This is Shirimasen's research on Vampires
from Mythical Creatures and Beasts Wiki


"this is shirimasen"
http://www.vampirewebsite.net/howdofindvampire.html"
this is all the info i have gathered
out of found this valuable. Do you find this valuable?

Sep 19 2012, 2:20 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:20 PM EDT Vampire: Definition:

1. A preternatural being, commonly believed to be a reanimated corpse, that is said to suck the blood of sleeping persons at night.
2. According to Eastern European folklore, a corpse, animated by an departed soul or demon, that periodically leaves the grave and disturbs the living, until it is exhumed and impaled or burned.
OR alternatively a person who has made a pact with the devil, selling his soul to him in exchange for nearly eternal life as long as the person sucks the blood from other people (and often kill them).

Sep 19 2012, 2:21 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:21 PM EDT In sense, you could say a vampire is a corpse that is not really dead although it retains more its human qualities than a lich or a zombie would. Basically you could also say that a vampire is a corpse that has been reanimated. It arises at night to drink the blood of the living to replenish itself. The word itself originated as the Slavic word obyri or obiri, which evolved into the Bulgarian vampire. Another word for vampire, nosferatu, comes from the Greek nosophoros, plague-carrier. Commonly it is said that vampires can not stand the light, the original believe is that they would die if they stepped out into the sun light. However the length of time it takes to kill them is unspecified, but the educated assumption is that it is seconds. The exception, of course, would be the original vampire which would be stronger than regular pure breed vampires. Theories have been put forward as well as stories, on weather the original vampire is fully or partially immune to light. None of them fully conclusive. Vampires are said to have pale skin, not have a reflection in mirrors, and grow fangs. Doctors believe there may be a medical explanation for the proliferation of vampire stories in Eastern Europe. Porphyria (also known as phorphyic hemophelia), a hereditary blood disease, was once widespread among the aristocracy. Patients were sensitive to light, developed brownish teeth, and had skin lesions. They were often told to drink blood from other people to replenish their own. Rabies also causes vampire-like symptoms, insomnia, delirium, and strange behavior. A rabies epidemic occurred in Transylvania around the time of Dracula, the world's most notorious vampire. In Romanian, they are called, "vampir". During the process of becoming a vampire, people would have nightmares until the creature returned.

Sep 19 2012, 2:21 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:21 PM EDT
"In sense, you could say a vampire is a corpse that is not really dead although it retains more its human qualities than a lich or a zombie would. Basically you could also say that a vampire is a corpse that has been reanimated. It arises at night to drink the blood of the living to replenish itself. The word itself originated as the Slavic word obyri or obiri, which evolved into the Bulgarian vampire. Another word for vampire, nosferatu, comes from the Greek nosophoros, plague-carrier. Commonly it is said that vampires can not stand the light, the original believe is that they would die if they stepped out into the sun light. However the length of time it takes to kill them is unspecified, but the educated assumption is that it is seconds. The exception, of course, would be the original vampire which would be stronger than regular pure breed vampires. Theories have been put forward as well as stories, on weather the original vampire is fully or partially immune to light. None of them fully conclusive. Vampires are said to have pale skin, not have a reflection in mirrors, and grow fangs. Doctors believe there may be a medical explanation for the proliferation of vampire stories in Eastern Europe. Porphyria (also known as phorphyic hemophelia), a hereditary blood disease, was once widespread among the aristocracy. Patients were sensitive to light, developed brownish teeth, and had skin lesions. They were often told to drink blood from other people to replenish their own. Rabies also causes vampire-like symptoms, insomnia, delirium, and strange behavior. A rabies epidemic occurred in Transylvania around the time of Dracula, the world's most notorious vampire. In Romanian, they are called, "vampir". During the process of becoming a vampire, people would have nightmares until the creature returned. "
The story of Dracula:

Dracula's real name was Vlad Tepes, he was called a vampire because of his cruel torturing methods. This includes, impaling citizens as he ate in front of them. He also held a rich feast, and all that came to it, he made them build a castle for him. Records prove that he was indeed a king of Romania and that he died, by an opposing army's hands. The enemies of Romania at the time were Turks. The emperor of the enemy country ordered his army to bring Vlad's head to him, as proof he was dead. And they did so.

Dracul means Dragon/Demon
Dracula means Son of the Dragon/Demon.
Vlad Tepes III also known as Vlad Draculea, Kazikli Voyvoidawas a ruler of Wallachia for the following terms- 1448, 1456-1462, 1476. he was born November 8th 1431 in Sighisoara, Transylvania and died at the hands of the Ottoman in December 1476 at Wallachia.

Sep 19 2012, 2:22 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:22 PM EDT On Easter, 1459 he arrested all the boyar families as an act of revenge for the killing of his father. He impaled the older ones on stakes while forcing the others to march from the capitol to the town of Poenari, some 50 miles away. He then ordered the survivors to build a fortress on the ruins of an older outpost which overlooked the Arges river. Vlad became quite known for his cruelty and brutal techniques of punishment; people were often skinned, boiled, decapitated, blinded, strangled, hanged, burned, roasted, hacked, nailed, buried alive, stabbed and so on. He also liked to cut off noses, ears, sexual organs and limbs. But his all time favourite form of torture was impalement on stakes, hence the surname of Tepes-meaning the Impaler in Romanian. The Turks even called him "Kaziglu Bey" - Impaler Prince. His philosophy on honesty and order was known throughout the land. Almost any crime be it lying and stealing to killing could be punishable by impalement. This law was so effective that he placed a gold cup in the square, anybody could use this cup to drink from the well but the cup must remain in the square. The cup was never stolen or removed during Vlads whole reign. One day, a man had come to drink from the cup but wound up stealing it. He was caught and taken to the throne room. Vlad, while sitting on his throne, had asked which hand the theif had used to take the cup with. The man had showed Vlad his left hand. Vlad had called his courtsmen and ordered them to cut off the theif's left hand. He said "Let that be a lesson to you to never steal." These stories are not fake and have been proven. Please do not report this page for misinformation.

Sep 19 2012, 2:22 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:22 PM EDT Origin of Myths:
Although, there have been many superstitions and beliefs about the origin of such theories, the Slavic vampire myths interpenetrate all the others. One such example of these pagan beliefs is believing in the soul after death. Much vampire folklore originated in Hungary and the Slavic areas of Eastern Europe and Western Russia.
In Slavic culture, they believed that a vampire was a person who abducted a decomposing dead body and sought to feed on the blood for their own survival.
In many other cultures they believe that a vampire was the result of making a deal with the devil or much more commonly, a demon.
Ancient Legends:
Vampire legends have existed all around the world. Granted, in different forms and shapes and ways, but it can be expected that different vampires from different regions differed in their appearances. For example, vampires from Bulgaria had only one nostril; whereas, those from Transylvania were pale and were said to have long fingernails. In Chinese Culture, it was believed that if a cat or dog jumped over a dead body, the body would turn into an undead. In Russian folklore, vampires were witches who once rebelled against the church, when they were alive. In Egyptian mythology, Goddess Sekhmet was said to be blood thirsty, which could be a possible relationship to vampirism.
However it was the The Persian Civilization who was the first to have had stories of blood-drinking creatures as far as records can tell. In folkloric tales, undead vampires often visited loved ones and caused mischief or deaths in the neighbourhoods they inhabited when they were alive. They wore shrouds and were often described as bloated and of ruddy or dark countenance, markedly different from today's gaunt, pale vampire which dates from the early Nineteenth Century.

