Recognizing a Vampire

DavidZahir · Aug 21, 2009

I'm just brainstorming here.

Need a character to mistakenly believe another character is a vampire. Keep in mind he's partially right--there is a vampire, and in the vicinity. He and the vampire even resemble each other somewhat (the same height, for example, and the same colored eyes--violet).

Just looking for general ideas.

Oh, and the Suspect cannot be seen "necking" with the victim. But he can be seen "necking" with someone whom the Hunter believes has been bitten. This takes place in and around a cottage on an island, five or six miles from anybody else. The Hunter has the cottage under surveillance and is not personally acquainted with those staying there.

Thanks in advance!

Karen Junker · Aug 21, 2009

You could give the suspect some of the traditional vampiric traits, like pale skin or sharp incisors. He could be seen to do something that makes him look as if he has superhuman strength or sight or hearing...I love brainstorming!

Karen Junker · Aug 21, 2009

Oh, and I forgot to add - violet eyes are one of those fantasy cliche' things, aren't they?

Nivarion · Aug 21, 2009

When people are concentrated on an object their field of vision drops considerable. If they are sitting near a mirror and looking at something, he could sneak up on them. Since the mirror is not taken into account by the brain it would seem that he hadn't had a reflection.

Vampires like to hypnotize people. If this character is often near the vampire, and the hunter is noticing the hypnotism he might blame him.

The hunter suspects this guy of being a vampire (for any number of reasons) and witnesses the real vampire attack. Since there are similarities it might look like him in the dark.

DavidZahir · Aug 21, 2009

Well, he's an albino. Sometimes albinos have violet eyes (usually they have blue or pink), and he wears tinted glasses because sunlight bothers him and also (like most albinos) he has poor eyesight.

But physically my suspect is quite strong. Swims at night for exercise. Hmmmm...that is a good nugget of an idea...hmmmm...

Oh, and my vampires have reflections in mirrors. They don't burn up in the sun, are not harmed by silver but may have allergies. Oh, that is a thought...hmmmm, again....

STKlingaman · Aug 22, 2009

If this person is looking for Vampires,
he/she probably already has preconceived
notions about who, what they look like.
Maybe they believe, they seen him/her fly,
transmorph, or do whatever they think
vampires do. Let the imagination of the
person, become jaded into believing what
they think they see is real, even if it
is not. Any vampire worth his/her weight
knows everything going on around it (from
a bird in a tree, to someone watching it
even from great distance).

although what do I know, I've read two vampire
books in my entire life, the original (which took me
7 tries to get past the first 40 pages (which were
awesome) and one I don't remember.

Kurtz · Aug 22, 2009

I read a book about the Eastern European folklore about Vampires a while back and this is what stood out, in addition to the obvious darkness, mirrors and garlic things:

-an inability to cross running water
-unable to enter houses without being invited in
-males are unable to have sexual intercourse (they are dead, they have no blood flow so can't get erections)

Rowan · Aug 22, 2009

DavidZahir said:
I'm just brainstorming here.

Need a character to mistakenly believe another character is a vampire. Keep in mind he's partially right--there is a vampire, and in the vicinity. He and the vampire even resemble each other somewhat (the same height, for example, and the same colored eyes--violet).

Just looking for general ideas.

Oh, and the Suspect cannot be seen "necking" with the victim. But he can be seen "necking" with someone whom the Hunter believes has been bitten. This takes place in and around a cottage on an island, five or six miles from anybody else. The Hunter has the cottage under surveillance and is not personally acquainted with those staying there.

Thanks in advance!

Do your vamps have any 'shapeshifting' abilities (maybe not full-blown shifting but maybe simple facial reconstruction/manipulation - glamour)? If so, the real vamp could have taken on the albino's features during a kill to fool the hunter. Or I like NIVARION's suggestion about the vampire using hypnosis or other powers while in the vicinity leading the Hunter to believe the Albino is doing it, etc. This WIP in progress sounds very interesting...

ideagirl · Aug 22, 2009

DavidZahir said:
I'm just brainstorming here.

Need a character to mistakenly believe another character is a vampire. Keep in mind he's partially right--there is a vampire, and in the vicinity. He and the vampire even resemble each other somewhat (the same height, for example, and the same colored eyes--violet).

Just looking for general ideas.

It might be funny--here's your opportunity for a moment of comic relief--if the hunter mistook a local Goth or Marilyn Manson fan for a vampire.

scarletpeaches · Aug 22, 2009

HIM SHPARKLEE!

