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Spring Heeled Jack
2009-06-02T04:04:16Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: /* References */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Spring Heeled Jack.jpg|thumbnail|Illustration circa 1890.]]<br />
'''Spring Heeled Jack''' (also Springheel Jack, Spring-heel Jack, etc), originally called '''Springald''' by some media, is a character from English folklore said to have existed during the Victorian era and able to jump extraordinarily high. The urban legend of Spring Heeled Jack gained immense popularity in its time due to the tales of his bizarre appearance and ability to make extraordinary leaps, to the point where he became the topic of several works of fiction.<br />
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<br />
==Description/Morphology==<br />
Spring Heeled Jack was described by people claiming to have seen him as having a terrifying and frightful appearance, with diabolical physiognomy that included clawed hands and eyes that "resembled red balls of fire". One report claimed that, beneath a black cloak, he wore a helmet and a tight-fitting white garment like an "oilskin". Many stories also mention a "Devil-like" aspect. Spring Heeled Jack was said to be tall and thin, with the appearance of a gentleman, and capable of making great leaps. Several reports mention that he could breathe blue and white flames and that he wore sharp metallic claws at his fingertips. At least two people claimed that he was able to speak in comprehensible English.<br />
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<br />
== History ==<br />
<br />
=== Early reports ===<br />
[[Image:Springheel Jack.png|thumb|left|Picture from a Penny Dreadful of Spring Heeled Jack jumping over a gate.]]<br />
<br />
The first accounts of Spring Heeled Jack were made in London in 1837 and the last reported sighting is said in most of the secondary literature to have been made in Liverpool in 1904. Later alleged sightings were reported all over England, from London up to Sheffield and Liverpool, but they were especially prevalent in suburban London and later in the Midlands and Scotland.<br />
<br />
The first reports of Jack was from a businessman returning home late one night from work, who told of being suddenly shocked as a mysterious figure jumped with ease over the high railings of a cemetery, landing right in his path. No attack was reported, but the submitted description was disturbing: a muscular man with devilish features including large and pointed ears and nose, and protruding, glowing eyes.<br />
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Later, in October 1837, a girl by the name of Mary Stevens was walking to Lavender Hill, where she was working as a servant, after visiting her parents in Battersea. On her way through Clapham Common, according to her later statements, a strange figure leapt at her from a dark alley. After immobilising her with a tight grip of his arms, he began to kiss her face, while ripping her clothes and touching her flesh with his claws, which were, according to her deposition, "cold and clammy as those of a corpse". In panic, the girl screamed, making the attacker quickly flee from the scene. The commotion brought several residents who immediately launched a search for the aggressor, who could not be found.<br />
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The next day, the leaping character is said to have chosen a very different victim near Mary Stevens' home, inaugurating a method that would reappear in later reports: he jumped in the way of a passing carriage, causing the coachman to lose control, crash, and severely injure himself. Several witnesses claimed that he escaped by jumping over a nine foot-high (2.7 m) wall while babbling with a high-pitched and ringing laughter.<br />
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Gradually, the news of the strange character spread, and soon the press and the public gave him a name: Spring-heeled Jack.<br />
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<br />
===Official recognition===<br />
A few months after these first sightings, on January 9, 1838, the Lord Mayor of London, Sir John Cowan, revealed at a public session held in the Mansion House an anonymous complaint that he had received several days earlier, which he had withheld in the hope of obtaining further information. The correspondent, who signed the letter "a resident of Peckham", wrote:<br />
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:It appears that some individuals (of, as the writer believes, the highest ranks of life) have laid a wager with a mischievous and foolhardy companion, that he durst not take upon himself the task of visiting many of the villages near London in three different disguises — a ghost, a bear, and a devil; and moreover, that he will not enter a gentleman's gardens for the purpose of alarming the inmates of the house. The wager has, however, been accepted, and the unmanly villain has succeeded in depriving seven ladies of their senses, two of whom are not likely to recover, but to become burdens to their families.<br />
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:At one house the man rang the bell, and on the servant coming to open door, this worse than brute stood in no less dreadful figure than a spectre clad most perfectly. The consequence was that the poor girl immediately swooned, and has never from that moment been in her senses.<br />
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:The affair has now been going on for some time, and, strange to say, the papers are still silent on the subject. The writer has reason to believe that they have the whole history at their finger-ends but, through interested motives, are induced to remain silent.<br />
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Though the Lord Mayor seemed fairly sceptical, a member of the audience confirmed, "servant girls about Kensington, Hammersmith and Ealing, tell dreadful stories of this ghost or devil". The matter was reported in The Times on 9 January, and other national papers on 10 January, and the day after that (January 11) the Lord Mayor showed a crowded gathering a pile of letters from various places in and around London complaining of similar "wicked pranks". The quantity of letters that poured into the Mansion House suggests that the stories were widespread in suburban London. One writer said several young women in Hammersmith had been frightened into "dangerous fits", and some "severely wounded by a sort of claws the miscreant wore on his hands". Another correspondent claimed that in Stockwell, Brixton, Camberwell and Vauxhall several people had died of fright, and others had had fits; meanwhile, another reported that the trickster had been repeatedly seen in Lewisham and Blackheath.<br />
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The Lord Mayor himself was in two minds about the affair: he thought "the greatest exaggerations" had been made, and that it was quite impossible "that the ghost performs the feats of a devil upon earth", but on the other hand someone he trusted had told him of a servant girl at Forest Hill who had been scared into fits by a figure in a bear's skin; he was confident the person or persons involved in this "pantomime display" would be caught and punished. The police were instructed to search for the individual responsible, and rewards were offered.<br />
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A peculiar report from The Brighton Gazette, which appeared in the April 14, 1838 edition of The Times related how a gardener in Rosehill, Sussex, had been terrified by a creature of unknown nature. The Times wrote that "Spring-heeled Jack has, it seems, found his way to the Sussex coast", even though the report bore little resemblance to other accounts of Jack. The incident occurred on April 13, when it appeared to a gardener "in the shape of a bear or some other four-footed animal". Having attracted the gardener's attention by a growl, it then climbed the garden wall and ran along it on all fours, before jumping down and chasing the gardener for some time. After terrifying the gardener, the apparition scaled the wall and made its exit.<br />
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===The Scales and Alsop reports===<br />
[[Image:Spring Heeled Jack-penny dreadful.gif|left|thumbnail|Spring Heeled Jack as depicted on an early Penny Dreadful.]]<br />
Perhaps the best known of the alleged incidents involving Spring Heeled Jack were the attacks on two teenage girls, Lucy Scales and Jane Alsop. The Alsop report was widely covered by the newspapers, including a piece in The Times, while a single paper covered the Scales report, presumably because Alsop came from a comfortably well-off family and Scales from a family of tradesmen. This coverage by newspapers fuelled the collective hysteria surrounding the case.<br />
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===Alsop case===<br />
Miss Jane Alsop reported that on the night of February 19 she answered the door of her father's house to a man claiming to be a police officer, who told her to bring a light, claiming "we have caught Spring-heeled Jack here in the lane". She brought the person a candle, and noticed that he wore a large cloak. The moment she had handed him the candle, however, he threw off the cloak and "presented a most hideous and frightful appearance", vomiting blue and white flame from his mouth while his eyes resembled "red balls of fire". Miss Alsop reported that he wore a large helmet and that his clothing, which appeared to be very tight-fitting, resembled white oilskin. Without saying a word he caught hold of her and began tearing her gown with his claws which she was certain were "of some metallic substance". She screamed for help, and managed to get away from him and ran towards the house. He caught her on the steps and tore her neck and arms with his claws. She was rescued by one of her sisters, after which her assailant fled.<br />
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<br />
===Scales case===<br />
Eight days after the attack on Miss Alsop, on February 28, 1838, 18-year-old Lucy Scales and her sister were returning home after visiting their brother, a butcher who lived in a respectable part of Limehouse. Miss Scales stated in her deposition to the police that as she and her sister were passing along Green Dragon Alley, they observed a person standing in an angle of the passage. She was walking in front of her sister at the time, and just as she came up to the person, who was wearing a large cloak, he spurted "a quantity of blue flame" in her face, which deprived her of her sight, and so alarmed her, that she instantly dropped to the ground, and was seized with violent fits which continued for several hours.<br />
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Her brother added that on the evening in question, he had heard the loud screams of one of his sisters moments after they had left his house and on running up Green Dragon Alley he found his sister Lucy on the ground in a fit, with her sister attempting to hold and support her. She was taken home, and he then learned from his other sister what had happened. She described Lucy's assailant as being of tall, thin, and gentlemanly appearance, covered in a large cloak, and carrying a small lamp or bull's eye lantern similar to those used by the police. The individual did not speak nor did he try to lay hands on them, but instead walked quickly away. Every effort was made by the police to discover the author of these and similar outrages, and several persons were questioned, but were set free.<br />
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<br />
===The legend spreads===<br />
[[Image:Jack4.jpg|thumb|right|Ad for a Spring Heeled Jack Penny Dreadful (1886)]]<br />
The Times reported the alleged attack on Jane Alsop on March 2, 1838 under the heading "The Late Outrage At Old Ford". This was followed with an account of the trial of one Thomas Millbank, who, immediately after the reported attack on Jane Alsop, had boasted in the Morgan's Arms that he was Spring Heeled Jack. He was arrested and tried at Lambeth Street court. The arresting officer was James Lea, who had earlier arrested William Corder, the Red Barn Murderer. Millbank had been wearing white overalls and a greatcoat, which he dropped outside the house, and the candle he dropped was also found. He escaped conviction only because Jane Alsop insisted her attacker had breathed fire, and Millbank admitted he could do no such thing. Most of the other accounts were written long after the date; contemporary newspapers do not mention them.<br />
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After these incidents, Spring Heeled Jack became one of the most popular characters of the period. His alleged exploits were reported in the newspapers and became the subject of several Penny Dreadfuls and plays performed in the cheap theatres that abounded at the time. The devil was even renamed "Spring Heeled Jack" in some Punch and Judy shows, as recounted by Henry Mayhew in his London Labour and the London Poor:<br />
<br />
:"This here is Satan,-we might say the devil, but that ain't right, and gennelfolks don't like such words. He is now commonly called 'Spring-heeled Jack;' or the 'Rossian Bear,' - that's since the war." — Henry Mayhew, London Labour and the London Poor, p. 52<br />
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But, even as his fame was growing, reports of Spring Heeled Jack's appearances became less frequent if more widespread. In 1843, however, a wave of sightings swept the country again. A report from Northamptonshire described him as "the very image of the Devil himself, with horns and eyes of flame", and in East Anglia reports of attacks on drivers of mail coaches became common. He was linked with the so-called "Devil's Footprints" that appeared in Devon in February 1855.<br />
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===The last reports===<br />
In the beginning of the 1870s, Spring Heeled Jack was reported again in several places distant from each other. In November 1872, the News of the World reported that Peckham was "in a state of commotion owing to what is known as the "Peckham Ghost", a mysterious figure, quite alarming in appearance". The editorial pointed out that it was none other than "Spring Heeled Jack, who terrified a past generation". Similar stories were published in ''The Illustrated Police News''. In April and May of 1873, there were numerous sightings of the "Park Ghost" in Sheffield, which locals also came to identify as Spring Heeled Jack.<br />
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This news was followed by more reported sightings, until in August 1877; one of the most notable reports about Spring Heeled Jack came from a group of soldiers in Aldershot's barracks. This story went as follows: a sentry on duty at the North Camp peered into the darkness, his attention attracted by a peculiar figure bounding across the road towards him, making a metallic noise. The soldier issued a challenge, which went unheeded, and the figure vanished from sight for a few moments. As the soldier turned back to his post, the figure reappeared beside him and delivered several slaps to his face with "a hand as cold as that of a corpse". Attracted by the ensuing noise, several men rushed to the place, but they claimed that the character leapt several feet over their heads and landed behind them.One of the guards shot at him, with no visible effect other than to enrage his target; some sources claim that the soldier may have fired blanks at him, merely used to make warning shots. The strange figure then disappeared into the surrounding darkness.<br />
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In the autumn of the same year, Spring Heeled Jack was reportedly seen at Newport Arch, in Lincolnshire, wearing a sheep skin. An angry mob supposedly chased him and cornered him, and just as in Aldershot a while before, residents fired at him to no effect. As usual, he was said to have made use of his leaping abilities to lose the crowd and disappear once again.<br />
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<br />
==Similar cases==<br />
By the end of the 19th century, the reported sightings of Spring Heeled Jack were moving towards western England. In September 1904, in Everton, in north Liverpool, Spring Heeled Jack allegedly appeared on the rooftop of Saint Francis Xavier's Church, in Salisbury Street. Witnesses reported that he suddenly jumped and fell to the ground, landing behind a nearby house. When they rushed to the point, so the story goes, they faced there a tall and muscular man, fully dressed in white and wearing an "egg shaped" helmet, standing there waiting. He laughed hysterically at the crowd and rushed towards them, making several women gasp in dismay. Clearing them all with a gigantic leap, he disappeared behind the neighbouring houses.<br />
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A similar figure known as ''Perek, the Spring Man of Prague'' was seen in the Netherlands around 1939-45. This character, like Jack, went on to become a folklore hero, even starring in several animated superhero cartoons, fighting the SS.<br />
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On June 18, 1953, a figure in part resembling some descriptions of Spring Heeled Jack was sighted in a pecan tree in the yard of an apartment building in Houston, Texas. Mrs. Hilda Walker, Judy Meyers, and Howard Phillips described a man in a "black cape, skin-tight pants, and quarter-length boots", and "grey or black tight-fitting clothes".<br />
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In South Herefordshire, not far from the Welsh border, a travelling salesman named Marshall claimed at some unspecified time until as late as 1997 to have had an encounter with a Spring Heeled Jack–like entity in 1986. The man leaped in enormous, inhuman bounds, passed Marshall on the road, and slapped his cheek. He wore what the salesman described as a black ski-suit, and Marshall noted that he had an elongated chin.<br />
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==Theories about origin and existence==<br />
Many theories have been proposed to ascertain the nature and identity of Spring Heeled Jack. While several researchers seek a rational explanation for the events, other authors explore the more fantastic details of the story to propose different kinds of paranormal speculation.<br />
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===Sceptical positions===<br />
Sceptical investigators have dismissed the stories of Spring Heeled Jack as mass hysteria which developed around various stories of a bogeyman or devil which have been around for centuries, or from exaggerated urban myths about a man who clambered over rooftops claiming that the Devil was chasing him.<br />
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Other researchers believe that some individual(s) may have been behind its origins, being followed by imitators later on. Spring Heeled Jack was widely considered not to be a supernatural creature but rather one or more persons with a macabre sense of humour. This idea matches the contents of the letter to the Lord Mayor, which accused a group of young aristocrats as the culprits, after an irresponsible wager. A popular rumour circulating as early as 1840 pointed to an Irish nobleman, the Marquess of Waterford, as the main suspect. Haining suggested this may have been due him having previously had bad experiences with women and police officers.<br />
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The Marquess was frequently in the news in the late 1830s for drunken brawling, brutal jokes and vandalism, and was said to do anything for a bet; his irregular behaviour and his contempt for women earned him the moniker "the Mad Marquis", and it is also known that he was in the London area by the time the first incidents took place. But The Waterford Chronicle was able to report his presence at the St Valentine's Day Ball at Waterford Castle, giving him an alibi for the reported attacks on Jane Allsop and Lucy Scales that are central to Jack's alleged existence. Nevertheless, in 1880 he was named as the perpetrator by the Rev. E. C. Brewer[vague], who attested that the Marquess "used to amuse himself by springing on travellers unawares, to frighten them, and from time to time others have followed his silly example". In 1842, the Marquess of Waterford married and settled in Curraghmore House, Ireland, and reportedly led an exemplary life until he died in a riding accident in 1859. Spring Heeled Jack remained active for decades after, which leads the aforementioned modern researchers[who?] to the same conclusion as Brewer's.<br />
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Sceptical investigators have asserted that the story of Spring Heeled Jack was exaggerated and altered through mass hysteria, a process in which many sociological issues may have contributed. These include unsupported rumours, superstition, oral tradition, sensationalist publications, and a folklore rich in tales of fairies and strange roguish creatures. Gossip of alleged leaping and fire-spitting powers, his alleged extraordinary features and his reputed skill in evading apprehension captured the mind of the superstitious public — increasingly so with the passing of time, which gave the impression that Spring Heeled Jack had suffered no effects from ageing. As a result, a whole urban legend was built around the character, being reflected by contemporary publications, which in turn fuelled this popular perception.<br />
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===Paranormal conjectures===<br />
A variety of paranormal explanations have been proposed to explain the origin of Spring Heeled Jack, including that he was an extraterrestrial entity with a non-human appearance and features, (e.g., retro-reflective red eyes, or phosphorus breath) and a superhuman agility deriving from life on a high gravity world, jumping ability and strange behaviour and that he was a demon, accidentally or purposefully summoned into this world by practitioners of the occult or who made himself manifest simply to create spiritual turmoil.<br />
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==Art/Fiction==<br />
[[Image:jack2.jpg|right|thumb|Spring Heeled Jack on a Penny Dreadful cover page (c. 1904)]]<br />
The vast urban legend built around Spring Heeled Jack influenced many aspects of Victorian life, especially in contemporary popular culture. For decades, especially in London, his name was equated with bogeymen, as a means of scaring children into behaving by telling them that if they were not good, Spring Heeled Jack would leap up and peer in at them through their bedroom windows, by night.<br />
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However, it was in fictional entertainment where the legend of Spring Heeled Jack exerted the most extensive influence, owing to his allegedly extraordinary nature. Almost from the moment the first incidents gained public knowledge, he turned into a successful fictional character, becoming the protagonist of many Penny Dreadfuls from 1840 to 1904. Several plays where he assumed the main role were staged as well.<br />
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The most notable fictional Spring Heeled Jacks of the 19th and early 20th centuries were:<br />
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* A play by John Thomas Haines, in 1840, Spring-Heeled Jack, the Terror of London, which shows him as a brigand who attacks women because his own sweetheart betrayed him.<br />
* Later that decade, Spring Heeled Jack's first Penny Dreadful appearance came in the anonymously written Spring-Heeled Jack, The Terror of London, which appeared in weekly episodes.<br />
* W. G. Willis's 1849 play, The Curse of the Wraydons, where Spring Heeled Jack is a traitor who spies for Napoleon Bonaparte, and stages murderous stunts as a cover.<br />
* An 1863 play, Spring-Heel'd Jack: or, The Felon's Wrongs, written by Frederick Hazleton.<br />
* Spring-heel'd Jack: The Terror of London, a Penny Dreadful published by the Newsagents’ Publishing Company c. 1864–1867.<br />
* Spring-heel'd Jack: The Terror of London, a 48-part penny weekly serial published c. 1878–1879 in The Boys' Standard, written either by veteran author of dreadfuls George Augustus Henry Sala or by Alfred Burrage (as "Charlton Lea").<br />
* Spring-Heel Jack; or, The Masked Mystery of the Tower, appearing in Beadle's New York Dime Library #332, 4 March 1885, and written by Col. Thomas Monstery.<br />
* A 48-part serial published by Charles Fox and written by Alfred Burrage (as "Charlton Lea"), 1889–1890<br />
* A 1904 version[vague] by Alfred Burrage.<br />
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The later fictional portrayals of the character as a wronged nobleman who adopted the guise of Spring Heeled Jack in order to reclaim his stolen fortune and to right injustices, anticipated several distinguishing features of the 20th Century superhero genre.<br />
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* A remake of the Willis play The Curse of the Wraydons, written in 1928 by surrealist Swiss author Maurice Sandoz, and a 1946 film version.<br />
* "Spring-Heeled Jack, the Terror of Epping Forest" was a 1950 stage production starring Tod Slaughter, which opened at the Theatre Royal, Stratford.<br />
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==See also==<br />
* [[Pérák, the Spring Man of Prague]]<br />
* [[Mothman]]<br />
* [[Owlman]]<br />
* [[The Mad Gasser of Mattoon]]<br />
<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
* Berlitz, Charles. ''Charles Berlitz's World of Strange Phenomena''. Fawcett, 1989. ISBN 0-449-21825-2.<br />
* Clark, Jerome. ''Unexplained!: Strange Sightings, Incredible Occurrences and Puzzling Physical Phenomena''. Visible Ink, 1993. ISBN 1-57859-070-1.<br />
* Clarke, David. ''Strange South Yorkshire: Myth, Magic and Memory in the Don Valley''. Sigma Press, 1994. ISBN 1-85058-404-4.<br />
* Cohen, Daniel. ''The Encyclopedia of Monsters''. Dodd Mead, 1982. ISBN 0-396-09051-6.<br />
* Dash, Mike. 'Spring-Heeled Jack', Fortean Studies 3 (1996), 7–125.<br />
* Haining, Peter. ''The Legend and Bizarre Crimes of Spring-Heeled Jack''. London: Muller, 1977. ISBN 0-584-10276-3.<br />
* Moore, Steve. ''Fortean Studies''. John Brown, 1995. ISBN 1-870870-55-7.<br />
* Nevins, Jess. ''The Encyclopaedia of Fantastic Victoriana''. MonkeyBrain, 2005. ISBN 1-932265-08-2.<br />
* Randles, Jenny. ''Strange and Unexplained Mysteries of the 20th Century''. Sterling, 1994. ISBN 0-8069-0768-1.<br />
* Robbins, Joyce. ''Borderlands: The World's Greatest Mysteries''. Bounty, 1991. ISBN 1-85051-698-7.<br />
* Simpson, Jacqueline. Spring-Heeled Jack (leaflet, January 2001). International Society for Contemporary Legend Research.<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
* Dash, Mike. "Spring-heeled Jack: To Victorian Bugaboo from Suburban Ghost." [http://www.mikedash.com/investigations_jack_paper.htm Here] ''et seq.'' (four web pages), or as [http://www.mikedash.com/pdf/Spring-heeled%20Jack.pdf a single PDF file].<br />
* McGovern, Sharon. "[http://www.thecobrasnose.com/xxghost/shj.html The Legend of Spring Heeled Jack]". ''The Cobra's Ghost: Terrifying (or not, Depending) True Ghost Stories!''.<br />
* "[http://www.geocities.com/justingilb/texts/SpringHeeledJack.html Spring-Heeled Jack: The Terror of London.]" From ''The Boy's Standard'', six installments from No. 219, Saturday, July 18, 1885 to No. 224, August 22, 1885. Justin Gilbert, ''Penny Dreadfuls.'<br />
* "[http://www.highlanderweb.co.uk/haunted/haunt1.htm Spring Heeled Jack]". ''Haunted Scotland.'' "Taken from Issue 1 / E-Published 11th January 1997".<br />
* Upton, Chris. "[http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/myths_legends/england/black_country/index.shtml Spring Heeled Jack]". Local Legends. BBC.co.uk.<br />
* "[http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa010101d.htm The Top 10 Most Mysterious Creatures of Modern Times]." About.com.<br />
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[[Category:English mythology]]<br />
[[Category:Urban legends]]<br />
[[Category:Extraterrestrials]]<br />
[[Category:Hoaxes]]<br />
[[Category:Witches and warlocks]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Lobizon&diff=13342
Lobizon
2009-06-02T04:00:25Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>The Lobizon is the Argentinian version of the [[Werewolf]].<br />
<br />
==Nature==<br />
<br />
==Etymology==<br />
<br />
==Description/Morphology==<br />
<br />
==Behavior==<br />
<br />
==Powers/Weaknesses==<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<br />
{{stub}}</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=User_talk:Kyle_Van_Helsing&diff=13341
User talk:Kyle Van Helsing
2009-06-02T03:59:09Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>==Any Help is Welcome==<br />
<br />
Hey, everyone. If you have any sources of information that I can use or if you know something that I don't (a very slim possibility), or you would like to make small changes to my articles (no erasing any entries or anything of that sort, please!), I'd appreciate it.<br />
<br />
Kyle<br />
<br />
<br />
Hello Kyle,<br />
<br />
Please get back to me as soon as possible as your articles do not respect the required format.<br />
<br />
Thanks<br />
<br />
~~<br />
<br />
loki@monstrous.com<br />
<br />
I would like it if people would actually RESPOND to my e-mails and comments, and perhaps download pictures for my contributions (I haven't the faintest idea how to do so).<br />
<br />
--[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:Aswang&diff=13340
Talk:Aswang
2009-06-02T03:57:41Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: New page: May I make a few suggestions? Read the following books: *Maberry, Jonathan. ''Vampire Universe''. New York: Kensington Publishing Corp. Copyright ©2006 by Jonathan Maberry. *Maberry, Jon...</p>
<hr />
<div>May I make a few suggestions? Read the following books:<br />
<br />
*Maberry, Jonathan. ''Vampire Universe''. New York: Kensington Publishing Corp. Copyright ©2006 by Jonathan Maberry.<br />
*Maberry, Jonathan. ''The Vampire Slayer's Field Guide to the Undead''. Canada: Strider Nolan Publishing, Inc. Copyright ©2003 by Jonathan Maberry. You may also want to read Rosemary Guiley's ''The Encyclopedia of Vampires, Werewolves, and Other Monsters'' as well.<br />
<br />
-[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:The_Vampire_(another_version)&diff=13339
Talk:The Vampire (another version)
2009-06-02T03:38:18Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>This is my own original research, and I've been working on it since July 2007. I would appreciate it if nobody TAMPERED with or EDITED this article. If you know some things about Vampire history, feel free to add to it, but DO NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES OTHERWISE!<br />
<br />
-[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=The_Vampire_(another_version)&diff=13338
The Vampire (another version)
2009-06-02T03:09:02Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: /* References */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Nature==<br />
The Vampire is one of the [[Undead]], a reanimated corpse that feeds on the blood of the living.<br />
<br />
==Etymology==<br />
<br />
The legend of the Vampire is universal, and each culture has its own name for the creature. The modern term vampire actually arises from the Slavonic Magyar ''vampir'', which literally means “blood monster”. In Romania, it is known as ''nosferatu'', which comes from the Greek ''nosophoros'', meaning “plague-carrier.”<br />
<br />
==Description/Morphology==<br />
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The Vampire tends to resemble the person it was in life. However, the Vampire of legend is a walking corpse. Its body might be bloated, the skin stretched tightly across the creature’s body. The Vampire’s fingernails and toenails have grown since the creature’s burial, now sharpened talons. The skin tends to have a pale pallor to it, while being somewhat decayed. Since the Vampire tends to feed on its own flesh while struggling to leave the grave (known as manducation), there are often chunks of flesh missing from the limbs. The creature has sharp, extended canine teeth (the fangs), which allow for easy feeding. The Vampire’s breath reeks of decay and coagulated blood (although getting close enough to confirm this is next to impossible). The Vampire tends to be dressed in its burial shroud or whatever clothing the body happened to be wearing at the time of burial, and the creature itself reeks of death and grave dirt. The Vampire’s eyes are fiery red, and the creature’s ears are grotesquely stretched and pointed. The Vampire of ancient times is a horrifying monster, a far cry from the modern interpretation of the Vampire.<br />
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The Vampire of modern times is a very different creature, in both looks and character. Some Vampires have no distinguishing characteristics in this day and age, as the creature has retractable fangs that only show when the Vampire is feeding or angry, and the characteristic blood-red eyes only become apparent under these conditions as well.<br />
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Since Bela Lugosi appeared on the silver screen in Tod Browning’s 1931 film Dracula (Universal Studios), the Vampire stereotype had been fully established. The Vampire appears in formal evening attire: a white shirt, a red bowtie, a black jacket, black trousers, formal shoes, a prominent widow’s peak or slicked-back hairstyle, needle-sharp fangs, blood-red eyes, long fingernails (always cut to a sharp point), and finally a black opera cape, lined with scarlet and sporting a high collar. In the movies, these stereotypical characteristics instantly identify a given individual as one of the Undead.<br />
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In most cases, as mentioned previously, the Vampire bears a striking resemblance to the individual it was in life. The creature tends to be gaunt and wiry in build, belying the Vampire’s supernatural power. The Vampire has pale skin, and is very attractive to the opposite sex, which helps the Vampire to attract its victims. It tends to have long, needle-sharp fangs and fine nails (usually pointed and very sharp indeed). It should be noted that, in Bulgaria, the Vampire was believed to have only one nostril (probably not true). In Poland, the Vampire has a sharp, needlelike point on the tip of its tongue, much like a bee’s sting. It is through this appendage that the Vampire is believed to pierce the skin and drain its victim’s blood. However, the creature usually appears human under normal circumstances, unless in a state of bloodlust or angered in some way. At this point, the Vampire’s fangs (which are retractable) and the creature’s fiery red eyes become apparent and a feral, predatory visage can be seen. Female Vampires tend to have long, luxurious red hair, along with supple, firm breasts, a leanly muscular physique, and are generally sexually attractive to potential victims.<br />
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==Behavior==<br />
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The Vampire tends to be somewhat unpredictable in its behavioral patterns. The Vampire tends to be nocturnal, but it is a misconception that the creature can only arise from the grave at dusk and cannot abide by the light of the day. In fact, the Vampire could often rise whenever it pleased to hunt and feed, usually between the hours of noon and midnight (according to Slavic folklore, anyway). The Vampire only prefers the darkness because it can move about freely and unseen.<br />
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The Vampire is a highly intelligent creature, with the predatory cunning of an animal. However, most newly-risen Vampires are little more than cunning, mindless predators. The revenant’s every move and thought is driven by one instinct: hunger. As mentioned earlier, the Vampire’s need for blood is all-consuming. It will do everything within its power to gain a potential victim, so that it may feed. Like mentioned previously, the Vampire prefers to bite its victim on the neck, breasts, or wrist, although it will occasionally go for the inner thigh or the area of the chest directly over the heart (although some sources say that the Vampire sucked the victim’s skin and drained blood through the pores). It usually preys on victims of the opposite sex, although Vampires who chose an “alternative lifestyle” while still living may make exceptions. When the Vampire first rises from the grave, its first victims will be its family and loved ones. At times, when human prey is scarce or unavailable, the revenant will prey upon wild animals and livestock, although the Vampire tends to find such prey to be bland and unsatisfying. This is only something that the Vampire will do in desperation or is trying to avoid feeding on humans as much as possible.<br />
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In some cases, when a corpse reanimates, the Vampire is too weak to rise (as it has to smash through its coffin and claw through six feet of dirt). In order to gain the necessary power, the revenant engages in manducation, which literally means “eating.” This involves the Vampire chewing on its burial shroud and feeding on its own flesh (which has to be very painful). Once it has fed enough, it can arise from the grave and seek out its first victim, increasing in strength every time the creature feeds.<br />
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Hunting is a relatively straightforward task for the Vampire. Usually, since the creature prefers to hunt at night, it will wander through a nearby village or along the roads, seeking a potential victim. The Vampire then enters through an open window or under the door (usually in the form of a mist). It will then proceed to approach the sleeping victim and, once there, the Vampire leans over and sinks its fangs into the victim’s neck, right above the jugular vein. The victim usually moans aloud, but does not awaken. The Vampire then proceeds to drain off a portion of its prey’s blood, usually no more than a quart. However, this amount of blood loss isn’t enough to kill the victim. The victim then wakes up the next morning, feeling weak and utterly exhausted. The Vampire then proceeds to return over the course of several nights, continually draining the individual’s blood until death occurs from blood loss and sickness. If lucky, the victim is only dead. However, if this is not the case, the victim will rise from the grave three days later as one of the undead.<br />
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The Vampire is a vicious and deadly foe in a fight. The revenant’s combination of strength, speed, and agility, as well as its razor-sharp claws and fangs, makes the Vampire truly a force to be reckoned with. However, the creature must rest within its grave during the day, as this isn’t the Vampire’s natural time (sunlight does little actual harm, if any, to most Vampires). This leaves the revenant highly vulnerable to attack from Vampire Hunters. However, if the would-be hunter isn’t careful, the Vampire may rise and the hunter will become the revenant’s meal.<br />
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The Vampire is an intelligent, cunning creature, often more than capable of outwitting humans. The longer the Vampire lives, the more its intellect increases. Thus, Vampires that have lived for centuries on end are extremely dangerous foes. The revenant has razor-sharp instincts and is unnaturally perceptive, making the creature all the more formidable. Remember this: the Vampire has centuries of experience built up, and has had more experience in dealing with would-be killers than most Demon Hunters are inclined to think or admit to.<br />
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Although the Vampire is impotent and incapable of sexual activity for the most part, some exceptions are known to exist. According to Slavic folk beliefs, the Vampire is known to rise from the grave, return home to its widow and demand its favorite meal. Afterwards, the Vampire would demand intercourse (forcibly, if necessary). This was particularly common in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe, especially in Romania. Since the Vampire’s sperm was considered to still be potent, this kind of encounter could easily result in an unwanted pregnancy. The resulting child is known as a dhampir, a half-human, half-vampire hybrid. The child has all of the Vampire’s strengths, but none of its weaknesses (although the child may not see it that way). The dhampir possesses the strength, speed, agility, reflexes, endurance, and the acute senses of the Vampire. However, the dhampir is both blessed and cursed. The child is able to perceive the Vampire in its incorporeal form, but like his vampiric father, he is cursed with an insatiable hunger for human blood. Usually, the dhampir hunts down and destroys his father, for both revenge and common cause. Some traditions say that the dhampir has a weak, gelatinous skeleton. Therefore, the dhampir’s life will be short and filled with discomfort and pain.<br />
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Sometimes as Gypsy folklore dictates, the Vampire’s sexual drive was enough to cause the creature to return from the dead. The Vampire could also return if it had been in love with a woman, but the couple had never actually experienced sexual ecstasy together. She would be invited to return to the Vampire’s grave, where the creature would make her one of the Undead and, as a result, they could share their love forever.<br />
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The Vampire may cause death and despair through other means than its bite alone. According to some legends, the Vampire would call out its chosen victim’s name, several times if necessary. If that individual answers the call, they are doomed to die. Another legend says will climb up to a church’s bell tower and ring the bell. Anyone who heard or gave heed to the bell’s ominous ringing was condemned to die by the fangs of the Vampire. The creature can kill by causing disease to sweep through a given area, or it can spread misery by raping virginal young girls. Sometimes, the Vampire will cause poltergeist effects, like throwing objects, making loud banging noises, and opening or closing doors invisibly and repeatedly. It may attempt to suffocate humans with its vile stench. The Vampire is capable of causing crop blights or drought, draining the crops of life and causing a famine among the humans as a result. The Vampire would attack livestock, depriving the people of food.<br />
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The Vampire’s habits and behavioral patterns are, at best, chaotic and malevolent. The Vampire is an extremely difficult adversary to contend with, so absolute caution is advised when dealing with the Vampire. One can never tell what may come to pass in a life-or-death struggle with the Undead.<br />
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The Vampire needs to feed on fresh human blood for survival. This unnatural hunger drives the creature’s existence, and the Vampire constantly craves blood. It is thought by most that the blood invigorates the Vampire’s body, maintaining the undead state of the body and preventing further decay. When it feeds, the Vampire not only takes the victim’s blood, but also infects the victim with the supernatural taint of vampirism. Therefore, while prolonging the creature’s own soulless existence, it damns the unfortunate individual to become a Vampire after their death. Thus, the Vampire propagates its own kind.<br />
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When the Vampire feeds, it usually bites its victim on the neck, breast, inner thigh, or wrist. Through these wounds, the Vampire drains the victim of their flowing blood. The Vampire prefers to feed on victims of the opposite sex, although it is not unknown for some Vampires to feed upon the same sex. The Vampire doesn’t require much blood for survival, needing about one-half to a full quart every night. Older Vampires can resist the bloodlust for several weeks, but the creature grows progressively weaker the longer he goes without feeding, eventually reverting to its true age (which proves to be fatal). The Vampire can sate its hunger on the blood of animals if necessary, although this is usually something done only in desperation.<br />
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Folklorists, occultists, and vampirologists have debated exactly why the Vampire needs blood for a very long time. In ancient times, people recognized that blood is the source of life. To take another’s blood was to absorb the other individual’s strength and vitality, even to the point of killing the other. Early on, women recognized the innate connection between menstruation and the act of giving birth, as blood is symbolically and physically shed during both acts. People believed that, by drinking the blood of one’s fallen enemies, an individual would absorb his enemy’s strength and become exponentially more powerful. Blood is viewed by pagan religions as the sustenance of their gods, maintaining their power and immortality through the sacrifice of humans and animals. But, blood is sacred to God, and in the Old Testament, God emphasizes that drinking the blood of another is a mortal sin and is strictly forbidden. He specifically states this as follows:<br />
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“''And wherever you live, you must not eat the blood of any bird or animal. If anyone eats blood, that person must be cut off from his people''.”<br />
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-Leviticus 7: 26-27 (New International Version)<br />
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It could therefore be argued that the Vampire is a man (the Vampire tends to be predominantly male), cut off from both God and his own people because of his craving for human blood. The Vampire is a horrifying and reviled creature, cursed by God to arise from the grave as one of the undead and to feed on the blood of the living for eternity. As stated earlier, the blood is the life. God spoke to Moses on this matter, again explicitly emphasizing the importance and the sacred nature of the crimson fluid. God thus states:<br />
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“''Any Israelite or any alien living among them who eats any blood — I will set my face against that person who eats blood and cut him off from his people. For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life. Therefore I say to the Israelites, “None of you may eat blood, nor may any alien living among you eat blood''.”<br />
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-Leviticus 17: 10-12 (New International Version)<br />
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Basically, God says that “''thou shalt not drink the blood of another, lest thou be damned for eternity''.” Think of it as the eleventh commandment. Christians believe that Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross saved them from sin and eternal damnation in Hell. Before He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot (whom some believe may have been the first true Vampire), Jesus said at the Last Supper: “''Take and eat; this is my body''.” Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks, He offered it to His disciples, saying “''Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins'' (Matthew 26: 26-28).” The Vampire, being a creature born of Satan’s power, drank blood in blasphemous defiance of God’s command, defiling the sacred and stealing what belongs to God alone.<br />
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==Powers/Weaknesses==<br />