Sep 19 2012, 2:23 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:23 PM EDT Although vampiric sorts of entities have been recorded in many cultures, the term vampire was not popularised until the early 18th century, after an influx of vampire superstition into Western Europe from areas where vampire legends were frequent, such as the Balkans and Eastern Europe, although local variants were also known by different names, such as Vampir in Serbia, vrykolakas in Greece and strigoi in Romania. The Apotamkin is considered to be the Native Americans version of a vampire.
In European folklore, a vampire is a corpse that rises from the grave and sucks blood from the living. According to some accounts, the dead become vampires because demons or evil spirits enter their bodies. Vampires are also said to be dead werewolves, witches, criminals, suicides, and heretics: persons whose's beliefs are contrary to church doctrine. In some legends, the victims of vampire attacks also turn into vampires themselves. The principal characteristic of the vampire is that when buried it does not decay like a normal corpse. Instead, it leaves the grave at night to search for victims. According to tradition, a vampire remains active as long as it can obtain blood. Legends of bloodsucking creatures are found in many cultures throughout history. The vampires, along with Dragons and wearwolves, are also a popular literary subject, hence why there are numerous descriptions of the origin, nature, powers, etc. of vampires. What seems to be universal about vampire myths is their connection with the fear of death and their desire for immortality.

Sep 19 2012, 2:24 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:24 PM EDT Various Vampires Throughout The World:
Format:
origin→from were it was originated (city, or country, or continent)
name→the name of the TYPE of vampire. not individual vampires
[Breif Discription]
Origin: Albania
Name: Llugat 002122Becomes a vampire by being an Albanian of Turkish blood. This vampire is said to spread death and destruction.

Origin: Albania
Name: Sampiro
This vampire goes around at night, wrapped up in its shroud and wears shoes with very high heels. Supposedly its tomb is indicated by a "will o' the wisp". Becomes a vampire by being an Albanian of Turkish blood. It is said to spread death and destruction.

Origin: Ashantiland
Name: Asanbosam
There are three varieties: men, women, and children.
All in human form except for a pair of books instead of feet. Becomes a vampire by sucking blood from the thumbs of a sleeping person.

Origin: Assyria
Name: Ekimmu
Becomes a vampire from not having had a proper burial.

Origin: Australia
Name: Pink Vampire
Pink Vampires are a species of vampires which live in the modern age. It has cold skin and fangs and when angered their eyes go a very bloodshot red colour. It can go out into normal daylight, they are way harder to kill than regular vampires.


Origin: Australia
Name: Yara-ma-yha
A little red man who sucks his victim's blood through his sucker-like hands and feet.

Sep 19 2012, 2:25 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:25 PM EDT Origin: Bavaria
Name: Nachzehrer
Becomes a vampire by being born with a second skin or dying from drowning. To kill it, cut off the head with the axe used in ordinary executions.

Origin: Bohemia
Name: Ogoljen
The only thing I know about this one is to put a little earth from the tomb in its navel to cure it. Or to kill it, bury it at a cross-roads.

Origin: Borneo
Name: Buo
Becomes a vampire by being a warrior slain in battle.

Origin: Bosnia-Herzegovina
Name: Blautsauger
These vampires have no skeleton and are very hairy, have very large eyes and are able to turn themselves into rats, but usually they take on the shape of a wolf. Cure it by scattering hawthorn flowers along the road leading from its former home to the cemetery. Apparently they always hold a bit of earth from their tombs behind their back and try to make sleeping peasants eat it in order to turn them into vampires.

Origin: Brazil
Name: Lobishomen
This vampire is small in stature, stumpy and hunch-backed, resembling a monkey, but with a yellow face, bloodless lips, black teeth, bushy beard and plush-covered feet. It makes its victims (all women) into nymphomaniacs. Kill it by letting it get drunk on blood in order to catch it more easily, then crucify it on a tree while stabbing it.

Origin: Brittany
Name: Moribondo
It supposedly enjoys assaulting cattle. Not as much of a threat on humans.

Origin: Bulgaria
Name: Krvopijac
The physical appearance varies but is most commonly known to have only one nostril. Becomes a vampire by drinking wine. Prevent the corpse by becoming a vampire by chaining it to the coffin with a garland of wild roses.


Sep 19 2012, 2:25 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:25 PM EDT Origin: China
Name: Ch'ing Shih
This vampire has red staring eyes, pointed nails curved like claws and long hair. They are greenish-white in colour, and it can fly very fast by being given strength from the moon light. When burnt it emits a piercing shriek.

Origin: Crete Rhodes
Name: Catac
It’s said that these vampires always have mouths that are always grinning, showing very white teeth. Kill it by burning its nails in flames, boiling its head in vinegar or isolating it behind a barrier of water, salted if possible.

Origin: Croatia
Name: Pijawika
To cure this vampire, cut its head off and put it between the legs or under one arm.

Origin: Dalmatia
Name: Kuzlak
Becomes a vampire by being taken away before its time from the mother's breast. To cure, call a Franciscan monk who will transfix it with a hawthorn bough plucked from high in the mountains.

Origin: Herreros Land
Name: Otgiruru
This vampire looks like a dog. It supposedly makes anyone who answers its call die.
*NOTE: this one is possibly realted to the American myth of a dog howling at night and if the person answered its call it would die in a week. Howevert in this myth the dog isn't a vampire.

Origin: Hindu
Name: Vetala
A Vampire-like spirit that haunts cemeteries and inhabits corpses in order to move around.

Origin: Hungary
Name: Farkaskoldus
Takes on the characteristics of a werewolf when dying.

Origin: India
Name: Vetala / Punyaiama (pure race) / Veda
This vampire looks like an old woman. Specialises in cannibalism.

Origin: Ireland
Name: Dearg-dul
To cure this vampire you need to pile large quantities of stones on its presumed tomb.


Sep 19 2012, 2:25 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:25 PM EDT Origin: Loango
Lies with its eyes open in the coffin. It becomes ten times as strong with the moon and can turn itself into a bat and if burnt, emits a long moaning. Becomes a vampire by being an ex-sorcerer. To kill this vampire, burn it by night when there is no moon, or else nail it to the ground with a nail. Carefully burn every little fragment, for even the smallest piece will be enough for the whole monster to be reborn again.

Origin: Mexico
Name: Ciuateteo ('Right honourable mother')
Supposedly this vampire’s face, arms and hands are painted with the whitest of chalk and it knows how to fly. Becomes a vampire by being still-born. Cure it by offering it bread and meteorites.

Origin: Moldavia
Name: Drakul
This vampire moves with the help of a demon. Supposedly it shows itself with its coffin on its head.

Origin: Moravia
This vampire goes around naked, leaving its shroud in the tomb.

Origin: Morlacchia & Montenegro
Name: Vrukolak / Vukodlak
This vampire is contagious feeds on relatives and friends and it shrieks when it is transfixed. It becomes a vampire by predestination or contagion. Or if it was murdered and no one sees the assassin. This vampire can easily turn itself into a wolf. It only goes out when there is a full moon and crows never go near its tomb. To prevent it turning, nail it to it's coffin by planting a nail through it's heart, or by cutting it's tendons and piercing it all over its body.

