Vampyre Terminology

This is the local (South African) Lexicon of Vampyre Culture and Terminology,  a glossary of terms and words relating to Vampyres in the local context.

Mostly, this list has been trawled from the Web and is in no way a definitive list of ALL Vampyre terms or words pertaining to Vampyres. It is not intended to be an authority on the issue, merely a compilation, and wherever applicable copyright of all items remains with the originators.

1) Some entries relate specifically only to real-life Vampyres as this site is dedicated to our kind.
2) Some entries originated in ancient history, others from several of the neo-pagan religions claiming to be Vampyric, and may seem to have cult overtones. Some of these are also used by the general Vampyre community.
3) Some entries originated in the fictional realm and also RPG arenas, but also can or do apply to us as well. In some cases, fictional or RPG terms are mentioned in order to clarify their meaning or relevance to our community, or because some are also used by the real Vampyre community.

In all cases, these have been weighed and included as fitting, worthy or useful to the community. Their inclusion is a means of clarifying their meanings and relevance to our community.

A

“Akharu/Akhkaru” – one ancient Sumerian name for supernatural vampire-like entities, possibly a reference to living entities similar to what we understand as Vampyre-kind today.

“Anne Rice Routine” – i) in the Anne Rice series of books “the Vampire Chronicles”, this is a vampire with a tortured soul who laments their nature as a vampire, a monster, starving themselves, languishing in self-pity and misery for all time. ii) in the real VC, a Vampyre who cannot come to terms with their vampyric nature, laments it, even denies it, starves themselves and indulges in self pity because of it.

“Anne Rice Syndrome” – i) referring to author Anne Rice, who wrote a series of books about vampires (most well known for “Interview with the Vampire” and “Queen of the Damned”, which were made into movies. Rice later turned to evangelical Christianity, becoming “born again” and started writing books about Angels instead. When Rice disavowed Christianity some years later because of the rejection and persecution suffered by her gay son at the hands of the Church, this too became part of “Anne Rice Syndrome”. ii) This term describes a person who turns away from knowledge and enlightenment and their past interests in order to embrace blind religion. iii) referring to a so-called “ex-vampire”. iv) referring to someone who goes back and forth between religious conservatism and liberalism, or “cannot make up their mind”.

“Ardetha” – i) an individual who claims to have been awakened as a Vampyre as a result of a magickal ritual, or a title describing such an individual within a vampyric spiritual circle, more than likely cult-like. ii) This is a controversial belief related to the ongoing dispute over whether “turning” occurs or whether Vampyre awakening can be precipitated by belief or magick ritual, not generally accepted as factual within the broader VC.

“Adra” – i) in vampyric spiritual circles, more than likely cult-like, a sponsor or mentor of a fledgling Vampyre.

“Astral plane, the” – i) a parallel world or dimension that reflects the physical world, only on a higher vibration level. Sometimes called ‘astral’ for short. This is a domain of other beings, and also astral vampires, and a means used by those with the ability to exercise astral vampyrism.

“Astral projection” – i) a meditative state where consciousness travels to another location apart from the physical body.

“Astral Vampyre” – i) Vampyres who feed on the energy of dreams, emotions generated by dreaming individuals, on or from the astral plane, and the physical energy of the dreaming individuals.

“Aura” – i) the biomagnetic/psychic energy field around a person/living or non-living thing. Some individuals can see it as a “fog” of colors surrounding living things, others simply as an energy field. Most cannot see it at all. The density or colors of the aura can indicate the health or energy levels of the being emitting it.

“Auto-vampirism” – i) the act of drinking one’s own blood or consuming one’s own energy.

“Awakening” – i) a term used to describe vampyric ‘puberty’ – a time when Vampyres begin to notice the changes they are going through when their vampyric nature begins to manifest – a time of change when they realize what they are. See also “Yearling” and “Fledgling”.

B

“Baby Vampyre” – i) a newly awakened Vampyre. See also “Neonate”, “Childe” and “Progeny”.

“Beacon, the” – i) a term generally describing the means by which Vampyres identify each other on an instinctive level, that quality, spiritual or otherwise which stands out in a crowd, in a similar way to an actual beacon. ii) general usage and origin comes from the Psi part of the VC, but is also used by others. See also “Vampdar”.

“Beast, the” – i) a term describing blood-lust or thirst which drives a Vampyre to feed, particularly when aroused by deprivation – and which may result in aggressive and even violent behavior. ii) this is most often used to describe the baser side of vampyric nature and instincts.

“Becoming” – i) in vampyric spiritual circles, more than likely cult-like, describing the hotly disputed process of conversion from a non-Vampyre to a Vampyre. See “awakening” and “transition”.

“Black Swan” – i) an individual who is not Vampyre but who is close to one or more Vampyres and is often a supporter of the community. This does not necessarily imply donorship.

“Black Veil, the” – i) also known as “the Thirteen Rules For the Community”. A set of guidelines for Vampyres on ethics and community values. Many contend that the Black Veil in some forms is far too influenced by role-playing games such as ‘Vampire:the Masquerade’, where it originated – although there is plenty of common sense evident in earlier versions, there is a tendency to come across as quasi-religious in others. Its relevance and usefulness to the community is sometimes in dispute.

“Blood bar” – i) a secretive and underground venue where blood is provided and consumed. These are believed to have select membership only policies. The community group classification for such a venue also falls under “Haven” or “Haeven”. The existence of such places is often unverified and based on rumor.

“Blood bond” – i) the spiritual or psychic bond formed between the Vampyre and the donor. This can lead to one or both of these sensing the emotions, or even actions or well being of the other. ii) It sometimes is also used to refer to a formal marriage, tie or romantic relationship between two Vampyres.

“Blood doll” – i) a derogatory term applied to a sang donor or shinai (mundane) viewed as a source of blood or energy.

“Blood drinker” – i) any person who drinks blood, for whatever reason. Not only Vampyres drink blood, some Mundanes do so for a variety of reasons, including religious rites. ii) this term is widely applied by shinai entities to describe a wide variety of occultists, including Satanists and also  Vampyres, usually in a hostile sense. See also “Blood fetishist”.

“Blood fetishist” – i) a person who has a very strong attraction to the sight, smell or taste of blood AND where these are linked to sexual acts or other obsessive fantasies. Not only Vampyres drink blood, even some shinai (mundanes) do so for a variety of reasons, including religious rites, but blood fetishists do not necessarily partake of the feed. See also “Blood drinker”.

“Blood junkie” – i) a Vampyre who is overcome or controlled by a need for blood, who has no self-control, resistance to their own instincts, or who feeds recklessly and indiscriminately.

“Blood letting” – i) The act of obtaining blood, for example, through cutting. ii) Violence in context of political or military unrest i.e. a coup.

“Blood line” – i) a family line of Vampyres, not necessarily genetically related, perhaps belonging to the same group or Hous, sometimes sharing a familial name etc. ii) although this usage varies in context between real Vampyre groups and even simple role-playing games.

“Blood lust” – i) a powerful, overwhelming desire or need to feed.

“Blood play” – i) when blood is used in sexual activities. ii) not necessarily a Vampyre-only activity, this term has its uses in other sub-cultures, such as BDSM culture, and others.

“Blood vamps ” – i) also referred to as “sangs”, are Vampyres who feed on prana by consuming blood, whether human or animal. Also called “sanguinarians”.

“Book of Nod, the” – i) a fictional Vampyre bible, filled with what is largely fictional historical recounts of the origins of Vampyres. Although very well researched and presented and even convincing enough to fool the awakening Vampyre, it was developed for a company called White Wolf in the early 1990’s as the basis of a role-playing game called “Vampire: The Masquerade” (V:tM). ii) even though fictional, some in the community feel it holds many truths about real Vampyres, since they feel a certain truth in the theories that Vampyre origins lie with Lilith and Kaine, the biblical characters.

C

“Calmae” – i) in vampyric spiritual circles, more than likely cult-like, an experienced member of the Vampyre community who has gained experience in the setting and also been a part of the group or House for a specified time. ii) a term applied more within certain occult traditions than in the general community.

“Caine” – i) the biblical figure, elder son of Adam and Eve, who killed his brother Abel. ii) in fiction, the biblical figure cursed by God in Genesis to become the first vampire as detailed in the White Wolf RPG Book of Nod and several movie and PC game titles eg. “Legacy of Kain” and “Redemption of Cain”. iii) a masculine proper name popular in the Vampyre Community. iv) also referred to as Kaine or sometimes Kane.

“Cainite” – i) in fiction, according to the White Wolf RPG Book of Nod, a Vampire (by definition all vampires being descendants of the biblical figure, Caine.)

“Centering” – i) a term applicable to meditation, magick and energy-work ii) a way to gain self-awareness and learning what parts of the energy surrounding an individual is theirs. This enables the practitioner to focus on their personal energy center, and gather all of their energy in one place instead of leaving it scattered. iii) This is an energy-based metaphor for the saying “pull yourself together”.

“Chakra” – i) in energetics, a center of spiritual energy in the body. Different systems account for anywhere from 4 to 10 major chakras with many minor ones.