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The Vampire possesses an array of supernatural powers at its disposal. This makes the creature extremely difficult to contend with in a fight. Although the abilities attributed to the Vampire differ somewhat from culture to culture, the creature’s other powers remain the same. However, many of the abilities that the Vampire is commonly though to possess are based in fiction, not folklore.<br />
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====Physical Abilities====<br />
The Vampire possesses supernatural strength, speed, agility, reflexes, and endurance. The Vampire’s strength is said to be far greater than any mortal’s, as the Vampire is no longer restrained by mortal limitations and is empowered by a combination of the spirit and the flesh, the only limitation being that the Vampire requires blood to fuel its energy reserves. The creature’s strength gives it an advantage during the hunt, as it can overpower almost any human without much effort at all.<br />
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The Vampire is extremely quick, moving faster than the human eye can possibly see. The creature’s sheer speed, combined with its unnatural stealth, makes it impossible for the Vampire’s prey to detect or escape from the Vampire until it is too late. The Vampire possesses supernatural agility as well. The creature can leap to great heights and is nimble enough to scale sheer surfaces with amazing speed, much like a spider. The Vampire is able to avoid gunfire easily, and reacts with unnatural quickness to any threat, due to the creature’s superhuman reflexes. The Vampire is able to move at great speed for long periods, and it is nearly impossible to tire the Vampire, due to its preternatural degree of endurance.<br />
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Once again, the Vampire’s formidable abilities are limited by one thing: blood. If the Vampire goes without feeding or is prevented from doing so for an extended period of time, the creature steadily begins to weaken and show its true age. This can prove to be fatal to the Vampire, if the cunning Vampire Hunter doesn’t dispatch the revenant beforehand.<br />
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====Senses====<br />
The Vampire’s senses of sight, smell, hearing, and touch are of supernatural keeness, comparable on many levels to a wolf’s. The Vampire can see with perfect clarity in the darkness of the night, to the point of being able to detect the bodily heat emanations from its victims. The creature’s hearing is comparable to a bat or an owl, possessing a level of sensitivity on par with the bat’s own echo-sensitivity.<br />
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The Vampire’s sense of smell is as acute as that of a wolf or a dog’s, enabling the creature to track its prey for miles by the scent of the victim’s blood alone, a sensation that the Vampire relishes. The Vampire is also able to tell individual people apart by the scent of their blood coursing through their veins or bodily odors. The Vampire’s sense of touch is amazingly acute, as the creature can feel the heartbeat of a potential victim through thick walls, or it can detect the vibrations of a vampire hunter’s footsteps and the direction of the footsteps, enabling the Vampire to either escape or prepare an ambush for the would-be hunter.<br />
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In addition to its five senses, the Vampire possesses a preternatural sixth sense. The Vampire can instinctively sense impending danger, usually posed by humans. The revenant can sense emanations of good or evil, instinctively avoiding the former while congregating in the latter. Overall, the Vampire’s keen senses give the creature several advantages when hunting or eluding its enemies.<br />
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====Resistance to Injury====<br />
The Vampire is incapable of being harmed or slain by most forms of conventional injury, including firearms or blades. Furthermore, the Vampire cannot feel the pain that would result from such attacks. Gunfire has no effect on the revenant whatsoever, serving only to slow the creature down. Likewise, blades don’t affect the Vampire at all, unless the blade pierces the heart or removes the head.<br />
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The Vampire has supernatural regenerative capabilities, which allows the creature to recover from injuries that would permanently incapacitate or even kill a human. However, the Vampire cannot regenerate severed limbs, although the creature could possibly reattach a severed limb by pressing the limb against the stump. Poison, suffocation, extreme cold, aging, drowning, or disease cannot kill the Vampire, as the creature is already dead. The only substances that can kill or cause the Vampire pain are silver or blessed steel (both of which will be discussed later).<br />
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====Transformation====<br />
According to legends from around the world, the Vampire is a shapeshifter, capable of assuming a multitude of different forms. However, the Vampire is restricted primarily to animal forms, most notably a bat, a wolf, a rat, or a mist. The Vampire is able to assume these forms at will. In some cases (usually fictional cases), the Vampire is able to take the form of a monstrous man-beast form of the bat or the wolf.<br />
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By no means is the Vampire limited to assuming the forms of the aforementioned animals. In folklore, it is practically unheard of for a Vampire to change into a bat. However, according to folklore, the Vampire is able to assume the form of a fox, a moth, an owl, a spider, a locust, a cat, a dog, a frog, a snake, a fly, a flea, a mouse, or a raven (as well as other species of bird).<br />
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Shapeshifting gives the Vampire an array of advantages. Although not prominent in European folklore, the form of a bat enables the creature to fly over considerable distances. The bat also has keen hearing and the ability to use echolocation to maneuver through the night. The wolf is a ferocious predator, possessing savage strength, great speed, a degree of animalistic cunning, and keen senses, as well as deadly claws and teeth. The rat is small enough to penetrate most openings with ease, as well as having sharp teeth that enable the rodent to gnaw through nearly any material and having a keen sense of smell as well. The other forms mentioned previously offer many of the same advantages, as well as some unique ones of their own. Basically, the Vampire can utilize any abilities that an animal may have when it assumes that particular animal’s form.<br />
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In addition, the Vampire is able to dissolve into the form of a vaporous mist at will. While the creature’s ability to become a mist is rarely mentioned in folklore, it is feared greatly by the people of Hungary, some other parts of mainland Europe, and the Orient. While the creature’s ability to travel for any considerable distance is limited in this form, it is able to move in complete silence, to leave its grave (through finger-sized holes in the earth), to slip through the slightest openings with ease, and to escape from vampire hunters in pursuit of the creature. The Vampire is also unable to be physically harmed in this form, as projectiles just pass right through the vapor.<br />
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In other legends, it is said that the Vampire can become a ball of luminescent light, known as a will-o’-the-wisp. Perhaps coincidentally, these dancing lights are thought to be the ghostly remains of the dead in folklore throughout Europe.<br />
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====Ghost Form====<br />
In folklore, it is sometimes thought that the Vampire appears as a ghost to its victims, materializing only to attack and feed. In such cases, the Vampire’s spirit would arise from the grave, leaving the creature’s physical body safely behind in the grave. While in spectral form, the weapons of mortal men could not harm the Vampire, but this did leave the body vulnerable to an attack from vampire hunters.<br />
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====Domination====<br />
Through the use of hypnosis, the Vampire is able to dominate the mind and will of a human. The creature can convince a potential victim to allow the revenant to enter the individual’s home or leave a house unseen, command one that has been bitten by the creature in any way the Vampire wishes, and to force the chosen victim to accept the Vampire’s dark embrace without a struggle. The Vampire’s bite seems to have an anesthetic effect on the victim, giving the creature the time it needs to feed. Afterwards, the Vampire may use this ability to make the victim forget about the attack.<br />
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To dominate a human, the Vampire need only make eye contact with its victim for a few seconds. However, the stronger the human’s will, the longer hypnosis takes. If necessary, the Vampire can completely crush the human mind or destroy the individual’s sanity, leaving little more than a drooling lunatic. In the same manner, the Vampire can create a human slave. This slave is totally obedient to his master’s will, to the point of being willing to sacrifice everything for his master’s safety, including his life. Such individuals inevitably lose their minds, due to the Vampire’s power over them.<br />
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However, the Vampire’s ability to dominate a human is largely an invention of Bram Stoker’s, and the term domination comes from the popular role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. In folklore, the Vampire attacked its victims while they slept. Some were even unconsciously aware of the Vampire’s attack, claiming that they felt a heavy weight sitting on their chests, or even being awakened to find the creature hovering over them, readying itself to feed.<br />
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====Animal Control====<br />
According to legend, the Vampire is able to command many of the very animals it is able to transform itself into. This includes the bat, the wolf, the rat, locusts, the owl, the fox, the snake, and the moth. These creatures of the night come at the Vampire’s beck and call. They will obey each and every single command, even if it means death. This ability is present in folklore, but isn’t commonly mentioned.<br />
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One possible explanation is that, since mankind sees the Vampire as a savage beast, these animals see the Vampire as a kindred spirit of sorts, finding themselves somehow compelled to obey the Vampire’s commands.<br />
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====Command of the Weather====<br />
According to Professor Abraham Van Helsing, the Vampire is able to control the weather, within limits. The creature could direct the fog, summon a powerful storm, control the direction and the force of the wind, or even call down bolts of lightning to strike its enemies.<br />
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However, folklore makes no mention of the Vampire possessing such power. One tradition, as told by Dimitrij Zelenin, says that the earth itself rebelled against “unclean” bodies being buried within its soil, and retaliated by causing severe weather, like bringing about cold and frost during the spring months. Other than that, this is an invention of Bram Stoker.<br />
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====Disease====<br />
As the Vampire is essentially a rotting corpse, the revenant is capable of spreading a deadly plague through either its bite or its mere presence. In Romania, as mentioned earlier, the Vampire is known as ''nosferatu'', which literally means “plague-carrier.” When the Vampire has destroyed a village, the contagious disease that inevitably follows kills off the survivors with a horrible wasting disease. Over the next few days, the victim would progressively become weaker and weaker, until death occurred. Worse, those who died of the plague could become Vampires themselves. Those that did arise from the grave would continue to infect the countryside with the Vampire’s evil, spreading death and pestilence wherever they went.<br />
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During the Middle Ages, the Black Death struck Europe. The people who didn’t die of the bubonic plague blamed the Black Death on the Vampire, even though infected rats that had been bitten by disease-infected fleas had caused the disease. In fact, it could be argued that the fleas and the rats (both of which the Vampire may command) were sent by the Vampire to wreak havoc on human society. It is said that those who died of the Plague were cursed to rise from the grave as the Undead. Overall, the Black Death killed an estimated thirty to sixty percent of Europe’s population, and went on to spread into other parts of the world. Unlike the humans, however, the Vampire itself is immune to disease.<br />
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====Immortality====<br />
The most coveted trait of all is the Vampire’s immortality. Conceivably, assuming the Vampire feeds on a regular basis and evades vampire hunters, the Vampire could live forever. However, no Vampire in folklore ever exists long enough to actually determine how long the creature could exist. Thus, immortality is more of a trait of the fictional Vampire than a historical fact.<br />
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In regards to the Vampire’s actual lifespan (so to speak), it is often assumed by people that, barring destruction, the Vampire is immortal. However, this notion is only partially supported by folklore. Muslim Gypsies though that the Vampire’s unliving existence only lasted for several months, while other Gypsies believed that a reanimated corpse could only exist for forty days, which was seen as a mockery of the forty days that Jesus Christ spent in the desert, resisting temptation from Satan.<br />
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In the Slavic countries of Albania and Serbia, it is said that if the Vampire can escape destruction for thirty years and feed on human blood discreetly, the Vampire will eventually become human again, wandering about the world with a new identity.<br />
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As far as the Vampire of fiction goes, time equals power to the Vampire. The Vampire grows in strength for every year of its existence, gaining greater intelligence, greater cunning, an exponential increase in its various supernatural abilities, resistance to its weaknesses (sunlight, holy icons, etc.), and a decreasing need for blood. While this may be somewhat true in ancient folk beliefs, as mentioned previously, this is only partially supported by folklore.<br />
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====Other Abilities====<br />
In addition to those mentioned above, the Vampire has some other, lesser-known powers at its disposal. One of these abilities is the Vampire’s alleged ability to scale sheer surfaces, vertically or horizontally, much like a spider. This ability would allow the revenant to access places that would be otherwise impossible for a human to reach. However, this ability may have its roots in fiction, perhaps due to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It likely came from the observation that the common vampire bat (''desmodus rotundus'') is highly agile compared to most other species of bats, able to cling to and scale sheer surfaces like mentioned above. However, the Vampire predated the discovery of the vampire bat, and hence this ability’s origins lay in fictional accounts.<br />
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Other abilities, more rooted in folklore than anything else, that the Vampire possesses includes causing crop blights (destroying food sources), causing a drought, causing impotence in men, or even stealing vital organs (like the heart or the liver).<br />
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==Weaknesses==<br />
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Fortunately, the Vampire is not without its weaknesses. Since the Vampire exists in one form or another in cultures all over the world, the creature’s vulnerabilities are numerous. However, one who is well versed in Vampire lore and organizes himself accordingly, he will be able to come up with innovative uses for these weaknesses. Some of these vulnerabilities are apotropaics, or substances that are able to repel evil. Others listed here will cause the Vampire more direct harm. Some have no relevance at all, except for in fiction.<br />
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====Garlic====<br />
Garlic (''allium sativum'') is the best known and certainly one of the most effective Vampire apotropaics. It is well known in both folklore and fiction that this potent herb’s pungent odor and spicy taste is known not only to repulse the Undead, but just about everyone else, too! Knowledge of garlic’s antiseptic and antibiotic properties originates thousands of years ago in Egypt, where it was believed to possess healing powers. According to one source, Roman soldier were issued daily rations of garlic before battle to give them courage and strength, as well as for general health. <br />
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It is believed that garlic’s efficacy lies in the herb’s powerful odor. According to the theory that like repels like, it is highly likely that the Vampire, reeking of death and decay (overall, not just the revenant’s breath), will be utterly repulsed by any substance that smells just as badly (in this case, garlic).<br />
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In the Slavic lands of Europe, garlands of garlic are still worn by peasants and hung over doorways, as superstition still rules these people to an extent. These garlands are even available for purchase to tourists! Children are forced to wear garlic on their person at all times, whether at work or play. This kept away everything, including potential playmates. In China and Malaysia, it is rubbed all over to prevent vampiric attack, usually on the forehead or the armpits (the favored spot in the Philippines).<br />
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However, garlic is also useful in the Vampire’s destruction. Once a stake had been driven through the heart and the body decapitated, garlic bulbs were used to stuff the mouth. The garlic’s anti-evil properties severed the bond between the inhabiting demonic spirit and the dead flesh. This ensured that, if it was decided not to burn the corpse, the Vampire would be unable to regenerate itself and return to take its vengeance.<br />
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====Silver====<br />
Silver is a relatively recent addition to Vampire folklore. While popular in fiction, it also has some basis in folklore. Because of its purity and lustrous white color, silver is believed to possess protective powers against evil and negative influences. It is also said to have a supernatural association with the moon.<br />
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Because of its protective powers, silver has been used to keep evil at bay for thousands of years. It is said that silver nails in a coffin will prevent a revenant or a restless spirit from escaping the confines of its grave, while silver amulets repel evil spirits. A cross or a crucifix made of pure silver is far more powerful than one made of other metals, especially against the Vampire. On another note, silver is thought to ward off the Evil Eye.<br />
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When one thinks of silver being used in a supernatural context, the Werewolf and the silver bullet immediately come to mind. However, silver is considered to be the bane of all evil, and has therefore been utilized against vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, witches, giants, and those that live a “charmed” life. When a sorcerer’s familiar is injured or dies by a silver bullet, the creature’s master is dealt the same fate.<br />
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Silver is highly effective when utilized against the Vampire in a combat situation as well. A wound inflicted by a silver blade on the Vampire heals very slowly, if at all. If it pierces the heart, the Vampire dies. Since silver is too soft to make a serious weapon (with the exception being stakes, bullets, or projectile points), it is used in steel alloys and to plate steel blades (a process called silvering). The most popular choices for such applications are blades, especially swords, daggers, or knives. If a priest blesses the blades, then their efficacy is increased considerably. In folklore, one clear reference is found in Serbia. One man broke up silver coins (which were each engraved with a cross), loaded them into his shotgun, and fired on a revenant. The creature did not bother the villagers again.<br />
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====Running Water====<br />
According to legend (and the works of Bram Stoker), the Vampire is unable to cross running water, except at the ebb and flow of the tide. This includes rivers, streams, and (in some cases) the open ocean. According to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the creature may be carried over it on a water-going vessel (a boat or a ship). In folklore, witches, ghosts, and evil spirits are incapable of crossing running water, as water is a symbol of life, purity, and holiness. It is said to have healing and cleansing powers. Water is the main element in holy baptism and is held to be sacred to the Church, washing away sin and evil.<br />
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Water is a prominent element in folklore. It is said that tricking the Vampire into wading into flowing water can destroy the creature. Once the Vampire has entered the water, it will drown and perish. This is not to say that the Vampire can’t swim. The water’s inherent power and symbolism, through supernatural means, impedes the revenant’s ability to stay afloat and swim. However, if the creature is removed from the water, the Vampire will return to unlife. Then, it will proceed to make a meal out of its “rescuer.”<br />
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It is currently unknown where this belief originated from, but it may have come from Greece. The people, tired of the Vampire’s depredations, would unearth the corpse and exile it to a small, uninhabited island a few miles offshore. There, the revenant was reburied. Thus surrounded by flowing water, the Vampire was imprisoned and denied its need for blood.<br />
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====Invitation====<br />
The Vampire is unable to enter a house without first being verbally invited inside. However, once the invitation was extended, the Vampire may enter whenever it wishes, at anytime thereafter. Thus, as long as the people do not give admittance to the creature, they remain safe. However, once the Vampire has been invited inside, the creature is extremely difficult to get rid of. This usually happens when the household fails to recognize the Vampire for what it is. Once inside, the Vampire will drain each person of blood, one by one.<br />
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This is not a prominent limitation in folklore (except, perhaps, for the Greek [[Vrykolakas]]). In fact, superstitious peasants were forced to come up with their own remedies just to keep the Vampire out. The myth that the Vampire cannot cross the threshold of a house without first being invited most likely originates from a Christian belief that Satan cannot go where he isn’t welcome.<br />
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====Lack of a Reflection====<br />
According to legend, the Vampire casts no reflection in a mirror. This comes from the ancient belief that the mirror reflects the soul of the one who gazes into it. The Vampire has no soul, and therefore casts no reflection. The Vampire knows this, and it instinctively seeks to avoid reflective surfaces, hating mirrors so much that the revenant actively seeks to destroy them. The Vampire’s lack of a reflection is, sooner or later, something that is bound to be noticed by a perceptive individual.<br />
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On a similar note, it is said that the Vampire is incapable of casting a shadow. However, there is virtually no evidence in the annals of folklore to support this. This limitation is an invention of Bram Stoker, as is the Vampire’s inability to cast a reflection. In fact, the Vampire in folklore is able to cause death to any human that falls within the creature’s shadow.<br />
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====Sunlight====<br />
According to contemporary folklore, the Vampire cannot withstand direct exposure to the rays of the sun. Exposure to sunlight supposedly causes the Vampire to burst into flames and disintegrate into a pile of ash.<br />
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However, there is absolutely no evidence in folklore to support this notion. In early Vampire literature (such as J. Malcolm Rymer’s ''Varney the Vampire'' or Sheridan LeFanu’s ''Carmilla''), the Vampire could walk about freely in the daylight. This notion was popularized by F.W. Murnau’s 1922 horror masterpiece Nosferatu, and has achieved immense popularity in subsequent Vampire fiction and films. The terrifying truth is that, with only one exception, the Vampire isn’t adversely affected by sunlight, and the revenant has actually been known to hunt during the day. According to Slavic legend, the Vampire usually hunts between the hours of noon and midnight. However, this notion may have some indirect roots in folklore. According to Serbian folklore, the Vampire has no power during the day, but in fact receives its power from the Devil by night.<br />
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The Vampire’s aversion to sunlight in fiction is most likely derived from the notion that the Vampire is entirely nocturnal. While it is true that the revenant prefers the darkness of midnight, the Vampire is by no means limited to it. With few exceptions (such as the Chinese jiangshi), the Vampire may rise from the grave whenever it so chooses, and nothing can stop it.<br />
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====Holy Icons====<br />
It is said that the sight of holy icons, namely the cross or the crucifix, repulses the Vampire. This is a prominent theme in Vampire folklore, as well as literature and the movies.<br />
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The cross is one of mankind’s oldest forms of protection against evil, predating Christianity by centuries. It is associated with pagan sun deities and Heaven. In ancient times, the cross symbolized divine protection and prosperity. The symbolism of the cross was forever changed when Jesus Christ was crucified, sacrificing Himself by taking on the sins of the entire world, descending into Hell, and defeating the Devil. He then rose again from the dead three days later. This proved that, beyond any doubt, that Jesus truly is the Son of God. This transformed the cross into a symbol that was far more powerful: the crucifix. While resembling the cross in terms of basic form, there is one significant difference between the two: the crucifix bears the ''Corpus Christi'', the Body of Christ. It represents Jesus’ sacrifice for the sins of the world, that one day His people might ascend to Heaven and join Him in eternal life. This powerful symbolism means that the crucifix is far deadlier to the Vampire than the cross.<br />
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The cross and the crucifix are regarded as being the most potent of defenses against Satan and his evil legions. The cross is used in exorcism, to ward off sexual predators (like the Incubus and the Succubus), to prevent bewitchment, to protect crops from dark magic, and of course, to ward off the Vampire. During the Inquisition, the inquisitors (witch-hunters) wore the cross on their person or crossed themselves in the presence of a suspected witch as protection against any evil spells that the accused may cast against them. The common people crossed themselves frequently before they set about any given task, just in case evil happened to be lurking nearby. In folklore, a gold cross was placed in the mouth or on the body of corpse, in order to prevent the deceased from becoming one of the Undead.<br />
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In any event, no competent Demon Hunter should be without a cross or a crucifix (preferably the latter). During the Middle Ages, Christian Gypsies believed that the cross would repulse the Vampire (which is where all this started). When presented to the Vampire, the sight of the icon will visibly repel the creature. In addition to this, pressing the crucifix causes an agonizing burn, which will not heal and will scar the Vampire for as long as the creature continues to exist. However, the power of the symbol lies not in what it is made of, but in the strength of the icon’s symbolism, strengthened by the wielder’s faith and his will. This is essential, for without faith the cross will only be effective against the weakest of the Undead.<br />
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Furthermore, when placed in a grave, the grave is rendered uninhabitable to the Vampire. If a crucifix is buried with the deceased, then the corpse won’t become a Vampire. If blessed by a priest and anointed with holy water, or if forged of pure silver, the crucifix’s power is effectively doubled.<br />
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====Native Soil====<br />
According to contemporary folklore, the Vampire must rest by day, in a coffin filled with the soil from the land of the Vampire’s birth. Supposedly, the Vampire draws its power from the earth in an unknown manner. Placing a crucifix or the Eucharistic wafer in the coffin will defile the earth and make it inhospitable to the Undead, as will soaking the earth with holy water. The Vampire cannot travel more than one hundred miles from its home without taking at least a pound of its native soil with it.<br />
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However, the idea that the Vampire is dependent upon the earth while resting is an invention of Bram Stoker, as there is no evidence in folklore to support this notion. According to Slavic folklore, the Vampire has to return to its grave before dawn. However, it remains unsaid if the Vampire is compelled to do so, unlike it is shown in popular literature and the movies.<br />
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====Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder====<br />
In folklore, it is believed that the Vampire is, for some reason, extremely obsessive-compulsive. The creature is therefore compelled to stop and count tiny objects, like seeds, grains, salt, iron pellets, or pebbles. It is known that the Vampire loathes all that is natural or untainted by evil’s claws, and the seed’s symbolism as the start of a new life may be the key to the Vampire’s distraction. In any event, the Vampire will not stop until it has counted every single seed, sometimes as slowly as the rate of one seed counted per year, or even a century! Mustard seeds and poppy seeds are deemed to be the most effective, as Jesus alludes to the mustard seed in His parables, and the poppy seed has a narcotic effect on the Vampire that makes it unwilling or unable to leave its grave. Other effective substances include (but are certainly not limited to): iron nails, linseeds, sea salt, sand, oats, peppercorns, corn kernels, dried peas or beans, steel ball-bearings, rice, or grains of various kinds are all recommended.<br />
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Similarly, the Vampire is obsessed with untying knots. Confronted with a tangled cord, the Vampire is unable to feed until it has picked every single knot apart. It was thought that the creature took a year to untie each knot. It is thought that the knot’s mystical symbolism was responsible for this. Witches used them to cast spells, emotions or objects could become magically ensnared, and it was even believed that the knot could trap one’s soul indefinitely.<br />
<br />
====Wolfsbane====<br />
Wolfsbane (a highly toxic member of the genus ''aconitum'', also known as aconite or monkshood) was thought to have anti-evil properties against Vampires, Werewolves, and shapeshifters for centuries, and is used in the same manner as garlic. A concoction derived from the roots of the plant was often used to wash bite wounds from wild or venomous animals, and so perhaps this is where Wolfsbane derived its supposed ability to cure people of lycanthropy or other supernatural afflictions.<br />
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====Salt====<br />
Due to its white color, purity, and its preservative properties, salt has always been associated with holiness and the triumph of good over evil, and has been used to repel witches, ghosts, demons, spirits, and all manner of evil beings. Very little mention has been made regarding its use against the Undead in folklore, other than that pregnant women in Romania that did not eat enough salt and were gazed upon by a Vampire would give birth to a child that, after its death, was doomed to rise from the grave as a Vampire. Furthermore, salt has a corrosive effect when it comes into contact with the Vampire’s skin.<br />
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====Fire====<br />
Fire has been a powerful force against the Undead and evil for centuries, as it is considered to be a symbol of God and the Holy Spirit, as well as one of nature’s most powerful purifiers. Therefore, after the Vampire is staked and decapitated, the remains were burned to ashes and were then scattered to the four winds.<br />
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Burning the Vampire is without a doubt the most effective means of permanently annihilating the Undead, but it is very difficult and takes hours on end, even days. Large amounts of wood and fuel are needed to completely cremate a body, but it was well worth the effort. The ashes were then placed in a burlap sack, which was then tied shut, and then the bag was tossed into a fast-flowing stream or river. Once this was done, there is no way in Heaven, earth, or Hell that the Vampire could possibly return.<br />
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The Vampire has other weaknesses as well, most of them being herbal in nature. They include the following: wild rose, holly, plants of the hawthorn family (hawthorn, blackthorn, whitethorn, and buckthorn), linden, juniper, lemon, mayflower, millet, rowan, ash, aspen, maple, oak, and dogrose. It should be noted that it is believed that the Vampire is unable to leave its grave on Saturdays (an exception being Holy Saturday, for some odd reason). On this day, it is stated in Bulgarian folk beliefs that the Vampire is reincarnated. This belief possibly stems from the fact that Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath day.<br />
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==Slaying the Vampire==<br />
<br />
Just as the Vampire has its weaknesses, there are just as many ways to kill the Vampire. But how exactly does one kill a creature that is already dead? Although the many methods differ from one culture to the next, most seem to be similar in one way or another. There are three primary methods, used together, throughout Europe to destroy the walking dead: staking, decapitation, and burning. Collectively, these methods are known as the Vampire Exorcism. Its purpose is to ensure that the Vampire never again returns to plague the living.<br />
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====Staking====<br />
The best-known method of slaying the Vampire is to drive a wooden stake through the revenant’s heart. However, unlike what is portrayed in the movies and popular literature, a stake through the heart doesn’t actually kill the Vampire, but immobilizes the creature so that the rest of the Exorcism can take place.<br />
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The stake pins the Vampire to the ground, both physically and symbolically. Once the Vampire is affixed to the earth, it is thought that natural forces would catch up with the revenant’s body, and decay would begin. If the evil spirit inhabiting the corpse tried to escape, it would be unable to do so. However, according to Russian folk customs, the stake had to be driven completely through the corpse with a single blow, as a second blow would awaken the Vampire from its slumber. It is essential that, when staking the Vampire, one avoids spurting blood, as an individual that is splattered with the creature’s blood will either die instantly or become irrevocably insane.<br />
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The materials used to make stakes have varied somewhat throughout the ages. Iron was a popular choice during medieval times, and in some cases, the point of the stake was heated until the iron started to glow red-hot, at which point the stake was driven into the creature (a practice of the Bulgarian people). However, various hardwoods have remained the most popular choice for making stakes. Hawthorn or aspen are considered to be the most effective, as both woods have powerful religious connotations (hawthorn was used in Christ’s crown of thorns, while aspen was the wood that was used to build the cross that Jesus was crucified on). Other woods used for this purpose include oak, ash, wild rose, willow, yew, juniper, blackthorn, whitethorn, buckthorn, linden, rowan, and maple. However, in the countries of Albania and Dalmatia, a dagger that had been previously blessed by a priest was used to pierce the Vampire’s heart, as opposed to the more traditional wooden stake.<br />
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While many of these hardwoods are still popular, many modern vampire hunters prefer silver stakes. Although expensive, stakes made of this precious metal are worth every penny. A silver stake is far more durable than a wooden one, and can be used over and over. When irreparably damaged, they can be melted down and recast. As silver hardens when cold-forged with a hammer, this can be used to enhance the durability of the stake’s point. Silver stakes are generally useful in a close-quarters fight, while wooden stakes are usually used for pinning (although they are still useful in a fight).<br />
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A stake might be driven into the ground above the grave of a suspected revenant, so that the creature might impale itself upon rising from the grave. However, as mentioned previously, staking the Vampire wasn’t enough to slay the creature. As said earlier, the stake only immobilizes the Vampire for an indefinite period of time. Some Vampires were known to ignore the stake completely (one revenant thanked his would-be killers for the stick, using it to keep away dogs). To put it simply, the stake is only one part of destroying the Vampire.<br />
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====Decapitation====<br />
By far the most effective method of killing the Vampire is decapitation. Cutting off the head will kill any Vampire, no matter how old or how powerful the creature may be. This grisly practice originates from the belief that the Vampire is incapable of existing without its head or heart, as it cannot regenerate these vital parts. Without its head, the Vampire is unable to wander about at night without the head to direct it. As with staking, spurting blood must be avoided at all costs.<br />
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After the Vampire is exhumed and a stake is driven through the corpse, decapitation follows. Beheading could be done with a sword or an axe, but this was traditionally done with a gravedigger’s shovel (which has a supernatural connection to death) or the sexton’s spade (which is possessed of the holy power of God). Beforehand, the corpse was covered with a large piece of thick cloth, so as to avoid spurting blood. Then, the head was quickly struck off with a single stroke. Afterwards, the mouth was stuffed with fresh garlic cloves (as this severed the connection of the flesh and the inhabiting spirit). If the corpse was reburied, the head was placed under the arm or in between the legs, turned facedown. The head and the body should be buried at the crossroads, disposed of separately, burned (in separate fires), or buried in different plots. This is the second step in the Vampire Exorcism, but is highly effective in close-quarters combat with the Undead as well.<br />
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====Burning====<br />
Burning is the final step in the destruction of the Vampire, but it is also the most difficult and time-consuming parts of the Exorcism. As said earlier, cremation will destroy any Vampire. Fire is a manifestation of God’s Power, and one of the most powerful purifying forces known to man. However, incineration is only used as a last resort, only if staking, decapitation, or other preventative measures have failed.<br />
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Burning the Vampire is an extremely difficult undertaking, requiring copious amounts of oil, an unending supply of wood (one tale from Russia says to use “a hundred loads of aspen boughs”), an executioner, and a day or two off of work.<br />
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A corpse needs immense temperatures, oxygen, and constant heat to be reduced to charred ashes, and the commoners were incapable of meeting these demands. Therefore, an executioner (who has experience cutting up human bodies) with an axe was called in. He then proceeded to chop the vampiric cadaver into small pieces. This made it easier to burn the corpse. The Russians made an important emphasis on catching and killing any creatures that crawled out of the fire (insects, reptiles, birds, amphibians, and other such things), as these vermin could conceivably hold the Vampire’s essence. If even one of these creatures escaped, then the Vampire would find a new body, and the creature’s reign of terror would begin anew.<br />
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If cremation was successful, on the other hand, the people could rest at ease. The Vampire, no matter how powerful it was, would be gone forever. Next, the ashes were scattered to the winds, put into a sack and thrown into a fast-flowing river, or the ashes were simply buried. Either way, the threat of the Vampire was temporarily abated.<br />
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There are many other methods of destroying the Vampire, all of which are prevalent in folklore. Some are fairly extreme measures, reluctantly done when the vampire hunters or the common people had no other choice or any other ideas.<br />
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====Excision of the Heart====<br />
This is more extreme than staking, and quite a bit gorier as well. The heart is considered to be the part of the Vampire that is inhabited by a demonic spirit. In Romania (and some other parts of Europe), the Vampire is said to possess two hearts (and therefore, two souls). The second heart houses the evil spirit, maintaining the Vampire’s state of undeath. With two hearts, the revenant is twice as difficult to kill. If one destroys the heart, one destroys the Vampire. However, this is far easier said than done…<br />
<br />
First, the Vampire had to be exhumed. Recall that, although nocturnal by nature, the Vampire is more than capable of activity during the daylight hours. Therefore, extreme caution is advised while doing this. Using a sword, a dagger, or a knife (the blade having been blessed by a priest previously), a deep incision is made in the abdomen or the chest cavity. Then, the Hunter inserted his hand and felt around for the heart. Once found, he ripped the organ out. But he wasn’t done yet…<br />
<br />
Next, the heart had to be disposed of. This is usually done by burning it to ashes. Sometimes, the heart was boiled in wine, vinegar, oil, or holy water, and the heart was then returned to the body or burned afterwards. At times, after cremation, the ashes were carefully spooned back into the cavity. This method has been used quite frequently, especially in America (such as the Exeter, Rhode Island case of Mercy Brown in 1892). It remains a popular option, although messy and generally unpleasant.<br />
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====Dismemberment====<br />
Dismemberment is a grisly process that involves hacking off the Vampire’s limbs, one by one, to prevent the creature from rising from the grave and attacking the living. Obviously, any revenant is going to find it to be impossible to get up, wander around, and feed without its arms or legs. Ideally, this should be done with a sword (blessed by a priest) or a woodsman’s axe.<br />
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====Piercing with a Sword====<br />
The sword’s blade should be blessed and anointed with holy water beforehand. This should be done with a single thrust, directly through the heart. However, this method is more appropriate in a battle with the Undead. But either way, this technique gets the task done. No Vampire will rise again after a sword thrust through the heart (provided that proper disposal procedures are followed afterwards).<br />
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====Immersion in Water====<br />
As water’s symbolism as a purifier and one of the Holy Sacraments is anathema to the Vampire, a revenant that is fully immersed in water (especially running water) will drown and be destroyed. A bathtub could work, but disposal of the creature’s body may prove to be problematic (as removing the Vampire from the water will revive the creature).<br />
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====Stealing the Left Sock====<br />
Truly one of the most bizarre ways of destroying the Vampire. While the Vampire slumbers, the Hunter steals the creature’s left sock, fills the sock with earth or stones from the Vampire’s grave, and tosses the sock outside of the village’s proximity, usually into running water (i.e. a deep river). The Vampire, being an obsessive creature by nature, will panic and frantically begin searching for its missing sock. The revenant will even endure running water to find its sock, and will eventually drown.<br />
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====Drenching in Holy Water and Garlic====<br />
As both holy water and garlic have a negative effect on the Vampire, a quantity of holy water and garlic oil should be poured into the Vampire’s grave. This will cause the creature immense pain and to eventually disintegrate. However, several gallons are needed for this to be successful.<br />
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====Injection with Holy Water====<br />
Ideally, a hypodermic needle, filled with holy water or holy oil (whichever is preferred), should be inserted into the Vampire’s heart and the plunger depressed. This will carry the consecrated liquid throughout the revenant’s body, causing agonizing pain and also causing the Vampire to burn up from the inside.<br />
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====Bottling the Vampire====<br />
