One key thing that I think often gets skimmed over and forgotten when people are dealing with shielding around vampires, and specifically large number of vampires who may or may not be in very good control of their draw on others' energy (the latter being extremely common in fairly newly awakened psi vampires), is that the presence of a shield doesn't stop a psi from being able to feed--it's simply redirects what or where the psi is feeding on and from. Almost all shield techniques put out to newbies involves something along the line of envisioning a ball of light and spreading it out to cover them, or a box or bubble of light/energy around them, etc.
The key point is that those shields, and all shields, are still energy. Which means that while the psi might have difficulty accessing the person directly, they can now simply feed off of the shield. Unfortunately, in most "beginner" techniques, no one mentions where the energy is to come from to make the box/bubble/energy ball, so a very good majority of people tend to take the energy to generate and maintain their shields from themselves. Obviously, this means that instead of the vampire snacking on them by drawing from them directly, they're now being drawn on via proxy, as the vampire draws on the shield and they have to put more of their energy into the shield to counteract it.
So the solution? There can be many, some nicer than others. One I'm fond of for newbies and beginners, that is fairly simple, is to have them set up the shield to draw from the ambient energy around them. There are a few obvious drawbacks to this, namely that if the ambient energy is lower somewhere, the shields will tend to be weaker. However, it's simple and easy for most people to do. Also, it means any psi coming around to munch is going to get what they want and move on, without any real effect on the person who is shielded.
Other...less friendly, and more complex, methods would be things like shielding using a feedback system when someone draws on the shield, they get some sort of undesirable element with it, be it a high-pitched frequency, barbed energy, etc. Drawbacks here are that it typically takes more energy to sustain that type of shield and that not all people will be bothered by it, as a number of people tend to "filter" whatever is drawn in. Another option is to set up a multi-layered shield system that is a series of one-way walls, with the outer layer only allowing energy in and the inner only allowing energy out. That way anyone attempting to feed off of the shield will have a much more difficult time. Some might still manage, but there is usually easier food to be found, since the effect is like trying to feed against a vacuum.
Showing posts with label vampires. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vampires. Show all posts
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
What is a vampire?
Someone asked me a few days ago a fairly common newbie question of “what do you think a vampire is?”. It made me think about what my answer is, beyond the cookie-cutter answer of that a vampire is a person who needs a supplement of some form, be it physical blood or metaphysical energy.
“Vampire” is a seven-letter word that has been assigned to and associated with so many things and has so many varied definitions, depending on who you are asking, that I think it now borders on being utterly meaningless as a description, because there is no one set definition.
There are first, of course, the vampires of Hollywood and folklore. Even this, however, isn't clearcut...is one talking about a vampire like Dracula, truly a zombie-like undead? Or are they talking about the romantic versions of the word embodied by the likes of Anne Rice's Lestat and Louis? Or do they mean those teenage, sparkly beings out of the currently popular Twilight series? Or, in a less dramatic sense, are they referencing those out history with much more mundane explanations, like people buried alive, then exhumed only for people to find that they'd clawed at the insides of their coffins? Even within the world of fiction and lore, the term “vampire” can refer to far too many things.
Beyond the vampires of fiction and lore, there are the medical and pseudomedical and pseudoscientific types of vampirism, such as the thoughts populated of porphyria and the V5 virus, and the vampirism of animals or insects who are termed such only because their diet is purely of blood (such as the vampire bat or mosquito).
Next, there are those who consider themselves vampires by their choosing to follow a vampiric lifestyle. This tends to split into two categories; those who actively drink blood or draw metaphysical energy from others and, as such, are vampiric, and those who follow a more neogothic lifestyle, complete with capes, fangs, sleeping in coffins, and wearing white makeup and entirely black clothing. To further confuse matters, some of these “vampires”, often referred to as lifestylers by themselves and others, may also be vampires of other definitions of the word, as well, and simply also choose to live a vampiric lifestyle on top of it.
Finally, enter the modern, Western metaphysical sense of the word, and the current vampire community. Even within the community, we cannot seem to agree on a set definition for the term. There is the ever-present argument of energy vs. physical needs, the mostly recognized splits of “types” of vampires, ranging from sangs to psis to tantric to elemental, and branching down into any number of subtypes. Add further the difference and distinction of those who are vampires vs those who are simply vampiric, but are also often labeled as vampires. Also, some within the vampire community will recognize those who are basically temporarily vampires, for any number of reasons ranging from damaged energy systems to being overfed on by another vampire (sympathetic vampirism), as falling under the term of vampires.
