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VAMPIRE
PHYSIOLOGY 101
The information collected regarding vampire physiology that appears
on thie site consists of the accumulated data and corresponding
hypotheses gathered by irfikos for
the purpose of enlightening attendees of Writercon
2006 on
the physical nature of the Jossversian vampire.
Emphasis has
been placed on physical traits of said vampires as witnessed
in canon and as reasonably extrapolated from nature and myth.
Although not everything is yet known about the nature of the
Jossversian vampire, it is hoped that these texts and illustrations
will be helpful to scholars who wish to cover this subject matter
in their creative works.
All texts and illustrations
regarding vampire physiology contained on this site are copyrighted
2006. However, the information contained herein may be used as
a resource for those who seek to explore the world of these oft-misunderstood
creatures in their works of fiction.
So
You Think You Might Be a Vampire…
A HANDY GUIDE FOR THE NEWLY TURNED
How
does a person become a vampire?
A vampire is turned or “sired” when another vampire drinks
a human’s blood until he or she is near death. Then, the human
drinks some of the vampire’s blood. The human body then
dies and rises again as a vampire.
How long does it take for a person who has been turned
to rise again as a vampire?
The vampire “pupal” stage can vary in duration.
An estimated 2-7 days can generally be expected. Though
some early risers awaken in a matter of hours.
Can you become a vampire just by being bitten by one?
No. This is a myth. A human must drink some of the vampire’s blood
while near death in order to be turned. Though merely having a vampire
drink from you is relatively harmless, some have been known to become
addicted to the “rush” it gives them. Because of
this and the unpredictable nature of the vampire, it is inadvisable
for humans
to share blood with vampires.
How quickly can a vampire drain a victim of their blood?
The human body can be drained of blood in 8.6 seconds, given
adequate vacuuming systems. Vampires are capable of consuming
4-6 quarts
of blood very rapidly—remember, they don’t need to
come up for air! Since unconsciousness occurs in the victim within
a few
seconds,
a vampire
must act quickly if he or she chooses to turn their victim.
Do vampires eat or drink anything other
than blood?
The vampire digestive system is less complicated than
that of a human. Because they are able to derive all
of the
nutrients they need from the
blood they drink, their digestive processes are adapted for a
liquid diet. Because vampires are still capable of taking
in food orally,
a minimal amount of digestion still takes place. They
no longer possess
many of the enzymes and acids necessary to break down large food
molecules so most food “goes right through them” and is expelled as
waste. Vampires must chew solid food carefully to avoid discomfort. For
this reason, few vampires bother with human foods. Some liquids other
than blood can be digested by vampires, but generally hold little if
any nutritional value. Vampire digestion takes place primarily in the
small intestine, where the blood is absorbed through the intestinal walls.
If the blood contains foreign substances, or if a vampire consumes alcohol
or certain drugs, he or she can be affected since many of these chemicals
can still be absorbed into the vampire’s system.
Vampire Sense of Taste (fashion notwithstanding)
The vampire sense of taste adapts to suit their new palate. Vampires
can of course still smell human foods, but most quickly lose their taste
for it. Literally. The range of flavors that a vampire can actually taste
is very small and their ability to taste most human foods is muted. Only
the strongest or spiciest of foods have much of a taste at all. Vampires
with a very well-developed vomeronasal organ (discussed later in this
pamphlet) have claimed to be able to taste foods more so than vampires
in whom the vomeronasal organ is less developed. Vampires can taste an
amazing range of qualities in the blood they drink. They may not know
how the human food tastes, but they know what the human they feed on
ate based on how the blood tastes.
If vampires have no heartbeat, how do they bleed?
Even though they don’t have a beating heart, vampires do have a
circulatory system of sorts. Consider: If vampire blood did not circulate
throughout their bodies, how could their victims drink from them during
the siring process? During the period before a vampire rises, the body
goes through a series of changes. Among these changes is a “streamlining” of
the circulatory system. Blood flow to nonessential systems, such as the
digestive system and lungs is reduced. The flow of blood elsewhere is
minimal, yet steady. When a vampire is injured, the blood will appear
to “leak” from the wound. With no heartbeat, there is no
pulse and blood does not “spurt” as it does with humans.
