Too many vampires

[Tharivious]

Seems like quite the opposite, to me. Drindin was listing the worst side of the stereotypes; I'd say not conforming to them is a good thing.

Personally, I agree with Drindin's dislikes. The emo-vampire (Lestat-style, negative-stereotype-WoD, Angel type of things) is just generally obnoxious, and the Dracula-knockoff is just an unimaginative cliche. And like anything else in literature or entertainment, rehashed cliches get dull and boring as you become desensitized to them.

I'm a big fan of the subtle, cunning, manipulative vampire that plays with the minds of those around them to make them think and expect one thing, while building up to another from a completely different direction. I like the kind that throws people constantly off-guard with clever, well-thought out plans, because let's face it, they've got the time to do so. I like the kind that can reason with and confound their prey before going for the feast, even making the prey willing to give their blood. I even like the bruising, brutal types that aren't afraid to get their hands (or claws, always had a soft-spot for the ol' Gangrel) dirty. That shouldn't be a surprise though, since most who've read my posts know I like my evil insidious.

And for what it's worth, I think Jazzmyn is quite well played from my limited interaction with her (and almost as limited OOC knowledge of recent plots). Granted, I've only been exposed to a subtle dose of her, and can't claim to know the whole character, so I could be mistaken.

 

[Cassiel Moonfall]

I recently, and oddly enough spent the other day playing a vampire based video game. And it made me think of this thread. So i had to post up this thought string.

Every culture has a different view of what the vampire truly is. Any movie you watch with vampires has a slightly altered affect of what they are to keep us interested and to be a bit more original. Games, books (authors), game systems. I have yet to see one of these standards of media and myths that actually have one solid view of what a vampires abilities, weakness/powers, origins and ect...ect.. really are.

Some ideals say they are undead, some say its actually a virus much like lycanthropy is a virus. Vampires are pretty and seducing creatures - other are bestial animals. Nothing is ever truly the same in any case that i personally have seen. Which honestly is all perfectly fine and dandy with me.

Now I noticed that the original question was not truely really answered to 'why there is so many'. could be blamed on media but I do know that there is a actual RP group out there that that is consisting of vampires on purpose. Im sure that that group gave others the idea to make a vampire too and run with it as new ideas are formed in our heads every day.

There are hundreds of ideas of what everything really is. For example, in the Gaelic mythology Elves were very tall (around and over 6ft), very slender people who were actually faeries. Some other cultures view them as slender yes but rather short in stature. DnD itself had the 'hobbit' the furry footed halfing which in 3rd edition became just the halfing which is more akin to a very small elf in features with no fur on the footies.

Different authors of books speculate there own ideas on dragons, lycanthropic afflicted beings, vampires, elves, and any other mythological/fantasy being you can possibly imagine. So really it all comes down to some ones own ideas on what the fantasy being could be or perhaps who there favorite author, comic writer, film director, or even favorite cultural myth was.

 

[Elf_Ariel]

Hmmm I just (by just I mean yesterday) watched Bloodrayne... I was -close- to falling asleep by the end of it, though there were some rather intuitive ideas brought up along the way.

Someone, somewhere will have to fill me in just how a dhampir (half human, half vamp) is created...coz my poor brain cant figure it out.

For the record, I'll be killing James later ;-).

But I did come to several conclusions. To breifly overview (in bold because brief and overview do not make conclusive science) vampires, they come in two packages, the I'm trying to be good sort <good>, and the I've decided to be bad sort<evil>. It then occurred to me, that the I've decided to be bad sort, would be rather peeved with the I'm trying to be good sorts. Why? Well figure this, those little critters dont appreciate their gift, their new strengths and powers or whatever. They're not going to help develop the 'kind'. And let's be serious, the world is full of 'kinds' and 'kinds' tend to help one another. Why else would cities have precincts where like 'kinds' of people gather together? Tracking back...so here we have the unappreciative vampires, who by all rights shouldn't be vampires. This is, as I figured it, Belaros' plan for the Nightshades (to bring up the old clan name of which Ariel is/was part of...). I'm not to put words in his mouth, but truthfully, it's my oppinion too, that an evil vampire really isn't going to think much of a good one. In fact they're gonna be pretty agro coz those 'ungreatful' sods are drinking all the good foodstuffs around when they're going into bloodlust. And if they somehow deny the cravings they're still spreading around the idea and often revealing their nature...bad on all levels; when vampires're trying to sneak around out the back and snatch someone through the window!

