Talk:Vampire: The Requiem

World of Darkness Lore

The Vampires found in the World of Darkness milieu are not quite the same as you might imagine having read or watched a lot of vampire fiction. Vampires have been imagined in all sorts of ways over the years, from the old Hammer horror films of the 60s and 70s, starring Christopher Lee as Dracula, to modern imaginings such as Joss Whedon's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, to Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark to the Blade and Underworld series, to "sort of" Vampire films like the Hunger. There have been myriad vampire stories and novels written by authors ranging from Sheridan le Fanu, Bram Stoker, Anne Rice, and Laurel K. Hamilton to dozens, if not hundreds, of others. In all of these tales, Vampires vary from context to context, story to story. In some they are repulsed by things religious, in others they are not. In some they do not reflect in mirrors in others they do. In some stories they must rest in the earth of their homeland, in others they sleep on silken sheets in opulent underground lairs. In some stories they are enormously strong, in others they are no stronger than an average human. In some stories they have fangs (retractable or not) in others they must use a knife to open the veins of their victims. In some tales they are rendered unto dust by the casual thrust, wielded by a perky young blonde, of a wooden stake to general vicinity of the heart. This FAQ is intended to answer the core questions of what it does and does not mean to be a Vampire in the specific context of the World of Darkness.

General Note: In keeping with the tenor of the White Wolf World of Darkness ethos, no "factual" information about Vampires should ever be treated as 100% accurate. Even though certain things may be indicated as factual in the Vampire: The Requiem core rule book, individual storytellers may choose to alter the "facts" of Vampire existence to suit their own chronicle and tastes. This FAQ thus represents only the "facts" as covered in the printed rules (and one or two logical extrapolations therefrom).

Frequently Asked Questions

• What makes a Vampire a Vampire?

The short answer: no one actually knows. Vampirism is an effect (curse, demonic possession, somethings else?) that occurs when a person who is nearly killed due to exsanguination ingests the fresh blood of a Vampire. Whatever takes place as the Vampiric blood enters the mortal's body is not understood beyond a purely mechanical description: the victim dies, but their body continues to be animated by whatever it is that makes them a Vampire. Theories on this subject abound in the World of Darkness, including the Lancea Sanctum creation myth involving the genesis of the Vampire Longinus and tales of how Dracula became a Vampire. In purely game terms, a Vampire in the World of Darkness is created just like any other character, then modified according to the "Vampire template" rules found in the Vampire: The Requiem game.

• Is a Vampire immortal?

Technically, no. In the first place Kindred prefer the term "undying," but even that is not entirely accurate. Immortality implies the ability to live forever. Vampires are already dead; they just get up every night and walk around, talk, hunt, etc. And a Vampire can be killed -- or re-killed... what is the correct nomenclature for "killing" something that is already dead? In any case, a Vampire will continue to exist as long as it can find Vitae and does not suffer the final death. Presumably vampires will exist until the human race (their food source) dies out or human technology reaches a point at which Vampires can no longer hide their existence and are wiped out.

• Do Vampires have souls?

The soul, the anima, the personal connection to the divine that humans possess is absent or suppressed in a Vampire. Whether their soul has been destroyed and sent to Hell, whether it has been replaced by a demonic force that merely imitates the personality of the former mortal, or whether the soul is somehow trapped and held in a form of stasis within the vampire's body is not known. This latter explanation is one that some Vampires cling to as it implies that one day, somehow, they might free themselves from their curse and become mortal again, or at least die without fear of eternal damnation (or course the latter would depend largely upon the state of their Humanity at the time of their final death).

• How many Vampires are there in the world?

Good question. The short answers: not that many and nobody really knows. However, the usual estimate is that it takes anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 people to support one Vampire. And by support I mean more than feed, I also include in the term the concept of "provide cover for the nightly depredations of." Very few Vampires live in small towns. Face it, in a town of 500 people, someone's going to notice that some 365 people wake up feeling a bit wonky and strange -- in ways that can't easily be explained away by a bad hangover -- at least one day during the year, not to mention the eventual throat-tearing, blood-drinking frenzy or two engaged in by good ol' "Bob," who, oddly enough, sleeps all day. No, Vampires are creatures of the city. The relative anonymity and a steady stream of transients as well as the denizens of economically depressed areas provide a steady diet and help to hide the evidence of a Vampire's nightly feeding. So what's a ballpark population estimate? Well, some cities have comparatively more Vampires than others, a few even exceed the lower limit of one Vampire per 50,000 citizens. But with a world population of six billion and -- according to the UN -- with just about half the total world population now living in cities, the math works out to somewhere between 30,000 and 60,000 Vampires. Let's say there are about 50,000 Vampires in the world.

• How can I tell if someone is a Vampire?