My definition of what a vampire is falls into the last category, referring to the more modern, metaphysical line of thinking. I would say that a vampire is
1.Someone who requires an additional supplement, gained either through physical consumption of certain things (such as blood) or via the direct absorption of metaphysical energy, to be able to maintain the balance of their system,
2.Such need for supplementation to their system is longterm and constant,
3.Not caused by addiction, fetish, temporary injury or illness (physical or to their energy system), or influence from an outside source.
I cannot stress enough that the key point to my definition is that there be an actual need for energy that is not caused by extenuating circumstances (addiction, illness, etc); all instances of someone feeding due to extenuating circumstances I firmly class as being vampiric, but do not recognize the person as a vampire.
Ultimately, though, I think what it comes down to is that given the myriad assortment of definitions assigned to the word “vampire”, common ground of definitions must be established most any time the term is to be used or there simply will always be conflict and confusion rooted simply in misunderstandings.
So, what do I think a vampire is? I think it's a person being described by a seven letter word that means absolutely nothing without more information being given.
“Vampire” is a seven-letter word that has been assigned to and associated with so many things and has so many varied definitions, depending on who you are asking, that I think it now borders on being utterly meaningless as a description, because there is no one set definition.
There are first, of course, the vampires of Hollywood and folklore. Even this, however, isn't clearcut...is one talking about a vampire like Dracula, truly a zombie-like undead? Or are they talking about the romantic versions of the word embodied by the likes of Anne Rice's Lestat and Louis? Or do they mean those teenage, sparkly beings out of the currently popular Twilight series? Or, in a less dramatic sense, are they referencing those out history with much more mundane explanations, like people buried alive, then exhumed only for people to find that they'd clawed at the insides of their coffins? Even within the world of fiction and lore, the term “vampire” can refer to far too many things.
Beyond the vampires of fiction and lore, there are the medical and pseudomedical and pseudoscientific types of vampirism, such as the thoughts populated of porphyria and the V5 virus, and the vampirism of animals or insects who are termed such only because their diet is purely of blood (such as the vampire bat or mosquito).
Next, there are those who consider themselves vampires by their choosing to follow a vampiric lifestyle. This tends to split into two categories; those who actively drink blood or draw metaphysical energy from others and, as such, are vampiric, and those who follow a more neogothic lifestyle, complete with capes, fangs, sleeping in coffins, and wearing white makeup and entirely black clothing. To further confuse matters, some of these “vampires”, often referred to as lifestylers by themselves and others, may also be vampires of other definitions of the word, as well, and simply also choose to live a vampiric lifestyle on top of it.
Finally, enter the modern, Western metaphysical sense of the word, and the current vampire community. Even within the community, we cannot seem to agree on a set definition for the term. There is the ever-present argument of energy vs. physical needs, the mostly recognized splits of “types” of vampires, ranging from sangs to psis to tantric to elemental, and branching down into any number of subtypes. Add further the difference and distinction of those who are vampires vs those who are simply vampiric, but are also often labeled as vampires. Also, some within the vampire community will recognize those who are basically temporarily vampires, for any number of reasons ranging from damaged energy systems to being overfed on by another vampire (sympathetic vampirism), as falling under the term of vampires.
My definition of what a vampire is falls into the last category, referring to the more modern, metaphysical line of thinking. I would say that a vampire is
1.Someone who requires an additional supplement, gained either through physical consumption of certain things (such as blood) or via the direct absorption of metaphysical energy, to be able to maintain the balance of their system,
2.Such need for supplementation to their system is longterm and constant,
3.Not caused by addiction, fetish, temporary injury or illness (physical or to their energy system), or influence from an outside source.
I cannot stress enough that the key point to my definition is that there be an actual need for energy that is not caused by extenuating circumstances (addiction, illness, etc); all instances of someone feeding due to extenuating circumstances I firmly class as being vampiric, but do not recognize the person as a vampire.
Ultimately, though, I think what it comes down to is that given the myriad assortment of definitions assigned to the word “vampire”, common ground of definitions must be established most any time the term is to be used or there simply will always be conflict and confusion rooted simply in misunderstandings.
So, what do I think a vampire is? I think it's a person being described by a seven letter word that means absolutely nothing without more information being given.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Vampiric Reflections--An Intro
The name of this private little sounding board is, of course, fully intended as a play on words and stereotypes. But introductions come first...
I am Isealdor, and I am a vampire. I havent attacked a person in...wait. Wrong thing, scratch that. (And no, just for the record, I am not an alcoholic.) Well, scrap that besides the vampire part.