Perhaps...it's just time...for a revival of old methods and times.

 

[Willow_Calypso]

Someone, somewhere will have to fill me in just how a dhampir (half human, half vamp) is created...coz my poor brain cant figure it out.

That all depends on which gaming system you use. V:TM has Dhampirs. They're created by the lower vampires who have a very diminished bloodline.

Or you could always go the Blade route, though I'd imagine that'd be a 1 in a million chance.

 

[Nugan]

It might be useful to remember that, historically and thematically, vampirism is often about the fear of disease.

Consider the sheer number of plague images associated with the vampire: rodents (both rats and bats), a pale complexion, drawn and wasted features, contaminated soil, and, obviously, the state of death-in-life associated with the most debilitating diseases. Even the "romantic" and "sexy" aspects of vapirism, from seduction to blood letting, hint at a fear of disease transmission during a time when incurable syphilitics--whose pale and blistered appearance and awkward, stumbling posture are certainly vampire-esque--were a common sight.

With this in mind, it might be interesting to play a vampire as a victim of a disease--and not a "Now I'm Hot and Live Forever, but, Woe, I Must Drink the Blood of the Living" disease--rather than as a superhuman entity. Or, in other words, you could play up the weakness and suffering that comes with vapirism and play down the sex appeal and the charm and the superpowers. Vampires are a memento mori, a reminder of our mortality, not an outlet for our fantasies of immortality.

 

[NicholausDennoncourt]

Originally Posted by Willow_Calypso

That all depends on which gaming system you use. V:TM has Dhampirs. They're created by the lower vampires who have a very diminished bloodline.

Yes and no.. When you refer to lower generation your talking about 4th 5th 6th Generation, when you refer to higher generation your referring to 10th 11th 12th and so on, just to clarify.

A Dhampir is a Kindred of the East variant (in the fact the originally were seen in the Kindred of the East due to the very high generations present.) and they are related to the Masquerades Revenant. The notable difference is that Revanants are breed from other ghouls that have found their independence from their Vampire masters. A Dhampir is the product of what you might consider a 'Blade' origin, this is possible because in the times of the Thin-Blooded more specifically 14th and 15th Generations.

Dhampir are more powerful than Ghouls, but they are no match for a lower generation Kindred or Cainite, they cannot use blood to create blood bonds, ghouls or even make other Dhampir. (This would make a very cool and very interesting rp in the TMP because they would be highly likely to be around in that time.) This is true because they lack the potent blood of Caine, so they have limited reproductive capabilities, so when a Thin-blood mates with a human, they can produce a Dhampir.

This isn't possible with lower generation Kindred or Cainites because of the Blood of Cain is far, far more potent. To add to it, this only a Final Nights creation, Dhampir are rare in the Modern Nights as the Thin-Blooded have only been around for about 20 years, and almost impossible for one to exist in the Dark Ages.

And mind you, these rules that are not part of that disaster they are calling Requiem. As far as I'm concerned Requiem is flawed system and White Wolf failed is most loyal customers.

 

[Infernal Scribe]

and now for something completely different, it relates to vampires but i thought ya guys might enjoy it: Life Sucks

 

[Warbridge]

and now for something completely different, it relates to vampires but i thought ya guys might enjoy it: Life Sucks

Congratulations! You just started a new vampire trend. Anyone know if there is anyone actively playing the average dork who is secretly a vampire? Simple genius in there. The only drawback is that once someone finds out the secret then the jig is up.