As incredible as this notion may seem to be, in Bulgarian folklore this is said to be one of the most powerful and effective methods of containing and destroying the Vampire. However, this requires powerful magic (which may be just as evil as the Vampire itself), and one has to hire a sorcerer as well. It is extremely dangerous, requiring a great degree of willpower, experience, and an excellent sense of balance. The Hunter (known in Bulgaria as the vampirdzhija), armed with a holy image or a relic and a bottle (baited with the Vampire’s favorite food, preferably the Hunter’s own blood), lies in wait for the revenant.<br />
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Once the creature appears, the Hunter chases the Vampire, pursuing it across rooftops, through houses, and even up trees without even a moment’s respite. When the Hunter finally corners the revenant, the Vampire is trapped. Confronted with the crucifix or holy image, the Vampire will have no choice but to assume the form of a mist and flee into the bottle. The Hunter quickly seals the bottle with a lid (engraved onto which is a cross). He then throws the bottle into a roaring fire, thereby forever destroying the Vampire. <br />
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In Malaysia, a similar practice is employed, but differs as follows: a bamboo tube (known as a tabong), sealed with leaves and a mystical charm, is used in place of the bottle and, instead of burning the container, the tube is tossed into the sea.<br />
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====Wolves====<br />
Although the Vampire is able to command wolves, there is one exception: the white wolf. The white wolf is greatly feared by the Vampire, making it a loyal companion and a friend to any Demon Hunter. This wolf can sense the Undead, and this is an extremely useful ability. In Albania, the [[Lugat]] (a powerful if somewhat cowardly [[Vampire]]) can only be destroyed by a white wolf. The wolf accomplishes this by biting off the Vampire’s leg. Grievously injured and even more humiliated, the lugat will retreat to its grave, never to be seen again.<br />
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====Shooting with a Consecrated Bullet====<br />
Under normal circumstances, firearms have little or no effect on the Vampire. However, a bullet that has been blessed by a priest (not necessarily silver) and is fired into the Vampire’s coffin or the Vampire’s heart will slay the revenant. However, this method is seldom mentioned in folklore. All the same, it is definitely worth a try.<br />
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==History==<br />
Vampires. The very word conjures up images of ruined castles, black-clad nobleman with pale complexions, and flowing streams of blood. However, the truth is far more frightening. Webster’s Compact Office Dictionary defines the Vampire as “in folklore, a reanimated corpse that sucks the blood of sleeping persons.” The Dictionary also designates the origin of the word Vampire as a Slavic word (although the word itself didn’t enter the English language until the year 1734 AD). It appears to be Slavonic Magyar, originating from the word vampir, which means, “blood monster.”<br />
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"''In all the darkest pages of the malign supernatural, there is no more terrible tradition than that of the Vampire, a pariah even among demons. Foul are his ravages; gruesome and seemingly barbaric are the ancient and approved methods by which folks must rid themselves of this hideous pest''." <br />
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– Reverend Montague Summers<br />
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The Vampire has haunted humanity since the day of creation. Legend has it that Cain, after killing his brother Abel, was cursed by God to wander the earth eternally, never to stay in one place for long, and to drink the blood of humanity. It is said that he was the first true Vampire. Others say that Lilith, the wife of Adam (before Eve) in Hebrew myths, refused to let Adam lay on top while they were making love. While an angel of the Lord tried to convince her to return to Adam, she cursed at the angel. In turn, she was cursed by God (although what exactly the curse was is unknown). Frustrated and angry, Lilith escaped and copulated with demons. God stated that He would destroy a thousand of her children a day. She cursed back, saying that she would drain the blood of newborns and the sexual potency of men. Some even say that Cain and Lilith met, having a sexual encounter that gave birth to a race of monsters, vile beyond belief. Still others say that, after having betrayed Jesus and hung himself from a tree (suicide is one of the best known methods to become a Vampire), that Judas Iscariot arose from the grave as the first true Vampire.<br />
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Although there are no clear biblical origins for the Vampire, the Vampire seems to originate back to either ancient Egypt or the Indus Valley (folklorists are debating as to the validity of these notions).<br />
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==References==<br />
<br />
Still working on research at this time. A short bibliography will be listed once the research is done.<br />
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[[Category:Vampires]]<br />
[[Category:Undead]]<br />
[[Category:Corporeal undead]]<br />
[[Category:Slavic mythology]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:The_Vampire_(another_version)&diff=13337
Talk:The Vampire (another version)
2009-06-02T03:07:08Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: New page: This is my own original research, and I've been working on it since July 2007. I would appreciate it if nobody TAMPERED or EDITED this article. -User:Kyle Van Helsing</p>
<hr />
<div>This is my own original research, and I've been working on it since July 2007. I would appreciate it if nobody TAMPERED or EDITED this article.<br />
<br />
-[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=The_Vampire_(another_version)&diff=13336
The Vampire (another version)
2009-06-02T03:05:28Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>==Nature==<br />
The Vampire is one of the [[Undead]], a reanimated corpse that feeds on the blood of the living.<br />
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==Etymology==<br />
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The legend of the Vampire is universal, and each culture has its own name for the creature. The modern term vampire actually arises from the Slavonic Magyar ''vampir'', which literally means “blood monster”. In Romania, it is known as ''nosferatu'', which comes from the Greek ''nosophoros'', meaning “plague-carrier.”<br />
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==Description/Morphology==<br />
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The Vampire tends to resemble the person it was in life. However, the Vampire of legend is a walking corpse. Its body might be bloated, the skin stretched tightly across the creature’s body. The Vampire’s fingernails and toenails have grown since the creature’s burial, now sharpened talons. The skin tends to have a pale pallor to it, while being somewhat decayed. Since the Vampire tends to feed on its own flesh while struggling to leave the grave (known as manducation), there are often chunks of flesh missing from the limbs. The creature has sharp, extended canine teeth (the fangs), which allow for easy feeding. The Vampire’s breath reeks of decay and coagulated blood (although getting close enough to confirm this is next to impossible). The Vampire tends to be dressed in its burial shroud or whatever clothing the body happened to be wearing at the time of burial, and the creature itself reeks of death and grave dirt. The Vampire’s eyes are fiery red, and the creature’s ears are grotesquely stretched and pointed. The Vampire of ancient times is a horrifying monster, a far cry from the modern interpretation of the Vampire.<br />
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The Vampire of modern times is a very different creature, in both looks and character. Some Vampires have no distinguishing characteristics in this day and age, as the creature has retractable fangs that only show when the Vampire is feeding or angry, and the characteristic blood-red eyes only become apparent under these conditions as well.<br />
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Since Bela Lugosi appeared on the silver screen in Tod Browning’s 1931 film Dracula (Universal Studios), the Vampire stereotype had been fully established. The Vampire appears in formal evening attire: a white shirt, a red bowtie, a black jacket, black trousers, formal shoes, a prominent widow’s peak or slicked-back hairstyle, needle-sharp fangs, blood-red eyes, long fingernails (always cut to a sharp point), and finally a black opera cape, lined with scarlet and sporting a high collar. In the movies, these stereotypical characteristics instantly identify a given individual as one of the Undead.<br />
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In most cases, as mentioned previously, the Vampire bears a striking resemblance to the individual it was in life. The creature tends to be gaunt and wiry in build, belying the Vampire’s supernatural power. The Vampire has pale skin, and is very attractive to the opposite sex, which helps the Vampire to attract its victims. It tends to have long, needle-sharp fangs and fine nails (usually pointed and very sharp indeed). It should be noted that, in Bulgaria, the Vampire was believed to have only one nostril (probably not true). In Poland, the Vampire has a sharp, needlelike point on the tip of its tongue, much like a bee’s sting. It is through this appendage that the Vampire is believed to pierce the skin and drain its victim’s blood. However, the creature usually appears human under normal circumstances, unless in a state of bloodlust or angered in some way. At this point, the Vampire’s fangs (which are retractable) and the creature’s fiery red eyes become apparent and a feral, predatory visage can be seen. Female Vampires tend to have long, luxurious red hair, along with supple, firm breasts, a leanly muscular physique, and are generally sexually attractive to potential victims.<br />
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==Behavior==<br />
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The Vampire tends to be somewhat unpredictable in its behavioral patterns. The Vampire tends to be nocturnal, but it is a misconception that the creature can only arise from the grave at dusk and cannot abide by the light of the day. In fact, the Vampire could often rise whenever it pleased to hunt and feed, usually between the hours of noon and midnight (according to Slavic folklore, anyway). The Vampire only prefers the darkness because it can move about freely and unseen.<br />
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The Vampire is a highly intelligent creature, with the predatory cunning of an animal. However, most newly-risen Vampires are little more than cunning, mindless predators. The revenant’s every move and thought is driven by one instinct: hunger. As mentioned earlier, the Vampire’s need for blood is all-consuming. It will do everything within its power to gain a potential victim, so that it may feed. Like mentioned previously, the Vampire prefers to bite its victim on the neck, breasts, or wrist, although it will occasionally go for the inner thigh or the area of the chest directly over the heart (although some sources say that the Vampire sucked the victim’s skin and drained blood through the pores). It usually preys on victims of the opposite sex, although Vampires who chose an “alternative lifestyle” while still living may make exceptions. When the Vampire first rises from the grave, its first victims will be its family and loved ones. At times, when human prey is scarce or unavailable, the revenant will prey upon wild animals and livestock, although the Vampire tends to find such prey to be bland and unsatisfying. This is only something that the Vampire will do in desperation or is trying to avoid feeding on humans as much as possible.<br />
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In some cases, when a corpse reanimates, the Vampire is too weak to rise (as it has to smash through its coffin and claw through six feet of dirt). In order to gain the necessary power, the revenant engages in manducation, which literally means “eating.” This involves the Vampire chewing on its burial shroud and feeding on its own flesh (which has to be very painful). Once it has fed enough, it can arise from the grave and seek out its first victim, increasing in strength every time the creature feeds.<br />
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Hunting is a relatively straightforward task for the Vampire. Usually, since the creature prefers to hunt at night, it will wander through a nearby village or along the roads, seeking a potential victim. The Vampire then enters through an open window or under the door (usually in the form of a mist). It will then proceed to approach the sleeping victim and, once there, the Vampire leans over and sinks its fangs into the victim’s neck, right above the jugular vein. The victim usually moans aloud, but does not awaken. The Vampire then proceeds to drain off a portion of its prey’s blood, usually no more than a quart. However, this amount of blood loss isn’t enough to kill the victim. The victim then wakes up the next morning, feeling weak and utterly exhausted. The Vampire then proceeds to return over the course of several nights, continually draining the individual’s blood until death occurs from blood loss and sickness. If lucky, the victim is only dead. However, if this is not the case, the victim will rise from the grave three days later as one of the undead.<br />
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The Vampire is a vicious and deadly foe in a fight. The revenant’s combination of strength, speed, and agility, as well as its razor-sharp claws and fangs, makes the Vampire truly a force to be reckoned with. However, the creature must rest within its grave during the day, as this isn’t the Vampire’s natural time (sunlight does little actual harm, if any, to most Vampires). This leaves the revenant highly vulnerable to attack from Vampire Hunters. However, if the would-be hunter isn’t careful, the Vampire may rise and the hunter will become the revenant’s meal.<br />
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The Vampire is an intelligent, cunning creature, often more than capable of outwitting humans. The longer the Vampire lives, the more its intellect increases. Thus, Vampires that have lived for centuries on end are extremely dangerous foes. The revenant has razor-sharp instincts and is unnaturally perceptive, making the creature all the more formidable. Remember this: the Vampire has centuries of experience built up, and has had more experience in dealing with would-be killers than most Demon Hunters are inclined to think or admit to.<br />
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Although the Vampire is impotent and incapable of sexual activity for the most part, some exceptions are known to exist. According to Slavic folk beliefs, the Vampire is known to rise from the grave, return home to its widow and demand its favorite meal. Afterwards, the Vampire would demand intercourse (forcibly, if necessary). This was particularly common in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe, especially in Romania. Since the Vampire’s sperm was considered to still be potent, this kind of encounter could easily result in an unwanted pregnancy. The resulting child is known as a dhampir, a half-human, half-vampire hybrid. The child has all of the Vampire’s strengths, but none of its weaknesses (although the child may not see it that way). The dhampir possesses the strength, speed, agility, reflexes, endurance, and the acute senses of the Vampire. However, the dhampir is both blessed and cursed. The child is able to perceive the Vampire in its incorporeal form, but like his vampiric father, he is cursed with an insatiable hunger for human blood. Usually, the dhampir hunts down and destroys his father, for both revenge and common cause. Some traditions say that the dhampir has a weak, gelatinous skeleton. Therefore, the dhampir’s life will be short and filled with discomfort and pain.<br />
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Sometimes as Gypsy folklore dictates, the Vampire’s sexual drive was enough to cause the creature to return from the dead. The Vampire could also return if it had been in love with a woman, but the couple had never actually experienced sexual ecstasy together. She would be invited to return to the Vampire’s grave, where the creature would make her one of the Undead and, as a result, they could share their love forever.<br />
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The Vampire may cause death and despair through other means than its bite alone. According to some legends, the Vampire would call out its chosen victim’s name, several times if necessary. If that individual answers the call, they are doomed to die. Another legend says will climb up to a church’s bell tower and ring the bell. Anyone who heard or gave heed to the bell’s ominous ringing was condemned to die by the fangs of the Vampire. The creature can kill by causing disease to sweep through a given area, or it can spread misery by raping virginal young girls. Sometimes, the Vampire will cause poltergeist effects, like throwing objects, making loud banging noises, and opening or closing doors invisibly and repeatedly. It may attempt to suffocate humans with its vile stench. The Vampire is capable of causing crop blights or drought, draining the crops of life and causing a famine among the humans as a result. The Vampire would attack livestock, depriving the people of food.<br />
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The Vampire’s habits and behavioral patterns are, at best, chaotic and malevolent. The Vampire is an extremely difficult adversary to contend with, so absolute caution is advised when dealing with the Vampire. One can never tell what may come to pass in a life-or-death struggle with the Undead.<br />
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The Vampire needs to feed on fresh human blood for survival. This unnatural hunger drives the creature’s existence, and the Vampire constantly craves blood. It is thought by most that the blood invigorates the Vampire’s body, maintaining the undead state of the body and preventing further decay. When it feeds, the Vampire not only takes the victim’s blood, but also infects the victim with the supernatural taint of vampirism. Therefore, while prolonging the creature’s own soulless existence, it damns the unfortunate individual to become a Vampire after their death. Thus, the Vampire propagates its own kind.<br />
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When the Vampire feeds, it usually bites its victim on the neck, breast, inner thigh, or wrist. Through these wounds, the Vampire drains the victim of their flowing blood. The Vampire prefers to feed on victims of the opposite sex, although it is not unknown for some Vampires to feed upon the same sex. The Vampire doesn’t require much blood for survival, needing about one-half to a full quart every night. Older Vampires can resist the bloodlust for several weeks, but the creature grows progressively weaker the longer he goes without feeding, eventually reverting to its true age (which proves to be fatal). The Vampire can sate its hunger on the blood of animals if necessary, although this is usually something done only in desperation.<br />
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Folklorists, occultists, and vampirologists have debated exactly why the Vampire needs blood for a very long time. In ancient times, people recognized that blood is the source of life. To take another’s blood was to absorb the other individual’s strength and vitality, even to the point of killing the other. Early on, women recognized the innate connection between menstruation and the act of giving birth, as blood is symbolically and physically shed during both acts. People believed that, by drinking the blood of one’s fallen enemies, an individual would absorb his enemy’s strength and become exponentially more powerful. Blood is viewed by pagan religions as the sustenance of their gods, maintaining their power and immortality through the sacrifice of humans and animals. But, blood is sacred to God, and in the Old Testament, God emphasizes that drinking the blood of another is a mortal sin and is strictly forbidden. He specifically states this as follows:<br />
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“''And wherever you live, you must not eat the blood of any bird or animal. If anyone eats blood, that person must be cut off from his people''.”<br />
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-Leviticus 7: 26-27 (New International Version)<br />
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It could therefore be argued that the Vampire is a man (the Vampire tends to be predominantly male), cut off from both God and his own people because of his craving for human blood. The Vampire is a horrifying and reviled creature, cursed by God to arise from the grave as one of the undead and to feed on the blood of the living for eternity. As stated earlier, the blood is the life. God spoke to Moses on this matter, again explicitly emphasizing the importance and the sacred nature of the crimson fluid. God thus states:<br />
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“''Any Israelite or any alien living among them who eats any blood — I will set my face against that person who eats blood and cut him off from his people. For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life. Therefore I say to the Israelites, “None of you may eat blood, nor may any alien living among you eat blood''.”<br />
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-Leviticus 17: 10-12 (New International Version)<br />
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Basically, God says that “''thou shalt not drink the blood of another, lest thou be damned for eternity''.” Think of it as the eleventh commandment. Christians believe that Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross saved them from sin and eternal damnation in Hell. Before He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot (whom some believe may have been the first true Vampire), Jesus said at the Last Supper: “''Take and eat; this is my body''.” Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks, He offered it to His disciples, saying “''Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins'' (Matthew 26: 26-28).” The Vampire, being a creature born of Satan’s power, drank blood in blasphemous defiance of God’s command, defiling the sacred and stealing what belongs to God alone.<br />
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==Powers/Weaknesses==<br />
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The Vampire possesses an array of supernatural powers at its disposal. This makes the creature extremely difficult to contend with in a fight. Although the abilities attributed to the Vampire differ somewhat from culture to culture, the creature’s other powers remain the same. However, many of the abilities that the Vampire is commonly though to possess are based in fiction, not folklore.<br />
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====Physical Abilities====<br />
The Vampire possesses supernatural strength, speed, agility, reflexes, and endurance. The Vampire’s strength is said to be far greater than any mortal’s, as the Vampire is no longer restrained by mortal limitations and is empowered by a combination of the spirit and the flesh, the only limitation being that the Vampire requires blood to fuel its energy reserves. The creature’s strength gives it an advantage during the hunt, as it can overpower almost any human without much effort at all.<br />
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The Vampire is extremely quick, moving faster than the human eye can possibly see. The creature’s sheer speed, combined with its unnatural stealth, makes it impossible for the Vampire’s prey to detect or escape from the Vampire until it is too late. The Vampire possesses supernatural agility as well. The creature can leap to great heights and is nimble enough to scale sheer surfaces with amazing speed, much like a spider. The Vampire is able to avoid gunfire easily, and reacts with unnatural quickness to any threat, due to the creature’s superhuman reflexes. The Vampire is able to move at great speed for long periods, and it is nearly impossible to tire the Vampire, due to its preternatural degree of endurance.<br />
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Once again, the Vampire’s formidable abilities are limited by one thing: blood. If the Vampire goes without feeding or is prevented from doing so for an extended period of time, the creature steadily begins to weaken and show its true age. This can prove to be fatal to the Vampire, if the cunning Vampire Hunter doesn’t dispatch the revenant beforehand.<br />
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====Senses====<br />
The Vampire’s senses of sight, smell, hearing, and touch are of supernatural keeness, comparable on many levels to a wolf’s. The Vampire can see with perfect clarity in the darkness of the night, to the point of being able to detect the bodily heat emanations from its victims. The creature’s hearing is comparable to a bat or an owl, possessing a level of sensitivity on par with the bat’s own echo-sensitivity.<br />
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The Vampire’s sense of smell is as acute as that of a wolf or a dog’s, enabling the creature to track its prey for miles by the scent of the victim’s blood alone, a sensation that the Vampire relishes. The Vampire is also able to tell individual people apart by the scent of their blood coursing through their veins or bodily odors. The Vampire’s sense of touch is amazingly acute, as the creature can feel the heartbeat of a potential victim through thick walls, or it can detect the vibrations of a vampire hunter’s footsteps and the direction of the footsteps, enabling the Vampire to either escape or prepare an ambush for the would-be hunter.<br />
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In addition to its five senses, the Vampire possesses a preternatural sixth sense. The Vampire can instinctively sense impending danger, usually posed by humans. The revenant can sense emanations of good or evil, instinctively avoiding the former while congregating in the latter. Overall, the Vampire’s keen senses give the creature several advantages when hunting or eluding its enemies.<br />
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====Resistance to Injury====<br />
The Vampire is incapable of being harmed or slain by most forms of conventional injury, including firearms or blades. Furthermore, the Vampire cannot feel the pain that would result from such attacks. Gunfire has no effect on the revenant whatsoever, serving only to slow the creature down. Likewise, blades don’t affect the Vampire at all, unless the blade pierces the heart or removes the head.<br />
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The Vampire has supernatural regenerative capabilities, which allows the creature to recover from injuries that would permanently incapacitate or even kill a human. However, the Vampire cannot regenerate severed limbs, although the creature could possibly reattach a severed limb by pressing the limb against the stump. Poison, suffocation, extreme cold, aging, drowning, or disease cannot kill the Vampire, as the creature is already dead. The only substances that can kill or cause the Vampire pain are silver or blessed steel (both of which will be discussed later).<br />
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====Transformation====<br />
According to legends from around the world, the Vampire is a shapeshifter, capable of assuming a multitude of different forms. However, the Vampire is restricted primarily to animal forms, most notably a bat, a wolf, a rat, or a mist. The Vampire is able to assume these forms at will. In some cases (usually fictional cases), the Vampire is able to take the form of a monstrous man-beast form of the bat or the wolf.<br />
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By no means is the Vampire limited to assuming the forms of the aforementioned animals. In folklore, it is practically unheard of for a Vampire to change into a bat. However, according to folklore, the Vampire is able to assume the form of a fox, a moth, an owl, a spider, a locust, a cat, a dog, a frog, a snake, a fly, a flea, a mouse, or a raven (as well as other species of bird).<br />
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Shapeshifting gives the Vampire an array of advantages. Although not prominent in European folklore, the form of a bat enables the creature to fly over considerable distances. The bat also has keen hearing and the ability to use echolocation to maneuver through the night. The wolf is a ferocious predator, possessing savage strength, great speed, a degree of animalistic cunning, and keen senses, as well as deadly claws and teeth. The rat is small enough to penetrate most openings with ease, as well as having sharp teeth that enable the rodent to gnaw through nearly any material and having a keen sense of smell as well. The other forms mentioned previously offer many of the same advantages, as well as some unique ones of their own. Basically, the Vampire can utilize any abilities that an animal may have when it assumes that particular animal’s form.<br />
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In addition, the Vampire is able to dissolve into the form of a vaporous mist at will. While the creature’s ability to become a mist is rarely mentioned in folklore, it is feared greatly by the people of Hungary, some other parts of mainland Europe, and the Orient. While the creature’s ability to travel for any considerable distance is limited in this form, it is able to move in complete silence, to leave its grave (through finger-sized holes in the earth), to slip through the slightest openings with ease, and to escape from vampire hunters in pursuit of the creature. The Vampire is also unable to be physically harmed in this form, as projectiles just pass right through the vapor.<br />
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In other legends, it is said that the Vampire can become a ball of luminescent light, known as a will-o’-the-wisp. Perhaps coincidentally, these dancing lights are thought to be the ghostly remains of the dead in folklore throughout Europe.<br />
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====Ghost Form====<br />
In folklore, it is sometimes thought that the Vampire appears as a ghost to its victims, materializing only to attack and feed. In such cases, the Vampire’s spirit would arise from the grave, leaving the creature’s physical body safely behind in the grave. While in spectral form, the weapons of mortal men could not harm the Vampire, but this did leave the body vulnerable to an attack from vampire hunters.<br />
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====Domination====<br />
Through the use of hypnosis, the Vampire is able to dominate the mind and will of a human. The creature can convince a potential victim to allow the revenant to enter the individual’s home or leave a house unseen, command one that has been bitten by the creature in any way the Vampire wishes, and to force the chosen victim to accept the Vampire’s dark embrace without a struggle. The Vampire’s bite seems to have an anesthetic effect on the victim, giving the creature the time it needs to feed. Afterwards, the Vampire may use this ability to make the victim forget about the attack.<br />
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To dominate a human, the Vampire need only make eye contact with its victim for a few seconds. However, the stronger the human’s will, the longer hypnosis takes. If necessary, the Vampire can completely crush the human mind or destroy the individual’s sanity, leaving little more than a drooling lunatic. In the same manner, the Vampire can create a human slave. This slave is totally obedient to his master’s will, to the point of being willing to sacrifice everything for his master’s safety, including his life. Such individuals inevitably lose their minds, due to the Vampire’s power over them.<br />
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However, the Vampire’s ability to dominate a human is largely an invention of Bram Stoker’s, and the term domination comes from the popular role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. In folklore, the Vampire attacked its victims while they slept. Some were even unconsciously aware of the Vampire’s attack, claiming that they felt a heavy weight sitting on their chests, or even being awakened to find the creature hovering over them, readying itself to feed.<br />
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====Animal Control====<br />
According to legend, the Vampire is able to command many of the very animals it is able to transform itself into. This includes the bat, the wolf, the rat, locusts, the owl, the fox, the snake, and the moth. These creatures of the night come at the Vampire’s beck and call. They will obey each and every single command, even if it means death. This ability is present in folklore, but isn’t commonly mentioned.<br />
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One possible explanation is that, since mankind sees the Vampire as a savage beast, these animals see the Vampire as a kindred spirit of sorts, finding themselves somehow compelled to obey the Vampire’s commands.<br />
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====Command of the Weather====<br />
According to Professor Abraham Van Helsing, the Vampire is able to control the weather, within limits. The creature could direct the fog, summon a powerful storm, control the direction and the force of the wind, or even call down bolts of lightning to strike its enemies.<br />
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However, folklore makes no mention of the Vampire possessing such power. One tradition, as told by Dimitrij Zelenin, says that the earth itself rebelled against “unclean” bodies being buried within its soil, and retaliated by causing severe weather, like bringing about cold and frost during the spring months. Other than that, this is an invention of Bram Stoker.<br />
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====Disease====<br />
As the Vampire is essentially a rotting corpse, the revenant is capable of spreading a deadly plague through either its bite or its mere presence. In Romania, as mentioned earlier, the Vampire is known as ''nosferatu'', which literally means “plague-carrier.” When the Vampire has destroyed a village, the contagious disease that inevitably follows kills off the survivors with a horrible wasting disease. Over the next few days, the victim would progressively become weaker and weaker, until death occurred. Worse, those who died of the plague could become Vampires themselves. Those that did arise from the grave would continue to infect the countryside with the Vampire’s evil, spreading death and pestilence wherever they went.<br />
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During the Middle Ages, the Black Death struck Europe. The people who didn’t die of the bubonic plague blamed the Black Death on the Vampire, even though infected rats that had been bitten by disease-infected fleas had caused the disease. In fact, it could be argued that the fleas and the rats (both of which the Vampire may command) were sent by the Vampire to wreak havoc on human society. It is said that those who died of the Plague were cursed to rise from the grave as the Undead. Overall, the Black Death killed an estimated thirty to sixty percent of Europe’s population, and went on to spread into other parts of the world. Unlike the humans, however, the Vampire itself is immune to disease.<br />
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====Immortality====<br />
The most coveted trait of all is the Vampire’s immortality. Conceivably, assuming the Vampire feeds on a regular basis and evades vampire hunters, the Vampire could live forever. However, no Vampire in folklore ever exists long enough to actually determine how long the creature could exist. Thus, immortality is more of a trait of the fictional Vampire than a historical fact.<br />
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In regards to the Vampire’s actual lifespan (so to speak), it is often assumed by people that, barring destruction, the Vampire is immortal. However, this notion is only partially supported by folklore. Muslim Gypsies though that the Vampire’s unliving existence only lasted for several months, while other Gypsies believed that a reanimated corpse could only exist for forty days, which was seen as a mockery of the forty days that Jesus Christ spent in the desert, resisting temptation from Satan.<br />
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In the Slavic countries of Albania and Serbia, it is said that if the Vampire can escape destruction for thirty years and feed on human blood discreetly, the Vampire will eventually become human again, wandering about the world with a new identity.<br />
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As far as the Vampire of fiction goes, time equals power to the Vampire. The Vampire grows in strength for every year of its existence, gaining greater intelligence, greater cunning, an exponential increase in its various supernatural abilities, resistance to its weaknesses (sunlight, holy icons, etc.), and a decreasing need for blood. While this may be somewhat true in ancient folk beliefs, as mentioned previously, this is only partially supported by folklore.<br />
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====Other Abilities====<br />
In addition to those mentioned above, the Vampire has some other, lesser-known powers at its disposal. One of these abilities is the Vampire’s alleged ability to scale sheer surfaces, vertically or horizontally, much like a spider. This ability would allow the revenant to access places that would be otherwise impossible for a human to reach. However, this ability may have its roots in fiction, perhaps due to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It likely came from the observation that the common vampire bat (''desmodus rotundus'') is highly agile compared to most other species of bats, able to cling to and scale sheer surfaces like mentioned above. However, the Vampire predated the discovery of the vampire bat, and hence this ability’s origins lay in fictional accounts.<br />
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Other abilities, more rooted in folklore than anything else, that the Vampire possesses includes causing crop blights (destroying food sources), causing a drought, causing impotence in men, or even stealing vital organs (like the heart or the liver).<br />
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==Weaknesses==<br />
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Fortunately, the Vampire is not without its weaknesses. Since the Vampire exists in one form or another in cultures all over the world, the creature’s vulnerabilities are numerous. However, one who is well versed in Vampire lore and organizes himself accordingly, he will be able to come up with innovative uses for these weaknesses. Some of these vulnerabilities are apotropaics, or substances that are able to repel evil. Others listed here will cause the Vampire more direct harm. Some have no relevance at all, except for in fiction.<br />
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====Garlic====<br />
Garlic (''allium sativum'') is the best known and certainly one of the most effective Vampire apotropaics. It is well known in both folklore and fiction that this potent herb’s pungent odor and spicy taste is known not only to repulse the Undead, but just about everyone else, too! Knowledge of garlic’s antiseptic and antibiotic properties originates thousands of years ago in Egypt, where it was believed to possess healing powers. According to one source, Roman soldier were issued daily rations of garlic before battle to give them courage and strength, as well as for general health. <br />
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It is believed that garlic’s efficacy lies in the herb’s powerful odor. According to the theory that like repels like, it is highly likely that the Vampire, reeking of death and decay (overall, not just the revenant’s breath), will be utterly repulsed by any substance that smells just as badly (in this case, garlic).<br />
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In the Slavic lands of Europe, garlands of garlic are still worn by peasants and hung over doorways, as superstition still rules these people to an extent. These garlands are even available for purchase to tourists! Children are forced to wear garlic on their person at all times, whether at work or play. This kept away everything, including potential playmates. In China and Malaysia, it is rubbed all over to prevent vampiric attack, usually on the forehead or the armpits (the favored spot in the Philippines).<br />
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However, garlic is also useful in the Vampire’s destruction. Once a stake had been driven through the heart and the body decapitated, garlic bulbs were used to stuff the mouth. The garlic’s anti-evil properties severed the bond between the inhabiting demonic spirit and the dead flesh. This ensured that, if it was decided not to burn the corpse, the Vampire would be unable to regenerate itself and return to take its vengeance.<br />
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====Silver====<br />
Silver is a relatively recent addition to Vampire folklore. While popular in fiction, it also has some basis in folklore. Because of its purity and lustrous white color, silver is believed to possess protective powers against evil and negative influences. It is also said to have a supernatural association with the moon.<br />
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Because of its protective powers, silver has been used to keep evil at bay for thousands of years. It is said that silver nails in a coffin will prevent a revenant or a restless spirit from escaping the confines of its grave, while silver amulets repel evil spirits. A cross or a crucifix made of pure silver is far more powerful than one made of other metals, especially against the Vampire. On another note, silver is thought to ward off the Evil Eye.<br />
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When one thinks of silver being used in a supernatural context, the Werewolf and the silver bullet immediately come to mind. However, silver is considered to be the bane of all evil, and has therefore been utilized against vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, witches, giants, and those that live a “charmed” life. When a sorcerer’s familiar is injured or dies by a silver bullet, the creature’s master is dealt the same fate.<br />
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Silver is highly effective when utilized against the Vampire in a combat situation as well. A wound inflicted by a silver blade on the Vampire heals very slowly, if at all. If it pierces the heart, the Vampire dies. Since silver is too soft to make a serious weapon (with the exception being stakes, bullets, or projectile points), it is used in steel alloys and to plate steel blades (a process called silvering). The most popular choices for such applications are blades, especially swords, daggers, or knives. If a priest blesses the blades, then their efficacy is increased considerably. In folklore, one clear reference is found in Serbia. One man broke up silver coins (which were each engraved with a cross), loaded them into his shotgun, and fired on a revenant. The creature did not bother the villagers again.<br />
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====Running Water====<br />
According to legend (and the works of Bram Stoker), the Vampire is unable to cross running water, except at the ebb and flow of the tide. This includes rivers, streams, and (in some cases) the open ocean. According to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the creature may be carried over it on a water-going vessel (a boat or a ship). In folklore, witches, ghosts, and evil spirits are incapable of crossing running water, as water is a symbol of life, purity, and holiness. It is said to have healing and cleansing powers. Water is the main element in holy baptism and is held to be sacred to the Church, washing away sin and evil.<br />
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Water is a prominent element in folklore. It is said that tricking the Vampire into wading into flowing water can destroy the creature. Once the Vampire has entered the water, it will drown and perish. This is not to say that the Vampire can’t swim. The water’s inherent power and symbolism, through supernatural means, impedes the revenant’s ability to stay afloat and swim. However, if the creature is removed from the water, the Vampire will return to unlife. Then, it will proceed to make a meal out of its “rescuer.”<br />
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It is currently unknown where this belief originated from, but it may have come from Greece. The people, tired of the Vampire’s depredations, would unearth the corpse and exile it to a small, uninhabited island a few miles offshore. There, the revenant was reburied. Thus surrounded by flowing water, the Vampire was imprisoned and denied its need for blood.<br />
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====Invitation====<br />
The Vampire is unable to enter a house without first being verbally invited inside. However, once the invitation was extended, the Vampire may enter whenever it wishes, at anytime thereafter. Thus, as long as the people do not give admittance to the creature, they remain safe. However, once the Vampire has been invited inside, the creature is extremely difficult to get rid of. This usually happens when the household fails to recognize the Vampire for what it is. Once inside, the Vampire will drain each person of blood, one by one.<br />
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This is not a prominent limitation in folklore (except, perhaps, for the Greek [[Vrykolakas]]). In fact, superstitious peasants were forced to come up with their own remedies just to keep the Vampire out. The myth that the Vampire cannot cross the threshold of a house without first being invited most likely originates from a Christian belief that Satan cannot go where he isn’t welcome.<br />
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====Lack of a Reflection====<br />
According to legend, the Vampire casts no reflection in a mirror. This comes from the ancient belief that the mirror reflects the soul of the one who gazes into it. The Vampire has no soul, and therefore casts no reflection. The Vampire knows this, and it instinctively seeks to avoid reflective surfaces, hating mirrors so much that the revenant actively seeks to destroy them. The Vampire’s lack of a reflection is, sooner or later, something that is bound to be noticed by a perceptive individual.<br />
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On a similar note, it is said that the Vampire is incapable of casting a shadow. However, there is virtually no evidence in the annals of folklore to support this. This limitation is an invention of Bram Stoker, as is the Vampire’s inability to cast a reflection. In fact, the Vampire in folklore is able to cause death to any human that falls within the creature’s shadow.<br />
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====Sunlight====<br />
