Dante Stone

Bat Out

• More about the Vampiric Race

  
  
  
  
  
  

  Blood Type: O- What blood does he drink: Animals (Specific: Ursus Americanus (American Black Bear); Ursus Arctos (Black Bear); Cervus canadensis (Elk); Odocoileus hemionus (Black-Tailed Deer/Mule); O. virginianus (White-Tailed Deer); Canis Latrans (Coyote); Antilocapra Americana (Prong Horned Sheep); Ovis Canadensi (Big Horned Sheep).) What blood can he drink?: Human/Animal What blood can't he drink?: Demon/Lycan Why??: They're poisonous. Preference?: Animal. What does he feed off of?: Big Game Animals

  Strengths: Immortality; Strength; Hearing; Sight; Taste; Hearing. Weaknesses: Sunlight, Sharpened Wood; Stakes. Pros: He can be seen in Mirrors/Photographs; Religion Doesn't bother him; Sun Irritates him, doesn't burn or make him sparkle. Super-Hyper healing. Cons: Highly Alergic to Garlic, though it doesn't poison him or kill him. Highly sensitive to silver, sharpened wood, stakes. UV lights. Does he hunt?: Yes. If so, what?: Big Game Animals How?: Teeth/Fang/Claws. Where?: Any Region where there are Big Game Animals.
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  When someone is changed into a vampire does it have any effect on their complexion, the way their body looks or the way their voice sounds? Answer There are some differing thoughts on this among the different vampire mythologies, but it is generally accepted in modern vampire lore that once the human-to-vampire change is completed, the new-born vampire will look like the "best-case scenario" of that person as a human being. What I mean by this is that at whatever point a human is transformed into a vampire, their body will revert to what most people would consider its most attractive form. Their skin becomes well-toned (though considerably more pale than when they were human), their complexion becomes near-perfect, their bodies take a naturally toned and perhaps muscular shape, and any signs of aging seem to practically disappear. In addition, diseases are eliminated, injuries restored (other than missing limbs or something like that), posture becomes perfect, and hair returns to an attractive form. It's a little unclear if this "best case scenario" means the best that particular person has ever looked, or the best that they could have possibly looked. For example, if as an adult you never weighed less than 400 pounds, would your vampire-self go to 400 pounds, or would you be more like 150-200 pounds? My guess is that it's the latter - the most attractive possible version of yourself, but I could be wrong. While the body takes on the appearance of a youthful adult in most cases, it does not do so in cases where the human being turned is not yet of adult age. For example, if a human were 70 years old and became transformed into a vampire, they would look about 25 years old. If a human were 7 years old, they would still look 7 years old - forever. The body doesn't suddenly grow after a transformation - it just restores itself to its best possible form. Some may ask why this is - why do vampires become an attractive version of themselves rather than, say, looking like monsters? The answer is two-fold. First, when you make a deal with the Devil, you tend to get the works. Living eternally as an old dude with a beer belly is not nearly as tempting as living eternally as a beautiful young athlete. Secondly, it is very much in a vampire's nature to use charm and seduction as methods of enticing victims. If they were not so attractive to humans, this would be considerably more difficult to do. Just as animals adapt features over time that assists in their survival, so do mythical creatures. What don't vampires like? Answer Like humans, vampires are individuals with individual tastes and preferences. Unlike some of their fellow undead (zombies, for example), vampires don't lose their human consciousness when they transform. Like anyone else, their tastes will change over time, but certain likes and dislikes from their human life will carry over into their "new life". That said, there are certain substances that all vampires are naturally repelled by. These naturally occurring substances contain chemical or mineral compounds that essentially act as irritants in the same way that humans have negative reactions to chemicals like Urushiol, found in poison ivy or Capsaicin, found in hot peppers. While direct contact with large amounts of these types of chemical irritants may cause serious injury, small amounts, or even just the smell of them can be enough to keep unwanted visitors at a distance. Of course, there are the obvious elements that are deadly to vampires, such as silver, fire, and sunlight. These are not so much repellents as they are dangerous to them. That's kind of like saying that guns and knives are human repellents. Not really true, unless you suspect that someone might be using them against you. The true "repellents" are usually naturally occurring chemicals that vampires dislike to a significant degree - significant enough that often the smell alone will have them seeking a new target. The most famous vampire repellent is garlic, and for good reason. Not only does the smell of garlic irritate vampires, but garlic is also a natural opponent of bacteria, one of which is a critical substance in vampire blood. Interestingly, all of the substances that irritate vampires are the very same ones that irritate other blood-sucking creatures, such as mosquitoes. Though the species are not in any way related, there appears to be a very strong connection in that they all seem to be irritated and/or repelled by the same chemicals. What are these chemicals, you may ask? There are many common plants that have these chemicals in them. Rosemary, peppermint, clove, and cinnamon are all effective bloodsucker repellents. To a slightly lesser extent cedar, geranium, pine, lavender, basil, and thyme also seem to be effective. One of the most effective repellents is anything "lemon" - including some plants related more by name than by genetics. Of course lemons themselves are effective, but also lemon eucalyptus, lemongrass, and citronella are powerful enough that the scent alone repels even the mightiest of bloodsuckers. It is commonly believed that these substances are most effective when crushed up and made into a sort of "perfume" by mixing them with an oil base (rather than a water base). What are the rules and regulations vampires should follow? Answer There are two different kinds of "rules" to be considered. One is the set of "hard" rules that any soul-seeking entity has to follow, and the other is the set of "social" rules in the vampire community. The first set of rules appear to be unbreakable. These are rules which, despite their effort, vampires, demons, and the like cannot bypass. I lump in demons and other dark spirits here because the rules are the same for both. Why exactly this is the case is not known for sure, but I have a very strong feeling that there are rules when it comes to the spirit world that even these beings cannot violate. These spiritual rules seem to follow the idea that one cannot lose one's soul against their will. Vampires are those who have (in most cases) willfully traded in their souls for eternal life and power. The possible exception is the human who is unwillingly turned into a vampire (click here for more on this). Demons strive to take souls using fear and trickery, and vampires are essentially "authorized dealers" of this same trade. This is why these rules exist - to protect the innocent from losing their souls. Another key spiritual rule is that vampires (and other dark spirits in physical form) cannot enter a "claimed space" without permission. This is most typically mentioned as being the home, but encounters with black eyed beings indicate that cars share the same status of ownership. Should the human leave the claimed