“Chi” – i) a synonym for prana, or life force. ii) a Chinese term. “Ki” in Japanese liturgy.

“Childe/Childer” – i) a child or offspring, Old English. ii) used in role playing games, or vampire fiction to refer to vampires ‘made’ by other vampires. iii) in some parts of the real VC, used to describe the Neonate or Vampyre awakened or mentored by another Vampyre. In some cases this may infer a level of responsibility between them. iii) A pejorative term for an inexperienced Vampyre. See also “Baby Vampyre”, “Neonate” and “Progeny”.

“Children of the dragon, the” – i) referring to the mythological and symbolic links between Vampyre-kind and mythological dragons. ii) meaning a reference to Vampyres or Vampyre-kind.

“Children of Lilith” – i) some, particularly feminists, view themselves as children of Lilith, the first wife of the biblical Adam, cast out of Eden for rebellion and widely held as the first feminist. ii) in the real VC, an order or movement within the Vampyre community which promotes the idea that Lilith was the spiritual forebear of Vampyres, who call themselves “Lilim”, or “Children of Lilith”. See also “Children of Lilith” and “Lilim”.

“Clairvoyance” – i) literally “Clear seeing”, the ability to see things beyond the range of normal vision. This is usually associated with precognition or retrocognition. ii) also referred to as “second sight” if it has not been induced by drugs, scrying, trance or other artificial means.

“Clinical vampirism” – i) a more serious-sounding synonym for the pseudo-psychiatric term “Renfield’s Syndrome” which was actually coined as a sick joke by a real psychiatrist in the 20th century. Sadly, the term has stuck and been used to describe real Vampyres, somewhat inaccurately.

“Clutch” – i) in the real VC a small group of Vampyres, who are a part of a larger household, usually 3-13 members who gather for socialization, ritual, initiation and training.

“Coffin-kids” – i) a derogatory term often used to refer to people who follow the goth or emo lifestyle. ii) sometimes applied to Vampyres when based on the gothic style of dress attributed to the life-style stereotype.

“Coming out of the Coffin” – i) the process of revealing oneself as a Vampyre to non-Vampyres. This is analogous to gays and lesbians coming out of the closet, and Wiccans and other Neo-Pagans coming out of their broom closet, along with all the risks associated with these analogies, such as rejection and persecution and physical harm.

“Communion” – i) in the real VC, an alternative term to “feeding”. ii) Communion is preferred by some as they perceive “feeding” as negatively conjuring up predatory stereotypes. “Communion” emphasizes both the sacred spiritual aspect that this interaction holds, and the unified interaction between Vampyre and donor. See also “Feeding”.

“Coppertop” – i) in fiction, a term used in the movie “The Matrix” to describe a human trapped in the matrix as a source of power for the machines which rule the world in the series, where their minds are distracted by a three dimensional computer generated illusion that they are living in a controlled rendered version of the world. The term makes comparison between a human and a “coppertop” battery or energy cell. ii) in the real VC, a derogatory term for shinai and donors, as sources of energy, comparing them to a battery or energy cell in that they are viewed as a source of energy. Primarily a Psi usage.

“Court” – i) in the real VC, a vampyric community meeting, usually under the guidance or control of an Elder, Regent, King, Queen or other such community leader, in reference to the medieval or royal custom of ‘holding court’. This can be to address specific matters or to socialize, or sometimes both, but in either case this usually only involves Vampyres and those within the community. Court is held at a House, a Haven (such as a community friendly coffee shop, bar, club or other meeting place).

“Coven” – i) in the real VC, a smaller group of individual Vampyres operating or established in a particular area. A Coven may fall under a larger group such as a House, or exist independently.

“Crucifix” – i) in religion, a symbol of the Catholic Church – a Christian cross with a figure of Christ mounted upon it in the manner of Roman crucifixion as a means of execution. ii) in fiction and folklore, a supposed weapon against vampires, used to ward off or corner a vampire or other “evil” entities. In fiction, this will supposedly frighten away, paralyze the vampire, and physical contact would burn the vampire. Obviously, in reality this has little or no effect against real Vampyres.

“Cutters” – i) a psycho-spiritual phenomenon where people cut themselves in order to provide an emotional release. This is prevalent in the gothic and emo community, where individuals who cut themselves are called “cutters”. Cutting is an extremely prevalent form of self harm, not just among teens, but also adults. See also “SMS” and “Self Harmer”.

D

“Damned, the” – i) in fiction, a slang term for Vampyres collectively in reference to conservative religious opinion that Vampyres are “damned” for being “evil” by nature. This is based on Christian mythology.

“Dark angel” – i) in the real VC, one of many terms used to refer to Vampyres, drawing from the belief that Vampyres are either a kind of angel, or a descendant of angels and humans referred to in the excised apocryphal books of the Christian bible. See also “Nephilim”.

“Dark Gift, the” – in the real VC, a term used to refer to the Embrace/Turning. This term is believed to have originated from the Vampire Chronicles series by Anne Rice.

“Dayside“- i) in vampyric spiritual circles, more than likely cult-like, a Vampyre’s life is divided into a ‘Nightside’ and a ‘Dayside’ the dayside refers to a Vampyre’s shinai (mundane) identity. A Vampyre’s nightside self is the identity that is freely and openly vampyric, this can also be seen as a magickal identity, some Vampyres seek to integrate these two halves of their existence achieving a balance known as ‘Twilight’.  ii) in the real VC, these terms are commonly used by most participants. These concepts appear to have originated via the teachings of the Temple of the Vampire (ToV), although the concept has also been copied by groups such as the Sanguinarium/Ordo Strigoi Vii. See also “Nightside” and “Twilight”.

“Dhampire” – i) in Romanian folklore, the child of a vampire and a mortal woman, born with skills for detecting and destroying undead vampires (strigoi). Most often these are members of Gypsy communities. Historically, they were rumored to hire themselves out to communities in Romania as vampire hunters. ii)  similar in spelling, but different in meaning to “Dhampyri”.

“Dhampyri” – i) in the real VC, someone who was born a vampyre or awakened before puberty. ii) in mythology and fiction, a person born of mixed vampire and human parents, but bearing characteristics of both.

“Diablerie” – i) in history, a noun; sorcery; witchcraft. Representation of devils or demons, as in paintings or fiction. Devilish conduct; deviltry. ii) in role playing games (popularized in V:tM) used to describe the forbidden act of one vampire feeding off another, and in fiction at least, supposedly frowned upon. iii) in the real VC, used to describe the act of one Vampyre feeding from another.

“Divination” – i) a process of arriving at an answer to a specific question through the use of a device or method, such as dowsing rods, pendulums, runes, “throwing the bones” or Tarot cards. (In modern times one would include calculators and computers in this definition). People who use divination methods may (generally) be referred to as “diviners” or may (generally) referred to by their chosen divination method(s), ie a tarot reader, a water diviner etc.

“Domain” – i) a geographic area or territory usually having a hierarchy of Vampyres dwelling within it. ii) this may refer to areas where there are formal Court systems, Houses or Covens, having formal social structures, or ii) also used in role playing games to donate the same.

“Donor” – i) a term describing a person, whether Vampyre or shinai (mundane) or Otherkin, voluntarily donating prana to a Vampyre. See also “Swan”, “Black Swan”, “Crimson Swan”, “Crystal Swan” and “Amber Swan”.

“Donor Pool” – i) a term describing a group of donors servicing a particular Vampyre, or Vampyre community.

“Drain” – i) in fiction, where a vampire would drain someone of their blood or energy, to the point of death. ii) in the real VC, the act of feeding past the point of safety or without consideration for the source. One would not for example drain a donor. See also “ex-sanguinate”.

“Dreamwalking” – i) similar to astral projection, except that the dreamwalker also enters the subconscious dreamworld of the sleeper. It is possible to interact with and manipulate the sleeper’s dreams. Some Vampyres who practice astral Vampyrism are rumored to be skilled at this.

E

“Ekimmu” – i) in Sumerian mythology, a name for a malevolent vampire race, or a common reference to “departed spirits” of the dead which cannot find peace.

“Elder” – i) an older or more experienced Vampyre, usually a leadership figure.

“Elemental Vampyre” – i) Energetic or Psi Vampyres who feed from the elements (earth, fire, water, light etc).

“Embrace” – i) in fiction, a reference to the act of “turning” a non-vampire into a vampire. ii) in vampyric spiritual circles, more than likely cult-like, this is used as a term to describe the act of “turning” or awakening a latent Vampyre. iii) in the real VC, the act of welcoming a new member into a group or into the community.

“Emotional Vampyre” – i) a Psi Vampyre who feeds of the energy produced by emotions, and who may even manipulate situations to generate a desired emotion to feed upon, such as by causing arguments to feed of the anger or negative energy created.

“Empath”/”Empathy”/Empathic” – i) an empath is a person able to sense someone else’s current emotional state. An empath is NOT a vampyre type, although many Vampyres are also empathic.

