To the newly awaken vampyres or vamplings This article is for you.
Therian Community Links
Posted by nocturnerie on March 1, 2016 in Uncategorized
(INITIAL VERSION)
I believe in celebrating the differences we have in the community, instead of them causing division. And that the best way to grow is to empower our members to find their own path and seek those whom they think they could best learn from.
Hence this list.
Currently, there are talks of putting up single online resource for vampiric, kin, and were/therian folks and seekers to go to for answers and discussion. Since it’s still in the conceptual stage, I have temporarily gathered some links and info that could help people who may need them and host them here.
I took the liberty of using the descriptions provided in the sites of the respected groups and houses on here. Some were paraphrased. As of this version, there are only a few community houses listed here and I am looking to add more as there are certain things that only a local family can help with. People need that kind of support.
I envision the Community to be able to build linkages throughout and work together despite differences, as well as cross-refer the vamplings and newly awakened to each other according to where they would best receive the help they need.
More to come when we get more information. I might divide this list into sections when it has grown too long.
BOOKS
Beginning Psionics: A Psionics Training Manual
by Winged Wolf
Short Description: An introduction to psionics, which is the use of psychic abilities. Learn to develop your psychic senses and your ability to affect the world around you with these natural skills. A non-religious, practical information and training manual. Daily exercises, and fun psychic development games are included in this concise, 53-page book!
Being A Psychic Vampire
by Kate Gallwey
Short Description: Everyone of us has needed attention and energy at sometime in our lives. It is not a bad thing unless it become an addiction or there is an inbuilt trait of lack and need. This is where the lines get blurry. My question was, what is the difference between an energy leach and an unawakened psychic vampire, and the answer is, not much. A desperate energy leach can get enough and move on, a psychic vampire has a larger problem, was the initial answer. A Journey into the very strange waters of vampires, that do not sparkle and the growing global community.
Practical Vampyrism for Modern Vampyres
by Lady CG
Short Description: Practical Vampyrism for Modern Vampyres is the first Handbook for the Modern Vampyre Communities. Filled with practical advice for those learning to cope with the early stages of vampyrism, through to Second Awakening, it is written with humour and compassion, in hopes of providing a light at the end of a dark tunnel for those of walking the dark path, often alone. Practical Vampyrism is the culmination of over 10 years of articles written for the online communities, in hope that a time will come when NO ONE has to go through the stages of Vampyrism alone.
RESOURCES
Sanguinarius.org
Description: Exists in order to give support and guidance to those individuals who find themselves having to deal with the problems, instincts and desires, urges and needs that are characteristic of the condition commonly referred to as “vampirism.” Another purpose of this site is to bring the “vampiric community” closer together. To viewSanguinarius: The Vampire Support Page‘s Statements of Purpose, click here.
Site Owner: Sanguinarius (RIP); Currently being run by Lady CG and
Sanguinarius Community Center
Description: A virtual community and information center in Second Life for real vampires, donors, otherkin and therians established by Sanguinarius.org. It offers a library with many articles in the bookcases. Contained are articles for, by and about real vampires, health and medical issues, psycho-emotional and spiritual matters, donors, seekers, otherkin and therian, magick and many more topics. Second Life is an online virtual world accessed freely via Linden Lab’s own client programs, or via alternative Third Party Viewers. Second Life users (also called Residents) create virtual representations of themselves, called avatars and are able to interact with other avatars, places or objects. They can explore the world (known as the grid), meet other residents, socialize, participate in individual and group activities, build, create, shop and trade virtual property and services with one another.
Second Life is a virtual world created by Linden Labs, which you can use to chat with others, build things, design fantasy clothing, buy and sell virtual objects, share information, own an island, dance in a club, listen to music or watch videos, talk to people from around the world, and so much more. You explore Second Life using a viewer; you can either use their official viewer or choose from a variety of third-party viewers (recommended) which provide muchbetter interfaces and experiences (and Linden Labs doesn’t mind, as long as the third-party viewer meets a minimum threshold of standards).
Second Life Program needs to be downloaded for it to run
Smokes and Mirrors
Description: A board established in 2002 as a resource for the Sanguinarian Community. Vampires of all types are welcome here, and we hope everyone will find something helpful, regardless of your feeding preferences.
Site Owner: Lady CG
SphynxCat’s Real Vampires Support Page
WHAT THIS SITE IS FOR
This is a support site by and for real vampires, those knowing someone who might be a real vampire, or even someone who’s wondering why there’s a real vampire website in the first place. Contained within the pages of this site is valuable support information for real vampires as well as an ever-growing collection of medical information to remind people not to ignore their health either.
Just remember, the world hasn’t really changed, only your perspective of it…
WHAT THIS SITE CONTAINS
Each of you are free to decide for yourselves how you will live your life and, if desired, contribute to the vampiric community. Therefore, I have made a point of collecting articles representing various viewpoints – not just my own – throughout the community, in an effort to present a more balanced persepctive of real vampirism. This site is truly by and for real vampires, with articles, guides, an IRC channel and links to even more resources and ways to interact.Also included is a growing collection of valuable information based upon medical and scientific research to help promote awareness of both causes and mundane treatments for various issues, both those often incorrectly attributed to vampirism, and those caused by the real thing.
TEACHING/LEARNING BLOGS
Kate’s Creations
Description:
I think therefore I create.
There is something I must follow through on and this blog is part of that. I am meant to be doing this as a marketing exercise, to sell my wares as a graphic designer…but stuff that! I create for myself! If you want something created for yourself, it may inspire me, I may say all right then…maybe?
On this place I am going to invoke my muse and flow with the Dragon Spirit of Creation. Yes, I am a mystic who has earned my living as a professional Oracle in the past. But I am so much more than ‘just for entertainment use only’. I present you information, I really don’t care what you do with it. IAMTHATIAMNOT (lol…I am still trying to work out wtf that means as well)
Site Admin: Kate Gallwey
The Shadow Sage
Description:
I am DarkAngelDamien, or Damien Ferguson depending on where you know me from in the community!
I have been around the vampire, therian, otherkin and magic communities for many years. In those years I have learned a lot, asked a lot of questions and seen a lot I do not agree with. Most of that is the ego battles and knowledge that is restricted and all the secrets. I am going to change that.
Although what I write is what I know and whatnot. It is not the end all be all of knowledge. I still encourage those who find this to explore and ask questions and learn for themselves as well. This should just help them like a stepping stone.
I want the knowledge to be shared and available for those that need it. No longer in this day and age of information and technology should those who need the help be without the option of finding it. Thus this blog began. Although I may enjoy the shadows I am also not afraid to stand tall in the light and be a beacon to others. You can in my experience change the world more by being public, than you can from hiding yourself in the night.
Site Admin: Damien Ferguson, Kate Gallwey, Rei Tadashi
LOCAL COMMUNITIES
B.R.A.V.O BRitish Alliance of Vampire & Otherkin
Location: Great Britain, UK
Key Contact Persons: Kate Gallwey
FB Group Admins: Mark Thatch (Daywalker), Kate Gallwey, Helen Kalii Davidson
Facebook Group, Website
Description: BRAVO is an independent and autonomous organization operating within the British Vampire community, which consists of those who self-identify as Vampires and Otherkin and those who associate with them for their own personal reasons. Our organization is not accountable to anyone for any activity or decision it makes on behalf of its formal membership within the scope of applicable laws.
BRAVO performs thorough background checks on all members upon application, and there is no room within our organization for anyone with a criminal record for any activities relating to violent crimes, or crimes involving sexual abuse or other predatory behaviour.
HOUSE VALUR
Location: South Africa
Key Contact Persons: Octarine Valur
Website, SAVC Portal
Description: House Valur is a Vampyre family group based in South Africa. The House was founded on February 10, 2010 by Octarine Valur – founder of the South African Vampyre Community – and has played a dynamic role as the driving force behind the growth and development of the South African Vampyre subculture and community ever since.
As part of this drive to develop the SA VC, the House manages several projects, such as the Vampyre Culture Center, the Vampyre Academy, The Vampyre History Project and the South Africa Vampyre Alliance, among others.
“Valur” is an old Icelandic word for Gyrfalcon, a bird of prey, the largest of the falcon species. The House maxim “Occupo Nox Noctis” is Latin, which means “Occupy The Night”.
House Valur holds to the Totum Lex Vampyrica (Whole Vampyric Law), which was developed by HV itself. We do expect members to abide by the House Law as a condition of membership. The House also adheres to the principles and ethos set out in the Vampi(y)re Declaration of Community.
MANCHESTER VAMPIRE GUILD
Location: Manchester, UK
Key Contact Persons: Sarah Smith and Darryl Smith
FB Group Amin: Sarah Smith and Darryl Smith and Ellen Garside
Facebook
Description: We are friendly, respectful, a safe haven and very radical in our aproach. We cover all aspects of the gothic and vampyre community and culture. We are pro active on the scene, we have weekly meetups, events and new friendships have been formed through this. What a new vamp would learn to find that we are open group and if any questions are raised we are only too willing to answer these questions giving the knowledge and dispelling the myths that surround both cultures. People come to our group to hang out and share views which are respected.
VAMPIRE COURT OF AUSTIN
Location: Austin, Texas, USA
Key Contact Persons: Logan South, Daley Catherine, Tim Doyal, Alex
FB Group Admins: Logan South, Daley Catherine (VCA manages the online forum for the Vampire Community of Texas)
Facebook Group, Website
Description: The VCA, despite certain terminology used, is mostly democratic. Every Vampire in this city has a voice and a time and place for that voice to be heard. We have a Council that will deliberate in order to ensure the will of our people and keep our relationships strong. Our bonds are deep, our trust is always earned, and our motivations are always clear. We promote being open, being free, sharing community, understanding, family and the support of our home. Austin as a whole is our priority, we are not introverted and we wish to see good things happen for everyone in this city.
The VCA works as a whole out in the open to do good for the community with such acts as charity and volunteer work.
FACEBOOK: LEARNING AND DISCUSSION GROUPS
Awakened Otherkin
Description: All kin,vampires,weres welcome. Enter in peace or not at all.
This is a safe haven for those awakening, as well as those who wish to learn and grow in a supportive community environment. New or old, we are a rounded group here.
Admin: Damien Ferguson, Ninmuru Ferguson
A.V.O.W’s Phoenix Rising, the FB address for the Alliance of Vamps, Otherkin, Witches and other energy workers
Description: We created this group so that Vamps, Otherkin, Witches and other energy workers could have a place where they could ask about ideas that are new to them and find some much needed clarity on many different subjects. We Admins were tired of having to be judged by others as well as being treated with blatant disrespect by other members in different groups that we have belonged to, so 8yrs ago, we made our own. We refuse to take part in group wars and negativity within the community. It is our hopes to help promote peace and unity within our community of Otherkin, Vampyres and Witches.
Admin: Juanie Amador, Briessa Malferic, Lucian Nadredd Malferic, Melissa B Reed
Blood Only Vampires
Description: This group was made as a safe place for sangs/blood vampires to share knowledge, ideas and to meet others and have fun discussions with likeminded folk.
We ask that drama be kept out of it as much as possible and we focus on the community and information sharing aspect. Although somethings may be offtopic we will be focusing on blood practices, safety and other things relating to blood. We will also talk about and discuss other things seemingly related and unique to sangs/blood vampires. Lack of aging, healing, other attributes or abilities or oddities, etc.
This does not mean it has to be only full sang/blood only vampires. But we have a zero tolerance policy for bullshit or telling us to try other methods that will not work.
Admin: Damien Ferguson, Barbara Kammerer (Lady CG)
Demonkin
Description: A group for demonkin of all kinds who are willing to learn more about themselves in a supportive and encouraging environment. Members are encouraged to find their own paths with mutual help and sharing between members and guidance from the more experienced ones. Civil disagreements are welcome but fights are unacceptable.
Admin: Ninmuru Ferguson, Damien Ferguson
Living Vampire and Otherkin Q&A
Description: This is a group for people to ask questions from real living vampires and otherkin about their ways and community. All answers are the views of the person who speaks them only, and is not endorsed by the group as a whole. Debates are welcome, but pointless bickering isn’t. Name calling is not allowed and personal conflicts should be taken to privet message. Anyone caught cross posting from this group will be warned and perhaps removed from the group.