According to contemporary folklore, the Vampire cannot withstand direct exposure to the rays of the sun. Exposure to sunlight supposedly causes the Vampire to burst into flames and disintegrate into a pile of ash.<br />
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However, there is absolutely no evidence in folklore to support this notion. In early Vampire literature (such as J. Malcolm Rymer’s ''Varney the Vampire'' or Sheridan LeFanu’s ''Carmilla''), the Vampire could walk about freely in the daylight. This notion was popularized by F.W. Murnau’s 1922 horror masterpiece Nosferatu, and has achieved immense popularity in subsequent Vampire fiction and films. The terrifying truth is that, with only one exception, the Vampire isn’t adversely affected by sunlight, and the revenant has actually been known to hunt during the day. According to Slavic legend, the Vampire usually hunts between the hours of noon and midnight. However, this notion may have some indirect roots in folklore. According to Serbian folklore, the Vampire has no power during the day, but in fact receives its power from the Devil by night.<br />
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The Vampire’s aversion to sunlight in fiction is most likely derived from the notion that the Vampire is entirely nocturnal. While it is true that the revenant prefers the darkness of midnight, the Vampire is by no means limited to it. With few exceptions (such as the Chinese jiangshi), the Vampire may rise from the grave whenever it so chooses, and nothing can stop it.<br />
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====Holy Icons====<br />
It is said that the sight of holy icons, namely the cross or the crucifix, repulses the Vampire. This is a prominent theme in Vampire folklore, as well as literature and the movies.<br />
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The cross is one of mankind’s oldest forms of protection against evil, predating Christianity by centuries. It is associated with pagan sun deities and Heaven. In ancient times, the cross symbolized divine protection and prosperity. The symbolism of the cross was forever changed when Jesus Christ was crucified, sacrificing Himself by taking on the sins of the entire world, descending into Hell, and defeating the Devil. He then rose again from the dead three days later. This proved that, beyond any doubt, that Jesus truly is the Son of God. This transformed the cross into a symbol that was far more powerful: the crucifix. While resembling the cross in terms of basic form, there is one significant difference between the two: the crucifix bears the ''Corpus Christi'', the Body of Christ. It represents Jesus’ sacrifice for the sins of the world, that one day His people might ascend to Heaven and join Him in eternal life. This powerful symbolism means that the crucifix is far deadlier to the Vampire than the cross.<br />
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The cross and the crucifix are regarded as being the most potent of defenses against Satan and his evil legions. The cross is used in exorcism, to ward off sexual predators (like the Incubus and the Succubus), to prevent bewitchment, to protect crops from dark magic, and of course, to ward off the Vampire. During the Inquisition, the inquisitors (witch-hunters) wore the cross on their person or crossed themselves in the presence of a suspected witch as protection against any evil spells that the accused may cast against them. The common people crossed themselves frequently before they set about any given task, just in case evil happened to be lurking nearby. In folklore, a gold cross was placed in the mouth or on the body of corpse, in order to prevent the deceased from becoming one of the Undead.<br />
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In any event, no competent Demon Hunter should be without a cross or a crucifix (preferably the latter). During the Middle Ages, Christian Gypsies believed that the cross would repulse the Vampire (which is where all this started). When presented to the Vampire, the sight of the icon will visibly repel the creature. In addition to this, pressing the crucifix causes an agonizing burn, which will not heal and will scar the Vampire for as long as the creature continues to exist. However, the power of the symbol lies not in what it is made of, but in the strength of the icon’s symbolism, strengthened by the wielder’s faith and his will. This is essential, for without faith the cross will only be effective against the weakest of the Undead.<br />
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Furthermore, when placed in a grave, the grave is rendered uninhabitable to the Vampire. If a crucifix is buried with the deceased, then the corpse won’t become a Vampire. If blessed by a priest and anointed with holy water, or if forged of pure silver, the crucifix’s power is effectively doubled.<br />
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====Native Soil====<br />
According to contemporary folklore, the Vampire must rest by day, in a coffin filled with the soil from the land of the Vampire’s birth. Supposedly, the Vampire draws its power from the earth in an unknown manner. Placing a crucifix or the Eucharistic wafer in the coffin will defile the earth and make it inhospitable to the Undead, as will soaking the earth with holy water. The Vampire cannot travel more than one hundred miles from its home without taking at least a pound of its native soil with it.<br />
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However, the idea that the Vampire is dependent upon the earth while resting is an invention of Bram Stoker, as there is no evidence in folklore to support this notion. According to Slavic folklore, the Vampire has to return to its grave before dawn. However, it remains unsaid if the Vampire is compelled to do so, unlike it is shown in popular literature and the movies.<br />
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====Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder====<br />
In folklore, it is believed that the Vampire is, for some reason, extremely obsessive-compulsive. The creature is therefore compelled to stop and count tiny objects, like seeds, grains, salt, iron pellets, or pebbles. It is known that the Vampire loathes all that is natural or untainted by evil’s claws, and the seed’s symbolism as the start of a new life may be the key to the Vampire’s distraction. In any event, the Vampire will not stop until it has counted every single seed, sometimes as slowly as the rate of one seed counted per year, or even a century! Mustard seeds and poppy seeds are deemed to be the most effective, as Jesus alludes to the mustard seed in His parables, and the poppy seed has a narcotic effect on the Vampire that makes it unwilling or unable to leave its grave. Other effective substances include (but are certainly not limited to): iron nails, linseeds, sea salt, sand, oats, peppercorns, corn kernels, dried peas or beans, steel ball-bearings, rice, or grains of various kinds are all recommended.<br />
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Similarly, the Vampire is obsessed with untying knots. Confronted with a tangled cord, the Vampire is unable to feed until it has picked every single knot apart. It was thought that the creature took a year to untie each knot. It is thought that the knot’s mystical symbolism was responsible for this. Witches used them to cast spells, emotions or objects could become magically ensnared, and it was even believed that the knot could trap one’s soul indefinitely.<br />
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====Wolfsbane====<br />
Wolfsbane (a highly toxic member of the genus ''aconitum'', also known as aconite or monkshood) was thought to have anti-evil properties against Vampires, Werewolves, and shapeshifters for centuries, and is used in the same manner as garlic. A concoction derived from the roots of the plant was often used to wash bite wounds from wild or venomous animals, and so perhaps this is where Wolfsbane derived its supposed ability to cure people of lycanthropy or other supernatural afflictions.<br />
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====Salt====<br />
Due to its white color, purity, and its preservative properties, salt has always been associated with holiness and the triumph of good over evil, and has been used to repel witches, ghosts, demons, spirits, and all manner of evil beings. Very little mention has been made regarding its use against the Undead in folklore, other than that pregnant women in Romania that did not eat enough salt and were gazed upon by a Vampire would give birth to a child that, after its death, was doomed to rise from the grave as a Vampire. Furthermore, salt has a corrosive effect when it comes into contact with the Vampire’s skin.<br />
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====Fire====<br />
Fire has been a powerful force against the Undead and evil for centuries, as it is considered to be a symbol of God and the Holy Spirit, as well as one of nature’s most powerful purifiers. Therefore, after the Vampire is staked and decapitated, the remains were burned to ashes and were then scattered to the four winds.<br />
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Burning the Vampire is without a doubt the most effective means of permanently annihilating the Undead, but it is very difficult and takes hours on end, even days. Large amounts of wood and fuel are needed to completely cremate a body, but it was well worth the effort. The ashes were then placed in a burlap sack, which was then tied shut, and then the bag was tossed into a fast-flowing stream or river. Once this was done, there is no way in Heaven, earth, or Hell that the Vampire could possibly return.<br />
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The Vampire has other weaknesses as well, most of them being herbal in nature. They include the following: wild rose, holly, plants of the hawthorn family (hawthorn, blackthorn, whitethorn, and buckthorn), linden, juniper, lemon, mayflower, millet, rowan, ash, aspen, maple, oak, and dogrose. It should be noted that it is believed that the Vampire is unable to leave its grave on Saturdays (an exception being Holy Saturday, for some odd reason). On this day, it is stated in Bulgarian folk beliefs that the Vampire is reincarnated. This belief possibly stems from the fact that Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath day.<br />
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==Slaying the Vampire==<br />
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Just as the Vampire has its weaknesses, there are just as many ways to kill the Vampire. But how exactly does one kill a creature that is already dead? Although the many methods differ from one culture to the next, most seem to be similar in one way or another. There are three primary methods, used together, throughout Europe to destroy the walking dead: staking, decapitation, and burning. Collectively, these methods are known as the Vampire Exorcism. Its purpose is to ensure that the Vampire never again returns to plague the living.<br />
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====Staking====<br />
The best-known method of slaying the Vampire is to drive a wooden stake through the revenant’s heart. However, unlike what is portrayed in the movies and popular literature, a stake through the heart doesn’t actually kill the Vampire, but immobilizes the creature so that the rest of the Exorcism can take place.<br />
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The stake pins the Vampire to the ground, both physically and symbolically. Once the Vampire is affixed to the earth, it is thought that natural forces would catch up with the revenant’s body, and decay would begin. If the evil spirit inhabiting the corpse tried to escape, it would be unable to do so. However, according to Russian folk customs, the stake had to be driven completely through the corpse with a single blow, as a second blow would awaken the Vampire from its slumber. It is essential that, when staking the Vampire, one avoids spurting blood, as an individual that is splattered with the creature’s blood will either die instantly or become irrevocably insane.<br />
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The materials used to make stakes have varied somewhat throughout the ages. Iron was a popular choice during medieval times, and in some cases, the point of the stake was heated until the iron started to glow red-hot, at which point the stake was driven into the creature (a practice of the Bulgarian people). However, various hardwoods have remained the most popular choice for making stakes. Hawthorn or aspen are considered to be the most effective, as both woods have powerful religious connotations (hawthorn was used in Christ’s crown of thorns, while aspen was the wood that was used to build the cross that Jesus was crucified on). Other woods used for this purpose include oak, ash, wild rose, willow, yew, juniper, blackthorn, whitethorn, buckthorn, linden, rowan, and maple. However, in the countries of Albania and Dalmatia, a dagger that had been previously blessed by a priest was used to pierce the Vampire’s heart, as opposed to the more traditional wooden stake.<br />
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While many of these hardwoods are still popular, many modern vampire hunters prefer silver stakes. Although expensive, stakes made of this precious metal are worth every penny. A silver stake is far more durable than a wooden one, and can be used over and over. When irreparably damaged, they can be melted down and recast. As silver hardens when cold-forged with a hammer, this can be used to enhance the durability of the stake’s point. Silver stakes are generally useful in a close-quarters fight, while wooden stakes are usually used for pinning (although they are still useful in a fight).<br />
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A stake might be driven into the ground above the grave of a suspected revenant, so that the creature might impale itself upon rising from the grave. However, as mentioned previously, staking the Vampire wasn’t enough to slay the creature. As said earlier, the stake only immobilizes the Vampire for an indefinite period of time. Some Vampires were known to ignore the stake completely (one revenant thanked his would-be killers for the stick, using it to keep away dogs). To put it simply, the stake is only one part of destroying the Vampire.<br />
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====Decapitation====<br />
By far the most effective method of killing the Vampire is decapitation. Cutting off the head will kill any Vampire, no matter how old or how powerful the creature may be. This grisly practice originates from the belief that the Vampire is incapable of existing without its head or heart, as it cannot regenerate these vital parts. Without its head, the Vampire is unable to wander about at night without the head to direct it. As with staking, spurting blood must be avoided at all costs.<br />
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After the Vampire is exhumed and a stake is driven through the corpse, decapitation follows. Beheading could be done with a sword or an axe, but this was traditionally done with a gravedigger’s shovel (which has a supernatural connection to death) or the sexton’s spade (which is possessed of the holy power of God). Beforehand, the corpse was covered with a large piece of thick cloth, so as to avoid spurting blood. Then, the head was quickly struck off with a single stroke. Afterwards, the mouth was stuffed with fresh garlic cloves (as this severed the connection of the flesh and the inhabiting spirit). If the corpse was reburied, the head was placed under the arm or in between the legs, turned facedown. The head and the body should be buried at the crossroads, disposed of separately, burned (in separate fires), or buried in different plots. This is the second step in the Vampire Exorcism, but is highly effective in close-quarters combat with the Undead as well.<br />
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====Burning====<br />
Burning is the final step in the destruction of the Vampire, but it is also the most difficult and time-consuming parts of the Exorcism. As said earlier, cremation will destroy any Vampire. Fire is a manifestation of God’s Power, and one of the most powerful purifying forces known to man. However, incineration is only used as a last resort, only if staking, decapitation, or other preventative measures have failed.<br />
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Burning the Vampire is an extremely difficult undertaking, requiring copious amounts of oil, an unending supply of wood (one tale from Russia says to use “a hundred loads of aspen boughs”), an executioner, and a day or two off of work.<br />
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A corpse needs immense temperatures, oxygen, and constant heat to be reduced to charred ashes, and the commoners were incapable of meeting these demands. Therefore, an executioner (who has experience cutting up human bodies) with an axe was called in. He then proceeded to chop the vampiric cadaver into small pieces. This made it easier to burn the corpse. The Russians made an important emphasis on catching and killing any creatures that crawled out of the fire (insects, reptiles, birds, amphibians, and other such things), as these vermin could conceivably hold the Vampire’s essence. If even one of these creatures escaped, then the Vampire would find a new body, and the creature’s reign of terror would begin anew.<br />
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If cremation was successful, on the other hand, the people could rest at ease. The Vampire, no matter how powerful it was, would be gone forever. Next, the ashes were scattered to the winds, put into a sack and thrown into a fast-flowing river, or the ashes were simply buried. Either way, the threat of the Vampire was temporarily abated.<br />
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There are many other methods of destroying the Vampire, all of which are prevalent in folklore. Some are fairly extreme measures, reluctantly done when the vampire hunters or the common people had no other choice or any other ideas.<br />
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====Excision of the Heart====<br />
This is more extreme than staking, and quite a bit gorier as well. The heart is considered to be the part of the Vampire that is inhabited by a demonic spirit. In Romania (and some other parts of Europe), the Vampire is said to possess two hearts (and therefore, two souls). The second heart houses the evil spirit, maintaining the Vampire’s state of undeath. With two hearts, the revenant is twice as difficult to kill. If one destroys the heart, one destroys the Vampire. However, this is far easier said than done…<br />
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First, the Vampire had to be exhumed. Recall that, although nocturnal by nature, the Vampire is more than capable of activity during the daylight hours. Therefore, extreme caution is advised while doing this. Using a sword, a dagger, or a knife (the blade having been blessed by a priest previously), a deep incision is made in the abdomen or the chest cavity. Then, the Hunter inserted his hand and felt around for the heart. Once found, he ripped the organ out. But he wasn’t done yet…<br />
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Next, the heart had to be disposed of. This is usually done by burning it to ashes. Sometimes, the heart was boiled in wine, vinegar, oil, or holy water, and the heart was then returned to the body or burned afterwards. At times, after cremation, the ashes were carefully spooned back into the cavity. This method has been used quite frequently, especially in America (such as the Exeter, Rhode Island case of Mercy Brown in 1892). It remains a popular option, although messy and generally unpleasant.<br />
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====Dismemberment====<br />
Dismemberment is a grisly process that involves hacking off the Vampire’s limbs, one by one, to prevent the creature from rising from the grave and attacking the living. Obviously, any revenant is going to find it to be impossible to get up, wander around, and feed without its arms or legs. Ideally, this should be done with a sword (blessed by a priest) or a woodsman’s axe.<br />
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====Piercing with a Sword====<br />
The sword’s blade should be blessed and anointed with holy water beforehand. This should be done with a single thrust, directly through the heart. However, this method is more appropriate in a battle with the Undead. But either way, this technique gets the task done. No Vampire will rise again after a sword thrust through the heart (provided that proper disposal procedures are followed afterwards).<br />
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====Immersion in Water====<br />
As water’s symbolism as a purifier and one of the Holy Sacraments is anathema to the Vampire, a revenant that is fully immersed in water (especially running water) will drown and be destroyed. A bathtub could work, but disposal of the creature’s body may prove to be problematic (as removing the Vampire from the water will revive the creature).<br />
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====Stealing the Left Sock====<br />
Truly one of the most bizarre ways of destroying the Vampire. While the Vampire slumbers, the Hunter steals the creature’s left sock, fills the sock with earth or stones from the Vampire’s grave, and tosses the sock outside of the village’s proximity, usually into running water (i.e. a deep river). The Vampire, being an obsessive creature by nature, will panic and frantically begin searching for its missing sock. The revenant will even endure running water to find its sock, and will eventually drown.<br />
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====Drenching in Holy Water and Garlic====<br />
As both holy water and garlic have a negative effect on the Vampire, a quantity of holy water and garlic oil should be poured into the Vampire’s grave. This will cause the creature immense pain and to eventually disintegrate. However, several gallons are needed for this to be successful.<br />
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====Injection with Holy Water====<br />
Ideally, a hypodermic needle, filled with holy water or holy oil (whichever is preferred), should be inserted into the Vampire’s heart and the plunger depressed. This will carry the consecrated liquid throughout the revenant’s body, causing agonizing pain and also causing the Vampire to burn up from the inside.<br />
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====Bottling the Vampire====<br />
As incredible as this notion may seem to be, in Bulgarian folklore this is said to be one of the most powerful and effective methods of containing and destroying the Vampire. However, this requires powerful magic (which may be just as evil as the Vampire itself), and one has to hire a sorcerer as well. It is extremely dangerous, requiring a great degree of willpower, experience, and an excellent sense of balance. The Hunter (known in Bulgaria as the vampirdzhija), armed with a holy image or a relic and a bottle (baited with the Vampire’s favorite food, preferably the Hunter’s own blood), lies in wait for the revenant.<br />
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Once the creature appears, the Hunter chases the Vampire, pursuing it across rooftops, through houses, and even up trees without even a moment’s respite. When the Hunter finally corners the revenant, the Vampire is trapped. Confronted with the crucifix or holy image, the Vampire will have no choice but to assume the form of a mist and flee into the bottle. The Hunter quickly seals the bottle with a lid (engraved onto which is a cross). He then throws the bottle into a roaring fire, thereby forever destroying the Vampire. <br />
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In Malaysia, a similar practice is employed, but differs as follows: a bamboo tube (known as a tabong), sealed with leaves and a mystical charm, is used in place of the bottle and, instead of burning the container, the tube is tossed into the sea.<br />
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====Wolves====<br />
Although the Vampire is able to command wolves, there is one exception: the white wolf. The white wolf is greatly feared by the Vampire, making it a loyal companion and a friend to any Demon Hunter. This wolf can sense the Undead, and this is an extremely useful ability. In Albania, the [[Lugat]] (a powerful if somewhat cowardly [[Vampire]]) can only be destroyed by a white wolf. The wolf accomplishes this by biting off the Vampire’s leg. Grievously injured and even more humiliated, the lugat will retreat to its grave, never to be seen again.<br />
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====Shooting with a Consecrated Bullet====<br />
Under normal circumstances, firearms have little or no effect on the Vampire. However, a bullet that has been blessed by a priest (not necessarily silver) and is fired into the Vampire’s coffin or the Vampire’s heart will slay the revenant. However, this method is seldom mentioned in folklore. All the same, it is definitely worth a try.<br />
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==History==<br />
Vampires. The very word conjures up images of ruined castles, black-clad nobleman with pale complexions, and flowing streams of blood. However, the truth is far more frightening. Webster’s Compact Office Dictionary defines the Vampire as “in folklore, a reanimated corpse that sucks the blood of sleeping persons.” The Dictionary also designates the origin of the word Vampire as a Slavic word (although the word itself didn’t enter the English language until the year 1734 AD). It appears to be Slavonic Magyar, originating from the word vampir, which means, “blood monster.”<br />
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"''In all the darkest pages of the malign supernatural, there is no more terrible tradition than that of the Vampire, a pariah even among demons. Foul are his ravages; gruesome and seemingly barbaric are the ancient and approved methods by which folks must rid themselves of this hideous pest''." <br />
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– Reverend Montague Summers<br />
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The Vampire has haunted humanity since the day of creation. Legend has it that Cain, after killing his brother Abel, was cursed by God to wander the earth eternally, never to stay in one place for long, and to drink the blood of humanity. It is said that he was the first true Vampire. Others say that Lilith, the wife of Adam (before Eve) in Hebrew myths, refused to let Adam lay on top while they were making love. While an angel of the Lord tried to convince her to return to Adam, she cursed at the angel. In turn, she was cursed by God (although what exactly the curse was is unknown). Frustrated and angry, Lilith escaped and copulated with demons. God stated that He would destroy a thousand of her children a day. She cursed back, saying that she would drain the blood of newborns and the sexual potency of men. Some even say that Cain and Lilith met, having a sexual encounter that gave birth to a race of monsters, vile beyond belief. Still others say that, after having betrayed Jesus and hung himself from a tree (suicide is one of the best known methods to become a Vampire), that Judas Iscariot arose from the grave as the first true Vampire.<br />
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Although there are no clear biblical origins for the Vampire, the Vampire seems to originate back to either ancient Egypt or the Indus Valley (folklorists are debating as to the validity of these notions).<br />
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==References==<br />
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Still working on research at this time. A bibliography will be listed once the research is done.</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=The_Vampire_(another_version)&diff=13335
The Vampire (another version)
2009-06-02T03:03:29Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: New page: ==Nature== The Vampire is one of the Undead, a reanimated corpse that feeds on the blood of the living. ==Etymology== The legend of the Vampire is universal, and each culture has its...</p>
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<div>==Nature==<br />
The Vampire is one of the [[Undead]], a reanimated corpse that feeds on the blood of the living.<br />
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==Etymology==<br />
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The legend of the Vampire is universal, and each culture has its own name for the creature. The modern term vampire actually arises from the Slavonic Magyar ''vampir'', which literally means “blood monster”. In Romania, it is known as ''nosferatu'', which comes from the Greek ''nosophoros'', meaning “plague-carrier.”<br />
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==Description/Morphology==<br />
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The Vampire tends to resemble the person it was in life. However, the Vampire of legend is a walking corpse. Its body might be bloated, the skin stretched tightly across the creature’s body. The Vampire’s fingernails and toenails have grown since the creature’s burial, now sharpened talons. The skin tends to have a pale pallor to it, while being somewhat decayed. Since the Vampire tends to feed on its own flesh while struggling to leave the grave (known as manducation), there are often chunks of flesh missing from the limbs. The creature has sharp, extended canine teeth (the fangs), which allow for easy feeding. The Vampire’s breath reeks of decay and coagulated blood (although getting close enough to confirm this is next to impossible). The Vampire tends to be dressed in its burial shroud or whatever clothing the body happened to be wearing at the time of burial, and the creature itself reeks of death and grave dirt. The Vampire’s eyes are fiery red, and the creature’s ears are grotesquely stretched and pointed. The Vampire of ancient times is a horrifying monster, a far cry from the modern interpretation of the Vampire.<br />
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The Vampire of modern times is a very different creature, in both looks and character. Some Vampires have no distinguishing characteristics in this day and age, as the creature has retractable fangs that only show when the Vampire is feeding or angry, and the characteristic blood-red eyes only become apparent under these conditions as well.<br />
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Since Bela Lugosi appeared on the silver screen in Tod Browning’s 1931 film Dracula (Universal Studios), the Vampire stereotype had been fully established. The Vampire appears in formal evening attire: a white shirt, a red bowtie, a black jacket, black trousers, formal shoes, a prominent widow’s peak or slicked-back hairstyle, needle-sharp fangs, blood-red eyes, long fingernails (always cut to a sharp point), and finally a black opera cape, lined with scarlet and sporting a high collar. In the movies, these stereotypical characteristics instantly identify a given individual as one of the Undead.<br />
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In most cases, as mentioned previously, the Vampire bears a striking resemblance to the individual it was in life. The creature tends to be gaunt and wiry in build, belying the Vampire’s supernatural power. The Vampire has pale skin, and is very attractive to the opposite sex, which helps the Vampire to attract its victims. It tends to have long, needle-sharp fangs and fine nails (usually pointed and very sharp indeed). It should be noted that, in Bulgaria, the Vampire was believed to have only one nostril (probably not true). In Poland, the Vampire has a sharp, needlelike point on the tip of its tongue, much like a bee’s sting. It is through this appendage that the Vampire is believed to pierce the skin and drain its victim’s blood. However, the creature usually appears human under normal circumstances, unless in a state of bloodlust or angered in some way. At this point, the Vampire’s fangs (which are retractable) and the creature’s fiery red eyes become apparent and a feral, predatory visage can be seen. Female Vampires tend to have long, luxurious red hair, along with supple, firm breasts, a leanly muscular physique, and are generally sexually attractive to potential victims.<br />
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==Behavior==<br />
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The Vampire tends to be somewhat unpredictable in its behavioral patterns. The Vampire tends to be nocturnal, but it is a misconception that the creature can only arise from the grave at dusk and cannot abide by the light of the day. In fact, the Vampire could often rise whenever it pleased to hunt and feed, usually between the hours of noon and midnight (according to Slavic folklore, anyway). The Vampire only prefers the darkness because it can move about freely and unseen.<br />
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The Vampire is a highly intelligent creature, with the predatory cunning of an animal. However, most newly-risen Vampires are little more than cunning, mindless predators. The revenant’s every move and thought is driven by one instinct: hunger. As mentioned earlier, the Vampire’s need for blood is all-consuming. It will do everything within its power to gain a potential victim, so that it may feed. Like mentioned previously, the Vampire prefers to bite its victim on the neck, breasts, or wrist, although it will occasionally go for the inner thigh or the area of the chest directly over the heart (although some sources say that the Vampire sucked the victim’s skin and drained blood through the pores). It usually preys on victims of the opposite sex, although Vampires who chose an “alternative lifestyle” while still living may make exceptions. When the Vampire first rises from the grave, its first victims will be its family and loved ones. At times, when human prey is scarce or unavailable, the revenant will prey upon wild animals and livestock, although the Vampire tends to find such prey to be bland and unsatisfying. This is only something that the Vampire will do in desperation or is trying to avoid feeding on humans as much as possible.<br />
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In some cases, when a corpse reanimates, the Vampire is too weak to rise (as it has to smash through its coffin and claw through six feet of dirt). In order to gain the necessary power, the revenant engages in manducation, which literally means “eating.” This involves the Vampire chewing on its burial shroud and feeding on its own flesh (which has to be very painful). Once it has fed enough, it can arise from the grave and seek out its first victim, increasing in strength every time the creature feeds.<br />
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Hunting is a relatively straightforward task for the Vampire. Usually, since the creature prefers to hunt at night, it will wander through a nearby village or along the roads, seeking a potential victim. The Vampire then enters through an open window or under the door (usually in the form of a mist). It will then proceed to approach the sleeping victim and, once there, the Vampire leans over and sinks its fangs into the victim’s neck, right above the jugular vein. The victim usually moans aloud, but does not awaken. The Vampire then proceeds to drain off a portion of its prey’s blood, usually no more than a quart. However, this amount of blood loss isn’t enough to kill the victim. The victim then wakes up the next morning, feeling weak and utterly exhausted. The Vampire then proceeds to return over the course of several nights, continually draining the individual’s blood until death occurs from blood loss and sickness. If lucky, the victim is only dead. However, if this is not the case, the victim will rise from the grave three days later as one of the undead.<br />
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The Vampire is a vicious and deadly foe in a fight. The revenant’s combination of strength, speed, and agility, as well as its razor-sharp claws and fangs, makes the Vampire truly a force to be reckoned with. However, the creature must rest within its grave during the day, as this isn’t the Vampire’s natural time (sunlight does little actual harm, if any, to most Vampires). This leaves the revenant highly vulnerable to attack from Vampire Hunters. However, if the would-be hunter isn’t careful, the Vampire may rise and the hunter will become the revenant’s meal.<br />
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The Vampire is an intelligent, cunning creature, often more than capable of outwitting humans. The longer the Vampire lives, the more its intellect increases. Thus, Vampires that have lived for centuries on end are extremely dangerous foes. The revenant has razor-sharp instincts and is unnaturally perceptive, making the creature all the more formidable. Remember this: the Vampire has centuries of experience built up, and has had more experience in dealing with would-be killers than most Demon Hunters are inclined to think or admit to.<br />
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Although the Vampire is impotent and incapable of sexual activity for the most part, some exceptions are known to exist. According to Slavic folk beliefs, the Vampire is known to rise from the grave, return home to its widow and demand its favorite meal. Afterwards, the Vampire would demand intercourse (forcibly, if necessary). This was particularly common in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe, especially in Romania. Since the Vampire’s sperm was considered to still be potent, this kind of encounter could easily result in an unwanted pregnancy. The resulting child is known as a dhampir, a half-human, half-vampire hybrid. The child has all of the Vampire’s strengths, but none of its weaknesses (although the child may not see it that way). The dhampir possesses the strength, speed, agility, reflexes, endurance, and the acute senses of the Vampire. However, the dhampir is both blessed and cursed. The child is able to perceive the Vampire in its incorporeal form, but like his vampiric father, he is cursed with an insatiable hunger for human blood. Usually, the dhampir hunts down and destroys his father, for both revenge and common cause. Some traditions say that the dhampir has a weak, gelatinous skeleton. Therefore, the dhampir’s life will be short and filled with discomfort and pain.<br />
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Sometimes as Gypsy folklore dictates, the Vampire’s sexual drive was enough to cause the creature to return from the dead. The Vampire could also return if it had been in love with a woman, but the couple had never actually experienced sexual ecstasy together. She would be invited to return to the Vampire’s grave, where the creature would make her one of the Undead and, as a result, they could share their love forever.<br />
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The Vampire may cause death and despair through other means than its bite alone. According to some legends, the Vampire would call out its chosen victim’s name, several times if necessary. If that individual answers the call, they are doomed to die. Another legend says will climb up to a church’s bell tower and ring the bell. Anyone who heard or gave heed to the bell’s ominous ringing was condemned to die by the fangs of the Vampire. The creature can kill by causing disease to sweep through a given area, or it can spread misery by raping virginal young girls. Sometimes, the Vampire will cause poltergeist effects, like throwing objects, making loud banging noises, and opening or closing doors invisibly and repeatedly. It may attempt to suffocate humans with its vile stench. The Vampire is capable of causing crop blights or drought, draining the crops of life and causing a famine among the humans as a result. The Vampire would attack livestock, depriving the people of food.<br />
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The Vampire’s habits and behavioral patterns are, at best, chaotic and malevolent. The Vampire is an extremely difficult adversary to contend with, so absolute caution is advised when dealing with the Vampire. One can never tell what may come to pass in a life-or-death struggle with the Undead.<br />
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The Vampire needs to feed on fresh human blood for survival. This unnatural hunger drives the creature’s existence, and the Vampire constantly craves blood. It is thought by most that the blood invigorates the Vampire’s body, maintaining the undead state of the body and preventing further decay. When it feeds, the Vampire not only takes the victim’s blood, but also infects the victim with the supernatural taint of vampirism. Therefore, while prolonging the creature’s own soulless existence, it damns the unfortunate individual to become a Vampire after their death. Thus, the Vampire propagates its own kind.<br />
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When the Vampire feeds, it usually bites its victim on the neck, breast, inner thigh, or wrist. Through these wounds, the Vampire drains the victim of their flowing blood. The Vampire prefers to feed on victims of the opposite sex, although it is not unknown for some Vampires to feed upon the same sex. The Vampire doesn’t require much blood for survival, needing about one-half to a full quart every night. Older Vampires can resist the bloodlust for several weeks, but the creature grows progressively weaker the longer he goes without feeding, eventually reverting to its true age (which proves to be fatal). The Vampire can sate its hunger on the blood of animals if necessary, although this is usually something done only in desperation.<br />
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Folklorists, occultists, and vampirologists have debated exactly why the Vampire needs blood for a very long time. In ancient times, people recognized that blood is the source of life. To take another’s blood was to absorb the other individual’s strength and vitality, even to the point of killing the other. Early on, women recognized the innate connection between menstruation and the act of giving birth, as blood is symbolically and physically shed during both acts. People believed that, by drinking the blood of one’s fallen enemies, an individual would absorb his enemy’s strength and become exponentially more powerful. Blood is viewed by pagan religions as the sustenance of their gods, maintaining their power and immortality through the sacrifice of humans and animals. But, blood is sacred to God, and in the Old Testament, God emphasizes that drinking the blood of another is a mortal sin and is strictly forbidden. He specifically states this as follows:<br />
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“''And wherever you live, you must not eat the blood of any bird or animal. If anyone eats blood, that person must be cut off from his people''.”<br />
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-Leviticus 7: 26-27 (New International Version)<br />
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It could therefore be argued that the Vampire is a man (the Vampire tends to be predominantly male), cut off from both God and his own people because of his craving for human blood. The Vampire is a horrifying and reviled creature, cursed by God to arise from the grave as one of the undead and to feed on the blood of the living for eternity. As stated earlier, the blood is the life. God spoke to Moses on this matter, again explicitly emphasizing the importance and the sacred nature of the crimson fluid. God thus states:<br />
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“''Any Israelite or any alien living among them who eats any blood — I will set my face against that person who eats blood and cut him off from his people. For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life. Therefore I say to the Israelites, “None of you may eat blood, nor may any alien living among you eat blood''.”<br />
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-Leviticus 17: 10-12 (New International Version)<br />
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Basically, God says that “''thou shalt not drink the blood of another, lest thou be damned for eternity''.” Think of it as the eleventh commandment. Christians believe that Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross saved them from sin and eternal damnation in Hell. Before He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot (whom some believe may have been the first true Vampire), Jesus said at the Last Supper: “''Take and eat; this is my body''.” Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks, He offered it to His disciples, saying “''Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins'' (Matthew 26: 26-28).” The Vampire, being a creature born of Satan’s power, drank blood in blasphemous defiance of God’s command, defiling the sacred and stealing what belongs to God alone.<br />
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==Powers/Weaknesses==<br />
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The Vampire possesses an array of supernatural powers at its disposal. This makes the creature extremely difficult to contend with in a fight. Although the abilities attributed to the Vampire differ somewhat from culture to culture, the creature’s other powers remain the same. However, many of the abilities that the Vampire is commonly though to possess are based in fiction, not folklore.<br />
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====Physical Abilities====<br />
The Vampire possesses supernatural strength, speed, agility, reflexes, and endurance. The Vampire’s strength is said to be far greater than any mortal’s, as the Vampire is no longer restrained by mortal limitations and is empowered by a combination of the spirit and the flesh, the only limitation being that the Vampire requires blood to fuel its energy reserves. The creature’s strength gives it an advantage during the hunt, as it can overpower almost any human without much effort at all.<br />
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The Vampire is extremely quick, moving faster than the human eye can possibly see. The creature’s sheer speed, combined with its unnatural stealth, makes it impossible for the Vampire’s prey to detect or escape from the Vampire until it is too late. The Vampire possesses supernatural agility as well. The creature can leap to great heights and is nimble enough to scale sheer surfaces with amazing speed, much like a spider. The Vampire is able to avoid gunfire easily, and reacts with unnatural quickness to any threat, due to the creature’s superhuman reflexes. The Vampire is able to move at great speed for long periods, and it is nearly impossible to tire the Vampire, due to its preternatural degree of endurance.<br />
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Once again, the Vampire’s formidable abilities are limited by one thing: blood. If the Vampire goes without feeding or is prevented from doing so for an extended period of time, the creature steadily begins to weaken and show its true age. This can prove to be fatal to the Vampire, if the cunning Vampire Hunter doesn’t dispatch the revenant beforehand.<br />
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====Senses====<br />
The Vampire’s senses of sight, smell, hearing, and touch are of supernatural keeness, comparable on many levels to a wolf’s. The Vampire can see with perfect clarity in the darkness of the night, to the point of being able to detect the bodily heat emanations from its victims. The creature’s hearing is comparable to a bat or an owl, possessing a level of sensitivity on par with the bat’s own echo-sensitivity.<br />