Origin: Philippines
Name: Manananggal

Sep 19 2012, 2:26 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:26 PM EDT Takes the form of an older, very beautiful woman. Every night she seperates her torso from her lower body and leaving her lower body behind, flies off on big bat-like wings looking for her next prey, which is usually pregnant women.

Origin: Poland
Name: Upier (male), Upiercsa (female)
This vampire’s physical appearance is interesting: it has a harelip and the tip of the tongue is pointed like an insect's sting. Becomes a vampire by a baby being born with teeth. Prevent this person becoming a vampire bury them face down with heaps of dirt mounded on top... (supposedly to confuse it as to which way is up and down).

Origin: Polynesia
Name: Talamaur
This vampire sucks the life out of the dying, and sometimes devours the hearts of healthy men when they are asleep.



Origin: Pomerania
Name: Neuntoter
Becomes a vampire by being born with teeth or a silver spoon in its mouth and dying as a child, spreads plague.


Origin: Portugal
Name: Bruxsa
This vampire takes the form of a woman during the day, and becomes a bird at night. It becomes a vampire through witchcraft. It is said to suck the blood of children.




Origin: Prussia
Name: Gierach / Viesczy / Stryz
Not sure how one becomes a Gierach but to cure it, put poppy seeds in the grave to send it to sleep.

Origin: Rocky Mountains
Sucks the brain of the sleeper by putting its proboscis into the victim's ear.

Origin: Rumania / Romania
Name: Norferat
This one becomes a vampire by being the illegitimate son of two illegitimate parents, or by being the seventh son of a seventh son. Apparently this vampire makes husbands impotent.


Sep 19 2012, 2:27 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:27 PM EDT Origin: Rumania / Romania
Name: Varcolaco / Murohy / Strigoi
This vampire takes on the aspects of a dog, a cat, or spider. Becomes a vampire by dying as an un-baptized person or death by suicide. Supposedly this vampire bites without leaving any signs of wounds. To prevent suicide victims from turning, the corpse should be put in running water as soon as they are dead or take out its heart and cut it in two.

Origin: Romania
Name: Moroi
They are the mortal offspring of Strigoi, they can either be killed, die of disease or grow old. However like most vampires they have a diet of blood, preferably human.

Origin: Russia
Name: Mjertovjec
Becomes a vampire by being a son of a werewolf or witch. To kill this type of vampire you will need to nail the body to the coffin or burn the body.

Origin: Russia
Name: Upierczi
Becomes a Vampire by Murder or Suicide. Only drowning in a lake of salt water is a "cure". To kill, you drive the heart through with a stake. But not more than twice – you need to be accurate.

Origin: Saxony
Not sure of the name, but a butterfly called Alp sometimes comes out of its mouth. Put a lemon in the vampire's mouth to cure it. The Alp settles on the chest of sleepers suffocating them and sucking up all their breath.

Origin: Serbia
Name: Mulo
This vampire lives and is as active at the stroke of noon as it is at night. It becomes a vampire by natural causes, by being still-born or else by being murdered. It boils the women it likes the most in a great cauldron in order to de-bone them more easily and make them similar to itself.


Sep 19 2012, 2:27 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:27 PM EDT Origin: Serbia
Name: Vlkodlak
Becomes a vampire by committing murder, perjury, incest or being killed by a werewolf or else eating lamb killed by a werewolf. To kill, cut off its toes and thumbs or put a nail in its neck. This Vampire is said to cause eclipses.

Origin: Silesia
Name: Sriz
This vampire makes those people die whose names it pronounces.

Origin: Slave Coast
Name: Wume
Becomes a vampire by being a criminal in life or else being the victim of a curse. Cure it by burying it in a secret place.

Origin: Spain
Name: Vampiro
This is one of the well known "Vampire Myths" – If you are bitten you become a Vampiro. You can kill it by putting garlic in the mouth or by piercing the heart with a stake.

Origin: Thessaly / Epirus
Name: Bruculaco
They become vampires by falling into catalepsies, the soul being momentarily separated from the body goes into that of a wolf, making it thirsty for fresh blood.

Origin: Vietnam
Name: (undecided)
This vampire has red antennae coming out of its nose with which it sucks. Sometimes it only consists of a head.

Sep 19 2012, 2:28 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:28 PM EDT Psionic Vampires:
Psionic Vampires, are also known as energy vampires as depicted here, are vampires who drink the souls of mortals. Both male and female, they are very rare. Found all across the world, they drink by placing their mouth on or near the victim's and inhale. They have all the qualities of a normal vampire though of course lacking the blood drinking factor. According to legend, they can drink the entire soul of one person in one go, or they can take small amounts of life force over time, though most choose the former option. It is said that only some ancient talismans, such as the Egyptian Ankh (symbol of life, death, immortality, and resurrection) can protect mortals and faith in those are shaky. Unlike being bitten by a blood vampire, it's often hard to tell how the victim died, as they have no bite marks. However it's often said that if a psychic searches their last brain waves, they can detect terror, horror, fear, etc, but no memories.



The Strigoii:
Romania, of course, has a deep rooted 'Vampire' history and lore. Images of ruined castles and ranges of darkened mountains swathed in thick mists, crags and deep valley's, filled withforbidding forests where the light of the moon casts twisted reflections and of un-tamed wilds, where whispered horrors stalk the realm. Of course the image of the Magyar nobleman, draped in a cape and who speaks with a seductive tone is never far from the imaginations of many, but just how correct is the modern idea of a 'Vampire'?
The Moroii:
First it must be said, that Romania, like many other cultures andcountries, has a very deep and rich lore of the dead returning to life. Those who hadcommitted ill deeds or practised with craft, though not all forms of witch craft were deemed a sin, were denied entry to paradise but werecondemnedto wander the world forever. They may also have

Sep 19 2012, 2:30 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:30 PM EDT They may also have been cursed during their life times or have delved too deeply into obscure and dangerous pleasures or arts, developing unnatural lusts and desires. These may have included the lust for blood, though usually that of a animal.
These were the Moroii or the Moroacia, witches and warlocks, who lived in the heart of rural Romania who often subsist upon blood. Though they are classified as 'Living Vampires', the term is usually taken to mean witch or sorcerer of the darkest kind, a person who has willingly sold his/her soul to the Evil One, in return for earthly dominion and power.
The Moroii were very easy to spot, the males are deathly pale and virtually hairless, akin to the image of the Vampire from the film Nosferatu, this image is a loose one upon which to base the appearance of the Moroii males. Female Moroii are very red faced and have full red lips. It is widely believed that Moroii could assume the forms of animals, birds and moths were among the most common. In this form they roamed the countryside doing harm to their neighbours. They also had the power to send their spirit out, unseen by human eyes, while their mortal bodies slept, in order to create mischief and mayhem, as well as spread disease and attack people whilst they slept. Some beliefs mentioned that whilst harming those who slept, the spirit of the Moroii could drain the slumbering individual, leaving them tired and lethargic when they awoke. However the Moroii themselves were subject to mortal disease and ailments, they could be slain, though doing so would run the risk of turning them into a creature far worse.

