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	Subtopic	Started By	Posts
	Archive through Jul 14, 1999 Last Post: Jul 14, 1999, 09:57 am	Gestalt	29
	Archive through Apr 20, 2001 Last Post: Apr 20, 2001, 12:35 pm	Drusilla	10

Posted By: The Master Apr 20, 2001 - 04:20 pm

Do they have a revolting odor? I don't think I'm familiar with that one.

Breathing: the dead don't breathe, so I guess the undead wouldn't either?

Water from muscle: is that how it works (my biology is pathetic)? Well, Vampires are supernatural beings. If they don't have reflections and can transform their bodies into other creatures (i.e. bats) or even mist (assuming the classic European vampire is what we are talking about), it would imply they don't really live on the same plane of existence that we do. Therefore, maybe their existence is only supernatural, and they don't have the same biological processes humans do at all.

Posted By: Bmat Apr 20, 2001 - 07:25 pm

I can believe that zombies would have an odor- their flesh is rotting after all. But if Dracula had a bad smell I think his guests would have been more suspicious.

Posted By: The Master Apr 20, 2001 - 10:48 pm

Ooo...good one Bmat. That makes sense.

Posted By: Gablety Apr 22, 2001 - 11:21 am

Owh, I like this question! My answer is if you want a story where vampires have to go to the bathroom and can catch cold, fine! It would be very entertaining! On the other hand, if you want a less tangible vampire who is never wholly physical and doesn't do any "body" things like eating (assume it's life essence, not blood he's drinking), urinating, sweating, or anything of that sort. Overall, I think there are two sorts of positions you can have on vampires:

1: That a vampire is more a sort of supernatural vibration or spiritual essence than physical being. Let your vampires have all the power they want, since they are not limited by the flesh. They suck life essence, chi, or whatever you want to call it out of their victim's veins; they can transform at will into a column of swirling dust motes, a beam of moonlight, a wolf, or a tiger, since it is no more any of those than it was a human.

2: That a vampire is simply an animal shaped like a human that drinks blood. It will have all of the drawbacks of a human, and they could get cut, infected, injured, or any of the other things that humans can get that those other vamps can't. It drinks blood like a baby drinks milk, getting all of his or her nutrients and calories from it, possibly as well as immune protection. Under this system, your vampires will probably need to drink water as well as blood, and probably something highly caloric like honey or alcohol as well. They will almost certainly need to urinate and sweat.

Of course, there are numerous combinatios and sub-types you can get from these. You might have the second type have live births and never kill their vitims anyway, or you might have the second type try to drink within their family, so that a father will continue to live with his wife and children after they die. Bram Stoker's fairy was a combination of the two types; he had the strength of twenty men, as well as the power to transform into other things. But he still couldn't eat and had to live in a coffin. So it's a really interesting question.

Posted By: Keona Apr 25, 2001 - 01:15 pm

I have heard that vampires are intelligent, and can move fast, but (and I know they drink blood) if they don't breath oxygen then the blood wouldn't travel to the muscles or the brain, so....that means that they can't be fast, or intelligent....or could it??


Vini, vidi, vinci,
Keona

Posted By: Gablety Apr 26, 2001 - 11:12 am

I've already said that Bram Stoker's Dracula has the strength of twenty men. But Bram Stoker wasn't thinking the way we are here! *lol* If a vamp's sole source of nutrition and calorie was blood, he or she would need to drink it almost constantly. If a vamp had a digestive system, he or she would probably need the blood for liquid, calorie, and nutrition, drink water for liquid, and also drink honey or alcohol for more calorie. That way they might be on about the same level as we are.

But this is avoided if you use the other argument: the assumption that there is no such thing as a tangible vampire, but that "psychic" ones are very real. Since they are not tangible themselves, tangible barriers such as walls and locks mean nothing to them; magical objects, which may also be real on other levels, might be the only things that pose a barrier to these. They do not drink blood, or cause little wounds; but they suck life essence, causing a variety of diseases to the victim. And not being material, they can move at the speed of thought - the fastest thing in the universe.

