Vampires

"*Just because you understand the mechanics of how something works, does not make it any less of a miracle ... which is just another word for magic. We're all kept alive by magic, Sookie. My magic's just a little different from yours, that's all.*"
—Bill Compton to Sookie Stackhouse[src]

**Vampires** are a humanoid species featured on HBO's *True Blood*. They first appear in the first episode of the first season.

## Biology

Vampires are indistinguishable from humans, and appear as they did when they were turned, albeit with a paler complexion due to lack of blood flow. Also, they have fangs that usually extend and retract willingly, though they can be stimulated to unwillingly extend. Some other vampires' eyes also turn red, such as Liam McKnight, as he demonstrated that he can change his eye color into blood-red. Vampires remain identical forever after they are turned. Due to this, vampires cannot lose or gain weight as explained by Eddie Gauthier, who said that, due to lack of exercise and a bad diet as a human, he remained overweight as a vampire, or change their body in any way. For instance, Jessica Hamby was a virgin when she was turned, and, after having sex, her hymen grew back. They are supposed to "sleep" during the day, which means that they will be essentially dead until they are active again. Eric says "We're supposed to be dead during the day," and the sign on the door of Fantasia during daylight hours humorously reads "Sorry, we're dead." Vampires can presumably grow hair, as Eric Northman cuts his hair, Lorena Krasiki's hair is shown to vary in length, and Franklin Mott states that he shaves.

Vampires are recognizable from their fangs, which are located behind the maxillary lateral incisors (as opposed to the canines, as per vampire mythology). Fangs can be extended and retracted by choice, and are controlled by the movements of certain facial muscles. However, fangs protrude automatically when vampires are feeding, angry, excited, sexually aroused (colloquially referred to as a "fang boner"), need to fight, or see blood. Fangs can also be removed, but grow back after three months. Without fangs, vampires cannot feed on live victims unless the victim is already wounded. Due to the lack of blood flow, vampires do not have any bodily functions. Because of this, vampires do not produce waste, and are unable to become pregnant, impregnate female humans or supernatural creatures, and have lower body temperatures than humans. Vampires have anatomically different tear ducts from humans, as they expel blood, not tears. Although vampires do not need to breathe, most still do out of habit, to aid in speaking, and for a sense of smell.

Vampires are reliant on human or synthetic blood, as they cannot ingest normal food or drinks, nor supernatural blood (with the exception of faeries). The blood of near-human creatures like werewolves or shifters can also sustain them. Synthetic blood is comprised of a varied cellular content, and comes in flavors such as O, A, B and AB, in both positive and negative varieties. Although Tru Blood can sustain a vampire nutritionally, it does not truly satisfy the vampire's cravings. Because of this, many vampires opt to drink human blood. Allegedly, virgin and baby blood taste the best, and faerie blood is expressly sought out by vampires, being referred to as "catnip for vampires". If a vampire abstains from drinking blood, they will experience the "bleeds", during which the vampire will begin to bleed from their ears and nose. In addition, vampires experience the bleeds if they do not sleep during the day. The bleeds stop when the vampire feeds or sleeps, depending on what caused the bleeds in the first place. If a vampire experiences the bleeds long enough, they will perish. While vampires are unable to hold in anything but blood, they can experience joy in smoking cigars and cigarettes. Since their bodies heal any damage rapidly, smoking will not have any lasting effect on a vampire. A vampire that has been incapacitated without the ability to feed will henceforth continue living, albeit in great constant suffering due to the lack of sustenance, and will eventually perish.

## Creation

In order to create a vampire, a human must be drained of their blood by a vampire and the blood lost needs to be replaced by some of the vampire's blood. The vampire and human must then sleep in the ground, this is presumably the point where they technically die, until the newborn rises as a vampire the following night. The newborn and the maker will subsequently have a maker-progeny bond, unless the maker deserts or releases their progeny. Newborn vampires will be thirsty and will need to feed to survive. Although newborns have some control of their abilities, they are mostly controlled by their impulses and can cause serious harm and accidental deaths to humans around them. In addition, newborns cannot resist blood at all, as resistance develops with age. A newborn's existence depends upon their abilities, which are taught to them by their maker. These abilities take time to learn and develop. As vampires age, they become more adept at controlling their abilities. According to Bill Compton, two-thirds of newborns die during their first year without the guidance of their makers.