Sep 19 2012, 2:31 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:31 PM EDT All manner of people could become Moroii, and it could be through the smallest of reasons, such as neglecting Mass, stealing, lying and practising witch craft. Those who lusted after neighbours wives andillegitimate sons of priests ran high risks of turning into Moroii.
Neglecting Holy rites whilst pregnant would turn your unborn child into a Moroii, as well as having a Vampire look upon you whilst pregnant . eating uncooked meats and drinking spoiled home made spirits,, those who swallowed a bee or a fly, for it may be the animal form of a witch or wizard. Those who ate unleavened bread or who lusted after a foreigner may become a witch later.
Those who were left handed were believed to be most at risk from the black arts.
And the list goes on...Traits of the Strigoii
Because they were living and for all intents and purposes were human and thus subject to death, the Moroii could die from natural causes or be killed. When they fell, regardless of how they died, they would turn into the Strigoii, a terrible and deadly creature. Strigoii were the walking dead, physical corpses who knew no peace and were motivatedsolely by ill intent. Humanity had faded from their hearts, they had become the foe of all mankind.
The name has it's origins in the ancient Roman word 'striges', creatures who flew about at night in the form of a bird, most often a Owl, or even half bird and half human, spreading filth and disease amidst the Latin community. They were also credited with having supernatural powers with which they used against the Latin peoples.
These translated into the walking dead of Romania. It was inevitable that a member of the Moroii would become a Strigoii after death, but sometimes a corpse could rise again as one in it's own right. A corpse may return to un-life and haunt the living, if a shadow fell across a open coffin, if a bird or animal passed over the body, if it wasn't buried with


Sep 19 2012, 2:33 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:33 PM EDT rites or if the person committed suicide.
The Strigoii might drink blood, but more often they ate normal food (as did the Moroii). However, rather than drinking blood or vital fluids, they could draw the energy from another person by a kind of osmosis, leaving them weak and sickly and helpless. Besides attacking people, the Strigoii spread disease and pestilence from house to house, leaving death and desolation in their wake. They also had the ability, when invisible, to engage in poltergeistactivities, pulling items from the shelves and tossing them around anddousing the flames from a roaring fire. Only as a last resort did they drink blood and then only from their families or those they knew, people in their communities.
When Strigoii moved about, they were easily spotted, they walked slowly, as if they were sleep walkers, and they had their right eye closed yet their left eye was always open and blood red in colour. They had a floridcomplexion and often grew reddish hair. When in their graves, their bodies remained un-tainted and un-spoiled by the natural cycle of decay, also their hair and nails grew ever long. At times the creature maybe bloated with the blood it had consumed.
Protection against the Strigoii:
There were ways to find the grave of a Strigoii, such resting places were marked by a blue flame, akin to a candle, which burned a little way above ground where the Strigoii lay. These burned quite brightly and could be seen from a distance. Another method was to take a 7 year old boy, dress him in white and set him astride a white horse, setting him loose in a graveyard, where ever the horse stopped, a Strigoii lay. The latter was often adopted by those who felt themselves persecuted by the Undead.
It was further believed, that in order to breath within the grave, the Strigoii made small holes to the surface so that air may flow into the grave. If holes were found, then a Strigoii lay underneath, it was exhumed and inspected by a priest. if it was found uncorrupted or bloated (though it may have been bloated with corpse gasses released after death, it was taken that the cause was consumed blood) it was deemed a Strigoii, the walking dead, a Vampire. The priest said prayers over it, and the heart would be cut from it's chest and burned. In some cases the head maybe struck from it with the blade of a gravediggers shovel and the mouth filled with herbs (though not always Garlic). Unlike many other Vampires in neighbouring countries, the Strigoii could be affected strongly by Sunlight, especially the first rays of the dawn. To avoid these, the creature returned to it's grave before the rise of the harmful sun.

Sep 19 2012, 2:34 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:34 PM EDT There were ways to find the grave of a Strigoii, such resting places were marked by a blue flame, akin to a candle, which burned a little way above ground where the Strigoii lay. These burned quite brightly and could be seen from a distance. Another method was to take a 7 year old boy, dress him in white and set him astride a white horse, setting him loose in a graveyard, where ever the horse stopped, a Strigoii lay. The latter was often adopted by those who felt themselves persecuted by the Undead.
It was further believed, that in order to breath within the grave, the Strigoii made small holes to the surface so that air may flow into the grave. If holes were found, then a Strigoii lay underneath, it was exhumed and inspected by a priest. if it was found uncorrupted or bloated (though it may have been bloated with corpse gasses released after death, it was taken that the cause was consumed blood) it was deemed a Strigoii, the walking dead, a Vampire. The priest said prayers over it, and the heart would be cut from it's chest and burned. In some cases the head maybe struck from it with the blade of a gravediggers shovel and the mouth filled with herbs (though not always Garlic). Unlike many other Vampires in neighbouring countries, the Strigoii could be affected strongly by Sunlight, especially the first rays of the dawn. To avoid these, the creature returned to it's grave before the rise of the harmful sun.

Sep 19 2012, 2:34 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:34 PM EDT It was believed that Strigoii were extremelyobsessive creatures, strategies were devised to keep the Vampire at bay until the sun had risen and it fled to it's tomb. Poppy seeds might be scattered around the grave where one might lay. The notion being that, when the Vampire rose, it would see the seeds and be compelled to gather them up. This would keep it busy for the entire night (something similar may have been used to distract the Irish vampire, Abhartach, thorns were scattered around the grave). Other methods included scattering petals or clothes to delay the Strigoii and save it's victims.
Wine also drove away the Undead. Potential victims became drunk before going to bed incase they got attacked. Cheap wine also tainted the blood thus making itunpalatable to the Strigoii. even the smallest amount would work.
Onions were abhorrent to the Vampire, and it would avoid any who smelled of such things, certain herbs might be used but their is no specific mention of garlic.

Sep 19 2012, 2:35 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:35 PM EDT It was believed that Strigoii were extremelyobsessive creatures, strategies were devised to keep the Vampire at bay until the sun had risen and it fled to it's tomb. Poppy seeds might be scattered around the grave where one might lay. The notion being that, when the Vampire rose, it would see the seeds and be compelled to gather them up. This would keep it busy for the entire night (something similar may have been used to distract the Irish vampire, Abhartach, thorns were scattered around the grave). Other methods included scattering petals or clothes to delay the Strigoii and save it's victims.
Wine also drove away the Undead. Potential victims became drunk before going to bed incase they got attacked. Cheap wine also tainted the blood thus making itunpalatable to the Strigoii. even the smallest amount would work.
Onions were abhorrent to the Vampire, and it would avoid any who smelled of such things, certain herbs might be used but their is no specific mention of garlic.

