On Vampires
By Aleeah Cross
I was recently sent this article by a friend. It was published in The Journal of Empire History late last year, and he thought it would amuse me. It does not.
When you think of the greatest threats our beloved Empire has had to deal with in the last a thousand years, what do you think of?
The obvious answer is the demon incursion that planted the seed of the Rose Empire so long ago, but a close second in the Vampires that have lived on our northern borders for millenia (1). Even before the demons appeared, they menaced the good people who merely wished to live their lives in peace, and after the demons they continued to be a thorn in our side.
(1) It is good to know that some people actually consider us worse than a literal sin against life and existence.
But what if the Vampires and demons were more connected than originally believed? What if the two greatest threats we have suffered in our existence were, in fact, the same threat? (2)
(2) What?
Allow me to explain.
The Origin of Vampires
Long ago, near the end of the Age of Romanus, the Vampires arose.
The exact details of what created them are shrouded in myth, and since over four thousand years have passed since then I doubt very much we will ever discover the definitive course of the events that unfolded (3). But after months of exhaustive research down every possible avenue (4), these are the facts as I have been able to ascertain.
(3) Yes, it is not as though you are talking about a race where several of the original members are still alive.
(4) Did you attempt talking to an actual Vampire?
While Vlad Basarab still ruled the Romaniian Empire, a witch devoted to Kaldor (5) inserted herself into his court, promising eternal youth and protection from the monsters which roamed freely in those times. In exchange for these things, he took a new name – Vlad Drakul (and this will be important later). Though her pact was nominally with the Emperor, her true sights were set on his young son, also named Vlad. Over the years, she molded him into the kind of person she needed to carry out the devious plan of her god, and when Vlad Drakul died under mysterious circumstances, she set her terrible chain of events into motion (6).
(5) I do not believe a more heretical phrase than “a witch devoted to Kaldor” made in reference to the Lady exists.
(6) I do not know where the author is getting her information – this is not cited – but this is pure fiction.
Vlad took the throne from his older brother Alexander in a night of bloody violence, and became known for having the bodies of his brother and those loyal to him impaled on the castle walls. With this he cemented his claim, as none were willing to challenge such a brutal individual, and became known as Vlad Tepes (7). Many watched him warily, uncertain in what direction he would take the Romaniian Empire, but some theorized that he would not live long anyway – the witch’s eyes were hungry, and they craved power.
(7) This is an interesting combination of about three separate events that took place months from each other with a liberal dash of fantasy. Vlad was also never known by the sobriquet “Tepes,” I don’t know where that came from.
Indeed, it was not long at all before demons began appearing across the land, likely summoned by her to carry out Kaldor’s will (8). Vlad did make an attempt to protect his people from the foul scourge – by making a far worse pact with the witch than the one his father had made. He became Vlad Drakulya in a dark, blood-filled ritual, accepting the power of Kaldor into his body (9). The witch had turned him into the first Vampire. Immediately he began to turn others, and the moon rose bloody as they terrorized and killed the people he was supposed to protect (10).
(8) Imagine thinking any of the gods want anything to do with Abomination.
(9) Vampires are not creatures of Kaldor. We are creatures of Hades. None of this is correct.
(10) This author isn’t the first to attempt to sensationalize the tragedy that gave rise to Vampires, but it rankles every time. Certainly a blood moon is a sign of Kaldor, but he had nothing to do with that night, and one did not rise. Even he allowed the Lady to grieve.
The Romaniian Empire fell soon after, dissolving into chaos and depravity. The witch disappeared, likely killed by the creatures she had helped create, for those who follow Kaldor must always be ready to have him turn on them at any moment (11). Vlad Drakulya terrorized the countryside for centuries before he too disappeared, likely killed by a rival Vampire, for they have no semblance of loyalty even to each other (12). The demons disappeared into the destruction, watching. Waiting. Biding their time.
(11) She sacrificed Her physical form to force the demons back. The cause and effect is twisted.
(12) There is not a single individual we are more loyal to than Vlad Hadescu – which is the name he actually took. And sure, he “terrorized the countryside” for centuries, if by that you mean he “secluded himself in the remains of his father’s castle” for that long, trying to figure out what exactly he had become.
What is a Vampire
Let us take a moment to discuss what a Vampire is in precise terms (13). There has been much misinformation in the millenia they have existed, partially spread by they themselves to cover their tracks, and partially by others who saw certain signs but did not understand them (14). A definitive description will prove itself useful to those who care about the truth (15).
(13) I am filled with a sense of dread.
(14) It took me several tries to understand what this sentence is saying.