Admin: Deacon Gray, Sabastian DeCavalier, Magdalena Anya Rakoczy, Valiant Ferguson
Smokes and Mirrors Public
Description: Welcome to our attempt to bring the atmosphere of S&M to Facebook. We’ll be offering News, Teaching Class posts, Articles and Debates,
The rules are simple:
-Show respect
– debate can be spirited, but name calling and threats will not be tolerated.
-If you have an article you wish to post, please be sure its appropriate to our context and if you are not sure, please ask.
-This is a teaching and learning environment. Kindness and tolerance is expected. Remember, this is owned by a Canadian and runs more like the UN than American Congress.
-This is a safe place to ask questions. Bullying will not be tolerated. Persistant unkindness will get you punted.
– If a debate becomes too personal or too graphic for this public place, it will be moved to S&M private or S&M board, depending on the context. Please be aware that your posts may be copied from here to one of our other venues for your protection and privacy reasons.
Admin: Damien Ferguson, Barbara Kammerer (Lady CG), Newt Sandson, Donna Michelle Fernstrom, Kelsey Beland
The Middle Path
Description: The new forum for hybrid vampires to discuss issues related to being a hybrid.
Admin: Kelsey Beland
The Modern Vampiric and Otherkin Forum
Description: This is an open forum for donors, vampiric folk, and otherkin/therians. It is a place to meet like the forums of old. To chat, ask questions, find knowledge and make friends.
Admin: Damien Ferguson, Rei Tadashi
The Sanguinarian-Swan Support Alliance (SSSA)
SSSA Boards
Description: The Sanguinarian-Swan Support Alliance (SSSA) is a support and education resource for those in the community who identify as real vampires, self identifying vampires, black swans and donors. We are here to answer questions, provide fellowship, and offer support and encouragement without the mystical underpinnings of other vampire groups. We are especially focused on the newly awakened, those who are coming to terms with their vampiric nature, and those who are interested in donating their blood or prana. Harm reduction and safe practices are at the basis of our mission.
Admin: Emma Brown. Maureen Reifior
Vampire Community Boot Camp
Description: As The Shadow Sage release articles about abilities and things, we felt it was right to have a place to practice it with folk on hand to help. Thus this group is about questions, learning and training. PARTICIPATION IS REQUIRED. ANY caught doing anything WITHOUT consent will be dealt with HARSHLY.
Admin: Damien Ferguson and Rei Tadashi
Were-Therian Community
Description: This is a place where Weres and Therians can ask questions, discuss, and learn more about the animal within. We aim to provide a space where people with animal identities could receive support and/or simply hang-out with like minded folk. We welcome both newly the awakened, and old members.
Admin: Damien Ferguson, Rei Tadashi, Deacon Grey
FACEBOOK: GENERAL DISCUSSION GROUPS
Otherkin Artist Corner (18+)
Description: Struggling with a current project? Want inspiration, guidance, or opinions on your work? Care to brag about finishing that latest project that kept you up all night? Want to browse wonderful talent of all forms?
Then look no further! Feel free to share your art of all forms here! Keep in mind that this -is- an 18+ group, and mature subjects will be posted here.
All forms of art, regardless of talent, are welcome here! As long as it gets your creativity flowing, feel free to post it!
Admin: Leanna Beauchamp, Ya’andis Atrox, Nicolette Sandra James
VAMPIRE UNIFICATION FORUM
Description: We who self-identify as vampiric people, and who adopt the name Vampi(y)re, recognize our need for community within the context of broader Human society, and our diversity, and hereby undertake to view all who, like us, identify as part of the Community of real living Human Vampi(y)res.
We stand united in cause and hope, for a greater spirit of Community, and do so in order to promote knowledge, understanding and awareness of the vampiric condition and those who experience it, both within and without the Vampi(y)re Community.” – The Vampi(y)re Declaration of Community, Copyright of Belfazaar Ashantison, Deacon Gray, Octarine Valur, Zerochan and Wraiths © 2011 – present.
Admin: Amy Mah, Octarine Valur, Christina Engela, Lunah Valur Eir, Michelee Judkins, Gwendolen Valur Da Silva
With love and Respect
Lord Ariel
magic dance (Power of the babe) david bowie Labyrinth.1986.720p.BluRay.avi
Long Black Veil, New York's historical Vampire Club
February 17, 2017
The remarkable Long Black Veil or “LBV” events truly hold a unique place in the history of New York City’s nightlife. LBV began in 1997 as “Long Black Veil & The Vampyre Lounge” on the second Wednesday of each month at the legendary MOTHER nightclub on 14th and Washington Streets in New York City’s meat-packing district. Chi Chi Valenti, also known as ‘The Empress’, one of the owners of MOTHER, and her life mate, the famous DJ Johnny Dynell, conceived and named the event after hearing the mournful song “Long Black Veil.”
ALCHEMISTRESS AMBROSIA: INVENTOR OF THE BLOODBATH
The song “Long Black Veil” was written in the late 1950s by Nashville songwriters Marijohn Wilkin and Danny Dill, who were inspired by newspaper accounts of two non-related events; the real life murder case of a New Jersey priest and reports of a mysterious woman in a black veil who regularly visited silent movies star Rudolph Valentino’s grave. Primarily associated with Johnny Cash, the song has also been covered by many artists including Lefty Frizell (the original singer), The Band, Joan Baez, Nick Cave, and the Dave Mathews Band. However, it was the 1995 version of the song recorded by the Celtic/Irish traditional music group The Chieftains featuring Mick Jagger’s vocals, which proved to be the inspiration for the name. LBV was intended to be a uniquely themed night where “fangs were preferred in the Vampyre Lounge.”
Empress Chi Chi Valenti, Impresario of MOTHER.
At a meeting at MOTHER in August 1996, Father Sebastian, prominent leader of the Vampyre community in New York City and founder of the fang-making and events producing company named Sabretooth, was hired by Chi Chi & Johnny as their “vampyre son” to host this newly conceived event for their club. After hearing of his success with “The Vampyre Ball” events at the Coney Island High, Limelight, and The Bank nightclubs earlier that year, Chi Chi & Johnny invited Father Sebastiaan to expand his unique concept at their nightlife mecca.
Impressed by already existing and popular MOTHER events such as Jackie 60 (Tuesdays) and Click+ Drag (Saturdays), Father Sebastiaan insisted that the same “template” of these other events also be used for LBV. This template for success relied on décor, an exclusive door policy with a strict dress code, stage performances every week, and the magickal energies of the MOTHER venue itself. DJs Ian Fford, Lestat, and Johanna Constantine presided over the early dance floors. Initially, the main attendees were the clients of Sebastiaan and this core element formed the foundation of what became known as “Clan Sabretooth.”
AN ORIGINAL FLYER FROM MOTHER AND LONG BLACK VEIL IN 1998
In less than a year LBV’s success demanded that it become a weekly Sunday event at MOTHER in late 1997, along with the inclusion of host and doorman or “gatekeeper” Father Vincent under the name temporary Fang Club Gotham. This short-lived name change was intended to unite NYC’s vampire subculture with the Los Angeles club known as Fang Club in Hollywood, owned by Jack Dean Strauss. 1997 also marked the year that DJ Jason of Alchemy became the host DJ in the Vampyre Lounge within LBV held in Versailles room of MOTHER.
Also in 1997, Anne Rice’s biographer Katherine Ramsland contacted Father Sebastiaan and asked him to serve as a consultant for a book she was writing entitled “Piercing the Darkness: Undercover with Vampires in America Today.” Ramsland’s intention was to follow in the last known footsteps of investigative reporter Susan Walsh, who disappeared around the same time as the historic Vampyre Ball at the Limelight in July 1996. A release party for the book was held at LBV in 1998, where Ms. Ramsland read excerpts and signed copies for the attendees.
1998 also saw the release of the first printed edition of “Vampyre Almanac” and the original Legacy Ankh pendants. These Ankhs were sold around the world through alternative retail outlets such as Hot Topic. The worldwide release of Vampyre Almanac and Piercing the Darkness brought international attention to the culture and to the name “Long Black Veil.” That year LBV took up its traditional place on Thursday evenings at MOTHER, which it remained until the final days of the club in June 2000.
During this “golden age” of the vampyre scene in Gotham, many legendary events such as 1999’s Endless Night Festival, the annual Lost Boys’ Beach Party, The Bloodletter’s Valentine’s Ball and the fetish/body arts Xorvia events were spawned. Guests who entered the gates of MOTHER included celebrities such as Blondie and world renowned fangsmiths including Dnash and Maven of Dark Awakenings.
The most important legacy of LBV is that it was at that event that the original “vampyre code of ethics” was introduced. Inspired by the structure employed by the Fetish/BDSM subcultures and renaissance faire etiquette, this code became known as “The Black Veil”. Originally developed as the house rules of LBV, this code of ethics is now accepted worldwide and is the standard code of vampyre/vampire subcultures.
“The Black Veil” code was revised in 2002 by Michelle Belanger of House Kheperu from Ohio, and it has even found its way into mainstream popular culture in episodes of “C.S.I. Las Vegas” and mentioned as a “sacred script” by Don Henrie on the Sci-Fi Channel’s reality show “Mad, Mad House.”
Another lasting legacy of LBV is the Bloodbath cocktail. Created by the resident bartending mixologist of LBV, the Alchemistress Ambrosia, the Bloodbath is now the most popular drink enjoyed by vampyre subculture all around the world.
With the closing of MOTHER in the year 2000, Father Sebastiaan chose to continue the event by relocating to True nightclub on West 23rd Street, near Broadway in Manhattan. LBV remained there for two more years until he decided to end this event in the spring of 2002 in favor of throwing future reunion parties instead.
THE ENTRANCE OF MOTHER AT W 14TH ST. AND WASHINGTON ST.
LBV had a lasting impression and it resonated in the minds of many in vampyre subcultures throughout the Gotham Halo (New York City area), North America, and the world.
Teaming up with a NYC events promoter Master Steelow (who began his career as a go-go boy at Long Black Veil) Father Sebastiaan promoted a series of reunion LBV parties at Flamingo East nightclub on 2nd Avenue and 14th Street in Manhattan starting in the fall of 2002. When Sebastiaan moved to Europe in the fall of 2002, he hosted the last LBV reunion for almost a year.
In October 2003, Father Sebastiaan returned to Gotham for the release of his special edition anthology book “V”, which included the Black Veil code and the Strigoi Vii edition of Michelle Belanger’s Vampyre Codex. This long awaited LBV reunion attracted a number of well known guests to Master Steelow’s Flesh Theatre, such as High Priest Peter Gilmore and Magistra Peggy Nadrima, the successors to Anton LaVey’s and Magistra Blanche Barton’s positions as the High Priest and Priestess of the notorious Church of Satan.
Again, LBV proved itself as a gathering that the vampyre community desired and missed. Responding to this outpouring of support Father Sebastian decided to once again join with Master Steelow to create another LBV evening at Rare nightclub (just down the block from the original MOTHER venue, thereby returning LBV to its roots) on April 19th, 2004. This night LBV hosted by Michelle Belanger of House Kheperu and Don Henrie, turned out to be by far the biggest Vampyre event in years.
Six months later, at yet another LBV, at Rare nightclub, in October 2004, Father Sebastiaan, announced that LBV would be coming back regularly as “Long Black Veil, The Vampyre Ball of New York,” a quarterly event starting around Valentine’s Day 2005!
Throughout LBV’s history, knowledge of the event has spread into mainstream consciousness, through various media outlets such as Glamour, Cosmopolitan, In-Style, The New York Times, Time Out New York, the book Piercing the Darkness, and on television’s History Channel, The Learning Channel, Travel Channel, and many others. Even with this exposure, LBV has managed to maintain its true underground integrity through strict media policies against exploitation and sensationalism of the Vampyre, fetish and gothic communities.
Long Black Veil has inspired many other NYC events including Court of Lazarus, Black Abbey, Black Invokation, Hidden Shadow’s Realm of Darkness, The Court of Gotham, and the many noir havens throughout the world including Black Atlantis (Atlanta), Black Sunset (Miami), Black Trillium (Toronto), Black Xion (Amsterdam), and many others.