Sep 19 2012, 2:37 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:37 PM EDT Special mention; Vampire Hunters:
Deserving of a special mention and thusly related to the topic of Strigoii, were Vampire Hunters, which Bram Stoker used in his novel and has been further used in novels and films up to the modern day. The vampire hunter, most famous was the Dutch occult specialist Abraham Van Helsing. This too, has it's origins among the Strigoii of eastern Europe. In folklore,particularly amongst eastern-euro gypsies, it was believed that for everyone born who would become a Strigoii there would be one born who could defeat it, and, in this way, God would keep control over the Dead. It is thought that in some regions of Romania, Vampire Hunters would travel from town to town, apparently hunting the Undead in the manner of the witch hunters of England. They would enter a village where sickness was wide spread and claim it is the work of a Vampire. They would then begin to exhume body after body, inspecting them for the marks/signs of Undeath, creating hysteria and unrest in the local communities as well as distress and pain for the families of those who were exhumed. This activity was viewed with disdain by the

Sep 19 2012, 2:37 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:37 PM EDT authorities and soon the Empress announced her edict which outlawed the exhuming of the dead to inspect them for signs of being a Vampire.
End note
Though the truth maybe hard to seek, and may not be found in the ruins of ancient castles or twilight graveyards, but rather in the wandering Moroii and Strigoii which roam the villages and lonely lanes after dark. We cannot say for certain whether they exist or not, but we should not dismiss them entirely.
Enter Lilith: This myth begins at the very creation of man. Lilith, according to Hebrew/ Jewish texts, was the first woman created for Adam.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it.
Genesis 1:27-28 Many have made her a model for feminism, because when Adam demanded that she always be on the bottom for... um... sleeping purposes, she grew angry. "Why must I always be on the bottom? I was made of the same stuff as you. I should be on the top equally." When Adam would not relent in his domination of her, she grew so angry that she uttered the holy name of God and vanished. God then had to make Eve for Adam, making her of his rib bone, rather than wholly dust, so that she would be attached to him and not leave as Lilith had done. Lilith went out to the Red Sea, where she made a bargain with the angels who had been sent to fetch her back to Adam. She was allowed to stay out on her own, as a witch, mother of all demons. She was allowed to kill infants up until their naming day (I believe 7 days for girls and 8 days for boys), unless they had a charm over their sleeping place with the names of the angels on them. Then, she promised, she would not kill them. (This story is usually

Sep 19 2012, 2:38 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:38 PM EDT explained as being an explanation for SIDS-- sudden infant death syndrome.) Lilith killed human children in retaliation for the thousands of her own demon children who were killed in the wars between good and evil.

Enter Cain: Cain was the firstborn son of Adam and Eve. He was banished, with a mark, from the land of his parents because he killed his brother in a jealous rage.

10 What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood crith unto me from the ground.
11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;

Sep 19 2012, 2:40 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:40 PM EDT 12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven fold. And the LORD set a mark on Cain, lest any finding him shall kill him.

Genesis 4:10-15 According to vampire legend, Cain wandered until he found Lilith by the Red Sea. She took him in and showed him the power of blood. (My religion teacher put it that the tree of life is represented in blood. Thus why Jewish persons staunchly drain all blood away from their meat before cooking and eating it. And thus why drinking blood/ being a vampire is such a big deal in a religious context.)

From Cain and Lilith came a host of demons and vampires in the vague myths. Cain is mentioned in the Bible as having a number of legitimate children, with an unnamed woman/ wife. Some of his children are even highly regarded, as they are listed with their inventions, such as the harp and metal working. But, past Gen. 4:26 there is no more mention of Cain's children or his line. Cain himself is referred to only twice more, in the New Testament, as "the prototype of the wicked man."

Sep 19 2012, 2:44 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:44 PM EDT From what there is presented in the Bible, there is little to go on with the myth of Cain and Lilith. Lilith herself appears only in Jewish apocrypha texts-- she is in neither the Torah or the Bible. But what is interesting is Cain-- and it might be inferred Lilith too-- appears in the epic poem Beowulf, and with much more mention than he ever receives in the Bible.

...Till the monster stirred, that demon, that fiend,
Grendel, who haunted the moors, the wild
Marshes, and made his home in a hell
Not hell but earth. He was spawned in that slime,
Conceived by a pair of those monsters born
Of Cain, murderous creatures banished
By God, punished forever for the crime
Of Abel's death. The Almighty drove
Those demons out, and their exile was bitter,
Shut away from men; they split
Into a thousand forms of evil-- spirits,
And fiends, goblins, monsters, and giants.
A brood forever opposing the Lord's
Will, and again and again defeated.
(Ll. 101-114)

Sep 19 2012, 2:45 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:45 PM EDT ...Cain had killed his only
Brother, slain his father's son
With an angry sword, God drove him off,
Outlawed him to the dry and barren desert,
And branded him with a murder's mark. And he bore
Arace of fiends accursed like their father...
(Ll. 1261-1266)

How intriguing is that? Where does the author's venom for Cain come from? Yes, he's a sinner, but in the Bible it seems that he goes off and does the best he can, building the city of Enoch, and having a lineage of creative descendants. In the other references to him, he is used as an example of a sinner, but without malice. But the author(s) of Beowulf seems to heap undue vileness onto Cain. There is simply no place in the Bible that speaks of Cain in such a hate-filled regard. What's even more interesting is that Grendel's forefathers are referred to as a pair. "The Almighty drove/ Those demons out" when there is clearly no mention of God driving anyone out of Eden but Cain.

The only other time we see sin in (around) Eden is when we look at the legends of Lilith. It was she who said the holy name of God and vanished out from Eden. And Lilith, in the Jewish tradition, has always been seen as the mother of demons. So for there to have been demons, Lilith must have conceived them (Cain's wife was busy having good children). I think the original author of Beowulf must have known of this Lilith legend (it certainly isn't obscure) and implied this in his writing, because the audience otherwise knows that there was no one expelled but Cain, and that, in the Bible, he stays a legitimate person, not a bearer of monsters.

Sep 19 2012, 2:45 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:45 PM EDT To further drive home the point that the author knew what he was talking about, Beowulf was first written down and preserved by monks-- who were the only literate people in their time. The tale originated somewhere in the 600's in England, and was thought to have been written down at a later time (it was a bard's tale before that, made to be sung). As monks have a notorious reputation for adding God and His works into things as they write, we would certainly expect to find more references to Christianity than would have probably been present in thenewly Christian world that the poem was composed in. So it can only be concluded that the author knew what he was talking about and wrote down something that had meaning to his audience at the time, but which has been lost to us since.

At the time of the composing of the poem, and during the later years when it was written down, the Bible of choice was the Vulgate, of Jerome's Latin Bible. I have attempted to look through the Latin text of this Bible, and have searched for Cain references, but itappears to have no more to say about Cain than does the later (and most popular) version, the King James Version (which most all of us know). The origin of the Cain = monstrous evil myth is well obscured and lost, which allows us to speculate even more as to where monsters-- in particular, vampires-- came from.

Sep 19 2012, 2:46 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:46 PM EDT Vlad Tepes (Dracula)
Anyone who has read Dracula or seen any version of its movies, will know about the legend that Vlad Tepes started the vampiric line.