## Known Vampires

* Amber Mills †
* Betty Harris †
* Beulah Carter †
* Bill Compton †
* Blackburn †
* Catherine †
* Chelsea †
* Chow Lin †/
* Colin
* Diane Hardwicke †
* Dieter Braun †
* Duprez †
* Eddie Fournier †
* Elijah Stormer †
* Eric Northman
* Franklin Mott †
* Godric †
* Isabel Beaumont
* István
* James Kent
* Jerome †
* Jorge Alonso de San Diego †
* Julie Watney
* Keith
* Kibwe Akinjide †
* Kirsch †
* Liam McKnight †
* Lilith †
* Longshadow †
* Lorena Krasiki †
* Lucinda
* Luis Patiño †
* Luisa Ella Prescott
* Macklyn Warlow †
* Malcolm Beaumarchais †
* Matt †
* Mike Spencer †
* Molly †
* Nan Flanagan †
* Nizar †
* Pam Swynford De Beaufort
* Russell Edgington †
* Roman Zimojic †
* Ronnie †
* Rosalyn Harris †
* Ruben †
* Salome Agrippa †
* Santiago †
* The Sirens
* Sophie-Anne Leclerq †
* Stan Baker †
* Steve Newlin †
* Talbot Angelis †
* Tara Thornton †
* Taryn O’Malley
* Troy †
* Violet Mazurski †
* Wayne Bosen
* Willa Burrell

## Powers and Abilities

### Powers

* **Vampire Physiology:** Vampires are indistinguishable from humans, and appear as they did when they were turned, albeit with a paler complexion due to lack of blood flow. Also, they have fangs that usually extend and retract willingly, though they can be stimulated to unwillingly extend. Some other vampires' eyes also turn red, such as Liam McKnight, as he demonstrated that he can change his eye color into blood-red.
	+ **Immortality:** Vampires remain identical forever after they are turned. Due to this, vampires cannot lose or gain weight, as explained by Eddie Gauthier, who said that, due to lack of exercise and a bad diet as a human, he remained overweight as a vampire, or change their body in any way, for instance, Jessica Hamby was a virgin when she was turned, and, after having sex, her hymen grew back. Vampires can presumably grow hair, as Eric Northman cuts his hair, Lorena Krasiki's hair is shown to vary in length, and Franklin Mott states that he shaves.
	+ **Retractable Fangs:** Vampires are recognizable from their fangs, which are located behind the maxillary lateral incisors, as opposed to the canines, as per vampire mythology. Fangs can be extended and retracted by choice, and are controlled by the movements of certain facial muscles. However, fangs protrude automatically when vampires are feeding, angry, excited, sexually aroused, colloquially referred to as a "fang boner", need to fight, or see blood. Fangs can also be removed, but grow back after three months. Without fangs, vampires cannot feed on live victims unless the victim is already wounded.
	+ **Flight:** Some vampires have the ability to fly. It is suggested that older vampires can fly, while younger vampires can merely levitate. When Sookie Stackhouse asks Eric Northman if all vampires can fly, Eric responds "can all humans sing?", suggesting that not all vampires have this ability.
	+ **Glamouring:** Vampires are able to "glamour" humans and a few of the more common supernatural creatures such as werewolves. Glamour is a form of hypnosis or mind compulsion, which requires vampires to make eye contact and use their voices to make humans do their bidding. Glamouring does not affect other vampires, powerful witches, maenads or fairies. Excessive glamouring can have a negative effect on the mental stability of a victim. Glamouring is not an innate ability, as it needs to be taught and practiced. Vampires can glamour at least two humans at the same time, as both Jessica Hamby and Eric Northman have been seen to do so.
	+ **Accelerated Healing Factor:** Vampires have an accelerated healing factor. They are able to heal all types of wounds, including open wounds, massive burns and tissue damage. If an injury is severe, vampires need human blood to initiate the healing process. They are also immune to all disease, save for Hepatitis D and V.
	+ **Enhanced Speed:** Vampires are the fastest supernatural creatures. They are able to move much faster than humans and even faster than the human eye can perceive. Vampires themselves however, are able to perceive this movement. Their vision and reflexes are accelerated like their movement, as shown when Eric Northman was able to perceive a speeding bullet in slow motion, and himself in normal motion while moving at superhuman speed. Speed, just like strength, advances with age, as older vampires are significantly faster than younger vampires. In addition, vampires have heightened reflexes.
	+ **Enhnaced Strength:** Vampires are noticeably physically stronger than humans, werewolves and shapeshifters. They slowly grow stronger with age and experience; older vampires can subdue younger ones with minimal to no effort. Feats of their strength include being able to press the weight of a small car, uproot trees, dismember grown men, and flip mobile homes over. Even newborn vampires generally have the advantage of physical strength when in direct hand-to-hand combat with a human; able to single-handedly lift a grown man off the ground and hurl him across a room.
	+ **Enhanced Durability:** Vampires are able endure physical pain better than humans and can recover from attacks that would cripple, maim, or kill humans with minimal effort.
	+ **Enhanced Senses:** Vampires have much stronger senses than humans. They are able to see, hear and smell better and can even see in complete darkness.