space, it's fair game (which is why it's a bad idea to run out of the house or car if one of these beings is threatening you.) It's also fair game if you invite them in. An invitation can be revoked later, but a single invitation is considered "open until specifically revoked", meaning that these beings can come and go as they please once invited. These are the two main, unbreakable rules for vampires. The other "rules" are more like guidelines that keep their behavior in check. Like any community, vampires have an unofficial "social contract". Every community in the animal kingdom has some sort of way of keeping its members in line, whether it is through physical submission, exile from the group, or even shame or loss of status. Vampires are no different, especially because at one time every vampire has been human, and therefore has most likely already experienced social conditioning. Also like any animal community, the biggest violation of the "rules", spoken or unspoken, is when a member of the group puts other members of the group in danger. Not just physical danger, mind you, but danger of losing power, respect, or ownership rights as well. For vampires, a lot of the rules that applied as humans go out the window, as they are now irrelevant, but the big concepts remain. Vampires are very much a secret society. Even though every other novel today has vampires going to high school, in reality if these being really exist they are going to stay hidden away, making appearances among humanity only when there is little chance of being discovered and usually only when necessary to feed. Secrecy is key to any secret society (obviously), and vampires are no exception. It is widely believed that revealing the existence of vampires to humanity is one of the biggest violations. This makes sense, as it is a near certainty that if humans found out that predators were living nearby they would try to exterminate them as quickly as possible. Staying hidden as legends only protects all vampires from being revealed, which in turn keeps the group from danger. Another big rule is that vampires are supposed to take responsibility for their "children" (i.e. humans that they turn into vampires). This is mostly for the same reason as above - a rogue vampire, unaware of the rules of their new society, is highly likely to attract unwanted attention and thus put the group in danger. It is also accepted (as it is in human nature) that those who "birth" the child are expected to raise them. To raise a vampire means to teach it its limitations (such as staying out of the sunlight) as well as how to hunt, how to charm humans, and how to stay out of trouble. New vampires are inexplicably "tied" to their makers as well, meaning they have difficulty being away from them for too long. This trait, which eases over time, has undoubtedly evolved for this social reason. The only other big rule is that vampires are never to kill other vampires. Consequences seem to vary for each individual case (as they do in human life), but it is considered to be punishable by death (destruction). Other than that, basic social manners should be followed. In such a small community one does not want to be disliked or cast out, so it is best for most vampires to live in harmony with one another as much as possible. The rest of a vampire's limitations aren't really rules or regulations, but rather the same kind of "don't hurt yourself" basics that all creatures automatically try to abide by. Don't go out in direct sunlight, don't drink dead blood, don't set yourself on fire, etc. I'm sure there are other rules, but I'm pretty sure you'd have to be a member of the society to know them all, and if you did, you wouldn't be able to tell anyone without risking your (second) life. Do vampires have special powers such as mind reading, ability to compel people or seeing the future? Answer The simple answer to this is - it depends on the vampire. Just as humans have certain inherent skills and abilities, so do vampires. However, these inherent skills and abilities are not necessarily the same ones that they had as human beings. The change from human to vampire results in something of a "new birth", and with that comes new abilities and ways of thinking. Psychic powers such as mind reading and seeing the future are among the more likely of these traits, as are the ability to see spirits and even communicate with the dead. This is most likely because vampires themselves exist somewhere between life and death. Like people who have had near-death experiences (or technically died and were resuscitated), there seems to be a stronger connection to the spirit world with those who have neared it themselves. Not all vampires have these abilities, though, and most seem to have only one, rather than many. There doesn't seem to be any real logic dictating who gets powers and what those powers might be. Perhaps there is a logic that we just don't understand, but if there is it doesn't seem that vampires understand it much either. Keep in mind when I am talking about these particular "special powers" I'm not including the primary vampire powers that they all have, such as immortality, super-human speed and strength, extremely rapid healing, the ability to spend long periods of time without oxygen (since they don't really need it), and (as you mentioned) the ability to compel people to do their will. This last one is commonly thought of as mind-control but it's not really that powerful. Much like a skilled con artist, vampires can subtly manipulate emotions with ease, making it quite easy to get humans to do what they wish. A human isn't "forced" to do what a vampire wants, though, which is part of the reason vampires like to keep their true identity a secret until it suits them. Or until they are hungry. I hear vampire skin is cold but if there is no blood circulation, then they'd be similar to cold-blooded creatures, which means whatever the temperature is of the room, they adapt. So why it that all vampire stories their skin is is very cold? Having pale skin also confuses me because skin would only be pale if they had been a vampire for a very long time. Pale vampires come from years of never being able to be in the sun right? Answer Good questions. You're right about the "cold-blooded" thing. Because a vampire's body essentially "dies", it no longer conducts heat the way a normal human body does. Therefore, as you said, its body temperature would rise or fall to match its surrounding environment. The reason they seem so cold is in comparison to what you would expect from a normal human being. A normal person has an internal body temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. When you touch a human's skin, it doesn't feel like it's that hot because the heat dissipates as it extends out. The limbs in particular lose a lot of heat along the pathway, which is why people often get cold hands and feet first. With a vampire, there is no internal core warming the body, so their skin will feel cold in comparison to a normal person's skin. It's not necessarily colder than the air temperature, but it is colder than a normal person's. Plus most vampires are active at night, when it is considerably colder out, and have no way of warming their bodies the way that we do. As for the pale skin, this follows a similar logic. The skin is only warm and flush with color because of the blood circulating through it. If you were to cut off the blood flow to a part of your body, say an arm or a leg, you would see it turn pale and possibly blue-ish within a matter of a minute or two. The fresh blood supply, having recently been oxygenated will be warm and red, but that will quickly cease without the heart and lungs pumping fresh blood to the skin. A human turned into a vampire would become pale within minutes of turning, and as you said - this would only intensify over years with no sunlight.