 

[Velaria]

Meh, when has there ever *not* been vampires in the tavern setting?

No vampires here nope not me.... well..

*shifty eyes*

Okay yes, Velaria became a vampire thanks to Valreus Rohaun long ago.. what.. 7 years ago or so? However through great will she turned her need from blood to that of feeding off of extreme emotions that so often flew around the rp rooms. Yet, despite all my efforts to prove that blood was not her chosen form of food, everyone always knew that she was a vamp though I never flashed fangs, or acted such, Simply because my profile said Velaria Starmantle Rohaun, and at that time leader of the Rohaun family.

I followed the rules, that when she was in the old emporium, she was never fully there, appearing simply as a shimmering figure, and mostly effected things only through voice and thoughts. So many times I have seen the power player and the like, and often times I was called such. Perhaps back then I was, but then it was the way my character was.

When she ascended (retired her) she was cast out of the heavens because she chose to meddle in mortal affairs to much, (people insisted I come back) when she was, she came back as a normal elven woman, though still holding her wisdom and knowledge within behind locked doors, that slowly trickles out as she meets with those she once knew. Immortal, no, hard to kill, yes, and have and will fight like mad with Vel but she has been messed up and sent into month long recuperations or more on several occasions.

I guess what my rambling is pointing at is this, not everyone falls under the categories that is being spoken of, not everyone falls under the preconceived notions of what they were before I stopped playing because it was sickening to come into the room, and those that I had helped before ic sneered and acted disgusted with me because even though I was always a vamp from the first few weeks of my rp back in TSR, they now knew it to be true and immediately called me scum.

So just think about that the next time an excellent rper comes in, and is playing a vamp with some variations on the "rules" that being condescending to them does not necessarily help them, but could very well chase them away. Instead, try coaching them, showing them where they can play better, and explain what not everyone may know.. the flavor of the month is not always received well.
Ehh just my 2 cents which is still not worth much at all.

Velaria

 

[valerus]

No vampires here nope not me.... well..

*shifty eyes*

Okay yes, Velaria became a vampire thanks to Valreus Rohaun long ago.. what.. 7 years ago or so? However through great will she turned her need from blood to that of feeding off of extreme emotions that so often flew around the rp rooms. Yet, despite all my efforts to prove that blood was not her chosen form of food, everyone always knew that she was a vamp though I never flashed fangs, or acted such, Simply because my profile said Velaria Starmantle Rohaun, and at that time leader of the Rohaun family.

I followed the rules, that when she was in the old emporium, she was never fully there, appearing simply as a shimmering figure, and mostly effected things only through voice and thoughts. So many times I have seen the power player and the like, and often times I was called such. Perhaps back then I was, but then it was the way my character was.

When she ascended (retired her) she was cast out of the heavens because she chose to meddle in mortal affairs to much, (people insisted I come back) when she was, she came back as a normal elven woman, though still holding her wisdom and knowledge within behind locked doors, that slowly trickles out as she meets with those she once knew. Immortal, no, hard to kill, yes, and have and will fight like mad with Vel but she has been messed up and sent into month long recuperations or more on several occasions.

I guess what my rambling is pointing at is this, not everyone falls under the categories that is being spoken of, not everyone falls under the preconceived notions of what they were before I stopped playing because it was sickening to come into the room, and those that I had helped before ic sneered and acted disgusted with me because even though I was always a vamp from the first few weeks of my rp back in TSR, they now knew it to be true and immediately called me scum.

So just think about that the next time an excellent rper comes in, and is playing a vamp with some variations on the "rules" that being condescending to them does not necessarily help them, but could very well chase them away. Instead, try coaching them, showing them where they can play better, and explain what not everyone may know.. the flavor of the month is not always received well.
Ehh just my 2 cents which is still not worth much at all.

Velaria

That was beautiful my dear......

LVR aka The Old Geezer....