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The Vampire’s sense of smell is as acute as that of a wolf or a dog’s, enabling the creature to track its prey for miles by the scent of the victim’s blood alone, a sensation that the Vampire relishes. The Vampire is also able to tell individual people apart by the scent of their blood coursing through their veins or bodily odors. The Vampire’s sense of touch is amazingly acute, as the creature can feel the heartbeat of a potential victim through thick walls, or it can detect the vibrations of a vampire hunter’s footsteps and the direction of the footsteps, enabling the Vampire to either escape or prepare an ambush for the would-be hunter.<br />
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In addition to its five senses, the Vampire possesses a preternatural sixth sense. The Vampire can instinctively sense impending danger, usually posed by humans. The revenant can sense emanations of good or evil, instinctively avoiding the former while congregating in the latter. Overall, the Vampire’s keen senses give the creature several advantages when hunting or eluding its enemies.<br />
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====Resistance to Injury====<br />
The Vampire is incapable of being harmed or slain by most forms of conventional injury, including firearms or blades. Furthermore, the Vampire cannot feel the pain that would result from such attacks. Gunfire has no effect on the revenant whatsoever, serving only to slow the creature down. Likewise, blades don’t affect the Vampire at all, unless the blade pierces the heart or removes the head.<br />
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The Vampire has supernatural regenerative capabilities, which allows the creature to recover from injuries that would permanently incapacitate or even kill a human. However, the Vampire cannot regenerate severed limbs, although the creature could possibly reattach a severed limb by pressing the limb against the stump. Poison, suffocation, extreme cold, aging, drowning, or disease cannot kill the Vampire, as the creature is already dead. The only substances that can kill or cause the Vampire pain are silver or blessed steel (both of which will be discussed later).<br />
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====Transformation====<br />
According to legends from around the world, the Vampire is a shapeshifter, capable of assuming a multitude of different forms. However, the Vampire is restricted primarily to animal forms, most notably a bat, a wolf, a rat, or a mist. The Vampire is able to assume these forms at will. In some cases (usually fictional cases), the Vampire is able to take the form of a monstrous man-beast form of the bat or the wolf.<br />
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By no means is the Vampire limited to assuming the forms of the aforementioned animals. In folklore, it is practically unheard of for a Vampire to change into a bat. However, according to folklore, the Vampire is able to assume the form of a fox, a moth, an owl, a spider, a locust, a cat, a dog, a frog, a snake, a fly, a flea, a mouse, or a raven (as well as other species of bird).<br />
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Shapeshifting gives the Vampire an array of advantages. Although not prominent in European folklore, the form of a bat enables the creature to fly over considerable distances. The bat also has keen hearing and the ability to use echolocation to maneuver through the night. The wolf is a ferocious predator, possessing savage strength, great speed, a degree of animalistic cunning, and keen senses, as well as deadly claws and teeth. The rat is small enough to penetrate most openings with ease, as well as having sharp teeth that enable the rodent to gnaw through nearly any material and having a keen sense of smell as well. The other forms mentioned previously offer many of the same advantages, as well as some unique ones of their own. Basically, the Vampire can utilize any abilities that an animal may have when it assumes that particular animal’s form.<br />
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In addition, the Vampire is able to dissolve into the form of a vaporous mist at will. While the creature’s ability to become a mist is rarely mentioned in folklore, it is feared greatly by the people of Hungary, some other parts of mainland Europe, and the Orient. While the creature’s ability to travel for any considerable distance is limited in this form, it is able to move in complete silence, to leave its grave (through finger-sized holes in the earth), to slip through the slightest openings with ease, and to escape from vampire hunters in pursuit of the creature. The Vampire is also unable to be physically harmed in this form, as projectiles just pass right through the vapor.<br />
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In other legends, it is said that the Vampire can become a ball of luminescent light, known as a will-o’-the-wisp. Perhaps coincidentally, these dancing lights are thought to be the ghostly remains of the dead in folklore throughout Europe.<br />
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====Ghost Form====<br />
In folklore, it is sometimes thought that the Vampire appears as a ghost to its victims, materializing only to attack and feed. In such cases, the Vampire’s spirit would arise from the grave, leaving the creature’s physical body safely behind in the grave. While in spectral form, the weapons of mortal men could not harm the Vampire, but this did leave the body vulnerable to an attack from vampire hunters.<br />
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====Domination====<br />
Through the use of hypnosis, the Vampire is able to dominate the mind and will of a human. The creature can convince a potential victim to allow the revenant to enter the individual’s home or leave a house unseen, command one that has been bitten by the creature in any way the Vampire wishes, and to force the chosen victim to accept the Vampire’s dark embrace without a struggle. The Vampire’s bite seems to have an anesthetic effect on the victim, giving the creature the time it needs to feed. Afterwards, the Vampire may use this ability to make the victim forget about the attack.<br />
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To dominate a human, the Vampire need only make eye contact with its victim for a few seconds. However, the stronger the human’s will, the longer hypnosis takes. If necessary, the Vampire can completely crush the human mind or destroy the individual’s sanity, leaving little more than a drooling lunatic. In the same manner, the Vampire can create a human slave. This slave is totally obedient to his master’s will, to the point of being willing to sacrifice everything for his master’s safety, including his life. Such individuals inevitably lose their minds, due to the Vampire’s power over them.<br />
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However, the Vampire’s ability to dominate a human is largely an invention of Bram Stoker’s, and the term domination comes from the popular role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. In folklore, the Vampire attacked its victims while they slept. Some were even unconsciously aware of the Vampire’s attack, claiming that they felt a heavy weight sitting on their chests, or even being awakened to find the creature hovering over them, readying itself to feed.<br />
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====Animal Control====<br />
According to legend, the Vampire is able to command many of the very animals it is able to transform itself into. This includes the bat, the wolf, the rat, locusts, the owl, the fox, the snake, and the moth. These creatures of the night come at the Vampire’s beck and call. They will obey each and every single command, even if it means death. This ability is present in folklore, but isn’t commonly mentioned.<br />
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One possible explanation is that, since mankind sees the Vampire as a savage beast, these animals see the Vampire as a kindred spirit of sorts, finding themselves somehow compelled to obey the Vampire’s commands.<br />
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====Command of the Weather====<br />
According to Professor Abraham Van Helsing, the Vampire is able to control the weather, within limits. The creature could direct the fog, summon a powerful storm, control the direction and the force of the wind, or even call down bolts of lightning to strike its enemies.<br />
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However, folklore makes no mention of the Vampire possessing such power. One tradition, as told by Dimitrij Zelenin, says that the earth itself rebelled against “unclean” bodies being buried within its soil, and retaliated by causing severe weather, like bringing about cold and frost during the spring months. Other than that, this is an invention of Bram Stoker.<br />
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====Disease====<br />
As the Vampire is essentially a rotting corpse, the revenant is capable of spreading a deadly plague through either its bite or its mere presence. In Romania, as mentioned earlier, the Vampire is known as ''nosferatu'', which literally means “plague-carrier.” When the Vampire has destroyed a village, the contagious disease that inevitably follows kills off the survivors with a horrible wasting disease. Over the next few days, the victim would progressively become weaker and weaker, until death occurred. Worse, those who died of the plague could become Vampires themselves. Those that did arise from the grave would continue to infect the countryside with the Vampire’s evil, spreading death and pestilence wherever they went.<br />
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During the Middle Ages, the Black Death struck Europe. The people who didn’t die of the bubonic plague blamed the Black Death on the Vampire, even though infected rats that had been bitten by disease-infected fleas had caused the disease. In fact, it could be argued that the fleas and the rats (both of which the Vampire may command) were sent by the Vampire to wreak havoc on human society. It is said that those who died of the Plague were cursed to rise from the grave as the Undead. Overall, the Black Death killed an estimated thirty to sixty percent of Europe’s population, and went on to spread into other parts of the world. Unlike the humans, however, the Vampire itself is immune to disease.<br />
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====Immortality====<br />
The most coveted trait of all is the Vampire’s immortality. Conceivably, assuming the Vampire feeds on a regular basis and evades vampire hunters, the Vampire could live forever. However, no Vampire in folklore ever exists long enough to actually determine how long the creature could exist. Thus, immortality is more of a trait of the fictional Vampire than a historical fact.<br />
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In regards to the Vampire’s actual lifespan (so to speak), it is often assumed by people that, barring destruction, the Vampire is immortal. However, this notion is only partially supported by folklore. Muslim Gypsies though that the Vampire’s unliving existence only lasted for several months, while other Gypsies believed that a reanimated corpse could only exist for forty days, which was seen as a mockery of the forty days that Jesus Christ spent in the desert, resisting temptation from Satan.<br />
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In the Slavic countries of Albania and Serbia, it is said that if the Vampire can escape destruction for thirty years and feed on human blood discreetly, the Vampire will eventually become human again, wandering about the world with a new identity.<br />
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As far as the Vampire of fiction goes, time equals power to the Vampire. The Vampire grows in strength for every year of its existence, gaining greater intelligence, greater cunning, an exponential increase in its various supernatural abilities, resistance to its weaknesses (sunlight, holy icons, etc.), and a decreasing need for blood. While this may be somewhat true in ancient folk beliefs, as mentioned previously, this is only partially supported by folklore.<br />
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====Other Abilities====<br />
In addition to those mentioned above, the Vampire has some other, lesser-known powers at its disposal. One of these abilities is the Vampire’s alleged ability to scale sheer surfaces, vertically or horizontally, much like a spider. This ability would allow the revenant to access places that would be otherwise impossible for a human to reach. However, this ability may have its roots in fiction, perhaps due to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It likely came from the observation that the common vampire bat (''desmodus rotundus'') is highly agile compared to most other species of bats, able to cling to and scale sheer surfaces like mentioned above. However, the Vampire predated the discovery of the vampire bat, and hence this ability’s origins lay in fictional accounts.<br />
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Other abilities, more rooted in folklore than anything else, that the Vampire possesses includes causing crop blights (destroying food sources), causing a drought, causing impotence in men, or even stealing vital organs (like the heart or the liver).<br />
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Fortunately, the Vampire is not without its weaknesses. Since the Vampire exists in one form or another in cultures all over the world, the creature’s vulnerabilities are numerous. However, one who is well versed in Vampire lore and organizes himself accordingly, he will be able to come up with innovative uses for these weaknesses. Some of these vulnerabilities are apotropaics, or substances that are able to repel evil. Others listed here will cause the Vampire more direct harm. Some have no relevance at all, except for in fiction.<br />
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====Garlic====<br />
Garlic (''allium sativum'') is the best known and certainly one of the most effective Vampire apotropaics. It is well known in both folklore and fiction that this potent herb’s pungent odor and spicy taste is known not only to repulse the Undead, but just about everyone else, too! Knowledge of garlic’s antiseptic and antibiotic properties originates thousands of years ago in Egypt, where it was believed to possess healing powers. According to one source, Roman soldier were issued daily rations of garlic before battle to give them courage and strength, as well as for general health. <br />
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It is believed that garlic’s efficacy lies in the herb’s powerful odor. According to the theory that like repels like, it is highly likely that the Vampire, reeking of death and decay (overall, not just the revenant’s breath), will be utterly repulsed by any substance that smells just as badly (in this case, garlic).<br />
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In the Slavic lands of Europe, garlands of garlic are still worn by peasants and hung over doorways, as superstition still rules these people to an extent. These garlands are even available for purchase to tourists! Children are forced to wear garlic on their person at all times, whether at work or play. This kept away everything, including potential playmates. In China and Malaysia, it is rubbed all over to prevent vampiric attack, usually on the forehead or the armpits (the favored spot in the Philippines).<br />
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However, garlic is also useful in the Vampire’s destruction. Once a stake had been driven through the heart and the body decapitated, garlic bulbs were used to stuff the mouth. The garlic’s anti-evil properties severed the bond between the inhabiting demonic spirit and the dead flesh. This ensured that, if it was decided not to burn the corpse, the Vampire would be unable to regenerate itself and return to take its vengeance.<br />
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====Silver====<br />
Silver is a relatively recent addition to Vampire folklore. While popular in fiction, it also has some basis in folklore. Because of its purity and lustrous white color, silver is believed to possess protective powers against evil and negative influences. It is also said to have a supernatural association with the moon.<br />
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Because of its protective powers, silver has been used to keep evil at bay for thousands of years. It is said that silver nails in a coffin will prevent a revenant or a restless spirit from escaping the confines of its grave, while silver amulets repel evil spirits. A cross or a crucifix made of pure silver is far more powerful than one made of other metals, especially against the Vampire. On another note, silver is thought to ward off the Evil Eye.<br />
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When one thinks of silver being used in a supernatural context, the Werewolf and the silver bullet immediately come to mind. However, silver is considered to be the bane of all evil, and has therefore been utilized against vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, witches, giants, and those that live a “charmed” life. When a sorcerer’s familiar is injured or dies by a silver bullet, the creature’s master is dealt the same fate.<br />
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Silver is highly effective when utilized against the Vampire in a combat situation as well. A wound inflicted by a silver blade on the Vampire heals very slowly, if at all. If it pierces the heart, the Vampire dies. Since silver is too soft to make a serious weapon (with the exception being stakes, bullets, or projectile points), it is used in steel alloys and to plate steel blades (a process called silvering). The most popular choices for such applications are blades, especially swords, daggers, or knives. If a priest blesses the blades, then their efficacy is increased considerably. In folklore, one clear reference is found in Serbia. One man broke up silver coins (which were each engraved with a cross), loaded them into his shotgun, and fired on a revenant. The creature did not bother the villagers again.<br />
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====Running Water====<br />
According to legend (and the works of Bram Stoker), the Vampire is unable to cross running water, except at the ebb and flow of the tide. This includes rivers, streams, and (in some cases) the open ocean. According to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the creature may be carried over it on a water-going vessel (a boat or a ship). In folklore, witches, ghosts, and evil spirits are incapable of crossing running water, as water is a symbol of life, purity, and holiness. It is said to have healing and cleansing powers. Water is the main element in holy baptism and is held to be sacred to the Church, washing away sin and evil.<br />
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Water is a prominent element in folklore. It is said that tricking the Vampire into wading into flowing water can destroy the creature. Once the Vampire has entered the water, it will drown and perish. This is not to say that the Vampire can’t swim. The water’s inherent power and symbolism, through supernatural means, impedes the revenant’s ability to stay afloat and swim. However, if the creature is removed from the water, the Vampire will return to unlife. Then, it will proceed to make a meal out of its “rescuer.”<br />
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It is currently unknown where this belief originated from, but it may have come from Greece. The people, tired of the Vampire’s depredations, would unearth the corpse and exile it to a small, uninhabited island a few miles offshore. There, the revenant was reburied. Thus surrounded by flowing water, the Vampire was imprisoned and denied its need for blood.<br />
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====Invitation====<br />
The Vampire is unable to enter a house without first being verbally invited inside. However, once the invitation was extended, the Vampire may enter whenever it wishes, at anytime thereafter. Thus, as long as the people do not give admittance to the creature, they remain safe. However, once the Vampire has been invited inside, the creature is extremely difficult to get rid of. This usually happens when the household fails to recognize the Vampire for what it is. Once inside, the Vampire will drain each person of blood, one by one.<br />
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This is not a prominent limitation in folklore (except, perhaps, for the Greek [[Vrykolakas]]). In fact, superstitious peasants were forced to come up with their own remedies just to keep the Vampire out. The myth that the Vampire cannot cross the threshold of a house without first being invited most likely originates from a Christian belief that Satan cannot go where he isn’t welcome.<br />
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====Lack of a Reflection====<br />
According to legend, the Vampire casts no reflection in a mirror. This comes from the ancient belief that the mirror reflects the soul of the one who gazes into it. The Vampire has no soul, and therefore casts no reflection. The Vampire knows this, and it instinctively seeks to avoid reflective surfaces, hating mirrors so much that the revenant actively seeks to destroy them. The Vampire’s lack of a reflection is, sooner or later, something that is bound to be noticed by a perceptive individual.<br />
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On a similar note, it is said that the Vampire is incapable of casting a shadow. However, there is virtually no evidence in the annals of folklore to support this. This limitation is an invention of Bram Stoker, as is the Vampire’s inability to cast a reflection. In fact, the Vampire in folklore is able to cause death to any human that falls within the creature’s shadow.<br />
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====Sunlight====<br />
According to contemporary folklore, the Vampire cannot withstand direct exposure to the rays of the sun. Exposure to sunlight supposedly causes the Vampire to burst into flames and disintegrate into a pile of ash.<br />
<br />
However, there is absolutely no evidence in folklore to support this notion. In early Vampire literature (such as J. Malcolm Rymer’s ''Varney the Vampire'' or Sheridan LeFanu’s ''Carmilla''), the Vampire could walk about freely in the daylight. This notion was popularized by F.W. Murnau’s 1922 horror masterpiece Nosferatu, and has achieved immense popularity in subsequent Vampire fiction and films. The terrifying truth is that, with only one exception, the Vampire isn’t adversely affected by sunlight, and the revenant has actually been known to hunt during the day. According to Slavic legend, the Vampire usually hunts between the hours of noon and midnight. However, this notion may have some indirect roots in folklore. According to Serbian folklore, the Vampire has no power during the day, but in fact receives its power from the Devil by night.<br />
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The Vampire’s aversion to sunlight in fiction is most likely derived from the notion that the Vampire is entirely nocturnal. While it is true that the revenant prefers the darkness of midnight, the Vampire is by no means limited to it. With few exceptions (such as the Chinese jiangshi), the Vampire may rise from the grave whenever it so chooses, and nothing can stop it.<br />
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====Holy Icons====<br />
It is said that the sight of holy icons, namely the cross or the crucifix, repulses the Vampire. This is a prominent theme in Vampire folklore, as well as literature and the movies.<br />
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The cross is one of mankind’s oldest forms of protection against evil, predating Christianity by centuries. It is associated with pagan sun deities and Heaven. In ancient times, the cross symbolized divine protection and prosperity. The symbolism of the cross was forever changed when Jesus Christ was crucified, sacrificing Himself by taking on the sins of the entire world, descending into Hell, and defeating the Devil. He then rose again from the dead three days later. This proved that, beyond any doubt, that Jesus truly is the Son of God. This transformed the cross into a symbol that was far more powerful: the crucifix. While resembling the cross in terms of basic form, there is one significant difference between the two: the crucifix bears the ''Corpus Christi'', the Body of Christ. It represents Jesus’ sacrifice for the sins of the world, that one day His people might ascend to Heaven and join Him in eternal life. This powerful symbolism means that the crucifix is far deadlier to the Vampire than the cross.<br />
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The cross and the crucifix are regarded as being the most potent of defenses against Satan and his evil legions. The cross is used in exorcism, to ward off sexual predators (like the Incubus and the Succubus), to prevent bewitchment, to protect crops from dark magic, and of course, to ward off the Vampire. During the Inquisition, the inquisitors (witch-hunters) wore the cross on their person or crossed themselves in the presence of a suspected witch as protection against any evil spells that the accused may cast against them. The common people crossed themselves frequently before they set about any given task, just in case evil happened to be lurking nearby. In folklore, a gold cross was placed in the mouth or on the body of corpse, in order to prevent the deceased from becoming one of the Undead.<br />
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In any event, no competent Demon Hunter should be without a cross or a crucifix (preferably the latter). During the Middle Ages, Christian Gypsies believed that the cross would repulse the Vampire (which is where all this started). When presented to the Vampire, the sight of the icon will visibly repel the creature. In addition to this, pressing the crucifix causes an agonizing burn, which will not heal and will scar the Vampire for as long as the creature continues to exist. However, the power of the symbol lies not in what it is made of, but in the strength of the icon’s symbolism, strengthened by the wielder’s faith and his will. This is essential, for without faith the cross will only be effective against the weakest of the Undead.<br />
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Furthermore, when placed in a grave, the grave is rendered uninhabitable to the Vampire. If a crucifix is buried with the deceased, then the corpse won’t become a Vampire. If blessed by a priest and anointed with holy water, or if forged of pure silver, the crucifix’s power is effectively doubled.<br />
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====Native Soil====<br />
According to contemporary folklore, the Vampire must rest by day, in a coffin filled with the soil from the land of the Vampire’s birth. Supposedly, the Vampire draws its power from the earth in an unknown manner. Placing a crucifix or the Eucharistic wafer in the coffin will defile the earth and make it inhospitable to the Undead, as will soaking the earth with holy water. The Vampire cannot travel more than one hundred miles from its home without taking at least a pound of its native soil with it.<br />
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However, the idea that the Vampire is dependent upon the earth while resting is an invention of Bram Stoker, as there is no evidence in folklore to support this notion. According to Slavic folklore, the Vampire has to return to its grave before dawn. However, it remains unsaid if the Vampire is compelled to do so, unlike it is shown in popular literature and the movies.<br />
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====Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder====<br />
In folklore, it is believed that the Vampire is, for some reason, extremely obsessive-compulsive. The creature is therefore compelled to stop and count tiny objects, like seeds, grains, salt, iron pellets, or pebbles. It is known that the Vampire loathes all that is natural or untainted by evil’s claws, and the seed’s symbolism as the start of a new life may be the key to the Vampire’s distraction. In any event, the Vampire will not stop until it has counted every single seed, sometimes as slowly as the rate of one seed counted per year, or even a century! Mustard seeds and poppy seeds are deemed to be the most effective, as Jesus alludes to the mustard seed in His parables, and the poppy seed has a narcotic effect on the Vampire that makes it unwilling or unable to leave its grave. Other effective substances include (but are certainly not limited to): iron nails, linseeds, sea salt, sand, oats, peppercorns, corn kernels, dried peas or beans, steel ball-bearings, rice, or grains of various kinds are all recommended.<br />
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Similarly, the Vampire is obsessed with untying knots. Confronted with a tangled cord, the Vampire is unable to feed until it has picked every single knot apart. It was thought that the creature took a year to untie each knot. It is thought that the knot’s mystical symbolism was responsible for this. Witches used them to cast spells, emotions or objects could become magically ensnared, and it was even believed that the knot could trap one’s soul indefinitely.<br />
<br />
====Wolfsbane====<br />
Wolfsbane (a highly toxic member of the genus ''aconitum'', also known as aconite or monkshood) was thought to have anti-evil properties against Vampires, Werewolves, and shapeshifters for centuries, and is used in the same manner as garlic. A concoction derived from the roots of the plant was often used to wash bite wounds from wild or venomous animals, and so perhaps this is where Wolfsbane derived its supposed ability to cure people of lycanthropy or other supernatural afflictions.<br />
<br />
====Salt====<br />
Due to its white color, purity, and its preservative properties, salt has always been associated with holiness and the triumph of good over evil, and has been used to repel witches, ghosts, demons, spirits, and all manner of evil beings. Very little mention has been made regarding its use against the Undead in folklore, other than that pregnant women in Romania that did not eat enough salt and were gazed upon by a Vampire would give birth to a child that, after its death, was doomed to rise from the grave as a Vampire. Furthermore, salt has a corrosive effect when it comes into contact with the Vampire’s skin.<br />
<br />
====Fire====<br />
Fire has been a powerful force against the Undead and evil for centuries, as it is considered to be a symbol of God and the Holy Spirit, as well as one of nature’s most powerful purifiers. Therefore, after the Vampire is staked and decapitated, the remains were burned to ashes and were then scattered to the four winds.<br />
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Burning the Vampire is without a doubt the most effective means of permanently annihilating the Undead, but it is very difficult and takes hours on end, even days. Large amounts of wood and fuel are needed to completely cremate a body, but it was well worth the effort. The ashes were then placed in a burlap sack, which was then tied shut, and then the bag was tossed into a fast-flowing stream or river. Once this was done, there is no way in Heaven, earth, or Hell that the Vampire could possibly return.<br />
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The Vampire has other weaknesses as well, most of them being herbal in nature. They include the following: wild rose, holly, plants of the hawthorn family (hawthorn, blackthorn, whitethorn, and buckthorn), linden, juniper, lemon, mayflower, millet, rowan, ash, aspen, maple, oak, and dogrose. It should be noted that it is believed that the Vampire is unable to leave its grave on Saturdays (an exception being Holy Saturday, for some odd reason). On this day, it is stated in Bulgarian folk beliefs that the Vampire is reincarnated. This belief possibly stems from the fact that Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath day.<br />
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Just as the Vampire has its weaknesses, there are just as many ways to kill the Vampire. But how exactly does one kill a creature that is already dead? Although the many methods differ from one culture to the next, most seem to be similar in one way or another. There are three primary methods, used together, throughout Europe to destroy the walking dead: staking, decapitation, and burning. Collectively, these methods are known as the Vampire Exorcism. Its purpose is to ensure that the Vampire never again returns to plague the living.<br />
<br />
====Staking====<br />
The best-known method of slaying the Vampire is to drive a wooden stake through the revenant’s heart. However, unlike what is portrayed in the movies and popular literature, a stake through the heart doesn’t actually kill the Vampire, but immobilizes the creature so that the rest of the Exorcism can take place.<br />
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The stake pins the Vampire to the ground, both physically and symbolically. Once the Vampire is affixed to the earth, it is thought that natural forces would catch up with the revenant’s body, and decay would begin. If the evil spirit inhabiting the corpse tried to escape, it would be unable to do so. However, according to Russian folk customs, the stake had to be driven completely through the corpse with a single blow, as a second blow would awaken the Vampire from its slumber. It is essential that, when staking the Vampire, one avoids spurting blood, as an individual that is splattered with the creature’s blood will either die instantly or become irrevocably insane.<br />
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The materials used to make stakes have varied somewhat throughout the ages. Iron was a popular choice during medieval times, and in some cases, the point of the stake was heated until the iron started to glow red-hot, at which point the stake was driven into the creature (a practice of the Bulgarian people). However, various hardwoods have remained the most popular choice for making stakes. Hawthorn or aspen are considered to be the most effective, as both woods have powerful religious connotations (hawthorn was used in Christ’s crown of thorns, while aspen was the wood that was used to build the cross that Jesus was crucified on). Other woods used for this purpose include oak, ash, wild rose, willow, yew, juniper, blackthorn, whitethorn, buckthorn, linden, rowan, and maple. However, in the countries of Albania and Dalmatia, a dagger that had been previously blessed by a priest was used to pierce the Vampire’s heart, as opposed to the more traditional wooden stake.<br />
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While many of these hardwoods are still popular, many modern vampire hunters prefer silver stakes. Although expensive, stakes made of this precious metal are worth every penny. A silver stake is far more durable than a wooden one, and can be used over and over. When irreparably damaged, they can be melted down and recast. As silver hardens when cold-forged with a hammer, this can be used to enhance the durability of the stake’s point. Silver stakes are generally useful in a close-quarters fight, while wooden stakes are usually used for pinning (although they are still useful in a fight).<br />
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A stake might be driven into the ground above the grave of a suspected revenant, so that the creature might impale itself upon rising from the grave. However, as mentioned previously, staking the Vampire wasn’t enough to slay the creature. As said earlier, the stake only immobilizes the Vampire for an indefinite period of time. Some Vampires were known to ignore the stake completely (one revenant thanked his would-be killers for the stick, using it to keep away dogs). To put it simply, the stake is only one part of destroying the Vampire.<br />
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====Decapitation====<br />
By far the most effective method of killing the Vampire is decapitation. Cutting off the head will kill any Vampire, no matter how old or how powerful the creature may be. This grisly practice originates from the belief that the Vampire is incapable of existing without its head or heart, as it cannot regenerate these vital parts. Without its head, the Vampire is unable to wander about at night without the head to direct it. As with staking, spurting blood must be avoided at all costs.<br />
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After the Vampire is exhumed and a stake is driven through the corpse, decapitation follows. Beheading could be done with a sword or an axe, but this was traditionally done with a gravedigger’s shovel (which has a supernatural connection to death) or the sexton’s spade (which is possessed of the holy power of God). Beforehand, the corpse was covered with a large piece of thick cloth, so as to avoid spurting blood. Then, the head was quickly struck off with a single stroke. Afterwards, the mouth was stuffed with fresh garlic cloves (as this severed the connection of the flesh and the inhabiting spirit). If the corpse was reburied, the head was placed under the arm or in between the legs, turned facedown. The head and the body should be buried at the crossroads, disposed of separately, burned (in separate fires), or buried in different plots. This is the second step in the Vampire Exorcism, but is highly effective in close-quarters combat with the Undead as well.<br />
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====Burning====<br />
Burning is the final step in the destruction of the Vampire, but it is also the most difficult and time-consuming parts of the Exorcism. As said earlier, cremation will destroy any Vampire. Fire is a manifestation of God’s Power, and one of the most powerful purifying forces known to man. However, incineration is only used as a last resort, only if staking, decapitation, or other preventative measures have failed.<br />
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Burning the Vampire is an extremely difficult undertaking, requiring copious amounts of oil, an unending supply of wood (one tale from Russia says to use “a hundred loads of aspen boughs”), an executioner, and a day or two off of work.<br />
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A corpse needs immense temperatures, oxygen, and constant heat to be reduced to charred ashes, and the commoners were incapable of meeting these demands. Therefore, an executioner (who has experience cutting up human bodies) with an axe was called in. He then proceeded to chop the vampiric cadaver into small pieces. This made it easier to burn the corpse. The Russians made an important emphasis on catching and killing any creatures that crawled out of the fire (insects, reptiles, birds, amphibians, and other such things), as these vermin could conceivably hold the Vampire’s essence. If even one of these creatures escaped, then the Vampire would find a new body, and the creature’s reign of terror would begin anew.<br />
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If cremation was successful, on the other hand, the people could rest at ease. The Vampire, no matter how powerful it was, would be gone forever. Next, the ashes were scattered to the winds, put into a sack and thrown into a fast-flowing river, or the ashes were simply buried. Either way, the threat of the Vampire was temporarily abated.<br />
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There are many other methods of destroying the Vampire, all of which are prevalent in folklore. Some are fairly extreme measures, reluctantly done when the vampire hunters or the common people had no other choice or any other ideas.<br />
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====Excision of the Heart====<br />
This is more extreme than staking, and quite a bit gorier as well. The heart is considered to be the part of the Vampire that is inhabited by a demonic spirit. In Romania (and some other parts of Europe), the Vampire is said to possess two hearts (and therefore, two souls). The second heart houses the evil spirit, maintaining the Vampire’s state of undeath. With two hearts, the revenant is twice as difficult to kill. If one destroys the heart, one destroys the Vampire. However, this is far easier said than done…<br />
<br />
First, the Vampire had to be exhumed. Recall that, although nocturnal by nature, the Vampire is more than capable of activity during the daylight hours. Therefore, extreme caution is advised while doing this. Using a sword, a dagger, or a knife (the blade having been blessed by a priest previously), a deep incision is made in the abdomen or the chest cavity. Then, the Hunter inserted his hand and felt around for the heart. Once found, he ripped the organ out. But he wasn’t done yet…<br />
<br />
Next, the heart had to be disposed of. This is usually done by burning it to ashes. Sometimes, the heart was boiled in wine, vinegar, oil, or holy water, and the heart was then returned to the body or burned afterwards. At times, after cremation, the ashes were carefully spooned back into the cavity. This method has been used quite frequently, especially in America (such as the Exeter, Rhode Island case of Mercy Brown in 1892). It remains a popular option, although messy and generally unpleasant.<br />
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====Dismemberment====<br />
Dismemberment is a grisly process that involves hacking off the Vampire’s limbs, one by one, to prevent the creature from rising from the grave and attacking the living. Obviously, any revenant is going to find it to be impossible to get up, wander around, and feed without its arms or legs. Ideally, this should be done with a sword (blessed by a priest) or a woodsman’s axe.<br />
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====Piercing with a Sword====<br />
The sword’s blade should be blessed and anointed with holy water beforehand. This should be done with a single thrust, directly through the heart. However, this method is more appropriate in a battle with the Undead. But either way, this technique gets the task done. No Vampire will rise again after a sword thrust through the heart (provided that proper disposal procedures are followed afterwards).<br />
<br />
====Immersion in Water====<br />
As water’s symbolism as a purifier and one of the Holy Sacraments is anathema to the Vampire, a revenant that is fully immersed in water (especially running water) will drown and be destroyed. A bathtub could work, but disposal of the creature’s body may prove to be problematic (as removing the Vampire from the water will revive the creature).<br />
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====Stealing the Left Sock====<br />
Truly one of the most bizarre ways of destroying the Vampire. While the Vampire slumbers, the Hunter steals the creature’s left sock, fills the sock with earth or stones from the Vampire’s grave, and tosses the sock outside of the village’s proximity, usually into running water (i.e. a deep river). The Vampire, being an obsessive creature by nature, will panic and frantically begin searching for its missing sock. The revenant will even endure running water to find its sock, and will eventually drown.<br />
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====Drenching in Holy Water and Garlic====<br />
As both holy water and garlic have a negative effect on the Vampire, a quantity of holy water and garlic oil should be poured into the Vampire’s grave. This will cause the creature immense pain and to eventually disintegrate. However, several gallons are needed for this to be successful.<br />
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====Injection with Holy Water====<br />
Ideally, a hypodermic needle, filled with holy water or holy oil (whichever is preferred), should be inserted into the Vampire’s heart and the plunger depressed. This will carry the consecrated liquid throughout the revenant’s body, causing agonizing pain and also causing the Vampire to burn up from the inside.<br />
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====Bottling the Vampire====<br />
As incredible as this notion may seem to be, in Bulgarian folklore this is said to be one of the most powerful and effective methods of containing and destroying the Vampire. However, this requires powerful magic (which may be just as evil as the Vampire itself), and one has to hire a sorcerer as well. It is extremely dangerous, requiring a great degree of willpower, experience, and an excellent sense of balance. The Hunter (known in Bulgaria as the vampirdzhija), armed with a holy image or a relic and a bottle (baited with the Vampire’s favorite food, preferably the Hunter’s own blood), lies in wait for the revenant.<br />
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Once the creature appears, the Hunter chases the Vampire, pursuing it across rooftops, through houses, and even up trees without even a moment’s respite. When the Hunter finally corners the revenant, the Vampire is trapped. Confronted with the crucifix or holy image, the Vampire will have no choice but to assume the form of a mist and flee into the bottle. The Hunter quickly seals the bottle with a lid (engraved onto which is a cross). He then throws the bottle into a roaring fire, thereby forever destroying the Vampire. <br />
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In Malaysia, a similar practice is employed, but differs as follows: a bamboo tube (known as a tabong), sealed with leaves and a mystical charm, is used in place of the bottle and, instead of burning the container, the tube is tossed into the sea.<br />
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====Wolves====<br />
Although the Vampire is able to command wolves, there is one exception: the white wolf. The white wolf is greatly feared by the Vampire, making it a loyal companion and a friend to any Demon Hunter. This wolf can sense the Undead, and this is an extremely useful ability. In Albania, the [[Lugat]] (a powerful if somewhat cowardly [[Vampire]]) can only be destroyed by a white wolf. The wolf accomplishes this by biting off the Vampire’s leg. Grievously injured and even more humiliated, the lugat will retreat to its grave, never to be seen again.<br />
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====Shooting with a Consecrated Bullet====<br />
Under normal circumstances, firearms have little or no effect on the Vampire. However, a bullet that has been blessed by a priest (not necessarily silver) and is fired into the Vampire’s coffin or the Vampire’s heart will slay the revenant. However, this method is seldom mentioned in folklore. All the same, it is definitely worth a try.<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
Vampires. The very word conjures up images of ruined castles, black-clad nobleman with pale complexions, and flowing streams of blood. However, the truth is far more frightening. Webster’s Compact Office Dictionary defines the Vampire as “in folklore, a reanimated corpse that sucks the blood of sleeping persons.” The Dictionary also designates the origin of the word Vampire as a Slavic word (although the word itself didn’t enter the English language until the year 1734 AD). It appears to be Slavonic Magyar, originating from the word vampir, which means, “blood monster.”<br />
<br />
