We all know garlic and crosses, and they don't cast reflections, but I recently heard that vampires can't cross running water, and that they have to count things (my husband says he used to put popcorn kernels outside his door as a kid so a vampire would have to stop and count them all and therefore couldn't get in his room).  \nAny other little known legends?
120208
Ironically enough, almost every culture hass their own version of Vampires. In african folklore their are vampires that are turned inside out, and stalk the night looking for peoples skins. In asia, their version of the vampire carries his guts around with him, looking for, you guessed, a place to put his guts. \n\nWestern vampires, unfortunately for vampire hunters, have a varied a mythology as the rest of the world. \n\nThe idea that vampires are obsessive compulsive is common. Carrying seeds with you or a string with many knots in it is a way to distract they vampires. they MUST count the seeds and untie the knots. \n\nI've read various accounts of killed vampires (of course they were just sickly humans, mutilated by their less-than-knowledgable companions.) and medieval peasants have come up with some of the most clever things. For example, a vampire must be buried upside down, so that when he tries to rise,  he'll just dig his way to hell. Also cutting off their heads, burning them in fresh rose petals, etc. The list goes on and on.
508151
I'm Christian and I believe that being able to communicate with ghosts is a gift not a curse.\nIn fact Christians should know this because in the bible it says that one of the gifts from the holy spirit is a 6th sense. I'm not sure where it says this but I do know that it does say it because I read it. I would love to be able to speak to spirits and I think that anyone who can is truly blessed. Besides, I think that it's the Catholic Christians who say that it's a curse, but I'm not certain. Now that you have me thinking you should also ask; If you can speak to the dead than does this mean your possessed? I mean come on. These Christians must have a lot of sins that they need to cover up if they feel the need to tell someone that they're being influenced by the devil. After all isn't it true that your more likely to tell someone what their doing wrong when in fact it's you who's doing something wrong?
313057
Yes, vampires are real, but they're hardly like the ones in fiction.  Real vampires feed off the energy of other people and the environment because they can't produce enough energy on their own for themselves, but they also won't die if they can't feed.  Some vampires do drink blood to get this energy, but many don't have to, and those who do usually have willing donors.  Also, many vampires have no problems with sunlight, holy objects, mirrors, garlic, or nearly all of the other fictional problems.  They don't live forever either.  Many have hightened psychic awareness and physic strength and speed, but it's not a given.\n\nIt is highly unlikely that there is a vampire virus.  The only way for someone to be a vampire is to have been born one.  As for being Turned...I won't say you can't be Turned, since there are a couple cases where a mundane human was successfully changed into something close to being a vampire; I would say you _won't_ be Turned, because it's extremely dangerous to both people involved and any sane vampire will flat out refuse to do it.\n\nOf course, there are a few nuts who try to imitate their favorite characters in vampire fiction, making a mess of things and giving real vampires a bad name.  There are also a few real vampires who can't deal with what they are or believe that because of what they are they can do what they like and they end up being overly violent, make a mess of things, and give the rest a bad name as well.  In most cases, if someone says he/she is a vampire, it's either wishful thinking or you want to get away from that person because they're going to be bad news.  A vampire will probably not tell you what they are until they're comfortable around you, if at all.\n\nSo, yes, vampires exist, but you're probably not going to know if you've met one, although mundanes do tend to subconsciously shy away from them. And no, a vampire virus most likely does not exist.
25038
It all depends on where they bite them. Vampires have to bite on the neck. I am not sure where humans would have to bite.
326220
It wouldn't suprise me, considering that vampires are traditional hoarders, and Roman Catholics ar quite clearly vampires.\n\nSeriously - lets look at the evidence. To be named a saint in the RC church you need two things - 1: to have a miricle to your name, and 2: when your body is exhumed for it not to have decayed at all.\n\nNow, personally I'd call anyone who can turn into a bat someone who can perform miracles. And the only creatures I know who live in tombs and whose bodies don't decay are vampires.\n\nOh, and the Pope - how does he live so long? Why is he always in shadow when he speaks? Why does the PopeMobile have tinted windows?\n\nThe evidence is compulsive, I think you'll agree.