(15) Such as…? Certainly not this author, or more due diligence would have been done when researching this topic.
Vampires are soulless, undead creatures that drink the blood of the living in order to continue escaping death (16). How much blood they must consume is a topic of much debate; Johnston (1324) claims they need about five liters a night, whereas Langsford (1562) denounces this as preposterous and proposes a single liter daily to be sufficient (17). Signs of their undeath include a distinct pallor of the skin (which is cold to the touch) and a lack of breathing. They have pronounced fangs, which they use to pierce the necks of their victims in order to draw out the blood. When in the presence of freely flowing blood they become crazed, and will do anything in order to consume it – usually violently (18). In some ways this cannot be held against them, as the only thing they can still consume is blood. Food is impossible for them to digest, as their organs no longer work (19).
(16) Thank you.
(17) Actual citations. If only they had been anywhere close to correct – a fledged Vampire needs only one to two pints a week. A fledgling does require more; perhaps they were confused?
(18) Again, only the newly fledged tend to lack control.
(19) Not correct.
In their disguised form they are unusually beautiful, which they use to seduce prey into falling into their arms willingly. In their true forms they are monstrous beasts, with gray skin, glowing red eyes, large fangs and sharp claws (20). They are stronger and faster than the living. Since they are undead they do not age and cannot die from aging, though you may find their sense of style leans towards that of the older generations they belong to (21). If they were less violent this could pose a problem, but few live for more than a few decades before they end up killed either by hunters or their own kind (22).
(20) What a duality.
(21) Was a dig at our fashion sense truly necessary?
(22) Simply not true.
They can turn themselves into wolves, bats, or mist, and they may use rats and spiders in addition to the aforementioned animals as spies and agents of their own dark deeds. Interestingly, cats stand in direct opposition to Vampires – they seem to recognize them regardless of the form they are wearing at the time, and will hiss and in some cases even attack the Vampire (23).
(23) Shady – my pet cat – disagrees with most of this paragraph.
Being creatures of Kaldor, Vampires cannot step out into the sunlight – his sister Vin despises them, and they burn the moment the blessed light touches their skin (24). Though they do not sleep, they can experience a mockery of rest only while within a coffin; due to their exile from the sun most will engage in this activity during the day. Without this “rest,” they devolve into insanity and bestial rage (25).
(24) While I admit we do not know why the sun burns us when we are young, it certainly isn’t because of this.
(25) I find most people become unreasonable if sleep is withheld from them, but I am pleased to report I sleep quite well.
Something about a proper living space (perhaps because it is a “living” space) forms a natural barrier against Vampires. They cannot force themselves into a residence – they must be invited in. Many have perfected finding ways to manipulate people into doing so without realizing it. And should one leave the barrier of their residence, a Vampire has the ability to hypnotize its victims and affect their actions, which has led to many an unnecessary death. Perhaps related to this in some way, a Vampire is also bound to the name they had in life – they must use that name or an anagram of it (26).
(26) None of this is true. We have to be invited into people's houses? That’s called “being polite.”
They are terribly difficult to kill, but not impossible. Silver is anathema to them (27), as is the sunlight. Fire is a good replacement if nothing else is at hand. Since they are a sin against the natural world (28), water blessed by any of the good gods will burn them as well. They seem to have issues with running or large bodies of water as well – there are multiple, reputable reports of people managing to escape Vampires by crossing rivers too wide to jump over, and no Vampire has ever been found on a different continent (29).
(27) While it does cause chemical burns, I would hardly use the word “anathema.”
(28) We are absolutely not.
(29) While it is excruciatingly uncomfortable, we can travel to other continents, and several Vampires have done so.
Vampires are also known for playing dead when a foe gets the better of them. To be sure a Vampire is fully dead and cannot return, it is recommended to pierce the heart with a wooden stake, cut off the head, and fill the mouth with dirt (30). It is of vital importance that Vampires be disposed of properly (see: The Demonic Connection). While they can be burned to ash with fire, this has a greater probability of spreading the curse than ending it, and should be avoided (31).
(30) Goodness, what overkill. No need to desecrate a corpse.
(31) While I hate to agree with the author, I will agree that burning us should be avoided. In fact, avoid burning anyone to death.
If you believe a Vampire is chasing you, try to throw rice, seeds, or anything made up of small pieces in their path – they must stop to count every grain, likely because of something to do with the pact Vlad Drakulya made with the witch (32). However, in our modern era this is very unlikely, as the Warcross Wall keeps us safe (33).
(32) Where in the Lady’s name did this come from? I have never once been compelled to count anything.
(33) I don’t think the author understands the true nature of the Wall.