“Energy Vampyres” – i) a Vampyre whose feeding primarily or solely includes energy, regardless of from which source. Also called “Psi’s”, “Psi vamps” and “psychic Vampyres”. Some sanguines hold that they feed on the energy stored within living blood, making them energy Vampyres in the view of some groups, rather than “pure blood sanguines”.

“Ex-sanguinated” – i) in medicine, a term used to describe a the state of a body drained of all blood. ii) in fiction, the term is used to describe the state of a body drained of all blood, presumably by a vampire. This has been used extensively in recent vampire fiction, such as the TV series “True Blood”.

F

“Fallen Angel” – i) one of many terms used to refer to Vampyres, drawing from the belief that Vampyres are either a kind of angel-kin, or a descendant of angels and humans referred to in the apocryphal books excised from the Christian bible.

“Familiar” – i) in folklore, the spirit companions of witches were said to take the form of animals, particularly black cats. These were said to do the witch’s bidding. ii) in modern fiction (such as “Blade”) familiars are portrayed as shinai (mundane) servants of vampires who serve them for the promise of being turned into vampires later. Familiars of this sort were marked with a tattoo to identify them to other vampires as their “property” and granting them a measure of protection or immunity from harm. In Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”, the character Renfield could be considered a “Familiar” to Count Dracula because he served him on the basis of a promise of immortality. iii) in the real VC, this term is used by Vampyres to describe pets, and even shinai (mundane) or otherkin mates or close friends to other Vampyres.

“Fanger(s)” – i) a term applied to Vampyres, typically with derogatory intent. ii) Refers to the fangs, meaning one with fangs or who uses fangs. Usage appears to have originated from the True Blood TV series (based upon the earlier Sookie Stackhouse Mysteries novellas), 2008.

“Fangs” – i) in folklore and fiction, the vampire is endowed with fangs, either fixed, or retracting, in a variety of combinations or layouts. The most impressive fictional fangs – and much the envy of many real Vampyres, can be seen in TV shows like True Blood and The Vampire Diaries. ii) in the real VC, Vampyres are not typically endowed with natural fangs any more than the typical shinai (mundane). The wearing of fake or cosmetic fangs is popular in some areas, particularly for special events and so on, and has led to an industry of its own, and a special reverence for the craftsmen who make fangs.

“Fangteaser” – i) in the real VC, a play on the word “cockteaser”, referring to a person who teases or encourages a Vampyre with the promise or sight of blood, only to disappoint them by not donating.

“Fangsmith” – i) in the real VC, a term referring to someone who makes dental quality fangs. this is usually a dentist friendly to or part of the Vampyre Community, or a shinai (mundane) with the necessary entrepreneurial skills. These individuals are usually given titles such as “Father” (or “Mother” as the case may be) although there are currently no known female fangsmiths.

“Feeding” – i) in the real VC, this refers to the act of taking in energy, whether prana (Psi) or Sang (blood) by a Vampyre.

“Filters” – i) when used by psionic or psychic people in general, this refers to walls or blockages against mental attacks or mental distractions, either deliberately or inadvertently which similar to shields, do not block all forms of energy, but filter out undesired kinds of energy, letting in that which the individual desires. These are typically used to keep one’s mind/body safe, rather than a specific location, and are widely used by PSI Vampyres as well as any practitioner of energetics. See also “Shield”/”Shielding”.

“Fledgling” – i) a recently awakened Vampyre with little experience, one who is very new in the community. See also “Childe”, “Progeny”, “Neonate”, “Awakening” and “Yearling”.

“Fledge-mates” – i) Vampyres who awakened around the same time and “grew up” together. NOT a mated pair. Source: “The Language of the Vampires” by Delilah deSora.

“Freshie” – i) in fiction, used in the TV series “Moonlight” to describe a vampire’s blood donor, usually charming and attractive young females. ii) in the real VC, a term describing a sanguine donor – referring to them as a supplier of fresh blood as opposed to stored blood, animal blood, or placebos.

“Fruitbat” – i) a sub-species of bat that eats mainly fruit, a vegetarian. ii) in the real VC, a silly, nutty, crazy Vampyre or, in a derogatory sense, an insane Vampyre.

G

“Gaja (ga-jaa)/Gaya” – i) in the real VC, a “fashion vampire” or lifestyler, one who is only focused on the aesthetic aspects of the Vampyre scene, but who is not an actual Vampyre. A synonym for “poser” and “lifestyler”.

“Garlic” – i) a garnish for physical food, made from a bulbous plant, ii) in folklore, a weapon against vampires used to ward off or corner a vampire. In fiction, garlic has been used in everything from darts to hand grenades. Obviously, this item has little or no effect on real Vampyres, except to cause bad breath and spoil dates.

“Glamoring”/”to glamor” – i) in fiction, the vampire has the ability to charm non-vampires or through a form of hypnosis, control their thoughts or actions. This is seen to great effect in TV shows like True Blood and The Vampire Diaries. ii) in the real VC, this is used to describe a Vampyres persuasiveness on shinai (mundanes).

“Go to ground” – i) a general term meaning “to hide out of sight” or “to evade”, referring to a prey or quarry ii) in folklore and fiction, vampires would dig themselves into the earth to avoid sunlight, staying there for any lengths of time and re-emerging when it is safe again. It has been used in role playing games like V:tM and in TV series like True Blood. iii) this has little or no relevance to real Vampyres.

“Golden Circle” – i) in the real VC, a small Coven or Circle, which includes black swans, Vampyres, kitra, etc.

“Goth(ic)” – i) a fashion, form of self expression, a style of dress, mostly in black. ii) a lifestyle sometimes embracing interests in many things relating to the occult, whether it be witchcraft, vampyrism, Satanism, fetishism,etc.

“Grazing” – i) in the VC, mainly used to describe a sanguine Vampyre feeding indiscriminately from people picked up at bars or clubs or on dating sites, or making a habit of feeding serially from unscreened donors, thus posing a health risk to donors and other Vampyres alike. See also “Hunting”.

“Great Revelation, the” – i) in fiction, specifically the “True Blood” TV series, referring to the time when the vampire community came out of the coffin to the human world, to co-exist peacefully with human society. ii) in the real VC, there is no specific parallel to this event, although it can be argued that the equivalent may be found in the sheer number of VC sites on the internet, hardly much of a secret.

“Grivadae” (grieve-odd-A) – i) in the real VC, shinai (mundane) donors who become addicted to a Vampyre’s bite or the feeling caused by being fed upon. Females are called “grivada” and males “grivadan”. Source: “The Language of the Vampires” by Delilah deSora.

“Grounding”/”to ground” – i) a basic technique used in most energy or magickal work that assists in shedding the the negative or excess energy and allows you to stabilize your own energy levels. There are many techniques for doing so, and not all of them are visual in nature. See also “Center”/”Centering”.

H

“Haematomania” – i) a pseudo medical term meaning a strong psychological craving for blood. See also “the Beast” and “the Thirst”.

“Haematophageous” – i) a zoological term meaning a creature having blood as the only form of nourishment. Creatures such as mosquitoes and ‘vampire’ bats are haematophageous. In general, even sanguine Vampyres need to eat at least some physical food and cannot exist on blood alone.

“Haematophilia” – i) a pseudo medical term meaning an erotic attraction to the taste, sight, or smell of blood. This is often conflated with “Renfield’s Syndrome” and misapplied to Vampryes. See also “Blood fetishist”, “Blood drinker” and “Haemosexual”.

“Haemosexual” – i) perhaps better known as a blood-fetishist. This is someone who is erotically attracted to the sight, smell, or taste of blood. They are not necessarily Vampyres. See also “Haematophilia”.

“Haematology” – i) a medical field specializing in the study and analysis of blood and blood-forming tissues and associated disorders. ii) haematologist – the medical practitioner working in this medical field.

“Haven/Haeven” – i) in the real VC, a term describing a safe space for Vampyres to meet, socialize or shelter. See also “Sanctuary”.

“Hemeralopia” – i) an inability to see in bright light. This also describes having light-sensitive eyes.

“Holy water” – i) in folklore, a supposed weapon against vampires, ordinary water which has been blessed by a Catholic priest and thrown at a vampire, which sets them on fire, or scalds them. Obviously, this has little or no effect against real Vampyres, other to make them wet.

“House” – i) in the real VC, a term describing a group operating or established in a particular area and representing a number of members, and which may include several smaller Covens.

“Household” – i) in the real VC, a generic term for a family or organization within the Vampyre community.

“House of Night” – i) in fiction, a series of vampire based fantasy books by author P.C. Cast. It follows the adventures of Zoey Redbird, a sixteen-year-old girl who has just become a fledgling Vampyre and is required to attend the House of Night boarding school in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“Hunger, the” – i) the need to feed. This is similar to a hunger for physical food – but nothing but blood or energy will satisfy it. Vampyres can eat or drink regular meals of common food, may even feel over-filled, but will remain hungry until they satisfy the hunger. See “the Thirst”.