147739
Vampires are mythical or folkloric creatures, typically held to be the re-animated corpses of human beings and said to subsist on human and/or animal blood (hematophagy), often having unnatural powers, heightened bodily functions, and/or the ability to physically transform. Some cultures have myths of non-human vampires, such as demons or animals like bats, dogs, and spiders. Vampires are often described as having a variety of additional powers and character traits, extremely variable in different traditions, and are a frequent subject of folklore, cinema, and contemporary fiction.\n\nVampirism is the practice of drinking blood from a person/animal. Vampires are said to mainly bite the victim's neck, extracting the blood from the carotid artery. In folklore and popular culture, the term generally refers to a belief that one can gain supernatural powers by drinking human blood. The historical practice of vampirism can generally be considered a more specific and less commonly occurring form of cannibalism. The consumption of another's blood (and/or flesh) has been used as a tactic of psychological warfare intended to terrorize the enemy, and it can be used to reflect various spiritual beliefs.\n\nIn zoology and botany, the term vampirism is used to refer to leeches, mosquitos, mistletoe, vampire bats, and other organisms that prey upon the bodily fluids of other creatures. This term also applies to mythic animals of the same nature, including the chupacabra.
167618
It would be awesome if it did exist, but they would have to keep it secret. For some reason, anything that we don't understand, we have to attack. To combine science/technology with the marvel of magic - sigh. How incredible. Hey, we can dream, can't we?  Try reading the Southern Vampire books by Charlaine Harris - they have a different view on a "what if" like your question - only this deals with vampires! Or Terry Brooks Landover series, beginning with Magic Kingdom for Sale: Sold!  Great "what if" books!!! Enjoy - & keep dreaming & asking questions, please!!!
315633
I do have one very close friend who's a vampire, but she's a rare exception and only uses her powers for good (she takes people's headaches) but for the most part, I tend to avoid vampires. They're mostly unethical, draining others for their own fulfillment, and that's not really the way I like to live. I suppose I can fight off a psychic attack if I have to, but why bother. It's easier to just avoid them
81500
I dreamt that I was a vampire.  It was extremely bizarre because the only part I can remember (and this is quite a disturbing part) was that I tracked down Rosie O'Donnell and was transforming HER into a vampire too (via traditional vampire-transformation methods i.e puncture and suck and then there was the crazy mouth-to-mouth thing). Ahhhh, it was so weird and strange because I'm a girl and I don't even like Rosie O'Donnell!
401386
Someone has, apparently.  \n1)  I forget the specifics, but the English hanged some guy for being a vampire in the 30's or 40's\n2)   Miguel De Romasante (or something like that), the one man accused of lycanthropy in modern times, lived in the late 1800's in Spain.\n3)  Absolute tons of people have claimed to see God, Demons and Ghosts.
429248
Yes vampires do exist i hav a group of friends that totaly agree, i swear theres a vampire at my school...\n\n\nYes they do exist though.\n\n\n:I hate you humans:
583511
I believe in vampires and actually know a few from school. They're not immortal or anything like that though. They're just like everyone else with a few differences.
466355
I've always seen them as romantic immortals. Vampire spells out: sex, blood, romance, immortality, evil and secrets, for me.\n\nThat goes for both real and movie/fiction book vampires.
651269
Hmm this story is real, some kids in our high school was playing with the Ouija Board, as in using the coin and some paper as the board. So they were playing it, but when they decided to end the session, they tried to remove their fingers off the coin BUT they could not remove it! Their fingers really got stuck there to the coin and they couldn't move it away. They got really panic and some people have called the teacher adviser for Christian Fellowship and she prayed for them. And the spirits left, and they are free to move again.\n\nI'm not sure what caused their fingers to be stuck there, but the prayer sure did cast it out. Praise God!
637910
I think that almost every myth has some foundation in fact.  It just may not be in truth EXACTLY how we've heard it.  Humans have a great ability to twist and change facts.  And superstition can also greatly influence perception.
209323
I would say that they would feel the effects short term but shake it off after their next fresh blood fix. Many vampire stories go on about vampires drinking the blood of intoxicated people so that they can share in the drug/alcohol. And the most famous account of vampirism: "Interview With A Vampire", Lestat is drained of blood and therefore becomes week and vulnerable until he has a fresh supply of human blood. So, it supports the idea that whilst vampires cannot die again (accept with the old sunlight/stake through the heart thing) but they can become suceptable to ailments of the blood.\n\nOh and to the person who called you an idiot: you are aware that this question was posted within a mythological context? We are talking about the fictional representation of vampires here.
22869
Perhaps you are referring to Vlad the Impaler? I think he was the historical basis for Count Dracula. He might have been Romanian or Transylvanian.