What is a Vampire?

The vampires who walk the earth in modern nights-or Kindred, as they commonly call themselves=are both similar to and different from what we might expect. It is perhaps best to begin our discussion of the undead as if they were a separate species of being-sentient, with superficial similarities to the humans they once were, but displaying a myriad physiological and psychological differences.

In many ways vampires resemble the familiar monsters of myth and cinema. (There is enough truth in the old tales that perhaps they were created by deluded or confused mortals.) However- as many an intrepid vampire- hunters has learned to his sorrow- not all of the old wives' tales are true.

Vampires are immortal.
True/ While they can be killed (a very difficult process), they do not age or die from natural causes. They need no food such as humans eat and they do not need to breath.

Vampires are living dead and must sustain themselves with the blood of the living.
True/ A vampire is clinically dead- it's heart does not beat, it does not breath, it's skin is cold, it does not age- and yet it thinks, and walks, and plans and speaks.... and hunts, and kills. To sustain it's artificial immortality, the vampire must perodically consume blood, perferably human blood. Some penitant vampires ehe out an existaence from animal blood, and some acient vampires must hunt and kill others of their kind to nourish themselves, but most vampires consume the blood of their former species.

Anyone who dies from a vampire's bite rises to become a vampire.
False/ If that were true the world would be over run by vampires. Vampires feed on human blood, true., and sometimes kill their prey- but most human who die from a vampire attack simply perish. To return as undead, the victim must be drained of blood and subsequently be fed a bit of the attacking vampire's blood. This process, called the Embrace, causes the mystical transformation from human to undead.

Vampires are monsters- demonic spirits embodied in corpses.
False and True/ vampires are not demons per se, but a combination of tragic factors draws them inexorably towards wicked deeds. In the beginning, the newly created vampire thinks and acts much as she did while living, She does not immediately turn into anevil sadistic monster. However, the vampire soon discovers her over powering hunger for blood, and realizes that her existence depends on feeding on her own species. In many ways, the vampire mindset changes- she adopts a set of attitudes less suited to the communal omnivore and more befitting a solitary predator.

Vampires are burned by sunlight.
True/ Vampires must avoid the sun or die, though a few can bear sunlight's touch for a very short peroids of time. Vampires are nocturnal creatures, and most find it extremely difficult to remain awake during the day, even within sheltered areas.

Vampires are repulsed by garlic and running waters.
False/ These are myths and nothing more.

Vampires are repulse by crosses and other holy symbols.
This is generally False/ However, if the wielder of the symbol has great faith in the power it repersents, a vampire my suffer ill effects from the brandishing of the symbol.

Vampires die from a stake through the heart.
False/ However a wooden stake- or arrow. crossbow bolt, ect.- through the heart will paralyze the monster until it is removed.

Vampires have the strength of 10 men; They can comman wolves and bats; They can hypnotize the living and heal even the most grievous wounds.
True and False/ The power of a vampire increases with age. Young, newly created vampires are often little more powerful than a human is. But as a vampire grows in age and understanding, she learns to use her blood to evoke secret magical powers, which vampires call discilines. Powerful eleders are often the rivals of a fictional Lestat or Dracula, and they true ancients- the Methuselahs and Antediluvians who have stalked the nights for thousands of years- often possess literally godlike powers.

All information on this page was taken from:
WW- VtM book number- 2300
page 22

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