Just a few quick questions about vampires. I've done research so I have the basics. Now I have a few question about somethings that weren't brought up in what I've seen so far or there was more then answer, both unclear. So tell me if there is something on it or I should just make it up. 1) Since vampires drink blood, do they pee or just not go to the washroom? 2)Do they have a heart beat?Heard both yes and no. 3)Silver. Does it hurt them or is that just for werewolves. 5)Stake in the heart. I always thought that killed them, but then I was told it just paralyzed them. Thanks
All those things (except for the blood drinking part and the stake) are mostly just myths resulting from the works of Bram Stroker. The historical model of the vampire tends to be more in line with that of a blood drinking zombie than some glamorous seducer. 1. I have no idea... I assume that because they are "the undead" they don't but hey that could make a funny bit of dialog in the story: "I gotta use the bathroom..." "... What? You're a vampire, vampire's don't-" "Hey hey! When you've got a bodies worth of blood in your bladder and say you have to use the john you won't hear any smart arse remarks from me, kay?" 2. Traditionally no. They're zombies they're bodies are decompossing and all that good stuff according to classical definition. 3. Silver does squat. Same for werewolves. Another myth of modern fiction. 4 (You out 5 put I assume you meant 4 ). It varies. In romania it paralyzes them, but in say, Greece, it would kill them. Classically to ensure the vampires death you A. Stake um, B. Behead them, and finally C. Burn them and bury the ashes in their grave. Fortunately almost no one who hasn't read a but load of western mythology won't know this so you can portray those blood sucking beauties any way you like really. I'd say the only real essential aspect for a vampire is drinking blood and other than that you can have your way and people will get the idea. I'd say craft your vampires to fit your story. The vampires of Twilight were perfectly built for it, but they wouldn't bode so well in the Bram Stroker universe in which they would seem kind of like wussies for horror monsters. Like wise it's kind of hard to believe someone would legitimately fall in love with the Count cause he's kind of a psycho killer. Think of how you want to use your vamps and then figure out the most effective way to portray them I say.
Also, THEY AREN'T REAL! So different writers have created their own versions of the myth. Some aspects make no sense even on a superficial level: Whaddya mean no reflection? If I can see you, than light is bouncing off you and reaching my eyes, so that same light would bounce off a mirror with no problem. Oh, you're not really there, you're putting an image in my mind? Wouldn't hunting be more effective if you merely stayed invisible, kept your image projection to yourself? Ah, but you say you have no choice. Then why wouldn't I also see you by reflection if I already knew you were there. A cross or holy water will stop you? Are there any Jewish or Muslim vamps? Atheist vamps?
As Cog said, vamps aren't real, so their exact nature is totally up for debate. There are traditional views on what a vampire is (read LoH's post) and then there's all the stuff that's been tacked on over the years. As a writer, no one can stop you from adding your own "rules of vampirism." You're only limited by your ablity to write it coherently and make it believable. Personally, there's only one rule I try to keep intact: a vampire must drink blood. Beyond that, they can be just about anything. In response to the original question(s): 1. It has to go somewhere. Just because they're undead (assuming you're going with that definition) doesn't mean their digestive tract is a bottomless pit. 2. As LoH said, traditional vampires wouldn't because they're just re-animated corpses, but feel free to put your own spin on it. The same goes for all that other stuff (no reflection, turning into bats, mind control, holy water, etc.). 3. Silver was fabled to have purifying powers (it was formerly used as an antiseptic) so it's only natural it extended to vampire-killing. A concept stolen from werewolf lore, but again, feel free to use it as you see fit. In my current novel, I define silver as a metal capable of absorbing magical energy; since werewolves and vamps are both magical beings (in my world) it drains their special powers, slowly killing them. If you're going to make up new rules, like I did, put a little logic behind it. People accept the traditional vamp rules unquestioningly, but blazing a new trail can be met with nay-sayers and skeptics, so tread lightly and step surely. 4. Traditional answer: stake, decap, burn, and bury. There's usually a religious ceremony in there somewhere too, to make sure they don't come back. Personally, I find this to be somewhat contradictory to #2; if they have no heartbeat, why stake the heart? It's up to you to decide how to work through that.
