[split] Vampires and Vampirism

['thul]

These beings got a bit off-track and ended up reading 7 books by L. J. Smith. the "Vampire diaries" books. Quite different from the TV show. Another interesting take on vampirism.
Not as uniform a system for anyone to turn vampire, yet balanced towards keeping vampires from replacing humans as dominant species on Earth.

Seems vampires (in these books mind you) can be created many ways... significant blood exchange (both ways) between a human and a vampire, either in volume over short time, or in quantity over a long time, though it also appears to start working if the human ingests lots of blood over a long time. If enough vampiric blood is ingested and the human dies with it in the system, he/she will rise vampire. Yet to balance it is the fact that without significant intake of blood, of which some must be vampiric in nature, no human will turn. At least not fully and permanently.
The take in these books on vampires reaction to human food is also interesting. It does not kill vampires or hurt them, but neither does it nourish them. Sure helps them blend in if they have no trouble ingesting what humans ingest.

These beings will probably start reading more in that excessively long Anne Rice ebook tomorrowish.

[fool-ish]

These beings got a bit off-track and ended up reading 7 books by L. J. Smith. the "Vampire diaries" books. Quite different from the TV show. Another interesting take on vampirism.
Not as uniform a system for anyone to turn vampire, yet balanced towards keeping vampires from replacing humans as dominant species on Earth.

Seems vampires (in these books mind you) can be created many ways... significant blood exchange (both ways) between a human and a vampire, either in volume over short time, or in quantity over a long time, though it also appears to start working if the human ingests lots of blood over a long time. If enough vampiric blood is ingested and the human dies with it in the system, he/she will rise vampire. Yet to balance it is the fact that without significant intake of blood, of which some must be vampiric in nature, no human will turn. At least not fully and permanently.
The take in these books on vampires reaction to human food is also interesting. It does not kill vampires or hurt them, but neither does it nourish them. Sure helps them blend in if they have no trouble ingesting what humans ingest.

These beings will probably start reading more in that excessively long Anne Rice ebook tomorrowish.

Is it even possible? Could vampires actually digest food? They are, to all intents and purposes, dead. Their organs no longer function. The stomach and digestive system would no longer be functioning either. There's nowhere for human food to go! The only vampire-related book I've read that spoke about one actually consuming human food was 'Let The Right One In.' The vampire 'Eli' was physically ill after trying some sweets. In all the others I've read, no vampire has even attempted to eat or drink 'human stuff.'

Anne Rice's vampires are in a league of their own and I do have a particular favourite..enjoy!

['thul]

in those books described above, they still have operational circulatory systems, as well as several other bodily systems... The vampires reaction to human food is like a human's reaction to eating grass. It is quite possible, but also pointless, since the body does not have the means to gain nourishment from it. It is more common in vampire lore for human foods to be directly dangerous to vampires, but this series chose another path. (examples of poisonous reaction: let me in; Underworld)
It would appear that L.J.Smith vampires have fully functional bodies, with all systems operational aside from a few minor changes... they heal extremely fast, they can only get nourishment from blood, they can on occasion move with lightning speed, and their senses are enhanced. Otherwise, their bodies are like humans. (oh, and they burn in the sun)

[fool-ish]

Many many books and many different ideas about vampirism. Though I think they all agree on one thing, the blood is the life. I love vampire stories and when written well, they are some awesome beings!

['thul]

Hmm... good idea to split this off... its discussed enough to warrant its own topic...


anyways... pretty much all forms of vampires need blood in some way, be it human or not, natural or not.
It does tend to be slightly different in sci-fi though... good example of this is in stargate: atlantis, with the wraith species. anyone with some imagination can see that they are meant to be a form of vampire. (never dying, feed on humans, etc.). Rather than specifically feeding on blood, they feed on life-force.

anyways... on to different aspect...

Why are humans that turn vampire often portrayed as changing personality completely? Going from pretty calm persons to raving monsters? Changing priorities makes sense, like that they have a tendency to find human blood irresistible... slight changes in personality, like traits becoming more pronounced, ok. Going directly from whatever they were before to monsters whose only resemblance to former selves is physical... that makes no sense.

[Apricots]

Why are humans that turn vampire often portrayed as changing personality completely? Going from pretty calm persons to raving monsters? Changing priorities makes sense, like that they have a tendency to find human blood irresistible... slight changes in personality, like traits becoming more pronounced, ok. Going directly from whatever they were before to monsters whose only resemblance to former selves is physical... that makes no sense.

I suppose it's sort of following on from werewolf legends, where people both turn into werewolves and take on the trait of the werewolf to become raving lunatics. Remus Lupin in Harry Potter, for example, who could only be calmed by wolfsbane potion. It's a fairly common trope to change personality when you change your physical self, I think.

['thul]

change personality somewhat maybe... replace personality entirely, not so likely...

[joost]

A vampire is basically a demon in a human shell.

[fool-ish]

I'd say their personalities change as their needs change. If, as a human one would never have dreamed of attacking, let alone killing another, then in order to attack and make a kill as a vampire, one must change and become the savage creature in order to do what is required to survive. However, previous human traits must be hidden deep down somewhere, surely one can't forget that they were once a calm, rational, human being?

['thul]

joost, thats mixing up possession and vampirism. Someone possessed is generally an evil spirit (demon?) inside a human shell, controlling all aspects of it.


@fool-ish:
That is very close to what 'thul have been saying. The calm, rational human being must be somewhere beneath the surface of the proper vampire. Their needs might have changed, and they might've gotten very interested in say, tracing the veins on someone's wrist and drinking blood from it, but there should still be something human about them.