  It is believed that vampires can be killed with stakes or silver, don't have a reflection, are cold etc, etc. Is it not possible that beings of this kind could make this up so never to be found? Answer I suppose it is possible that vampires could spread false information about themselves, but there are a couple of reasons why I don't believe this is the case. First of all, most information we have about vampires comes from sightings, witnesses, and investigations over thousands of years from hundreds of different cultures around the world. This is far back before it is conceivable that these cultures could pass information to each other in any kind of timely fashion. It is because the vampire myths are so widespread and so similar in various areas that this mythical creature still exists in our universal consciousness to this day. Of course, you are right, this could all be vampires spreading these myths around in order to confuse us, but I don't believe that they have any good motivation to do so. Vampires have historically lived in secret. If anything, they would want us to believe that they don't exist at all. By going across the world spreading stories of themselves, they would have only increased their profile. There are only a few benefits to this and a ton of negatives. If I were trying to hide from the world, I'm not sure I would want to get a lot of people interested in me. Then again, it could be the smartest thing to do. Hide the truth behind a myth so that if someone finds a body with bite marks on the neck, they will feel silly claiming that it was because of a creature that everyone knows is just a myth. It's like that line from The Usual Suspects: "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." Are there certain things that attract vampires? Answer In regards to objects, materials, and sensory items, there are a few that are particularly effective in attracting a vampire (should you want to). The first and most obvious is blood. Vampires don't just like blood, they lust for it. It feeds their bodies but also seems to fill a certain empty feeling inside them (where their souls used to be, maybe?) Their senses are highly tuned to the sight, smell, and taste of blood. Human blood is greatly preferred over animal blood, and the blood of mammals is greatly preferred over the blood of other creatures, such as birds or reptiles. No matter what the blood is, though, it has to be fresh, meaning that a vampire should not ever drink the blood of a dead creature. This is why vampires are known to stop feeding before their victim's heart stops beating. Drinking dead blood for a vampire is like a human getting food poisoning. It probably won't kill them, but it will certainly make them sicker and weaker than they would be otherwise. Other than blood, vampires seem to be most attracted to victims based on an array of personal preferences. Humans who are near-death seem to be those most likely to be turned into vampires, probably because they are immediately facing the fear of death, making them the easiest to convince to make this "deal with the Devil". I'm not sure if this is some sort of "moral code" or not, but it seems to be the case. For victims in general, vampires, like any hunter, will often choose an easy target - someone alone in a remote location, for example. This way they can have a better chance of success in securing the blood they desire while not risking being discovered. As with human hunters, though, some vampires certainly must choose more difficult prey simply for the challenge. It is believed that vampires enjoy seducing their victims by pretending to be human until they can get them alone. This was most certainly more common in earlier times when cameras, cell phones, and the like were less common. No matter how much they like a challenge, it is imperative that vampires do not reveal their true nature to any human they let live. And killing a whole party full of humans is not exactly a way to keep their existence quiet. More than anything, vampires will be attracted to the same things they were attracted to as humans. Though they can't enjoy things like fancy food and drink, they do seem to enjoy nice homes, cars, jewelry, and other luxury items as well as attractive human companions. Surprisingly, vampires actually like light quite a bit as long as it does not contain ultraviolet rays. Moonlight is very weak in ultraviolet density and represents their mother-goddess, so it is particularly enjoyed by them. I have heard vampires are heartless creatures? Do they not have feelings? Answer I wouldn't say that they are heartless, but there are reasons why vampires have earned this reputation over time. Remember first that vampires used to be human. As much as one could want to there is no way to "get rid" of your human emotions once you have experienced them. Vampires also keep their human memories, which, like the rest of us, informs their mental and emotional state. Most humans, over time, become less sensitive to life in general. By old age many have learned to accept death as a natural part of life, and many people end up quite jaded by a series of negative life experiences. Imagine if this just continued for centuries. Add to that losing everyone you've ever known and loved, then add to that a decreased emotional attachment to death altogether. Compare it, if you will, to a human that eats meat. You may have pets at home and may have a fondness for animals in general, but you can still detach emotionally enough when you sit down to eat meat. There is no reason to believe that vampires wouldn't think of humans in this same respect. They may even like certain humans, but they probably stay detached so that they can feed without guilt or hesitation. I'm sure that if chickens could have an opinion about the humans who kill and eat them, they would consider us heartless too. Do vampires have a reflection or not? Also wouldn't the moon hurt them? Answer Both excellent questions. I'll start with the second one first. You are right to wonder if moonlight would hurt a vampire since moonlight is actually sunlight being reflected off of the Moon toward Earth. Since sunlight contains ultraviolet rays (both UV-A and UV/b), it's no surprise to discover that moonlight does as well. We know that the ultraviolet rays in sunlight are highly damaging to vampire skin, so doesn't it reason that the ultraviolet rays in moonlight would be as well? Technically this is all scientifically correct. The only problem with the argument is that moonlight has far too little ultraviolet in it to do damage - even to a vampire. A good portion of sunlight (around 1/3) is reflected off of the Earth back into space. With moonlight we aren't getting any direct rays, just the ones that are reflecting off of the moon in our direction, and some of those end up reflecting off of our planet still, and then much of what's left is absorbed by the atmosphere. All in all moonlight ends up being about 500,000 times weaker than sunlight, meaning that anyone (human or vampire) will absorb fewer ultraviolet rays by staying out all night in the moonlight than spending a single second under the sun. The other question is a bit more tricky. It has been long included in vampire mythology that vampires neither have a reflection nor cast a shadow. While this may seem odd in today's world, this folk wisdom made a lot of sense centuries ago. Long ago in Europe, most people believed that the image seen in a person's reflection was actually their soul. This is why, when people died, mirrors would be either turned around or covered, and containers of water (also reflective), would be emptied. It was thought that the soul was rise after death, but if it saw its own reflection it would be trapped inside the mirror (or water) forever. In places like Romania, windows were often opened to help spirits leave the residence and move onto the afterlife. In other cultures, pots of water were placed near grave sites to capture rogue spirits based on this same reflection concept. Of course we know now that a reflection is not a supernatural event, but the effect of light bouncing from one place to another. Since vampires are corporeal creatures (having a physical body), physics tells us that they must reflect light in the same way that any other object does. If this is true, then why does vampire mythology tell us that vampires don't have a reflection? Well, we know that vampires don't have souls, and if a reflection was thought to be that of a soul, then it makes sense that our ancestors would believe that vampires would have no reflection. No soul = no reflection. Same with a shadow, where the logic fell under the same reasoning. I tend to think that if a vampire were here right now looking into a mirror they would be able to see their reflection, as would anyone else. That doesn't mean that a vampire would want to see their reflection, though. If anything were going to be a reminder of their living curse, it would have to be looking into your own soulless eyes staring back at you. I have read that vampires can be killed by sunlight, silver, wooden stake, fire, by tearing his head off, and using vampires disease. Will they really be killed or will they again come back on to the earth? //In the history of vampires it is said that Ambrogio was the first vampire in the world - is he still in the world or not? It is said that he was especially in Greece is this true and is he still on this earth? Answer Understanding the life and death of vampires is actually much more simple than understanding our own. While it is still highly debatable, there is reason to believe that humans have eternal souls that have existed before this life and will exist after. Many spiritual beliefs (including my own) believe that we return again and again to this earth in different lifetimes to continuously learn and advance our spiritual knowledge. It's important to understand the soul's role in life and death in order to understand the answer to this question. It is well known that vampires do not have souls. That's the "curse" to being a vampire. They get eternal life in exchange for their souls. Thus, regardless of how many lives their soul may have lived before, they won't return to the system should they ever die. Of course, they will never die of natural causes, and there are only, as you mentioned, so many ways to kill a vampire. It is entirely possible for one to continue life on Earth for an infinite amount of time. That said, if a vampire is destroyed (which is more accurate than saying "killed"), it's game over. They will not return to the earth, nor will their soul return to live the cycle all over again. They just... stop. Disappear. Are gone forever. This is why becoming a vampire is not an attractive option to most people. I do believe, though, that this may not apply to those who are forcefully turned. Some mythologies disagree on this, but in general it is believed that one must agree to become a vampire in order to do so. Otherwise, a bite will not necessarily turn you. This is arguable, though, as there are some reasons to believe that this may not be the case, and that those who don't agree to be turned are typically drained of their blood and killed (as humans). Should the condition exist that a human is bitten, does not agree to be turned, and somehow escapes, it is still possible that the bacterial infection from the bite could turn them into a vampire. If this happens, I don't believe that this soul is beyond hope, as they never made their "deal with the devil" for eternal life. Of course, I can only speculate on such rare instances, but all signs point to the willingness to be turned as a key to giving up the soul. As far as Ambrogio, the first vampire, or those who were turned many centuries ago, it is certainly possible that they still exist. Many myths suggest that there is a "blood hierarchy" with vampires and that by killing a vampire's maker would kill the vampires who were made by them. Whether or not this is true cannot be stated definitively, but if it is, then Ambrogio would most certainly still live as long as any other vampire were to live. If this theory is true, and Ambrogio were destroyed, all the vampires beneath him (being all of them) would also be destroyed. This could be why the oldest vampires are often hidden away under the protection of others.

