is now Thailand in approximately 345bc. She killed herself in 1973 having spent well over two thousand years alive.
Apart from accidents, the most common cause of Vampire mortality is suicide. It takes a strong will to watch all those around you grow old and die, over and over again.
Vampires are dead (or undead)- LIE
The misconception that Vampires are the dead somehow brought back to life stems from two places. First, one of the early symptoms of the onset of Vampirism is a prolonged state of catatonia or hibernation. Click on The Change in the main menu for more about this transformation.
In the past, this state with it's cooling of the body and slowing of the heart to less than five beats per minute was often mistaken for death and the 'corpse' duly buried. Upon awakening, the Vampire finds to his horror that he has been buried alive and proceeds to dig himself out. Naturally the Vampire's friends and family think he has come back from the dead.
Secondly, and more relevant to modern times is the fact that when a human succumbs to Vampirism, he or she withdraws from his or her previous life and hides or moves away, often without a word to friends or reletives. After some years the family and friends of the missing person assume that they are dead.
Years later curiosity overcomes the Vampire and he or she seeks out old aquaintances who are startled to find that not only is their dear departed still alive, but they appear to be no older than when they went missing all those years ago.
Vampires sleep in coffins- LIE
Why would they? Coffins make very uncomfortable beds.
As explained above, Vampires are not dead or Undead. The coffin fixation is purely an invention of folk law and novelists. These days some Vampires make a point of having a coffin shaped coffee table or something of that sort as a kind of 'in joke' with their friends. The coffin is very much the 'flying ducks' of the Vampire community. Kitch, tasteless but fun.
Vampires have super strength- TRUTH
Vampires enjoy a more efficient metabolism than most humans. Because of this, their bodies are able to perform more efficiently too.
Most Vampire's strength is no more than any human could achieve, the difference is that a Vampire has this strength without effort of training whereas a human would have to spend long, hard and regular hours in the gym to achieve the same results.
Some Vampires are able to use a degree of shape-shifing skill to adjust bone pivot points, muscle attachment ratios and tendon strengths to obtain powers beyound that which is achievable by their original bodies, however,this is rarely worth the effort and pain to perform.
Vampires cast no reflection- LIE
Even Vampires cannot change the laws of physics! However, some Vampires, particularly the Nosferatu group, are able to affect the human mind to some degree.
This enables them to alter a human's perception and effectivly 'become invisible' to them at will.
Vampires fear religious symbols- LIE
Vampirism has been around since the dawn of man, long before the birth of even the oldest surviving organised religion. Christian crosses and other religious icons hold no fear for Vampires, after all a cross is only a symbol of faith and not the faith in it's self. However, if the human who is brandishing the cross is sufficiently strong in their faith, if the belief in the icon's abilty to repel the Vampire is absolute, then the Vampire can feel this in the human's psyche. Most vampires find this strong mental conviction unpleasant and will leave in search of less fervant prey. The human, of course, believes it is the cross that has repelled the Vampire and as a result their faith is strengthened further.
Although most Vampires have little time or interest for religion, some use religion as a smokescreen in order to appear more human and so fit more succesfully into human society.
-----------------------------------------
Vampires don't exist- LIE
Ask any given number of people whether they believe in vampires and the overwhelming response will be in the negative. There are two main reasons for this. The first reason is fear. Not the fear of the common man for Vampires but quite the reverse. As we are all quite aware humans are prone to mass hysteria and violence against anything they cannot understand. Because of this, Vampires over the millenia, have feared the human race and what it may do if the existence of Homo wampyrus were confirmed as scientific fact. Vampires therefore keep themselves well hidden and do all they can to propagate the Vampire as a myth and Hollywood invention. One classic example is the popular fantasy role-playing game by White Wolf, Vampire: The Masquerade. This game describes a rich history of Vampire 'clans', each with it's own back story and complex interactive culture; all presented as a made-up gaming environment. In reality, the book is based on fact with only some embellishments to make it 'more exciting'.
The second reason is connected closely with the first. Remember, Vampires are people too which means any survey will include a proportion of Vampire participants who will naturally vote 'no' in order to discourage belief.
Vampires are evil- LIE
Most Vampires were human once and therefore have the same capacity for good and evil as any member of the human race.
There are evil vampires of course, just as there are evil humans but Vampires are also as capable of as much good as humans.
Vampires are often portrayed as evil because of the nature of their food but Vampire drinking blood is no more evil than a lioness tearing a zebra to pieces for to feed her cubs.
In today's society, most Vampires discreetly advertise for willing 'donors' or purchase from blood banks in those countries that allow it, therefore avoiding the need for any stereotypical neck biting.
Vampires are altered Humans- TRUTH
Vampires cannot be born as active Vampires, although there are certain circumstances where a person may be born human then develop Vampirism as they mature. Vampires are 'embraced' or turned by the introduction into the bloodstream of certain pathogens via an exchange of bodily fluids.
The full details of the fascinating changes that happen during turning are explained at length in the change.
Vampires only feed on blood- LIE
Haemavorous Vampires, those that feed on blood, are by far the most fascinating and varied, however there is another kind that feeds on the life-force generated by every living thing and especially humans. Most of these Vampires, known as Psychic Vampires are outwardly indistinguishable from humans and many do not share other Vampire weaknesses like aversion to sunlight of garlic. Many Psychic Vampires feed on the life-force or 'psychic energy' of those around them without ever knowing that they are doing so and remain blissfully unaware of their true nature.