No one is certain just how exactly blood circulates, but as with many
aspects of the vampire, there are a great many theories. Perhaps it is
simply part of that mysterious metaphysical aspect of the demon-infected
blood that a vampire initially consumes at the time of his or her turning
that acts as a catalyst to disperse blood throughout the body as needed.
It is when a vampire’s ability to circulate this blood
to the brain is disrupted that a vampire is susceptible to being
destroyed.
I heard that boy vampires can only turn
girls and girl vampires can only turn boys. Is this true?
Certainly not! Vampires are equal opportunity biters. Some may prefer
to turn one or the other, but they are capable of turning a human of
either sex.
Will being a vampire affect my sex life? Not at all! Although it is nearly impossible
for vampires to reproduce (there is only one known case
of
a vampire actually
giving
birth) they
are still fully able to perform sexual interourse. The vampire
circulatory system (discussed in this pamphlet) enables
male vampires to become
erect and female vampire genitalia to experience arousal.
Mucuous membranes
still function on a limited basis for vampires. In the sinuses,
for example, it aids in the sense of smell by keeping
the sinuses
lubricated. It is
the same for the production of vaginal lubricant in vampires.
Due to fact that vampire bodies contain less water than
humans,
it may be
necessary to use additional lubrication. Female vampires
do not produce eggs or
experience a menstrual cycle. The male vampire does not undergo
spermatogenesis within the testicles. Sperm is the component
that is missing from
vampire semen. The seminal vesicles continue to excrete
a thick liquid (which
is primarily fructose in humans, but sugar levels can vary in
vampires depending on whom they have eaten), this liquid
combines with an
alkaline secretion from the prostate to form the vampire
version of semen. Vampire
males even secrete the lubricant that readies the urethra to
expel semen— commonly
known as “pre-cum.” When aroused sufficiently, vampire
males are capable of repeated ejaculation, though they are susceptible
to dehydration
and may need to drink very soon after or supplement their diet
with water. Both male and female vampires take great pleasure
in sex, despite being “sterile” (except
for the atypical case mentioned above). Sex also serves as a
convenient lure for human victims. Demons seem to enjoy sex as
much as humans
and a hybrid of the two creatures would logically continue to
find it pleasurable.
Do vampires sweat?
The composition of a vampire body contains far less water than
a human body and they use it sparingly. Though they can drink
water, they have
no real need to do so. Plasma from blood is 96% water and provides
vampires with all that they need. Vampires are still capable
of sweating,
but
will gnerally only sweat under extreme circumstances (severe
stress, as a reaction to certain poisons, etc.) or, if needed,
as camouflage
to help blend with humans while hunting. They do not need to
sweat to keep cool as humans do. They can also cry—a tactic
many employ to great effect while hunting.
Is it true that vampires need to sleep in a coffin?
No. Vampires don’t need to be buried at all when turned. Many vampires
do choose to bury their new offspring as a nod to traditionalism. Some
merely dump theirs in parking lots. Likewise for sleeping in coffins — though
not necessary, some vampires prefer to be more traditional or
may be pressured into it in order to keep up appearances among
their
peers.
What’s happening to my face?
Newly turned vampires in particular have found that at times—for
some, all the time—they no longer appear human. This is because
the bones and cartilage that shape the front of the vampire skull is
actually malleable. The body of a vampire may begin, essentially, as
a human corpse, but once risen, the transformation is complete and it
is a demon/human hybrid. Vampires usually rise with their “demon
face” showing prominently. Savvy vampires soon realize that hunting
is easier if they can pass as human. Once a vampire masters the ability
to control the transformation of its facial structure he or she will
find that the change still occurs under certain circumstances. It is
necessary to use the demon face when feeding—blunt human teeth
may charm that man or woman into the alley, but the demon’s razor-sharp
canines are needed to rip open the victim’s throat. Sharp vampire
senses are also heightened significantly when in demon face. When faced
with a dangerous situation, allowing the demon senses and instincts to
take complete control will increase a vampire’s chances
of survival. It is also far more effective when intimidating
enemies
or minions.
