The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

The fictional, fantasy, Hollywood vampire is IMMORTAL, exceptionally STRONG, MUST drink blood tu LIVE and lives only in the DARK. There is no one in the Rave or walking the planet that is that definition.

So what then is a "real" vampire? The living kind? Is it a being that would give everything tu be the above definition? A being that lives as much of the above definition as they can? A being in love with the whole fantasy of "vampire"?

aaahhhh Tu Tu Tu ....

personally ... hhhmm.. how to put this ..

though i agree that there is no one walking the planet nor membered here at VR that literally physically and REALLY matches the criteria of the HOLLYWOOD vampire .. i do believe there are those that believe they do LOL...

and then there of those of us .. me.. Yu .. others .. that would give any all and everything to become the "real" version of a Hollywood vamp ..

todays non-Hollywood "real" vampire ... DAMN YOU CHALLENGE ME TU !! lol

at the risk of offending here... i think todays REAL vamps .. are wanna-bes just like me ..
only they take it to a different level .. where i am content to think and wish and hope and dream .. they take steps to being more of the "realism" to themselves.. the blood-taking .. as well as many other things.. i have read of those who literally will not come out into direct sunlight and avoid other such silly things as garlic .. to prove thier "vampirism" (not saying i read that here ... just that i have heard of such)..

and my answer to this is .. hey, to each his own .. i am the LAST person on this earth you will find judging someone :) ..

and let me add.. PLEASE NOTE when reading my post here that i call MYSELF a wanna-be also lol... so dont BASH me for my choice of words lol...

and also .. do not assume that because i choose not to feed and/or take blood.. my desire for the real thing is any less than yours....

Tu ,.... once again .. an EXCELLENT topic for debate my friend :)

I think there's the problem. You have no idea how many are not 'wannabes'. They are who they are- and find a lot of frustration manuevering in a world where so many are just playing a game.

Even without the Hollywood 'definition', a Vampire is a reanimated corpse that must feed on the blood of the living.

I hope I don't see any reanimated corpses running about. lol

Yes, I doubt we will.

We can't knock the idea that in essence brought everyone here though :D

I am going to guess that we definitely will not be seeing any reanimated corpses walking around. Then again..."who knows?" LoL

I have to think that there are no reanimated corpses, and that the people that believe themselves to be a Vampire, are to some extent trying to live the life. They really aren't considered wanna-bes either because they do some of the actions themselves and sometimes do not. Its hard to say to be honest, I don't think there ever will be a real set down definition for a Vampire, because writers each day add to the list of do's and don'ts for a vampire. Changing and sculpting everyones viewpoint with each brush of the pen.

I believe that someone doesn't have to fit the mold of a legendary creature to carry the title of its name (I'm a witch, after all, but I can't transform into a cat or fly through the air -- with or without a broomstick LOL)

I have friends who consider themselves to be "real" vampires (I'm content not to judge them on it), and as such they say (by their own admission) that the only thing that really links them to the vampires of myth is that they need to drink the blood of others (or take their energy, I have a friend who does that).

I don't know if their desire for blood is an actual physical need or just psychological, but even though they can walk in the sunlight (though for some it will bother their eyes or cause mild headaches, but that's about it) eat regular food (including garlic, my one friend LOVES garlic), and don't have the stereotypical 1 - 1.5 inch fangs, they do still feed, and therefore I feel that they can be compared, however loosely, to the legendary creature.

P.S. I also have friends who consider themselves to be the "Hollywood" style vampire, and I believe them to be nothing more than wannabes who always manage to have an excuse when their actions don't co-incide with the movie monsters (i.e. touching crosses, walking in sunlight, entering a home without being invited, have reflections, etc.)

maybe we will never find a definition for ourselves we will just be lol

I am not living dead (Hollywood stereotype) I am what I call a psy-vamp. I actually think its all a matter semantics here. There are always going to be people who believe in fiction and wont believe anything but their fantasy.

i think its a lifestyle that we embrace

I don't think I need a definition for what I call myself, unless I was trying to sell some thing. I am not trying to sell myself of my lifestyle, so a definition for others to read is pointless.

But what would you say if asked about it, Lucifer? I get the question "What is a Wiccan" all the time. It might be handy to have a definition ready.

