Bogleech.com's 2014 Horror Write-off:

" Vampire Myths: Fact and Fiction "

Submitted by Monkeysky

By Grover Hellack Jr., Galet Hive of the Chicagoland Area

Vampires, Vampire communities, and Vampirism are topics surrounded in rumours and superstition. If you are reading this, it is likely that you are a human who has discovered that someone close to you is a Vampire, and you'd like to learn more. In that case, there are many preconceptions you likely have that should be sorted out.



Myth: Vampires are turned to dust by sunlight.

FICTION

The fungal tissue that makes up a Vampire's body is certainly vulnerable to sunlight if they hadn't consumed enough blood in recent weeks, but most Vampires can function normally if they keep a healthy feeding schedule, and even a long dry period will only result in some painful blistering in direct UV light.



Myth: Vampires are repelled by garlic and silver.

FACT

While the fungal tissue is resistent to most toxins that effect the human body, and can even repair human nervous tissue when needed, allicin (the chemical responsible for the smell of garlic) and some forms of silver can seriously injure a Vampire.



Myth: Vampires are repelled by religious iconography.

FICTION

Vampires do not have any more of a reaction to religious symbols or artifacts than regular humans. This myth most likely originates for the legendary Progenitor that will be discussed later.



Myth: A stake through the heart will kill a Vampire, as can beheading.

FICTION/FACT

Only low-percentage vampires will be killed by a sharp object impaling the heart, and any above 33% will be able to totally recover from the injury within days or even hours, if they rest. Decapitation or physical destruction to the brain, however, will cause irreparable damage to a human nervous system, no matter how many fungal cells attempt to repair it, almost always resulting in death for Vampires and humans alike.



Myth: Vampires can hypnotize humans and keep them as slaves.

FACT/FICTION

Vampires above 18% are capable of breathing out a gas at will which, when inhaled, puts humans in a low-energy state, but this generally just makes them fall asleep, and humans will develop a temporary tolerance within a few consecutive uses. No human has ever been used as a servant with this method.



Myth: Vampires can change shape to disguise themselves, or turn into animals.

FACT/FICTION

Only the fungal tissue can be manipulated at will, so even a vampire at the maximum percentage of 98% is still limited by their unconverted nervous system. This allows them to disguise themselves easily as other humans, but makes it almost impossible to take the form of an animal. However, Progenitors, having no human tissue, can change their form at will, even temporarily dividing into multiple entities.



Myth: Vampires are "undead".

FICTION

Vampires are both alive and more consistently healthy than regular humans. This myth likely began because the transition period from human to Vampire involve several days in a comatose state, and some individuals were mistakenly buried, only to "rise from the dead" afterwords. Also, a Vampire that has fallen behind on the consumption of blood often suffers from pale skin, hair loss, and facial feature degeneration that makes them appear corpselike.



Myth: Vampires kill/infect humans by feeding

FICTION

The feeding of a Vampire is only as harmful as the loss of blood is, and a lethal amount, assuming an adult human of healthy size is being fed on. is never required at any one time for a single Vampire. The only way for a human to become a Vampire is through transfusion of the fungal tissue into their blood, and this often takes several tries over the course of weeks or months. There has never been a confirmed instance of this happening accidentally during feeding. Currently, most Hives require a nomination from a current member if a human would like to join as a Vampire, and the application process can take many years to complete.



Myth: Vampires are especially evil, "soulless" or "inhuman", either as individuals or societies.

FICTION

A human that becomes a Vampire has almost no change in their personality, as their brain is unchanged by the transformation. While the extended lifespan may have an effect on their character, it is just as likely to lead to them becoming more compassionate. While some Vampires have become cruel towards humans, the large majority of Hives frown on this behaviour, and organize responsible feeding for their members. Progenitors are much more variable in personality, being able to alter their neurology at will, but very few of them have any hostility towards humans, and most are curious and kind.



Myth: Dracula was a Vampire.

FICTION

The story of Dracula, written by Bram Stoker in 1897, is based on legends that originate from one of the original Progenitors. They had hoped to live among humans in Europe, but were traumatized by their experience during the First Crusade, leading to them living alone, and purposefully scaring off any human visitors, converting only a chosen few to Vampires for companionship. They were known to be able to transform into a wolf, or a swarm of flies, and reports of them as being pale, corpselike in appearance, and fatally vulnerable to sunlight would indicate that they almost totally abstained from consuming human blood. However, they are believed to have been killed by a human as revenge for converting their lover into a Vampire.



Myth: Vampires live in "hives".

FACT/FICTION

Vampires, primarily having the human desire for companions of shared experience, tend to form communities that have evolved over time into structures known as Hives. These communities sometimes, but not always, include a commune for those that chose to live apart from human society. These are often led by a senior Vampire, or a Progenitor in areas of high Vampire concentration, who is advised by a council of senior Vampires. Members of a Hive often have basic duties to perform, based on their skills, and each member is expected to keep to a well-organized schedule of feeding meant to keep down the impact of the Hive on the surrounding human population. The Hives provide services to their members as well, such as arrangement of travel and documentation the the case of needing a new identity.



Myth: Vampires exist all around the world.

FACT

Vampires are deliberately spread evenly through the world. When a Vampire attempting to maintain a human identity has reached the end of a human's expected lifespan, their Hive often arranges a transfer to another part of the world, so they can more easily create a new identity. Vampires originate from all different cultures, and Hives can be some of the most diverse communities on Earth.



Myth: Vampires have existed since the dawn of humanity.

FICTION

The 33 original Progenitors arrived on Earth in 983 AD. Since that time, 18 of them have been destroyed, and 47 more have formed, resulting in a current total of 62 Progenitors on Earth now.



Myth: Vampires cannot cross running water/enter uninvited/rest without native soil nearby etc.

FICTION

Although many Hives in the past have held superstitions themselves, and there have been Vampires who suffered from compulsions or anxieties that may have encouraged these legends, none of these limitations effect Vampires in general.



Myth: Vampire society is detrimental to human existence.

FICTION

From the beginning, Vampires have understood that humanity is necessary to their survival, and that both groups share common goals in their lives. Working within human society, Vampires have aided in medical and technological advances, leading humanity to discoveries such as the UV reflector shields used by astronauts and anticoagulants used in blood banks, as well as helping introduce medical response during the Great War, leading to the development of the Red Cross. Many Vampires live most of their life among humans, and hostility towards humanity is only held by a small minority of Vampires, who are controlled by their Hives.





Thank you for reading, and I hope that this has been informative. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me at g.hellack.jr@gmail.com, or a representative of the Hive at galet.hive.chicago@gmail.com.