“Hunter” – i) in fiction, a vampire hunter. ii) in the real VC, a person (usually a shinai (mundane) who purports to hunt, threatens or otherwise persecutes real or perceived ‘real’ Vampyres. These individuals tend to be independent from each other, being as disconnected from each other as they often are from reality. They may vary between religious zealots and lunatics who have watched too many episodes of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, seriously intent on doing harm or even killing Vampyres.

“Hunting” – in the real VC, when a Vampyre goes out looking for a donor, cruising bars etc, usually being indiscriminate and not following safety precautions. See also “Grazing”.

“Hybrid” – i) in fiction, a term describing an individual that is both vampire and werewolf, popularized in the movie “Underworld” in the early 21st Century. ii) in the real VC, a term describing Vampyres who can feed off both Psi energy and blood. Since most Vampyres seem able to do this, regardless of how they prefer to feed, this term seems superfluous. Some find it annoying as it creates the impression that such Vampyres are somehow not “true” Vampyres. iii) in the real VC, this term has recently been used by some to describe therians who also consider themselves vampyric as well, as if they are somehow “hybrids” between Vampyres and therians, although this seems to have arisen only after the “Underworld” movies, and is still very much a point of contention. See also “Omnivore”.

I

“Immortal” – in religion, folklore and fiction, meaning incapable of dying or of being killed. ii) in the real VC, while Vampyres may be long-lived and have various gifts considered by some to be supernatural, Vampyres are not immortal and can be killed as easily as anyone else.

“Incubus” – i) in folklore, a male demon who seduces females in their sleep. ii) in the real VC, a male Vampyre who feeds on pranic energy while involved in sexual activity. See also “Succubus”.

J

K

“Ki” – i) synonym for prana, or life force. A Japanese equivalent to “Chi” in Chinese liturgy.

“Kindred” – i) of mid-European origin 1125-1174 CE, a variation of the word “kinrede” meaning having the same belief, attitude or being of the same creed, kin or spirit. ii) in fiction, a term used to describe a vampire. This term is used extensively in vampire role-playing games, although it originated in the real Vampyre community, and is still in common usage today. iii) in the real VC,  used to describe Vampyre-kind. See “Of the blood”

“King” – i) a crowned monarch or leader, a male head of a kingdom, an hereditary title. ii) in the real VC, a title given some Vampyres who lead a community, Coven, or House. See also “Queen” and “Stepanu”.

“Kitra” – i) one who is Vampyre and also donates to other Vampyres.

“Klavasi” – i) in the real VC, a Vampyre who experiences a post-pubertal awakening. Most Vampyres are Klavasi.

L

“Lalae (La – lay)” – i) in the real VC, this literally means “blood sibling”. An affectionate term used between very close vampires. Source: “The Language of the Vampires” by Delilah deSora.

“Lamia” – i) a synonym for Vampyre, ii) Latin word meaning “witch” and “vampire” iii) a feminine Vampyre name.

“Latent Vampyre” – i) in the real VC, a Vampyre who has not yet awakened and is unaware of their vampyric nature. Mostly these Psi feed in an uncontrolled fashion and can be spotted by those with the necessary gifts.

“Leech” – i) a small blood-sucking worm used to treat illnesses in traditional medicine, when blood-letting was still a part of medical practice. ii) in the real VC, when used to describe Vampyres, a very offensive insult. See “Parasite”.

“Level ‘V’ Vegan” – i) in the real VC, a Vampyre who abstains from drinking human blood, instead substituting animal blood. A play on words referring to shinai (mundanes) who avoid eating animal products. See also “Vegetary”, “Vegan”, “Vegetarian vampire” or Vegetarian”.

“Life, the” – i) a euphemistic term for mortal blood taken as sustenance.

“Lifestyler” – i) a person who poses as a Vampyre for their own personal reasons, one who is not really Vampyric, but is drawn to a gothic vampyric lifestyle. See “Poser”.

“Light-tight” – i) protected from light, a room or container which seals out light ii) in fiction, meaning a place where daylight cannot reach, such as a room with sealed windows, a travelling coffin as seen in the TV show True Blood etc.

“Lilith/Layla/Lilian or Lilitu” – i) a female figure who has many names and variations in myths ranging from Ancient Sumeria and tribal Malayasia to Jewish Mysticism and myths about the Third Millenium. In Abrahmic religions, she is the first wife of Adam (before Eve), according to the Jewish myth. She is a Sumerian fertility/agricultural goddess, and she is the Greek goddess of the dark moon. She is considered to be the mythical mother of all succubi and vampires. She is perhaps the most identifiable incarnation of historical feminism and men’s fear of feminist idealogy (Judeo-Christian men used female icons to increase feminine demonification). ii) in the real VC, Lilith is revered as a Pagan goddess, particularly as a spiritual mother-figure for Vampyres.

“Lilim” – i) in the real VC, an order or movement within the Vampyre community which promotes the idea that Lilith was the spiritual forebear of Vampyres, who call themselves “Lilim”, or “Children of Lilith”. See also “Children of Lilith”.

“Link/linking/to link” – a link in this case is a psi-based connection between two or more people. This can be intentional – either from deliberate attempts to set up a link, or two or more people in love who develop some sort of connection over time, or when Psi Vampyres feed from a living source – or unintentionally, as when latent Vampyres uncontrollably drain those around them.

“Long Night, the” – i) in the real VC, a name for the festival celebrated on the Winter Solstice. This night is the peak of the Darkside of the year, and many households and covens gather together to celebrate the longest night. This is a festival of community where members relax and socialize. It is also the traditional night to recognize new members of the community or to perform rites of passage, such as raising someone from Calmae to Elder.

“Lush” – i) a term used in role playing games such as V:tM, meaning a vampire who habitually feeds off victims who are under the influence of drink or drugs in order to experience the sensations thereof. ii) in the real VC, a Vampyre who habitually feeds off donors who are under the influence of drink or drugs in order to experience the sensations thereof.

M

“Maker” – i) in fiction, a Vampyre who “turns” another Vampyre. ii) in the real VC, in some circles influenced by role playing or vampire fiction, this refers to the Vampyre who awakens another Vampyre, and in some cases may infer a level of responsibility between Maker and Neonate. See also “Sire” and “Adra”.

“Masquerade, the” – i) in fiction, according to the White Wolf RPG Book of Nod, vampires hide their true nature from the world of humans, existing in secret on the fringes of sight, or pretending to be humans. The Masquerade is supposed to be a rigorously enforced law, like a set of rules similar in function to the Black Veil, and in fact the Masquerade was the basis for the original Black Veil.

“Meet the sun” – i) in fiction, a reference to a vampire being exposed to sunlight, with the intention of killing them, a reference to suicide by the vampire.

“Moroii” – i) in folklore, (sometimes moroii in modern fiction; pl. moroi) a Romanian name for a kind of vampire, specifically a live vampire, compared to the strigoii, or undead vampire. While strigoii is used by Romanians to refer to vampires of all types, moroii is considered a more appropriate term for the living variety. The moroii can be male or female. A female moroi is called a moroaică (pl. moroaice). In some versions, a moroi is a phantom of a dead person which leaves the grave to draw energy from the living. Moroi are also sometimes referred to in modern myth as the live-born offspring of two strigoi, although this may also signify an infant who died before being baptized. The origins of the term ‘moroi’ are unclear, but it is thought by the Romanian Academy to have possibly originated from the Old Slavonic word mora (“nightmare”). The concept of “Moroi” and “Strigoi” were fictionalized in many novels (notably Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead) but less so than the usual “vampire”.

“Mradu” (mra-doo) – i) in the real VC, within a vampyric spiritual circle, more than likely cult-like, this is an initiated “knighted” and appointed guardian and protector in a vampyric caste system.

“Mundane” – i) in the real VC, a term used by Vampyres to describe non-Vampyres. This is meant to be inoffensive, though it doesn’t always succeed in being so. It is considered to be more fitting than “human”, since Vampyres are also human. The word “Shinai” is used instead in South Africa as a synonym, and is considered less offensive as it basically means “not Vampyre”. See also “Shinai”.

“Muttaliku” – (pronunciation “moo-tally-koo” in South African English.) A Sumerian word adopted by the SA VC in 2014 as a synonym for ‘vampi(y)re’ which provides a clean slate, short of inventing a new word or term altogether, a word and the concept that goes with it that can be molded to our needs. This term was referenced (http://www.templeofsumer.org/share4a.html) about a century ago in Montague Summers’ ‘Vampires, their Kith and Kin’, in which it was defined as a Vampyric spirit, lost and wandering attempting to find it’s ‘home’ – feeding on the life-force and blood of the living, but without killing them.

N

“Need, the” – i) in the real VC, the need to feed. This is similar to a hunger for physical food, or the thirst for common fluids, only nothing but blood or energy will satisfy it. Vampyres can eat or drink regular meals of common food, may even feel over-filled, but will remain hungry or thirsty – in need – until they satisfy it the proper way.

“Negeltu” – (pronunciation “neh-gal-too” in South African English.) A Sumerian word adopted by the SA VC in 2014 as a synonym to “Awakening”, “Awakened” in the context of vampyric nature, is “Negeltu”. Useage: “the Awakened” – “the Negeltu”, “He is experiencing his/an Awakening” – “He is experiencing (a) Negeltu” etc.