Vampires can shape-shift- TRUTH
The shape-shifting capabilities attributed to Vampires by popular fiction and the movies have some basis in fact. For most Vampires shape-shifting skills are limited to the extension of fangs, claws or a lengthening of the ears. However there are some individuals, particularly amongst older members of the Wampyrus chiroptera group who have advanced abilities in shape-shifting. They are able to affect a transformation all the way into a huge bat-like creature which, while unable to perform actual powered flight, is capable of gliding over long distances in the manner of a hang-glider.
The transformation takes a huge toll on the Vampire's energy levels and can take upwards of twelve extremely painful hours to perform. Because of these limitations the shape-shifting Vampire rarely uses it's talent during it's usual feeding routine.
Vampires are only active at night- LIE
It is true that the Vampire condition makes them extremely and painfully sensitive to sunlight, or more precisely ultra-violet radiation. However this does not mean they cannot move about during the daylight hours. Humans have evolved as diurnal (daytime) animals but, despite poor night vision and a strong urge to sleep, we still spend a great deal of our night-times fully active. The same is true for Vampires in reverse. As long as the Vampire takes care not to expose his or her self to full on sunlight they are quite capable of acting out a life style approximating that of their human neighbors. Given a choice, most Vampires would choose to sleep during the day and use the night-time hours to feed and socialize but this is in no way a rule. For most Vampires it's a matter of choice and factor 40 sunblock!
Vampires are repelled or hurt by garlic- TRUTH
In fact most haemavorous Vampires are allergic or at least sensitive to the entire allium family which includes onions, chives, leeks, shallots and of course garlic. The degree of reaction varies from individual to individual but it is with garlic that the problem lies. Garlic contains a chemical which causes constriction of the throat and larynx leading to breathlessness and in extreme cases death through asphyxiation.
Vampires are immortal- LIE
Although almost true in the sense that they live to a very old age. Vampires can, of course be killed in all the same ways that a humman can with the exception of resistance to some poisons. The misconception that vampires can not be killed by conventional means may stem from their greater pain threshold, their considerable strength and the fact that their blood clots much faster and wounds knit at an accelerated rate.
A bullet in the chest (missing the heart) will often kill a human just from the shock and blood loss, whereas a Vampire would be able to keep going whilst the wound is sealed with a clot to prevent bleeding to death.
Vampires are also much less susceptible to disease than humans with even HIV unable to get a hold on the Vampire immune system.
The oldest Vampire that I an aware of was 'turned' at the age of 26 in what is now Thailand in approximately 345bc. She killed herself in 1973 having spent well over two thousand years alive.
Apart from accidents, the most common cause of Vampire mortality is suicide. It takes a strong will to watch all those around you grow old and die, over and over again.
Vampires are dead (or undead)- LIE
The misconception that Vampires are the dead somehow brought back to life stems from two places. First, one of the early symptoms of the onset of Vampirism is a prolonged state of catatonia or hibernation. Click on The Change in the main menu for more about this transformation.
In the past, this state with it's cooling of the body and slowing of the heart to less than five beats per minute was often mistaken for death and the 'corpse' duly buried. Upon awakening, the Vampire finds to his horror that he has been buried alive and proceeds to dig himself out. Naturally the Vampire's friends and family think he has come back from the dead.
Secondly, and more relevant to modern times is the fact that when a human succumbs to Vampirism, he or she withdraws from his or her previous life and hides or moves away, often without a word to friends or reletives. After some years the family and friends of the missing person assume that they are dead.
Years later curiosity overcomes the Vampire and he or she seeks out old aquaintances who are startled to find that not only is their dear departed still alive, but they appear to be no older than when they went missing all those years ago.
Vampires sleep in coffins- LIE
Why would they? Coffins make very uncomfortable beds.
As explained above, Vampires are not dead or Undead. The coffin fixation is purely an invention of folk law and novelists. These days some Vampires make a point of having a coffin shaped coffee table or something of that sort as a kind of 'in joke' with their friends. The coffin is very much the 'flying ducks' of the Vampire community. Kitch, tasteless but fun.
Vampires have super strength- TRUTH
Vampires enjoy a more efficient metabolism than most humans. Because of this, their bodies are able to perform more efficiently too.
Most Vampire's strength is no more than any human could achieve, the difference is that a Vampire has this strength without effort of training whereas a human would have to spend long, hard and regular hours in the gym to achieve the same results.
Some Vampires are able to use a degree of shape-shifing skill to adjust bone pivot points, muscle attachment ratios and tendon strengths to obtain powers beyound that which is achievable by their original bodies, however,this is rarely worth the effort and pain to perform.
Vampires cast no reflection- LIE
Even Vampires cannot change the laws of physics! However, some Vampires, particularly the Nosferatu group, are able to affect the human mind to some degree.
This enables them to alter a human's perception and effectivly 'become invisible' to them at will.
Vampires fear religious symbols- LIE
Vampirism has been around since the dawn of man, long before the birth of even the oldest surviving organised religion. Christian crosses and other religious icons hold no fear for Vampires, after all a cross is only a symbol of faith and not the faith in it's self. However, if the human who is brandishing the cross is sufficiently strong in their faith, if the belief in the icon's abilty to repel the Vampire is absolute, then the Vampire can feel this in the human's psyche. Most vampires find this strong mental conviction unpleasant and will leave in search of less fervant prey. The human, of course, believes it is the cross that has repelled the Vampire and as a result their faith is strengthened further.
Although most Vampires have little time or interest for religion, some use religion as a smokescreen in order to appear more human and so fit more succesfully into human society.
