Vampires in SL

Introductory words, the first paragraphs of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, annotated by Leonard Wolf (Wolf,lol)

Jonathan Harker's Journal (kept in shorthand.)

“3 May. Bistritz.--Left Munich at 8:35 P.M., on 1st May, arriving at Vienna early next morning; should have arrived at 6:46, but train was an hour late. Buda-Pesth seems a wonderful place, from the glimpse which I got of it from the train and the little I could walk through the streets. I feared to go very far from the station, as we had arrived late and would start as near the correct time as possible.

“The impression I had was that we were leaving the West and entering the East; the most western of splendid bridges over the Danube, which is here of noble width and depth, took us among the traditions of Turkish rule.

“We left in pretty good time, and came after nightfall to Klausenburgh. Here I stopped for the night at the Hotel Royale. I had for dinner, or rather supper, a chicken done up some way with red pepper, which was very good but thirsty. (Mem. get recipe for Mina.) I asked the waiter, and he said it was called "paprika hendl," and that, as it was a national dish, I should be able to get it anywhere along the Carpathians.

“I found my smattering of German very useful here, indeed, I don't know how I should be able to get on without it.

“Having had some time at my disposal when in London, I had visited the British Museum, and made search among the books and maps in the library regarding Transylvania; it had struck me that some foreknowledge of the country could hardly fail to have some importance in dealing with a nobleman of that country.

“I find that the district he named is in the extreme east of the country, just on the borders of three states, Transylvania, Moldavia, and Bukovina, in the midst of the Carpathian mountains; one of the wildest and least known portions of Europe.

“I was not able to light on any map or work giving the exact locality of the Castle Dracula, as there are no maps of this country as yet to compare with our own Ordnance Survey Maps; but I found that Bistritz, the post town named by Count Dracula, is a fairly well-known place. I shall enter here some of my notes, as they may refresh my memory when I talk over my travels with Mina.

“In the population of Transylvania there are four distinct nationalities: Saxons in the South, and mixed with them the Wallachs, who are the descendants of the Dacians; Magyars in the West, and Szekelys in the East and North. I am going among the latter, who claim to be descended from Attila and the Huns. This may be so, for when the Magyars conquered the country in the eleventh century they found the Huns settled in it.

“I read that every known superstition in the world is gathered into the horseshoe of the Carpathians, as if it were the centre of some sort of imaginative whirlpool; if so my stay may be very interesting. (Mem., I must ask the Count all about them.)

“I did not sleep well, though my bed was comfortable enough, for I had all sorts of queer dreams. There was a dog howling all night under my window, which may have had something to do with it; or it may have been the paprika, for I had to drink up all the water in my carafe, and was still thirsty. Towards morning I slept and was wakened by the continuous knocking at my door, so I guess I must have been sleeping soundly then.

“I had for breakfast more paprika, and a sort of porridge of maize flour which they said was "mamaliga", and egg-plant stuffed with forcemeat, a very excellent dish, which they call "impletata". (Mem., get recipe for this also.)”

The Recipes

Paprikahendl

4 lb. chicken, cut into pieces

2 tblsp. shortening

2 onions, chopped

2 tblsp. Hungarian sweet paprika

1/2 cup tomato juice

2 tblsp. flour

1/2 c. sour cream

Salt chicken pieces. Lightly brown onions in fat. Blend in half the paprika. Add tomato juice and chicken. Simmer covered 1 hour or until tender. Remove chicken. Add remaining paprika to sauce, then add flour beaten into sour cream. Simmer, stirring, 5 minutes or until well blended. Put sauce through sieve, food mill or blender. Heat chicken and pureed sauce together over low flame. Arrange chicken on warm platter. Pour half the sauce over, pass the rest separately. Serve with flour dumplings.

Mamaliga

3 c. water

salt

1 c. corn meal

2 tblsp. butter

1/2 c. sour cream

4 slices or equivalent pieces feta cheese

Bring salted water to boil and add corn meal. Cook like porridge while stirring frequently for 25 min. Grease deep casserole with butter. Pour in porridge, cover with sour cream, and arrange feta on top. Put in 400 degree oven for 10 min. Serve when Mamaliga is golden on top, garnished with one poached egg per person (optional). Serves 4.