“Neonate” – i) in the real VC, a newly awakened Vampyre. See also “Baby Vampyre”, “Childe” and “Progeny”.

“Neovampyre” – i) in the real VC, an unawakened or shinai (mundane) student or practitioner of vampyric arts (such as Psi skills or feeding), in essence a person who “converted” to vampyrism as a kind of religion, even though they are not by nature, Vampyres. This does not mean they have been “turned”, but simply that they for all intents and purposes, exist as Vampyres.

“Nephilim, the” – i) in mythology, in the apocryphal books excised from the Christian bible, these are demi-gods who were sired by angels, as told in Enoch I. ii) in the real VC, referring to a rather widespread belief within the community which asserts that Vampyres are the inheritors of the Nephilim. Some Nephilists believe that the vampyric condition is genetically traceable to these otherworldly fathers. Others are content to suggest that the Nephilim simply represent a higher kind of being which came down and intermingled with humanity.

“Nightside“- i) in vampyric spiritual circles, more than likely cult-like, a Vampyre’s life is divided into a ‘Nightside’ and a ‘Dayside’ the dayside refers to a Vampyre’s shinai (mundane) identity. A Vampyre’s nightside self is the identity that is freely and openly vampyric, this can also be seen as a magickal identity, some Vampyres seek to integrate these two halves of their existence achieving a balance known as ‘Twilight’.  ii) in the real VC, these terms are commonly used by most participants. These concepts appear to have originated via the teachings of the Temple of the Vampire (ToV), although the concept has also been copied by groups such as the Sanguinarium/Ordo Strigoi Vii. See also “Dayside” and “Twilight”.

“Nosferatu” (also, nosferat) – i) in fiction and folklore, a synonym for vampire ii) in Romanian folklore, the illegitimate child of illegitimate parents. Shortly after its death and burial, the creature stirs, leaves its grave, and not only sucks blood but also engages in sexual contact with the living. According to some beliefs, the male is thought to be able to impregnate women whose children are destined to become moroii. See also “Revenant”. iii) in the real VC, the term “nosferatu” is used by socially or politically moderate Vampyres (particularly sanguines) to describe Vampyres (particularly other sanguines) who show no respect for their donors, for human or animal life or suffering, and who take pleasure in cruelty inflicted during an act relating to feeding, and who may glorify such acts and behavior in a social context, typically unacceptable. The application of the term is not considered complimentary to the subject.

“Nyx” – i) a deity in the  classical Greek pantheon. Nyx is the greek goddess of night, who bore Thanatos (death), Hypnos (sleep), Nemesis (indignation), Apate (deceit), and the fates. One of her consorts was Erebus who was also her brother. She was depicted as riding in a chariot, trailing stars and bringing the night, and accompanied by her sons Hypnos and Thanatos. She could be helpful or harmful to mankind, bringing either sleep or death. Nyx had prophetic powers, and gave oracles from a cave. She was older and more powerful than Zeus, who deferred to Her wishes. ii) in the real VC, some Vampyres worship Nyx, the ancient Greek goddess who is known as night personified and of significance to Vampyres. iii) a feminine Vampyre name.

O

“Of the blood” – i) in the real VC, a term used to describe one who is a Vampyre, or specifcally a sanguine Vampyre. For example a question, “are you of the blood?” See “Kindred”

“Oneiroi” (Oh-ner-oy) – i) in the real VC, a term used for Vampyres who have the power to control and feed off of other’s dreams. This can be a form of astral vampyrism. Oneiroi were the collective term for the three Greek gods of sleep, related to Nyx the goddess of night and who is a deity worshiped as a Vampyre goddess. Source: “The Language of the Vampires” by Delilah deSora. See also “Dream walking” and “Astral Vampyre”.

“Otherkin” – i) in the real VC, those who are not Vampyre but who also do not identify as fully Human, such as therians, lycans etc.

“Ordo Strigoi Vii” (OSV) – i) This is a group of neovampires considering itself above, separate to, and better than the real Vampyre Community. Describing itself as “the Order of Living Vampirism”, the OSV is one of the latest permutations of the former Sanguinarium. The founder, Father Sebastian sought to transform the existing Sanguinarium into an occult order blending elements of Chaos magick, Leveyan Satanism and the Kheprian tradition. The group believes they achieve personal power through a blending of Dayside and Nightside (vampyric) aspects. The key teachings of the OSV were later elaborated on in a book, “The Sanguinomicon” and are restricted publications available only to members at a fee. ii) in the real VC, this group is viewed as a dark spiritual pathway and Vampyric religion designed for groupies of Father Sebastiaan or fans of the mythological vampire, and NOT the real Vampyre subculture. The OSV is a registered “church” in Amsterdam and is supported by the Church of Satan (CoS) and has also distanced itself from real self identified Vampyres and the real VC. See also “Sanguinarium” and “Strigoi Vii”.

P

“Pacta” – i) ref “Pacta sunt servanda” (Latin for “agreements must be kept”), is a brocard, a basic principle of civil law and of international law. ii) in the real VC, this is used to describe the agreement between a Vampyre mentor and their Fledgling (or apprentice), or a Vampyre and their donor. This can be written, or verbal, and even formalized over a ritual. See also “Primorus annus Lamia”, “Yearling” and “Yearling Ceremony”.

“Parasite” – i) a being that exists by feeding off other living creatures, against that creature’s will, often resulting in the death of that creature. ii) in the real VC, when used to describe Vampyres, this a very offensive insult. See “Leech”.

“Porphyria” – i) a series of medical disorders which causes among other symptoms, anemia and a strong reaction to sunlight. Areas of the skin which are exposed to the sun may burn, blister or scar within minutes or seconds. Additionally this includes severe allergies. Medieval Vampyre folklore is thought to have been influenced by the fear of sunlight by sufferers of porphyria.

“Poser” – i) in the real VC, a pretender who poses as a real Vampyre for their own personal reasons, while not being vampyric at all. See “Lifestyler” and “Gaja/Gaya”.

“Prana” – i) life force, essential energy of life. ii) in the real VC, Sanguinarian Vampyres obtain pranic energy through blood; Psi Vampyres extract it from emotional energy without consuming blood. See also “Chi” and “Ki”.

“Primoris Annus Lamia” – i) in the real VC, the Yearling ceremony or ritual at which a Fledgling Vampyre is introduced to the community by their Vampyre name is called by this name. Literally this means “first year Vampyre” in Latin. It is a form of coming of age ceremony, usually held a year after the Fledgling’s Awakening, after a year of tutelage or apprenticeship to a mentor, or at a time afterwards, by mutual agreement or Pacta. See also “Yearling”, “Yearling Ceremony” and “Pacta”.

“Primus” – i) a latin word meaning “one” or “the first”. ii) in the real VC, this is a title of an Elder who is the founder or leader of a House or Coven.

“Progeny” – i) a child or offspring. ii) in fiction, particularly the True Blood TV show, this refers to vampires created by other vampires. ii) in the real VC, this refers to the neonate or Vampyre sponsored or mentored by another Vampyre. In some cases this may infer a level of responsibility between maker and Neonate. See also “Childe”, “Neonate” and “Baby Vampyre”.

“Psy/Psi” – i) in the real VC, a Psychic Vampyre.

“Psychic attack” – i) an action by a psychic Vampyre which causes harm, such as draining prana from another individual without their consent.

“Psychic Vampyre” – i) a Vampyre who feeds primarily or solely on energy, regardless of from which source. Also called “Psi’s”, “Psi Vamps” and “energy vampires”.

“Public Display of Vampyrism” – i) being public about being Vampyre, or engaging in public behavior which exposes the vampyric nature.

“Puppy” – i) a shinai (mundane) who has become fascinated with a Vampyre or Vampyres in general, and follows their movements, possibly verging on obsession and stalking.

“Pureblood” – i) in fiction, a vampire born of vampire parents, supposedly having more pronounced abilities than “lower” “turned” vampires. ii) in the real VC, a Vampyre born of Vampyre parents, while this has no effect on ability or character, save to perhaps inflate windbag egos.

“Pyrokinesis” – i) a paranormal ability to manipulate fire by using psychic energy. This does not necessarily mean that fire can be created, but rather manipulated or “influenced”. The nature of fire itself is very volatile, and is not easy to manipulate even for experienced people. This is not a Vampyre trait by itself.

Q

“Quabal” (qua-ball) – i) in the real VC, a gathering for socialization, ritual, initiations and education.

“Queen” – i) a crowned monarch or leader, a female head of a kingdom, an hereditary title. ii) in the real VC, a title given some Vampyres who lead a community, Coven, or House. See also “King” and “Stepanu”.

R

“Ravass Bhavatan (rav-ass bov-aton)” – i) in the real VC, a ceremony or ritual to expel a member from a House, stripping them of whatever titles they hold and technically excommunicating them from the community. Used mainly within a vampyric spiritual circle, more than likely cult-like.