### Weaknesses

* **Decapitation:** If the head of a vampire is severed completely, the vampire will perish and dissolve into blood, while breaking the neck of a vampire only causes mild discomfort.
* **Entry to homes:** Vampires cannot enter private human homes unless they are invited in by the owner of the house. Vampires do not need to be invited into public places (such as bars or restaurants). Humans can rescind their invitations from vampires, which causes the vampire to immediately leave the house. Vampires can get around this by glamouring a person into inviting them in (provided the inhabitant makes eye-contact or isn't otherwise immune to glamouring). Ancient vampires might not be subjected to this weakness, suggested by Bill who drank Lilith's whole remaining blood and Warlow that has never been invited to Sookie's house. The death of the human owner of a residence allows any vampire to enter even without an invitation.
* **Excess blood:** If a vampire drinks too much blood, they will display alcohol intoxication-like qualities (such as euphoria, confusion, stupor, etc).
* **Exsanguination:** If a vampire is completely drained of their blood, they can become comatose, and eventually perish.
* **Fire:** Vampires can heal from burns, if given time and blood. However, if a vampire cannot take the time to heal from the burns, the vampire will die.
* **Hepatitis D:** A virus that can be transmitted through blood that weakens vampires for about a month.
* **Hepatitis V:** A new strain of the hepatitis disease that can be spread to them via sexually, ingestion, and injection. Once in the vampire's system, the vampire will begin to weaken and eventually die.
* **Maenad Blood:** If a vampire drinks maenad blood, they will begin to choke and vomit.
* **Magic:** Vampires have no particular resistance to the effects of magic, and are particularly vulnerable to necromancy, due to the fact that they are technically dead.
* **Silver:** Any contact with silver will burn and melt the surface of the vampire it touches.
* **Sleep or blood deprivation:** If a vampire does not sleep during the day, or does not feed for a period of time, they will experience the "bleeds". The bleeds refer to vampires bleeding from their ears and noses. If a vampire continues to be deprived of sleep or blood, they will die from blood loss.
* **Sunlight:** Vampires cannot endure ultra-violet light in any form. If a vampire comes into contact with sunlight, their skin will burn and they will be severely weakened, and, eventually, burst into flames and perish. The older a vampire is, the quicker they will burn; when Godric walked into sunlight, he perished in about 30 seconds, while Bill Compton was just severely charred after 3 minutes. UV light burns heal more slowly than regular burns, such as those inflicted by fire. This is perhaps their greatest weakness, as it renders them helpless twelve hours of the day.
* **Wood:** Vampires are susceptible to wood and wooden objects, including stakes and wooden bullets. If the heart of a vampire is pierced with a wooden object, the vampire will explode, and leave a mass of blood where they were previously standing. Certain very unusual and ancient vampires can become possibly immune to staking, as seen when Sookie staked Bill, who was able to remove the stake without meeting the final death. If so, the age of a vampire rendered immune to staking is really ancient, as neither Russell nor Warlow were immune, though they were from 2,800 to 5,500 years old.

## Appearances

 **Appears**
 "Don't You Feel Me":

 **Appears**
 "Karma":
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## References

1. ↑ "Strange Love", *True Blood*, HBO
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "I Don't Wanna Know", *True Blood*, HBO
3. ↑ "I Will Rise Up", *True Blood*, HBO
4. ↑ "Bad Blood", *True Blood*, HBO