Father Sebastiaan and the Legacy team will continue working hard to provide first class events for the Vampyre/Vampire community under the veil of Endless Night / Vampire World, by keeping standards high and providing this dark subculture many forms of quality events and media for many years to come.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Victor Magnus an “ancient” member of Sabretooth Clan (he got his fangs in 1995) and has been an active member on and off over the years. Today he is the GateKeeper of the Endless Night Vampire Ball events in New York and New Orleans.
Memoriam: Master Metal Manipulator PN D'Drennan
February 14, 2017
Master Metal Manipulator PN D'Drennan is a historical personality associated New York Vampire community loved by all who met him. He is best known as the designer that in September 1996 Father Sebastiaan commissioned to design the Legacy Ankh, the symbol of the Black Veils and the Legacy. A true gentleman his creations help define the early days of the vampire community of New York City (Gotham) by attending many events such as Long Black Veil, The Bank, the Vampire Ball, Click + Drag and many events at MOTHER. Sadly he passed away on February 14th 2005 leaving the legacy of his precious metal artifacts behind. We honor his memory in this blog post on the day of his passing so those who never knew him can hold him in memorandum and celebrated by those who loved him.
Endless Night comes to Los Angeles at the Globe Theatre
November 2, 2016
It is with great pleasure that the legendary Endless Night comes to LA for the Los Angeles Vampire Ball to take place on Sunday, February 19th 2017 (Presidents Day weekend) at the historic Globe Theatre in downtown LA. This will be the "Anti-Valentines" edition. Endless Night hosts events in Paris, Amsterdam, New York, Dallas, Tampa, Berlin and the main event the New Orleans Vampire Ball in New Orleans on Halloween weekend.
Endless Night has been rated the "#1 Big Halloween event in the World by Trip Advisor" and can be described as a "Venetian Masqued Ball, meets a Vampire Court, with the Energy of a Rock Concert and Elegance of a Burlesque Cabaret."
Are Vampires Real?
Yes, but not in the ways you may think. Living "Real" Vampires are human beings with a higher energetic need for vital life-force (Chi, Prana, Mana, Ki) than the average human. If this Need goes unfulfilled, the Vampire experiences lower states of spiritual, physical, and emotional wellbeing. In order to sate this need, one must learn ethical techniques of gathering excess energy (called “feeding”). Vampires are usually divided into psychic (energy) and sanguine (blood) categories, but this often leads to misconceptions. A better terminology separates them into awakened and unawakened. All Vampires can practice just energy feeding. “Lifestylers” may practice a philosophy or employ the imagery, but are not all energetically Awakened. We also recognize Sympathetic Psychic Vampirism, a temporary Need resulting from a donor being depleted after being fed upon too much and for too long.
What is an Awakening?
Awakening is the revelation and understanding of one's nature as a Vampire, and also of his or her Need. Most Vampires are not born Awakened; they must have a revelation, accident, or experience to trigger the first stages of Awakening. The Awakening is not a singular event, but a cumulative process of smaller awakenings as the Vampire develops and learns. Being newly Awakened can be a difficult time and is often a solitary journey.
What are Lifestylers?
Lifestylers are individuals who embrace and incorporate the Vampire archetype into their lifestyle. Some are Unawakened or Awakened Vampires, yet most are not. Many are also Black Swans. These love the Vampire aesthetic and embrace elements of the mythology in their lifestyle, fashion, and mannerisms. Like the goths, they have their own subculture, social codes, events, and gatherings.
What is a Black Swan?
Black Swans are friends, lovers, family, and others who are open, friendly, and accepting or involved in the Vampire lifestyle, subculture and culture, but do not directly identify as Awakened Vampires. They can be lifestyle vampires or mundanes (“normal” folk), and often (but not always) act as consensual donors.
Can a Vampire "Turn me?"
Certainly not. The individual must have dormant potential which the Vampire is most often be born with. A deep communion (exchange of energies) between an Awakened Vampire and an Unawakened may trigger an Awakening in someone with potential.
Can Vampires Shapeshift?
Not physically. Like everyone, Vampires are bound by the laws of physics in the "Dayside" world. However those awakened to the metaphysical and spiritual "Nightside" world take many forms of astral shapeshifting, becoming wolves, felines, and even mist. This phenomenon is akin to the totem in shamanistic traditions.
Are Vampires at War with Werewolves?
No. This idea was introduced to the Vampire Mythos through the World of Darkness roleplaying games Vampire: the Masquerade and Werewolf: the Apocalypse by White Wolf Game Studio, in the early 1990s. It later appeared in Twilight and Underworld films. Werewolf mythologies is entirely different from Vampire mythology, and modern Vampire culture often calls Werewolves “Therians.” Some traditions include spiritual and astral shapeshifting, often using the term “Lycanthropy.”
Are All Vampires Evil?
No. Just like humans there are good people and bad people. Most modern Vampire cultures are built on honor, safety, respect, and consent. However, like any group of individuals, each member brings his or her own principles and perspectives..
Do Vampires Actually Feed?
Yes. Unawakened and Awakened Vampires must feed on vital life-force to fulfill their energy Needs. Unawakened feed unconsciously and without training or discipline, draining those around them emotionally. Awakened and properly trained Vampires learn to feed ethically and with discipline. There are three basic levels of feeding: Ambient, Surface and Deep. Sanguine or blood feeding is a technique not a level of feeding.
Ambient feeding draws from life-force radiated in a cloud around a group of people (a concert, sporting event, busy city street, night club, or shopping mall).
Surface / Tactile feeding draws from the outer layers of a donor’s aura and is not invasive. It can be done by touch or even at a distance.
Deep feeding taps the core of a donor’s energy body and requires consent. It can be done through sex or using reiki-like techniques. Deep feeding usually creates strong links between the Vampire and donor, which may be undesirable.
Sanguine (blood) is a deep feed and always has major risks. This method is often used by Vampires undisciplined in the three energetic (psi) feeding techniques.
Can Vampires Fly?
Not physically (except in a hang glider or airplane like any other human). But many Nightside metaphysical, spiritual, and esoteric traditions of vampirism practice astral projection or Out of Body Experiences.
Is Vampirism a Religion?
Not generally. Vampires hail from many spiritual and religious backgrounds ranging from agnostics, atheists, pagans, Christians, Catholics, Animists, Muslims, etc. Many spiritual and religious organizations practice vampirism within their esoteric/spiritual traditions and philosophies.
Do Vampires Worship Satan or Lucifer?
Most do not. Satan and Lucifer are Judeo-Christian concepts and Vampires are free to believe what they wish about them. Some Vampires are Satanists or Luciferians. Some are atheists. Many Vampires love the symbolism of Satan in rock & roll but don’t worship him. Since Vampirism is not a religion, the concept of what Vampires “worship” is irrelevant..
Are All Vampires Goths?
No. Not all goths are Vampires and not all Vampires are goths. Although many Vampires enjoy the accepting nature of the gothic scene, it is more about music and aesthetics, making it very attractive to lifestyle Vampires for social purposes.
What is Communion?
Unlike energy feeding, Communion is an exchange of energy between two or more Vampires and/or donors. While feeding is a one-way act to benefit the Vampire, Communion is a mutual feeding, creating a cycle of energy among all participants. Communion can be used to raise or clear energy, or during tantric sex magic.
Are Vampires Killed by Sunlight?
No. Vampires can go out in the day like any human. Some claim to be sensitive to sunlight and get headaches including migraines. Many Vampires are naturally night owls and prefer to be up all night, actively nocturnal like cats.
Do Vampires Have Hypnotic Powers or Supernatural Presence?
Not naturally, but many have natural charisma or “radiance” that outshines the average human. Some Vampires practice mentalism, NLP (neurolinguistic programming), and social dynamics, practices often used by stage magicians. Vampires call application of these skills "Glamour" and “Projecting.” Many also learn practices of seduction to aid in feeding. These are not supernatural powers and are strictly within the realm of illusion, psychology, and sociology.
Do Vampires Need to Drink Real Blood?
No. According to modern psychology and scientific research, no human needs to drink blood to survive. The physical risks of contracting bloodborne diseases (HIV, Hepatitis, etc.) and legalities (in some places only phlebotomists and medical care professionals can legally draw human blood) are clear concerns. However, some Vampires known as Sanguines believe they need to drink small quantities of human blood to survive or at least balance their emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Some Sanguines believe drinking blood gives them life-force. Most Sanguines seek consensual donors and employ strict safety practices like testing for diseases and using highest quality medical safety techniques. Some Sanguine Vampires prefer only to have one donor at a time, using the process as a powerful bonding technique. DISCLAIMER: VampireWorld.com recognizes this practice as part of the Vampire culture but does not actively promote or endorse these activities / feeding techniques.
Do Vampires Have Any Superhuman Powers?
No. Vampires have physical human bodies. They eat, sleep, breathe, and move about like any other human. They live and they die. They are limited by the constraints of normal human life.
Are Vampires Immortal?
No. Living Vampires are not physically immortal. They are human, and as such they physically age just like every other mortal. Many Vampires are interested in developing technologies like cryonics (freezing the body), life-extension, cybernetics, mind to computer uploading, and research into curing aging. Some Vampires and vampiric orders believe in reincarnation, apotheosis (self-deification) and immortality, and that the soul can become an ascended being.
Do All Vampires Wear Capes and Dress in Black?
Most Vampires look like any other individual. They can be your postman, school teacher, Uber driver and local butcher. Many Vampires believe wearing black gives them a sense of drawing energy to themselves, projecting a form of mastery (like judges, black belts in martial arts and police officers), and of course exuding mystery. However, most just follow their own fashion interests. Lifestylers living inside the Vampire subculture often dress theatrically in movie-inspired or couture style aesthetics, often inspired by designers like Alexander McQueen or Jean Paul Gaultier.
Do All Vampires Practice the Occult, Rituals or Magic?
No. Not all Vampires practice the occult and magic. Awakened Vampires are generally highly energy sensitive, making them attracted to energy work, Wicca, Neo-Paganism, chaos magic, meditation, yoga, Hermeticism, Reiki, Tantra, Qi Gong, etc. Many varieties of ritualizing, ceremonies and rites of passage are prevalent among the many spiritual and occult-minded clans, covens, traditions and orders.
Are Vampires Affected by Silver?
No at all. Quite to the contrary: most Vampires prefer silver for its reflective mirror-like aesthetic and its symbolic relationship the moon and the night.
Do All Vampires Form Covens and Clans?
No. Most Vampires are highly individualistic and solitary by nature, yet they can still be very social at times. The age of the Internet and social media has created a host of groups, websites, and forums for Vampires to gather and discuss. There are many inperson meetups and social events world-wide for Vampires. Covens, also known as “houses,” were very popular before the Internet, and have become less popular in modern times.
Do All Vampires Have Titles Like Lord, Count, etc.?
No. This is mostly seen in the Lifestyle vampire community, and is largely inspired by pop culture and roleplaying games like Vampire the Masqueradeand TV shows like True Blood. Titles can be fun for glamour and fascination but have no relevance to the real practices or the Need of true Vampirism. Be cautious – not all but many Lifestylers have taken the “Vampire Game of Thrones” (VGOT) too far and take their titles way too seriously. They are roleplaying, and there is usually no harm in a little imagination. “Elder” is not a formal title. Elders are more experienced and wiser Vampires who mentor younger Vampires (or aid in their Awakening). Titles within an organization should remain as offices of duty, position of leadership, or a measure of time served. They have no place outside their own order or clan, and are generally not acknowledged in the greater Vampire subculture.
Are All Vampires Into BDSM?
No. Many Vampires (especially Lifestylers) are involved in the consensual BDSM (bondage discipline sadomasochism) lifestyle because it fits their vision of the Vampire archetype. The core nature of Vampire/donor dynamic creates dominant and submissive roles, but this is not always expressed as BDSM. 50 Shades of Grey and the mainstreaming and popularization of the BDSM lifestyle has brought greater acceptance to the Vampire community.
Do All Vampires Wear Fangs?
No. Yet fangs are a symbol of the Vampire lifestyle and having a set made is very much a rite of passage for many entering the community. Fangs are a connection to one’s primal nature, a magic trick, a mask, and tool of seduction. Fangsmiths around the world (previously called “family dentists”) make custom fangs for those who want them. Many fangsmiths are specially trained as SFX artists or dental technicians.
Vampireworld dot con
Drinking blood isn’t what Hollywood makes it out to be, according to real-life vampires.
