Vampire Mythology

The term Vampire conjures a certain image but that is an single image distorted by books, movies and TV and is not representative of the actual myths regarding vampires and vampire like creatures.
==Defintion==
Theresa Bane points out in her Encyclopedia Of Vampire MythologyEncyclopedia Of Vampire Mythology pg 3 "Most interesting, there is not a pre-existing or commonly accepted idea, let alone a singular, all-encompassing definition that clearly says what a vampire is, specifically." Here are the counter examples she gives:
*Not all vampires are undead: Bruja of Spain.
*Not all vampires are Evil: Talamaur of Australian lore; they are also not undead
* Not all vampires survive on blood: Algul of Arabic lore and Japan's Gaki.
* Not all vampires are nocturnal: many "species" of vampire in the Greek isles which are deadliest as high noon.
* Only one "species" of vampire doesn't cast a reflection: The Zemu from the Moldavia region of Romania
*Even in fiction mot all vampires require a stake to be driven into its heart to be destroyed: Dracula is destroyed by Jonathan Harker beheading him as Quincey P. Morris stabbed in the heart with a bowie knife.
==How to Become a Vampire==
* Commit suicide
*Get murdered
*Be a murderer
*Be a witch in life
*Be a werewolf (or some other were creature)
*Be the 7th son of a 7th son.
*Be a redhead
==References==
Category:Setting Concepts
Category:Undead
Category:Race Descriptions