  
  
  Greeting and Welcome to this page about Vampires, this short preview will give you more details about Vampires in general.

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  Guardian Angel of the Vampiric Race Selene Those who are familiar with the story of the origin of vampires will recognize the importance of the moonlight goddess Selene in vampire history. She is considered the mother of all vampires, though technically she lived and died a virgin. It was her blood mixed with her husband Ambrogio's that gave him the power to create new life through his bite. Though her "children" never got to know her during her lifetime, they are regularly in touch with her in the form of the moonlight she shines down upon them each night. It is no surprise then that Selene maintains a position of great reverence among all vampires. It is forbidden to speak ill of her, as she is considered both mother and guardian angel among all vampires. It has often been asked if there is any kind of magic spell to become a vampire. There hasn’t been any found magic spells that could create a vampire, nor anything that indicates that one exists. Vampires seem to be made strictly from one another, and you would need a "living" vampire's blood or saliva in order to become one. That said there may be something that, though not technically a spell, might have the same effect. There are several poems in the Vampire Bible that are dedicated to Selene, the vampire mother. It is a tradition to honor Selene with poems just as her true love Ambrogio did while she was still alive. Ambrogio's vampire love poems are the inspiration for this tradition, though many of the later poems are more about gratitude and worship than love. One such poem in particular is particularly interesting because it appears to be a prayer to Selene asking for her specific assistance in becoming a vampire. It's not exactly a "spell", but it is a request to the vampire mother to send one of her "children" to the reader of the poem in order to be turned into a vampire. This makes much more sense than a magic spell and could possibly be one of the only ways to attract vampires to one's self.

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  O dea tenebris mater immortalibus puer tuus fac me sicut renascentur mea lux vestra absorbere Oh goddess of the darkness mother to the immortal let me be reborn as your child let your light absorb my own liceat mihi locus ad tenebras sicut ex utero immortales filios tuos in ulnis quibus invocaverit te frater Allow me passage to the darkness as from your immortal womb into the arms of your children to whom I will call brother O lunae lumen puer tuus fac me sicut renascentur me duce tenebris sunt i ita erit renatus Oh moonlight let me be reborn as your child guide the dark ones to me so I shall be born again

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  Vampire diseases

  
  Porphyric Hemophilia
  Porphyric Hemophilia is a condition caused by a bacterial strain carried in the blood and saliva of every vampire. A human who comes in contact with the blood or saliva of a vampire can easily become exposed to this bacterium. Once exposed, an infected human only has about 72 hours to begin antibiotic treatments before the bacterium becomes incurable. In essence, this "vampire disease" spreads through the human's body, changing the chemistry of the blood and skin. The first symptoms of infection may include photosensitivity or photo dermatitis. Muscle weakness or seizures can occur, as well as inconsistencies in the nervous system, such as a slow or rapid heartbeat. Eventually the bacterium behind this disease settles into the body and lives there, creating a perfect environment for itself. At this point, the human body has been completely transformed, but without the benefits of vampirism. In order to gain immortality, strength, and speed, one must still drink the blood of a vampire.
  
  Sangue Debolezza
  The term "Sangue Debolezza" comes from Italian, translating to "blood weakness". The origins of this rare vampire disease remain unknown, but it only affects vampires. The symptoms of Sangue Debolezza include severe exhaustion and chronic headaches, followed by nausea, which eventually leads to starvation in many cases. It is a difficult disease to research because only vampires can acquire it, and they rarely subject themselves to medical examination. According to most sources, it is the only known disease that can kill a vampire.