Judas Iscariot
A somewhat obscure myth, folklore holds that vampires originated with Judas Iscariot, betrayer of Christ. Because Judas had betrayed Christ to the Romans, he and his family were cursed. The Bible holds that Judas committed suicide because of his guilt; suicides in vampire folklore were very likely to come back as vampires, so this may have helped contribute to the belief that vampires originated with Judas. Also, vampires descended from Judas were usually identifiable by their red hair. This probably points to the origin of the myth among the Greeks, as they believed red hair to be a mark of vampirism. Among the dark Greek, red-hair would certainly seem strange, but among people farther north, closer to the Scandinavian countries which feature such hair, there would be little to no stigma attached to it. Someone pointed out that the vampire's aversion to silver perhaps comes from this myth, as Judas betrayed Christ for 30 pieces of silver. When Judas tried to return the silver and could not, he cast it

Sep 19 2012, 2:49 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:49 PM EDT away as something hateful to himself. However, the use of silver as a deterrent for vampires is more widespread than the Judas myth. Though I have yet to find any good explaination of it, silver may be used because of its religious signifigance among pagan religions, which were carried over into vampire folklore. 3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himsef.
(Matthew 27:3-5)

Information provided by: The Holy Bible
King James Version
World Bible Publishers
C.R. Gibson, Iowa Falls Beowulf
Translated by Burton Raffel
Mentor, pub.
New York, ©1963

Sep 19 2012, 2:50 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:50 PM EDT I am pretty sure that the author wasn't referring Lilith and Cain when he said " Those monster born from Cain" referred to the sins born of Cain, since he was the first to commit murder. If evil is born from our hearts it makes sense that a devil or a fallen angel (which were else expelled from paradise and heaven) would have molded out of Cains hate these monsters, thus the monsters would be born thanks to Cain, which would also explain the part that says "The Almighty drove those demons out and their exile was bitter, SHUT AWAY; they split into a thousand forms of evil...A brood forever opposing God's will" by which it would mean three things: 1) The exile was bitter, and they were shut away from mankind which is to say divided from men, which could mean that it was originally because of humans that they exist. 2) They had no a fixed form (like emotions and feelings) and became a thousand different shapes and sizes (like shades of vengence and different evil feelings. Thus it makes sense that the variety of these monsters are the same as the variety of combinations of this feelings), and 3) It makes sense that this demonic monsters come from evil emotions because these emotions oppose God's will. Same as the monsters. Curious isn't it?

Sep 19 2012, 2:52 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:52 PM EDT Genetic Vampires: These vampires are similar to the vampires in the movie "Blade", minus a few exaggerations. For example, they do not burst into flames upon exposure to sunlight, and they are not affected by garlic. Most are extremely sensitive to sunlight, however. Depending on the blood line, some Genetic vampires can only last 10 mins, while others can last up to a few hours. If they do go over the time they can safely walk around in the sun, their skin will start to burn severely, much like a chemical burn. Most of them live for over 300 years of age. However, I do not know their exact lifespan. I have heard mixed reports of Genetic vampires living from 350 - 900 years of age.
Inhertior Vampires TYPE 1: These vampires are much like the Genetic vampires, except they are born. Like Sanguinarians, the vampire trait will lay dormant inside them until around the age of 13 - 26, when they awaken. When they body reaches the late stages of puberty, ir releases a chemical which awakens the vampire and begins many physical changes in the body. As a result of this, most Inheritors look around 19 - 20 years old their whole life. Most of the time the parents of the vampire will be human and vampire, or both vampires. There must be one vampire parent. Inheritor vampires live to around the age of 350-400 years old.

Sep 19 2012, 2:52 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:52 PM EDT Inhertior Vampire TYPE 2: Sanguinarians are the "mortal version" of the Inheritor vampires. They still require and crave blood, are sensitive to sunlight, and have many of the traits the Inheritor and Classical vampires have. However . However, Sanguinarians do not live much longer then the average human being.
malkavian vampire: These are mainly thought to be from a RPG clan, however, there are real Malkavian vampires out there. They are basically vampires who suffer from mental illnesses, or are considered to be insane by the rest of the community. However, they just have a different outlook on life, and most of the time they are not dangerous.
Nightwalker: This type of vampire is almost exstinct. The reason for this is that they do not have the healing of the Genetic / Inheritor or Classical vampires. They do not have the speed, or even the life span of the ageless vampires. Infact, they are more human than vampire. They only live for about 100 years, they do not have the healing like the other "immortals", and their speed is the same as a human. However, they do have the need to feed, just like any other vampire, and are also extremely sensitive to sunlight.
Nosferatu Vampire: When a human or vampire is turned, the body tries to fight the infection. In the case of the Noseratu vampires, the body got the upperhand. This caused the virus to alter itself, thus allowing for it to survive in the new host, causing the vampire's body to be extremely disfigured. From what I have heard, the Nosferatu are similar to the Classical or Genetic / Inheritor vampires. They are turned, not born.

Sep 19 2012, 2:52 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:52 PM EDT Wannabe's: These are humans who want to be vampires. Most of the time they are 16-years-old kids who watch a lot of vampire movies, and think it would be "cool" to be a vampire. However, there are some people who are serious about wanting to be turned, who are in their 20's - 30's, and who know what they want and what they are getting themselves into. (aka, people who go "vampire" because of the Twilight book/movie, and all the other vampire novels.)
This is a sampler of vampire legends from around the world.

- Asasabonsam: W. African. Folklore of the Ashanti people. Asasabonsam
are human looking vampires except that they have hooks instead of feet
and iron teeth. The Asasabonsam are tree dwelling vampires that live
deep in the forest. They sit in the tops of trees with their legs
dangling down which enables them to catch their victims with their
hooked feet. They tend to bite their victims on the thumb.

Sep 19 2012, 2:53 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:53 PM EDT - Baital: Indian. These vampires natural form is that of a half-man,
half-bat creature roughly four feet tall. They are otherwise
unremarkable.

- Bajang: Malaysian. The bajang normally take the form of polecats.
Sorcerers could enslave and force them to kill his enemies, and some
families were believed to be hereditarily stalked by the bajang.

- Baobhan Sith: Scottish. The baobhan sith (pronounced buh-van she) are
evil fairies who appear as beautiful young women and will dance with
men they find until the men are exhausted and then feed on them. The
baobhan sith can be harmed and destroyed by cold iron.

- Callicantzaros (also spelled as Kallikantzaros): Medieval and Modern
Greece. According to Christian Greek folk belief, a child born during
the time from the beginning of Christmas to New Year's Day (or, in
some versions, to Epiphany, Jan. 6) will become a callicantzaros. It
is also during this period of the year that the callicantzaroi become
a threat to normal humans. Then they roam the countryside, sleeping in

Sep 19 2012, 2:53 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:53 PM EDT caves during the day and entering villages at night. They can appear
half-human, half-animal shapes. At the end of this period, they travel
down caverns or other tunnels to Hades where they remain until the
next Christmas. While on the world's surface, a male Callicantzaros is
apt to kidnap a mortal woman to return with him to the underworld as
his bride and to bear his children who also become callicantzaroi. To
To prevent an infant of two mortal parents born during the Yuletide
season from becoming a callicantzaros, the infant was sometimes held
feet down over a fire until the toenails were singed. It was said that
the first victims of a callicantzaros whose parents were both mortal
were often his own brothers and sisters, whom he was apt to bite and
devour. The callicantzoroi are actually closer to werewolves than to
vampires--there is no direct connection with blood drinking--but they
are frequently described in nonfictional books about vampires.
(s/b Patrick Johnson)

- Ch'ing Shih: Chinese. Ch'ing shih appear livid and may kill with
poisonous breath in addition to draining blood. If a Ch'ing Shih
encounters a pile of rice, it must count the grains before it can pass
the pile. They can be harmed and destroyed by normal weapons and by
sunlight. Their immaterial form is a glowing sphere of light, much
like a will-o'-the-wisp.

