Animals

Please be aware that this page is heavily under construction and will be updated

There are two main sections to this list, those animals who are friendly with vampire and those that are friendly with hunters.

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## Vampire Friendly

### Bats

* Global
* Main Article Bats

They come out at night, creep most people out, one or two actually do drink blood. Mythologically connected to the underworld and the dead almost the world over. And yeah, because of film vampires are bats are powerfully linked. But there are some actual tales out there.

### Birds

* Europe
* Main Article Birds

Mostly because they can fly and some of them are predatory. One of them "Vampire Finch" does drink blood. Owls and night-birds are highly suspected of being vampire shape-shifted or a vampire's minion. You see birds often in vampire folklore.

### Butterflies

* Old Tales
* Main Article Insects and Bugs

Connected with death and the undead in certain cultures scattered the world over. In Asia they are linked with moth and the soul. In Japan the butterfly is seen as the traveling soul of a deceased person. Slavic Folklore says a butterfly is the soul outside of a body - living or dead. In Serbia the vampire is able to shapeshift into butterflies and feed. It mostly comes from the observation that Butterflies are more than happy to stop on a dead fish or dead raccoon for a pit stop on their way to the next bunch of flowers.

### Cats

* Global
* Main Article

Linked to vampires and witchcraft during the middle ages, they were seen as demonic familiars and it was said that vampires could shape-shift into them. They also have the ability to create vampires in many regions of the world by jumping over a corpse before it is buried.

### Death's Head Moth

* Romania
* Main Article Insects and Bugs

In certain stories the Deaths Head Moth is a vampire returned from being destroyed. Gradually, the vampire regains a physical - two arms, two legs, torso and head -body as the moth feeds off of the life essence of people it lands on.

### Fleas

* Western Europe
* Main Article Insects and Bugs

Once, the common flea was inseparable from the vampire. It was thought that feas were a shape they could assume in order to feed and spread illness.

### Flies

* Europe and Russia
* Main Article Insects and Bugs

Long seen as spreaders of disease, filth and vague 'demonry', flies could be controlled by the more powerful of the undead. In Russian Orthodoxy especially, flies signal the presence of evil, Satan and Beelzebub.

### Fowl

* Location Global
* Main Article Birds

One of the many animals which could cause vampirism. Should the shadow of a domestic fowl pass over a corpse before it is buried the person is doomed to return as a vampire.

### Frogs

* Eastern Europe
* Main Article

In several regions of Eastern Europe it is claimed that red haired people will return after death as vampires who are able to shapeshift into frogs.

### Horse - Black

* Location Europe, UK, Russia, Middle East
* Main Article Horses

Should a black horse refuse both sugar and apples, it is to be suspected of either being a shape-shifted vampire or of serving a vampire after dark.

### Locust

* Location Global
* Main Article Insects and Bugs

Their ability to swarm and blot out the sun, to devour entire fields has led many to link them with vampires. A more tangible link is made via the Kudlak, a sort of witch/vampire hybrid known for shapeshifting into a swarm and targeting a tribes crops.

### Mosquito

* Location Global
* Main Article Insects and Bugs

Because they live off of blood and can transmit disease, they have long been associated vampires. Vampires could control them in some places, become then in other areas to feed. One African tale talks of a devil who took a wife and was unhappy with their children so it turned then into mosquitos.

### Owl

* Location USA, Europe
* Main Article Birds

Even though they were thought to be signs of wisdom in Classical mythology in practice we find that they are more often spoken of in folktales as harbingers of death and discomfort. Some pockets of Eastern Europe tell tales of vampires shapeshifted into owls. To acknowledge an Owl's presence is to invite attack and illness. In Western USA the Native Tribes tell stories of the Owl speaking your name before your death.

(The following is a typed-up Shoebox card added by Commander Cinnamon.)

The strongest connection to vampires that owls have seems to be via the old Greco-Roman stories of Strix and Lamia - generally, illustrations of them show half-animal women who appear with an owl's wings and talons. "Strix" even translates to the sound an owl makes.

There are a handful of more modern undead-owl traditions; depending on area they are able to become an owl for brief periods of time or certain nights, or able to possess or command owls.

### Pigs

* Old Romania
* Main Article Livestock

One of the least documented as there is some confusion in the texts and translations. The gist is that Pigs and Swine are one of the animals that a vampire might shapeshift into.

### Rat

* Europe
* Main Article

As they were thought to be the bringers of the Great Plague, numerous tales sprung up across Europe that rats were friends to all vampires and aided them in all manor of ways. In some tales vampires could control grand hordes of rats and in others they shapeshift into them to roam about unnoticed.

### Raven

* region
* Main Article: Birds

A highly intelligent bird and a carrion eater, Ravens are both honored and feared for their ability to prevent vampires by feeding on a dead body before they can transform. Often times, they themselves may become a vampire should they eat too many. This creates an interesting situation. Some stories say that once the bird transforms it will serve an Undead, others say they will still try to eat vampires.

### Spider

* Europe
* Main Article Insects and Bugs

With many of the same proposed abilities as vampires there was a time when spiders were once almost interchangeable with vampire and certianly more associated than bats. If you notice, you'll see that all of the early vampire movies featured spiders and spider webs, including the early Bela films. Some of the Old World tales vampires and spiders are considered very nearly cousins. They both lure in their prey, drain life away and leave a husk of a body behind.

### Venomous Fly

* USA
* The Providence Journal, 21st March 1892
* Main Article Insects and Bugs

The Providence Journal, 21st March 1892, page 8 makes the note that a certain regional folk belief states that vampires - on cloudless, full moon nights - can assume the form of a venomous fly who not only drinks blood but poisons those it's bites. Though they are greatly restricted on which night they can do this.