I have had people ask me that question, and I straight up tell them they do not have to know. I haven't asked anyone here to be my type of vampire, so therefore I sell nothing. I just be, and give usefull advise, never stating whether it is right or wrong.

and there you have it again... people have different ideas of what is true. You have those that embrace the term 'lifestyle'- that word offends other people beyond explanation... I read profiles that say, "I am NO lifestyler", but vampire is what they 'are'.

In the end, you won't find a clear defintion. And that's probably how I ended up with my stance on all this. We've got humans, and we've got good 'stories'... some humans just have different central focuses than others- they are spotlighting senses most often times ignored.

For me it is the lifestyle..and drawing of others

...o-key...how are you defining walking corpses? thanks to medical miracles you can actually die more than once in your life time and be brought back...some with very little harm/damage...

one thing i LOVE about the forums .. is how it forces me to look at other views and listen to other opinions :) .. and at times .. refresh my own thinking :) ...

i would like to say again that i meant NO OFFENSE when i made the "wanna be"statement .. i just meant there are plenty of US (including myself) that would "wanna-be" the Hollywood version of a vampire if it were possible...

so MANY valid points have been made so far, and as i type here .. i dont have a CLUE as to who said which lol....

but it boils down to.. we each have our own definition of real.. fake... modern.. classic .. and hollywood vampires ... (though i think most of us agree on basically the same definition for the hollywood brand lol)

in the long run what matters the most is the opinion and definition one has of ones self... because OBVIOUSLY there isnt a set of VAMPY RULES written in the side of a mountain top somewhere for us all to adhere to :) .. and i REALLY dont mean that as flippant as it came across :) you get my point :) ...

someone said that there are those out there who will never believe other than the fantasy ... there are also those who wish for the fantasy ... and there are those who try to live it ..

and i guess we are ALL one breed of vamp or another :)

What is this "we need" thing? VR has a definition of a vampire. (link on your left) "My" definition is easier. A vampire looks like "Nosferatu." If you do not look this this, then you are not a vampire. Simple. Get over it. Nut case or want a be, I don't care. Move on.

People have as many outlooks as there are people. Some will be more personal about energy and some will be more fascinated about blood than others. This does not make you a vampire.

There comes a point in everyone's life where they need to define themselves. Being a vampire should not be one of the many titles that one may claim.

We do not need any definition for ourselves. Know what you are first.

for what i have found out vampire can go in the sun, vampires can eat food, vampires are not imortal, and vampires are stronger then average, weather all that's true or not is up to u to find out for ur self this is what i know to be ture...

Most real vampires can walk in the sun, Can eat garlic. We are just more sensual, crave the taste of blood, and tend to stay alone.

Although there is this desire to have some sort of "in stone" definition of what a real life vampire is, I honestly do not think there is ever going to be an answer to that. There are so many people that believe different things which are at many times corrupted with the "fictional" characters of the movies and stories.

I consider myself to be a psy-vamp because I need to feed off of the energy of others. Now I have heard that is the definition of that kind of need. If that is not the definition than I guess I am not a vampire. So be it, I really don't care for the name, I just know who I am and my wants and desires.

I agree that there are many "wanna be" vampires out there that just play the part because they think that being a vampire is "cool" or whatever.

But, if my definition of psy-vamp holds any kind of truth, then my definition of a vampire would be someone who needs to feed off of others in order to stay a sane and healthy individual whether that be blood, energy, mind manipulation, etc. *shrugs* I LOVE garlic by the way and although I have a slight sensitivity to sunlight, it is mostly my eyes which are the most sensitive and the rest of my body can bear it for the most part... I also love to see crucifixes and to wear them and I have walked into a house before uninvited without anything happening to me lol.

Please people, don't let the fictional vampire characters fool you..

I agree with what Kamarilla is saying here- a lot of people probably think they ARE that definition- in fact as kow that as I have spoken to a LOT of them in my time on the Rave.

Not trying to be detremental to you Indigo, but I don't believe the term "wannabes" is a good term to be used here- I think the vastly varying opinions on vampirism that already exist here are elitist enough.

The "original" vampire comes from myth- that myth has been glamorised by Hollywood. We all know that- but that is such a strong influence that often it gets caught up with peoples ideological beliefs.