- Civateteo: Mexican. These vampire-witches held Sabbaths at
crossroads and were believed to attack young children and to mate with

Sep 19 2012, 2:54 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:54 PM EDT human men, producing children who were also vampires. They were
believed to be linked to the god Tezcatlipoca.

- Dearg-due: Irish. The dearg-due is a standard European vampire,
except that it cannot shapeshift and may be defeated by building a
cairn of stones over its grave.

- Empusa: Ancient Greece and Rome. Empusas appear as either beautiful
women or ancient hags. They are strongly related to the incubi and
succubi (q.v).

- Ekimmu: Assyrian. Montague Summers described the ekimmu as vampires,
but recent re-interpretations of "The Gilgamesh Epic" seem to refute
this conclusion. The ekimmu are simply the souls of those who died
without proper burial and so they wander the Netherworld looking for
peace, not blood.

- Hanh Saburo: Indian. These creatures live in forests and can control
dogs. They will attempt to lure or drive travelers into the forest to
attack them.

- Incubus: European. Incubi (plural of incubus) are sexual vampires.
They are spirit vampires of a demonic nature. The general way they
feed is by having sexual relations with the victim, exhausting them,
and feeding on the energy released during sex. They may enter homes

uninvited and can take on the appearance of other persons. They will
often visit the same victim repeatedly. A victim of an incubus will
experience the visits as dreams. The female version of an incubus is a
succubus. Closely related to the incubi/sucubi are the Slavic mora,
the German mahr, and the Scandinavian mara, from which the word
"nightmare" is derived.

- Jararaca: Brazilian. Normally appearing as snakes, jararaca are said
to drink the milk, as well as the blood, of sleeping women.

- Krvopijac: Bulgarian. Krvopijacs (also known as obours) look like
normal vampires except that they have only one nostril. They can be
immobilized by placing wild roses around their graves. One way to
destroy a krvopijac is for a magician to order its spirit into a
bottle, which must then be thrown into a fire.

- Lamia: Ancient Greece and Rome. Lamias are exclusively female
vampires. They often appear in half-human, half-animal forms and eat
the flesh of their victims in addition to drinking their blood. Lamias
can be attacked and killed with normal weapons.

- Loogaro: West Indies. Appearing as old women, these vampires go
abroad at night as blobs of light, much like the will-o'-the-wisp.

- Mulo: Gypsy. Gypsies all over Europe generally believed that the mulo

Sep 19 2012, 2:54 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:54 PM EDT was the spirit of a dead person which left its corpse in its grave at
night and returned to the corpse at dawn. The mulo was generally
invisible but could be visible to certain people, in which case it
usually appeared in the original form of the dead person.

Some Gypsy clans believed that their muli were too loyal to their clan
to trouble them. But in the cases of clans who believed otherwise, esp.
in Balkan countries such as Kosova, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia, the
mulo often played the role of the vampire. The vampiric mulo mostly
preyed on sheep and cattle, but there are tales of entire households
being victimized by a mulo. In the Balkan countries, the adult male
mulo typically came at night to visit his widow or perhaps a woman he
had loved during his lifetime. In some versions of the story, he acted
kindly towards her, helping her with household tasks and regaining her
favor. Or, he might make demands on her for good tasting food, always
rejecting what she offered. While visible to his wife, he might at the
same time be invisible to other family members, behaving much like a
poltergeist. In a third version, the mulo is invisible even to his
wife--but he lies upon her and rapes her while she feels paralyzed and
is unable to cry out for help. In these chases, the widow may become
sick with terror, refuse food and drink, and eventually die.

Some Gypsies in Kosova believed that twin brothers and sisters born on
a Saturday could see a vampiric mulo if they wore their underwear and
shirts inside out. The mulo would flee as soon as it was seen by the

Sep 19 2012, 2:55 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:55 PM EDT twins. A Gypsy practice in Moravia, now the eastern province of the
Czech Republic, was to use a hen's egg to bait and ambush an invisible
mulo. When the egg suddenly disappeared, the men would fire their guns
at the spot. (s/b Patrick Johnson)

- Nachzerer: German. These are ghosts of the recently dead that return
to kill their families.

- Rakshasa: Indian. The Rakshasas are powerful vampires of the spirit
variety. They usually appear as humans with animal features (claws,
fangs, slitted eyes, etc.) or as animals with human features
(flattened noses, hands, etc.). They often appear as tigers. In any
form, rakshasas are powerful magicians. They eat the flesh of their
victims in addition to drinking blood. Burning, sunlight, or exorcism
may destroy Rakshasas.

- Shtriga: Medieval and Modern Albanian. The Albanian Shtriga, like
the ancient Roman Stryx, 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. As recently as the early 20th century, many Albanians
regarded the Shtriga to be the most common cause of infant deaths.
(See also Veshtitza.) (s/b Patrick Johnson)

- Strigoi: Medieval and Modern Romania, including Transylvania. The

Sep 19 2012, 2:55 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:55 PM EDT feminine form of the name is Strigoiaca. The terms derive from the name
of the blood-sucking, shape-changing, ancient Roman 'Stryx' [which see].
They apply to either a person who is already an undead vampire (Strigoi
Mort) or to one who is still living (Strigoi Viu) but predestined to
become a Strigoi Mort. In most ways, the Strigoi Morti resemble the
undead vampires found in other Eastern European countries. They can be
destroyed by such typical means as impaling with a stake or by cremating
them. They were often blamed as the cause of death in cases of epidemics
--with the dead victims frequently becoming Strigoi Morti, too.

The Strigoi Vii are more unusual. According to old Romanian folklore,
a person who is born with a caul (a veil of fetal membrane still
attached to the head), a small tail, or other peculiar circumstances
is a Strigoi Viu. While living, the Strigoi Viu is not a blood drinker,
but his powers include what could be called psychic vampirism--he can
steal the vitality of his neighbors' crops and animals to enhance his
own. Also, he can leave his body at night and travel in the form of an
animal or a small spark of light. Sometimes it was said that a Strigoi
Viu took animal form by stealing the form from the animal. The Strigoi
Vii join together in covens and meet with the Strigoi Morti on special
nights such as the Eve of St. George (April 22)--the same auspicious
night when Jonathan Harker meets Dracula in Bram Stoker's novel.
(s/b Patrick Johnson)

- Stryx: Ancient Roman. Stryx [plur: striges] literally means "screech

Sep 19 2012, 2:56 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:56 PM EDT "owl" but the ancient Romans also applied the term to witches who
transformed into owls at night in order to prey upon infants, drinking
their blood and sometimes eating their internal organs. In modern
Italian, "striga" has become a general word for "witch". Ovid, in his
book _Fasti_, tells a story about an infant who was attacked each night
by a flock of striges. The demigoddess Crane is called upon to ward away
the striges by sprinklng the doorway with "drugged" water and placing a
branch of hawthorn in the window. In later European lore, hawthorn is
often as effective as garlic for warding away or confining vampires and
is the best material for stakes to pound through their hearts. [See also
Shtriga, Strigoi, and Veshtitza] (s/b Patrick Johnson)

- Vampir: Serbian. The vampir is naturally invisible but can be seen by
animals or by a dhampir [q.v], the living offspring of a vampir. The
Serbian vampir cannot shapeshift.

