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here is some facts about vampires....



A bizarre neurological side effect of HVV's modifications to the sensory system and the brain gives every vampire a psychogenic hunger for human blood. The psychosomatic reaction to the taste of human blood even triggers a dopamine response in vampires. Neural pathways activated in vampires during feeding are much like those found in addicts when using drugs and the dopamine released during this feeding on blood has a narcotic-like effect, including an addictive dependency.

By happenstance, HVV causes metabolic functions to be altered and enhanced to such an astonishing degree that vampires require far less nutrients than uninfected humans. As a result, even the minimal amount of iron, calcium, carbohydrates, fats, glucose, amino acids/proteins, and vitamins contained within human blood is actually enough to adequately meet the nutritional needs of a vampire. So a vampire can actually survive solely on a diet of human blood.

Because of the sensory system modifications, vampires find the taste of ordinary food (e.g. animal meat and plants) to be foul and because of alterations to the digestive system caused by HVV, a vampire will become incapable of properly digesting solid food after a few weeks on a blood diet. The alterations to the digestive system also includes anticoagulants that happen to stop blood from curdling in the stomach. That happens to prevent any possible vomiting from ingesting blood, which is what happens when normal humans drink a large amount of blood.
Because they presented such a danger to society, most vampires were destroyed long before the outer limits of their life span were determined. Ancient history offers some clues, however. In Ancient China, there was said to be one vampire in the emperor's court through the entire (eastern) Zhou Dynasty, which would put his age at 550. More accurate modern records have certified vampires of over 200 years old.

Vampiric longevity is the result of an ability to ward off both the DNA damage that occurs during cell division in normal humans and the damage caused by ionization. The protective caps on the ends of chromosomes known as telomeres get chewed up over time in humans, but not in vampires. HVV plasmids switch on the gene which controls the production of telomerase (an enzyme that prevents chromosome degeneration) and boosts its effectiveness with a version of its own in the packet of genetic material that fuses with the host's chromosomes. This completely prevents cellular senescence and therefore gives every cell replicative immortality. Genetic alterations also result in a biochemistry that completely protects the cells from free radicals and ambient radiation, preventing any oxidative and ionization damage to the DNA of a vampire. In addition, in vampires the functions of the genetic sequences responsible for the metabolic processes of aging are completely inhibited. So as a vampire lives, cell division can continue indefinitely allowing cell damage to be repaired effectively leading to the cessation of somatic aging during the vampiric coma.









The vast majority (about 80 percent) of vampires are males who were between the ages of 18 and 35 upon transformation. Another 10 percent are females between the ages of 15 and 35 upon transformation. The remaining 10 percent are males and females slightly outside the 15 to 35 age range upon transformation. The racial and ethnic makeup of a pack will generally mirror that of the local populace.

Despite the fact that they do not age on a cellular level, vampire mortality rates have always been high. In 1850, a newly transformed vampire could expect to live 10 years on average. By 1950, that number had dropped to 5 years. Today that number is only 2 years. The leading causes of death have also changed with the times. In the Middle Ages, vampiricide, or murder by other vampires, was the leading cause of death. By 1930, vampire hunters had become the number one killer.

I happen to be a student of the paranormal with my main focus being on ghosts. If you pick up a book that is a generalized "paranormal" or "supernatural" focus, they usually cover the gambit from Bigfoot to Vampires. Despite my being a student of spectroscopy, I do indulge in reading about everything considered paranormal.

The subject of true vampires and vampirism is considered subjective, speculative, and based on little more than the misunderstandings of ignorant, superstitious people from a few hundred years ago. However, through my studies I have discovered a common denominator that is difficult to ignore. Every single culture from every part of the world tells tales of the dead rising from the grave and feeding on the blood of the living. This includes the most primitive of cultures who have never been exposed to the works of Bram Stoker, Anne Rice, Poppy Z Brite, or (shudders) Stephanie Meyer. This alone makes the possibility of vampires a hard one to dismiss.

I concur with both you and Eizoryu, in that the topic of "Twilight" is one that should be subject to little discussion within our guild. I believe that the vast majority of our current members agree that the Twilight series is little more than a bastardization of vampire lore. I've not read any of the Twilight saga, nor have I wasted one second on the films. Discussions with those who have was enough to make me want to vomit day-glow.

In my not-so-humble opinion, I think that while Meyer's publications have been a huge black eye to vampires in general, the greatest determent it creates is that it serves to further blur the line between what is perceived as Goth, and Emo. A debate that I've engaged in more times than I care to recall.

The information that you provided above was enlightening and informative, and while it was redundant to what I've already studied, it may prove useful for those who were, thus far, ill-informed. For that reason, I approve of your efforts in creating this thread. If nothing else, we should preserve this thread and make use of it to rant about our frustrations in encountering those who associate our chosen visage with that of the Twilight plague.

bleh, and yet theres a twilight member in the guild >< does a bella swan ring any bells??

no problem i listen.

I noticed the Twitard just today and wondered who let her in without checking her post history for any blatant Twilight fangirling. (There is, back in '08. I don't know what she's doing here; she doesn't like Antis.)

Valag, mind if I become some sort of official member screener? Permit their entry as long as they show no recent fangirling?

The Twilighter is Gone, -Smile's Softly-