So basically what I am trying to illustrate is that beliefs are so varying in the definition, that the definition itself cannot be cohesively pinned down- for my own personal set of beliefs I probably wouldn't even use descriptions that where apropos to the actual term of "vampirism" as many would chose to describe it- I see things as a highened perception on the world, other people and nature- and a respect coming from that perception, and an energy utilisation often from meditation.

I often get my beliefs insulted on this site- so I think, as a side note to my answer, that the question isn't really "can we define this?" it's probably more like "can we lose the egocentrism and accept anyone elses definition?"

So to truncate this post, my answer would be that you are fighting a losing battle, but I admire using your chance to try.

This is the question that keeps coming up, again and again...As no two are completely a like, I doubt you will ever have a specific definition that will apply to all....

i do agree with what you say..
((( TO THE QUESTIONER )))

HOW-EVER.... todays vampirism is definality well has to be a bit more different then vampirism in the past yes we know what we hear about the past vampires but no one today is as them in the past... todays vampires its a new generation.... maybe real vamps and vampettes of today have simulur adictions and rituals so be it.. i dont believe it is anything like the true one and only past vampirism... im sure we /they know this... with no disrespect

Thanks Kamarilla :-)

So Panthra, just out of curiousity, what do you mean by "true?"

Hmmmmmm although I share many ideals and feelings with the mythic vampire, I suppose I am a "wannabe". I found a soul kinship with Anne Rice's vampires, I found many similarities in personality and desires, I admit I'm in love with the whole idea of the Hollywood vampire, I'd du it in a second *snaps fingers*.

No offence but, Tu, I completely disagree with everything your saying... so I doubt that we could share the same terminology :-)

It's like this.. Where did the idea of vampires come from? Obviously someone was touched by someone who was of that vampiric origin or else that story would never have come to life.

So, obviously there ARE "real" vampires. It's kind of like, if the tree falls in the forest, and you didn't hear it, did it really fall? It could have or it could have not.

i agree with you Tu, no one fits that description and if so i would like to meet them however my definition is Drinking Blood to survive other than that whatever comes with the pie

I don't agree with you, Tu :) and Echo- I was only quoting the person above me with the term 'wannabe' :)

It's a great point you make with ego getting in the way of things here- We don't all have the same definition. People have every right to believe they are what they are. No matter what anyone else says (me included).

i see where Tu's coming from though ..

many MANY different definitions are out there ..
society as a whole has one
hollywood has one
myth and legend has one
and each individual has one ..

Tu is saying .. that the HOLLYWOOD version is something he identifies with and feels drawn too and akin to on many levels .. as he states WAY ^^^^^^ up there... more than once i think .. he would JUMP HEAD FIRST at a chance to become "that" version ..
i feel the same way ... it coincides partially to his WHAT IS THE ALLURE thread ...if my fairy godmother were to come down and grant me one wish.... guess what it would be lol

Tu wasnt saying thats what he believes is the definition of a "real" vampire... he was asking for everyones elses definition .. and just stated what he WISHED he could have ..

hey Tu .. yu KNOW i am standing in that WANNA-BE line with yah !!
and MissChu and Emmy LOL !!!!

Indigo I absolutely agree with you 100%! I think I have the definition I was looking for, than you Indi.....*bows*

DarkLady, I personally believe that vampires came from the ancient myths, and they come from societies fears of different things throughout time- and that these myths come from hearsay ,fear and religion rather than truth.

I think that even our opinions on origins are so different that it would be impossible to put ourselves all on the same path.

Well I have to say- it's at least good to see some people just being honest in this thread- too many people just say they ARE a thousands of years old reanimated corpse and that's that. There's nothing wrong with wishing you were a super being.

Here on VR, you will have several definitions- and everyone is adamant their version is the correct one.

since u say that according to YOUR OWN WORDS u r 90 percent brighter than most on earth, prove it.................look up the words in a medical dictionary of "pseudo=phopheria" it is a vampyre=like skin and body ailment,,,,,,,,,,,,now also according to your own words dont be so damned "arrogant"

dang you could have some respect he is just creating conversation

She is actually just quoting him :)

Well I thinik you hit it with "vampire like", and tu correct myself, I know my limitations, I know I am not always right, and I am man enough tu admit when I'm wrong, so according tu some, I am not arrogant, now if you want tu talk about "book" smarts, give me the time tu study and I can learn anything! What does that have tu du with this thread? I've been asking for anyones and everyones definition of a vampire, I did not anywhere in this thread define a vampire by my measures.