Patlagele impulute (impletata)

Wash and cut one eggplant in half. Score the surface, salt well, and set aside for 1/2 hour, then gently squeeze excess moisture from halves. Place eggplant halves face down in a buttered frypan and let them cook gently, covered, until tender. Scoop the center pulp out of each half, leaving one half inch of meat attached to the skin. Mix the pulp with salt, pepper, onions, and any ground meat. Brown mixture in a frypan, then press gently into eggplant shells, sprinkle with bread crumbs and melted butter, and brown in a quick oven.

The Superstitions (from Gudrun’s Vampire Friends)

A lot of lore has grown up around the vampire, and I have asked some of the finest examples, comprising a spectrum of vampirism (but only girls :P), to comment. (And I’m much too tired to do anything further with this.)

Is there a true vampire community here in SL? Is there more than one?

Melanie Milland: There are lots. Second-Lifestyle ones, who don't play in roleplaying games, and RPG vampires.

Dilynrae VanDyke: There are many Vampire communities here in SL... A search for "Vampire" in groups reveals 100 results. I myself am a loner. I don’t belong to a group.

Sara Rachmil: Maybe and Yes. But why follow the crowd? Are you that dependent?

Wynterskye Gray: I don't think that there is one single all inclusive group but there are many, many families, clubs, groups and factions in SL as well as many loner vampires who don't belong to any organization.

How many kinds of vampire are there in SL?

Melanie: That is almost impossible to say, SL is so huge. There are the gothic vampires, the roleplay vampires, and those break down into those from Vampires:The Masquerade, those from Blade, those from Underworld, and whatever mixes of those. They're organized in clans and sects, and each has their own history and abilities.

Dilynrae: The number of vampire types is limited only by the imagination. *S*

Sara: Depends what ideas you follow. Book....Movie... Game... Myth... It's like religion really. Ideas and rules are changed very often to fit what one particular group wants and thinks works best.

Wynterskye: I couldn't even begin to guess that. By it's nature being a vampire is a very personal thing I imagine there are as many kinds as there are personalities.

Are vampires usually bloated, ruddy, purplish, or dark in colour? Pale with long nails and teeth? Suavely charismatic? Or are they of some other appearance (describe)? Do they morph?

Melanie: They come in many shapes and sizes. From Nosferatu (who are irredeemably ugly) to suave vampire playboys and glamourous vampiresses, gothic styles to ballgowns, and even vampires in jeans and t-shirt; some that could pass for human, and some who can't. Many have red eyes, though. I do, too.

Dilynrae: Male vampires? Unusually handsome, strong, confident individuals... charismatic... self centered and vain. Usually force their will on their victims. Female Vampires? Radiate an unearthly beauty, usually quiet, can suck up the attention span in a room by just walking in without saying a word. A female vampire usually has victims throwing themselves at her, begging her to bite them.

Sara: Again, this varies. There is no set rule or look. In my opinion, Vampires should be sexy, as in most all myth and in books they are considered highly sexual beings.

Wynterskye: With so many different kinds of Vampires there are many different looks also. There are many who look quite scary and epitomize the 'horror' aspect of vampires but my experience is with the more 'human' appearing crowd. The typical male vampires I've been around are usually hyper-masculine, kind of a combination of a vampire and a muscle beach body builder. The typical female vampire also highly accentuates her femininity. Once again combining the best of both worlds human and vampire.

What makes being a vampire attractive to you?

Melanie: If there were vampires in real life, I could imagine being one. It's a fascinating possibility, immortality, power, riches. All you have to do for it is to kill, and to a vampire, that comes naturally. I'm a roleplay vampire, and the stories we write and play out are thrilling, entertaining, and sometimes blood-chilling, too. Beats all TV and mosts books, really.

Dilynrae: The ability to control people without even trying... I have so many offering themselves to me... I can walk into a room, and my IMs light up like crazy. "Ooooo you're a vampire... bite me bite me!!"

Sara: They are charismatic, sexual, powerful, smart, and masters of influence.

Wynterskye: I've always been fascinated with vampires. Not only the possibility of eternal life but the pure sensuality exuded by vampires both male and female. I never considered becoming a vampire in SL because I assumed it would, at best, be a pale physical representation instead of the feeling of being a vampire. I was wrong, after being an SL vampire for quite awhile I find the appeal and the excitement as strong now as ever.

Are you a vampire in RL?