First of all, there’s no biting – that’s neither safe nor sanitary – and with too many vital arteries, the neck isn’t the favored spot. Transactions aren’t carnages leaving the victim lifeless behind in a dark alley, and nor do vampires sleep in coffins or burn in daylight. They’re generally cool with garlic. Most of them don’t even have fangs.
Instead, modern vampires get their sustenance from inch-long incisions made by a sterilized scalpel on a fleshy part of the body that doesn’t scar. Though the vampire may suck it up directly from the source, medically trained personnel usually perform the procedure. There’s paperwork too: “donors” don’t just have to consent, but also provide health certificates proving the absence of blood-borne diseases. Still, feeding is a sensual and sacred ritual.
The people who claim to be vampires are in the thousands worldwide, with demographics transcending borders, class, race and gender. And increasingly, researchers study them.
“We’re people you pass on the street and likely socialize with on a daily basis,” says Merticus, the 37-year-old founding member of Atlanta’s Vampire Alliance. “We often keep this aspect of our life secret for fear we’ll be misunderstood and to safeguard against reprisals from what society deems taboo.”
Merticus has identified as a real vampire since 1997, and speaks eloquently and passionately about what vampirism is and what it is not. (“Not a cult, a religion, a dangerous practice, a paraphilia, an offshoot of the BDSM community, a community of disillusioned teenagers and definitely not what’s depicted in fictional books, movies or television.”)
An antique dealer by profession, married with two dogs, he’s one of exceptionally few vampires to be open about his identity (“I hide in plain sight,” he explains). For almost a decade, he has personally worked with academics, social scientists, psychologists, lawyers, law enforcement agencies and others on how to best approach, research and understand the vampire subculture.
An Atlanta native, he is known as Merticus both legally and personally – even on his Starbucks card. And while he mostly dresses head-to-toe in black, he doesn’t don colored lenses or fang prosthetics. In fact, he is keen to say he isn’t into it because vampirism is “cool”. Real vampires don’t care much for pop culture buzz, and most don’t look the stereotype (only some 35% of real vampires are into goth, he claims). Some even sneer at the “lifestylers” (also known as “fashion vampires” and “posers”).
Modern vampires do not have sharp teeth. Photograph: Everett/Rex
Apart from the societal taboos attached to the practice, consuming human blood is generally not advisable: not only can it carry a range of diseases – including Hepatitis, HIV and parasites – but also hazardous amounts of iron. Indeed, modern vampires often insist that their cravings are not voluntary – life would have been easier without them – but something they’re born with. Yet, it isn’t necessarily sexual: though they can and do overlap, real vampirism should not be confused with blood fetishism.
Insiders refer to the realization of one’s vampiric nature as an awakening. It isn’t like the dramatic process often portrayed in movies, and one isn’t be “turned” through vampires bites. For most vampires, it’s a gradual and frightening process, normally manifesting itself in puberty or possibly following trauma. Through trial and error, vampires learn what curbs their hunger.
No one knows what causes haematomania, the craving to drink blood. Those who experience it describe it as an intense thirst-like sensation, an addiction with withdrawal-like symptoms. Animal blood or rare steaks may act as substitutes, but for most vampires nothing beats fresh blood. Frequency and amount vary but for many a few teaspoons once a week is enough. This, naturally, is supplemented with a normal diet: after all, real vampires are humans with human needs.
“Most people are able to maintain healthy energy levels through diet, exercise, social interactions and the occasional cappuccino,” says Mertucus. “We’ve had to develop alternative means to sate our energy needs.”
Not all drink blood, either. The community generally acknowledges two types of vampires: the blood vampires (“sanguinarians”) and the psychic or energy vampires who drain of “life-force” (also known as prana or chi) rather than blood from others.
“We do not identify with fictional characters, supernatural powers, or immortality, nor do we have any difficulty distinguishing between fantasy and reality,” Merticus says, adding that if anything, pop culture is catching up to them.
Real vampires, he says, have existed as an organized community for nearly 30 years, and in solitary for far longer. As there is no “test” for vampirism, everyone is welcome and it’s a remarkably diverse crowd, ranging from doctors, lawyers, soldiers, scientists, soldiers, artists, teachers and parents of all age, gender, ethnicity and religion. Some chose to align with like-minded through courts and houses, though the majority, he says, do not.
If there’s one thing real vampires seem to have in common, it is their reluctance to tell the world about who, and what, they are.
‘If there’s one thing real vampires seem to have in common, it is their reluctance to tell the world about who they are’.
Vampirism is perhaps an unfortunate term, admits John Edgar Browning, a researcher who has studied real vampire communities in New Orleans and Buffalo for nearly a decade.
“The members of this community suffer from the constant conflation of their identity by the outside world with the mythological and filmic vampire,” Brownings explains. “As a result, outsiders generally think of them as being out of their minds.”
According to Browning, real vampires have carved out their identity using very little of the pop-cultural representation. And while the mainstream may love vampires on screen, those who identify as such live in deep fear of hate crime and discrimination.
“Had they called themselves something else entirely, their reception may have developed quite differently. Regardless, any mention of their special health issues is almost always treated with suspicion by medical professionals; the inclusion of the word ‘vampire’ only intensifies it.”
Unfortunately, the fictitious misconceptions have translated into real-life stigmas. A study published by DJ Williams of Idaho State University raised alarm that individuals from the community rarely reveal their practices to clinicians, fearing they be labeled psychopathological in some way, or even wicked. While vampirism isn’t illegal, or not included in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), self-identified vampires worry they may be deemed not competent to perform in typical social roles, including careers and parenting, or even be hospitalized.
To preserve the intensity of the fear and emotion reported by participants, Williams chose to present their questionaire responses in poetic structures.
“Would I be comfortable
Disclosing my vampire identity?
No, I would never do that!
It would detract
From real issues
For which I was seeking treatment.
I have no desire to be classified
As delusional,
Immature,
Or a threat to public safety.
Social workers, psychologists, and counselors
Should listen
And be open.
They need to know more
About spiritual things.
And not immediately jump
To treating a disorder.
For us, vampirism is normal.”
While Merticus does not deny the inherently predatory nature of vampirism, he insists that an overwhelming majority adhere to ethical and safe feeding practices, are of sound mind and judgment and productively contribute to society.
Is our fascination with vampires a good opportunity for modern day vampires to come out? Photograph: PR
“We are often among the more intelligent, influential, and creative of the general population,” Merticus says. “Granted, we may be more ‘alluringly interesting’ or ‘dimensionally complex’ than your typical cubicle coworker or next door neighbor; but we’re trying to get by in this life just like everyone else!”
Those who have studied the community agree. According to both Browning and Williams, vampires seem to care deeply about the health and wellbeing of those they feed from, representing them as responsible, conscientious and mentally sane individuals (with their own codes of ethics ostracizing “rogues” feeding irresponsibly). The website of Atlanta’s Vampire Alliance even features a chapter on animal welfare, advising against unnecessary cruelty if choosing non-human blood.
Browning reports that while New Orleans’ community are extremely private, they regularly get together for humanitarian efforts, including feeding the city’s homeless. “One generally expects me to divulge stories of horror and revulsion about my experiences with the real vampire community, but the truth is I couldn’t have felt safer being around them,” he says.
Using the widespread discrimination of BDSM practitioners as a reference point, Williams explains that vampires’ fears to come out are far from unwarranted – much like kink (which was only removed from the DSM last year), vampirism highlights how ill-prepared our systems still are to deal with non-conventional lifestyles and deviance.
Also the author of academic papers with titles such as Social Work, BDSM and Vampires and Does Social Work Need a Good Spanking?, Williams urges physicians and mental health professionals to meet vampires, as well as other patients with alternative identities, with tolerance and respect in order to better help them.
“Social justice is at core of this,” he explains. “I don’t think that real vampires are our next civil rights struggle. But I do think that we are moving into an era where social justice for a much wider variety of diverse identities and communities will be a key societal issue.”
Real vampirism, admittedly, is still a nascent field of research. While waiting for academia to catch up, advocates from inside the community commissioned their own study (Merticus was part of orchestrating it). It gathered 950 participants in 40 countries across all continents between 2006 and 2014, and found that real vampires reported a far greater than normal incidence of medical ailments such as asthma, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and endocrine system disorders than the general population.
As serious research picks up by social (and hopefully medical) science, Merticus hopes to find not only answers, but also that acknowledgment may lead to increased acceptance for his kind.
In real life, coming out or not – much like True Blood’s civil rights allegory– is a divisive question: is the pop-cultural fascination with vampires an opportunity to build alliances and enlighten the world? Or should vampires retreat underground to avoid judgment?
For now, real vampires feel safer in the shadows.
“I’m more concerned about family life, the economy, finding a steady donor, and hoping the media doesn’t attribute the latest murder to non-existent ‘vampire cults’ than I am worried about seeking social justice and acceptance for my identity,” Merticus says.
“All we ask for is an open mind, tolerance, and the right to privately live our lives.”
You can view this on theguardian dot com
Sabretooth membership at this time only comes in one form, through the Rites of Transformation; which means one must get a pair of custom made fangs personally by master fangsmith Father Sebastiaan.
In the past, exceptions have been made on a case by case basis from 1997 to November 1999 (such as receiving your fangs in the Fangshop (at the Halloween Adventure Shop in NYC), but you should get in contact with us for a face to face interview.
Not all fang clients get a formal invitation to the Inner Court, as the Rite of Transformation allows Father to meet in-person to determine whether or not to invite the individual into the private virtual sanctum and online haven, the Vampire World Forums.
This process has been tried and tested since 2010 and we have only gained tremendous results. We have had people travel from Brazil to Paris, Germany to New York, Los Angeles to New Orleans and wait upwards of a decade to gain the opportunity for the Rite of Transformation with Father. As further demand grows, even the opportunity for the Rites of Transformation becomes more and more exclusive. In the future Father may only make fangs by referral from another Sabretooth or through an application process.
During their first year, Sabretooths are known as “fledglings” or "White Stones" because they are new to the Clan and often new to Sabretooth Culture. Fledglings are comically known for the “fledgling lisp” where they stutter when wearing their fangs.
Sabretooth Clan Membership Benefits:
Pride in being apart of an international “Fangdom” of others who had fangs by Father Sebastiaan.
Access to the private social network for fang clients: the Vampire World Forum and free iPhone and Android App.
Can attend the annual Conclave Festival in Austria every Summer.
Private Family only “Inner Courts” events.
Discounts and VIP access to select Endless Night Vampire Ball event tickets.
Can purchase the exclusive Vampire Legacy Ankh D’Edition in sterling silver.
Exclusive members only news and updates from the Vampire World Forum - Inner Court.
May obtain internal private Sabretooth Clan member exclusive books and articles.
May be selected for the "Order of the Flame", the official Inner Circle of the Sabretooth Clan for various volunteer and administrative duties.
Book an appointment with Father Sebastiaan to get your custom made fangs and an interview for Sabretooth membership.
The Vampire Legacy Ankh Ankh is the sigilium which represents culture, traditions which or the "Legacy Projects" which includes Vampire World YouTube Channel, Endless Night Vampire Ball events and the Sabretooth: Custom Made Fangs.
This precious artifact proudly worn discretely in public and openly in ceremony by both Sabretooth fang clients and Black Swans. Formally the Vampire Legacy Ankh was consecrated to symbolize the “The Red Veils” which are power words of the "vampire mythos" which include Elegance, Mystery, Romance, Transhumanism, Immortality, Primal Nature, Seduction, Magic and Glamour.
The ankh, or in Latin the crux ansata (cross with a handle), was originally the Egyptian hieroglyph which meant "life". Many ancient Egyptian artworks, especially funerary art, depict gods and pharaohs bearing this symbol. The ankh was also associated with Osiris, the god of death and rebirth, and ankhs were often placed with mummies in order to symbolically convey the gift of immortality. Over time the ankh came to symbolize immortality and can even be seen as a key to unlock the gates of death. The Rosicrucians and members of Hermetic orders often use this symbol in their rituals. The Coptic Christians, as well, employed it as a symbol of life after death. Ankhs incorporating mirrors into their design have sometimes been used to symbolize perception of the subtle reality.