Why would u need a definiton of something we already understand, there is too many blasphemies about us out there

My personally feelings on what a "real" vampire is.... that we are all a defination weather it be that you agree with another person or not. Vampires as most of us do call ourselves is a defination that we must make our own. We define ourselves as our own type of vampire.

Great comment Angel, very true!

No matter how much we try or search, there will be never a real true complet total defenition that would fit all and with no expetions, why? Cuase there would be no purpose of having individual, it would be like creating a bunch of programed creatures, so it would result in a pur lost and wast of time to be who we are. Still the quest for th epur definition that will fit all is a must regless, just to be able to find those expetions that makes the defenition.

Ravenswing, this is exactly the problem I am trying to highlight- healthy debate gets turned into harsh words... were all just trying to be open here about what we think, surely thats one of the main points of this community?

We are not the stuff of Hollywood, but rather a mortal race of blood and enegry drinkers. We are more aware of the path we have chosen or are destined to.

Why try to define something that needs no definition and in fact can not be defined. By defining what a vampire is you limit it, you bind it to some prescribed rules. The vampire folklore tells of many traits of the vampire, the book Dracula has the vampire walking in the daytime, albeit with limited powers, why do we keep turning to Hollywood for the vampire traits, when even in Dracula you find better

You have a good point, I didn't really think of it in terms of restriction- I suppose it would effect personal growth.

I have to agree with many of the post here who say why do we have to define anything. I really agreed with Stabb666... and MasterEmmanuelo... I don't go out and announce to my neighbors what I do or stick a definition on my front lawn whatever that may be... (vampire, witch, blonde, you name it...) I don't believe it's any of their business and I don't believe they need a definition... I keep what I do to myself so I don't feel the need to be defined or limited to a definition whatever it is...

Did that make sense? I'm still working on my first cup of coffee... :)

Yes NipsxNxKisses, it did make sence, and very well put! We have enough labels in everyday life as it is, its how our society often functions.

well it is a way of life and that being goth and in the normal world it is not accepted at all and that is why we are called vampire

Hollywood has to make its money in some way, dahling.

In my opinion there is more then one definition of a Vampire as there are more then one spelling.
We all have our own definitions and beliefs and lifestyles. Are there "Hollywood" vampires??? I myself cannot answer that, for I cant make an answer based on something or someone whom i have not met or seen with my own eyes.

Well since you are trying to bring up the Hollywood term, have you seen a lot of hollywood movies about vampires? In the Anne Rice version, vampires die from sunlight, fire, but are not affected by things like crosses and garlic. In the Stoker version, it's almost the opposite. You can't say that they are immortal. That would mean that they could NOT die. However, we have all seen the hollywood versions die. The only definition that could possibly be true is, in my opinion, a person with a liking for blood and a loathing for daylight. Otherwise, Hollywood has done enough to obscure the meaning of the word.

in modern vampirism, blood is a metaphor. the majority of modern vampires are deeply into poetry/music, both of which are representations of another's soul. we live on this, taking strength from others souls through their music/poetry.
that is my definition of a modern vamp
xoxox

I guess when it all comes down to it- you won't get a simple definition. There are too many- it depends on who you ask.

Being that this is 'The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory'- all the definitions are valid. Can't leave some of them out and be a very good directory, eh?

A modern vamp is not:

Immortal
Does not need blood to survive
Has allowance to daylight
Is one of us...

I guess the answer to this would be to ask a modern vamp what they think they are all about. This may help alot, but also get you alot of different responses so be prepared. Not everyone looks at Vampirism the same way. There is no general definition to it.