“Real Vampyre/Real Vamp” – i) in the real VC, a sanguine, psychic, or energy Vampyre. A real Vampyre has a particular condition which includes but is not limited to a real need for blood or life energy.

“Reapers of Blood” – i) stylized reference to vampires or real Vampyres, ii) an online message board or forum seemingly influenced by the lifestyler scene.

“Renfield’s Syndrome” – i) a psuedo-psychiatric term describing “mental illness” named for the character Renfield in Dracula, a mental disorder where the afflicted seeks to increase their own power by accumulating lives. This is sometimes applied by the ignorant to refer to Vampyres. See also “Clinical Vampirism”

“Revenant” i) a folkloric visible ghost or animated corpse that was believed in Medieval Europe to return from the grave to terrorize the living. ii) Synonym for vampire, although closer in description to a modern zombie. See also “Zombie”.

“Rogue” – i) in the real VC, when applied to donors: a donor who parts with their Vampyre on hostile terms and causes trouble for that Vampyre. When applied to Vampyres, it refers to individuals who abandon the community, or act in such a way as to threaten the community or its standing within broader society.

“Ronin” – i) in the Japanese feudal system, where ronin were Samurai who lacked allegiance to a particular house, but who were nonetheless honorable and skilled as samurai. ii) in the real VC, a Vampyre who is not a member of any household.

“Rötschreck” (German, meaning “The Red Fear”) – i) in fiction, taken directly from the White Wolf RPG V:tM, meaning a vampire’s fear of fire and sunlight that can cause them to flee in its presence.

S

“Safari” – i) in the real VC, a form of play-hunting when a Vampyre or coven of Vampyres goes out in search of donors, courts them, but does not follow through. According to some, “this might include a little nibbling, but never feeding”. It is claimed this was used in the late 1970s to teach fledglings how to hunt in clubs and discos.

“Sanctuary ” – i) in the real VC, a safe space for Vampyres to meet or shelter. See also “Haven”.

“Sang ” – i) in the real VC, a shortened form of Sanguinarian or sanguine, meaning ‘of the blood’.

“Sangromancy” – i) blood magick, magick using or focusing on blood.

“Sanguinarium, the” – i) (www.sanguinarium.net) was and is a network, community and resource for the vampire subculture and scene and was founded in 1995 as Clan Sabretooth in New York’s underground club scene. It later expanded to include organizations, businesses, havens and individual members who were united under a code of ethics and morality known as The Black Veil (a.k.a. The Thirteen Rules of the Community). Although officially disbanded as an actual organization in 2001 or 2002, the Sanguinarium continues to exist in practice as the Ordo Strigoii Vii (OSV). See also “Ordo Strigoi Vii”.

“Sanguinarian” – i) a blood drinker, for whatever reason. ii) in the real VC, also referred to as “Sang”, are Vampyres who feed on prana by consuming blood, whether human or animal. Also called “blood vamps”.

“Sanguinarius” – i) in the real VC, before the days of the internet in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Sanguinarius operated offline within the realm of vampire fandom and penpal lists, attempting to find and unite real vampires.  Sanguinarius.org for Real Vampires / Sanguinarius: The Vampire Support Page (www.sanguinarius.org) was founded online in 1997 by Sanguinarius and is not a membership organization but provides resources, articles and information for, by, and about real vampires and the vampire community.

“Sanguine” – i) a word meaning ‘bloody’ or ‘of the blood’.

“Sanguivore” – i) in the real VC, a term meaning on who feeds on blood, a Sanguinarian or Sang vamp.

“Secret, the” – i) in the real VC, referring to the practice of keeping the nature of Vampyres and the Vampyre community secret from the shinai (mundanes).

“Seeker” – i) in the real VC, a person looking for Vampyres, or researching Vampyres, or a Vampyre looking for the community. Most frequently people who join forums and start asking Vampyres to “turn” them.

“Self Mutilation Syndrome“/”SMS” – i) medical term, a psychological condition which has apparently begun to grow among American youth. Sufferers of SMS, often known as “cutters”, feel the need to cut into their flesh and watch themselves bleed. Some sufferers of SMS also drink the blood drawn out this way, although this is not standard for the disease, and this is not considered to qualify as vampyrism.

“Setians” – i) in the real VC, a belief within the community that links vampyrism back to the Egyptian God Set as a Vampyre god. The Temple of Aset Ka is such an example, and it’s members are referred to as “Setians”.

“Sexual Vampirism” – i) a relatively rare variety of vampyrism that feeds primarily from sexual energy. See also “Incubus” and “Succubis”.

“Shield”/”Shielding” – i) when used by psionic or psychic people in general, this refers to walls or blockages against mental attacks or mental distractions, either deliberately or inadvertently. These are typically used to keep one’s mind/body safe, rather than a specific location, and are widely used by PSI Vampyres as well. See also “Filters”.

“Shinai” – i) in the real VC, an inoffensive term used by Vampyres to describe non-Vampyres. It is considered to be more fitting than “mundane”, or “human”, since Vampyres are also human. The word “Shinai” is used in South Africa as a synonym for “mundane”, and is considered less offensive.

“Sigil” – i) in the real VC, a crest or heraldic symbol used to identify a House, Haven or Coven.

“Sire/Siring/to Sire” – i) in fiction, a vampire who creates another vampire. i) in the real VC, within a vampyric spiritual circle, more than likely cult-like and perhaps influenced by role playing, or vampire fiction, this refers to the Vampyre who awakens another Vampyre, and in some cases may infer a level of responsibility between Sire and Neonate. However, this word is unpopular because it is sexist and presumes the “Sire” is masculine. See also “Maker”.

“Slayer” – i) in European mythology this referred to medieval myths about dragons and those who hunted and ‘slew’ (killed) them. ii) in the real VC, this now refers to an individual (perhaps having watched too much “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) who joins forums and groups online and claims to hunt real Vampyres. Usually these individuals do no more than provide weak entertainment or do a little trolling, but sometimes this crosses the line into serious stalking and harassment, or worse. See also “Hunter”.

“Source” – i) in the real VC, a term describing a source for procuring blood, not necessarily a donor.

“Stake” i) (noun and verb) in folklore, if a vampire was impaled through the heart by a wooden stake, they were believed to become immobilized or destroyed, which is why so many corpses exhumed have been found with metal pins or wooden stakes driven through the chest, or in some cases, their coffins as well. ii) in the real VC, this is definitely as deadly to real Vampyres as it would be to anyone else, as staking any living creature would obviously be potentially fatal. Staking in the community is generally viewed paradoxically as somewhat amusing and as an insult and a threat.

“Starseed Vampires” – i) in the real VC, there is a tradition or movement which asserts the extra-terrestrial origins of the Vampyre race, incorporating much of the sort of material one would find in the History Channel’s “Ancient Aliens” series, although the theory has been in the community virtually since its beginning.

“Stepanu” (step-on-new) – i) in the real VC, a master Vampyre who rules over a vampyric Court. This word has no gender and is the same for males or females. Source: “The Language of the Vampires” by Delilah deSora.

“Strigoi” – i) the word Strigoi means “living vampire” in ancient Romanian. i) in the real VC, it has been used to refer to a philosophy and the condition of being a Vampyre as “Strigoi Vii”, by the “Ordo Strigoi Vii”, a modern vampire cult based in the USA.

“Succubus” – i) in lore, a mythical female demon who seduces males in their sleep. ii) in the real VC, a female Vampyre who feeds on pranic energy while involved in sexual activity. See also “Incubis”, which refers to the male.

“Swan” – i) in the real VC, a term describing shinai (mundanes) associated with the Vampyre community in various forms, different meanings are denoted by color codes, White, Black etc. See also “White Swan” and “Black Swan”.

T

“Tapping” – i) in the real VC, a term for the act of connecting psychically to a donor or source for feeding, usually over a long distance and using tendrils or links. Psychic vampires often maintain a donor pool making arrangements with past feeding partners so they can tap in from a distance if they need to. Less ethical vampires tap into indiscriminate sources without making prior arrangements.

“Temple of the Vampire, the” (ToV) – a religious organization that practices the religion of Vampirism. According to the temple, its faith is an ancient religion that has, through the centuries, been known by many names including the Order of the Dragon, the Temple of the Dragon, and the Temple of the Vampire Dragon Goddess Tiamat (ancient Sumeria). The modern public Temple has attempted to locate those people who might be of the blood – those who have realized their difference from the mass of humanity, who resonate with the Dark of the Night, who recognize themselves as predators, who know there is something more to life, and who wish to possess it. According to the Temple, Vampires exist as the predators of humans. They say Vampires emerge out of humanity and represent the next stage in evolution. They claim theirs is the religion of the elite – the rulers. They love Capitalization. They believe that Vampires created the religions of the world to ensure humanity’s basic docility. (Well, somebody sure did.) The basic perspective of the Temple is summarized in “The Vampire Creed”. See also “The Vampire Creed”.

“Tendril” – i) in energetics, an extension of the subtle body which attaches to energy sources, used to PSI-feed, to obtain energy, or to heal or even to examine or investigate.