The bladed ankh first surfaced in popular culture in the 1983 film The Hunger, directed by Tony Scott and based on the novel by Whitley Strieber, who also, significantly, wrote the novel Communion. With its historical symbolism, cultural significance, and esoteric nature, the ankh was the obvious symbol for the Vampyre Culture & Philosophy. In 1996, Master Metal Manipulator Drennan was commissioned by Father Sebastiaan to make an exclusive version of a bladed ankh to represent the virtues of the Legacy.
Thus was born the Legacy Ankh, the most recognized international symbol of the Legacy.
Since there are so many imitators, the Legacy Ankh is legally copyrighted and trademarked by Father Sebastiaan in order to protect it and to avoid any misuse of the symbol. We wish to make it clear that this particular scimitar-bladed ankh is the exclusive symbol of the Sabretooth clients who find power in Vampire Veils, and should be recognized and respected as such."
You can obtain the A Edition of the pewter version of the Legacy Ankh will be made available online to customers of Father Sebastiaan's Sabretooth Fangs. The D Edition will be only made in 50 pieces once per year on special order from the original mold.
sabretoothclan
Sabretooth Clan / Endless Night Productions prides ourselves ourselves on diversity, tolerance and openness. Our members come from over 27 countries and every possible socio-economic, cultural, religious, sexual orientation and ethic background, this is one of our greatest strengths. As an organization we are not associated with any political party or ideology. We do NOT and will never condone or tolerate racism, hate speech, Neo-Nazi or fascism or glorification within our events or activities. Nazi or fascist uniforms and symbolism have ALWAYS been forbidden by Endless Nightevents and this is clearly stated in our dress code. This is the 21st century and these un-evolved viewpoints have no place in modern society or a diverse community such as Sabretooth or at Endless Night events.
Eternally,
Father Sebastiaan
Founding Father of the Sabretooth Clan
Impresario of the Endless Night Vampire Ball
First written in July 2013
The BLACK VEILS are being evolved and expanded for the future into new book coming out October 1st 2017 in private and public editions entitled: Black Veils "The Vampire Lexicon."
The public edition will be a revised edition of the Red Veils "The Vampyre Virtues" with over 100 Black Veils which are the traditions, culture and philosophy of the Sabretooth Clan. The private edition will be available only to active Sabretooth Clan members and available in a leather bound and hardcover edition of over 300+ Veils.
The Black Veils are the lexicon of terms within the Sabretooth Clan with each Veil being word of power inspired by vampire mythos, legends and the culture that evolved within the Sabretooth Clan.
The first edition of the Black Veils were originally written in late 1996 by Father Sebastiaan as the code of conduct for the Sabretooth Clan and New York's night club the Long Black Veil. It was designed to be an alternative to individuals using Vampire: the Masquerade roleplaying rules within the vampire lifestyle. These original Black Veils were based on a mix of the fetish scene’s codes of conduct from the Eulenspiegel Society (TES) and the elegance of Renaissance Faire etiquette, as well as containing elements of chivalry and romantic overtones.
Over the years many editions and manifestations of the Black Veils have been presented. Here we present a complete, never before revealed edition. We are pleased to announce the forward will be written by international author Rosemary Ellen Guiley.
Public edition cover available on Amazon.com and Lulu.com on October 1st 2017. This is an expanded, revised and updated edition of the Red Veils: The Vampyre Virtues. Softcover: $13.00, Kindle: $6.66 and hardcover: $45.00 + S&H.
Special "Secret Edition" leather cover by Airship Isabella available October 1st 2017 exclusively for active members of the Sabretooth Clan. Initially limited to 666 copies. Price: $123.00 USD. Will include a ritual candle and special edition Legacy Vampire Ankh pendant.
THE BLACK VEIL
The Black Veil is a set of ethical guidelines designed to serve as a moral compass for the vampire community. The original Black Veil was written by Father Sebastian Todd for the Sanguinarium. Subsequent revisions were made by Michelle Belanger in the fall of 2000 and later in 2002. As there is such diversity within the vampire community, the Black Veil has been the focus of much debate and controversy. Many who first encounter the document assume that it is intended as a strictly enforced set of rules. Others question the applicability of any set of guidelines to the community as a whole. Finally, there is the issue of the first published version of the Black Veil, which many felt owed a great deal of inspiration to the “Traditions” of the role-playing game, Vampire: the Masquerade.
The Black Veil as it stands now is purely a set of guidelines and moral suggestions. While it still serves as the backbone for the Sanguinarium and the new Order of the Strigoi Vii, it has also been adopted by numerous groups and individuals who share no affiliation whatsoever with either of these groups.
The very first version of the Veil appears in the 1998-1999 edition of the Vampyre Almanac and reads:
The central philosophy of the “Black Veil” revolves around
hospitality
unity of the family
prevention of negative media exploitation and fundamentalist attacks
maintaining the mystique of the vampyre aesthetic
inspiring chivalry & honor.
A subsequent version published on the Internet was reminiscent of the seven Traditions of the Masquerade. These rules were followed by the fictitious secret society of vampires supposed to exist within and throughout the modern world as depicted by the authors of Vampire: the Masquerade. (Mike Rhein-Hagen, et. al)
This first version was unacceptable not only because of the issues of possible plagiarism raised by others in the community, but also because the perception that these rules intended for the real vampire community had been drawn from a role playing game seriously triviliazed the legitimacy of that community. Subsequently, Michelle Belanger got involved and requested permission to revise the Black Veil in order to increase its legitimacy and appeal. The resulting Thirteen Rules of Community, released in the fall of 2000, were clearly removed from any RPG influence and tailored more to the needs of the community at that time.
At Endless Night in October of 2002, a meeting between representatives of the Vampire Church, Bloodlines, the Sanguinarium, and individuals from many other independent organizations gave rise to a second revision of the Black Veil. This version was released a few weeks later. Trimmed down from thirteen and back to seven rules, the new Black Veil was streamlined to remove pretentious and overly “”Goth”” language to once again increase its appeal to the continously evolving greater community. The main idea behind this final revision was to express, in plain and simple language, the ethics already innately valued by the majority of that community.
As it stands now, the Black Veil is intended as a set of guidelines only. There is no obligation on the part of anyone within the vampire community to strictly follow these rules, and there is certainly no way to enforce them. However, as these guidelines were an attempt to give voice to the unspoken rules generally followed by everyone anyway, we feel that they adequately reflect the values upheld by many individuals within the community. At the core, they are simply common sense rules of behavior based upon respect for oneself and for others.
Beyond expressing the values held by a majority of the community, the main function of the Black Veil is to provide a widely publicized ethical code that the media can see when issues arise that might reflect poorly upon our community. When someone commits rape, assault, or murder and attempts to tie this to vampires or vampirism, we merely have to point to the tenets of the Black Veil to show that such behavior is not condoned by our community and that those who commit such crimes are acting well beyond the bounds of what we consider acceptable. In this, the Black Veil exists more for our own protection than anything else, and its continued existence insures that those outside of our community have a more positive view of who we are, what we do, and why we do it.
Here is the most current version of the Black Veil endorsed by House Kheperu:
The Black Veil
DISCRETION
Respect yourself and present yourself so that others also respect you. Take care in revealing your nature. Explain what you are, not to shock, but to teach and to inform. Do not flaunt what you are, and know that whether you want them to or not, your actions will reflect upon the rest of the community.
Share your nature only with those with the wisdom to understand and accept it, and learn to recognize these people.
DIVERSITY
Among us, there are many different practices and many points of view. No single one of us has all the answers to who and what we are. Respect each person’s individual choices and beliefs. Learn about them and share what you know. Our diversity is our strength, and we should not allow misunderstanding to weaken our community.
Find the path that is right for you and uphold this freedom for others.
CONTROL
Do not allow your darkness to consume you. You are more than just your hunger, and you can exercise conscious control. Do not be reckless. Always act with a mind toward safety. Never feed because you think this makes you powerful; feed because this is what you must do.
Be true to your nature, but never use it as an excuse to endanger those around you.
ELDERS
Give respect to those who have earned it. Anyone can claim a title, but a true leader will prove him or herself through dedication, hard work, and great deeds. Even so, leaders should be guides and not dictators. Look to them as examples, but always decide for yourself what you must do.
Respect the person, not the position, and understand that your choices are always your own.
BEHAVIOR
Know that there are repercussions to every action, and that you alone are responsible for your decisions. Educate yourself about risky behaviors, then always act with wisdom and common sense. Do not allow others to abuse you, but also, do not selfishly abuse.
Respect the rights of others and treat them as you would be treated.
DONORS
Feeding should occur between consenting adults. Allow donors to make an informed decision before they give of themselves to you. Do not take rapaciously from others, but seek to have an exchange that is pleasant and beneficial for all.
Respect the life that you feed upon and do not abuse those who provide for you.
COMMUNITY
Reach out to others in your community. Exchange ideas, information, and support. Be hospitable to others, and appreciate hospitality when it is extended to you. Do not engage in illegal activity, for this can endanger us all.
Seek to nurture our community and support all those who do the same.
written by Father Todd circa 1998 and revised by Michelle Belanger in 2000 & 2002
A copy of the most current Black Veil (BV v 2.0) appears in the back of The Psychic Vampire Codex: A Manual of Magick and Energy Work by Michelle Belanger as well as in the 2007 release, Vampires: In Thier Own Words.
There are actually a few different types of Elder in the community. The first type primarily being
1: Organization rank achieved through time, contribution, and administrative task completion, and community recognition
2: Individual standing achieved through significantly long community involvement
The first one really speaks mostly to Houses, Clans, Courts and Halo’s. In this field it is expected that the member involved has spent enough time, displayed a depth of knowledge and contributed enough effort to be recognized by both their own organization and others.
When one tries to establish a House, or other organization without any respected Elders, it often becomes rather difficult to gain wider acceptance. This can be an issue when there isn’t an organization in ones given area and they wish to set up their own, but simply haven’t been around long enough to gain a reputation in the wider community. These people are known by another term a “Leader”
The second type of Elder speaks not to standing in an organization, but to simply having been around a long time. It becomes accepted that through time, one has gained knowledge and wisdom (though that’s not always true.) These “Elders” aren’t always leaders and quiet often couldn’t lead their way out of a paper sack, if they could they would most likely be, or have been, in some organization. Sure there are some that are simply not interested in joining a group, but those tend to contribute in other ways.
What it really breaks down to, is that not all “Elders” are “Leaders” and not all “Leaders” have to be “Elders” The title “Elder” isn’t worth a whole lot outside of organizational business, and even then, if you aren’t a leader, it tends to be more of an honorific.
So if that is what Elders are, what are they not?
This has become a big question, so let me give you my view on it. Elders are not in the community to baby sit. They are not law enforcement, they are not working behind the scenes to put down upstarts, because honestly, they are a dime a dozen and no matter how many you squish, ten more take their place. Elders are not magical, or divine, they are not going to make bad people go away, (might kick them from groups) and in the end they are just normal people with the same reach and power as anyone else on Facebook or in the real world.
Very few Elders are full time community focused individuals. I know it might be a shock but most of them have jobs, heck some jobs that pay less then what you might be making, or in a profession with less esteem.
The Biggest thing elders contribute, at the end of the day, is experience. They have seen the rabble rousers before, they have seen the trolls, the womanizers, and dramatics and games people play. They know what has worked in the past, and what has totally failed.
Our community doesn’t need more Elders, what we need are more Leaders.
Rather then worry about a status, earn one by getting involved in something you are passionate about. Share your own knowledge, and contribute to on going efforts if leadership isn’t your thing. Respect can be earned by anyone, don’t worry about being Elder, you can grow old as time passes.
SA Vampyre Community, whose role it is to propagate educational material and information
about Vampyres, the Vampyre subculture and to represent the interests of the South Afican
Vampyre Community especially where human and civil rights may be affected by external
entities.As an organization, the SAVA represents ONLY members and supporters within the
geographic region of South Africa and does NOT form part of ANY religious umbrella body –
whether in or outside of South Africa. Co-operation between SAVA and other organizations
who may share similar goals in the interests of the common good, should not be taken to
mean that the SAVA “belongs to”, “is part of” or “a subsidiary of” any other organization, in or
outside of the SAVC.The Alternative Religions Forum (A.R.F.) was an initiative established in
2013 with joint input from the SAVA, the South African Pagan Rights Alliance and
representatives from various minority religions in South Africa with the common goal of
supporting an initiative to create an information resource which would be distributed freely to
educate especially the South African public, media and law enforcement about occult religions
such as Paganism, Satanism and Luciferianism and the Vampyre subculture.