"''In all the darkest pages of the malign supernatural, there is no more terrible tradition than that of the Vampire, a pariah even among demons. Foul are his ravages; gruesome and seemingly barbaric are the ancient and approved methods by which folks must rid themselves of this hideous pest''." <br />
<br />
– Reverend Montague Summers<br />
<br />
The Vampire has haunted humanity since the day of creation. Legend has it that Cain, after killing his brother Abel, was cursed by God to wander the earth eternally, never to stay in one place for long, and to drink the blood of humanity. It is said that he was the first true Vampire. Others say that Lilith, the wife of Adam (before Eve) in Hebrew myths, refused to let Adam lay on top while they were making love. While an angel of the Lord tried to convince her to return to Adam, she cursed at the angel. In turn, she was cursed by God (although what exactly the curse was is unknown). Frustrated and angry, Lilith escaped and copulated with demons. God stated that He would destroy a thousand of her children a day. She cursed back, saying that she would drain the blood of newborns and the sexual potency of men. Some even say that Cain and Lilith met, having a sexual encounter that gave birth to a race of monsters, vile beyond belief. Still others say that, after having betrayed Jesus and hung himself from a tree (suicide is one of the best known methods to become a Vampire), that Judas Iscariot arose from the grave as the first true Vampire.<br />
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Although there are no clear biblical origins for the Vampire, the Vampire seems to originate back to either ancient Egypt or the Indus Valley (folklorists are debating as to the validity of these notions).<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<br />
Still working on research at this time. A bibliography will be listed once the research is done.</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:Ao_Ao&diff=13334
Talk:Ao Ao
2009-06-02T02:12:39Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: New page: Are you sure that the Ao Ao isn't some kind of a werewolf? The picture reminds me of a werebeast of some sort. -User:Kyle Van Helsing</p>
<hr />
<div>Are you sure that the Ao Ao isn't some kind of a [[werewolf]]? The picture reminds me of a werebeast of some sort.<br />
<br />
-[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Akkiyyini&diff=13333
Akkiyyini
2009-06-02T02:09:04Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: /* References */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Akkiyyini.jpg|thumb|The Akkiyyini]]<br />
In Inuit folklore, the '''Akkiyyini''' is a skeletal ghost that, during his life, enjoyed dancing and playing the drum. <br />
<br />
When the Akkiyyini hears people making fun of his dancing, he emerges from the grave and uses his arm bone as a drumstick and his shoulder blade as a drum. This causes the ground to violently shake and causes the river to become savage, overturning boats and drowning his unfortunate victims.<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
*Blackman, W. Haden. ''The Field Guide to North American Monsters: Everything You Need To Know About Encountering Over 100 Terrifying Creatures In The Wild''. New York: Three Rivers Press. Copyright ©1998 by W. Haden Blackman.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Corporeal undead]]<br />
[[Category:Inuit mythology]]<br />
[[Category:Undead]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Akkiyyini&diff=13332
Akkiyyini
2009-06-02T02:08:11Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:Akkiyyini.jpg|thumb|The Akkiyyini]]<br />
In Inuit folklore, the '''Akkiyyini''' is a skeletal ghost that, during his life, enjoyed dancing and playing the drum. <br />
<br />
When the Akkiyyini hears people making fun of his dancing, he emerges from the grave and uses his arm bone as a drumstick and his shoulder blade as a drum. This causes the ground to violently shake and causes the river to become savage, overturning boats and drowning his unfortunate victims.<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
*Blackman, W. Haden. The Field Guide to North American Monsters: Everything You Need To Know About Encountering Over 100 Terrifying Creatures In The Wild. New York: Three Rivers Press. Copyright ©1998 by W. Haden Blackman<br />
<br />
[[Category:Undead]]<br />
[[Category:Inuit mythology]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:Revenant&diff=13331
Talk:Revenant
2009-06-02T02:03:08Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>I need someone to add this picture to the article (don't know how to):<br />
[http://www.revenantmagazine.com/rmrevenant.jpg]<br />
<br />
--[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Revenant&diff=13330
Revenant
2009-06-02T02:02:35Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>The '''Revenant''' is one of the [[undead]], a once-living deceased human without a soul, doomed to kill and feed on the living for its own sustenance.<br />
<br />
==Etymology==<br />
The term “revenant” can be used to refer to any form of the [[Undead]], whether it is a [[vampire]], a [[ghost]], or a [[zombie]]. The word [[revenant]] comes from the French and Latin verb ''revenir'', which means ''to return.'' Therefore, the Revenant is a once-living human that has returned from the dead.<br />
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==Description/Morphology==<br />
Having recently arisen from the grave, the Revenant is usually a corpse in an advanced state of decay, but still somewhat recognizable to those it knew in life. The creature has sunken eyes, which glow a fiery red in the darkness. It has rotten teeth and jagged fingernails. Large portions of flesh may be missing, exposing the creature’s bones and innards. The skin tends to hang from the flesh in ragged strips, while maggots and worms infest the exposed flesh, as well as the eye sockets and other bodily orifices. The Revenant reeks of corruption and rotting flesh, and the creature can be detected from several yards away just by its smell alone. The Revenant is usually wearing its burial shroud or whatever clothes it was wearing when the individual was interred, now it tatters from clawing its way out of the grave.<br />
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==Behavior==<br />
The Revenant is dangerously obsessed with gaining its vengeance on those who wronged it while it was still living or caused the creature’s death. Although there have been some accounts of this creature being benevolent and protective of its loved ones, seeking only to prove its innocence of the crime of which it was wrongfully accused, or to complete some pressingly important task. However, this is extremely rare in lore and legend.<br />
<br />
The Revenant is single-minded and relentless in its pursuit of the one that wronged, betrayed, or even murdered the Revenant while it was alive. Rest assured, this creature will hunt down and dispense the justice that it feels the wrongdoer deserves, which usually means killing the unfortunate (but well-deserving) individual. Once in a great while, the Revenant will take up its own case, investigating the circumstances surrounding its death, and instigating a retrial until it is proven innocent or the killer is given justice. Again, this is extremely rare. Usually, the Revenant doesn’t interact with the living. If cornered, it will fight to the death. It knows that, wherever the traitor hides, it will find them eventually and take the revenge that it craves. At this point, the Revenant will return to its grave, never to rise again.<br />
<br />
Usually, the Revenant requires neither food nor drink of any sort, since the creature is technically dead in the first place. However, there have been exceptions when the Revenant has been known to prey on human flesh or blood (causing people to identify the Revenant with the [[Vampire]]), or even eating and drinking normally. However, the Revenant only craves one thing: vengeance. It will not stop until its prey is dead or the wrongs (real or perceived) have been righted.<br />
<br />
The Revenant can be found all over the world in one form or another. The Revenant tends to haunt sites that were important or held some significance to it in life, but the creature has been known to haunt people that betrayed, wronged, or even caused the Revenant’s death. In other words, this creature is not strictly limited to graveyards, mausoleums, tombs, crypts, or other places of death where the Undead usually dwell. However, the Revenant primarily inhabits the British Isles.<br />
<br />
==Powers/Weaknesses==<br />
While not as powerful as some other forms of the [[Undead]], the Revenant is still a deadly adversary. The Revenant is a vicious [[monster]], possessing supernatural strength, speed, and endurance. It will fight to the death, or at least until the creature is destroyed. In addition, some legends say that the Revenant is a [[shapeshifter]], taking the form of a great hound (although this is a rarity). The creature’s rotting visage inspires mortal terror in the living, causing lasting psychological damage and horrifying nightmares, which continue for years to come (if not for the rest of the unfortunate individual’s life). The Revenant’s decaying flesh and fetid breath are capable of inflicting a terrible disease, causing those infected to waste away and die within a few days’ time.<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the Revenant is that the creature has the ability to withstand enormous amounts of damage to its body, often without so much as flinching. It takes on an incredible amount of damage, beyond what could kill a mortal. Even dealing grievous wounds to the creature won’t keep it down for long.<br />
<br />
Although physically powerful and utterly relentless, the Revenant does have several weaknesses. Unlike most of the [[Undead]], conventional weapons are capable of harming the Revenant. However, as mentioned earlier, the creature is unable to feel pain and can withstand injuries that would permanently incapacitate or even kill a human. Only a white-hot blaze can put the creature to rest forever (and save its chosen victim).<br />
<br />
For the most part, the Revenant cannot be repelled or “turned” by holding a holy icon in its path, the only exception being if the creature was a deeply religious individual in life. It is unknown if the Revenant is adversely affected by silver or holy water, although it certainly seems possible.<br />
<br />
Luckily, there are numerous methods of destroying the Revenant. Many of these methods target the heart, but more than a few involve decapitation or dismemberment as well. The usual procedure involves excising the heart and burning it, or driving a stake through the heart, decapitating the body, and then burning the body to ashes. Only by following these procedures can one hope to lay the Revenant to its eternal rest.<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
Every culture has its legends of creatures that rise from the dead to prey upon the living. These creatures are known as revenants, the returning dead. Although any type of the [[undead]] may be referred to as a [[revenant]], the creature discussed here is said to dwell on the British Isles, where it is known as the Revenant.<br />
<br />
How does one become a Revenant? According to folklore, there are many different ways to become one of the [[Undead]]. Some of the more common reasons for rising from the grave include: improper burial, no burial at all, improper handling of the deceased’s body, jealously of the living, a curse, unrest due to sin or unfinished business, or suicide. Some of the lesser-known reasons are more sinister in nature. More often, the Revenant is created when an individual is greatly wronged before death and rises from the grave to seek vengeance. For instance, a man is murdered on the street for no apparent reason. After burial, he rises again from the grave as one of the living dead to avenge himself on his murderer. However, how one is “wronged” depends on an individual’s point of view. A criminal who is fairly tried by a jury and is legally executed may still rise from the dead. In this case, revenge is the trigger of undeath.<br />
<br />
The Revenant may arise when an individual who has led a sinful or wicked life dies. Such a person may be described vain, wicked, or having no faith in [[God]]. Cursed by the Almighty, this individual is doomed to rise from the grave as one of the undead to feed upon the living. When this happens, an evil spirit takes possession of the body, forcing out any of the original person’s remaining personality. The Revenant may retain its memories from life, but there is no emotional attachment to these memories whatsoever. The evil spirit inhabiting the corpse is able to gain access to these memories and force the corpse to speak and act like the individual did during his lifetime, deceiving both friends and loved ones. The Revenant uses the memories for hunting, utilizing the knowledge of former friends, family, and locations as part of its strategies in obtaining prey. It then proceeds to slake its thirst for blood on the unfortunate, draining them of every last drop.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, the Revenant doesn’t last forever. At most, the creature may endure for a few decades. The people that the creature seeks vengeance on may die of natural causes, while the ones who knew and loved the individual in life may stop thinking about them. This causes the animating force to wane and eventually dissipate altogether. When the Revenant’s revenge is complete, or the rest of the creature’s natural lifespan is exceeded, the Revenant either seeks out its grave and collapses, or it may just simply collapse on the spot. While not as powerful as some other forms of the [[undead]], the Revenant is a force to be reckoned with and feared nonetheless.<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
*Maberry, Jonathan. ''Vampire Universe''. New York: Kensington Publishing Corp. Copyright (c)2006 by Jonathan Maberry.<br />
*Maberry, Jonathan. ''The Vampire Slayer's Field Guide to the Undead''. Canada: Strider Nolan Publishing, Inc. Copyright (c)2003 by Jonathan Maberry.<br />
*Punch, Sean M. ''GURPS Undead''. Steve Jackson Games. Copyright (c)2002 by Steve Jackson Games.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Undead]]<br />
[[Category:Ghosts]]<br />
[[Category:Corporeal undead]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=User_talk:Kyle_Van_Helsing&diff=13329
User talk:Kyle Van Helsing
2009-06-02T01:59:42Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>==Any Help is Welcome==<br />
<br />
Hey, everyone. If you have any sources of information that I can use or if you know something that I don't (a very slim possibility), or you would like to make small changes to my articles (no erasing any entries or anything of that sort, please!), I'd appreciate it.<br />
<br />
Kyle<br />
<br />
<br />
Hello Kyle,<br />
<br />
Please get back to me as soon as possible as your articles do not respect the required format.<br />
<br />
Thanks<br />
<br />
~~<br />
<br />
loki@monstrous.com<br />
<br />
I would like it if people would actually RESPOND to my e-mails and comments, and perhaps download pictures for my contributions (I haven't the faintest idea how to do so).<br />
<br />
<br />
IF YOU DONT CREATE COMPLETE ARTICLES YOURSELF DONT PUT THE {{STUB}} FLAG ON EXISTING ARTICLES - LAST WARNING -<br />
<br />
Admin<br />
<br />
Sorry.</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Garkain&diff=13322
Garkain
2009-06-01T19:50:24Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: New page: The Garkain is a batlike hominid creature hailing from Australia, where it is still feared by the Aborigines. The beast has supernatural strength, but that is not what kills its victims. I...</p>
<hr />
<div>The Garkain is a batlike hominid creature hailing from Australia, where it is still feared by the Aborigines. The beast has supernatural strength, but that is not what kills its victims. Its stench is so powerful that the Garkain actually uses it to kill its prey, trapping them inside its wings where the smell will suffocate them.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Aboriginal mythology]]<br />
{{stub}}</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=User:Kyle_Van_Helsing&diff=13321
User:Kyle Van Helsing
2009-06-01T19:47:27Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: /* Contributions */</p>
<hr />
<div>==About Me==<br />
<br />
My name is Kyle. I'm 22 years old and live in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I'm a Lutheran Christian, and although I believe in God and Jesus Christ, I also believe that most of the creatures on this website truly exist. Nobody can tell me otherwise.<br />
<br />
==Interests==<br />
<br />
I'm currently in the process of researching and writing a book I call ''The Demon Hunter's Compendium''. I know a great deal about supernatural beings, especially the undead (especially vampires), shapeshifters (mostly werewolves), spirits of the dead, cryptids, and a wide variety of such creatures. I have studied weaponry (swords and blades are my favorites), folklore, writing, vampirology, demonology, the martial arts, and other such disciplines.<br />
<br />
==Abilities==<br />
<br />
Despite my 5'6" height, I'm very strong.<br />
<br />
'''Bench Press:''' 165lbs.<br />
'''Squats:''' 285lbs.<br />
'''Leg Press:''' 410lbs.<br />
<br />
I work out three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). Each workout is two hours long and consists of an hour of cardio and an hour of weightlifting. I'm currently trying to lose my winter weight and get back down to a more manageable weight before the end of the summer.<br />
<br />
==Contributions==<br />
<br />
So far, I've only finished a handful of articles. But the following are articles I intend to create and contribute to:<br />
<br />
[[Nelapsi]]<br />
<br />
[[Craquehhe]] (a revenant from France)<br />
<br />
[[Revenant]]<br />
<br />
[[Akkiyyini]]<br />
<br />
[[Baykok]]<br />
<br />
[[Aswang]]<br />
<br />
[[La Llorona]]<br />
<br />
[[Borego Phantom]]<br />
<br />
[[The Mummy (Undead)]]<br />
<br />
[[Lobizon]]<br />
<br />
[[Impundulu]]<br />
<br />
[[Radiant Boy]]<br />
<br />
[[Glaistig]]<br />
<br />
[[Hamrammr]] (a powerful shapeshifter)<br />
<br />
[[Haugbui]]<br />
<br />
[[Brukulaco]]<br />
<br />
[[Springheel Jack]]<br />
<br />
[[Headless Horseman]]<br />
<br />
[[Zombie (Vodoun)]]<br />
<br />
[[Aufhocker]]<br />
<br />
[[Pijauica]]<br />
<br />
[[Krvoijac]]<br />
<br />
[[Lobishomen]]<br />
<br />
[[Yara-ma-yha-who]]<br />
<br />
[[Talamaur]]<br />
<br />
[[Garkain]]<br />
<br />
[[Sasabonsam]]<br />
<br />
[[Neuntoter]]<br />
<br />
[[Lamia]]<br />
<br />
[[Vrykolakas]]<br />
<br />
[[Tlahuelpuchi]]<br />
<br />
[[White Lady]]<br />
<br />
[[Black Dog]]<br />
<br />
[[Vampire]]<br />
<br />
[[Werewolf]]<br />
<br />
[[Wendigo]]<br />
<br />
[[Draugr]]<br />
<br />
[[Banshee]]<br />
<br />
[[Varcolac]] (a shapeshifter or revenant?)<br />
<br />
[[Rugaru]]<br />
<br />
[[Popobawa]]<br />
<br />
[[Adlet]]<br />
<br />
[[Alp]]<br />
<br />
[[Myling]]<br />
<br />
[[Mara]]<br />
<br />
[[The Vampire]] (an article devoted to the Vampire's characteristics, behavior, abilities, and other such attributes)<br />
<br />
[[Powers of the Vampire]]<br />
<br />
[[Vampires and Blood]]<br />
<br />
[[Weaknesses of the Vampire]]<br />
<br />
[[How to Kill a Vampire]]<br />
<br />
[[Vampire Behavior]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=User:Kyle_Van_Helsing&diff=13320
User:Kyle Van Helsing
2009-06-01T19:43:24Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: /* Contributions */</p>
<hr />
<div>==About Me==<br />
<br />
My name is Kyle. I'm 22 years old and live in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I'm a Lutheran Christian, and although I believe in God and Jesus Christ, I also believe that most of the creatures on this website truly exist. Nobody can tell me otherwise.<br />
<br />
==Interests==<br />
<br />
I'm currently in the process of researching and writing a book I call ''The Demon Hunter's Compendium''. I know a great deal about supernatural beings, especially the undead (especially vampires), shapeshifters (mostly werewolves), spirits of the dead, cryptids, and a wide variety of such creatures. I have studied weaponry (swords and blades are my favorites), folklore, writing, vampirology, demonology, the martial arts, and other such disciplines.<br />
<br />
==Abilities==<br />
<br />
Despite my 5'6" height, I'm very strong.<br />
<br />
'''Bench Press:''' 165lbs.<br />
'''Squats:''' 285lbs.<br />
'''Leg Press:''' 410lbs.<br />
<br />
I work out three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). Each workout is two hours long and consists of an hour of cardio and an hour of weightlifting. I'm currently trying to lose my winter weight and get back down to a more manageable weight before the end of the summer.<br />
<br />
==Contributions==<br />
<br />
So far, I've only finished a handful of articles. But the following are articles I intend to create and contribute to:<br />
<br />
[[Nelapsi]]<br />
<br />
[[Craquehhe]] (a revenant from France)<br />
<br />
[[Revenant]]<br />
<br />
[[Akkiyyini]]<br />
<br />
[[Baykok]]<br />
<br />
[[Aswang]]<br />
<br />
[[La Llorona]]<br />
<br />
[[Borego Phantom]]<br />
<br />
[[The Mummy (Undead)]]<br />
<br />
[[Lobizon]]<br />
<br />
[[Impundulu]]<br />
<br />
[[Radiant Boy]]<br />
<br />
[[Glaistig]]<br />
<br />
[[Hamrammr]] (a powerful shapeshifter)<br />
<br />
[[Haugbui]]<br />
<br />
[[Brukulaco]]<br />
<br />
[[Springheel Jack]]<br />
<br />
[[Headless Horseman]]<br />
<br />
[[Zombi]]<br />
<br />
[[Aufhocker]]<br />
<br />
[[Pijauica]]<br />
<br />
[[Krvoijac]]<br />
<br />
[[Lobishomen]]<br />
<br />
[[Yara-ma-yha-who]]<br />
<br />
[[Talamaur]]<br />
<br />
[[Garkain]]<br />
<br />
[[Sasabonsam]]<br />
<br />
[[Neuntoter]]<br />
<br />
[[Lamia]]<br />
<br />
[[Vrykolakas]]<br />
<br />
[[Tlahuelpuchi]]<br />
<br />
[[White Lady]]<br />
<br />
[[Black Dog]]<br />
<br />
[[Vampire]]<br />
<br />
[[Werewolf]]<br />
<br />
[[Wendigo]]<br />
<br />
[[Draugr]]<br />
<br />
[[Banshee]]<br />
<br />
[[Varcolac]] (a shapeshifter or revenant?)<br />
<br />
[[Rugaru]]<br />
<br />
[[Popobawa]]<br />
<br />
[[Adlet]]<br />
<br />
[[Alp]]<br />
<br />
[[Myling]]<br />
<br />
[[Mara]]<br />
<br />
[[The Vampire]] (an article devoted to the Vampire's characteristics, behavior, abilities, and other such attributes)<br />
<br />
[[Powers of the Vampire]]<br />
<br />
[[Vampires and Blood]]<br />
<br />
[[Weaknesses of the Vampire]]<br />
<br />
[[How to Kill a Vampire]]<br />
<br />
[[Vampire Behavior]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=User:Kyle_Van_Helsing&diff=13319
User:Kyle Van Helsing
2009-06-01T19:42:22Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: /* Contributions */</p>
<hr />
<div>==About Me==<br />
<br />
My name is Kyle. I'm 22 years old and live in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I'm a Lutheran Christian, and although I believe in God and Jesus Christ, I also believe that most of the creatures on this website truly exist. Nobody can tell me otherwise.<br />
<br />
==Interests==<br />
<br />
I'm currently in the process of researching and writing a book I call ''The Demon Hunter's Compendium''. I know a great deal about supernatural beings, especially the undead (especially vampires), shapeshifters (mostly werewolves), spirits of the dead, cryptids, and a wide variety of such creatures. I have studied weaponry (swords and blades are my favorites), folklore, writing, vampirology, demonology, the martial arts, and other such disciplines.<br />
<br />
==Abilities==<br />
<br />
Despite my 5'6" height, I'm very strong.<br />
<br />
'''Bench Press:''' 165lbs.<br />
'''Squats:''' 285lbs.<br />
'''Leg Press:''' 410lbs.<br />
<br />
I work out three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). Each workout is two hours long and consists of an hour of cardio and an hour of weightlifting. I'm currently trying to lose my winter weight and get back down to a more manageable weight before the end of the summer.<br />
<br />
==Contributions==<br />
<br />
So far, I've only finished a handful of articles. But the following are articles I intend to create and contribute to:<br />
<br />
[[Nelapsi]]<br />
<br />
[[Craquehhe]] (a revenant from France)<br />
<br />
[[Revenant]]<br />
<br />
[[Akkiyyini]]<br />
<br />
[[Baykok]]<br />
<br />
[[Aswang]]<br />
<br />
[[La Llorona]]<br />
<br />
[[Borego Phantom]]<br />
<br />
[[The Mummy (Undead)]]<br />
<br />
[[Lobizon]]<br />
<br />
[[Impundulu]]<br />
<br />
[[Radiant Boy]]<br />
<br />
[[Glaistig]]<br />
<br />
[[Hamrammr]] (a powerful shapeshifter)<br />
<br />
[[Haugbui]]<br />
<br />
[[Brukulaco]]<br />
<br />
[[Springheel Jack]]<br />
<br />
[[Headless Horseman]]<br />
<br />
[[Zombi]]<br />
<br />
[[Aufhocker]]<br />
<br />
[[Pijauica]]<br />
<br />
[[Krvoijac]]<br />
<br />
[[Lobishomen]]<br />
<br />
[[Yara-ma-yha-who]]<br />
<br />
[[Talamaur]]<br />
<br />
[[Garkain]]<br />
<br />
[[Sasabonsam]]<br />
<br />
[[Neuntoter]]<br />
<br />
[[Lamia]]<br />
<br />
[[Vrykolakas]]<br />
<br />
[[Tlahuelpuchi]]<br />
<br />
[[White Lady]]<br />
<br />
[[Black Dog]]<br />
<br />
[[Vampire]]<br />
<br />
[[Werewolf]]<br />
<br />
[[Wendigo]]<br />
<br />
[[Draugr]]<br />
<br />
[[Banshee]]<br />
<br />
[[Varcolac]] (a shapeshifter or revenant?)<br />
<br />
[[Rugaru]]<br />
<br />
[[Popobawa]]<br />
<br />
[[Adlet]]<br />
<br />
[[Alp]]<br />
<br />
[[Myling]]<br />
<br />
[[Mara]]<br />
<br />
[[Powers of the Vampire]]<br />
<br />
[[Vampires and Blood]]<br />
<br />
[[Weaknesses of the Vampire]]<br />
<br />
[[How to Kill a Vampire]]<br />
<br />
[[Vampire Behavior]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:Maschalismos&diff=13318
Talk:Maschalismos
2009-06-01T19:40:45Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: New page: I actually have the book used for reference. I could do some further research to expand on this article. -User:Kyle Van Helsing</p>
<hr />
<div>I actually have the book used for reference. I could do some further research to expand on this article.<br />
<br />
-[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Maschalismos&diff=13317
Maschalismos
2009-06-01T19:39:47Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''Maschalismos''' is the practice of physically rendering the dead incapable of rising or haunting the living in undead form. <br />
<br />
<br />
==Etymology==<br />
The term ''maschalismos'' comes from the Ancient Greek word and was also the term for procedural rules on such matters in later Greek customary law. It has widened to include the customs throughout the different cultures of the world in ritually mutilating their dead to prevent their wrath from affecting the living. <br />
<br />
<br />
==Function of custom==<br />
Such acts considered maschalismos were not limited to folkloric physical risings but also meant to escape the ill will of those wrongfully slain by a murderer after death. <br />
<br />
<br />
==Modus Operandi==<br />
One common method was the cutting off of the feet, hands, ears, nose, et cetera, tying them under the armpits of the corpse all strung together. The piercing of the infant Oedipus' feet at the time he was abandoned may be considered a kind of maschalismos on the still-living.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Beliefs==<br />
In the Moluccas, a woman who has died in childbirth is buried with pins stuck through the joints, and an egg under the chin and or armpits; believing that the dead fly like birds and the presence of eggs will bring out maternal instincts which make the ghost not leave the eggs and thus stay with its former body. <br />
<br />
In Europe, it was sometimes common that suicides were buried with a stake driven through the heart (see [[vampire]]s cases), the body buried upside down, or the head cut off and placed between the legs; still practiced in many parts of Britain as well as the continent is tying together the feet or large toes of the dead.<br />
<br />
The Omaha, a tribe of American Indians, slit the soles of the feet of those killed by lightning; the Basuto and Bechuana slit the sinews and spinal cord of their dead; the Herbert River aborigines of Australia beat the body enough to break its bones and fill incisions made in the body with stones. Further forms of maschalismos are equally common among peoples the world over.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Art/Fiction==<br />
In Aeschylus' tragedy ''Choephori'' and Sophocles' tragedy ''Electra'', Clytemnestra performs maschalismos on the body of Agamemnon after his murder, to prevent his taking vengeance on her.<br />
<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
* Leach, Maria (editor). ''The Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend''. Harper San Francisco, 1984. ISBN 0-06-250511-4<br />
<br />
[[Category:Magic]]<br />
[[Category:Greek mythology]]<br />
[[Category:Corporeal undead]]<br />
{{stub}}</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Maschalismos&diff=13316
Maschalismos
2009-06-01T19:38:53Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: /* References */</p>
<hr />
<div>'''Maschalismos''' is the practice of physically rendering the dead incapable of rising or haunting the living in undead form. <br />
<br />
<br />
==Etymology==<br />
The term ''maschalismos'' comes from the Ancient Greek word and was also the term for procedural rules on such matters in later Greek customary law. It has widened to include the customs throughout the different cultures of the world in ritually mutilating their dead to prevent their wrath from affecting the living. <br />
<br />
<br />
==Function of custom==<br />
Such acts considered maschalismos were not limited to folkloric physical risings but also meant to escape the ill will of those wrongfully slain by a murderer after death. <br />
<br />
<br />
==Modus Operandi==<br />
One common method was the cutting off of the feet, hands, ears, nose, et cetera, tying them under the armpits of the corpse all strung together. The piercing of the infant Oedipus' feet at the time he was abandoned may be considered a kind of maschalismos on the still-living.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Beliefs==<br />
In the Moluccas, a woman who has died in childbirth is buried with pins stuck through the joints, and an egg under the chin and or armpits; believing that the dead fly like birds and the presence of eggs will bring out maternal instincts which make the ghost not leave the eggs and thus stay with its former body. <br />
<br />
In Europe, it was sometimes common that suicides were buried with a stake driven through the heart (see [[vampire]]s cases), the body buried upside down, or the head cut off and placed between the legs; still practiced in many parts of Britain as well as the continent is tying together the feet or large toes of the dead.<br />
<br />
The Omaha, a tribe of American Indians, slit the soles of the feet of those killed by lightning; the Basuto and Bechuana slit the sinews and spinal cord of their dead; the Herbert River aborigines of Australia beat the body enough to break its bones and fill incisions made in the body with stones. Further forms of maschalismos are equally common among peoples the world over.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Art/Fiction==<br />
In Aeschylus' tragedy ''Choephori'' and Sophocles' tragedy ''Electra'', Clytemnestra performs maschalismos on the body of Agamemnon after his murder, to prevent his taking vengeance on her.<br />
<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
* Leach, Maria (editor). ''The Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend''. Harper San Francisco, 1984. ISBN 0-06-250511-4<br />
<br />
[[Category:Magic]]<br />
[[Category:Greek mythology]]<br />
[[Category:Corporeal undead]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Mullo&diff=13315
Mullo
2009-06-01T19:36:48Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''Mullo''' ('''Muli''' is the female, '''Mulo''' is the male) is either an [[undead]], revenant, or [[vampire]] of Roma folklore. <br />
<br />
<br />
==Origin==<br />
<br />
'''Mullo''' is the word standing for [[vampire]] in Gypsy lore.<br />
This [[vampire]] was believed to return and do bad things and/or suck the blood of a person. <br />
<br />
The victim was usually a relative who had caused their [[death]], or not properly observed the burial ceremonies, or who kept the deceased's possessions instead of destroying them following the tradition.<br />
<br />
<br />
===Etymology===<br />
<br />
''Mullo'' stands for ''one who is dead'', so a Gypsy [[vampire]] would be called ''Mullo''.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
==Main Belief==<br />
<br />
Female vampires could return, lead a normal life and even marry but would exhaust the husband, as if it were an [[Incubus (demon)]].<br />
<br />
Anyone who had a hideous appearance, was missing a finger, or had animal appendages, etc. was believed to be a [[vampire]].<br />
<br />
Even plants or dogs, cats, or farm animals could turn into vampires. Pumpkins or melons kept in the house too long would start to move, make noises or show blood.<br />
<br />
To get rid of a [[vampire]] people would hire a [[Dhampir]], the son of a vampire and a widow.<br />
<br />
To ward off [[vampire]]s, gypsies drove steel or iron needles into a corpse's heart and placed bits of steel in the mouth, over the eyes, ears and between the fingers at the time of burial. They also placed hawthorn in the corpse's sock or drove a hawthorn stake through the legs. <br />
Further measures included driving stakes into the grave, pouring boiling water over it, decapitating the corpse, or burning it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<br />
*Guiley, Rosemary E. ''The Encyclopedia of Vampires, Werewolves, and Other Monsters'' (2004,Checkmark Books) ISBN 0-816-04684-0 <br />
*Tatomir Vukanovic ''The Vampire'' ''Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society'', 3rd ser. Part 1: 36(3-4): 125-133; Part 2: 37(1-2): 21-31; Part 3: 37(3-4): 111-118; Part 4: 39(1-2): 44-55. Reprinted in ''Vampires of the Slavs'', ed. Jan Perkowski (Cambridge, Mass.: Slavica, 1976), 201-234. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
*[[Dhampir]]<br />
*[[Ghoul]]<br />
*[[Incubus (demon)]]<br />
*[[Succubus]]<br />
*[[undead]]<br />
*[[Vampire]]<br />
<br />
==Links==<br />
*[http://www.monstrous.com Monstrous]<br />
*[http://www.answers.com/topic/dhampir Answers.com]<br />
*[http://experts.about.com/e/m/mu/Mullo.htm Mullo]<br />
<br />
{{wikipedia}}<br />
[[Category:Vampires]]<br />
{{stub}}</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:Werewolf&diff=13314
Talk:Werewolf
2009-06-01T19:35:30Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>Very nice, but why is it in that category ?<br />
*Which one? cryptids was a typo due to editorial fatigue : ) The current categories seem to be correct [[User:Devious Viper|Viper]] 21:53, 29 May 2006 (EDT)<br />
<br />
This article needs to be expanded. There is far more to Werewolves than the sources listed. Look up nonfiction on Amazon, and you'll find a great deal of research material. Or check the library (it's free, you can check out whatever books you want, and it's a great place to conduct research). <br />
<br />
Also, you should check out the History Channel documentary ''In Search of History: Legends of the Werewolves''. Werewolves have been with us since prehistoric times, and are NOT the result of mass hysteria or drugs in the Middle Ages.<br />
<br />
-[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:Rakshasa&diff=13313
Talk:Rakshasa
2009-06-01T19:32:57Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>How do you kill a Rakshasa? Some say a knife or a dagger forged of pure brass will do the trick. Also, I intend to do some work on this article, if nobody minds.<br />
<br />
--[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Asema&diff=13312
Asema
2009-06-01T19:31:44Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>The '''asema''' is a blood-sucking sorcerer or witch in the South American country of Surinam. This tradition may be imported from Africa with the slaves.<br />
<br />
It is usually pictured as an elderly person during the day, which leaves its skin at night and flies off in the form that appears to be a blue ball of light. It uses this shape to feed from people's vital energy and/or blood. <br />
<br />
Popular forms of protection against the asema were garlic, eating herbs that would make one’s blood bitter, and scattering rice or sesame seeds outside one's door, which it had to pick up before it could enter.<br />
<br />
When the sesame seeds or rice grains are mixed with the nails of a ground owl, the asema is still compelled to count the seeds or grains, but each time it inadvertently picks up an owl's nail it lets go off all the seeds or grains it had counted and is forced to start over again. <br />
<br />
[[Category:Vampires]]<br />
[[Category:Ghosts]]<br />
[[Category:South American and Mesoamerican mythology]]<br />
{{stub}}</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Djadadjii&diff=13311
Djadadjii
2009-06-01T19:31:15Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>The '''djadadjii''' was a specific kind of Bulgarian vampire hunter, who disposed of vampires by "bottling" them. <br />
<br />
The hunter would first bait a bottle with a favorite food of the rascally vampire. He would then use a picture of a saint, or Christ or Mary as an icon, and would drive the vampire from his hiding place, and straight into the bottle. The hunter then corked the bottle and disposed of the vampire by throwing it, bottle and all, into a fire. <br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:Vampires]]<br />
[[Category:Bulgarian mythology]]<br />
{{stub}}</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Plakavac&diff=13310
Plakavac
2009-06-01T19:28:58Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>A [[plakavac]] as recorded in Herzegovina, is a small vampire, a newborn strangled by its mother, which will rise from its grave at night, return to its house and scream around it, but otherwise can't do any harm.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Vampires]]<br />
[[Category:Slavic mythology]]<br />
{{stub}}</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:Borego_Phantom&diff=13309
Talk:Borego Phantom
2009-06-01T19:19:16Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>I don't see any source here - please next time follow the template or I delete the article.<br />
<br />
Admin<br />
<br />
No need. The article's finished, as finished as its going to get. There isn't a whole lot of lore or information on this spook.<br />
<br />
-[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=The_Mummy_(Undead)&diff=13308
The Mummy (Undead)
2009-06-01T19:17:19Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:mummy.jpg|thumb|The Mummy by Hunefer]]<br />
The '''Mummy''' is an ancient form of [[revenant]], brought back from the dead by powerful magic.<br />
<br />
==Etymology==<br />
The word “mummy” comes from the Arabic word ''mummia'', which means bitumen. Bitumen is a naturally-occurring tarlike substance that the Arabs mistakenly thought was used for mummification due to the dark color of the mummies. Only later, in the New Kingdom, was bitumen used in the process.<br />
<br />
==Description/Morphology==<br />
The Mummy appears as a shambling, desiccated corpse wrapped in soiled linen bandages. Underneath the bandages, the rest of the body is extremely well preserved, but is entirely dried out. The eyes are red, and glow in the dark. Usually, the Mummy has some kind of amulet hanging from its neck, as this may be the source of the creature’s power.<br />
<br />
==Behavior==<br />
Much of the time, the Mummy lies at rest within its tomb. However, when an intruder invades the tomb or disturbs the creature’s eternal rest, the Mummy awakens in a rage, seeking out and attempting to destroy the intruder.<br />
<br />
Mummies primarily dwell in Egypt, where they hide in the Great Pyramids, tombs, mastabas (mud-brick tombs), and forgotten temples. However, mummies are by no means limited to Egypt alone. They can be found all over the world (although one may be hard-pressed to find a living Mummy in any place other than Egypt).<br />
<br />
==Powers/Weaknesses==<br />
Once the Mummy is reanimated, it possesses a host of supernatural powers at its disposal. The Mummy possesses supernatural strength and endurance, far greater than it possessed in life. The Mummy is nearly indestructible, as bullets have no effect on it. Most blades are unable to penetrate the Mummy’s desiccated flesh, stemming from the supernatural power reanimating the creature’s body. Any abilities that the Mummy possessed in life (like magic) are usually retained in death.<br />
<br />
Many of the Mummy’s abilities depend on who the Mummy was in life. For example, the Mummy of a pharaoh or high priest may be able to assume the form of a swarm of scarab beetles or become a thick cloud of desert sand. The Mummy might even be able to summon plagues of biblical proportions, or even command lesser mummies or other forms of the undead. Lesser mummies are extremely strong and relentless, little more than single-minded killers.<br />
<br />
But for all the Mummy’s powers, perhaps the most feared of the Mummy’s abilities is the Mummy’s Curse. When an intruder steals from the tomb or even sets foot inside of it, the Mummy may choose to curse the individual, depending on the severity of the would-be thief’s crime and how angry the Mummy happens to be at the moment. The Mummy is bound by sacred law to consummate the curse, at which point it will relentlessly pursue the individual until they lay dead at the Mummy’s desiccated hands. If the Mummy is unable to pursue the individual for some reason or another, the thief will sicken and waste away. He will die, and rise from the dead as an undead servant of the Mummy.<br />
<br />
Despite the Mummy’s strength and immunity to pain, the creature is not without its respective weaknesses. While it cannot feel pain, the Mummy can be destroyed by a blast from a powerful firearm (like a shotgun). However, the Mummy’s major weakness is fire, a common weakness among the undead. Since mummies tend to be dry and coated with various oils and resins, the revenant tends to burn extremely well. Thus, fire is the only way to destroy the Mummy forever.<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
The Mummy has existed for thousands of years. Most of them never had cause to reanimate, but every once in a great while, one of these shambling undead arose from the tomb to take its revenge on those who would dare the wrath of Osiris and desecrate the Mummy’s tomb. To understand this undead creature, one must first understand how mummies were made and what could possibly cause the creature to reanimate.<br />
<br />
====Mummification====<br />
When the Egyptian religion was first being developed, the people realized that they needed a way to preserve their kings so that they would be recognizable to both the people and their gods eternally. Therefore, the process of mummification was developed over a period of centuries, and was finally perfected. The creation of a Mummy is a very complicated process, carefully developed through the centuries and involving mystic rituals that are still not completely understood today. Embalming is believed to have actually originated in Egypt, probably before 4,000 B.C. Although there are at least three different methods of mummification, only the most important and elaborate will be discussed here.<br />
<br />
Several different tools and materials were needed for mummification. Among these tools were bronze knives, hooks, and a blade of obsidian (a naturally-occurring volcanic glass). The materials needed included myrrh, cassia, frankincense, and the resins of the pine, fir, and cedar trees. Others included an assortment of oils, from juniper, cedar, lettuce, and castor, but the key ingredient in mummification in natron.<br />
<br />
Known in Egyptian as ''netjry'', or “divine salt,” natron is a naturally-occurring salt compound composed of sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium sulphate (basically table salt and baking soda) that occurs in dried lakebeds in the Nile’s western delta, today known as the Wadi Natrun. Used while dry, natron is a powerful desiccating agent, absorbing bodily fluids as well as dissolving fat. It was used to completely dehydrate the body so that it could be mummified.<br />
<br />
Now, as for the actual process, it is very complex and time-consuming. First, a long bronze hook or rod was pushed into the nose, breaking through the ethmoid bone and into the cranial cavity. The brain was then stirred with the hook, and using the hooked end, the brain was removed through the nostrils, one piece at a time. They then discarded the brain (they believed that an individual thought with his heart and not with his brain). Next, using an obsidian blade, an incision was made in the lower abdomen (usually the left flank), through which the liver, the intestines, the lungs, and the stomach were removed. These were the parts of the body that decayed the quickest after a person’s death, so their removal was imperative. The slitter (the embalmer who made the incision) ran away quickly, all the while being pelted with stones and cursed at by the other embalmers. They viewed this as a sacrilegious assault upon the body. After the vital organs were removed, only the heart was left untouched.<br />
<br />
The vital organs were then separately embalmed and placed in four sacred canopic jars. The incision was then thoroughly cleaned and washed out, first with palm wine and then a mixture of ground spices. The incision was then filled with myrrh, cinnamon, cassia, and all other manner of aromatic substances (with the exception of frankincense), and small linen bags filled with natron were inserted into the body. Then the body was placed on a slanted embalming table, covered in natron with a channel carved into the bottom of the table (through which bodily fluids would drain into a ceramic jar). Afterwards, the entire body was covered in a thick layer of dry natron, from head to toe. Other than regularly replacing the natron (which lost its desiccating properties until dry), the corpse was left alone for forty days to allow the body to become completely dehydrated. <br />
<br />
After this period, the desiccated corpse was removed from the natron, and the body was then washed in spiced palm wine, while various oils were rubbed into the dried skin of the corpse to restore some degree of flexibility to the limbs and to deodorize the body as well (resin was also used for this purpose). The cranial cavity was then filled with melted resin. The stuffing was removed from the flank incision and was replaced with bundles of linen and resin to give a more lifelike appearance (this was also done to the face). The abdominal incision was then stitched up, thus completing the basic process of mummification.<br />
<br />
Next, the corpse had to be wrapped. First, it was placed inside a linen shroud. Then, hundreds of yards of linen bandages were used for one Mummy. The embalmers painted warm resin onto the bandages to help them stick to the desiccated skin of the Mummy. First, the arms and fingers were carefully wrapped. Then they wrapped the legs and the toes. Then, they wrapped the rest of the body. Every layer, the Mummy would be painted from head to toe in warm resin, and then wrapping would start again. As many as twenty layers of linen bandages could be used on one Mummy. Protective amulets (many made of precious metals and semi-precious stones) were slipped in between the wrappings to protect the body from any mishaps. The Mummy was then adorned with some of its favorite jewelry from life. After the body was bandaged, it was placed inside its coffin, and molten resin was poured over the body. The Mummy, at last, was completed.<br />