Remember: not all vampires are capable of controlling this change.
It may become
possible with practice, but many vampires are never able to appear
human.
Do vampires age?
Vampires do not age in the same way that humans do. Since the
span of existence for a vampire is much longer than that of a
human,
the aging
process takes much longer. It can take centuries before any signs
of aging appear. Instead of the body weakening and breaking down,
as it
does in humans, vampires actually become stronger as they age.
The demonic traits from their “mixed heritage” become more and more dominant
and they will appear less and less human as the process continues. Very
few vampires have actually reached such an advanced age. Studies of vampire
population growth over the centuries, however, indicate that the presence
of vampires has steadily increased over time. Therefore, we can expect
to see more and more of these “master” vampires in
the future.
Do vampires have special powers?
That depends on your perspective. Since vampires are predators,
their senses are adapted to be extremely sensitive as a tool
for acquiring
food. Most of their abilities are not supernatural but are certainly
superior to those of a human. They are nocturnal, and have keen
night vision. However, as with cats, vampires cannot see in total
darkness.
Their sense of hearing is equivalent to a dog’s. Vampires can hear
a far wider range of sounds and from more that four times as far away
as a human could. The vampire sense of smell is also somewhat better
than that of a dog. A vampire has about 35 times more olfactory receptors
than humans. Like dogs, vampires can detect a single drop of blood in
several quarts of water. In addition, vampires possess a vomeronasal
organ—a somewhat mysterious sensory organ located in the roof of
the mouth, behind the front teeth. This organ can be found in a wide
range of demonic and non-demonic animals including snakes and cats and
allows them to “taste” certain smells and chemical signatures.
While snakes utilize this organ by flicking their tongue in and out to
bring in scents, vampires seem to react similarly to cats by performing
a more subtle version of the flehmen response. If you’ve ever seen
a cat make “that weird face” then you have seen the
flehmen response. It involves opening the mouth into a sneer
or grimace,
inhaling and touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth directly
behind the
front teeth. Scientists believe that the vomeronasal organ is
used by vampires for primarily the same reasons as by cats: for
sex.
This organ
is fine-tuned to detect sexual pheromones. This comes in handy
for a vampire on the hunt to detect if a potential victim is
aroused enough by them to willingly accompany them to a dark
alley. The
organ
is also
sensitive to other subtle information that is beyond the human
ability to perceive. Some even theorize that creatures with this
organ can
use
it to predict disasters such as earthquakes or impending apocalypse.
Humans once had this organ themselves, but evolution apparently
deemed it unnecessary. Knowing all this, one can assume that
if a vampire
sneers at you, he or she may actually be sensing that you are
sexually aroused!
Scientists from the Demon Research Initiativereport
that vampire tissue contains high levels of retinoic acid in
areas where rapid healing has
taken place. This material has been linked to limb regeneration
in certain amphibians and could account for the vampire’s impressive healing
ability. Vampires can survive—and eventually heal from—nearly
any injury (not counting the “fatal” injuries described in
this pamphlet). Even seriously debilitating injuries such as paralysis
will eventually heal in time. Scarring can sometimes occur with injuries.
Especially if the injuries are inflicted with a sacred or charmed weapon.
Something as major as a severed limb could take a very long time—decades,
possibly even centuries depending on the vampire’s constitution.
Strength and speed can vary greatly between vampires. Typically, these
abilities can be attributed to the age of the vampire, the vampire’s “bloodline,” and
how recently the vampire has fed. A vampire with a century or two under
his or her belt who has recently fed will be much stronger than a vampire
fresh from the grave who hasn’t had a meal yet. Vampires
are incredibly strong, though on average, their muscle mass is
no greater
than that
of a human. This increased strength could be partially attributed
to the increased efficiency of the vampire body, which is adapted
for
fighting and hunting. It takes a great deal of force to break
the bones of a vampire.
It takes very little effort for a vampire to break the bones
of a human. Though vampires cannot fly, their leg muscles are
strong
enough
to
enable them to leap great distances. Vampires can move very quickly,
as well,
though very rarely will they use this ability.
What kinds of things will harm a vampire?