Like Cog's pointed out, their not real so there isn't really any right or wrong when it comes to vampires. I think the only consistent thing about vampires is that they drink blood. Basically, their open to your own interpretation and modification.
For non-traditional vampires (read: vampires in modern fiction) read here: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OurVampiresAreDifferent it lists all kinds of attributes vampires have and (if they have one) their problems.
It is best to make up your own unique rules for your vampires, to make them interesting. This is what other authors have done, and that is why there are no set rules. In The Southern Vampire Mysteries, or True Blood, silver hurts vampires. A stake to the heart kills them. Sun harms them, and when the sun comes up they must sleep. In Moon Light, a stake only paralyzes them. They can walk in the sun, but the sun weakens them. I can’t recall if silver hurts them. I could go on and on. I think it might be helpful to first understand why certain things were said to harm vampires. Vampires were basically views as evil spawns of Satan, not much different than demons. Because the vampire myth developed mainly in Europe, the Christian mindset is what molded them. Garlic was believed to ward off spirits by many Europeans during that time. Thus garlic would ward of vampires, because they were evil. Pretty much anything that warded off evil spirits, was used for vampires. Sage and other herbs worked as well. Holy Water, harmed evil spirits, or made them go away. Crosses, Bibles, Churches, or any holy relic, same as above. It was believed that evil spirits could not cross rivers, or water, or salt. This is why in some older vampire stories vampires cannot cross water or salt barriers. Silver was believed to ward off evil spirits. Demons do not like the light. Light is for the holy in the Christian mind set. The most dangerous time of demonic attack was at night. Bram Stoker made up a lot of new fresh ideas for Dracula, and his ideas heavily influenced the vampire genre. It is up to you if you wish to give your vampire a heart beat. Some stories they have them and in others they do not. In my vampire novel, Vampire Stasis that I am working on, vampires are from another planet. They have a heart beat, and they can die the same way other life forms can. However, their skin is hard to penetrate. Armor piercing rounds will do the trick, but ordinary ammunition will not. They have a heart beat like all living things have a heart beat. They can retract their fangs much like a cat can retract their claws. They can also retract their nails. They have pale pearl like skin, and their eyes change color depending on their moods. They are vampires because they must drink blood, human blood if they wish to remain strong. They have wings that they can extend and retract. They have a lot of the same abilities traditional vampires have. Create your unique universe for your unique vampires. My universe is also unique. It is a dualistic universe. Instead of there being one fundamental substance of all things, there are two. One is the force behind nature. This force behind nature has its own unique rules, and the rules give rise to the laws that govern the universe. Because the vampires race lives so long, they have learned some of these rules, and thus can manipulate nature. Anyways, I went off on a tangent once again.
As has already said its important for you to make up your own conceptions and own ideas for your vampire, you shouldn't copy everything that's already been done. If you did, not only would your work not be original but it'd probably be highly contradictory... The good thing about it being YOUR story is that you can make it yours, there is no right or wrong. Although, to make your story stronger, more effective and more believable its best to have some sort of reason for your choices. I.e. Choose to make silver weaken vampires because of its traditionally purifying properties. Otherwise, it makes it too farfetched to be truly entertaining.
There is also room for modern world innovation. If vampirism is a disease, a synthetic antibiotic or antiviral agent could "cure" it, allowing the stolen corpse to collapes and rapidly decompose. I know that's more of a zombie plot device, but it could work on your version of vampires as well. The earliest treatment I am familiar with for the "zombie cure" twist is Larry Niven's short story "Night on Mispek Moor" (1974).
I Am Legend was one of the first books to explain vampiricism from a scientific/medical standpoint, so you might want to take a look at it. And it's better than the film.
Vampire stories are one of those things I equate with thirteen-year-old emo kids who want to fantasize about being special but are too cool for Harry Potter...