- Veshtitza: Medieval and modern Montenegro and Serbia. A blood drinking
witch similar to the Roman Stryx and the Albanian Shtriga [q.v.]. The.
soul of a Veshtitza leaves her body at night and enters the body of a
hen or black moth. In this body, the veshtitza flies about until she
finds a home where there are infants or young children. She drinks their
blood and eats their hearts. Veshtitze may join together to form covens,
the members of which flock together in the branches of trees at midnight
on certain nights to hold a meeting while they snack upon what they have
gathered earlier. Since it was commonly believed that witches become

Sep 19 2012, 2:56 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:56 PM EDT vampires after they die, it seems unlikely that the natural death of a
veshtitza ends her drinking habit. (s/b Patrick Johnson)

- Vrykolakas: 17th - early 20th Century Greece. The term derives from the
Southern Slavic name Vorkudlak which can either mean an undead vampire
or a werewolf. The name Vrykolakas (plur: Vrykolakes) has variants such
as Vourkalakas and Vrukolakas. On the isle of Crete, the name is often
replaced by 'Kathakano". In some moutain regions on the mainland, the
term Vrykolakis could also apply to a shepherd who is compelled by the
full moon to go about biting and eating both man and beast. But most
generally it was applied to dead people who return from their graves,
bringing death to the living. When a dead person was suspected of being
a Vrykolakas, his corpse was exhumed to see if it had resisted decay.
Also, there was a religious practice of exhuming all corpses after three
years from their original burial. Typically, an exhumed corpse appeared
bloated and ruddy. This was interpreted as evidence that the body had
become a Vrykolakas and had gorged itself on the blood of its victims.

A person could become a Vrykolakas after death by having been
excommunicated, by having committed a serious crime or by having led a
sinful life. Those conceived or born on a holy day were predestined to
become Vrykolakes. Even if a person died without these taints, he was
apt to become a Vrykolakas if a cat jumped over his corpse before burial.
Though Vrykolakes were most active at night, they could also go about
during daylight. They were only obliged to be in their graves on each

Sep 19 2012, 2:56 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:56 PM EDT Saturday. According to one report from the 17th century, revenant
Vrykolakes prowl at night, knocking on doors and calling out the names
of the inhabitants. Anyone who answered was doomed, but those who
resisted were spared. Perhaps this is the origin of the modern literary
tradition that a vampire cannot enter a home unless invited? Vrykolakes
can be destroyed by exorcism or burning. Yet another recourse was to
rebury the corpse on a desert island. This was done in belief that a
Vrykolakas could not cross sea water (s/b Patrick Johnson)

- Wampir: Polish and Russian. Wampiri appear exactly as normal humans
and have a "sting" under their tongue rather than fangs. They are active
from noon until midnight. A vampir may only be destroyed by burning.
When burned, the wampir's body will burst, releasing hundreds of small,
disgusting maggots, rats, etc. If any of these escape, the wampir's
"spirit" will escape as well and will later return to seek revenge.
Wampiri may also be called vieszcy and upierczi.

Of course, this list is not exhaustive. Some other regional variants
on the vampire are: Austrian dracul, Amer. Indian kwakiytl, Bohemian
ogolgen, Brazilian lobishomen, African otgiruru, African owenga,
Romanian avarcolac, Babylonian sharabisu, Greek brucolacas, Tibetan
khadro, Singhalese kattakhanes, and Hindu kalika.


Sep 19 2012, 2:58 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:58 PM EDT Read more: http://stason.org/TULARC/education-books/vampires/10-What-types-of-vampires-are-in-existence.html#ixzz26qR2BOC6


B. Two Types of Vampires

First, we are going to break vampires down into two types: Physical and Phantom



Physical Vampires

1. did not wear a cape or stylish clothing

2. they appear more as corpses straight out of the ground-wearing the shroud they were buried in

3. not pale-skin a reddish tinge

4. bloated-gorged with blood

5. horrible odor/rancid breath, long fingernails, long hair (that keeps growing), sharp teeth (not necessarily eye teeth), eyes that blaze (many times red)



Phantom Vampires

1. feeds on living people while they are in bed.

2. looks familiar-recognized as one of their neighbors.

3. a dark form- facial features become clear only for a moment

4. somewhat transparent

5. spirit fed on blood/energy by night and by day returned to the corpse to infuse it with its energy leaving the soil undisturbed



C. Vampire Powers: Differences in their Uses



When it comes to powers, we have to divide each group into two sections- primary and secondary.

Physical Vampires

Physical vampires who have primary powers, need blood to live and they have great strength.


Sep 19 2012, 2:58 PM EDT | Post edited: Sep 19 2012, 2:58 PM EDT Physical vampires who have secondary powers, do not need blood to live and sometimes (rarely) have the ability to live life again as a mortal



Phantom Vampires

Phantom vampires who have primary powers, drain vitality from the living through psychic energy and can cause paralysis for their victims.

Phantom vampires who have secondary powers, can shape change and have the ability to fly or levitate.



Adapted from: Vampires: The Occult Truth by Konstantinos

Now that we have learned about the different types of vampires and their powers, please look back at your questionnaire and characterize which type of vampire and powers you have identified. Did you mention other powers that were not listed? What vampire description would Count Dracula fall under? Why? Write your comments to these questions on your questionnaire.





Task Two- Folklore, Fiction, and Film: A Practice in Media Literacy



Why is the vampire as a character such a popular figure in America? The media has used vampires in films, ads, products, books, newsletters, and there are many fans. We even have the breakfast cereal Count Chocula. Now that we have looked at the different types of vampires and their powers, it is now your task to describe each vampire shown below, as if you encountered it yourself. Drawing on your knowledge and experience with media, give a one paragraph description of each vampire.

Focus descriptions on their:

~Personality

~Type of Vampire

~Powers

~Walk

~Smell

~Sound

~Feel

~Where this vampire can be found



How has the image of Dracula changed throughout history? Why the change? Please look at the following images and discuss in your assigned groups.
http://www.vampyreverse.com/facts/

FINALLY DONE!!!!

UPDATE
Intentional Psychic Vampires

Intentional Psychic Vampires are humans whom possess great telepathic abilities. They use these abilities to knowingly draw the life force from others.

They will attack the victim whilst they sleep. This often causes vivid dreams in which the victim will awake feeling drained and tired. A death from a Psychic Vampire is rare however.

The appearance of an Intentional Psychic Vampire is that of the usual human physic. They tend to pretend to be mortal blood drinkers. They are not immortal and they do not have a fatal reaction to sunlight. Whilst in their psychic state, they cannot be destroyed by any physical means.

Surveys prove that one out of every five is attacked by one of these vampires at least once in their lifetime. They usually start off practicing on others in groups or under group guidance. When they have mastered the dark art sufficiently enough, they move on to astral projecting themselves and commence feeding. After their death, they become something like wraights, earthbound entities, and continue to feed in this manner in order to keep their astral forms from breaking down.

Unintentional Psychic Vampires

Unintentional Psychic Vampires feed in exactly the same way as Intentional Psychic Vampires but are unaware that they are doing it. Usually they are morning people due to their unintentional feeding on others during the night.

The reasons vary between occurrences but most often it is because they a re compensating lost energy from some illness that they have. Most of the time, these vampires are older then their victims for the main reason of with age there's often more sickness. It is rare for the victim to be older, but it does happen. The fact that these vampires feed unknowingly can make them very dangerous.