  
  
  

  
  
  

  Fun blood facts

  The average adult human body contains a little less than 9 pints (5 litres) of blood; this is about 7% of the body by volume. Blood is pumped around the body by the heart, through the 100,000 miles (or thereabouts) of blood vessels which make up the circulatory system, carrying oxygen to, and carbon dioxide away from the organs and muscles. The heart is a two stage pump, which connects to two distinct circulatory systems. The first is the pulmonary circulation, which carries blood from the right side of the heart, through the pulmonary artery and into the lung capillaries. The blood then returns through the pulmonary veins to the left side of the heart. The left side then pumps the blood into the aorta, from where it is distributed around the body through the systemic circulation.
  
  Blood vessels which take blood away from the heart are called arteries. The blood in the arteries is under high pressure from the heart's pumping action. They are tough, elastic-walled vessels, and muscles in the walls which aid the heart in pumping the blood. The relaxing and constricting action of the arteries creates the pulse that can be felt at the wrists and throat. With the exception of the pulmonary artery, the arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to the capillaries, tiny, thin-walled vessels where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged within the body tissues. The blood, now rich in waste carbon dioxide, returns through the veins to the heart, and is pumped into the pulmonary circulation where the reverse transfer takes place. The veins are less strong than the arteries, since the blood is at lower pressure, which also means that a pulse can not be felt in the veins. Venous blood is purplish in colour.
  
  About 55% of the blood, by volume, is plasma, a straw-coloured liquid which acts as a medium for the blood cells and platelets. The plasma is 90% water, with the remainder being made up of proteins, including albumin, various clotting factors and immunoglobins. Albumin levels regulate the diffusion of water through the walls of the capillary vessels; low levels lead to excess leakage. The plasma also carries many dissolved minerals and nutrients from digested food to the body's tissues.
  
  The aorta is the main artery which carries blood away from the heart. It is located within the thorax and abdomen. The carotid arteries carry blood up the neck to the brain. The femoral arteries are located in the thighs, and contain blood under very high pressure. Serious damage to the femoral arteries can virtually empty the body of blood in seconds. The primary vein in the upper arm is the brachial, while the lower arm has the ulnar and radial. The main veins are the inferior and superior vena cava, which complete the return of blood to the heart, and the jugular vein which returns blood from the throat. The saphenous vein is the main vein in the leg. The hepatic portal vein carries blood loaded with the digested parts of food to the liver. The pulmonary artery and veins form the pulmonary circulation. Here the artery carries waste-rich blood, and the veins oygenated.
  
  The main pulse points are the carotid (throat), temporal (temples), facial (cheek), brachial (inside of the elbow joint), radial (wrist), femoral (thigh/groin), posterior tibial (ankle) and dorsalis pedis (back of the foot).
  
  Blood cells are of two basic kinds. Red cells (erythrocytes) carry oxygen and carbon dioxide around the blood stream and give the blood its colour. They carry the gases in combination with a protein called haemoglobin. Platelets (thrombocytes) are a specialised class of erythrocyte which provide the primary mechanism of blood clotting -platelet aggregation - and are responsible for the formation of a scab over a cut. Platelet aggregation is triggered by clotting factors in the blood plasma. White cells (leukocytes), which defend the body from foreign micro-ogranisms, and themselves come in a number of specialised forms.
  
  Blood loss in all animals creates an effect called hypervolemic shock. In shock, blood is diverted to vital organs, while the flow of blood to the skin and muscles is restricted, resulting in palour and weakness. Heart rate increases, breathing becomes shallow and rapid. The skin also becomes cool, as blood flow to the skin aids in giving off heat. The victim will sweat, and become thirsty; senses will be clouded, and physiological effects will begin to cause a sense of panic. These effects become apparent when 10-25% of blood volume is lost.
  
  Platelet aggregation increases to try and stem the bleeding. When more than 25% of the blood volume has been lost, the level of aggregation can cause clotting in the lungs and resultant respiratory failure. Cellular processes then begin to break down with the dearth of oxygen, and the major organs eventually simply stop working. This process can take anything from hours to days after the original blood loss. Roughly stated, loss of one-third of the body's blood volume in one go is fatal. If the loss is drawn out over a longer period of time – twenty-four hours or more – the body may be able to sustain a loss of almost two-thirds blood volume before death.
  
  Blood loss is treated by transfusion, but only in rare cases is whole blood used for treatment these days. Instead, it is separated out into its components, which are stored and transfused separately. Most common are transfusions of red blood cells (stored refrigerated for up to 42 days, or frozen for up to a year), plasma (fresh frozen and stored for up to a year) and platelets (transfused within a day of donation). It is common practise for patients entering surgery to donate blood a week or so before to be retransfused into them during the operation.

  Fun vampire facts

  An ordinary human being can be drained for 10 blood points (blood point). Each point drained inflicts one Health Level of damage, of which an average mortal has seven. Garou, and some humans (those with merits such as 'Spark of Life') have more than 10 blood points, but the same number of Health Levels. Usually, such creatures are considered to give a tenth of their blood point total for each Health Level lost. Some humans or Garou may have an additional Health Level (merit: huge), and might be considered to hold an extra blood point. Animals have far fewer blood points, regardless of their blood volume.
  
  Despite the traumatic effects of massive blood loss, a human being in Vampire can apparently lose two-thirds of their blood in one fell swoop, and still have a slim chance of recovering, given decent medical treatment. Anything down to six blood points is automatically recoverable as simple injury. This is part of the White Wolf system's general lack of medical detail, but it is a huge discrepancy which troubles many people, and leads to the question: when is feeding safe, and when does it kill the victim? Given the massive impact which this question has on the Masquerade itself, it is an important one.
  
  N.B. – throughout this essay, the terms victim and prey will be used for the creature being fed upon. Individual vampires may see their food as something else, but these terms will be used for convenience. Also, in deference to the classic Hammer Horror feeding dynamic, the vampire will be referred to as ‘he’, and the victim as ‘she’.
  
  One way to look at it, encouraged by the fact that different creatures have differences in blood point levels which are not related to blood volume, is to say that blood points do not relate directly to blood volume, but to a form of vital energy, which the vampire draws from its victims through the medium of the blood (and this Kindred of the East explicitly does). Not only then can different creatures possess different levels of this energy for the same blood volume, but the volume of blood equating to one blood point need not be one-tenth of a human's nine pint total. In fact, it does not need to be a fixed volume at all.
  
  The following is a possible system for blood points that do not equate to a given blood volume.