There have been accounts of Vampires having children with a living victim. The offspring of such a union is known as a Dhampir. Dhampirs inherit some of the strengths of their Vampire parent, but are able to move around in the sunlight, as Vin does not blame them for the sins of their progenitor (34). They therefore make excellent hunters of Vampires, but they are also far more likely to become a Vampire later on (see: Vampire Turning, below).
(34) Pure fiction. Vampires cannot have living children. I know many who have tried.
Vampire Myths
As previously mentioned, there is a not-insignificant amount of misinformation concerning Vampires in the public consciousness. The following characteristics of Vampires are myths and not to be taken seriously by any true academic (35).
(35) I strongly suggest any true academics not take this article seriously.
It is a popular theory that Vampires neither cast a shadow nor have a reflection. This is ridiculous; they have a physical form, which is all that is required for both phenomena to occur (36). They appear in pictures and other types of film and digital recordings. This is likely a rumor spread by Vampires themselves, so they can point to their own reflection and say, “See? I am not a Vampire.” Do not be fooled (37).
(36) This is true. Any physical body will have both a reflection and a shadow.
(37) I will do my best.
Vampires are also incapable of flying and levitation in their base form. If they were capable of this, the Wall would not work as a deterrent (38).
(38) But you noted in the previous section that we can turn into bats which are, in fact, animals that can fly.
I have seen several sources (Hydman, 1284; Grole, 1695) claim that Vampires have forked tongues. While I will allow that some may have this feature in their monstrous form, in their more common disguised form they certainly do not. People would be able to notice that (39).
(39) Yes they would.
Vampires do not need to carry boxes of dirt from their homeland everywhere they go. Once again, this would be too obvious a tell for a species that survives by pretending to be the same as the living (40). Similarly, any coffin or wooden box that can fit them will do; they do not need a specific, special coffin of their own in order to “rest.” It may also be hidden and difficult to find; do not expect to break into a place you suspect a Vampire to be sheltering in and see a coffin in place of a bed. While they are bloodthirsty monsters, they do still have a not-insignificant intellect, and will expend effort to disguise their true nature from casual onlookers (41).
(40) Dirt from our place of birth is actually necessary for us to get good rest.
(41) This feels contradictory.
There are also a number of plants that are said to repel Vampires; none of these are true. Garlic, hawthorn, wild rose, and mustard seeds have no inherent Vampire-deterrent properties. The garlic and the mustard seed myths likely arise from the fact that Vampires do not eat real food, and the reason for refusing certain dishes was misattributed to some of the components. Both hawthorn and wild rose have strong scents associated with them; perhaps people believed a Vampire’s nose was more sensitive than that of the living, and thus the strong scents would drive them off. Unless the Vampire in question strongly dislikes the scent, these plants will do nothing (42).
(42) I also have no idea why people would believe this.
Finally, there has been an odd practice of burning corpses suspected to be Vampiric, mixing the ashes with blessed water, and feeding the resulting mixture to possible victims of a Vampire’s bite in order to stave off the spread of the curse (see: Vampire Turning, below). This is an incredibly dangerous, barbaric practice that achieves nothing other than possibly poisoning the person drinking the concoction. The ashes of any creature are not safe for people to consume, and even if the corpse were that of a Vampire this would not save the intended victim. This superstition should be avoided at all costs (43).
(43) This might be the first paragraph I fully, whole-heartedly agree with. Please do not ingest ashes.
Vampire Turning
So far we have discussed what a Vampire is and how they came into being, but there is one last important question to ask before we return to the main purpose of this essay: How do Vampires make more Vampires? For they must reproduce (44); otherwise we would have run out of Vampire thousands of years ago, and the witch’s dark purpose would have ended unfruitfuly (45). This is done through a process called “turning” (Forcha, 1096).
(44) I suppose I can’t disagree with the basic idea, and yet…
(45) This is not a word. Was this edited at all? In fact, I am about two-thirds of the way through this article and none of it has addressed the point made in the beginning.
Of note, I have covered the concept of Dhampirs, which are the progeny of a Vampire and a mortal. Having inherited some of the abilities of the Vampire parent, they are thus already partway to joining that parent as a member of this vile race. Still, they must progress through the same stages as any other mortal in order to turn fully, though being partially a Vampire already means they do not need to meet one of the requirements – that of being a virgin (46).
(46) Laughably incorrect.
