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This seems to be one of the great debates among vampire aficionados.
Who was the first vampire?
What is the history of vampires?
Do you believe that vampires really exist?

This is a subject where I have done extensive research, however I'd like to see what your opinion is before I share my knowledge.

i wouldnt really be able to say that i know much except like what mai has said and ive read books and seen movies and documentaries on such things. to be blunt, a vampire is a being that could only exist in the darkness unless there was a certain reason as to how they could survive in the light of the sun, they keep in groups except others keep to themselves...... they have many different qualitites and they are physically attractive... except for the nosferatu ._. theres many different things that ive heard, read, or seen that really confuses me when tryin to come up w/ just a general idea... i know 1 thing thats definately true is that vampires dont sparkle xD :3

And I as well.

PS. Mari, Add me as a friend?

Oh I remember but my stuff says you have to be a friend. I was going to ask if you wanted to RP with me but i couldn't send a message.
Try it Now, -Smile's Softly-

Who was the first vampire?
This is a tough question. I have done a little bit of research regarding vampires to make my own nightwalkers what they are now. My default answer would be Dracula. But that's something that Hollywood has ingrained into our society. He would be the best answer, though, for most of the European vampires that we all know and love.

But other than that, I can't say for sure, without more research, who the first vampire was and feel confident in my answer.

What is the history of vampires?
Again, not my realm of expertise. I delve more into powers, strengths, and weaknesses.

Do you believe that vampires really exist?
Until I see proof of vampires, I cannot believe. At least, not our romanticized fanged friends. Aura vampires, maybe. But not our famous bat-kin.

As a side note, I'm the kind who prefers the viral vampire; the ones that I can explain with science and a little leeway. Not to say I don't like the ones born of superstition, but I prefer those born of retroviral infection. In my characters, it's Porphyric Hemophilia, rather than the HVV that Mai put up in that now-Anti thread.

From my studies, the earliest recorded mention of vampire-type creatures comes from the bible. It actually goes back to the story of Adam and predates Eve. As it turns out, Eve was not the first woman. Adam and his first wife, Lilith were created from dust. The two lived a relatively happy life until they had a disagreement…of sorts. Lilith called out the name of God and was immediately removed from the Garden of Eden. She was cast into the red sea and was later rescued by angels. Lilith hadn’t experienced the season of Fall in the garden and was therefore immune to death. Lilith went on to take on many lovers consisting of fallen angels and demons, from which she produced an army of children, many of whom were killed in wars. Lilith sought revenge for her fallen children by taking the lives of women in childbirth, infant children, and fed off the blood of men.
This is, of course, the “Reader’s Digest” version of Lilith’s story. I will not be sighting sources, as many contain graphic sexual language.

It’s hard to trace the exact history of vampires, as many stories (much like that of Lilith) are based on folklore passed from generation to generation and lack any trace of substantial proof. With that said, there are stories of vampires and vampirism which exist within every culture on the planet. Most of which stem form a misunderstanding of death, disease, and decomposition. However, every tale of suspected vampires has some connection to blood. Blood was believed to contain the essence of life itself. Violent deaths almost always consisted of the loss of blood. It was then concluded that when a person exsanguinates (bleeds out) that their life force escapes their body resulting in death.

Vladimir Tepes (Vlad III Dracula, Vlad the Impaler, Son of Dracul, Son of the Dragon, etc.) who became associated with Bram Stoker’s novel entitled “Dracula”, was reflected upon as possibly being a vampire. Vladimir had an obsession with blood and torture. He was reported as smearing his face and torso with the blood of his enemies, and on one occasion, hosted an impromptu post-battle feast under his piked prisoners of war. It is rumored that during the feast, Vladimir consumed a goblet of his enemy’s blood.

The Countess Elizabeth Bathory was said to have bathed in, and consumed the blood and flesh of virgin maidens. She became convinced that the blood of pure, young, women would restore her fading youth and beauty. Elizabeth ordered the construction of intricate torture devices that would produce the maximum amount of bloodletting from her victims.

The Count of St. Germain was an adventurer, inventor, amateur scientist, alchemist, violinist, and a mysterious gentleman who haunted the royal and imperial Courts of France, Germany and Russia; Since his death, various occult organizations have adopted him as a model figure or even as a powerful deity. St. Germain never revealed his actual background and identity, leading to many speculations about him and his origin and ancestry. Some of these include the possibility that he was the son of Francis II Rákóczi, the Prince of Transylvania. What we do know about him is that he always wore black or white, never ate or drank in public, could speak at least twelve languages and several sources, including documents signed by his own hand, suggest that his apparent death in 1786 was faked. He evidently worked as a spy for several European governments, and Frederick the Great called him 'the man who does not die'. He visited Marie Antoinette and her intimate friend, Madame d'Adhémar, who later wrote the story of his abilities as an Adept, and that he had warned of the coming debacle and death of the king and queen. Theosophists consider him to be a Mahatma, Master or adept. Aleister Crowley identified with him. Helena Blavatsky said he was one of her Masters of Wisdom and hinted at secret documents. Many groups in occultism honor St. Germain as an Ascended Master. As such, he is believed to have many magical powers such as the ability to teleport, levitate, walk through walls, influence people telepathically, etc. Some esoteric groups credit him with inspiring the Founding Fathers, George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, to draft the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, as well as providing the design of the Great Seal of the United States. There were rumors of him alive in Paris in 1835, in Milan in 1867, and in Egypt during Napoleon's campaign. Annie Besant said that she met the Count in 1896. Theosophist C. W. Leadbeater claimed to have met him in Rome in 1926, and said that St. Germain showed him a robe that had been previously owned by a Roman Emperor and that St. Germain told him that one of his residences was a castle in Transylvania.