### Wolves

* Europe and Russia
* Main Article Dogs and Wolves

Long thought to be a vampire's companion, in some places a vampire may even be forced to spend years in a wolf's body - an uncontrollable shapeshift.

## Hunter Friendly

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Proin nibh sapien, semper maximus arcu at, lobortis feugiat nisi. Donec fermentum ultrices suscipit. Phasellus id facilisis metus, nec viverra lacus. Nullam a sapien accumsan, ullamcorper nisi in, pellentesque nibh. Mauris suscipit consectetur venenatis.

### Cattle

* Global

* Main Article: Livestock

Often seen as the first prey of a vampire, either newly born or newly arrived to an area. Cattle are often surprisingly what caught most vampires. Most hunters watch cattle closely looking for signs of chronic Anemia and animals that have died of blood loss. To protect herds, there are all manor of charms and rites some examples are Need Fires decorative herbs, totem dolls, Knots Balls, Coin strings and so on.

### Corocotta / Corocuta / Crocotta

* Ancient Rome
* Main Article: Dogs and Wolves

First described by Pliny the Elder, they re described as wolf/dog hybrids that are terribly strong with 'horribly' sharp teeth. They are also said to have instant digestion, can change their color and gender at will and can also mimic human voices. They like to stalk farmlands and graveyards searching for their favorite food: anything dead, including the Undead. Pliny claimed that they were known to dig up bodies and break into tombs should the corpse not oblige them by getting up themselves. When they are desperate, they will attack the living by calling out a person's name to tempt them away from groups. Many historians believe that Corocottas are little more than a misidentified Hyena.

### Crow

* Global
* Main Article: Birds

As a carrion eater, they are known as both harbingers of death and a Hunter's natural ally. There are plenty of tales that mention the Crow's ability to consume or greatly cripple a vampire before they can fully transform and rise.

### Dogs

* Global
* Main Article: Dogs and Wolves

Dogs are Man's Best Friend as the saying goes. Though they must be kept away from the recently deceased, lest they accidentally trigger the corpse's transformation into a vampire they are also a favored companion and protector of the Hunter. Certain regions attribute different breeds with what they are most useful for; some can see an invisible vampire, others will attack one on sight, some others can track and some breeds are the only thing cabable of destroying a vampire.

### Fetch Dog

* Europe
* Main Article:Fetch Dog

 A beloved companion of Sabbatarians which aids them in their battle against their mortal enemy. The Fetch Dog is an invisible creature, only seen by their human companion and sometimes the Sabbatarian can't even see them, only hear them.It is believed to a combination of both Greek and Norse lore; the Greek Fetch Spirit and the Norse Fylgja. They can appear as a dog, a bird, horse, wolf, bear or even in some cases a dragon. An interesting note is that once the Fetch Dog's work is done and the Sabbatarian takes over to Bottle the vampire, some town believe that the invisibility is reversed. The Human disappears and their companion is seen.

### Fowl

* Eastern Europe
* Main Article Birds

In many a folk-ritual, a person maybe cured of an attack if a domestic fowl is passed in front of their face three times and the neck is then twisted around until the bird's blood squirts onto the person's face.

### Horse - Black

* Europe
* Main Article: Horses

The horse must be pure black, not a single colored hair on it's body and a young virginal boy aged 5-11 must ride it over the town's graves. Should either the horse or the boy detect a vampire sleeping below, the horse will will stop moving and refuse to take another step unless it is back the way it came and the boy will faint or pass out.

### Horse - White

* Albania
* Main Article: Horses

In Albania, a white horse is absolutely essential in finding the grave of a sleeping vampire. A Damphire will have a young child, boy or girl it doesn't seem to matter, ride the horse over the graves. Should either the horse or the child detect a vampire sleeping below, the horse will stop moving and refuse to take another step unless it is back the way it came.

### Raven

* region
* Main Article: Birds

A highly intelligent bird and a carrion eater, Ravens are both honored and feared for their ability to prevent vampires by feeding on a dead body before they can transform. Often times, they themselves may become a vampire should they eat too many.

### Snake

* Former Yugoslavia, Some USA
* Main Article:

Particularly in several towns of the former Yugoslavia - the spot crosses several borders - the snakes connection to the Undead is... tentative at best and probably comes from a mistranslation. The idea goes that they came to the aid of an unnamed priest who was searching for a vampire that was killing his parishioners. The snakes found the vampire and helped the priest destroy it.

In the United States several Tribal tales consider the snake a wise creature who knows the soul of all it sees. The Wisdom of the snake is often sought in all manner of Vision and Spirit quests; from difficult diplomatic problems to curing an illness. The winding trail a snake makes as it moves is often used to explain the impact decisions and choices can have much the same way Westerners describe the Butterfly Effect.

### Wolves - White

* Europe and Russia
* Main Article: Dogs and Wolves

In places that have a large wolf population, White Wolves are often described as a natural enemy of vampires of all kinds. Without the aid of human hunters, the White Wolves take it upon themselves to stalk crossroads and graveyards readily devouring any vampire who shows itself.

### Yena

* Ancient Rome

* Main Article: Dogs and Wolves

 First described by Pliny the Elder, they re described as wolf/dog hybrids that are terribly strong with 'horribly' sharp teeth. They are also said to have instant digestion, can change their color and gender at will and can also mimic human voices. They like to stalk farmlands and graveyards searching for their favorite food: anything dead, including the Undead. Pliny claimed that they were known to dig up bodies and break into tombs should the corpse not oblige them by getting up themselves. When they are desperate, they will attack the living by calling out a person's name to tempt them away from groups. Many historians believe that Yena are little more than a misidentified Hyena but the description in the original texts leaves room for it being an intentional hybrid.