Indeed, all new Vampires can only arise from a virgin mortal, for Kaldor wishes to corrupt that which is most pure (47). Perhaps this is also what drives Vampires to be such sexual creatures once their transformation is complete – the search for that which they were denied in life (48). If the process is carried out on a mortal who is not a virgin, instead of becoming a Vampire the mortal becomes a ghoul (also called a thrall), a creature caught between the worlds of the living and dead, cursed to only ever carry out the will of the Vampire that created it (49). If the Vampire is killed, all ghouls it created will instantly turn to dust, suggesting some sort of parasitic connection between them.
(47) Kaldor does like to ruin things, but again – he has nothing to do with Vampires.
(48) Why all this emphasis on sex? Is this necessary?
(49) Many mortals do serve Vampires, but they do so willingly, since we protect them and pay well.
*Note: The death of a Vampire will not instantly kill its offspring, else the death of Vlad Drakulya would have wiped out the race in one fell swoop (50).
(50) Vlad is very much alive.
The process of ensuring a mortal turns into a Vampire is surprisingly complicated (51). If the turning fails, the mortal can either die to turn into a ghoul instead of a newling (52). Some people turn quickly after only one bite, but others require more care on the Vampire’s part and multiple visits – sometimes up to three weeks. The Vampire must bite the victim on the neck and take some of their blood (when they are attempting to turn a mortal is the only time they are capable of showing restraint; otherwise they will drain a victim until there is nothing left to drink. Truly, the urge to reproduce is the strongest urge from when they were living to survive their death). Then, the Vampire must feed the victim some of their own Vampiric blood – it is this that starts the transformation. The more times this happens, the more likely the victim will turn (53).
(51) If that were the case, how did Vlad accidentally turn a ton of individuals on the night he became a Vampire, as the beginning suggested?
(52) A what? A fledgling? Where did this term come from?
(53) Turning is a gift from the Lady to a mortally injured individual, and must be chosen. Almost none of this drivel is true, save that a bite from Sire to fledgling is required.
There are, of course, signs to look out for if you fear someone in your life is being turned into a Vampire (though I must emphasize that this is an almost unheard of occurrence in the Empire since the Wall was raised). Some of the things you may have heard are actually symptoms of tuberculosis, or in rare cases, rabies. Unfortunately, some of our predecessors were not as well-versed in medicine as we are now, and superstitiously attributed symptoms of those illnesses to imminent vampirism, such as weight loss and coughing up blood. Porphyria is another disease that may have been mistaken for vampirism, since it includes a sensitivity to light and receding gums, giving off the impression of elongated teeth (54).
(54) A second oddly decent paragraph emerges from the muck.
Especially with tuberculosis, where those who had it seemed to be wasting away, the uneducated of the time could come to the conclusion that the life was being sucked out of them. When the already fearful citizens dug up the graves of the recently deceased, they found some bodies hadn’t decayed as much as they should have (in reality, due to the cold weather), hair and nails appeared to have continued to grow (in reality, due to the corpse’s skin shrinking), and some had blood leaking out of the nose or mouth (in reality, a fluid resulting from the internal organs breaking down). There is, however, absolutely no reason for Vampires to be hiding in graves – especially at that time, when they could simply move to a different town or city where they hadn’t been known in life (55).
(55) This seems as though it might have been researched, even though there are no citations. Also, where are the demons? I feel like seventy percent of this article could have been cut.
Indeed, the only way to be certain that someone is being targeted by a Vampire is the bite marks on the neck, looking like two small puncture wounds. In such cases, the victim should be brought to a hospital immediately, where they should undergo a full blood transfusion to flush out any of the vampiric contaminants. Then, and only then, can the victim make a full recovery (56).
(56) Again, not how that works.
The Demonic Connection
So then, where does that leave us? Why does any of this matter? What does it all mean? How is this connected to the demons who plagued our fair nation at the moment of its birth (57)?
(57) I too wish to know these answers after having read everything above.
I believe the Vampires are capable of – and indeed do – turning into demons (58).
(58) ???
There are multiple clues that this may have been Kaldor’s plan all along. For one, “Drakul” means “demon,” and “Drakulya” means “son of the demon” in the language of the Romaniian Empire (59). The fact that both Vlads took these names upon making their pact with the witch implies that in some way, demons were important to her plan – and why not try to create more?
(59) In fact, these words mean “dragon” and “son of the dragon,” which undercuts the point being made.
Summoning demons from their home plane is supposed to be very difficult, and supposedly cost Daemorn Kaevon much to accomplish – and should have, in fact, been beyond his ability to summon, according to some of the last mage scholars (Pradie, 1511) (60). But if Kaldor could set things up so that mortals who were already here could turn into demons, that would make things significantly easier.
(60) Why was this supposedly beyond his ability?