In the village of Blow, there was once a shepherd, who died for unknown reasons. Several days after his burial, he took to reappearing in his village and tormenting the people there. Anyone on whom he visited would die within 8 days. His case would be unremarkable, but for what happened next. Tired of his nightly ravishes, the villagers took the body from the grave, finding it, of course, to be in a vampire state and they staked it through the heart and put it back in the grave. That night, the shepherd was again seen, and even angrier and more vicious than before. He now carried the stake in his hand, and he taunted that the stake made a good weapon to defend himself against the village dogs. The frightened people disinterred the body again and had it burned, finally ending the shepherd's deadly spree.

Ten years after the death of one Peter Plogojowitz, his village in Hungary reported seeing Peter wandering the streets by night. In some instances, he came into people's houses and choked them, causing them to die in less than 24 hours. Even the widow Plogojowitz reported that her deceased husband had appeared to her, demanding his shoes. The villagers asked the local military officials for permission to disinter the body. Though reluctant, they agreed. One officer and a minister were present at the exhumation, upon which they found Peter's body intact, despite his being dead for a decade. His body was staked-- a great amount of fresh blood flowing from it. The villagers then removed the head and limbs from the body and burnt it to ash, wherein the deaths in the village ceased.

From Book 2 of the Eyrbyggia Saga, Icelandic: There were once two great Icelandic warriors, Aswid and Asmund. They were not only the greatest of generals, but they were also blood brothers. One of them suggested, as they grew older, that they should make a death pact that when one of them died, the other would go to the grave with his friend. They both agreed to this and swore on their blood. It came to pass that Aswid grew ill and died. All of the people mourned, and there was many days of funeral rites and feasting, to commemorate the fallen hero. True to his oath, Asmund followed his friend to the grave, despite the protests of other close friends and advisors. Asmund was sealed alive in the tomb with the body of his friend and many other tributes to entertain the dead in the afterlife, such as food, horses, Aswid's favorite dog and weapons. Before Asmund had decided how best to kill himself, Aswid awoke from his death sleep. Rising as a vampire, he first consumed the body of his dog, then of the horses. He then turned his attention on his friend, and attacked him with a demonic fury. Taking up a sword, Aswid fought off his former friend. Some three hundred years later, several daring young men set off to the tomb of the famous warriors. Despite warnings of the tomb being haunted, and of the religious implications of disturbing the dead, the brave young men went to the grave and opened it. Hearing sounds of struggle, one man volunteered to go down into the tomb. Lowering him on a rope, he went down to investigate. The friends called to him after several minutes, then were met by a great tug on the rope. They pulled the rope up, only to find an old-fashioned armored warrior at the end of it. Trying to catch his breath, Asmund told them of the story of Aswid rising as a vampire and trying to kill him. He had been fighting for his life for three hundred years, and had succeeded only when the young man had appeared, offering a distraction. With that, he fell over dead. The young men, realizing the bravery of the warrior Asmund, buried him in the tomb with full honor, their companion beside him. They took the decapitated body of Aswid out and burned it, scattering his ashes to the wind.

Tales of the dead rising from the grave and feeding on, or bringing illness to the living ran rampant during the 1700s, beginning in England and crossing the ocean into the early colonies what would become America. Mercy Brown has the distinction of being the last of the North American vampires…at least in the traditional sense. Mercy Lena Brown was a farmer's daughter and an upstanding member of rural Exeter, Rhode Island. She was only 19 years old when she died of consumption on January 17, 1892. On March 17, 1892, Mercy's body would be exhumed from the cemetery because members of the community suspected the vampire Mercy Brown was attacking her dying brother, Edwin.

That was a mouthful. That was just a sampling of popular historical figures suspected of being vampires.

Do I believe that vampires exist? I’m one who has to see something with my own eyes before I believe it. I have witnessed many strange and amazing things, but never anything that I would describe as a traditional vampire. However, given the elaborate recorded history, thousands of documented eye-witness accounts, the fact that such creatures have been described among people with no previous knowledge of vampires, and certain other subtle clues in historical writings; I am willing to entertain the possibility. Though I will not go so far as to say I am a believer.

note really going to read all of that but i'd print and read

i have no problem w/ it >< i just read when i have nuffin else to do ._. and could chu plzzz tell me more about lilith! >w< i asked my mom about her and she knew nothing! xD