  Blood Points, Health Levels and Blood Loss

  One blood point is a measure of vital energy, not of volume. When a vampire feeds, he uses his victim’s blood as a conduit to draw out this energy, but it does not suffuse the blood at a specific concentration. The volume of blood which the vampire must consume is related to the number of blood points remaining in the victim; the closer she is to death, the harder her spirit will cling to its remaining vitality, and thus the more blood he must drain to force it from her. Consequently, the volume associated with a blood point rises as a vampire continues to feed, and light feeding does not automatically result in non-trivial levels of hypervolemic shock.
  
  In this system, the seven Health Levels of a mortal human still represent approximately two-thirds of the body’s blood capacity (six pints in the average adult), but they do not represent a pint apiece when a vampire is feeding. Instead – assuming a neat feeding, using the Kiss – the first point is transferred by little more than a mouthful of blood; the second by a healthy gulp. With each point drained, the next requires a greater effort, and a greater volume of fluid to be extracted.
  
  This means that the first blood point will barely be missed by a healthy victim. The blood loss is equivalent to a bad nose-bleed, and the loss of the first Health Level imparts no penalties. The victim might feel a little light-headed, but nothing that can not be chalked up to the ecstasy she will have experienced in the Kiss. A second Health Level will make the victim woozy from the loss of vital energy, but the blood loss is still nominal. At this stage, there is still almost no shock involved, so blood loss is unlikely to be blamed for the victim’s symptoms, a tremendous advantage for vampires attempting to maintain the Masquerade, or at least a low profile.
  
  If three or four Health Levels are taken, then the victim will enter a state of mild shock. They will feel listless and exhausted, far more so than would be accounted for by their blood loss (four blood points probably totals a little over a pint). They will recover without aid, given time – although transfusion will speed their recovery – at this level of feeding however, a medical examination will clearly reveal significant blood loss.
  
  A fifth Health Level requires almost a further pint of fluid, and substantially greater effort to claim. Even from peripheral arteries, the vampire will probably have to suck for this blood point. The victim will require medical attention to survive at this stage, and probably a blood transfusion. The effects of moderate shock will be immediately apparent at a glance.
  
  If a vampire drains his victim of six Health Levels at one go, she will die from the effects of severe hypervolemic shock and blood loss – even if the last spark of life remains within her – unless she receives immediate medical attention and a blood transfusion within a few hours. Even if drained slowly, over a number of nights, her need for medical care and replacement blood will be urgent. Such a victim will be barely conscious, if at all, in her last few hours of life, but she will be better off than one reduced to incapacitated by blood loss.
  
  Once seven Health Levels have been taken, the loss of blood has become so severe that death is almost unavoidable. If the blood was taken gradually, and immediate medical attention and transfusion is available, the victim may survive, but she will be comatose, and the chances are that she will stay that way. If all seven Health Levels are taken in one go, there is no chance. The victim’s lungs, heart and kidneys will fail, and she will die.
  
  If blood is taken on top of existing injuries, the victim’s vital energy is already low. If a vampire drains a Wounded victim to Mauled, that one Health Level still requires almost a pint of blood, and will severely weaken the victim. I most cases, treat recent injury as concurrent with the feeding to determine the effects of shock and blood loss, while older wounds should be treated like feedings a night or more past.

  Residual Blood

  Even once the victim reaches Incapacitation and death, there is still about three pints of blood remaining in the circulatory system. If drained quickly – requiring considerable effort on the vampire’s part – this residual blood can yield a further three blood points. In fact, even this will not completely drain the body; that would require a powerful vacuum pump, or some manner of press, but these three points are the last that can usefully be extracted. The rest is waste material, devoid of life and energy. Even if the last drops of blood are extracted, they grant no nourishment whatsoever.
  
  Note that the residual blood in a dead body never yields more than three blood points, even if the cause of death shed no blood at all. Once the spark is gone, all that is left is the residue. Moreover, the energy quickly fades, and a corpse more than a few hours old, though immaculately preserved and chock-full of blood, provides no sustenance. A very small number of necromancers claim to have found a way to feed on the death energies of corpses, but few people have seen this happen.

  Storing Blood

  Spilt blood rapidly loses its potency, and unless consumed while still warm will not provide sustenance. Moreover, at least a pint of spilt blood must be consumed, and it will yield no more than a blood point; perhaps two if the source is especially potent. Stored blood may last longer, but in most cases it too loses potency once cold. Some vampires store mortal blood in airtight containers, but this can only ever retain the vital energies within the blood for a few days. Older blood, unless the energy is locked in by some mystical means, may retain its freshness and consistency with correct treatment, but it is utterly without nourishment. Ultimately, the only reliable store of blood is the living body of a human being.
  
  The problem stems from the simple fact that mortal blood does not store its vital energy. A human’s circulation is like an electrical circuit: In feeding, the vampire taps into that circuit to draw off electricity, but if the wires are removed, they do not bring the electricity with them. Vampiric vitae is a different matter entirely, and its primary purpose is to act as a holder for vital energy once removed from the mortal frame, but there are entirely separate problems involved in storing it.
  
  Bank blood retains its nummy bloody goodness longer than most, because its purpose, the reason for its storage, is the transference of life from one human to another. Symbolically, and through the mysteries of medical science, it retains its vital virtue – which is also why transfusion aids in the recovery of lost vital energy as well as blood. It is weakened though, and as with spilt blood, a full baggie will supply only a single blood point.
  
  It should also be remembered that blood is rarely stored whole. The stored form most useful to a vampire is Packed Red Cells (PRC), which contains the red cells from one unit of blood, together with a small amount of plasma and anti-coagulants. PRCs are stored refrigerated, with a shelf-life of about forty-two days. Plasma and some red cells are stored frozen for up to a year, but these are next to useless to a vampire.

  Powerful Blood

  When a vampire talks of powerful blood, he means a powerful life. In general terms, blood will be increased in potency by any factor which, as an ongoing effect, elongates lifespan or accelerates healing. The incredible regenerative powers of the Garou mean that their blood is twice as strong as that of a human: for every Health Level inflicted on a Garou while feeding, the vampire gains two blood points, along with a propensity for violent frenzy. The Health Levels lost by the Garou represent stolen vital energy, and as such will not heal like physical injury. The werewolf’s lost Health Levels will heal like aggravated damage, at a rate of one level per day of rest. As a consolation to the Garou, the vampire will almost certainly be in a far worse state.
  
