Vampire Myths

Twenty Common Myths About Vampires.

1. "Garlic can repulse a vampire." -- This potent food item is not a vampire repellant; it just gives a person very strong breath and a garlic-scented house.


2. "Crosses are able to repulse and repel vampires." -- The only time a cross can do damage to a vampire is if it is blessed with holy water or if it is made of silver.


3. "Vampires do not have reflections because they have no soul." -- This is by far one of the most common myths, and it is most certainly not true. Vampires indeed have a soul; it is just tainted by their curse. Besides, how could vampires look so fabulous if they couldn’t look at themselves? Vampires do have reflections.


4. "Vampires sleep in coffins." -- Would you sleep in a coffin? No? This association came from their efforts to create safe transports during daylight hours, but no, a vampire would sooner sleep in the earth itself than in a box.


5. "Vampires like to feed on virgin female blood." -- Most vampires like blood, and healthy young blood is always best, but they are not particular as to which gender provides it.


6. "Vampires can turn into bats … or mist … or wolves." -- No, not unless they have a polymorph spell that can produce such an effect, for it is certainly not an innate ability. In order to perform such a transformation, a vampire would need substantial strength and the training of a magus.


7. "Vampires can fly." -- Vampires can jump relatively high or fall from great heights with little to no damage, but no, they cannot fly.


8. "A vampire cannot feed on the blood of a woman during the Blood Moon." -- This myth was created long ago. It’s origins are unknown, but it was probably first told to fearful villagers who were concerned about vampires stealing their women. This myth is certainly not true, vampires can and do feed at anytime.


9. "A vampire cannot enter a graveyard, it is a holy place." -- Vampires can go into graveyards, for these places are not "holy grounds". They are just resting places for the dead. Vampires cannot, however, enter churches blessed by the gods, unless they have been desecrated.


10. "Vampires have an unnatural allure that can sway the hardest of hearts to their control." -- It is said that vampires are very alluring. While it is true that most vampires are attractive, they don’t have the power to control the minds of others. They cannot dominate other people just by looking at them. This misconception always falls into the allure myth, which stems from people’s own lust and physical attraction, not a natural ability to draw others to them. Not everyone will find a vampire attractive and not all heads are going to turn should a vampire enter a room. It’s all about preference. This myth likely stemmed from a man who fell prey to a female vampire and managed to escape, excusing his ‘lust’ for the vampire by claiming that she had hypnotic powers.


11. "Vampires can walk around during the daylight." -- Not if they don’t want to become an ashtray. Clothing does not protect the vampire from sun damage, as it is porous. Also it, technically, "becomes" an extension of their physical self, taking on their curse. It will smolder, burn, melt, or disintegrate just as their skin would if exposed to sunlight. The sun is their greatest weakness.


12. "Vampires can’t have sex, because they are ‘dead’." -- No, vampires are not ‘dead’; they are not mindless zombies or animated skeletons. They are ‘alive’ and they can feel. They are only considered undead because they walk the night, drink blood, and cannot die by typical means. Of course, they can have sex, and enjoy it immensely; they just can’t reproduce sexually since they reproduce by blood exchange. (Only True Vampires can produce half-bloods.)


13. "Vampires can eat normal food." -- Vampires are not built to take in solid foods, for their internal organs are constructed to absorb fluids rather than break down solids. They often find such things repulsive anyway. If they do ingest solid food, it can give them severe ‘food poisoning’, where they will get sick and throw it up. They can, however, drink most liquids, and may take particular enjoyment in wine or spirits.


14. "A vampire may not enter a home without being invited in." -- This is another tall tale crafted to give people a sense of security against vampires. Yet it is just that, a myth. If it were true, then the vampire raids would not have produced any converts.


15. "Vampires can’t cross moving water." -- This one never ceases to amaze the vampire community, for they travel all over the world. Vampires can cross rivers and oceans.


16. "If you steal a vampire’s left sock, fill it with rocks, and then throw it into a river, they will be destroyed!" – Good luck trying to steal his sock. Of course, this doesn’t work. Don’t be ridiculous.


17. "Vampires are able to control rats, ravens, spiders and wolves."—As previously stated, vampires aren’t naturally able to control the minds of other beings unless they use some kind of magic. Vampires do have some control over newly created converts, as explained in their racial profile.


18. "Vampires can feed off each other for sustenance."—Vampires can feed off each other, but then they’d still be hungry. They need the blood of mortals to sustain their physical and mental health. Feeding off another vampire does not ease their hunger for blood. It may reduce it, but not tame it. Vampires do enjoy feeding off each other, however, in intimate moments. However, it does nothing for their well being.


19. "The Dark Gift is actually a demon."— This is a common misconception in vampire lore, for some have described their dark desires and hunger as a ‘demon’ or ‘beast’ that they wrestle with every day. Vampires do have to deal with their urges on a daily basis, but they don’t have monsters or demons inside them. Such references are merely their attempts to describe their dark urges. Some learn how to restrain their blood lust, others never do or can’t and simply allow their dark nature to drive them.


20. "Anyone bitten by a vampire becomes a vampire." -- This is not ‘exactly’ true. A person only becomes a vampire when their blood is exposed to the vampire’s blood. When a vampire bites a human, it doesn’t necessarily mean they intend to convert them.