“Thirst, the” – i) in the real VC, the need to sang feed. This is similar to a thirst for liquid – only, nothing but blood will satisfy it. Sanguine Vampyres can drink liters of common drinks, may even feel over-filled, but will remain thirsty.

“Totum Lex Vampyrica” – i) in the real VC, a set of guidelines for real Vampyres, “the Whole Vampyric Law” developed by Octarine Valur for House Valur in South Africa and any other Coven, House or individual who wishes to use it. This has since been translated and disseminated in Spanish-speaking communities in Europe and the Americas and also used as is in India.

“Transition/ in transition” i) in fiction, particularly in the Vampire Diaries TV show, when a person is “turned” by a vampire, they die, then reawaken to a 12 hour period where they transition into becoming a vampire, during which they must feed on human blood, or finally die. See also “Turning”.

“True Blood” – i) in fiction, a synthetic blood substitute drunk by vampires in the TV series “True Blood”, sold in bottles and six-packs like beer at any convenience store! ii) in the real VC, real blood, or a ranking or position in some online vampire forums.

“True death” – i) in fiction, a vampire is said to be “undead”. Killing such a vampire is said to be the “true death”. This has been done to death in the True Blood TV show.

“Turning/to turn/turn” – i) in fiction, a term describing a theoretical process in which a non-vampire becomes a vampire. i) in the real VC this is not seen as possible, because the belief that Vampyres are born and then Awaken is widespread. Generally turning is held to be a conflation of fictional “turning” and a misunderstanding of the awakening process. See “Awakening”.

“Twilight“- i) in fiction, a series of books written by Stephanie Meyer, made into movies about fictional vampires in the early 21st century. This has received a mixed reaction in the Vampyre community, although disfavor appears more prevalent, particularly with the way vampires are portrayed in the books and movies – and in particular with their tendency to sparkle in daylight, a factor which has created much unhappiness for many reasons. ii) in vampyric spiritual circles, more than likely cult-like, a Vampyre’s life is divided into a ‘Nightside’ and a ‘Dayside’ the dayside refers to a Vampyre’s shinai (mundane) identity. A Vampyre’s nightside self is the identity that is freely and openly vampyric, this can also be seen as a magickal identity, some Vampyres seek to integrate these two halves of their existence achieving a balance known as ‘Twilight’. In the real VC, these terms are commonly used by most participants. These concepts appear to have originated via the teachings of the Temple of the Vampire (ToV), although the concept has also been copied by groups such as the Sanguinarium/Ordo Strigoi Vii. See also “Dayside” and “Twilight”.

“Twoofing” – in the real VC, an unpopular term describing a the thirst, particularly when it is very bad and the Vampyre is desperate to feed. It is characterized by changes in metabolism, mood swings akin to withdrawal symptoms experienced by drug addicts. Also called “Vamping out”.

U

“Undead” – i) a reanimated corpse, not alive, not completely dead, given movement by magickal or supernatural means. ii) in folklore, the belief that vampires were dead people who rose from the grave to prey on the living – the risen dead were referred to as “undead”. Today, some still believe in “undead” vampires – in some parts of the world, graves are still desecrated by people staking and beheading bodies to “kill” the “undead” vampires to prevent them from rising. iii) in the real VC, this has caused some confusion as some shinai (mundanes) mistakenly believe that real Vampyres are claiming to be this sort of vampire as portrayed in fiction and lore. Anyone claiming to be “undead” is a poser, a lifestyler – NOT a real Vampyre.

“Upyr”/”Upir” – i) in history, the first appearance of the word “upir” (an early form of the word later to become “vampyr”) occurred in a 1047 document referring to a Russian prince as “Upir” Lichy, or “wicked vampyre” Lichy. This later transpired to be a mis-spelling of the correct Russian word which is “upyr”, giving rise to the continued modern confusion between the terms “vampire” and “Vampyre”.

“Utukku/Utukki/Uruku” – ancient Mesopotamian (Sumerian and Akkadian) names for a benevolent Vampyre race of the ancient world. Most modern Vampyres would today be considered this sort of Vampyre.

V

“V-community” – i) the Vampyre community.

“Vamp” – i) (noun) coquette, flirt, vamp, vamper, minx, tease,  cock teaser
a seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to exploit others. ii) slang for or short for Vampyre or vampire.

“Vampdar” – i) in the real VC, a play on the gay term “gaydar” meaning an instinctive means of Vampyres to identify each other by sight, or by other instinctive indefinable means. See “Beacon”.

“Vamping out” – i) in the real VC, a term describing a the thirst, particularly when it is very bad and the Vampyre is desperate to feed. It is characterized by changes in metabolism, mood swings akin to withdrawal symptoms experienced by drug addicts. Also called “Twoofing”.

“Vampire” – i) (noun) vampire, lamia (folklore) a corpse that rises at night to drink the blood of the living ii) in fiction, a term referring to fictional vampires, or folkloric vampires in a fictional story setting iii) “vampire” is the newer spelling of the word “Vampyre” used after the 17th & 18th centuries. By 1862, vampire meant a terrible BORE of a person. By 1911, vampire meant “a woman who intentionally attracts and exploits men” and by 1918 (July 9) the New York Times mentions a play called “The Vamp” starring Enid Bennett. The verb “to vamp” means “to behave seductively and exploit” iv) in the real VC, “Vampyre” is used to refer to real Vampyres. Alternate spelling between “vampire” and “Vampyre” appears interchangeable, although some groups argue that “Vampyre” refers to real Vampyres, while “vampire” refers to posers, Hollywood, myth and fiction – and vice versa.

“Vampire children” – i) a pejorative term for children with xeroderma pigmentosum, a genetic disease with such extraordinary sensitivity to sunlight that ordinary sun exposure results in the development of skin cancer at a very early age. Children with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) can only play outdoors safely after nightfall, and live in light-tight environments and under special conditions.

“Vampire Creed, The” – i) in the real VC, the perspective of the Temple of the Vampire” (ToV), a cult that teaches to its members and followers the dangerous view that Vampyres are predators of Mundanes. The Creed states: “I am a Vampire. I worship my ego and I worship my life, for I am the only God that is. I am proud that I am a predatory animal and I honor my animal instincts. I exalt my rational mind and hold no belief that is in defiance of reason. I recognize the difference between the world of truth and fantasy. I acknowledge the fact that survival is the highest law. I acknowledge the Powers of Darkness to be hidden natural laws through which I work my magic. I know that my beliefs in Ritual are fantasy but the magic is real, and I respect and acknowledge the results of my magic. I realize there is no heaven as there is no hell, and I view death as the destroyer of life. Therefore I will make the most of life here and now. I am a Vampire. Bow down before me.” Its usage has since spread to real VC groups and also in works of fiction, including an episode of the TV show “Law & Order”.

“Vampire division” – i) a business unit within a company that sucks value from the company but doesn’t return a comparable level of benefit. ii) a side project by Tony McKormack who is also the guitarist from INKUBUS SUKKUBUS and SCREAMING DEAD, founded in 2003. The Vampire Division is now largely a Studio Project, making music for movies and games. Much of the groups work features vampires. Vampire Division provides a substantial portion of the Soundtrack to The movie “Vampires of Bloody Island”.

“Vampire Don, the” – i) in the real VC, Don Henrie is an outspoken Vampyre community figure based in the USA. He is the owner of several websites, most notably “TVD – The Vampire Don” an online forum for real Vampyres and their fans – and regularly appears on TV and radio interviews educating the general public on real vampyrism and the community. He is also popular for his frequent fashion photo-shoots and fine physique.

“Vampire mullet” – i) (noun) Goth hair style where the bangs are sheared to a razor-straight line with the rest of the hair, long – usually very black. Forehead depth of line is variable, and often extreme.

“Vampire state” – i) a political term originating in South Africa and increasing in frequency of use in both South Africa and the USA. It is an analogy comparing a corrupt state where bureaucrats suck the state’s wealth’ (as fictional vampires suck blood from their victims) and common people await any opportunity to rob the wealthy ii) in the real VC is considered a racist or xenophobic remark.

“Vampire tap” – i) nothing to do with Vampyres, but a type of cable connector or fitting, related to IT networking.

“Vampire weekend” – i) a life-styler term for a weekend activity conducted while dressed up and behaving or role-playing like fictional vampires, sometimes involving sexual acts and sometimes real blood drinking. ii) an American Indy band called vampire Weekend”.

“Vampiroids” – i) in the real VC, a term coined by side-show freak, amateur vampire hunter and part time Bishop, Sean Manchester and used by vampirologists, vampirological societies and watchers to describe real Vampyres. This term is used to convey the perception that they believe the fictional undead sort of vampire as portrayed in fiction is “real” and the entire VC is only humans playing dress-up and doing silly stuff like running with scissors. See also “Vampirologist”, “Vampirological Society” and “Watcher”.