The resulting document (“Satanism: The Acid Test” ARF Project document PDF fileV01.03) is a
unique world-first, academically acclaimed resource which presents the facts about each
group from their own perspective rather than that of external observers who may be biased or
prejudiced by their own religious views, and which has been instrumental in defusing
prejudice in SA media reporting of so-called “occult related crimes” since its release in July
2013.Since its founding in 2011, the SAVA has promoted high ethical standards of conduct
within the SAVC, and also in the broader global VC. The SAVA does not and has never tolerated
criminality or abusive behavior within the VC, and is signatory to several international VC
resolutions and conventions on the ethical treatment of others, including otherkin, donors,
humans and animals which form part of the SAVA’s internal policies ****.Due to the mixed
nature of the attention which the Vampyre subculture unfortunately draws – being
occasionally overtly hostile, undoubtedly dangerous and unpredictable, the SAVC has long
followed traditions, conventions and cultural norms intended to keep the identities of its
participants safe from those who would seek to harm them. These include the long-
established practice of participants adopting a nightside name on social media in order to
protect law-abiding citizens from the attentions of social media trolls, religious zealots, and
those with hostile and possibly violent intent.The SAVA is not obliged to provide membership
information to anyone. Nor is the SAVA under ANY obligation whatsoever to respond to
requests for interviews or information from the media or interested third parties.
The Bloody Truth About Serbia's Vampire experts explain why the legend never dies.
Nature Geographic
In past centuries, outbreaks of vampire hysteria, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, often coincided with outbreaks of tuberculosis and deadly plagues. Peasants had no other way of explaining why everyone was dropping dead but by blaming it on witches and vampires or other supernatural creatures. In 19th-century New England, tuberculosis wasted entire families, one after another. Superstitious people believed that the first to die was somehow feeding on his surviving family members. (Related: "'Vampire of Venice' Unmasked: Plague Victim & Witch?")
Why did people begin believing in vampires?
MB: Especially between the 16th and 18th centuries, little was known about what happens to the body after death. During plagues and epidemics, mass graves were continually reopened to bury new dead. People sometimes exhumed the bodies of the diseased to look for possible causes. Reports about vampires describe exhumations weeks or months after death, during the body's decay.
Bodies weren't embalmed back then. They rot, to be quite frank, in grossly different ways. If a bunch of people in the village started dying in mysterious ways, they'd dig up the first one to die, see that his corpse didn't look quite right, assume that was blood flowing down those cheeks (it's called purge fluid in modern forensics, a natural byproduct of decomposition, but it's not blood), and generally burn the body. End of vampire.
Savanovic supposedly survived in spirit as a butterfly. Are there other twists on the classic vampire story?
MB: Sometimes it was thought that the body turned into a wolf or dog because near the grave of the vampire, there were footsteps of these animals. Actually, the earth had been disturbed by stray and hungry dogs attracted by the smell of the decomposing body.
Why is garlic anathema to vampires?
MCJ: People used to believe that strong-smelling stuff like garlic was apotropaic, meaning able to ward off evil spirits. But the specific garlic-vampire connection was popularized by 19th and 20th century novels and movies. A kind of [Romany] vampire, for example, is instead deterred by burning turmeric. Garlic won't bother them.
How do modern interpretations of vampires differ from older ones?
How do modern interpretations of vampires differ from older ones?
: Ancient reports speak about vampires as bloated corpses of ordinary people with blood around the mouth. In the movies, the dead are charming, seductive, often aristocratic, or with superhuman powers.
MCJ: The modern fascination with vampires is fueled by books and movies. Since the early 19th century, that has turned on illicit romance. Forbidden love. It was somehow thrilling to cross the line and love a vampire, or to be seduced by one. Hardly any of that is in the folklore, though. (See: "Vampire Expert Digs His Fangs Into 'True Blood,' 'Twilight.'")
Has there ever been any proof that a vampire existed?
B: No. All the old reports about vampires talk about real events and real exhumation of bodies of suspected vampires. But they are misinterpretations of the transformative phenomena of corpses: Every exhumed vampire was actually a normal, decomposing body.
Why does this belief in vampires hang on?
MCJ: Fear of the dead. The same reason that people, deep down, are still afraid of ghosts. A vampire is a dead body brought back to life, so to speak, perhaps by the devil or an evil spirit.
B: I think it's connected to two deep aspects of human thought: death and blood. Death is our inevitable destiny. Blood is our life fluid. The vampire connects these two aspects in a paradoxical way—it is a corpse who escapes death by drinking blood.
Vampirologists & Vampophobes
Definitions:
The following are definitions within the Vampyre Community context.
What is a vampophobe?
Vampophobe – one who is intolerant, non-acceptant or fearful of Vampyres or vampyric people, and who may act or react toward them with hostility. Such a person is said to be ‘vampophobic’ – i.e. “many ‘vampirologists’ are vampophobic”.
What is a vampirologist?
Vampirologist – one who studies vampirology or a person who researches, studies, and discusses vampires in both the fictional and real world and the trends that follow them, usually without making contact with them or taking any actions against them or intervening or attempting to influence or change the culture or community.
What is an Academic?
Academic (person) – A person who is a member of a college, university, or other institution of higher education. (Dictionary of unfamiliar words)
Vampirologists – General:
In general terms, there is a trend of perceiving a vampirologist as an academic, someone representing a college or a university or another institute, who studies or observes or researches Vampyres, typically in fiction, but also increasingly in the context of the Vampyre Community or Vampyre subculture.
In recent years, several serious academics (people with academic qualifications in various inter-related fields of study) have engaged with the VC and studied the subculture. Examples of this group include Dr. Joseph Laycock and D.J. Williams.
This practice has proved mutually fruitful since it resulted in many useful and helpful articles about the subculture and community which have improved the outside perception of the community and by the academic world. In the VC itself, following the increase over recent decades of incidences of academic studies being published (typically of great benefit to the acceptance of the subculture) these individuals tend to be presumed to be people with an actual academic qualification, perhaps based at a university as a professor or doctor in a field like anthropology or sociology.
It is worth noting that NONE of these serious academics has EVER identified themselves *as* ‘vampirologists’, least of all, not to the VC itself.
Also, despite the lengthy definition of a vampirologist above, there is no external, dictionary, precise, specific, point by point, black and white definition of what a vampirologist does or doesn’t do.
This is because there is NO such actual THING in the academic world as a vampirologist.
You won’t find for example, at a university or other academic institution, an academic with that title – ie ‘Dr. John Smith – Vampirologist‘.
Misunderstandings About Vampirology:
The ‘standard definition’ of ‘vampirology’ appears to be focused on the study of fictional and mythical creatures which do not actually exist outside of a book – since it does not in fact recognize living people identifying as Vampyres as the ‘real vampires’ in question. No. They seek undead corpses slumbering in caskets hidden in forgotten cellars.
However, since the 1970’s, when the Vampyre Community began to coalesce into a visible and detectable presence, there has been a slow, gradual increase in interest in us. A mix of religious critics and curious (if sceptical) academics have increasingly been probing and investigating the Vampyre subculture. Since there are actual Vampyres and an actual Vampyre Community, there is a perceived need to study them, and hence, *poof* the ‘real modern vampirologist’ was born.
This lack of a concrete point-by-point definition of what a ‘vampirologist’ is or does, has in the recent past resulted in some unfortunate misunderstandings where people have entered the community by various portals proclaiming their academic status as ‘vampirologists’ – with or without academic qualifications – and then deliberately exploiting the misunderstanding around the term – and its total lack of actual definition – in order to interfere, destabilize, divide and to disrupt the community instead of adhering to accepted academic standards of ethical practice, and with the intention of advancing their own objectives, whatever these may be.
Instead of quietly conducting their studies or research without intervention, the trend with these individuals is to linger, mingle, insinuate themselves into as many groups as possible, where they then try to influence, argue, criticize, intimidate, set down roots within the community – and then disrupt the community by means of inciting drama and flame wars in forums or groups, and by attempting to redefine or reorient elements of the subculture to suit their own views. An apt description for the conduct of such an individual would be an ‘internet troll’.
Rather, we urge any Vampyre or Vampyre Community group to exercise extreme caution when approached by ANYONE who identifies themselves as a ‘vampirologist’ and expects to be taken seriously and at face value, without being able to produce some kind of formal accreditation or affiliation to a formally recognized institute of learning and a complete and detailed manifesto of aims and goals of whatever study they intend to conduct, up to and including a detailed break-down of the methodology they intend to employ.
Having a website, a blog or even a very nice full color business card proclaiming ‘Dr. John Smith – Vampirologist’ does not mean that person can or should be taken simply at face value. Anyone can call themselves a ‘vampirologist’ – and calling themselves an ‘amateur vampirologist’ doesn’t make it any better. Again, calling oneself an ‘academic’ should require some kind of proof, and more concrete than merely referencing a string of internet blogs.
For example, how would a “‘Dr’ with a Phd in English literature” be in any way qualified to run a radio show about medical issues? There is of course, a vast difference between this, and say – a sociology professor or even a student of new religious movements (NRM’s) asking to observe or study the VC – and a layperson who is not themselves vampyric presenting themselves as an ‘expert’ on the Vampyre subculture.
There is therefore a MARKED difference between a ‘vampirologist’ focused on studying or pursuing a mythical undead walking corpse (if at all these can be found anywhere outside of literature) and a serious academic researcher who is focused on studying the Vampyre Community in its own context for academic reasons and without prejudice.
Of course, either may be entertained in our community, provided their presence is not disruptive or their intent is not understood to be hostile towards the community or its participants – i.e. vampophobic.
The most dangerous type of ‘vampirologist’ is, perhaps as expected, the religious fundamentalist or skeptical critic, who has no real interest in observation, or research – except to learn weaknesses and to identify targets for hostile action. You can see some examples of this type illustrated listed below.
Precedents for ‘vampirologists’:
Vampirology is technically speaking, a prominent feature of fiction itself, such as “Dr Abraham van Helsing” in Dracula (or “Abraham von Goosewing” from Duckula, take your pick) for example – even though this most famous of all examples was an academic, his field of study was blood and diseases of the blood – and though he was very knowledgeable about Dracula, Van Helsing was technically a vampire hunter, not an academic in terms of VAMPIRE studies – and this naturally should be considered an example of vampophobia – and in the case of self-described ‘academic’ or even ‘amateur’ ‘vampirologists’, a form of academic vampophobia.
After all, Van Helsing wasn’t interested in studying Dracula or any other vampire in the Stoker novels, he only cared about staking and beheading them. Modern examples of ‘vampirologists’ have demonstrated no qualms about endangering those they claim to be studying or researching, and have several times placed individuals and even entire communities at risk.
The Roman Catholic Church still has a post for a ‘Vampire Hunter’, which might not be quite the same thing, but it is in keeping with the established tradition many who would wear the mantle of a ‘vampirologist’ would be attracted to.
Examples of alleged ‘vampirologists’ include individuals such as:
Sean Manchester (of the ‘High Gate vampire’ fiasco in the 1960’s and 70’s). Nowadays a Bishop in London, yet still chasing after the media spotlight, and not content with merely focusing on the fictional or mythological vampire, this individual has frequently launched scathing criticism against the Vampyre subculture and community. He maintains that his farcical accounts of hunting an undead apparition ‘vampire’ in London over several years, are true and accurate, despite being called out as a fraud by various critics, notably even by other ‘vampirologists’. Since he has demonstrated nothing more than scorn for living Vampyres, referring to them as ‘vampiroids’, Manchester is not known to have ever approached the VC directly or to have interacted or studied it internally, since he does not believe that ‘real living vampires’ exist, although he certainly seems to believe that ‘undead blood-drinking corpses’ and ‘revenants’ do.
Anthony Hogg – an Australian self-described ‘arm-chair critic’ with a passion for the fictional and mythological vampire, entered the online VC around 2013. He presented himself as an ‘academic’ and an ‘amateur vampirologist’, posting numerous articles on his blogs (shared among a network of external lifestyle ‘zine’ sites) about fictional vampires as well as critical articles about the VC and subculture. His ‘study of vampires in fiction’ and his blog articles appear to be the sole basis for his claim of being an ‘academic’. The drama and flame-wars in various groups across the VC resulting from his attempts to force his views on the community were most unwelcome, and by August 2015, Anthony Hogg had been banned and excluded from most if not all Vampyre Community groups and was essentially viewed as a ‘white swan‘.