Generally a Vampire's skin is paler and waxier than a living human's. Even if they are African, Asian or other race whose skin is not "white," per se, they tend to be paler or otherwise not quite the same shade as a living person of their race (though a vampire is able to force blood into their skin to give it a "Blush of life" this does not often last for long). In addition, a vampire's skin is free of many of the usual wrinkles found on even a relatively young living person's face. A Vampire does not breathe, except to talk (though, for a common human, ignorant of Vampires, noticing this in a casual setting might be difficult) and some Vampires make a point of training themselves to breathe regularly, even though they don't have to, as a way of maintaining their link to their former humanity. A Vampire's heart does not beat (again, not something a human would casually notice). A Vampire whose Humanity has fallen sufficiently low also appears more corpse-like and bears a distinct aura of threat that makes mortals uncomfortable in their presence. Also many vampires tend not to be quite in sync with the mortal world. The clothes they wear may be a bit out of date, they may use vernacular that is inappropriate or dated. On the other hand, this describes much of the faculty at many universities and many people working in corporate America, most of whom are not vampires. And some vampires, especially Daeva, strive to be even more fashionably cutting-edge than even the trendiest mortal.

• Do Vampires really have fangs?

Yes. But their fangs are not always apparent. A Vampire's fangs retract when they are not feeding giving their teeth the appearance of normal human teeth. The extension of a vampire's fangs is voluntary unless they are driven to frenzy.

• Can you always tell a person has been bitten by a Vampire by the two small holes on their neck?

Not necessarily. In the first case, not every Vampire bites their victim on the neck. Granted, there are a number of large, convenient blood vessels there (the carotid arteries and jugular veins). However there are many other large blood vessels close to the skin and convenient for feeding; at the wrist, for example or the upper thigh. Just because you don't see two little holes in their neck does not mean a person has not been the victim of a Vampire attack. Furthermore, signs of a wound are basically signs of a sloppy or foolish Vampire. A Vampire need only lick a wound for the skin to close over, leaving no sign of the attack (other than a certain, albeit possibly fatal, anemia). Note that a vampire cannot lick closed wounds caused by another Vampire's attack, nor wounds of any other origin.

• Do Vampires sleep in coffins?

Not necessarily. Some do. Many don't. Some see a sealed coffin as a really good way to avoid being accidentally exposed to sunlight as they sleep. Some go to great lengths to design and build elaborate caskets of extreme comfort surrounded by an array of traps and blood-bound human guardians. Other Vampires find a comfortable haven, deep under ground or otherwise suitably protected from sunlight and unwarranted intrusion to be just as effective and find sleeping in a bed preferable to a coffin. Still others just find a convenient hotel room, hang the 'Do not disturb' sign on the door and sleep in the bathtub with blankets nailed over the window. Many Vampires, when voluntarily entering torpor, choose to do so within the confines of a coffin, or even a stone sarcophagus. This is more as a matter of security than anything else.

• When does a Vampire awaken, what causes them to sleep?

The most basic answer is: a Vampire is driven into a deathlike sleep when the sun rises and awakens when the sun sets. The reality is slightly more complex -- when, exactly, does sunset occur? Or sunrise? Is it simply the exact hour and moment printed in your almanac, or is it a more subtle thing? Some Vampires awaken the moment the last sliver of sun sinks below the western horizon, while the sky is still suffused with twilight. Others sleep until the sky goes truly dark and the stars come out. They are forced into slumber the same way: some when the sun first breaks over the horizon, others when the sun is no more than a silvery haze in the early morning sky. The exact rules regarding the process are not elucidated, but are implied as being a factor of Humanity: the greater a Vampire's Humanity -- the more human they remain -- the earlier they can rise and the later they can remain awake. A Vampire can remain awake during the day if they manage to overcome their beast's need to sleep. They can also force themselves awake if they sense a threat. Remaining awake during the day is an ongoing act of will and a Vampire's abilities are limited by their humanity score during the daylight hours.

• When vampires sleep are they cold and dead, like corpses?

Yes. When a Vampire "sleeps" the force animating their dead body goes dormant as well. They appear, to casual examination, to be a recently deceased corpse, even down to the rigor mortis.

• Do Vampires reflect in mirrors or pictures?

Yes, but... their faces are normally obscured or distorted. To a casual observer, glancing in a mirror or reflecting shop window, nothing will appear out of the ordinary, though close examination will reveal the vampire's features to be strangely unrecognizable. This effect can be voluntarily mitigated temporarily, long enough, for example, for the vampire to check his hair or get a photo I.D. made (likely to be forged, unless you know of a good all-night DMV or Passport office). In most cases a considerable amount of mental exertion (on the part of the vampire) is required to form a permanently clear photograph of the vampire.

• Can a vampire cross running water?

Yes. I mean, think about it, how could a Vampire even get around in a modern city, with its gutters, sewers and whatnot, if they were constrained by such a silly injunction?

• Will a stake through the heart kill a Vampire?

No. However a wooden stake through the heart (and only a wooden stake -- not steel, silver, plastic or other material -- and only through the heart) will paralyze a vampire driving them into torpor. In such a state their bodies eventually shrivel and mummify. Eventually, the stake will rot, be eaten by termites, or may be pulled out by some unsuspecting mortal (or other Vampire) and the Vampire will rise again, usually somewhat peeved. And hungry. For you would-be Vampire hunters out there, a stake through the heart is a good start before you behead them or drag them out into the sunlight.

• If you die from a Vampire bite, will you rise again, in three days, as a member of the undead?

