#guide:vampires

HOW THEY LOOK

Eyes: From what I've seen, the classical vampires tends to have a normal eye colour. Whatever colour they were born with, they carry on into their immortal life. I have seen that sometimes, when they feed, their eyes turn completely black or just the iris turns completely black. But this is optional.

Skin: Based on the likes of Dracula, most people assume vampires have pale white skin. I suppose this is due to the lack of blood flow in their bodies. But vampires don't have to be pale white, they again, much like the eyes, keep whatever skin colour they were born with.

Teeth: Classical vampires have either two or four fangs. The main two are on the top, and they can have two more smaller ones on the bottom row of teeth. Again, this is optional. The fangs can always be there, or they can change for when the vampire goes to feed. This is also optional.

HOW THEY ACT

Vampires are certainly mysterious, and often portrayed as brooding. But again, this depends on how you choose to play out your vampire. Remember, vampires don't have souls, therefore, they don't think or feel like humans. 

Vampires are the masters of seduction, they know how to flirt and how they mainly catch their prey is by seducing them. Vampires can be dark or they can be hyper active or they can really have any personality. It depends on how they were in their past life. But you have to remember that vampires don't feel remorse. 

There's myths you can play around with, like that vampires sleep in coffins or crypts, or you can go with a modern day type of thing where the vampire acts like a friendly normal neighbor. 

HOW THEY FEED AND WHAT THEY FEED OFF 

I would just like to start by saying, no, vampires didn't kill Bambi's mother or Bambi. From my experience of 'classical vampires' they only feed off humans with the exception of pigs blood from the butchers now and again (this is used in Buffy The Vampire Slayer). 

As we all know, vampires have their lovely fangs that pierce your neck and drain you of your blood, sounds great, right? (note the sarcasm). I think a question that many people ask is, why do vampires bite your neck? Well, vampires mainly feed from the neck because there's a massive vein in your neck called the jugular vein, therefore if they were to bite you're neck they'r'e going to get a hell of a lot of blood. Vampires also feed from wrists because there's a bundle of easy to pierce veins there. 

THEIR POWERS

Note: I'm not going to explain all of these because I feel like some are very self explanatory and are found in most vampires.

Immortality 

Enhanced strength, senses and speed. 

Advanced healing 

Flight: I know some people will laugh at this one but yes, some vampires can fly, people say it's mainly Dracula that can fly but it's completely up to you.

Shapeshifting: Again, this is optional, I know in the classics, Dracula turns into a bat or a wolf, but he can turn into other humans as well, it's really up to you. 

Psychic Powers: There are many different types of psychic powers, and if you want you can choose one or many for your vampire, because there is so many I'm just going to link you to this page with a list of them. 

Telekinesis: This isn't on the page of psychic powers, so I think it may be classed differently and I apologise if I'm wrong. Telekinesis, in simple terms, is basically being able to move things with your mind or with a flick of your hand, you don't have to touch the object to move it. 

Turning Other People Into Vampires: There's four different ways I've seen this been done. Firstly, in the classics, you turn into a vampire if you are bitten and drained completely by them (to the point of death). Secondly, you must drink some blood from the vampire and they must drink some blood from you before you can turn into a vampire. Thirdly, vampires have a special venom which they may or may not choose to use, if they don't inject their venom into you (it comes from their fangs) you will just die. And fourthly, it's nearly like a blood oath thing where your prick each of your ten finger tips as does the vampire, and you press them together, letting the vampire's blood travel into you, it similar to the first way but you don't have to drink the blood. 

THEIR WEAKNESSES

Sunlight: I thought I'd hit the most obvious weakness first; sunlight. Many legends state that vampires can't go out in the sun because they are demons and God is seen as the sun, and vampires can't come in contact with religious things such as crosses and holy water. 

Religious Items: As I mentioned above, vampires can't be touched by crosses or holy water. Many vampire slayers wear crosses around their necks to protect them from vampires. But, although vampires cannot touch religious items (mainly Christian items) they can walk into churches.

Stakes: For those of you who maybe don't know, a stake is a sharpened piece of wood which you drive through the heart of a vampire. But, you don't have to use a stake to kill a vampire, stabbing anything through their heart should do. Many people believe you should then cut off the vampire's head and burn their body to ensure they are definitely dead. 

Garlic: From what I've read, vampires can't come in contact with garlic because supposedly garlic wards off other bloodsucking creatures like mosquitoes, other people have said it's because garlic acts as a antiseptic. I don't think it really matters what story you use. 

Silver: Silver isn't just a weakness to vampires, it is a weakness to other mythical creatures such as werewolves. It is believed that silver is harmful to vampires because again it represents religion in the sense that Judas received 30 silver pieces for betraying Jesus. And because vampires are demons, well you get the picture. 

Well, I think I've covered everything! If I realise later that I have forgotten something, I'll add it in, and if you notice I've forgotten anything don't be afraid to shoot me a message and let me know! If you've any requests for other mythical creatures guides, I'll gladly accept them.