  Likewise, the Spark of Life merit, which increases a character’s healing rate – albeit to a less dramatic level than a Garou’s regeneration – and accelerates the healing of those around her means that a vampire can draw up to fifteen blood points from someone so blessed. Two Health Levels from such a person grants the vampire three blood points, but an if an odd number are taken, the excess is wasted.
  Conversely, the flaw Psychic Vampire means that a mortal heals more slowly, needing to leech strength from those around them to heal normally. These individuals may have fewer blood points within them, in which case the vampire will need to draw more blood to obtain them. Doing so will not necessarily cause more damage in terms of Health Levels, but it will mean that the psychic vampire will suffer greater effects from shock. Moreover, the very nature of their condition will mean that they recover more slowly, and are more susceptible to such trauma.

  Recovery

  An ordinary mortal will heal Health Levels lost to a feeding vampire as if they were regular wounds. As blood transfusion represents a transfer of life energy, a unit of PRCs or plasma transfused into the victim will heal one Health Level lost to the vampire, if the victim is recovering normally. A victim suffering severe shock will only be stabilised by the initial transfer. Once they are in a stable and recovering condition, an additional transfer will speed their recovery. In general terms, even if receiving multiple transfusions, only one Health Level per day will be recovered.
  
  It should be noted that feeding a mortal vampire blood does not count as a transfusion. It will assist the recovery of a victim in trivial, mild or moderate shock, restoring one Health Level per blood point as it passes through the digestive system into the body and finds its way into the bloodstream. It will also of course turn the victim into a ghoul, with the usual effects. If a victim has lost six or seven Health Levels, then even if they can be persuaded to drink, it is insufficient to aid recovery. Direct transfusion – of vitae or of regular blood – to the circulatory system is needed to halt the victim’s decline in such severe cases, and even that is not assured of success.

  The Giovanni

  The Curse of Lamia means that the Giovanni Kiss causes incredible pain, and also inflicts greater harm upon the victim than an ordinary vampire’s bite. This is because the curse extracts a tithe of sorts on the vital energies gathered, requiring the Giovanni to draw harder on the victim’s spirit to gain nourishment. This means that the Giovanni draws out twice as much vital energy as an ordinary vampire for the same gain, but not much more blood. Four blood points will kill any mortal victim outright, sapping her of all of her vitality. The remaining blood may be drawn off as residual, but this does limit the amount of blood points a Giovanni may drawn from a given individual to seven (four in the kill, three residual). The residual energy is of the dead, in the province of the Giovanni, and thus can be claimed without loss. A mortal with the Spark of Life might supply a full ten blood points, losing one Health Level per point, as might a Garou. In either case, the Kiss still hurts, and a Giovanni is even less likely than any other vampire to survive trying to feed from a Garou.
  
  A victim in the grip of the Giovanni Kiss pales visibly as their life-force is drained. A slain victim actually displays fewer signs of blood loss than would be left by another vampire, an if the residual blood was not claimed, the loss is rarely enough to be considered the principal cause of death. However, the victim’s face will also be distorted in agony, their skin grotesquely blanched, and shock is apparent, even if not from blood loss. There also tends to be marked tissue damage at the point of contact, even when the Kiss wounds are closed. The usual cause of death is heart failure or respiratory collapse.

  
  
  

  

  Feeding With the Kiss The Kiss is one of the most potent weapons in the vampire’s arsenal. It is not to be mistaken for a mere bite; it does little physical harm, and certainly no appreciable level of damage, and even if not closed with a lick, the tiny wounds – usually twin punctures or a small gash – will stop bleeding after a minute or so, scab over, and heal almost completely unless the injury is picked at and worried. The Kiss is the feeding process at its most sophisticated; forming a close bond between vampire and victim, through which the vital energies may flow. The nature of this bond is a continual flow of blood between the two parties, and it makes the Kiss an efficient and relatively swift way to feed. The rules in the section above all assume feeding through the Kiss. To invoke the Kiss, the vampire must break the skin of his victim using either a claw or more usually his fangs. The wound must be small enough for the vampire to cover with his mouth, and this he must do, so that no drop of blood is spilt. This process forms the bond, and seals it so that the flow efficiently delivers all of the victim’s essence to the vampire. It creates in the victim an ecstatic bliss, akin to orgasm, but more sustained than most; a vampire’s most important guard against discovery and destruction is the pleasure he gives to victims he does not kill. Most never realise that they are being harmed in any way. The tiny wounds used to feed may be closed by a simple lick from the vampire who inflicted them, completely concealing the deed. Long term use of the Kiss can cause degradation in the victim. If the same contact point is used repeatedly, the flesh around it begins to degrade. Tissue damage and even collapse of the veins in the area can occur, like with overuse of a vein to inject drugs, and it pays to move your contact point. As an added incentive to do so, an over-used point can become numbed, and the impact of the Kiss can be lessened.

  Feeding Without the Kiss While it is possible to feed from a regular bite, or indeed any other open wound, without the Kiss, feeding is sloppy. First of all is the simple fact that your victim knows that you are drinking their blood. In some cases this is not a problem, but most vampires benefit from the protection of the Kiss. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, with out the tight bond of the Kiss, the flow of energy degrades significantly, and the vampire must take far more blood to gain his sustenance. Blood is also often spilt, and the wounds cannot be closed so easily as a Kiss mark, leaving more traces of the vampire’s actions than is quite safe. If even two or three blood points are taken from a victim without the kiss, then she is at risk of death. In this instance, the effects of shock are substantial, with some two pints of blood already spilled. Four points or more will result in death from hypervolemic shock within hours of the attack, assuming that the victim does not bleed to death from her open wound in the meantime. There are almost no instances in which a vampire will chose to feed without the Kiss, but a frenzied vampire lacks the control to invoke its bond. Some vampire who follow paths may retain the control when riding the frenzy to seal their mouth over a wound, but even in a hunger frenzy it would be rare. The aftermath of a frenzied feed is truly gruesome. The vampire will be covered in his victim’s blood, and her body will usually be torn open, usually at the throat, although some vampires have been known to disembowel a victim and feed from the major internal arteries in frenzy. The victim’s wounds can not be licked closed, even if they are inflicted by the vampire’s own claws and fangs; that only works on small cuts and punctures.