No. A vampire is created in a very specific way, called an "embrace." Dying of a Vampire attack simply makes you dead, not undead. Do the math. If every Vampire victim turned into a Vampire, the world would rapidly be overrun with Vampires (I make a Vampire, we two make two more, we four make four more, and so on and so on -- it would only take about a month to turn 6 billion people into vampires).

• Do Vampires really drink blood?

Yes. A Vampire's only sustenance is blood. In most cases the living blood of live humans. While a Vampire can subsist, for a time, on animal blood or blood stored in blood banks, eventually they will be compelled to seek out and drink the blood of a living victim. Over time a Vampire requires ever more potent blood to sustain its existence, eventually forcing it to feed on the Vitae of other vampires. This can cause serious problems: see vinculum and diablerie.

• Can a Vampire eat normal food?

No. A Vampire's internal organs, including their stomaches are as dead as they are. Vampires don't breathe, don't excrete hormones, sweat, wastes or anything else -- their skin does not contain sebum which means they seldom leave fingerprints behind though, of course, a bloody fingerprint would be possible. This means, since their stomachs do not secrete digestive acids, they cannot eat or digest food. While a vampire may be able to chew and swallow a hamburger, or drink a glass of wine, they will be compelled, very shortly, to vomit it back up. While such food is in their stomach they will feel extreme discomfort (which means fooling people into thinking they are human via this tactic is a touch-and-go thing at best). When a Vampire drinks blood, the vitae suffuses their entire body in way not fully understood but which is entirely unlike normal human digestion.

• Is a Vampire harmed by sunlight?

Yes. Emphatically yes. Even a brief exposure to sunlight will cause burns that can take days to heal. Prolonged exposure will burn a Vampire to ash. Sunlight is one of the sure ways to destroy a Vampire.

• Is a Vampire repelled by garlic?

No more so than any ordinary person not of Italian extraction. On the other hand, given the multiplicity of Vampire bloodlines there may be some Vampires somewhere who are allergic in some way to garlic.

• Are Vampires burned by Holy water?

Are we talking boiling holy water? Didn't think so, so the answer is, generally, no. On the other hand some humans with True Faith may be able to affect Vampires through the power of their faith. Holy water blessed by an actual living saint might have an effect (Note: True Faith has not been explained or detailed in the New World of Darkness).

• What about religious symbols?

Again, generally no. Vampires can come from, or belong to, any faith or religion. So a Christian Cross is no more of a religious threat, per se, than a Star of David or any other religious symbol. Again, the nature of True Faith has not fully been described in the New World of Darkness, so a genuinely holy person, or an item blessed by such a person might have some effect.

• How do you kill a Vampire?

There are three basic ways to kill a Vampire: expose them to sunlight (see above), behead them or burn them up. A Vampire assaulted by any other means, severe beating, any number of gunshot wounds, etc. may be forced into torpor and appear dead, but they will eventually heal and reanimate. The only certain way to ensure a Vampire's final death is one of the three methods listed above. There are those who suggest a fourth method: hacking them to bits with a big sword. This would appear, upon examination, however, to be a sub-set of beheading (however emotionally satisfying the whole "hacking to bits" thing may ultimately be).

• What happens when you kill a Vampire?

(From The Blood, p. 87) "When a vampire character's rightmost Health box is filled with aggravated damage, he or she suffers Final Death. He or she collapses immediately (if he or she was still active before taking the final wound), and begins to rot, dry out and eventually crumble to dust. The process is always accelerated compared to normal human decay, but the actual speed of decomposition depends on the vampire's age. Final Death breaks the Spell of Damnation, reverting the immortal body of the vampire to the state it would be in if it had actually been allowed to rot since the moment of its death--ancient monsters erode into dry splintering bones, while the newest vampires wrinkle and bloat and putrefy like month old corpses. The longer he or she has been undead the dissolution. The end result for the most vampires is the same: a pile of ash and dust, scattered around and within the vampire's clothes and equipment. Obviously, any witness to this speedy decay is a breach of the Masquerade."

• Kindred Age/Speed of disintegration: One month/12 hours; One year/six hours; Five years/one hour; 10 years/30 minutes; 50 years/five minutes; 100 years/30 seconds; 200 years/10 seconds; 300 years/about one second.

• Can you store Vampire blood?

No. Whatever it is that infuses the Vitae of a Vampire rapidly disappears when the blood is no longer inside their body. After only a minute or two it becomes nothing more than slightly decayed human blood. Laboratory analysis would further show the blood to be a combination of blood types in various states or levels of decay (unless the vampire has fed exclusively upon a single person or blood type for an extended period). DNA analysis would further show the blood to come from any number if individuals, likely both male and female (unless the Vampire is picky about the gender of her prey). Curious sorts might wonder how such an odd admixture of blood got onto a wall in the distinctive pattern of high-velocity blood spatter indicative of a gunshot wound at close range. Those whose predilections run more to, say, American Idol than CSI, might not wonder so much.

Vampires in Sacramento

So you're new here. Awesome. Your vampire can "intuitively know" that Kindred hang out at Avalon which serves as Eternal Court. It's advisable to meet the Keeper of Elysium and obtain Acknowledgment.