Posted By: Keona Apr 27, 2001 - 12:43 pm

O.k I found another question yesterday when I was reading my book. Can vampires be crippled, like in a wheel chair?

Posted By: Gablety Apr 27, 2001 - 05:47 pm

I don't think so, but what book is this? I'd like to get my hands on it!

Earlier, the Master said that vampires just don't live on the same plane of existence as we do. If they're totally ethereal, then no, they can't be crippled. if they're corporeal, but on a different plane, they could be crippled, but not in ways we'd recognize. maybe that sort of a crippled vampire would be able to turn into red but not blue mist? And if the vampire is a mostly corporeal animal like us, then of course it could become crippled!

Posted By: Keona Apr 28, 2001 - 04:57 pm

well the book I'm reading is "Interview With a Vampire" and you probaly have already read it..

Posted By: The Master Apr 29, 2001 - 01:00 am

EEK! I'm glad you said so. If someone posted an Anne Rice example it could have been a major spoiler for you! Good idea to let people know when you are reading something and asking related questions...we could spill the beans by accident!

On the general question, I think its unlikely they can be PERMANENTLY crippled. All of the vampire stories I am aware of gives them a special healing ability (or they can't be hurt at all unless its one of their "special" deaths...like maybe they can have permanent scars from sunlight exposure that didn't kill them.) That healing may not be instant, or they may have to feed, or sleep for a while, etc. But they always seem to be able to heal wounds that would be fatal to a human.

I wonder though...if they were already crippled when they were turned, would they be able to heal that? For a biological illness (plague or what have you), I'd think they would no longer be infected (or at least sick from it). Not so sure about a pre-existing physical condition though. If you were blind and got turned, would you grow new eyes? Hmmm...

Posted By: Gablety Apr 29, 2001 - 11:14 am

In Dracula, the wounds when they were turned were also healed. But it's interesting to think of vamps with special healing abilities, maybe one's a healer or something....

Posted By: Keona Apr 30, 2001 - 11:53 am

I have lots of question now, lets beging, do vampires need glasses, like they're mortal, then get changed do they still need them? Can a vampire be blind or deaf? Do vampires always have to have coffins? DO they wear coats in the cold? Can you be born a vampire? And last but not least, Can vampires spontanious combust? Sorry for so many questions. Yeah, on my book Louis and Claudia are planning on leaving Lestat....hhmmm....Lestat, I kinda like that name. You couldn't spill the beans any way, cause I seen the movie, but in my opinion its better than the movie!! By the way, I hope you'll belive me, but I'm [see note]!! I also guess I like the name Louis.....Louis....~_^!!

[Personal information, including age, really should not be revealed in this or any other publically accessible forum. Thanks for your understanding. The Master.]

Posted By: Gablety Apr 30, 2001 - 07:11 pm

Well, I think those have already been answered. Let me see:

Do vamps need glasses?

Well, I would assume not; all wounds and sicknesses are healed. So mortals with prescriptions that are changed probably wouldn't. But if we're dealing with corporeal vamps, mostly material like us, who drink tangible blood for nutrients, then probably yes, although maybe not as much as us.

Do they have to have coffins?

Of course not! They just need to stay out of the sun completely in a place where people who are afraid probably won't find them, and this place doesn't need to have fresh air. So coffins work a little, but a basement might work as well.

Can they be blind or deaf?

Again, i don't think so if they're not mostly material, yes if they are. Same applies to do they wear coats in the cold and can you be born a vamp.

Is that any help?

Posted By: Fantasyadventure Dec 23, 2001 - 10:07 am

I read the Rice's vampire series through and through several times. And this is when they first came out and no-body knew who Anne rice was. As for "can a vampire be crippled or blind". Yes they can be if they are in that state when created. Rice will give you an example of this. A very minor carc. so no spoiler here. I believe it is in the third book.
Vampires, again in Rices description can FEEL cold but do not GET cold. I hope this helps.