Well stated Titan. Everyone's definition will be different because we all have a personal reason for the definition we choose.

well if you think about it a vampire bat comes out at night and drinks blood so in actually terms some of us bare quite a likeness

I was thinking that also.
There are creatures that feed on blood.
Certain knds of bats, mosquitos, leeches, etc
So there are true vampires.

look here and you'll understand


http://www.sanguinarius.org/intro.shtml

Billy you say we don't need a definition because VR already has one then you say you have one of your own isn't that a contradiction? By your definition Dracula wasn't a vampire so what was he? Here is a couple of definitions from wikipedia (not the only ones they have either) "Vampirism is the practice of drinking blood from a person or animal."
"Vampire may also refer to: A person who follows the vampire lifestyle." There are many definitions of what is a vampire its not a cut and dry issue it tends to be subjective. Just because someone's definition is different from yours doesn't mean it's wrong either. Here's a simple analogy. One person sees a 1/2 a glass of water and defines it as half full glass of water. Another person sees the same glass and defines it as a half empty glass of water. Yet another defines it as 1/2 a glass of water. The definitions are all different but they are all correct. Granted all of those definitions were basically saying the same thing but I think you see my point. That doesn't mean that I think that every definition about something is correct. But if you are going to tell someone that thier definition is incorrect you should have some evidence to back it up.

Tu..i do belive there are vampires out there that are among the liveing but not alive..

Because the modern vampire is as varied as the people who believe themselves to be one, it makes it almost impossible to define. The only universal quality that I have seen applied to the modern vampire is that they know they are one. SO if self proclamation is the only source of proof ("I state I am a vampire therefore I am a vampire") we can look to, then modern vampires cannot be nailed down to a single factotum.

Drinking blood applies to only sanguinarians. Energy manipulation really doesn't make itself manifest in them and is more in line with psy vamps. Those who believe in either one, may believe it to be a mutation of their immortal soul, or a form unrelated to human souls that has been hidden from them each lifetime until it has come to light. Some feel that you are born a modern vampire. Some feel that you are born with the potential but that it must be brought out of you. Some feel that this is all spiritual and others look to a more scientific solution (genetics or cell memory).

The long and short of the answer is that currently, vampirism is a belief, like religion, since there has yet to be a way to actually prove and classify those who claim it's form. Because it's a belief, each person believes their own form of proof or need for proof and each person will have a variation on a larger theme of what makes them what they are. To put it bluntly, until modern vampires can agree on what they are, it makes little sense for the rest of us to try and prove what they are with a definition that would almost certainly fall short of someones demands or ideals.

Honestly, I think the entire "vampire" scene is a bunch of corrupt information. As I am not actually 1000+ years old ((unlike some of the VR members I've observed)), I couldn't tell you the real answer. No one has an actual, factual explanation for the true vampire, despite what some may say. I believe this all started with a disease called Porphyria. The more I reasearch on it, the more it makes sense. Either way, anyone who truly believes in the TRUE vampire is living in a fantasy. Sure, there is the now adopted vampire way of living, but it strikes me funny that this all came from an abnormal disease.

Leeambre I only partially agree with 1 thing that you said. If someone believes themselves to be a 1000 year old reanimated corpse fictional type vampire then I agree they are living a fantasy. As for your therory about Porphyria the only syptom that someone with that disease has incommon with a vampire is sensitivity to sunlight. There are several diseases which cause sensitivity to sunlight. It doesn't explain the thirst for blood in some prana in others. I'm not saying that vampirism cant come from a disease I just don't believe that it's from Porphyria. Fictional vampirism is a disease/curse spread by a bite. There are real diseases that before they were known for what they are were believed to be signs that the person was a vampire for example rabbies in humans. Another thing that caused a lot of the belief in the fictional type vampire in the past was was peoples lack of knowledge in what happens to a corpse after death. None of that means that there isnt real living vampires. A vampire is a person that practices vampirism. Vampirism as defined by wikipedia is a human that feeds on the blood or prana of another human or animal. That doesn't mean you have to be nocturnal, sensitive to sunlight, allergic to garlic or repulsed by crosses. A lot of living vampires may have 1 or more of the stereotypical signs real or imagined. I have some of them but not all. I have a thirst for blood and or prana( also refeerred to as psychic energy or life essence) I tend to be nocturnal and my skin and eyes are very sensitive to sunlight (i can get 2nd degree burns in as little as 15 minutes from the sun) but I love garlic and crosses don't bother me, infact I have been baptised as a christian. As far as the sun goes it isnt that I dont like it I enjoy being in the sun it is needed for a natural source of vitamin-e, I just have to use lots of sunblock keep covered as much as possible and dont go outside without sunglasses. Am I 1000years old? no my soul may be who knows? but I am 42 I have not died from the bite of anything and been reborn as a vampire. I was born the way I am I have always been this way when i was younger the blood was primarily my own or from eating rare meat. I don't like meat raw because then it is cold. Whether my condition is from a disease or genetics I don't know. Does it really matter where the condition comes from? If it does turn out to be from a disease I don't want to be cured I've learned to live with it and it doesnt harm me (except maybe the sunburns lol) or anyone else. I dont feed without permission whether its blood or prana and I only take what I absolutely need which is really a very small amount. As far as the risk of disease it's no worse than having sex and I'm not going to quit doing that either lol. okay I've rambled long enough sorry about the length of this post I hope it helps though.