Because vampires have such accelerated healing powers, it is very difficult
to cause them any permanent harm. There are certain things that they
do need to watch out for:
Garlic—Long thought to be a repellent
to vampires, there is still no definitive evidence that
garlic can actually harm or deter a vampire. Still, it’s
better to be safe than sorry!
Holy Water & Certain Religious Symbols—These
items have been known to cause severe burns when
a vampire comes into contact with them. If such
contact lasts long
enough or is extensive, it may result in full
combustion and “death” for the vampire. No studies have
yet uncovered why these items cause such damage. One
important factor to note is the predominance of Christian
symbols as those that are most commonly harmful to a
vampire. While some believe that this is due to the power
of “good” in these symbols counter-acting
the “evil” nature of the vampire, others
point to the curious fact that the symbols that are repellent
to vampires are those from a religion based upon belief
in a figure who rose from the dead, and whose followers
routinely partake in the ritual drinking of his “blood,” which
leads one to suspect some sort of connection.
Whatever the reason, science has not yet been
able to explain
this phenomenon.
Sunlight—Direct exposure
to sunlight will cause a vampire to combust and
burn rapidly. There are many possible reasons
for such a severe reaction. Most likely, this
condition is an extremely acute variant of any
number of rare photosensitivities that occur
in humans. Polymorphic light eruption, actinic
prurigo, solar urticaria, chronic photosensitivity
dermatitis, xeroderma pigmentosum and porphyria
(a collective name for several similar diseases)
are all conditions found in humans that cause
sensitivity to sunlight. Of these conditions,
a form of porphyria, seems to be the most likely
culprit, due to the fact that this disease also
affects the blood. It is also possible that this
photosensitivity is simply a by-product of a
chemical reaction that may take place during
the siring process. As the demon blood mingles
with the blood of the human victim, it may affect
the body chemistry, causing a sensitivity to
sunlight much as some diuretics, antibiotics
(such as tetracycline) and anti-inflammatory
medications do in humans. Vampires can survive
sunlight for very brief periods of time as long
as they are fully covered from direct exposure.
Moving about in heavily shaded areas is extremely
risky, and may cause weakness, dehydration and
skin irritation in vampires. This is true even
at twilight or pre-dawn morning.
Fire—Will also cause
a vampire to combust and burn rapidly. Burning
in general does not bode well for vampires.
“Staking” through the heart—Though it doesn’t beat,
a vampire’s heart is still a necessary organ. It is somehow integral
to the mysterious vampire circulatory system. The device for impalement
must be
wood. The vampire’s accelerated healing abilities are able to compensate
for most damage the heart may suffer otherwise, but some unknown quality
inherent in wood will cause such immediate and catastrophic damage that
the vampire “dies.”
Removal of the heart—(see above) A vampire
can continue to function for approximately six hours after the
heart has
been removed. At that
point, he or she loses the ability to process blood and will
weaken and “die.”
Decapitation—Although brain function
for a vampire is not detectable by standard equipment,
it obviously takes place. The heart may be essential
for the “life-giving” blood
to flow throughout the body, but the brain is also necessary
to direct the body’s functions. Not only does decapitation
sever the brain’s connection to the body it controls,
it severs the connection that allows the blood to flow
to the brain.
One cannot survive without the other.
Why do vampires turn to dust when they are destroyed?
No one is certain why vampires turn to dust upon being
destroyed. There are many interesting theories as to
the cause. One
hypothesis states
that when a vampire is destroyed, the demon “essence” that
animates the body, recognizing that the end is near, attempts to either
escape the body or retreat deeper inside of it, desiccating the body
in the process. Since certain inanimate objects (such as clothing) trapped
within a vampire’s aura take on the demon essence, they too are
destroyed. Another theory refers to a delicate balance at the cellular
level of the vampire’s unique chemistry. When certain catastrophic
events occur, that balance is disrupted and the cells that make
up the vampire implode instantaneously.
This
is the home of irfikos' BtVS & AtS fanfic. irfikos
tends to write horror and humor. And humorous horror.
And horrible humor.
Basically, she's sadistic, but funny. Er…
Feedback,
concrit and commentary are both welcome and desired.