  
  

  

  
  
  

  Varieties of blood Blood, for a vampire, is not merely blood. Like any kind of food or drink, it has its vintages, its varieties, and its flavourings. There are many factors which go into making up the bouquet of a particular blood, and each vampire has his preferences. The primary factors are: physiology and biochemistry; health; diet; drug-use; and emotional state. Physiology has a number of effects. Firstly, a person’s racial heritage imparts certain, subtle, innate characteristics, which form the basis of al else; blood group and rhesus factors also provide their own unique flavours. These factors overlap with health conditions. Hyperglycemics taste sweet, while diabetics do not. Exhaustion depletes the flavour, while a healthy body has more flavour; like corn-fed chicken. Any disease which affects the blood will add to the bouquet, but most are avoided, as they add a taste of decay. Body fat makes the blood rich, but heavy; it is purely a matter of taste. Diet has a tremendous effect on a victim’s taste. Whatever she eats most often will leave a residual taste, as well as affecting the balance of minerals and fats in the bloodstream. Garlic, onion, strong spices and chilli peppers leave an especially notable aroma, and curry hounds are an acquired taste. Drug-use not only provides a taste sensation, by altering the body’s chemistry, it provides a solid rush as the drugs enter the vampire’s body. This effect is milder than direct use of the drug, but is the only way a vampire can experience most drugs. Alcohol is the most common drug, and has a particularly potent effect on blood chemistry, as well as filling it with alcohol. Emotional state is also a very important factor. Endorphins, sex hormones, adrenaline; all of these things are released into the blood and affect its flavour. These can be among the most important factors to vampires, because they are the factors most easily controlled. A vampire may like to toy with his victims, to put the taste of fear in their blood, and many Casanovas hunt the way they do because they enjoy the taste of an aroused victim. In addition, emotional levels are like a drug, and can infect the feeding vampire, especially through the Kiss. In this way, a vampire can become happy, sad, depressed, excited, aroused or angry through the blood chemistry of their prey. Those who feed on frightened mortals often liken the experience to that of a mortal on a rollercoaster.

  Feeding on Animals While they do not contain as much vital essence as a human, it is possible for a vampire to live by hunting and feeding on animals. It is not possible to live well on such a diet. Aside from the fact that a vampire who eschews human prey must almost constantly hunt to find enough to support himself, they will also begin to take on bestial characteristics from the blood which they consume. These are usually not physical traits, such as Gangrel adopt through their frenzies, but rather mannerisms, and smells. An animal feeder becomes feral, wary of all contact. They begin to rely on instincts rather than reason, suffering penalties to Intelligence and Self-Control rolls, and to take on a distinct animal musk, suffering similar penalties in social situations. Moreover, when all is said and done, vampires are supposed to prey on their own kind. A vampire who has long avoided human blood is apt to lose control altogether when the opportunity to take it presents itself. The scent of human blood can be enough to send such a vampire into feeding frenzy, even if he is fully fed, burning the animal blood from his body to make room for the sweet, sweet human blood. Typically, a vampire who feed only from animals will have a +1 penalty to Social, Intelligence and Self-Control rolls for every complete period of one month since their last taste of human blood. In addition, the vampire has a similar penalty to all rolls – Self-Control or Instincts – to resist feeding frenzy when given the opportunity to take human or vampire blood. Other effects of bestialisation should be a matter for roleplaying, Blood-Bagging It A vampire can also attempt to subsist purely on stored blood, but again it is difficult to live well in this way. Assuming that the vampire can obtain a steady supply of stored, human blood, they suffer a similar increase in their craving for the fresh product as animal feeders develop. If a vampire somehow warms the blood, then he simply gains a +1 difficulty to hunger-related frenzy rolls each month. If, on the other hand, he regularly and exclusively feeds on cold, bagged blood, then the penalties accrue at +1 difficulty per week.

  
  
  

  

  (N.B. This essay restricts itself to fairly vanilla vampire sex. Whatever else individual vampires may do to get their jollies is beyond the purview of this discussion).
  
  Sex with Mortals
  
  Most vampires have no enjoyment of the sexual act. A vampire who follows Humanity can go through the motions if they expend 8-Humanity blood points to simulate bodily functions, and generate the necessary fluids and other effects, but they derive no particular pleasure from the act – except for a certain enjoyment from the proximity of a warm, blood-filled human body – and certainly not enough to be worth the expense. In particular, a vampire will never achieve orgasm, and moreover even with the expenditure of a blood point, their genitalia will often be noticeably cold. Consequently, for vampires the sexual act is uncomfortable, unpleasantly slimy, unsatisfying, and basically something not to be desired or sought out.
  
  Some vampires – known colloquially as Don Juans, Casanovas, Casanundas, Incubi, Succubi, Molly Blooms, Moll Flanders, Adam Eves, and a dozen other names, descriptive, derogatory and/or obscene – use seduction and sex as a method of hunting, often in order to tailor the taste of their blood. These vampires conceal the pleasure of the Kiss behind a simulated sexual act, and some even use oral sex as a cover for the action of biting their partner. Even these individuals still derive no real pleasure from sexual intercourse however – only from the feeding – and so many do not go so far as to engage in actual sexual congress. Those who do tend to be more used to the act than most, and are able to put on a better show of enjoyment. Lacking such experience, or accomplishment in the Ability Performance/Subterfuge (Masquerade), the vampire’s partner may notice something amiss in their performance. While they may not realise that their partner is either a vampire, or dysfunctional, this kind of slightly off feeling can lead to dangerous suspicion, or even worse, relationship talk.
  
  A very small number of vampires possess some ability to participate regularly in the sexual act, almost always requiring some expenditure of blood, and a few of these – often young and thin-blooded vampires – both enjoy and crave sex. These are known by the derogatory terms satyr, or nymphomaniac. Most vampires consider vampiric satyriasis and nymphomania to be grotesque aberrations, or at least a form of serious sickness. Sabbat in particular consider that kind of desire to be a retrograde holdover from humanity, and a sign that the vampire is in some form of denial of their new state. Satyric and nymphomaniac vampires also present a danger to themselves and others. While they will not always have sex with their prey, they will almost always feed on those they bed. When they do so, the two desires have a tendency to amplify each other. Frenzy is not uncommon, and a vampire is not only far more likely than usual to kill their victim in such a circumstance than in a normal feeding, but less likely to be cautious about how they kill them. Many of a satyr’s victims will be unmistakably vampire victims, and in the worst case scenario the vampire will not even think to close the wounds of a Kiss before it is too late.