Perhaps the Hollwood vampire is who the blood consuming, energy draining, individuals wish to be.

Myself, it is not an existence that I would wish to have

I personally, think that I'm not a wanna-be... I consider myself a vampire... I drink blood, (of course not for living, because I'm alive, not dead, so I need food also) my personal problem with food is that I have started to reject it, but I can also drain energy from others if blood is not available... I feel myself more active at night, I'm photo sensitive, so the sunlight hurts my eyes... not so seriously, but I have to take care of them using artificial drops and sunglasses... I think that a lot of vampires here share some of these features...

Brilliant Felix, thankyou!

Raine (I think that was your name, you posted above me I believe) why do you feel it necessary to coin the term "wannabe" in your first line? Why can we not let terms like that die in the playground like the rest of the elitist rubbish? People should believe what they want to believe and not feel that in an environment such as this, or indeed any other, that they have to live up to particular expectations, and have to fit in with te elitist crowd- don't we get enough of that in everyday life?

I agree with Indigo. There are parallels in everything.

I to am interested in why the person above me used wannabe in her reply. Has someone accused you of being a wannabe? I myself am not a vampire. And, I am not a wannabe. I am pleased with who I am.

WOW....is the first thing that comes to mind here...I have read through this entire thread and all the replies and am glad to see this topic come up...first of all....to be a wannabe is to to be labeled as in mainstream society as not real...or making it up as we go along....though I might not live or think as others do here...I dont see ANYONE as a "wannabe" they are living in THEIR reality and what they deem to be true for themselves....are ANY of us in a position to call another persons view on life, reality and who they are false? I dont think so. You will get no clear definition of a vampire because there are as many definitions as there are people people on this site and more. I think that our definition belongs to us alone...we are free to share it with whomever we choose but in the end....its OURS and it is neither right nor wrong....

ABOUT THE REANIMATED CORPS yeah!!! u never know? and as for the ? above the defention is simple they d their best to live the life or should I say unlife of a vampire SLEEPS IN THE DAY/WALKS AT NIGHT/DRINKS BLOOD TO A DEGREE/SHARPEND FANGS/AND DOES NOT LIKE THE SUN!

In another thread, I mentioned that I view everyone's perception of the world, as if they had on a different shade of sunglasses.

Using that analogy, if everyone looked at a white styrofoam ball, they would all see it differently. That is how the world works, there is no one answer; as we can only define truth according to what we perceive.

Truth is based on fact, Fact is based on information, and information is gathered by perception.

I am what I am, I need no label for that, for I am simply just me.

I do agree with you when you say that no one on this earth matches the hollwood definition of vampire. I think that the true defintion of a vampire is somone who chooses to only come out at night, and drinks blood. No, I do not believe that anyone is immortal, I also do not believe that anyone who calls themselves a vampire will burst into flames if they went out side during dayl light.

This has been very interesting to read everyone's view on this subjectm, and I have throughly enjoyed it! Could a Vampire be anything else other than a legend of Hollywood?

i agree with kamarilla (forgive me if i spelled that wrong) it really is about perception. and each person views themselves and others differently. i would love to be a real hollywood vamp. and i dont doubt that ppl think they are. i dont even doubt that there are real immortals out there. but as with most things in life it is all about perception.