Melanie: No. But I wouldn't mind being one, if I could be one like the one I am portraying here in SL. Here I'm a pureblood, a daywalker. I live at night, even in RL, I get up in the late afternoon or evening and I go to bed when the sun comes up. But there are things you can't do at night, and having to rush home at 3 am from a great party is not what I want from life! Well, unlife, as it were.

Dilynrae: I love for my neck to be bitten and I have sucked hard enough on a lover's neck to draw blood... its a rush you can't explain...

Sara: No. But, f 'n’- A, I'm tryin!

Wynterskye: No...but if the opportunity ever arose I don't think I would hesitate in taking that step.

How are vampires created in SL?

Melanie: That depends on many factors. Some just buy stuff and declare themselves vampires, and who's to say that's not alright to do. Others become vampires through the games they play. I play in CCS, I own a roleplay sim named Damnation. We have 7 races, and of those seven, only Vampire was fitting for me. Thus I became a vampire in SL. I was always a fan of vampire stories and movies, it came naturally.

Dilynrae: Like any other Avie I suppose!!! hehe Seriously though, it takes commitment to the lifestyle. You have to figure out what your parameters are, and work to stay within them. ME? I am a living vampire in the Kim Harrison Vein. Born of Vampire parents, the vampire virus embedded deeply within your genome.

Sara: Pixels [LOL]

Wynterskye: In many ways. Some buy a skin and some fangs and are vampires. Some join vampire clubs and groups. Others, like myself, are invited into a family and given the blessing as a reward for serving that family.

What's your favorite part to bite?

Melanie: I'm conservative, after all i'm 914 years old - oops, did I just say that? - so I prefer the classical neck bite. Wrists are good, too, though.

Dilynrae: I love to start in the hollow of the neck, just under the jawline... teasing, working my way down to the hollow of the neck just above the collarbone. The turn of the neck just at the trapezius muscle is the place I like to bite the most.

Sara: I dare not say, but, girls, I'm more than happy to show you.
Wynterskye: Well...I personally love the neck or the inside of the thigh. Since I am a lesbian I never bite males anyways so anywhere that a woman would enjoy being bitten is my favorite :P . Use your imagination.

How many have you bitten (SL - and/or RL if you're also one there)?

Melanie: I can't tell. It's like asking you how often you've been to the supermarket in your life. I stopped counting long ago.

Dilynrae: Quite a few in SL... I don’t really keep count. In RL? three...

Sara: I lost count. Seriously.

Wynterskye: Actually I've bitten only a very few...I don't feed regularly like some. Instead I feed when I find a host who piques my interest.

Does it turn you on?

Melanie: It's ... pleasant ... with the right victim. Some are just fast food, though.

Dilynrae: Of Course!!! Why do it otherwise?

Sara: Yep.

Wynterskye: Definitely, it's extremely sensual. A bite, for me, is more than a bite it's a bonding. I would compare it to sex but, in some ways, it's much more personal. A bite doesn't equal a relationship by any means but it does symbolize a tie between two people.

Do you get a rosy glow when feeding? Does your victim?

Melanie: They pale. At least when I'm thirsty. I don't get any rosy glow at all. I just feel very satisfied.

Dilynrae: heeeeeee yesh!

Sara: Nope.

Wynterskye: I don't know if I get a rosy glow but the people I have bitten have told me that they were quite flushed *giggle*.

Do you have a favorite "blood doll"?

Melanie: I only have one, and you know very well who that is, so stop fishing :)

Dilynrae: Bliss Crimson!!!

Sara: Nope. But that sorta sounds like a band name.

Wynterskye: No..no favorites. I don't feed often enough to have favorites.

Do you sleep in an earth-filled coffin? If so, where is the earth from?

Melanie: No. I sleep in a nicely upholstered one. Old Vlad caused a lot of rumours, really, and Stoker's account of it didn't help. Vlad sure was a strange one and liked the symbolism of his home's earth. He was never required to sleep in it, he just liked the smell. He also had a garlic allergy, that has since then been attributed to our entire race. But it was just him.

Dilynrae: I sleep in a bed. I alluded to the style of vampire I am earlier. As a living vampire, I am born with the vamp virus in my very cells... I can walk in daylight, wear a cross (and usually do) even worship God if I like. The hunger is there, but I do not need blood to survive, at least not until my first death. Once undead, all the usual vampire limitations apply.