<br />
As part of the accompanying funeral, the priests performed several mystic rituals, but the most important of these rituals was the Opening of the Mouth ritual. This ritual was meant to reopen the mummy’s eyes, mouth, and ears so that the Mummy would be able to eat, drink, speak, and enjoy its afterlife. With an adze, the priest touched the mouth, hands, and feet of the Mummy, as well as those of the tomb’s statues, wall paintings, and models. This was done so that the Mummy’s spirit could enter and restore life to the deceased individual, and so that the aforementioned inanimate objects could be animated and act on the Mummy’s behalf. After much grieving and lengthy ceremony, the Mummy was then buried. All in all, the entire mummification process took seventy days. The first forty were used to mummify the corpse, and religious rituals occupied the last thirty days.<br />
<br />
====The Concept of Reanimation====<br />
Typically, mummies do not reanimate. However, there are exceptions. The Egyptians believed that a man (or woman) was composed of several different types of souls. Respectively, there were at least nine different aspects of the soul, but only a few have been identified. These aspects of the soul were known as the ''ba'' (the personality), the ''ka'' (lifeforce), and both were known collectively as the ''akh''. Other aspects included the ''shuyet'' (shadow) and the ''ren'' (name). An attempt shall be made for an explanation.<br />
<br />
The ''ba'' is but one part of the soul, the aspect of an individual that made that person unique, a personality of sorts. It is the part of the soul that is able to detach itself from the body and roam independently by means of astral travel. It was primarily released after death, but it could also be released under circumstances while the individual was sleeping (which was seen by the Egyptians as a state akin to death). Although this aspect was supposedly incorporeal, it was apparently able to eat, drink, and speak, as well as move. Despite this, the ''ba'' had to return the body every night, or otherwise the Mummy would be unable to survive into the afterlife.<br />
<br />
The ''ka'' is the lifeforce, a sort of spiritual double or doppelganger. It gives each individual their nature, temperament, and character. The ''ka'' is created at birth, living through the individual’s life and beyond their death. It is the energy that animates a living person, and perhaps it is also the force that is capable of reanimating the desiccated flesh of the Mummy as well. It continued to exist only as long as it was provided with the necessary care and sustenance. The ''ka'' was given daily offerings, and it was the one which partakes of the food and drink offerings buried with the Mummy.<br />
<br />
However, there was the belief that the ''ka'' was able to leave the body and wander about, especially if it was not sufficiently provided for. The ancient Egyptians feared that the ''ka'' would rise from the grave in a corporeal form as one of the [[Undead]] (known to the Egyptians as the ''kamarupa''), clad in its burial clothes, and wander about at night in search of its own food, in the form of human blood, decaying animal flesh, brackish water, or even faeces. Nobody was safe from this walking corpse.<br />
<br />
In order for the dead to achieve true immortality, the ''ka'' and the ''ba'' had to be reunited in the afterlife. Collectively, these two aspects were known as the ''akh''. This was the eternally unchanging and enduring spirit of the deceased, dwelling in the Underworld for eternity. It was seen as an eternal, living being of light, closely associated with both the stars and the gods (with whom it shared some characteristics, but was not truly divine itself). However, not everyone could become an akh. Those that had not lived their lives according to maat (the concept of cosmic order, truth, and justice, personified as a goddess, and the principle at the very heart of ancient Egyptian religion and morality) would either be annihilated or would not pass into the afterlife. These individuals were especially at risk of joining the ranks of the ''undead''.<br />
<br />
To become an ''akh'', one had to die first, and completing the process symbolized a successful resurrection and rebirth, transforming from a mortal into an immortal. The ''akh'' of the pharaohs (considered to be living gods in their own right) shared the divine power of the gods, and were therefore more divine than their subjects, and thus were far less likely to rise from the grave (although it could still happen).<br />
<br />
The ''ren'', or name, of an individual was extremely important, in both this life and the next. A name provided an individual with an identity, and without a name, the individual would utterly cease to exist. To the Egyptians, this was the worst possible fate that they could imagine, and therefore went to extremes to safeguard their names. If one’s name were erased on purpose, the family of the deceased feared for their eternal existence. It was considered to be an effective means of ridding oneself of society’s undesirables forever. In Egyptian magic, knowing an individual’s true name gave one power over that individual. This obsession was common all over the world, and it is still a concern in some cultures today.<br />
<br />
The ''shuyet'', or shadow, was said to be a powerful and quick entity in ancient funerary texts, and is due the protection that it deserves. Shadows were thought to be an extension of the soul, and were also associated with the sun. The shadow’s solar associations were linked to the rebirth of an individual: the sun produced a shadow, an image of that person’s soul. When the sun set, the shadow disappeared. The shadow was then resurrected at dawn the next day, and therefore the sun helped the Egyptians to prepare for eternity in the afterlife, no matter what form the individual took.<br />
<br />
As for actual reanimation, it is possible. The Egyptians actually expected the Mummy to reanimate and kill intruders. However, reanimation only occurs under certain circumstances, and requires a great deal of supernatural power. A curse, if potent enough, might have such power. To protect the tomb’s occupant (usually a pharaoh or a high priest), priests would inscribe protective spells or curses into the walls, possessions, and the sarcophagus to protect the Mummy from thieves and intruders, with dire consequences for those who dared to ignore them. A curse with sufficient power may force the Mummy’s ka back into the body, causing the desiccated corpse to reanimate. The Mummy is imbued with enough intelligence to know its purpose: drive away or kill all who dared to disturb the Mummy’s tomb. Only the ka was needed for this, as the other aspects would cause the Mummy to become self-aware and prevent it from achieving its purpose. Thus, the other aspects weren’t necessary. The end result was a shambling corpse of supernatural strength and completely relentless in its ordained task.<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
*Brier, Bob. ''Egyptian Mummies: Unraveling the Secrets of an Ancient Art''. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. Copyright ©1994 by Bob Brier.<br />
*Brier, Bob. ''Ancient Egyptian Magic''. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. Copyright ©1980 by Bob Brier.<br />
*Ikram, Salima. ''Death and Burial in Ancient Egypt''. Great Britain: Pearson Education Limited. Copyright ©2003 by Pearson Education Limited and Salima Ikram.<br />
*Redford, Donald B. ''The Ancient Gods Speak: A Guide to Egyptian Religion''. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc. Copyright ©2002 by Oxford University Press, Inc.<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:Undead]]<br />
[[Category:Corporeal undead]]<br />
[[Category:Egyptian mythology]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Craquehhe&diff=13307
Craquehhe
2009-06-01T19:07:38Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>The '''Craquehhe''' is one of the [[undead]], a creature that was once human but now exists beyond death without a soul, doomed to kill and feed on the living for its own sustenance. It is a revenant, a restless reanimated corpse.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Description/Morphology==<br />
The Craquehhe’s appearance bears very little resemblance to what the creature may have looked like while it was still alive. This [[revenant]] is a decaying corpse, having bloodless wax-white skin, sunken red eyes, and greasy hair clotted with grave dirt and infested with maggots. Maggots and other insects infest and crawl through the rotting tears in its flesh and infest the creature’s tattered clothing. The revenant’s hands and fingers are badly torn from the efforts of slowly clawing its way out of the grave. What is more terrifying yet is that, no matter how badly the Craquehhe was injured before death, it will walk and seek out living prey all the same. The Craquehhe has been seen shambling forth on shattered legs, with missing limbs, and other massively disfiguring or debilitating injuries.<br />
<br />
==Behavior==<br />
The Craquehhe shambles along rather like a [[zombie]], but the revenant's clumsy gait is deceptive, belying its incredible speed when attacking. It will greedily devour any human parts, and the creature will not stop until its stomach is full, leaving only a few scraps of flesh and bloodied skeleton behind. Like the majority of the [[undead]], the Craquehhe rises from the grave after darkness falls, clawing its way to the surface and then proceeding to hunt. This creature, like the Czechoslovakian [[Nelapsi]], has been known to utterly destroy nearby towns in its constant search for human prey.<br />
<br />
The Craquehhe is purely anthropophagous, feeding on both the flesh and blood of its unfortunate victims. The Craquehhe inhabits old graveyards in France.<br />
<br />
==Powers/Weaknesses==<br />
The Craquehhe is one of the most savage and powerful of the [[Undead]]. It possesses supernatural strength and speed, despite being a rotting corpse. It has been known to destroy entire towns, preying on the townsfolk. Because it is a decaying corpse, the Craquehhe may be capable of spreading a virulent, highly contagious disease when it attacks. This plague will kill any who may have survived the revenant’s initial attacks.<br />
<br />
Being truly dead, the Craquehhe is completely impervious to pain and injury. Gunshots and dismemberment will slow the creature down, but cannot stop the [[revenant]]. Even if somehow cut in half at the waist, the creature still clings to unlife, attempting to hunt all the same.<br />
<br />
For all of its savage ferocity and sheer power, the Craquehhe can be destroyed and has a few weaknesses as well. The creature cannot abide by the presence of consecrated icons (like a crucifix), and such a symbol of light and purity offers great protection against the creature.<br />
<br />
Only two things can truly destroy the Craquehhe: fire and decapitation. To accomplish this seemingly foolhardy task, one needs highly-skilled and courageous men armed with consecrated icons, swords, axes, a great deal of courage, and faith in [[God]]. Either that, or an angry mob equipped with torches and sharpened, fire-hardened wooden staves (or pitchforks, whichever works). The [[revenant]] should be pinned to the ground with the wooden staves and decapitated with a single stroke of the sword. However, even headless, this ungodly creature will stubbornly cling to unlife. It is best to be sure if the creature is really dead before the next step is taken.<br />
<br />
Afterwards, the Craquehhe needs to be cremated completely, and the ashes should be scattered to the four winds. Failure to burn the creature will result in the Craquehhe’s resurrection, or worse yet, the revenant’s taint will spread throughout the graveyard, creating a host of these [[undead]] monsters.<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
France may be a beautiful, picturesque country, but like any other place in Europe, the French have their share of dark evils. One of the most feared of these evil beings is the Craquehhe, a horrifying [[revenant]] that rises from the grave in order to feed on the flesh and blood of the living.<br />
<br />
How does such an undead abomination come into existence? If a person dies unbaptized, he was never accepted as one of God’s own. If one were to die without repenting of one’s sins, he is rejecting Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross, and is therefore damned to suffer eternally in Hell. In either case, the result is an aberrant [[revenant]] known as the Craquehhe. This creature is said by some to be a form of [[Vampire]], but in truth, this revenant is much closer in relation to the cinematic [[Zombie]]. This creature is extremely formidable, and fighting the revenant alone is strongly discouraged, at least for the beginning Demon Hunter.<br />
<br />
==Fiction==<br />
The Craquehhe is most likely the inspiration for the cinematic [[Zombie]], as this [[revenant]] shares many of the same traits as its more fictional cousin.<br />
<br />
==Sources==<br />
*Maberry, Jonathan. ''Vampire Universe''. New York: Kensington Publishing Corp. Copyright ©2006 by Jonathan Maberry.<br />
*Maberry, Jonathan. ''The Vampire Slayer's Field Guide to the Undead''. Canada: Strider Nolan Publishing, Inc. Copyright ©2003 by Jonathan Maberry.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Undead]]<br />
[[Category:Zombies]]<br />
{{stub}}</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:Wendigo&diff=13306
Talk:Wendigo
2009-06-01T19:05:39Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: New page: This page seriously needs a picture. -User:Kyle Van Helsing</p>
<hr />
<div>This page seriously needs a picture.<br />
<br />
-[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Corporeal_undead&diff=13305
Corporeal undead
2009-06-01T19:03:18Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: /* The Concept of Undeath */</p>
<hr />
<div>The [[Undead]] (as the creatures are collectively known) have haunted humanity since death was unleashed upon the world. They are monsters with an all-consuming hunger for murder and the lifeforce of the living. By definition, an undead creature is a being that has died, but through strong emotional ties, certain circumstances, or sheer willpower, come back from the grave. The Undead exist in a state between life and death, a limbo of eternal torment that can only be relieved by the lifeforce of the living. <br />
<br />
The Undead are all said to have formidable supernatural powers, capable of inflicting lethal harm on living beings and, more terrifying yet, creating more of the Undead from their victims. There are two kinds of Undead: Corporeal (having a solid form) and Incorporeal (having no physical substance to their forms). Luckily, they are not invincible. Even though one cannot kill something that is already dead, they have numerous weaknesses, and can be prevented from attacking the living using various methods.<br />
<br />
====The Concept of Undeath====<br />
Exactly what does it mean to be “undead?” And what truly is Undeath and its purpose? The concept isn’t very well understood, but to define the term “undead,” it is being that hangs in a state (a limbo, if you will) between full-fledged life and everlasting death. Essentially, the Undead is a reanimated corpse, devoid of a soul. <br />
<br />
I theorize that the Undead are created by “negative energy,” which is created when a violent death occurs, strong negative emotions are created, and so on. These negative forces grab the attention of demons and malignant spirits (possibly even Satan himself takes interest in them), which proceed to reanimate the bodies of the recently deceased, creating revenants, vampires, and zombies of various kinds. Also, the spirit of the body’s owner may reanimate the corpse for its own dark purposes. A body may also be reanimated through powerful magic, usually necromancy (divination through the use of dead bodies or summoning spirits).</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:Corporeal_undead&diff=13304
Talk:Corporeal undead
2009-06-01T19:02:04Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: New page: If someone could expand on my ideas here, I'd appreciate it. Yes, these are all my own original ideas. -User:Kyle Van Helsing</p>
<hr />
<div>If someone could expand on my ideas here, I'd appreciate it. Yes, these are all my own original ideas.<br />
<br />
-[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Borego_Phantom&diff=13303
Borego Phantom
2009-06-01T18:59:40Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>The '''Borego Phantom''' is a skeletal apparition that appears to potential gold-seekers between Borego, Arizona and the foothills of the Superstition Mountains. <br />
<br />
==Description==<br />
The Borego Phantom manifests itself as a humanoid skeleton, standing well over eight feet tall and appearing only after darkness falls. Within the Phantom’s chest is a fiery lantern that burns brightly, swinging slowly from side to side from the rib from which it hangs. Despite this, the apparition appears without warning and appears suddenly from the darkness.<br />
<br />
==Behavior==<br />
In most cases, the Borego Phantom seems uninterested in mortal affairs and simply wanders past terrified onlookers. Its feet may touch the ground and kick up sand, but no footprints of any kind are ever left behind, nor can it be followed for any amount of time. But when traveling through cactus stands, over boulders, or through narrow tunnels, the Borego Phantom has exhibited incredible agility that is rare among the undead.<br />
<br />
==Theories==<br />
The Borego Phantom may be an aimless wanderer, but the irrefutable fact that it appears only to miners and prospectors indicates that the apparition may in fact have some sort of motive. The lantern in its chest and its choice of witnesses indicates that the Phantom was once a prospector who had died while searching for the legendary Lost Dutchman Gold Mine, but it is also possible that the Phantom is a “collective phantom,” created and empowered by the ghosts of the innumerable people who perished in pursuit of the Lost Dutchman.<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
*Blackman, W. Haden. ''The Field Guide to North American Hauntings: Everything You Need to Know About Encountering Over 100 Ghosts, Phantoms, and Spectral Entities''. New York: Three Rivers Press. Copyright (c)1998 by W. Haden Blackman.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Ghosts]]<br />
[[Category:Undead]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:Chiang-shih&diff=13302
Talk:Chiang-shih
2009-06-01T18:52:03Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>I know where you can get a better picture:<br />
[http://www.revenantmagazine.com/rmjiangshi.jpg]<br />
<br />
-[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:Chiang-shih&diff=13301
Talk:Chiang-shih
2009-06-01T18:51:04Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>I know where you can get a better picture:<br />
[www.revenantmagazine.com/rmjiangshi.jpg]<br />
<br />
-[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:Chiang-shih&diff=13300
Talk:Chiang-shih
2009-06-01T18:50:32Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: New page: I know where you can get a better picture: www.revenantmagazine.com/rmjiangshi.jpg -User:Kyle Van Helsing</p>
<hr />
<div>I know where you can get a better picture:<br />
[[www.revenantmagazine.com/rmjiangshi.jpg]]<br />
<br />
-[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=The_Hook&diff=13299
The Hook
2009-06-01T18:48:41Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''The Hook''' is one of the most famous urban legends around. <br />
<br />
The Hook's urban legend involves a teenage couple who are making out in a secluded spot when they hear on the radio that a murderous lunatic has escaped from the local asylum, identifiable only by a large steel hook that he wears in place of his right hand. <br />
<br />
The girl wants to go home, and after much arguing, the boyfriend grudgingly agrees. When they get home, they are shocked to find a bloody steel hook hanging on the car.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Urban legends]]<br />
[[Category:Human Monsters]]<br />
{{stub}}</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Craquehhe&diff=13298
Craquehhe
2009-06-01T18:47:18Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>The '''Craquehhe''' is one of the [[undead]], a creature that was once human but now exists beyond death without a soul, doomed to kill and feed on the living for its own sustenance. It is a revenant, a restless reanimated corpse.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Description/Morphology==<br />
The Craquehhe’s appearance bears very little resemblance to what the creature may have looked like while it was still alive. This [[revenant]] is a decaying corpse, having bloodless wax-white skin, sunken red eyes, and greasy hair clotted with grave dirt and infested with maggots. Maggots and other insects infest and crawl through the rotting tears in its flesh and infest the creature’s tattered clothing. The revenant’s hands and fingers are badly torn from the efforts of slowly clawing its way out of the grave. What is more terrifying yet is that, no matter how badly the Craquehhe was injured before death, it will walk and seek out living prey all the same. The Craquehhe has been seen shambling forth on shattered legs, with missing limbs, and other massively disfiguring or debilitating injuries.<br />
<br />
==Behavior==<br />
The Craquehhe shambles along rather like a [[zombie]], but the revenant's clumsy gait is deceptive, belying its incredible speed when attacking. It will greedily devour any human parts, and the creature will not stop until its stomach is full, leaving only a few scraps of flesh and bloodied skeleton behind. Like the majority of the [[undead]], the Craquehhe rises from the grave after darkness falls, clawing its way to the surface and then proceeding to hunt. This creature, like the Czechoslovakian [[Nelapsi]], has been known to utterly destroy nearby towns in its constant search for human prey.<br />
<br />
The Craquehhe is purely anthropophagous, feeding on both the flesh and blood of its unfortunate victims. The Craquehhe inhabits old graveyards in France.<br />
<br />
==Powers/Weaknesses==<br />
The Craquehhe is one of the most savage and powerful of the [[Undead]]. It possesses supernatural strength and speed, despite being a rotting corpse. It has been known to destroy entire towns, preying on the townsfolk. Because it is a decaying corpse, the Craquehhe may be capable of spreading a virulent, highly contagious disease when it attacks. This plague will kill any who may have survived the revenant’s initial attacks.<br />
<br />
Being truly dead, the Craquehhe is completely impervious to pain and injury. Gunshots and dismemberment will slow the creature down, but cannot stop the [[revenant]]. Even if somehow cut in half at the waist, the creature still clings to unlife, attempting to hunt all the same.<br />
<br />
For all of its savage ferocity and sheer power, the Craquehhe can be destroyed and has a few weaknesses as well. The creature cannot abide by the presence of consecrated icons (like a crucifix), and such a symbol of light and purity offers great protection against the creature.<br />
<br />
Only two things can truly destroy the Craquehhe: fire and decapitation. To accomplish this seemingly foolhardy task, one needs highly-skilled and courageous men armed with consecrated icons, swords, axes, a great deal of courage, and faith in [[God]]. Either that, or an angry mob equipped with torches and sharpened, fire-hardened wooden staves (or pitchforks, whichever works). The [[revenant]] should be pinned to the ground with the wooden staves and decapitated with a single stroke of the sword. However, even headless, this ungodly creature will stubbornly cling to unlife. It is best to be sure if the creature is really dead before the next step is taken.<br />
<br />
Afterwards, the Craquehhe needs to be cremated completely, and the ashes should be scattered to the four winds. Failure to burn the creature will result in the Craquehhe’s resurrection, or worse yet, the revenant’s taint will spread throughout the graveyard, creating a host of these [[undead]] monsters.<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
France may be a beautiful, picturesque country, but like any other place in Europe, the French have their share of dark evils. One of the most feared of these evil beings is the Craquehhe, a horrifying [[revenant]] that rises from the grave in order to feed on the flesh and blood of the living.<br />
<br />
How does such an undead abomination come into existence? If a person dies unbaptized, he was never accepted as one of God’s own. If one were to die without repenting of one’s sins, he is rejecting Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross, and is therefore damned to suffer eternally in Hell. In either case, the result is an aberrant [[revenant]] known as the Craquehhe. This creature is said by some to be a form of [[Vampire]], but in truth, this revenant is much closer in relation to the cinematic [[Zombie]]. This creature is extremely formidable, and fighting the revenant alone is strongly discouraged, at least for the beginning Demon Hunter.<br />
<br />
==Fiction==<br />
The Craquehhe is most likely the inspiration for the cinematic [[Zombie]], as this [[revenant]] shares many of the same traits as its more fictional cousin.<br />
<br />
==Sources==<br />
*Maberry, Jonathan. ''Vampire Universe''. New York: Kensington Publishing Corp. Copyright (c)2006 by Jonathan Maberry.<br />
*Maberry, Jonathan. ''The Vampire Slayer's Field Guide to the Undead''. Canada: Strider Nolan Publishing, Inc. Copyright (c)2003 by Jonathan Maberry.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Undead]]<br />
[[Category:Zombies]]<br />
{{stub}}</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:Revenant&diff=13297
Talk:Revenant
2009-06-01T18:44:46Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: New page: I need someone to add this picture to the article: [http://www.revenantmagazine.com/rmrevenant.jpg] --User:Kyle Van Helsing</p>
<hr />
<div>I need someone to add this picture to the article:<br />
[http://www.revenantmagazine.com/rmrevenant.jpg]<br />
<br />
--[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:Zombie&diff=13296
Talk:Zombie
2009-06-01T04:26:53Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>OK, do you agree with the role of zombies in social activism ?<br />
<br />
LK<br />
<br />
Yes zombies remind us all that death is inevitable.<br />
<br />
Ceres<br />
<br />
This page needs to be expanded BIG TIME.<br />
<br />
--[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Skeleton&diff=13295
Skeleton
2009-06-01T04:25:54Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: /* See Also */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:skeletons.jpg|thumb|Skeleton warriors – author unknown]]<br />
<br />
<br />
An '''animated skeleton''' is a type of physically manifested [[undead]] often found in fantasy, horror fiction, and mythical art. Though most are human skeletons, they can also be from any creature or fantasy race found on Earth or in a fantasy world.<br />
<br />
<br />
=Culture=<br />
<br />
<br />
*Animated human skeletons are known to be personified death in Western culture since the Middle Ages. <br />
*The [[Grim Reaper]] is often depicted as a hooded skeleton holding a scythe and occasionally an hourglass.<br />
*Death as one of the biblical Four horsemen of the [[Apocalypse]] has been depicted as a skeleton riding a horse.<br />
*Figurines and images of skeletons doing routine things are common in Mexico's [[Day of the Dead]] celebration where skulls symbolize life and their familiar circumstances invite levity.<br />
<br />
<br />
=Art/Fiction=<br />
<br />
==Fiction==<br />
<br />
Undead skeletons play a more active, and less symbolic, role in modern fantasy fiction. '''Skeletons''' are fallen creatures that have been summoned from beyond the grave normally of fallen warriors on battles of long past. Skeletons might be given 'life' by a more powerful undead or [[necromancer]]. <br />
<br />
Reanimated by dark magic powers; skeleton follow their master’s orders without questioning. They appear a mindless set of animated bones, brutal and virtually immune to a piercing attack that would only harm the flesh they lack. <br />
<br />
In many stories, legions of undead skeletons are raised as perfectly obedient and expendable foot-soldiers or guards. Since most skeletons are controlled by something else, they cannot make their own intelligent decisions, and can easily be led into ambushes, traps, or hazardous terrain.Certain abilities are lost when creatures are animated, such as naga and snake venom.<br />
<br />
<br />
Fairly weak individually, their strength lies in numbers, like [[zombie]]s.<br />
<br />
==Films==<br />
<br />
*In the 1963 film '''Jason and the Argonauts''', whose animation techniques were accomplished by Ray Harryhausen, a number of skeletons are animated against the Argonauts. These skeletons are capable of reassembling themselves when their bones are scattered, and are only defeated when they are led off of a cliff into the ocean.<br />
*In the 1985 movie ''[[Return of the Living Dead]]'', the zombie at the end is an animated skeleton who, despite his other organs and tissues having rotted away, still has eyes.<br />
*In the 1987 movie '''A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors''', [[Freddy Krueger]]'s zombie is an animated skeleton.<br />
*The 1993 movie ''Army of Darkness'' features an army of deadites who, unlike those in the rest of the series, are animated skeletons.<br />
*In the 1999 movie '''The Mummy''', '''Imhotep''' controls skeletons for this purpose. With no free will or fear of death, they cannot disobey commands.<br />
*'''Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams'''(2002) features animated skeletons very similar to those in ''Jason and the Argonauts''.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Games==<br />
<br />
*In '''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]''' (and games it inspired), animated skeletons are undead similar to zombies, but completely devoid of flesh and do not feed on the living.<br />
Edged and piercing weapons, such as [[sword]]s and [[arrow]]s, are mostly ineffective against skeletons; only blunt weapons, such as [[war hammer]]s, are effective at knocking the bones apart. <br />
[[Liches]], which are typically intelligent and powerful spellcasters, might be mistaken for a simple animated skeleton. Clerics often have the ability to repel or destroy undead creatures, of which animated skeletons are usually the weakest such adversaries. Animated skeletons are not coerced by many effects of spells and combat; they cannot be unconscious or tired.<br />
*In the computer game Serious Sam and it's sequels '''Kleer Skeletons''' are one of the most frequently encountered and one of the most dangerous enemies of all.<br />
*The 1998 computer game ''Grim Fandango'' was about animated skeletons.<br />
*In a Game Boy Advance game, Spider-Man: Mysterio's Menace, the skeletons are the enemies. Like Spider-Man himself, they could climb through ceilings.<br />
*'''Killer Instinct''' is a fighting game that spawned a sequel, Killer Instinct 2 .<br />
Both games contained '''Spinal''', a animated skeleton that fights with a sword and shield. <br />
*The Super Mario Bros. Nintendo games feature creatures called '''Dry Bones''' who are the reanimated skeletons of '''koopas'''.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Literature==<br />
<br />
*In the final volume of Megan Lerseth's '''Sadie Sequence''', King Richard III re-enters his own exhumed remains, briefly becoming an animated skeleton.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
==TV Shows==<br />
<br />
*The cartoon TV shows ''Tiny Toon Adventures'' and ''Animaniacs'' featured '''Mr. Skullhead''', an animated skeleton.<br />
*The 1994 animated series ''Skeleton Warriors'' was about animated skeletons.<br />
<br />
<br />
==See Also ==<br />
<br />
*[[Grim Reaper]]<br />
*[[Liches]]<br />
*[[Necromancer]]<br />
*[[Necromancy]]<br />
*[[Revenant]]<br />
*[[Undead]]<br />
*[[zombies]]<br />
<br />
==Links==<br />
<br />
[http://www.deardeath.com]<br />
<br />
{{wikipedia}}<br />
{{Monstrous}}<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:Death]] [[Category:Corporeal undead]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Revenant&diff=13294
Revenant
2009-06-01T04:24:57Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>The '''Revenant''' is one of the [[undead]], a once-living deceased human without a soul, doomed to kill and feed on the living for its own sustenance.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Etymology==<br />
The term “revenant” can be used to refer to any form of the [[Undead]], whether it is a [[vampire]], a [[ghost]], or a [[zombie]]. The word [[revenant]] comes from the French and Latin verb ''revenir'', which means ''to return.'' Therefore, the Revenant is a once-living human that has returned from the dead.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Description/Morphology==<br />
Having recently arisen from the grave, the Revenant is usually a corpse in an advanced state of decay, but still somewhat recognizable to those it knew in life. The creature has sunken eyes, which glow a fiery red in the darkness. It has rotten teeth and jagged fingernails. Large portions of flesh may be missing, exposing the creature’s bones and innards. The skin tends to hang from the flesh in ragged strips, while maggots and worms infest the exposed flesh, as well as the eye sockets and other bodily orifices. The Revenant reeks of corruption and rotting flesh, and the creature can be detected from several yards away just by its smell alone. The Revenant is usually wearing its burial shroud or whatever clothes it was wearing when the individual was interred, now it tatters from clawing its way out of the grave.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Behavior==<br />
The Revenant is dangerously obsessed with gaining its vengeance on those who wronged it while it was still living or caused the creature’s death. Although there have been some accounts of this creature being benevolent and protective of its loved ones, seeking only to prove its innocence of the crime of which it was wrongfully accused, or to complete some pressingly important task. However, this is extremely rare in lore and legend.<br />
<br />
The Revenant is single-minded and relentless in its pursuit of the one that wronged, betrayed, or even murdered the Revenant while it was alive. Rest assured, this creature will hunt down and dispense the justice that it feels the wrongdoer deserves, which usually means killing the unfortunate (but well-deserving) individual. Once in a great while, the Revenant will take up its own case, investigating the circumstances surrounding its death, and instigating a retrial until it is proven innocent or the killer is given justice. Again, this is extremely rare. Usually, the Revenant doesn’t interact with the living. If cornered, it will fight to the death. It knows that, wherever the traitor hides, it will find them eventually and take the revenge that it craves. At this point, the Revenant will return to its grave, never to rise again.<br />
<br />
Usually, the Revenant requires neither food nor drink of any sort, since the creature is technically dead in the first place. However, there have been exceptions when the Revenant has been known to prey on human flesh or blood (causing people to identify the Revenant with the [[Vampire]]), or even eating and drinking normally. However, the Revenant only craves one thing: vengeance. It will not stop until its prey is dead or the wrongs (real or perceived) have been righted.<br />
<br />
The Revenant can be found all over the world in one form or another. The Revenant tends to haunt sites that were important or held some significance to it in life, but the creature has been known to haunt people that betrayed, wronged, or even caused the Revenant’s death. In other words, this creature is not strictly limited to graveyards, mausoleums, tombs, crypts, or other places of death where the Undead usually dwell. However, the Revenant primarily inhabits the British Isles.<br />
<br />
<br />
==Powers/Weaknesses==<br />
While not as powerful as some other forms of the [[Undead]], the Revenant is still a deadly adversary. The Revenant is a vicious [[monster]], possessing supernatural strength, speed, and endurance. It will fight to the death, or at least until the creature is destroyed. In addition, some legends say that the Revenant is a [[shapeshifter]], taking the form of a great hound (although this is a rarity). The creature’s rotting visage inspires mortal terror in the living, causing lasting psychological damage and horrifying nightmares, which continue for years to come (if not for the rest of the unfortunate individual’s life). The Revenant’s decaying flesh and fetid breath are capable of inflicting a terrible disease, causing those infected to waste away and die within a few days’ time.<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the Revenant is that the creature has the ability to withstand enormous amounts of damage to its body, often without so much as flinching. It takes on an incredible amount of damage, beyond what could kill a mortal. Even dealing grievous wounds to the creature won’t keep it down for long.<br />
<br />
Although physically powerful and utterly relentless, the Revenant does have several weaknesses. Unlike most of the [[Undead]], conventional weapons are capable of harming the Revenant. However, as mentioned earlier, the creature is unable to feel pain and can withstand injuries that would permanently incapacitate or even kill a human. Only a white-hot blaze can put the creature to rest forever (and save its chosen victim).<br />
<br />
For the most part, the Revenant cannot be repelled or “turned” by holding a holy icon in its path, the only exception being if the creature was a deeply religious individual in life. It is unknown if the Revenant is adversely affected by silver or holy water, although it certainly seems possible.<br />
<br />
Luckily, there are numerous methods of destroying the Revenant. Many of these methods target the heart, but more than a few involve decapitation or dismemberment as well. The usual procedure involves excising the heart and burning it, or driving a stake through the heart, decapitating the body, and then burning the body to ashes. Only by following these procedures can one hope to lay the Revenant to its eternal rest.<br />
<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
Every culture has its legends of creatures that rise from the dead to prey upon the living. These creatures are known as revenants, the returning dead. Although any type of the [[undead]] may be referred to as a [[revenant]], the creature discussed here is said to dwell on the British Isles, where it is known as the Revenant.<br />
<br />
How does one become a Revenant? According to folklore, there are many different ways to become one of the [[Undead]]. Some of the more common reasons for rising from the grave include: improper burial, no burial at all, improper handling of the deceased’s body, jealously of the living, a curse, unrest due to sin or unfinished business, or suicide. Some of the lesser-known reasons are more sinister in nature. More often, the Revenant is created when an individual is greatly wronged before death and rises from the grave to seek vengeance. For instance, a man is murdered on the street for no apparent reason. After burial, he rises again from the grave as one of the living dead to avenge himself on his murderer. However, how one is “wronged” depends on an individual’s point of view. A criminal who is fairly tried by a jury and is legally executed may still rise from the dead. In this case, revenge is the trigger of undeath.<br />
<br />
The Revenant may arise when an individual who has led a sinful or wicked life dies. Such a person may be described vain, wicked, or having no faith in [[God]]. Cursed by the Almighty, this individual is doomed to rise from the grave as one of the undead to feed upon the living. When this happens, an evil spirit takes possession of the body, forcing out any of the original person’s remaining personality. The Revenant may retain its memories from life, but there is no emotional attachment to these memories whatsoever. The evil spirit inhabiting the corpse is able to gain access to these memories and force the corpse to speak and act like the individual did during his lifetime, deceiving both friends and loved ones. The Revenant uses the memories for hunting, utilizing the knowledge of former friends, family, and locations as part of its strategies in obtaining prey. It then proceeds to slake its thirst for blood on the unfortunate, draining them of every last drop.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, the Revenant doesn’t last forever. At most, the creature may endure for a few decades. The people that the creature seeks vengeance on may die of natural causes, while the ones who knew and loved the individual in life may stop thinking about them. This causes the animating force to wane and eventually dissipate altogether. When the Revenant’s revenge is complete, or the rest of the creature’s natural lifespan is exceeded, the Revenant either seeks out its grave and collapses, or it may just simply collapse on the spot. While not as powerful as some other forms of the [[undead]], the Revenant is a force to be reckoned with and feared nonetheless.<br />
<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
*Maberry, Jonathan. ''Vampire Universe''. New York: Kensington Publishing Corp. Copyright (c)2006 by Jonathan Maberry.<br />
*Maberry, Jonathan. ''The Vampire Slayer's Field Guide to the Undead''. Canada: Strider Nolan Publishing, Inc. Copyright (c)2003 by Jonathan Maberry.<br />
*Punch, Sean M. ''GURPS Undead''. Steve Jackson Games. Copyright (c)2002 by Steve Jackson Games.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Undead]]<br />
[[Category:Ghosts]]<br />
[[Category:Corporeal undead]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:The_Mummy_(Undead)&diff=13293
Talk:The Mummy (Undead)
2009-06-01T04:20:30Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: New page: For whoever added the picture (D&D has the best pictures), THANK YOU!!! --User:Kyle Van Helsing</p>
<hr />
<div>For whoever added the picture (D&D has the best pictures), THANK YOU!!!<br />
<br />
--[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Talk:Draug&diff=13292
Talk:Draug
2009-06-01T04:14:39Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: </p>
<hr />
<div>There's a better picture of the Draugr to be had (the picture shown is an Ethereal Doppelganger from Dungeons and Dragons). Go to www.revenantmagazine.com and look for Zombie Folklore. Or Google the word aptrgangr on the Google Image Search.<br />
<br />
Hi Kyle,<br />
<br />
Did not find the picture - please send it to me or tell me if you are trouble uploading it yourself.<br />
<br />
Admin<br />
<br />
Found it! You can go to this link to get the picture itself. [http://www.revenantmagazine.com/rmaptrgang.jpg]<br />
<br />
--[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]<br />
<br />
THANK YOU!!!<br />
<br />
--[[User:Kyle Van Helsing]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Shtriga&diff=13291
Shtriga
2009-06-01T04:10:17Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: /* Fiction */</p>
<hr />
<div>In Albanian folklore a '''shtriga''' is a [[witch]] who preys upon infants by drinking their blood at night. But instead of transforming into an owl when she goes for her midnight snack, she is more apt to take the form of a flying insect.<br />
<br />
==Main Belief==<br />
<br />
The '''shtriga''' in Albanian mythology was a [[witch]] that would suck the ''spirtus vitaé'', the living force, out of people at night while they slept, and would then turn into a flying insect. <br />
<br />
<br />
===Behaviour/Features===<br />
<br />
Only the shtriga herself could cure those she had drained (often by spitting in their mouths), and those who were not cured inevitably sickened and died.<br />
<br />
She preferred to drink from young children or even infants.<br />
<br />
<br />
===How to ward off a Shtriga===<br />
<br />
Traditionally there are several methods effective for defending oneself from shtriga, such as:<br />
:*a cross made of bone placed at the entrance of a church on Easter Sunday, rendering any Shtriga inside unable to leave. They could then be captured and killed at the threshold as they vainly attempted to pass.<br />
:*as after draining blood from a victim, the shtriga would generally go off into the woods and regurgitate it, it was believed that soaking a silver coin in that blood, then wrapping it in cloth, it would become an amulet offering permanent protection from any shtriga.<br />
<br />
<br />
===Modern Belief===<br />
<br />
Even recently many Albanians regard the Shtriga as the most common cause of infant deaths.<br />
<br />
<br />
===Shtriga in other cultures===<br />
<br />
The shtriga is related to other witch/vampires such as the Romanian [[strigoi]] and the Roman [[strix]].<br />
<br />
<br />
==Fiction==<br />
<br />
TV series ''Supernatural'', in the episode "Something Wicked", featured a shtriga. Although there is no mentioned method for destroying shtriga in folklore, the show stated that the shtriga may be killed by a consecrated iron bullet, but only when it was feeding.<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
<br />
*[[Strigoi]]<br />
*[[Strix]]<br />
*[[Vampire]]<br />
*[[Witch]]<br />
<br />
<br />
==Links==<br />
<br />
*[http://www.monstrous.com Monstrous]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
*[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0816046859/ref=sr_11_1/103-2389135-2274242?ie=UTF8 Guiley, Rosemary Ellen ''The Encyclopedia of Vampires, Werewolves and Other Monsters'']<br />
{{wikipedia}} <br />
<br />
[[Category:Albanian mythology]] [[Category:Vampires]] [[Category:Shapeshifters]] [[Category:Witches and warlocks]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=How_to_Kill_a_Vampire&diff=13290
How to Kill a Vampire
2009-06-01T04:08:28Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: /* Wolves */</p>
<hr />
<div>Just as the Vampire has its weaknesses, there are just as many ways to kill the Vampire. But how exactly does one kill a creature that is already dead? Although the many methods differ from one culture to the next, most seem to be similar in one way or another. There are three primary methods, used together, throughout Europe to destroy the walking dead: staking, decapitation, and burning. Collectively, these methods are known as the Vampire Exorcism. Its purpose is to ensure that the Vampire never again returns to plague the living.<br />
<br />
====Staking====<br />
The best-known method of slaying the Vampire is to drive a wooden stake through the revenant’s heart. However, unlike what is portrayed in the movies and popular literature, a stake through the heart doesn’t actually kill the Vampire, but immobilizes the creature so that the rest of the Exorcism can take place.<br />
<br />
The stake pins the Vampire to the ground, both physically and symbolically. Once the Vampire is affixed to the earth, it is thought that natural forces would catch up with the revenant’s body, and decay would begin. If the evil spirit inhabiting the corpse tried to escape, it would be unable to do so. However, according to Russian folk customs, the stake had to be driven completely through the corpse with a single blow, as a second blow would awaken the Vampire from its slumber. It is essential that, when staking the Vampire, one avoids spurting blood, as an individual that is splattered with the creature’s blood will either die instantly or become irrevocably insane.<br />