Physical Dangers:
There have always been the kooks and nut-jobs skulking in the shadows, making a life-long hobby (or obsession) out of chasing ghost stories and tales of lurching undead revenants in the mists of their imaginations and craving media attention. Sometimes some of these kooks and nut-jobs have got together and formed little clubs to indulge their hobbies (or obsessions) and spend nights staking out cemeteries and even stalking ‘people of interest’ to them.
Some of these people have used the term ‘vampirologist’ too, to describe their interests, field of study or activities, even though they do not typically even remotely consider what they see as ‘Goth wannabes’ and ‘vampiroids’ as anything like their actual subject of study – an undead myth that it is extremely unlikely ever existed out of mythology or fiction or drug-fueled delusions.
Further, there is again another subdivision in these categories which has been noticed over time:
It is usually the ‘unqualified’ or ‘hobbyist’ type of ‘vampirologist’ that is of concern to the VC. Real academics associated with universities or other institutions of learning tend to abide by ethics and professional standards – whereas the part-time, unaffiliated and unqualified variety who relies heavily on their own personal biases tend to be motivated by some kind of personal agenda, typically hostile to the VC, which means they need to be carefully screened and preferably avoided.
Physical dangers presented by such people are synonymous with those of any misunderstood and often vilified minority group – threats and intimidation, persecution, assault, and worse.
Groups or communities which are divided or bogged down in drama find it difficult – and in a worst case scenario, impossible – to provide much-needed support to their members.
‘Vampirology’ Groups:
Yes, believe it or not, there are actually groups in existence which either form to keep an eye on real Vampyres, or which run around hunting shadows of fiction in the night. We have included both types in this listing. There are many, we are sure, but since we are in South Africa, we have decided to list local groups in preference to international ones, although some of the more prominent international ones also feature, since these days the internet (and Facebook) have shrunk the world and become ‘the Great Equalizer’.
Whether the creators of websites and Facebook pages which attack or incite harm or hostility against the real Vampyre Community do so to while away their boring existence by creating lampoon sites to send up religious fundamentalist lunatics who perpetually wax hysterical about “Satanists”, “witches” and “vampires” – or if they are just immature bored kids on a mission to attract attention – or if they are seriously deluded individuals convinced of what they are saying, isn’t always immediately clear.
Members of the community find sites and Facebook groups like this amusing just like anyone else, but also frustrating and annoying, because while humorous to a degree, they also help to perpetuate misconceptions about the real Vampyre Community, and in a way help to fuel the hostility against the community and subculture.
Most typically those who make sites like this have no idea that real Vampyres do exist – and perhaps that is a good thing.
Almightywind Ministry (USA)
Category: Vampophobic
This American group, which focuses mainly on the conversion of gang members and gangster culture to a fundamentalist if eccentric strain of Christianity, and which is obsessed with ‘satanic panic hysteria’, has aside from a plethora of conspiracy theory videos available on YouTube about homosexuality, Halloween and even werewolf transformations, released modest quantities of vampophobic video material, mainly on YouTube, in which the real Vampyre Community is conflated with “Satanism” as well as the personal theories about alien origins (in particular, the “reptilians”).
In a series of inane video rants, this group has claimed to have infiltrated real Vampyre Community groups with the ultimate intention of destroying them in the name of their religious beliefs. In one video in particular, one individual embarks on a mission to defame a rival pastor from another similar gang focused ministry by portraying him as a real Vampyre, using musical taste as so-called evidence.
This South African group, apparently started in 2011, claims to act against occult and supernatural forces in the East London area. It makes references to alleged death threats received from “Satanists” while actively “fighting” them. Of course, since this group also posts reports about apparent observation and infiltration of supposed “vampire houses” in East London, it is of interest in this category. At any rate, the community is not aware of any actual Houses in East London, so this claim (along with the site and the “group” it represents, is most likely bogus – probably a watered down version of the “God Hates Goth” website and concept. No independent information exists to verify any of the claims of “action” made by the group. As of November 2012, immediately after SA Vampyre News exposed the group’s claims in an article, the group appears to have vanished, but may simply have gone underground – which is more concerning, because if it were a parody site, why would it hide from attention?
Since 2012 several nonsensical statements have been released by various ORC representatives about vampyrism and the Vampyre Community.
Real Vampire Community Personal Safety & Privacy Awareness
By Sanguinarius E. Sanguinarius | October 1, 2014 | Information, Social, Lifestyle & Culture
A sobering message to the participants of the vampire community
By Merticus & Zero
The vampire community was formed in part to promote the well-being of its members with a supportive social network. We’ve done an admirable job in promoting safer feeding practices, sensitivity and acknowledgment of donor concerns, and sharing the most effective ways to manage or conceptualize vampirism. We’ve supported one another as we discovered that it was acceptable to form our own identities, even if those close to us can’t or won’t be supportive. Despite our advances, we’ve fallen short at protecting our community from exploitation by both outsiders and subversive participants who exist among us. The most visible members of the vampire community should strive towards being more open to newcomers and willing to work with them on finding responsible resources. When newcomers find themselves in a leaderless environment they are more likely to encounter individuals willing to serve this role who have less than honorable intentions. The time has come to acknowledge and correct this problem.
Participants in the vampire community have a responsibility to one another to correctly identify, acknowledge, and remove illegal, abusive, and predatory behavior from our own milieu. We’re all aware there are predators and opportunists who want to capitalize on the popularity of vampires; using the vampire community as their personal one-stop deli counter of potential victims. Actively promoting a cultural set of values to which real vampires already tend to aspire is the strongest and most far-reaching way to undermine these individuals. If it’s widely known that real vampires promote safe behavior, healthy personal growth, and interactions between equally-powerful individuals on a level social playing field, then it’s far more difficult for predators, abusers, and opportunists to effectively pretend to be part of our community, or worse, to fool others into following them based on the merits of their supposed vampirism and charming charisma.
In building the vampire community, we’ve created a culture that encourages introspection, promotes individual health, and tries to meet the needs of its individuals. We can also use these methods that are unique to the vampire community to address dangers and promote health at the community level as well as the individual level. We owe it to ourselves and those who participate in our community, both online and offline, to acknowledge that the vampire community is at risk for specific types of abuse. We must be willing to take the necessary steps to create a culture that lessens that risk to our participants. This also includes identifying community participants who choose to prey on others, create imaginary lives that have the potential to adversely affect those around them, or who commit crimes and engage in behaviors which pose a clear danger to the personal safety, security, and livelihoods of law abiding participants in the vampire community.
I. Avoid Enabling Or Encouraging Outright Fantasy
When an individual participates in discussions solely on the internet, others can only judge who they are as a person by what they write. While the same can be said for those who choose to reveal selective sides of themselves over the telephone or in person, it’s less likely to occur with the same degree of success. We’re a non mainstream community, whose discussion topics include spiritual or occult themes, and these themes can appear dramatic, compelling, and intense. We understand that simply by virtue of existing, a community dedicated to the support of real vampires will inevitably attract people with unstable emotional or psychological conditions who are drawn by the appeal of the fantastic. We must work to explicitly distinguish the vampire community’s disposition towards the dramatic from facetious rhetoric. It’s detrimental to us all to enable anyone’s confusion of fantasy with reality.
Our community has a strong appreciation for personal expression, which has given participants a wide margin of acceptability in use of dramatic and fiction-derived language, but we’re reaching the limits of what the community can tolerate without becoming abject enablers of outsiders’ ego-based fantasy and role-playing behavior. A culture appreciating and rewarding precise communication is far more valuable to us than a culture which allows metaphorical language to pollute the discussion with drama while helping predators blend in. Imposed social hierarchy, assigned personal titles, and arbitrary laws derived largely from role-playing games are counterproductive to protecting the community from abuses. We must be able to discern legitimate community members from outsiders or those who have simply borrowed terminology in hopes of a quick assimilation and a naive fan base who’ll succumb to their wishes or possible ulterior motives. Many predators aren’t easily identified as being either unstable or violent. The most dangerous are often those who are the most charismatic; assimilating into the crowd and rising through the ranks until they obtain the level of recognition or respect necessary to carry out their actions. If you have a feeling that something is not “right” about someone then you should perhaps listen to your intuition; especially if others are in agreement.
Time is a valuable commodity, so we resolve to only spend it conversing with people worth our time; surrounding ourselves with those who are mentally and emotionally stable, grounded in reality, and those who don’t engage in or encourage dangerous behaviors. Observing the actions of others and measuring their loyalties over long periods of time will often reveal those who are truly deserving of your company. We have a responsibility to ourselves to understand what attracts us to someone, how they are viewed and treated by their peers, and how they respond to setbacks, refusals, or disagreements. This is how a safe and stable community can be built at a grassroots level: by individuals making better-informed choices about who to interact with. Pathological liars, mentally ill participants who constantly cause discord or whose delusions tear at the harmony of community interactions, and attempts towards establishing oligarchical power structures must not be welcomed in our community.
II. Acknowledge The Ways In Which We Are Targets
We’re a community of outsiders and identity seekers, and over time we’ve shared our experiences of building our hard-won senses of self over and against the disapproval of family or religion, despite lack of social support, or even in the face of outright sabotage by our peers. Many of us have a personal story in our past in which we had to choose between who we are and who someone else wanted us to be. Many vampire community participants are drawn to our discussions of identity because they are themselves in the process of developing those same personal tools of self-discovery, and may be facing adversity of their own in the process. The vampire community has become an incubator for individuals’ sense of self, both vampires and non-vampires; keeping it a safe space for such exploration should be foremost among our responsibilities.
The vampire community has always tried to be a safe space in which uncertainty is allowed. We allow one’s identity to remain a question without an immediate answer as individuals develop the tools to ask themselves who they are, and uncover their answers for themselves. As a non-authoritarian culture, vampires have always held that validation of one’s own experiences need not come from those in higher positions of respect or authority than oneself. The vampire community has supported this idea by encouraging individuals to “discover themselves” and to “be honest with themselves”, but we can be more assertive in reminding those on a path of self-discovery to maintain their own autonomy: that the checks and balances of logic and realism are better tools than the arbitrary mandates of others and that they themselves are the only ones they have to please.
If our community is intended to be a safe space for self-discovery, then we need to be aggressively aware that being uncertain makes one a target; opportunists will always be there to exploit any uncertainty and any weakness in one’s sense of self. The vampire community can promote awareness of attacks upon the self by outlining probable patterns of attack: the offering of a ready-made identity in place of one’s hard-fought search for identity; encouraging vulnerable individuals to sever ties with their current support network; blatant disregard of the health of a donor; asking for time, money, personal information, or sexual favors. We must be conscious, and encourage awareness, of the ways in which opportunists try to hijack the process of self-discovery in vulnerable individuals.
Encouraging or facilitating association and open discussion with those under the age of eighteen by adults is inherently problematic. This openness and lack of restrictive access on the part of the vampire community is often looked upon by predators as an opportunity to fulfill their fantasies. It’s simply not safe for children or young teenagers to participate in the vampire community in unrestricted or unsupervised social networking environments. While we acknowledge that the search for identity is just as legitimate, and just as personally important (if not more so) in the young as it is in adults, we must also acknowledge the increased vulnerability of this demographic. Furthermore, the type of discernment that we intend to encourage can only come with maturity and experience. This is true for all at-risk groups: those new to the internet, those who are used to sheltered environments, but especially for the young and inexperienced. The internet vampire community can not realistically keep at-risk participants safe from potential abuse, and therefore can not ethically allow their interactive participation. The best way to serve the needs of those high-risk groups is to encourage every individual to engage in honest introspection free from the undue influence of others, and to only join interactive participation after they have developed a strong sense of self, and of self-defense.
Many of the aforementioned behaviors, at least in their beginnings, have largely flown under our radar as a community. Perhaps we’ve seen forum postings in which someone’s recruiting members sight-unseen for their new “House” or “Clan”, or perhaps we know someone who was told that if they really want to “be a vampire”, they should send some money to find out how. This strikes many of us as an off-note, but we don’t know what to do to prevent it from occurring in the future. It’s not an explicit illegal offense, but it erodes our culture and our purpose. We can work against this type of exploitation by directly addressing the problem with new and vulnerable community participants, pointing out the techniques used to undermine individuality, and by creating a culture that explicitly refuses to tolerate behaviors that subvert, rather than support, a developing sense of self.
