I’m currently working on an all vampire story. Humans and other super natural creatures will not work their way into my story. I’m deciding on ranks at the moment and I’m not sure what I want my vampires to be called. Besides the fact that they are obviously vampires, I want to use a term that relates to all vampires that live in covens. I feel like immortal is a commonly used to define vampires. I was thinking about calling them shadows. I would appreciate it if anyone could contribute to “naming” them.
If there are only vampires, are they cannibals? That seems like a problematic food system--unless they drink the blood of animals.
Their food supply is kind of unique. They drink the blood of animals but also develop eating habits that are similar to the habits of humans. They are not required to eat actual food, but it’s worked it’s way through their traditions.
Why not give them a set number of years that they live, say 1000 or something like that. They don't have to have an undetermined length of time they do live, and they could quite possibly age and decay like humans do (it just takes a lot longer for this process to occur in them due to their metabolism and cellular degeneration not happening as rapidly as it would in normal humans).
I have a million questions about how a world of only vampires comes to be, but that's not your question, so I'll exercise extreme self-restraint But if it's only vampires, could you just call them ... people? I mean, there's no alternatives. They're just the regular folks. Or just call them vampires - they don't need a special name. Vampyrs. Call'em draculas. Hemophages - blood-eaters. If you like 'shadows' also consider 'shades'.
So they'll basically be nocturnal humans that don't age. Not sure what the point is... could you elaborate more on your story?
I feel it would be better to have a distinct name for non-vampire people who, presumably, existed at one point. Large groups of people who aren't a minority generally don't use specific terms to refer to themselves or others in the group because they don't need to - there's no need to differentiate themselves because they are the majority, and hence the norm. But the ancient or extinct non-vampire race of humans, they would need a special name so that the vampire people could talk about them. That would emphasise to the reader that these people, the vampiric ones, are different. I would suggest something offensive which is used not only to refer to the humans, but to express the vampire's disdain for the normal humans - a bit like "muggles" in Harry Potter, but more extreme perhaps.
Similar to other supersaturated stories. Every supernatural creature lives in a world with their kind expect for vampires. The whole half human and half vampire stories are starting to bore me. At first I was going to make them wolves, since they do not need blood to survive, but I decided on vampires. Those names will come in handy. Thank you. I know for now that I’ll be a world full of vampires. I was thinking about adding in other supernatural creatures eventually. I’m sick of supernatural creatures being mixed in with humans. Maybe lol. They’ll terrorize each other. Set number of years. I like that. Thank you.
I don't think I've heard of any stories like that. Fairy-tale/supernatural beings exist mainly to be a contrast to the mundane.
Umm, People? I mean, I doubt vampires would call themselves what other beings would call them, since to them, They are normal. You need to get into the Etymology of it all if you want something really interesting. For instance the word Human generally refers to the only extant species of the genus Homo, anatomically and behaviorally modern Homo sapiens. However this is all unnecessary, since most people aren't going to look that in depth in things. For vampires, You could look into the different words that mean Blood, Or blood feeders, or Night. There are more basic ones, such as well, vampires, Draculas ect. It all depends on what you really want out of it. For hierarchy, again it depends. How does their Society, Work? What's the system for their leaders? Is it a monarchy, A Republic of sorts like the U.S.? A Dictatorship where might makes right? A place where Blood, and who your family is gives you nobility(And possibly physical power)? It all depends. But the norm is usually, Fledgling(Newly turned), Thrall(Slave to a specific vampire), The Normal, Elders. and then sometimes the first, the progenitor of them, but seeing as you have a world of vampires, I doubt there will be one, or one still alive. If there are only vampires, Are they all the same kind? With the same abilities and characteristics? Or are there some mindless ones who just look like big bats, or bat/human hybrid(Like a werebat). Or are they all classy sexy walkers of the night? What are they. Obviously they are of some intelligence being the dominate species, but since Vampires usually are brought to be from spreading their "disease" or Curse, if you go with the former, Different humans could mutate different strains, which later on turned into different races of vampires that are completely different. If there are different Kinds, is the type they are affect their class in society like race Used to do?(Except in this case it could legitimately matter to an extent depending on how you make it work. Obviously mindless cannibals would be locked up in some way, or killed.) All these things matter in a hypothetical scenario, since they are the top of the food chain, they make the laws, terms, and Economics.
Only Vampires? that would suck... Ok had to get that in It reminds me of the Hellmouth from Buffy the Vampire slayer.
This. And as stated before, the contrast between humans and vampires in most vampire stories is what sets the stage. You have the humans that we all know, and love, and love to hate. Then you have the vampires who are this supernatural, mystifying presence that the humans don't understand and can't cooperate with. What is there left if you take away the humans? We lose that sense of mysticism and misunderstanding. This goes for any supernatural race really, and while humans don't have to be there, I think there needs to be something there to generate that sense of contrast, or else it's just a human race replacer.
See the Daybreakers movie ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433362/ ). This is something similar and you can get a few ideas from it, but there is a big difference: it's about the vampires being the majority and normal humans being the minority --> the whole movie revolves around this. Do not expect too much, though. The 6.5 IMDB score is much overrated.
I enjoyed Daybreakers a bit for some of the different perspectives it offered, but you're right, it has that major difference. Even though there are few humans, they are at least present. A story about vampire corporations trying to deal with the scarcity/absence of human blood seems much less interesting when you take away the humans struggling to try and outlive the onslaught resulting from such a crisis.
I had wanted to introduce humans toward the end to jump start another book. I was debating for a few weeks on wether or not I wanted humans to know that vampires existed. Once humans are introduced, everything changes. I wanted the story to be told from a vampires perspective. To show how they lived and what took place before being hunted. I truly appreciate all the commentary’s I’m receiving. It’s allowing me to fill in the holes of my plot.
Regardless of vampire/human existing side by side or not. If we're still working with the time old traditions of Vampirism, perhaps overcast places like Seattle. or even just a world that runs parallel. Look into accounts of people working night shifts. I've worked a night shift for about seven years now and I'm like a walking zombie most days. there are lots of ways to look at this. Like a place like Tokyo. that lights up at night, they get all they need for light sources. It depends on how modern you want your world to be. I hope this helped jog your imagination.
Interesting *licks her fangs* something I can sink my teeth into. I'll see if I can provide any inspiration. I'm glad you figured out a system for sustenance, since the thirst is so overwhelming. I can't control myself when I find a person that interests me. I would never feed on so many that the population declined into nothingness. I would rather look upon the sun one last time than feed upon animals, an animal can cry. But only a human can moan. I'm afraid the only thing can fill myself with is blood. Human blood. I do so love the blood that the heart pumps. ET please remember when you write your story the right amount of blood. Look at my picture, that is the correct amount of blood.*tips her hat*