<br />
The materials used to make stakes have varied somewhat throughout the ages. Iron was a popular choice during medieval times, and in some cases, the point of the stake was heated until the iron started to glow red-hot, at which point the stake was driven into the creature (a practice of the Bulgarian people). However, various hardwoods have remained the most popular choice for making stakes. Hawthorn or aspen are considered to be the most effective, as both woods have powerful religious connotations (hawthorn was used in Christ’s crown of thorns, while aspen was the wood that was used to build the cross that Jesus was crucified on). Other woods used for this purpose include oak, ash, wild rose, willow, yew, juniper, blackthorn, whitethorn, buckthorn, linden, rowan, and maple. However, in the countries of Albania and Dalmatia, a dagger that had been previously blessed by a priest was used to pierce the Vampire’s heart, as opposed to the more traditional wooden stake.<br />
<br />
While many of these hardwoods are still popular, many modern vampire hunters prefer silver stakes. Although expensive, stakes made of this precious metal are worth every penny. A silver stake is far more durable than a wooden one, and can be used over and over. When irreparably damaged, they can be melted down and recast. As silver hardens when cold-forged with a hammer, this can be used to enhance the durability of the stake’s point. Silver stakes are generally useful in a close-quarters fight, while wooden stakes are usually used for pinning (although they are still useful in a fight).<br />
<br />
A stake might be driven into the ground above the grave of a suspected revenant, so that the creature might impale itself upon rising from the grave. However, as mentioned previously, staking the Vampire wasn’t enough to slay the creature. As said earlier, the stake only immobilizes the Vampire for an indefinite period of time. Some Vampires were known to ignore the stake completely (one revenant thanked his would-be killers for the stick, using it to keep away dogs). To put it simply, the stake is only one part of destroying the Vampire.<br />
<br />
====Decapitation====<br />
By far the most effective method of killing the Vampire is decapitation. Cutting off the head will kill any Vampire, no matter how old or how powerful the creature may be. This grisly practice originates from the belief that the Vampire is incapable of existing without its head or heart, as it cannot regenerate these vital parts. Without its head, the Vampire is unable to wander about at night without the head to direct it. As with staking, spurting blood must be avoided at all costs.<br />
<br />
After the Vampire is exhumed and a stake is driven through the corpse, decapitation follows. Beheading could be done with a sword or an axe, but this was traditionally done with a gravedigger’s shovel (which has a supernatural connection to death) or the sexton’s spade (which is possessed of the holy power of God). Beforehand, the corpse was covered with a large piece of thick cloth, so as to avoid spurting blood. Then, the head was quickly struck off with a single stroke. Afterwards, the mouth was stuffed with fresh garlic cloves (as this severed the connection of the flesh and the inhabiting spirit). If the corpse was reburied, the head was placed under the arm or in between the legs, turned facedown. The head and the body should be buried at the crossroads, disposed of separately, burned (in separate fires), or buried in different plots. This is the second step in the Vampire Exorcism, but is highly effective in close-quarters combat with the Undead as well.<br />
<br />
====Burning====<br />
Burning is the final step in the destruction of the Vampire, but it is also the most difficult and time-consuming parts of the Exorcism. As said earlier, cremation will destroy any Vampire. Fire is a manifestation of God’s Power, and one of the most powerful purifying forces known to man. However, incineration is only used as a last resort, only if staking, decapitation, or other preventative measures have failed.<br />
<br />
Burning the Vampire is an extremely difficult undertaking, requiring copious amounts of oil, an unending supply of wood (one tale from Russia says to use “a hundred loads of aspen boughs”), an executioner, and a day or two off of work.<br />
<br />
A corpse needs immense temperatures, oxygen, and constant heat to be reduced to charred ashes, and the commoners were incapable of meeting these demands. Therefore, an executioner (who has experience cutting up human bodies) with an axe was called in. He then proceeded to chop the vampiric cadaver into small pieces. This made it easier to burn the corpse. The Russians made an important emphasis on catching and killing any creatures that crawled out of the fire (insects, reptiles, birds, amphibians, and other such things), as these vermin could conceivably hold the Vampire’s essence. If even one of these creatures escaped, then the Vampire would find a new body, and the creature’s reign of terror would begin anew.<br />
<br />
If cremation was successful, on the other hand, the people could rest at ease. The Vampire, no matter how powerful it was, would be gone forever. Next, the ashes were scattered to the winds, put into a sack and thrown into a fast-flowing river, or the ashes were simply buried. Either way, the threat of the Vampire was temporarily abated.<br />
<br />
There are many other methods of destroying the Vampire, all of which are prevalent in folklore. Some are fairly extreme measures, reluctantly done when the vampire hunters or the common people had no other choice or any other ideas.<br />
<br />
====Excision of the Heart====<br />
This is more extreme than staking, and quite a bit gorier as well. The heart is considered to be the part of the Vampire that is inhabited by a demonic spirit. In Romania (and some other parts of Europe), the Vampire is said to possess two hearts (and therefore, two souls). The second heart houses the evil spirit, maintaining the Vampire’s state of undeath. With two hearts, the revenant is twice as difficult to kill. If one destroys the heart, one destroys the Vampire. However, this is far easier said than done…<br />
<br />
First, the Vampire had to be exhumed. Recall that, although nocturnal by nature, the Vampire is more than capable of activity during the daylight hours. Therefore, extreme caution is advised while doing this. Using a sword, a dagger, or a knife (the blade having been blessed by a priest previously), a deep incision is made in the abdomen or the chest cavity. Then, the Hunter inserted his hand and felt around for the heart. Once found, he ripped the organ out. But he wasn’t done yet…<br />
<br />
Next, the heart had to be disposed of. This is usually done by burning it to ashes. Sometimes, the heart was boiled in wine, vinegar, oil, or holy water, and the heart was then returned to the body or burned afterwards. At times, after cremation, the ashes were carefully spooned back into the cavity. This method has been used quite frequently, especially in America (such as the Exeter, Rhode Island case of Mercy Brown in 1892). It remains a popular option, although messy and generally unpleasant.<br />
<br />
====Dismemberment====<br />
Dismemberment is a grisly process that involves hacking off the Vampire’s limbs, one by one, to prevent the creature from rising from the grave and attacking the living. Obviously, any revenant is going to find it to be impossible to get up, wander around, and feed without its arms or legs. Ideally, this should be done with a sword (blessed by a priest) or a woodsman’s axe.<br />
<br />
====Piercing with a Sword====<br />
The sword’s blade should be blessed and anointed with holy water beforehand. This should be done with a single thrust, directly through the heart. However, this method is more appropriate in a battle with the Undead. But either way, this technique gets the task done. No Vampire will rise again after a sword thrust through the heart (provided that proper disposal procedures are followed afterwards).<br />
<br />
====Immersion in Water====<br />
As water’s symbolism as a purifier and one of the Holy Sacraments is anathema to the Vampire, a revenant that is fully immersed in water (especially running water) will drown and be destroyed. A bathtub could work, but disposal of the creature’s body may prove to be problematic (as removing the Vampire from the water will revive the creature).<br />
<br />
====Stealing the Left Sock====<br />
Truly one of the most bizarre ways of destroying the Vampire. While the Vampire slumbers, the Hunter steals the creature’s left sock, fills the sock with earth or stones from the Vampire’s grave, and tosses the sock outside of the village’s proximity, usually into running water (i.e. a deep river). The Vampire, being an obsessive creature by nature, will panic and frantically begin searching for its missing sock. The revenant will even endure running water to find its sock, and will eventually drown.<br />
<br />
====Drenching in Holy Water and Garlic====<br />
As both holy water and garlic have a negative effect on the Vampire, a quantity of holy water and garlic oil should be poured into the Vampire’s grave. This will cause the creature immense pain and to eventually disintegrate. However, several gallons are needed for this to be successful.<br />
<br />
====Injection with Holy Water====<br />
Ideally, a hypodermic needle, filled with holy water or holy oil (whichever is preferred), should be inserted into the Vampire’s heart and the plunger depressed. This will carry the consecrated liquid throughout the revenant’s body, causing agonizing pain and also causing the Vampire to burn up from the inside.<br />
<br />
====Bottling the Vampire====<br />
As incredible as this notion may seem to be, in Bulgarian folklore this is said to be one of the most powerful and effective methods of containing and destroying the Vampire. However, this requires powerful magic (which may be just as evil as the Vampire itself), and one has to hire a sorcerer as well. It is extremely dangerous, requiring a great degree of willpower, experience, and an excellent sense of balance. The Hunter (known in Bulgaria as the vampirdzhija), armed with a holy image or a relic and a bottle (baited with the Vampire’s favorite food, preferably the Hunter’s own blood), lies in wait for the revenant.<br />
<br />
Once the creature appears, the Hunter chases the Vampire, pursuing it across rooftops, through houses, and even up trees without even a moment’s respite. When the Hunter finally corners the revenant, the Vampire is trapped. Confronted with the crucifix or holy image, the Vampire will have no choice but to assume the form of a mist and flee into the bottle. The Hunter quickly seals the bottle with a lid (engraved onto which is a cross). He then throws the bottle into a roaring fire, thereby forever destroying the Vampire. <br />
<br />
In Malaysia, a similar practice is employed, but differs as follows: a bamboo tube (known as a tabong), sealed with leaves and a mystical charm, is used in place of the bottle and, instead of burning the container, the tube is tossed into the sea.<br />
<br />
====Wolves====<br />
Although the Vampire is able to command wolves, there is one exception: the white wolf. The white wolf is greatly feared by the Vampire, making it a loyal companion and a friend to any Demon Hunter. This wolf can sense the Undead, and this is an extremely useful ability. In Albania, the [[Lugat]] (a powerful if somewhat cowardly [[Vampire]]) can only be destroyed by a white wolf. The wolf accomplishes this by biting off the Vampire’s leg. Grievously injured and even more humiliated, the lugat will retreat to its grave, never to be seen again.<br />
<br />
====Shooting with a Consecrated Bullet====<br />
Under normal circumstances, firearms have little or no effect on the Vampire. However, a bullet that has been blessed by a priest (not necessarily silver) and is fired into the Vampire’s coffin or the Vampire’s heart will slay the revenant. However, this method is seldom mentioned in folklore. All the same, it is definitely worth a try.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Vampires]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Weaknesses_of_the_Vampire&diff=13222
Weaknesses of the Vampire
2009-05-26T04:55:25Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: /* Wolfsbane */</p>
<hr />
<div>Fortunately, the Vampire is not without its weaknesses. Since the Vampire exists in one form or another in cultures all over the world, the creature’s vulnerabilities are numerous. However, one who is well versed in Vampire lore and organizes himself accordingly, he will be able to come up with innovative uses for these weaknesses. Some of these vulnerabilities are apotropaics, or substances that are able to repel evil. Others listed here will cause the Vampire more direct harm. Some have no relevance at all, except for in fiction.<br />
<br />
====Garlic====<br />
Garlic (''allium sativum'') is the best known and certainly one of the most effective Vampire apotropaics. It is well known in both folklore and fiction that this potent herb’s pungent odor and spicy taste is known not only to repulse the Undead, but just about everyone else, too! Knowledge of garlic’s antiseptic and antibiotic properties originates thousands of years ago in Egypt, where it was believed to possess healing powers. According to one source, Roman soldier were issued daily rations of garlic before battle to give them courage and strength, as well as for general health. <br />
<br />
It is believed that garlic’s efficacy lies in the herb’s powerful odor. According to the theory that like repels like, it is highly likely that the Vampire, reeking of death and decay (overall, not just the revenant’s breath), will be utterly repulsed by any substance that smells just as badly (in this case, garlic).<br />
<br />
In the Slavic lands of Europe, garlands of garlic are still worn by peasants and hung over doorways, as superstition still rules these people to an extent. These garlands are even available for purchase to tourists! Children are forced to wear garlic on their person at all times, whether at work or play. This kept away everything, including potential playmates. In China and Malaysia, it is rubbed all over to prevent vampiric attack, usually on the forehead or the armpits (the favored spot in the Philippines).<br />
<br />
However, garlic is also useful in the Vampire’s destruction. Once a stake had been driven through the heart and the body decapitated, garlic bulbs were used to stuff the mouth. The garlic’s anti-evil properties severed the bond between the inhabiting demonic spirit and the dead flesh. This ensured that, if it was decided not to burn the corpse, the Vampire would be unable to regenerate itself and return to take its vengeance.<br />
<br />
====Silver====<br />
Silver is a relatively recent addition to Vampire folklore. While popular in fiction, it also has some basis in folklore. Because of its purity and lustrous white color, silver is believed to possess protective powers against evil and negative influences. It is also said to have a supernatural association with the moon.<br />
<br />
Because of its protective powers, silver has been used to keep evil at bay for thousands of years. It is said that silver nails in a coffin will prevent a revenant or a restless spirit from escaping the confines of its grave, while silver amulets repel evil spirits. A cross or a crucifix made of pure silver is far more powerful than one made of other metals, especially against the Vampire. On another note, silver is thought to ward off the Evil Eye.<br />
<br />
When one thinks of silver being used in a supernatural context, the Werewolf and the silver bullet immediately come to mind. However, silver is considered to be the bane of all evil, and has therefore been utilized against vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, witches, giants, and those that live a “charmed” life. When a sorcerer’s familiar is injured or dies by a silver bullet, the creature’s master is dealt the same fate.<br />
<br />
Silver is highly effective when utilized against the Vampire in a combat situation as well. A wound inflicted by a silver blade on the Vampire heals very slowly, if at all. If it pierces the heart, the Vampire dies. Since silver is too soft to make a serious weapon (with the exception being stakes, bullets, or projectile points), it is used in steel alloys and to plate steel blades (a process called silvering). The most popular choices for such applications are blades, especially swords, daggers, or knives. If a priest blesses the blades, then their efficacy is increased considerably. In folklore, one clear reference is found in Serbia. One man broke up silver coins (which were each engraved with a cross), loaded them into his shotgun, and fired on a revenant. The creature did not bother the villagers again.<br />
<br />
====Running Water====<br />
According to legend (and the works of Bram Stoker), the Vampire is unable to cross running water, except at the ebb and flow of the tide. This includes rivers, streams, and (in some cases) the open ocean. According to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the creature may be carried over it on a water-going vessel (a boat or a ship). In folklore, witches, ghosts, and evil spirits are incapable of crossing running water, as water is a symbol of life, purity, and holiness. It is said to have healing and cleansing powers. Water is the main element in holy baptism and is held to be sacred to the Church, washing away sin and evil.<br />
<br />
Water is a prominent element in folklore. It is said that tricking the Vampire into wading into flowing water can destroy the creature. Once the Vampire has entered the water, it will drown and perish. This is not to say that the Vampire can’t swim. The water’s inherent power and symbolism, through supernatural means, impedes the revenant’s ability to stay afloat and swim. However, if the creature is removed from the water, the Vampire will return to unlife. Then, it will proceed to make a meal out of its “rescuer.”<br />
<br />
It is currently unknown where this belief originated from, but it may have come from Greece. The people, tired of the Vampire’s depredations, would unearth the corpse and exile it to a small, uninhabited island a few miles offshore. There, the revenant was reburied. Thus surrounded by flowing water, the Vampire was imprisoned and denied its need for blood.<br />
<br />
====Invitation====<br />
The Vampire is unable to enter a house without first being verbally invited inside. However, once the invitation was extended, the Vampire may enter whenever it wishes, at anytime thereafter. Thus, as long as the people do not give admittance to the creature, they remain safe. However, once the Vampire has been invited inside, the creature is extremely difficult to get rid of. This usually happens when the household fails to recognize the Vampire for what it is. Once inside, the Vampire will drain each person of blood, one by one.<br />
<br />
This is not a prominent limitation in folklore (except, perhaps, for the Greek [[Vrykolakas]]). In fact, superstitious peasants were forced to come up with their own remedies just to keep the Vampire out. The myth that the Vampire cannot cross the threshold of a house without first being invited most likely originates from a Christian belief that Satan cannot go where he isn’t welcome.<br />
<br />
====Lack of a Reflection====<br />
According to legend, the Vampire casts no reflection in a mirror. This comes from the ancient belief that the mirror reflects the soul of the one who gazes into it. The Vampire has no soul, and therefore casts no reflection. The Vampire knows this, and it instinctively seeks to avoid reflective surfaces, hating mirrors so much that the revenant actively seeks to destroy them. The Vampire’s lack of a reflection is, sooner or later, something that is bound to be noticed by a perceptive individual.<br />
<br />
On a similar note, it is said that the Vampire is incapable of casting a shadow. However, there is virtually no evidence in the annals of folklore to support this. This limitation is an invention of Bram Stoker, as is the Vampire’s inability to cast a reflection. In fact, the Vampire in folklore is able to cause death to any human that falls within the creature’s shadow.<br />
<br />
====Sunlight====<br />
According to contemporary folklore, the Vampire cannot withstand direct exposure to the rays of the sun. Exposure to sunlight supposedly causes the Vampire to burst into flames and disintegrate into a pile of ash.<br />
<br />
However, there is absolutely no evidence in folklore to support this notion. In early Vampire literature (such as J. Malcolm Rymer’s ''Varney the Vampire'' or Sheridan LeFanu’s ''Carmilla''), the Vampire could walk about freely in the daylight. This notion was popularized by F.W. Murnau’s 1922 horror masterpiece Nosferatu, and has achieved immense popularity in subsequent Vampire fiction and films. The terrifying truth is that, with only one exception, the Vampire isn’t adversely affected by sunlight, and the revenant has actually been known to hunt during the day. According to Slavic legend, the Vampire usually hunts between the hours of noon and midnight. However, this notion may have some indirect roots in folklore. According to Serbian folklore, the Vampire has no power during the day, but in fact receives its power from the Devil by night.<br />
<br />
The Vampire’s aversion to sunlight in fiction is most likely derived from the notion that the Vampire is entirely nocturnal. While it is true that the revenant prefers the darkness of midnight, the Vampire is by no means limited to it. With few exceptions (such as the Chinese jiangshi), the Vampire may rise from the grave whenever it so chooses, and nothing can stop it.<br />
<br />
====Holy Icons====<br />
It is said that the sight of holy icons, namely the cross or the crucifix, repulses the Vampire. This is a prominent theme in Vampire folklore, as well as literature and the movies.<br />
<br />
The cross is one of mankind’s oldest forms of protection against evil, predating Christianity by centuries. It is associated with pagan sun deities and Heaven. In ancient times, the cross symbolized divine protection and prosperity. The symbolism of the cross was forever changed when Jesus Christ was crucified, sacrificing Himself by taking on the sins of the entire world, descending into Hell, and defeating the Devil. He then rose again from the dead three days later. This proved that, beyond any doubt, that Jesus truly is the Son of God. This transformed the cross into a symbol that was far more powerful: the crucifix. While resembling the cross in terms of basic form, there is one significant difference between the two: the crucifix bears the ''Corpus Christi'', the Body of Christ. It represents Jesus’ sacrifice for the sins of the world, that one day His people might ascend to Heaven and join Him in eternal life. This powerful symbolism means that the crucifix is far deadlier to the Vampire than the cross.<br />
<br />
The cross and the crucifix are regarded as being the most potent of defenses against Satan and his evil legions. The cross is used in exorcism, to ward off sexual predators (like the Incubus and the Succubus), to prevent bewitchment, to protect crops from dark magic, and of course, to ward off the Vampire. During the Inquisition, the inquisitors (witch-hunters) wore the cross on their person or crossed themselves in the presence of a suspected witch as protection against any evil spells that the accused may cast against them. The common people crossed themselves frequently before they set about any given task, just in case evil happened to be lurking nearby. In folklore, a gold cross was placed in the mouth or on the body of corpse, in order to prevent the deceased from becoming one of the Undead.<br />
<br />
In any event, no competent Demon Hunter should be without a cross or a crucifix (preferably the latter). During the Middle Ages, Christian Gypsies believed that the cross would repulse the Vampire (which is where all this started). When presented to the Vampire, the sight of the icon will visibly repel the creature. In addition to this, pressing the crucifix causes an agonizing burn, which will not heal and will scar the Vampire for as long as the creature continues to exist. However, the power of the symbol lies not in what it is made of, but in the strength of the icon’s symbolism, strengthened by the wielder’s faith and his will. This is essential, for without faith the cross will only be effective against the weakest of the Undead.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, when placed in a grave, the grave is rendered uninhabitable to the Vampire. If a crucifix is buried with the deceased, then the corpse won’t become a Vampire. If blessed by a priest and anointed with holy water, or if forged of pure silver, the crucifix’s power is effectively doubled.<br />
<br />
====Native Soil====<br />
According to contemporary folklore, the Vampire must rest by day, in a coffin filled with the soil from the land of the Vampire’s birth. Supposedly, the Vampire draws its power from the earth in an unknown manner. Placing a crucifix or the Eucharistic wafer in the coffin will defile the earth and make it inhospitable to the Undead, as will soaking the earth with holy water. The Vampire cannot travel more than one hundred miles from its home without taking at least a pound of its native soil with it.<br />
<br />
However, the idea that the Vampire is dependent upon the earth while resting is an invention of Bram Stoker, as there is no evidence in folklore to support this notion. According to Slavic folklore, the Vampire has to return to its grave before dawn. However, it remains unsaid if the Vampire is compelled to do so, unlike it is shown in popular literature and the movies.<br />
<br />
====Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder====<br />
In folklore, it is believed that the Vampire is, for some reason, extremely obsessive-compulsive. The creature is therefore compelled to stop and count tiny objects, like seeds, grains, salt, iron pellets, or pebbles. It is known that the Vampire loathes all that is natural or untainted by evil’s claws, and the seed’s symbolism as the start of a new life may be the key to the Vampire’s distraction. In any event, the Vampire will not stop until it has counted every single seed, sometimes as slowly as the rate of one seed counted per year, or even a century! Mustard seeds and poppy seeds are deemed to be the most effective, as Jesus alludes to the mustard seed in His parables, and the poppy seed has a narcotic effect on the Vampire that makes it unwilling or unable to leave its grave. Other effective substances include (but are certainly not limited to): iron nails, linseeds, sea salt, sand, oats, peppercorns, corn kernels, dried peas or beans, steel ball-bearings, rice, or grains of various kinds are all recommended.<br />
<br />
Similarly, the Vampire is obsessed with untying knots. Confronted with a tangled cord, the Vampire is unable to feed until it has picked every single knot apart. It was thought that the creature took a year to untie each knot. It is thought that the knot’s mystical symbolism was responsible for this. Witches used them to cast spells, emotions or objects could become magically ensnared, and it was even believed that the knot could trap one’s soul indefinitely.<br />
<br />
====Wolfsbane====<br />
Wolfsbane (a highly toxic member of the genus ''aconitum'', also known as aconite or monkshood) was thought to have anti-evil properties against Vampires, Werewolves, and shapeshifters for centuries, and is used in the same manner as garlic. A concoction derived from the roots of the plant was often used to wash bite wounds from wild or venomous animals, and so perhaps this is where Wolfsbane derived its supposed ability to cure people of lycanthropy or other supernatural afflictions.<br />
<br />
====Salt====<br />
Due to its white color, purity, and its preservative properties, salt has always been associated with holiness and the triumph of good over evil, and has been used to repel witches, ghosts, demons, spirits, and all manner of evil beings. Very little mention has been made regarding its use against the Undead in folklore, other than that pregnant women in Romania that did not eat enough salt and were gazed upon by a Vampire would give birth to a child that, after its death, was doomed to rise from the grave as a Vampire. Furthermore, salt has a corrosive effect when it comes into contact with the Vampire’s skin.<br />
<br />
====Fire====<br />
Fire has been a powerful force against the Undead and evil for centuries, as it is considered to be a symbol of God and the Holy Spirit, as well as one of nature’s most powerful purifiers. Therefore, after the Vampire is staked and decapitated, the remains were burned to ashes and were then scattered to the four winds.<br />
<br />
Burning the Vampire is without a doubt the most effective means of permanently annihilating the Undead, but it is very difficult and takes hours on end, even days. Large amounts of wood and fuel are needed to completely cremate a body, but it was well worth the effort. The ashes were then placed in a burlap sack, which was then tied shut, and then the bag was tossed into a fast-flowing stream or river. Once this was done, there is no way in Heaven, earth, or Hell that the Vampire could possibly return.<br />
<br />
The Vampire has other weaknesses as well, most of them being herbal in nature. They include the following: wild rose, holly, plants of the hawthorn family (hawthorn, blackthorn, whitethorn, and buckthorn), linden, juniper, lemon, mayflower, millet, rowan, ash, aspen, maple, oak, and dogrose. It should be noted that it is believed that the Vampire is unable to leave its grave on Saturdays (an exception being Holy Saturday, for some odd reason). On this day, it is stated in Bulgarian folk beliefs that the Vampire is reincarnated. This belief possibly stems from the fact that Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath day.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Vampires]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing
https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Weaknesses_of_the_Vampire&diff=13221
Weaknesses of the Vampire
2009-05-26T04:51:52Z
<p>Kyle Van Helsing: /* Obsessive-Compulsive */</p>
<hr />
<div>Fortunately, the Vampire is not without its weaknesses. Since the Vampire exists in one form or another in cultures all over the world, the creature’s vulnerabilities are numerous. However, one who is well versed in Vampire lore and organizes himself accordingly, he will be able to come up with innovative uses for these weaknesses. Some of these vulnerabilities are apotropaics, or substances that are able to repel evil. Others listed here will cause the Vampire more direct harm. Some have no relevance at all, except for in fiction.<br />
<br />
====Garlic====<br />
Garlic (''allium sativum'') is the best known and certainly one of the most effective Vampire apotropaics. It is well known in both folklore and fiction that this potent herb’s pungent odor and spicy taste is known not only to repulse the Undead, but just about everyone else, too! Knowledge of garlic’s antiseptic and antibiotic properties originates thousands of years ago in Egypt, where it was believed to possess healing powers. According to one source, Roman soldier were issued daily rations of garlic before battle to give them courage and strength, as well as for general health. <br />
<br />
It is believed that garlic’s efficacy lies in the herb’s powerful odor. According to the theory that like repels like, it is highly likely that the Vampire, reeking of death and decay (overall, not just the revenant’s breath), will be utterly repulsed by any substance that smells just as badly (in this case, garlic).<br />
<br />
In the Slavic lands of Europe, garlands of garlic are still worn by peasants and hung over doorways, as superstition still rules these people to an extent. These garlands are even available for purchase to tourists! Children are forced to wear garlic on their person at all times, whether at work or play. This kept away everything, including potential playmates. In China and Malaysia, it is rubbed all over to prevent vampiric attack, usually on the forehead or the armpits (the favored spot in the Philippines).<br />
<br />
However, garlic is also useful in the Vampire’s destruction. Once a stake had been driven through the heart and the body decapitated, garlic bulbs were used to stuff the mouth. The garlic’s anti-evil properties severed the bond between the inhabiting demonic spirit and the dead flesh. This ensured that, if it was decided not to burn the corpse, the Vampire would be unable to regenerate itself and return to take its vengeance.<br />
<br />
====Silver====<br />
Silver is a relatively recent addition to Vampire folklore. While popular in fiction, it also has some basis in folklore. Because of its purity and lustrous white color, silver is believed to possess protective powers against evil and negative influences. It is also said to have a supernatural association with the moon.<br />
<br />
Because of its protective powers, silver has been used to keep evil at bay for thousands of years. It is said that silver nails in a coffin will prevent a revenant or a restless spirit from escaping the confines of its grave, while silver amulets repel evil spirits. A cross or a crucifix made of pure silver is far more powerful than one made of other metals, especially against the Vampire. On another note, silver is thought to ward off the Evil Eye.<br />
<br />
When one thinks of silver being used in a supernatural context, the Werewolf and the silver bullet immediately come to mind. However, silver is considered to be the bane of all evil, and has therefore been utilized against vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, witches, giants, and those that live a “charmed” life. When a sorcerer’s familiar is injured or dies by a silver bullet, the creature’s master is dealt the same fate.<br />
<br />
Silver is highly effective when utilized against the Vampire in a combat situation as well. A wound inflicted by a silver blade on the Vampire heals very slowly, if at all. If it pierces the heart, the Vampire dies. Since silver is too soft to make a serious weapon (with the exception being stakes, bullets, or projectile points), it is used in steel alloys and to plate steel blades (a process called silvering). The most popular choices for such applications are blades, especially swords, daggers, or knives. If a priest blesses the blades, then their efficacy is increased considerably. In folklore, one clear reference is found in Serbia. One man broke up silver coins (which were each engraved with a cross), loaded them into his shotgun, and fired on a revenant. The creature did not bother the villagers again.<br />
<br />
====Running Water====<br />
According to legend (and the works of Bram Stoker), the Vampire is unable to cross running water, except at the ebb and flow of the tide. This includes rivers, streams, and (in some cases) the open ocean. According to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the creature may be carried over it on a water-going vessel (a boat or a ship). In folklore, witches, ghosts, and evil spirits are incapable of crossing running water, as water is a symbol of life, purity, and holiness. It is said to have healing and cleansing powers. Water is the main element in holy baptism and is held to be sacred to the Church, washing away sin and evil.<br />
<br />
Water is a prominent element in folklore. It is said that tricking the Vampire into wading into flowing water can destroy the creature. Once the Vampire has entered the water, it will drown and perish. This is not to say that the Vampire can’t swim. The water’s inherent power and symbolism, through supernatural means, impedes the revenant’s ability to stay afloat and swim. However, if the creature is removed from the water, the Vampire will return to unlife. Then, it will proceed to make a meal out of its “rescuer.”<br />
<br />
It is currently unknown where this belief originated from, but it may have come from Greece. The people, tired of the Vampire’s depredations, would unearth the corpse and exile it to a small, uninhabited island a few miles offshore. There, the revenant was reburied. Thus surrounded by flowing water, the Vampire was imprisoned and denied its need for blood.<br />
<br />
====Invitation====<br />
The Vampire is unable to enter a house without first being verbally invited inside. However, once the invitation was extended, the Vampire may enter whenever it wishes, at anytime thereafter. Thus, as long as the people do not give admittance to the creature, they remain safe. However, once the Vampire has been invited inside, the creature is extremely difficult to get rid of. This usually happens when the household fails to recognize the Vampire for what it is. Once inside, the Vampire will drain each person of blood, one by one.<br />
<br />
This is not a prominent limitation in folklore (except, perhaps, for the Greek [[Vrykolakas]]). In fact, superstitious peasants were forced to come up with their own remedies just to keep the Vampire out. The myth that the Vampire cannot cross the threshold of a house without first being invited most likely originates from a Christian belief that Satan cannot go where he isn’t welcome.<br />
<br />
====Lack of a Reflection====<br />
According to legend, the Vampire casts no reflection in a mirror. This comes from the ancient belief that the mirror reflects the soul of the one who gazes into it. The Vampire has no soul, and therefore casts no reflection. The Vampire knows this, and it instinctively seeks to avoid reflective surfaces, hating mirrors so much that the revenant actively seeks to destroy them. The Vampire’s lack of a reflection is, sooner or later, something that is bound to be noticed by a perceptive individual.<br />
<br />
On a similar note, it is said that the Vampire is incapable of casting a shadow. However, there is virtually no evidence in the annals of folklore to support this. This limitation is an invention of Bram Stoker, as is the Vampire’s inability to cast a reflection. In fact, the Vampire in folklore is able to cause death to any human that falls within the creature’s shadow.<br />
<br />
====Sunlight====<br />
According to contemporary folklore, the Vampire cannot withstand direct exposure to the rays of the sun. Exposure to sunlight supposedly causes the Vampire to burst into flames and disintegrate into a pile of ash.<br />
<br />
However, there is absolutely no evidence in folklore to support this notion. In early Vampire literature (such as J. Malcolm Rymer’s ''Varney the Vampire'' or Sheridan LeFanu’s ''Carmilla''), the Vampire could walk about freely in the daylight. This notion was popularized by F.W. Murnau’s 1922 horror masterpiece Nosferatu, and has achieved immense popularity in subsequent Vampire fiction and films. The terrifying truth is that, with only one exception, the Vampire isn’t adversely affected by sunlight, and the revenant has actually been known to hunt during the day. According to Slavic legend, the Vampire usually hunts between the hours of noon and midnight. However, this notion may have some indirect roots in folklore. According to Serbian folklore, the Vampire has no power during the day, but in fact receives its power from the Devil by night.<br />
<br />
The Vampire’s aversion to sunlight in fiction is most likely derived from the notion that the Vampire is entirely nocturnal. While it is true that the revenant prefers the darkness of midnight, the Vampire is by no means limited to it. With few exceptions (such as the Chinese jiangshi), the Vampire may rise from the grave whenever it so chooses, and nothing can stop it.<br />
<br />
====Holy Icons====<br />
It is said that the sight of holy icons, namely the cross or the crucifix, repulses the Vampire. This is a prominent theme in Vampire folklore, as well as literature and the movies.<br />
<br />
The cross is one of mankind’s oldest forms of protection against evil, predating Christianity by centuries. It is associated with pagan sun deities and Heaven. In ancient times, the cross symbolized divine protection and prosperity. The symbolism of the cross was forever changed when Jesus Christ was crucified, sacrificing Himself by taking on the sins of the entire world, descending into Hell, and defeating the Devil. He then rose again from the dead three days later. This proved that, beyond any doubt, that Jesus truly is the Son of God. This transformed the cross into a symbol that was far more powerful: the crucifix. While resembling the cross in terms of basic form, there is one significant difference between the two: the crucifix bears the ''Corpus Christi'', the Body of Christ. It represents Jesus’ sacrifice for the sins of the world, that one day His people might ascend to Heaven and join Him in eternal life. This powerful symbolism means that the crucifix is far deadlier to the Vampire than the cross.<br />
<br />
The cross and the crucifix are regarded as being the most potent of defenses against Satan and his evil legions. The cross is used in exorcism, to ward off sexual predators (like the Incubus and the Succubus), to prevent bewitchment, to protect crops from dark magic, and of course, to ward off the Vampire. During the Inquisition, the inquisitors (witch-hunters) wore the cross on their person or crossed themselves in the presence of a suspected witch as protection against any evil spells that the accused may cast against them. The common people crossed themselves frequently before they set about any given task, just in case evil happened to be lurking nearby. In folklore, a gold cross was placed in the mouth or on the body of corpse, in order to prevent the deceased from becoming one of the Undead.<br />
<br />
In any event, no competent Demon Hunter should be without a cross or a crucifix (preferably the latter). During the Middle Ages, Christian Gypsies believed that the cross would repulse the Vampire (which is where all this started). When presented to the Vampire, the sight of the icon will visibly repel the creature. In addition to this, pressing the crucifix causes an agonizing burn, which will not heal and will scar the Vampire for as long as the creature continues to exist. However, the power of the symbol lies not in what it is made of, but in the strength of the icon’s symbolism, strengthened by the wielder’s faith and his will. This is essential, for without faith the cross will only be effective against the weakest of the Undead.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, when placed in a grave, the grave is rendered uninhabitable to the Vampire. If a crucifix is buried with the deceased, then the corpse won’t become a Vampire. If blessed by a priest and anointed with holy water, or if forged of pure silver, the crucifix’s power is effectively doubled.<br />
<br />
====Native Soil====<br />
According to contemporary folklore, the Vampire must rest by day, in a coffin filled with the soil from the land of the Vampire’s birth. Supposedly, the Vampire draws its power from the earth in an unknown manner. Placing a crucifix or the Eucharistic wafer in the coffin will defile the earth and make it inhospitable to the Undead, as will soaking the earth with holy water. The Vampire cannot travel more than one hundred miles from its home without taking at least a pound of its native soil with it.<br />
<br />
However, the idea that the Vampire is dependent upon the earth while resting is an invention of Bram Stoker, as there is no evidence in folklore to support this notion. According to Slavic folklore, the Vampire has to return to its grave before dawn. However, it remains unsaid if the Vampire is compelled to do so, unlike it is shown in popular literature and the movies.<br />
<br />
====Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder====<br />
In folklore, it is believed that the Vampire is, for some reason, extremely obsessive-compulsive. The creature is therefore compelled to stop and count tiny objects, like seeds, grains, salt, iron pellets, or pebbles. It is known that the Vampire loathes all that is natural or untainted by evil’s claws, and the seed’s symbolism as the start of a new life may be the key to the Vampire’s distraction. In any event, the Vampire will not stop until it has counted every single seed, sometimes as slowly as the rate of one seed counted per year, or even a century! Mustard seeds and poppy seeds are deemed to be the most effective, as Jesus alludes to the mustard seed in His parables, and the poppy seed has a narcotic effect on the Vampire that makes it unwilling or unable to leave its grave. Other effective substances include (but are certainly not limited to): iron nails, linseeds, sea salt, sand, oats, peppercorns, corn kernels, dried peas or beans, steel ball-bearings, rice, or grains of various kinds are all recommended.<br />
<br />
Similarly, the Vampire is obsessed with untying knots. Confronted with a tangled cord, the Vampire is unable to feed until it has picked every single knot apart. It was thought that the creature took a year to untie each knot. It is thought that the knot’s mystical symbolism was responsible for this. Witches used them to cast spells, emotions or objects could become magically ensnared, and it was even believed that the knot could trap one’s soul indefinitely.<br />
<br />
====Wolfsbane====<br />
Wolfsbane (the genus aconitum, also known as aconite or monkshood) was thought to have anti-evil properties against Vampires, Werewolves, and shapeshifters for centuries, and is used in the same manner as garlic.<br />
<br />
====Salt====<br />
Due to its white color, purity, and its preservative properties, salt has always been associated with holiness and the triumph of good over evil, and has been used to repel witches, ghosts, demons, spirits, and all manner of evil beings. Very little mention has been made regarding its use against the Undead in folklore, other than that pregnant women in Romania that did not eat enough salt and were gazed upon by a Vampire would give birth to a child that, after its death, was doomed to rise from the grave as a Vampire. Furthermore, salt has a corrosive effect when it comes into contact with the Vampire’s skin.<br />
<br />
====Fire====<br />
Fire has been a powerful force against the Undead and evil for centuries, as it is considered to be a symbol of God and the Holy Spirit, as well as one of nature’s most powerful purifiers. Therefore, after the Vampire is staked and decapitated, the remains were burned to ashes and were then scattered to the four winds.<br />
<br />
Burning the Vampire is without a doubt the most effective means of permanently annihilating the Undead, but it is very difficult and takes hours on end, even days. Large amounts of wood and fuel are needed to completely cremate a body, but it was well worth the effort. The ashes were then placed in a burlap sack, which was then tied shut, and then the bag was tossed into a fast-flowing stream or river. Once this was done, there is no way in Heaven, earth, or Hell that the Vampire could possibly return.<br />
<br />
The Vampire has other weaknesses as well, most of them being herbal in nature. They include the following: wild rose, holly, plants of the hawthorn family (hawthorn, blackthorn, whitethorn, and buckthorn), linden, juniper, lemon, mayflower, millet, rowan, ash, aspen, maple, oak, and dogrose. It should be noted that it is believed that the Vampire is unable to leave its grave on Saturdays (an exception being Holy Saturday, for some odd reason). On this day, it is stated in Bulgarian folk beliefs that the Vampire is reincarnated. This belief possibly stems from the fact that Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath day.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Vampires]]</div>
Kyle Van Helsing