III. Promote Aggressive Privacy, Personal Safety, & Identity Compartmentalization Techniques
We know that being different is a personal danger in our lives, and many members of the vampire community take steps to avoid having people who they know in a non-vampiric context discovering their nightside identities. To ensure our continued employment, involvement in our children’s lives, and avoid uncomfortable social situations, we’ve created a necessary aesthetic of privacy and of separation. However, when it comes to interactions within the vampire community, we don’t have explicit ideals about how much information to share with one another, how to trust or not trust one another, or what kinds of protections we might be wise to employ from one another. It’s not about being more honest and open nor is about having something to hide; it’s about keeping the power over your personal safety firmly in your own grasp at all times. It’s about being aware that exposing your private information on the internet, or trusting too easily in the real world, transfers the power from your own hand to those who receive your trust. If the vampire community is intended to be a safe space, part of enforcing that safety must include actively discouraging participants from making themselves less safe.
We can create a safer community by building explicit ideals about keeping one’s personal identifying information secret on the internet and in real life to the best of our ability. We can discourage the use of personally-identifying email addresses, the sharing of names, phone numbers, or addresses, accessing vampire related websites from work computers, and especially the tendency to let one’s Facebook (or other social network) serve double-duty for both nightside and dayside friends. Unless one’s identity was compartmentalized at the initial onset of participation in the vampire community, then that individual will be forever at risk to possible exploitation. Therefore, it’s important to monitor what information and conversations we engage in publicly, keeping track of what we’ve have shared about ourselves with others and being more cautious before giving freely of our trust.
Perhaps most importantly, we can remind ourselves that we can never know whether someone on the internet is really who they say they are, and build conventions of communication accordingly. We can discourage stalking, harassing, or malicious “outing” of fellow community members by promoting effective privacy as a community standard. We can teach and remind one another how to keep ourselves safe from harm, and how to recognize when we’re placing ourselves into a situation in which we’re dependent on someone else for our safety. These are not suggestions steeped in paranoia — they are prudent measures in an age where our personal privacy is eroding and the means to manipulate others for personal gain are growing.
IV. Exercise Our Protections Under The Law
Opportunists know those outside the mainstream can feel rejected by society, and are less likely to believe they have normal social protections or legal recourse. This might even be true in many places, if law enforcement is intolerant of diversity or if they’ve fallen for Satanic Panic conspiracy theories. Whether hostility from law enforcement is real or simply feared, the vampire community has a real and valuable right to the protections of law, and we have a responsibility to call on the law to protect both us and our fellow community participants if a predator creates problems in our local communities or online.
No one should be afraid to report serious abuses and work transparently with law enforcement to remove predators from our community. Likewise, when abuses occur, it’s important to see that police reports are filed, personally record detailed narratives and facts surrounding the event, and be able to present irrefutable evidence when official legal inquiries are made. In conjunction with law enforcement involvement, participants who personally experience abuses or witness them firsthand should report them to those in a position of influence or leadership for those in the community who may come into contact with the alleged offender. Too often, violent and abusive community participants can continue their abuses simply by moving to another city or state, where the community hasn’t yet heard of their record. Community participants who have good communication with one another should be able to thwart such behavior, so long as they are armed with legitimate data such as official police reports, rather than rumors and gossip.
Through the responsible sharing on actionable and verifiable information concerning crimes, we can create a culture which predators, child molesters, and those who are abusive and violent, are afraid to approach or participate in, because they know they’ll get reported immediately, charges will be pressed, and they’ll be called out and held responsible for trying to make the vampire community their personal playground. We can create a culture that makes vulnerable participants aware of the potential for abuse and that real vampires behave in ways designed intentionally to promote individual safety and security.
This is a good article I want to share to you guys, by a mundane name Aleister about the vampire community.
The name is Aleister. It's not actually my name, but its a pretty good name to go by. I am referred to by the vampire community as a “mundane”. In other words, I am non-vampiric. I was introduced to this shadowy world by my girlfriend Aura – who has been a sanguine vampire for many years. Being a newcomer to this community has given me an opportunity to make a number of observations. I’d like to keep my view completely objective – but how that will turn out, we have yet to see.
I have met some fantastic people and, contrary to what outsiders might think, there is a tremendous amount of love and friendship between them. These people are by no means outcasts. There is a huge network of vampires and everybody seems to know each other, or heard of each other. They drink blood. I’m sure they know how eccentric that seems, and jokes are plentiful in their online forums, chats and social networks.
In this day and age, the internet is the biggest information conduit and it’s no surprise that communities which lean more towards the “darkside” are online…. but – I know what you folks are thinking here. Although their names, mannerisms and dress-sense may lead one to believe this is an escape from reality, this is most definitely not the case. Vampires give themselves “nightside” names for obvious reasons – persecution. Persecution and prejudice from colleagues, parents, lovers. I’m sure there are those who are masquerading as real vampires for the sake of entertainment, but these I’m sure are the minority.
The nature of these communities is secretive to a small extent only as far as in protecting their identities. The vampires I have spoken to have been open books. They are more than happy to divulge their routines, ways and beliefs – which are vast. From Pagans to Wiccan, multi-belief structures – taking aspects of all religions – it seems all can be found under this umbrella of acceptance.
Since the media has picked up their scent, they have people believing this is something new. This, my friends, is a fallacy. Some vampires I have spoken to were already practicing in the 1980s. These myths and legends had to spawn from somewhere and, as these things go, got all twisted up. I believe religion has a lot to answer for, as it has molded peoples perception of right and wrong into something else entirely.
It has been an ongoing journey, delving into this society and I find myself fascinated more and more with the culture. I am not a conservative person but I had my doubts. This passed in a day. Just one day it took me to accept the reality that my soul-mate drinks blood. I’d say I got over it, but it’s not something to get over. It either is, or it’s not. This shouldn’t have been a hurdle in our relationship. It should be a “Hey, you’re vegetarian? That’s great! I make killer potato bake!” moment. The comments I read on a recent article about vampires were quite frankly abhorrent – that people would take time out of their lives to spout rubbish and ridicule people they knew nothing about, is beyond me.
As South Africans, change has played a huge role in our lives. Everyday we are seeing new facets of our society – and why not? I feel privileged to have this insight into a culture I was previously excluded from. I am not an active vampire, or donor. I have no intention to become one. My name is Aleister. It’s not my name, but its a good name to know you by.
Outsiders and newcomers to the SAVC can easily be forgiven for their ignorance about the VC, the SAVC, Vampyre culture and the nuances of how everything works in the South African context.
Here follows just a small refresher to answer any questions that may have been raised recently:
Vampyrism is not a religion, although it may feature in various religions. Not all Vampyres identify as Pagans, just as not all Pagans identify as Witches. There are many reasons why diverse individuals may consume blood or energy from diverse sources (*while strictly observing ethical standards and behavior), but to self-identifying Vampyres, religion is not one of them. A self-identifying Vampyre may identify with any religion of their choice, just as anyone else does. **Some Vampyres identify as Pagans, while in fact, ***almost as many identify as Christians. Religion is a personal choice, while Vampyres do not see being vampyric individuals as being a matter of choice.The South African Vampyre Community (SAVC) is an amalgam of diverse individuals united by common experience, identity, and is a unique stand-alone subculture not beholden to or affiliated with any entities external to the VC as a whole. Individual participants in the SAVC are not prevented from interacting with other VC’s around the world, and they are free to engage with other subcultures, communities and societies as they see fit. Therefore, you may find Vampyres in Christian churches, Pagan covens, at the lunch counter, at bingo, and probably just about anywhere.To clarify once and for all: vampyrism is not a religion, individual Vampyres may belong to/identify with, participate in ANY religion of their own choice. As such, they should be free to participate on an equal footing with any other members of those groups, as would anyone else. There never was, nor will there ever be ANY SAVA-led initiative, effort, plan or agenda to integrate the Vampyre subculture into any other single religious identity, be it Paganism, Satanism, Christianity or any other.The South African Vampyre Alliance (SAVA) is a SECULAR (NON-religious) body active within the SA Vampyre Community, whose role it is to propagate educational material and information about Vampyres, the Vampyre subculture and to represent the interests of the South Afican Vampyre Community especially where human and civil rights may be affected by external entities.As an organization, the SAVA represents ONLY members and supporters within the geographic region of South Africa and does NOT form part of ANY religious umbrella body – whether in or outside of South Africa. Co-operation between SAVA and other organizations who may share similar goals in the interests of the common good, should not be taken to mean that the SAVA “belongs to”, “is part of” or “a subsidiary of” any other organization, in or outside of the SAVC.The Alternative Religions Forum (A.R.F.) was an initiative established in 2013 with joint input from the SAVA, the South African Pagan Rights Alliance and representatives from various minority religions in South Africa with the common goal of supporting an initiative to create an information resource which would be distributed freely to educate especially the South African public, media and law enforcement about occult religions such as Paganism, Satanism and Luciferianism and the Vampyre subculture. The resulting document (“Satanism: The Acid Test” ARF Project document PDF fileV01.03) is a unique world-first, academically acclaimed resource which presents the facts about each group from their own perspective rather than that of external observers who may be biased or prejudiced by their own religious views, and which has been instrumental in defusing prejudice in SA media reporting of so-called “occult related crimes” since its release in July 2013.Since its founding in 2011, the SAVA has promoted high ethical standards of conduct within the SAVC, and also in the broader global VC. The SAVA does not and has never tolerated criminality or abusive behavior within the VC, and is signatory to several international VC resolutions and conventions on the ethical treatment of others, including otherkin, donors, humans and animals which form part of the SAVA’s internal policies ****.Due to the mixed nature of the attention which the Vampyre subculture unfortunately draws – being occasionally overtly hostile, undoubtedly dangerous and unpredictable, the SAVC has long followed traditions, conventions and cultural norms intended to keep the identities of its participants safe from those who would seek to harm them. These include the long-established practice of participants adopting a nightside name on social media in order to protect law-abiding citizens from the attentions of social media trolls, religious zealots, and those with hostile and possibly violent intent.The SAVA is not obliged to provide membership information to anyone. Nor is the SAVA under ANY obligation whatsoever to respond to requests for interviews or information from the media or interested third parties.
These are the warning signs of vampire cults, in the group of fake vampire's cults that call themselves the "vampire community".
RECRUITING
These "vampire cults" target people that have classic traits of depression, which include having low energy. Recruiting starts by telling people basically whatever they want to hear, through the online forums and websites owned by "The group of fake vampire's cults that call themselves the vampire community". This makes people believe they are becoming part of some thing really big. This includes the "vampire elders" and other members (aspiring to be called elders) using different names on multiple different forums and websites, to make the group appear to be a lot bigger than it actually is.
RECRUITED
By offering free food, free shelter, and friendship to convince people to move in to the vampire cults home, usually called "House of (fill in the blank)".
CREATING DEPENDANCE
"What is ours is yours, and what is yours is ours." In some cases giving them just enough money, while in reality decreasing what they have, to vastly increase the persons sense of dependance. Allowing minimal contact with the outside world. In most (if not all) cases encouraging them to keep their membership as a secret from their friends and family. This results in the alienation of friends that would have attempted to talk some sense in to them.
COMPLIANCE
Telling them how they have to act in order to remain part of the group.
GROUP DYNAMICS
The instilling of propaganda and beliefs, other members encourage new members to accept the fake vampires propaganda as truth through whatever methods they consider to be necessary.
BRAINWASHED
The brainwashed members help with instilling the "vampire cults" propaganda upon new members, as well as reinforcing and encouraging it among each other. This additional encouragement to accept the vampire cults beliefs and propaganda results in helping to create and maintain compliance.
This is written as much for law enforcement as it is for anyone else, if not more. Because these exact same methods are being used by terroist groups to create "home grown terrorists".
COMMENTS
You make an vailed point but all vampyre's must live by a code a set of rules. There are those that don't want or like these rules an they are called Outcasts or Rogues. From what I know or learned of that every vampyre has there own set of rules which is not all the same as it was meant to be. Let us not fight amoungst our selfs but, talk things out in a peaceful manner at the local council meeting.
Exactly
COMMENTS
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