Sara: No. That’s old school. And truly only the upper class do oldies that. I would take a guess that the earth filled coffin would have dirt from EARTH.

Wynterskye: Absolutely not...I do have a coffin that I use occasionally but mostly I prefer my comfy bed.

Can leading a virgin boy through a graveyard on a virgin stallion identify a vampire grave by the horse balking or by holes appearing in the earth?

Melanie: We don't sleep in holes in the ground. So there aren't any earthy graves. These days, we have houses, mansions, castles, or condos, and that is where we keep the coffins. And i sure would get cranky if someone led a horse through my dining hall.

Dilynrae: I'm sure it would... but if you REALLY wanna find us, lead a virgin female through and vampires will come out of the woodwork!!! Hehehe.

Sara: No.

Wynterskye: Never spent much time around virgin boys so I have no idea. I would wonder about the intelligence of such a move though.

Are you concerned about vampire hunters?

Melanie: No. They mostly try ineffective means. They pick that stuff up from Hollywood movies and think they can confront a real vampire. Most never find one. Those who do don't live to tell of it.

Dilynrae: No. I'm not a real threat until I'm undead. Hehehe.

Sara: They're pretty weak and feeble. That’s a no.

Wynterskye: LOL...nope, they are few and far between and essentially harmless.

Which of the following scare you:

Melanie:

Garlic - No. That was just Vlad who didn’t like it

Sunlight - I'm a daywalker, so, no. But some vampires do have a problem with UV

Running water - No. That's witches

Holy water - No. If you have been turned into a vampire and believes in it as a human, you're susceptible. Purebloods never had religion, so we couldn't care less.

Crosses - See above

Communion wafers - Same thing

Mirrors - No. I'm not scared of them. They just don't show me, so I don't have any. And don't ask me how I do my makeup - it takes decades of practice to learn to get it right!

Wooden stakes - Those are nasty. I can't revive as long as it's in. But when it comes out, the person who put it in better run fast. In a fight, i can grab it and yank it out. And no one will find me asleep, I made sure of that!

Decapitation - Yes. That's messy. Also so ruins the hairdo. Seriously, now, purebloods can't be killed by such easy means. But getting shortened like that can cost us a few centuries. We do avoid it when possible.

Matzo balls - I remember "Love at First Bite" - I really had to laugh about the shrink and his Star of David.

Licorice rabbits - Why?? [cuz they scare the poo out of them, lol?]

Dilynrae:

Wooden stakes

Decapitation

Sara:

Communion wafers – Ewwww

Licorice rabbits- Ewwww, too. [????????…]

Wynterskye: Only really scared of mirrors when I wake up with a bad case of bedhead. Not partial to crosses but that's based more on personal opinion. Being decapitated is certainly scary, where would I wear my necklaces? Licorice rabbits are definitely the scariest of any on the list *shudders and gags*

N.B. ~

A mass hysteria commonly referred to as the "18th-Century Vampire Controversy" swept Germany and Austria from about 1721 to 1734 and eventually spread to other locales as well. This outbreak was largely rooted in local superstition, but was also fueled by two well known cases in which it was thought that dead persons, previously bitten by vampires, had returned to feed on the living. Government officials had investigated these cases. They had examined the bodies, filed official reports, and eventually had written books on the subject. These officially recorded instances, of course, served to feed the hysteria.

The vampires were corpses who left their graves at night to suck the blood of the living. The victims grew pale and feeble and wasted away, and sometimes became vampires themselves, while the vampires grew fat, got rosy, and enjoyed excellent appetite. Suspected corpses were exhumed and desecrated in an effort to stop the supposed attacks. These corpses were often staked or beheaded. Sometimes necklaces of garlic bulbs were placed on them. Sometimes licorice rabbits were strewn about.

The controversy was quelled when Empress Maria Theresa of Austria sent her personal physician, Dr. Gerhard van Swieten, to investigate. His investigation conclusively proved that vampires did NOT exist. As a result, laws were passed that effectively ended the hunting of vampires and the acts of grave desecration intended to slay them.

Superstition, of course, always threatens to create such controversy anew. There have been recent examples such as the Highgate Cemetery and Birmingham outbreaks in England, which resulted in vampire hunts. Fortunately, Dr. van Swieten is still with us to further confirm his original findings and dispute the existence of such creatures. He is now a robust and lively 308 years of age.