“Vampirological Society” – i) a group, usually covert, which studies, researches or gathers information for purposes unknown, on vampires and other paranormal or supernatural beings. They may be considered by some as an expert source of knowledge on the subject of vampires, although this knowledge is more often than not heavily influenced by fiction, folklore and myth, or distorted by the lens of judgmental religion in the vein of “van Helsing” and “Buffy”. These groups typically view real Vampyres as part of a human sub-culture and prefer to spend their time in abandoned graveyards in search of “the real thing”, chasing after bats and screaming like little girls at their own shadows. They generally consider real Vampyres to be posers. See also “Vampirologist” and “Watcher”.

“Vampirologist” – i) one who studies or researches vampires, an expert source of knowledge on the subject of vampires and vampirism, although this knowledge is suspected to be heavily influenced by fiction, folklore and myth. See also “Watcher”.

“Vampiry” – i) having the appearance or countenance of being a vampire.

“Vamplez” – i) a slang term for a very attractive, sexy female same-sex-oriented Vampyre.

“Vamposer” – i) in the real VC, a contraction of “Vampyre” and “Poser”, referring to shinai (mundanes) posing as Vampyres.

“Vampsesity” – i) an obsession with vampires or Vampyres.

“Vampsessor” – i) a person obsessed with vampires or Vampyres.

“Vampspotted” – i) a term describing a Vampyre or Black Swan being outed or associated publicly with Vampyres. Negative connotations are implied.

“Vamptard” – i) an insult to real Vampyres from shinai (mundanes) who perceive them as for example: “persons on the periphery of the goth subculture claiming to be actual vampires but in reality being socially stunted rejects who claim the vampire aesthetic in order to build an elaborate social hierarchy around it. Often they believe they have psychic powers and they feed on the energy or “prana” of those around them, willing or not. Obese as often as not, but generally unattractive. Fake fangs abound. Fake accents too. Just be glad they’re only having sex with each other.” ii) in the real VC, a derogatory term used by real Vampyres to refer to wannabe’s and life-stylers pretending to be one of them.

“Vamptress” – i) (noun) a combination of words, “Vampyre” and “seductress” meaning a female who preys ruthlessly upon others; extortionist. ii) A vampy woman who unscrupulously seduces and tends to have domineering tendencies. A vampyric dominatrix who tends to be more coy in her seduction, darker, more alluring. i.e. “The vamptress kicked off her leather heels and slowly bent down to seductively nibble on the bound man in a coy alluring fashion.”

“Vampwear” – i) apparel pertaining to vampires or of interest or use to Vampyres.

“Vampware” – i) in IT, a type of invasive software (trojan, virus, spyware) that steals data from a user’s computer and sends it to a receiver. ii) in the real VC, goods or items of vampyric nature or of interest to Vampyres.

“Vampyr” – i) the original spelling for “Vampyre”, resulting from earlier forms of older languages. Believed to have originated from the Medieval Russian term “upyr”.

“Vampyre” – i) (noun) a term referring to modern real Vampyres (Psi and Sang). “Vampyre” is the older spelling of the word “vampire” used in the 17th & 18th centuries. Sometimes this is used as alternate spelling for “vampire”.

“Vampyrabilia” – i) a play on words referring to the word “memorabilia”, meaning memorabilia in a Vampyre context or memorabilia pertaining to Vampyres.

“Vampyre Craft/Vampyrecrafte/VampyrCraeft” – i) in the real VC, this is the magick practiced by Vampyres. Some Vampyres are Pagan and follow the old ways, and the ways of magick are an integral part of their beliefs. Most Vampyres, including Sanguines, practice numerous techniques associated with energy manipulation.

“Vampyre bait” – i) in the real VC, a person looking for Vampyres, or dressed in such a way as to look as if they are interested in attracting a Vampyre. A term suggesting they don’t know what they would get themselves into should they succeed.

“Vampyre goth” – i) someone heavily influenced by the Vampyre lifestyle scene as well as the goth scene, wearing Victorian style clothing or leather trench coats, etc. Such people will wear fake fangs, or have their own teeth modified, though it is claimed some are even born with natural fangs. A certain degree of blood fetishism is implied. This does not imply that the individual is indeed a real Vampyre.

“Vampyre Service Providers“/”VSP’s” – i) in the real VC, suppliers of materials or services of a vampyric nature to the Vampyre community i.e. a fangsmith, club or stores that sell vampyrabilia.

“Vampyre’s kiss, the” – i) in fiction, a metaphor referring to a Vampyre biting their source in order to gain blood and comparing it to a kiss, often implying “turning”.

“Vampyrophile” – i) in the real VC, a reference to someone who is obsessed with, harasses or stalks Vampyres.

“Vegan” – i)  referring to shinai (mundanes) who avoid eating animal products. ii) in the real VC, a Vampyre who abstains from drinking any human blood, instead substituting animal blood. See also “Vegetary”, “Level ‘V’ vegan”, “Vegetarian vampire” or “Vegetarian”.

“Vegetarian vampire” – in the real VC, a Vampyre who abstains from drinking human blood, instead substituting animal blood. See also “Vegetary”, “Level ‘V’ vegan” or “Vegan”.

“Vegetarian” – i) referring to shinai (mundanes) who avoid eating animal products. ii) a Vampyre who abstains from drinking human blood, instead substituting animal blood. See also “Vegetary”, “Level ‘V’ vegan”, “Vegetarian vampire” or “Vegan”.

“Vegetary” (slang) i) in fiction, according to the White Wolf RPG Book of Nod, a vampire who abstains from drinking human blood, instead substituting animal blood. See also Vegan”, “Level ‘V’ vegan”, “Vegetarian vampire” or “Vegetarian”.

“Vetala” – i) in mythology, a type of vampire, the angry spirit of a dead person whose funerary rites were not conducted. Trapped between life and after-life, the vetala manifest their hostility by disturbing mortals, driving them hysterical, killing them, or killing unborn children. Vetalas may also live inside of the corpses of humans. They may also inhabit the carcasses of animals, re-animating them as though they were alive again.

“Victim” – i) in fiction, a term referring to people attacked by vampires, ii) in the real VC, a word incorrectly used to refer to voluntary donors who offer some of their essence to sustain one or more Vampyres and are not harmed in the process.

“Vitae” – i) from Latin “vitae”, meaning “life” or “the essential”, root of the English “vital”. ii) in fiction, according to White Wolf, vampire blood. See also “Vampyre blood”.

W

“Wampire” – i) in the real VC, slang for an extremely attractive individual with creative and interesting style, especially goth, punk, or Japanese, or reminiscent of anime’ style.

“Wannabe” – i) someone who “wants to be” something higher, more or greater than themselves, perhaps something others want to aspire to. ii) in the real VC, a derogatory term for someone who wants to become a vampire (or Vampyre), usually with unrealistic expectations of what it would be like, and usually without consideration of practical matters. See also “poser” and “lifestyler”.

“Wassail” – i) in fiction, according to the White Wolf RPG Book of Nod, the point when when a vampire loses the last point of his humanity and falls to the Beast. ii) in the real VC, although the Beast is a personification of the state of need accepted by the community in general, succumbing completely to it is indeed possible – although this rarely happens in real life. See also “Wight”.

“Watcher” – i) one who studies or researches vampires and other paranormals or supernaturals at a distance without actual involvement, an expert source of knowledge on the subject of vampires and vampirism, although this knowledge is suspected to be heavily influenced by fiction, folklore and myth. Possibly an agent for a Vampirologist or Vampirological Society. See also “Vampirologist” and “Vampirological Society”.

“Wight” – i) in fiction, according to the White Wolf RPG Book of Nod, a vampire who has fallen to the Beast and is beyond redemption. See also “Wassail”.

“White Swan” – i) in the real VC, an individual who opposes the existence of the Vampyre community, cannot tolerate the lifestyle and proves antagonistic to the scene. In general, White Swans are still a part of the Gothic or fetish scene, which often brings them into contact with the Vampyre community despite their disgust of vampyres.

“White Wolf” – i) the name of the company that writes Vampire: The Masquerade and other RP games set in the World of Darkness, involving fictional vampires.

X

Y

“Yearling” – i) in the real VC, a Vampyre Fledgling upon the first anniversary of their Awakening. In some cultures this is celebrated in a ritual attended by close friends and family, not unlike a Barmitzvah, or coming of age ceremony. See also “Awakening” and “Fledgling”.

“Yearling Ceremony” – i) in the real VC, the Yearling ceremony or ritual at which a Fledgling Vampyre is introduced to the community by their Vampyre name. It is a form of coming of age ceremony, usually held a year after the Fledgling’s Awakening, after a year of tutelage or apprenticeship to a mentor, or at a time afterwards by mutual agreement or Pactum. See also “Yearling”, “Primoris annus Lamia” and “Pacta”.

Z

“Zombie” i) in folklore, a living human being held captive by magick workings, under a magick or voodoo spell, used by voodoo witches to perform various tasks. ii) in fiction, an undead corpse risen from the grave or from death, usually in the pursuit of consuming living human flesh, often conflated and confused with a revenant. iii) slang, usage: “I feel like a zombie”, meaning someone who feels tired, exhausted, slow, unresponsive, asleep on their feet. See also “Revenant”.