Emerald, I am deeply offended. There is no such thing as "cooler than Harry Potter". No such thing. Any how, vampires. 1) Since vampires drink blood, do they pee or just not go to the washroom? Well, the way I've always seen is they're dead. Dead guy's bowels and bladders don't usually work the way a living person's does. And besides, the blood that they drink is used to keep their bodies moving and not, well, dieing, so I'd imagine that there wasn't much left for the toilet. 2)Do they have a heart beat? Heard both yes and no. I say yes. They drink blood, blood makes the heart pump, so theoretically yes. Of course if the heart pumped then the lungs would follow suit and following the next few events, you couldn't really call the vampire dead. However, since there is indeed blood flowing inside the vampire, it might also make sense that that heart might beat faintly every so often. It's really up to you. 3)Silver. Does it hurt them or is that just for werewolves. I don't know why silver was chosen as the lycanthrope's/vampire's enemy, but is has been, and it's popular. It really depends on whether or not you want your vampires unstoppable or stoppable. 5)Stake in the heart. I always thought that killed them, but then I was told it just paralyzed them. I'm sure you're tired of hearing it, but it's up to you. If you want to go with the norm/the easily accepted then go for it. If you want to create your own complex weapons with their own complex reasons for killing vampires, then go for it. The majority of people accept the fact that stakes in the heart kill vampires, and therefor they won't question it or dub it as implausible. Personally I like weapons that are unique to the author. Hope that helped, El
LOL. But, ehh, the sinoatrial node (AKA the pacemaker) makes the heart beat via nerve impulse. If memory serves, as long as vampires can move and sense things, their heart should beat. Technically. But I'm sure it wont cause an uproar if you have vampires with still hearts...
1) Since vampires drink blood, do they pee or just not go to the washroom? Look up vampire bat guano. Bat guano is bad stuff but vampire bat guano is worst. You want to be wearing a environmental-protection suit if you go into a cave that houses vampire bats. 2)Do they have a heart beat?Heard both yes and no. Do you want them to? 3)Silver. Does it hurt them or is that just for werewolves. Silver is suppose to be the bane of all evil. A silver goblet is suppose to neutralize all poisons (it doesn't). Also, vampires cannot see their reflections in a silver-backed mirror, but can in modern ones. 5)Stake in the heart. I always thought that killed them, but then I was told it just paralyzed them. In some stories it kills them. In others, it has to be a rowen stake driven through its heart with a oak mallet in the centre of a crossroad during a full moon, and that just immobilizes them so you can bury them in the middle of the crossroads. Just be sure not to dig up any previously buried vampires.
1) Since vampires drink blood, do they pee or just not go to the washroom? No, they don't pee. 2) Do they have a heart beat?Heard both yes and no. Nothing I've read suggests they have a heartbeat. They do have hearts though. Some species have two hearts, such as the strigoii (a Romanian vampire). 3) Silver. Does it hurt them or is that just for werewolves. Silver is considered a powerful enemy to evil forces. Crosses made of silver were supposed to be much more powerful in vampire protection than regular crosses. Silver bullets are reputed to slay vampires but in original folklore the bullet didn't actually have to be silve to kill the vampire. 5) Stake in the heart. I always thought that killed them, but then I was told it just paralyzed them. No, the stake is the number one method of slaying vampires but are best used when the vampire is sleeping for obvious reasons. If the vampire is awake and walking around your village then you're probably going to want to pass on using the stake since it would require you to get up close and personal with the vampire. Never a wise choice. One interesting side note about the stake is some species of vampires can actually be revived by the stake if more than one blow is used. --- As has been said though vampires aren't real so you can use your imagination. If you are interested in learning more about vampires I strongly recommend: The Vampire Encyclopedia The Vampire: His Kith and Kin (reprinted with alternate title: Vampires and Vampirism ISBN 0-486-43996-8) The Vampire in Europe, 1929 (reprinted ISBN 0-517-14989-3) (reprinted with alternate title: The Vampire in Lore and Legend ISBN 0-486-41942-8)