I am what is known within the VC (Vampire Community) as a "real vampire". In short, that means I'm not Lestat, Dracula, or any other fictional Hollywood vampire.
I am what is often termed as a "hybrid" vampire, which means I feed from both drinking blood and psychic energy. Blood-drinking vampires are called Sanguinarians, or sangs, and psychic vampires are called psis. There are a few other types of vampires, most notably sexual vampires. Hybrid is also a term used in roleplay communities, generally meaning that they say they are "1/4 elf, 1/4 therian, 1/6 dragonkin, and 1/3 vampire". Note that these two meanings for hybrid are markedly different, and do not get them confused.
The best working definition I have to date is that a vampire is an individual who, for an as yet unknown reason, requires a supplimentation to his or her diet of energy beyond what is needed by non-vampires, be it through the form of physical consumption of blood or by other means, in order to achieve a physical base-line norm corresponding to that of non-vampire (mundane). A vampire will achieve a state of physical base-line norm when using these methods (diet supplements) and will find a decrease in well being (or base-line norm) when diet supplements are not employed for a period of time.
Simply translated, vampires dont have enough energy and must get energy from somewhere else to be healthy, and we get it either by drinking blood, absorbing energy psychically, or some other similar means.
It also means that the title of this blog has a point--We are people, just like anyone else. We cannot fly, We don't attack people walking through dark alleys, and We most certainly can be seen in mirrors. Forget your misconceptions and false beliefs stemming from fictional characters and step into the real world.
If you've read this far and have no clue what I'm talking about, and think I am one of those weird gothic roleplayer people, you may do one of two things:
I am Isealdor, and I am a vampire. I havent attacked a person in...wait. Wrong thing, scratch that. (And no, just for the record, I am not an alcoholic.) Well, scrap that besides the vampire part.
I am what is known within the VC (Vampire Community) as a "real vampire". In short, that means I'm not Lestat, Dracula, or any other fictional Hollywood vampire.
I am what is often termed as a "hybrid" vampire, which means I feed from both drinking blood and psychic energy. Blood-drinking vampires are called Sanguinarians, or sangs, and psychic vampires are called psis. There are a few other types of vampires, most notably sexual vampires. Hybrid is also a term used in roleplay communities, generally meaning that they say they are "1/4 elf, 1/4 therian, 1/6 dragonkin, and 1/3 vampire". Note that these two meanings for hybrid are markedly different, and do not get them confused.
The best working definition I have to date is that a vampire is an individual who, for an as yet unknown reason, requires a supplimentation to his or her diet of energy beyond what is needed by non-vampires, be it through the form of physical consumption of blood or by other means, in order to achieve a physical base-line norm corresponding to that of non-vampire (mundane). A vampire will achieve a state of physical base-line norm when using these methods (diet supplements) and will find a decrease in well being (or base-line norm) when diet supplements are not employed for a period of time.
Simply translated, vampires dont have enough energy and must get energy from somewhere else to be healthy, and we get it either by drinking blood, absorbing energy psychically, or some other similar means.
It also means that the title of this blog has a point--We are people, just like anyone else. We cannot fly, We don't attack people walking through dark alleys, and We most certainly can be seen in mirrors. Forget your misconceptions and false beliefs stemming from fictional characters and step into the real world.
If you've read this far and have no clue what I'm talking about, and think I am one of those weird gothic roleplayer people, you may do one of two things:
- Keep reading what I have to say, learn more about who real vampires are and what we are like, and develop an informed opinion of your own rather than believing what the media and pop culture have spoon fed you, or
- Go find something else with which to occupy your time. I highly recommend www.i-am-bored.com.
If you are confused, but somewhere all of this make sense to you, and you really dont know where to start learning more, I invite you to please come join a few real vampire forums and read everything you can. Ask questions, and dont get frustrated if you get different answers. There are many opinions and theories throughout the community. You have to take what you read and decide what you believe. I recommend the forum I run at www.vampires.nu, as well as a few others which will be edited in as soon as I ask the Admins of them if they dont mind the link. ;) For vampires.nu, please read through the public forums before applying to join, or you arent likely to have learned enough to pass Our application process. Read, drop the roleplay, and be honest and you'll be fine. Noting that you found your way via My blog might also be of benefit.
If you are bored and wondering if I'm ever going to say anything that hasnt been hashed through over and over and over within the community, or if I'll stop going on about My site, this blog is for you. I cant promise you will find any of My ramblings interesting, nor can I promise you will agree with them. But they are here and open, for whomever might want to discuss or just read and maybe think about them a little. And I can promise I wont write all of my posts like they're for 5th graders to read. ;)
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