There’s no mention of what happened to the demons that were present at the creation of the Vampires (61). They were there, and were the impetus for Vlad Drakulya’s foolish pact, but then they simply disappeared from the written record. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that the witch used the demons she summoned to create this new race, binding them to a monstrous fate. The Vampires spend their unlives gaining strength from the blood of the living, and when they die again, they actually enter a state of dormancy, waiting. Waiting for the call of the dark god. This is why the brutality of their natures is of vital importance. They must die again in order to be ready to complete the final transformation (62).
(61) Because they died.
(62) This is a frankly insane conclusion to come to. Then again, it is a conclusion built off of incorrect information and wild supposition, so maybe I shouldn’t be surprised.
And when Kaldor was ready, those Vampires who were “dead,” who had supposedly been disposed of, rose again – this time as demons, ready for Daemorn to command in Kaldor’s name. They transformed fully into monstrous, bestial creatures, and began to terrorize the people of our beloved Empire (63).
(63) No.
Filling the mouth of a presumably dead Vampire with dirt is imperative to keep them from turning in demons. This step should never be skipped. By filling their mouths with earth from this plane of existence, they are cut off from the original plane, and cannot complete the transformation – meaning that they are well and truly dead, defanged and made harmless (64).
(64) Absolutely nothing in this paragraph makes any sense whatsoever.
Our Great Empire
While all of this might seem to paint a grim picture, rejoice – for we are safe.
When the great plague wiped out the Gini, who lived in the mountains north of the lands the Vampires terrorize, it tried to expand south. While it did not seem to affect the Vampires, as most illnesses do not, it was a real concern that it would take out all the living Humans in those areas and come south to the Empire. To prevent this, the last seven mages gave their power and their lives to raise the Warcross Wall, creating an impenetrable barrier between us and the plague, saving us all (65). It now serves a dual purpose, as it also cut us off from the Vampires which had preyed on our people for centuries.
(65) Honestly, a close second to the heresy of saying the Lady is dedicated to Kaldor. The author either does not know anything about the Wall or is spreading misinformation on purpose. Nine Vampires died to cut Romanii off from the Empire, not the other way around.
There is still a very rare appearance of a Vampire in the Rose Empire. These individuals are left over from before the raising of the Wall. These are Vampires who were not disposed of properly, for given enough time and an unlucky splash of blood, a Vampire can come back from just about anything other than the situations detailed above (66). The last true Vampire sighting in the Empire was in 1897, and the Seekers were able to deal with it easily (67).
(66) If any Vampire found themselves in such a situation, then I feel for them. How terrifying, to wake up to a world completely different to the one you knew.
(67) I have no idea if this is true or not. Perhaps Prim would know.
Remember that should you find yourself unfortunate enough to come across a Vampire, you should not engage it. Attempt to throw grains in its path and/or cross consecrated ground in order to escape (68), and contact the authorities and inform a Seeker as quickly as possible. Above all, it must not be set up to become a demon – proper disposal is paramount.
(68) Yes, please throw rice at us. It’s delicious.
Though Vampires may have been created in order to carry out a grisly duty, it is also important to remember that at one time they were people. Do not hold the actions of what they become against those who they were. For all intents and purposes, the original individual is dead, taken by the evil of Kaldor’s power (69).
(69) This – and the rest of the essay – shows a complete lack of understanding in anything having to do with Vampires. We remain the same person we were as much as anyone does. Everyone changes with time, and Vampires have a lot of it.
Ensure their fate does not become yours (70).
(70) While I agree that becoming a Vampire is not something to aspire to, as it is usually preceded by a traumatic death, this just feels rude.
Forcha, Safter. “The Problem with the Multiplication of Vampires.” Journal of Unnatural Natural Sciences 153, no.2 (Summer 1096): 56-83.
Grole, Dames. Dark Creatures: A Natural History and Encyclopedia. Lyndiniam: Bestiaries and Books, 1695.
Hydman, Naeve. Creatures of the Night: How to Identify a Vampire. Munsden: MPH Publishers, 1284.
Johnston, Erik. “A Study of Various Undead: How They Live, and How They Die.” Avon Review 48, no. 1 (1324): 95-109.
Langsford, Lydnia. “Requirements in Maintaining an Undead Bio-System.” Research in Transformative Magics 111, no. 2 (April 1562): 165-76.
Pradie, Isack. Dark Magics Used Throughout the History of the Empire and Famous Examples. Avignjon: Aeon University Press, 1511.
(71) That’s it? Six sources cited for the whole essay? How in the Lady’s name did this get published in a scholarly journal?
Annotations by Marcus Dobrin.