Cyia · Aug 22, 2009

Your MC sees a pale guy with a sun allergy (people with albinism have to be careful in the sun. This he can shrug off, but it makes him wonder.

Your MC sees a pale guy with a sun allergy who doesn't eat at a restaurant. Maybe he's dieting, maybe he's already eaten, maybe they don't serve food he likes, but he's the only one at a table of others who doesn't eat.

Your MC sees a pale guy with a sun allergy who doesn't eat and he sees him drinking something red from his fridge in an unmarked container - sure the guy's only making his own pomegranate juice and keeping it cold, but it looks right. (Even better he's making stage blood for a play or local production and has to keep it in the fridge so the consistency is right.)

After a few of the majors, your MC sees him "necking" with the victim, then sees him decline to enter a house to which he hasn't been invited (he doesn't want to trespass), then sees him cross the street to avoid a local church's shadow (he got a call on his bluetooth and had to suddenly change direction to somewhere across the street). Then he sees him lift something really heavy.

All coincidences that can be explained away, but in the mind of someone suspicious, they add up to "proof".

(And yes, "violet" eyes are an almost automatic turn off for agents and publishers at the moment. They're everywhere. You could maybe explain it away as a red eyed person with blue contacts so they appear violet, but leave it out of any pitches you do.)

DavidZahir · Aug 22, 2009

Ahem. No sparklees.

Rowan--I'm going to use that a little bit. Our Target gave the real Vampire his (very distinctive) coat, and the Vampire "grew" a little bit to make it fit.

I really like the idea of some set of circumstances to make it seem like the Suspect has done something human being cannot. Not sure about the details...hmmmm...

This is great. Keep'em coming! Heh heh.

Kurtz · Aug 22, 2009

ideagirl said:
It might be funny--here's your opportunity for a moment of comic relief--if the hunter mistook a local Goth or Marilyn Manson fan for a vampire.

I wrote a story with vampire hunter (that, now that I think about it was obviously just Blade played by Ice Cube) blowing up a Dimmu Borgir concert thinking it was a coven of vampires.

~*Kate*~ · Aug 22, 2009

DavidZahir said:
They don't burn up in the sun, are not harmed by silver but may have allergies.

I am intrigued. This sounds like some quality comic relief.

ideagirl said:
It might be funny--here's your opportunity for a moment of comic relief--if the hunter mistook a local Goth or Marilyn Manson fan for a vampire.

I like that idea too. Of course I don't know what the overall tone of your work is, so it's possible neither are appropriate, but they do present some funny opportunities.

DavidZahir · Aug 22, 2009

That does sound funny as hell!

But my story isn't a comedy.

rugcat · Aug 22, 2009

How about a religious angle? I know crosses and vamps are terribly passe, but your first character might not realise that.

So your guy might have had some bad experiences -- abused by a priest (although also cliched) for example. The mere sight of a crucifix makes him break out in a cold sweat -- he simply can't bring himself to enter a church.

ChristineR · Aug 22, 2009

Most of what I was going to suggest has already been mentioned, but the obvious one would be that the suspect drank blood, or was in a situation where someone thought he might be drinking blood, like standing over a bloodless rat or dog.

There are many reasons someone might drink blood, but most of them are essentially psychological. Some people have suggested drinking blood as a supposed treatment for porphyria, but that is pretty questionable. Many religious and magic rituals also use blood, if he's into that sort of thing.

If the guy is a butcher, he might very well be draining blood into a bucket to make sausage, or just as part of the butchering process, though. Or he could be connected to a blood bank and have other reasons for carrying bags of blood around. Or maybe it's stage blood for a play, or maybe just red paint.

Rowan · Aug 22, 2009

scarletpeaches said:
HIM SHPARKLEE!

Nivarion · Aug 22, 2009

What is the skill of the hunter? That would help greatly. If the hunter is a total n00bthen anything could make him think its a vampire. If he's successfully hunted them before then this could be a lot harder.

If he's hunted them before, how many has he taken? How old were they? How did he find and kill them?

Rowan · Aug 22, 2009

DavidZahir said:
Ahem. No sparklees.

Rowan--I'm going to use that a little bit. Our Target gave the real Vampire his (very distinctive) coat, and the Vampire "grew" a little bit to make it fit.

I really like the idea of some set of circumstances to make it seem like the Suspect has done something human being cannot. Not sure about the details...hmmmm...

This is great. Keep'em coming! Heh heh.

I love the idea of a vampire using glamour --- or having the ability to alter their appearance as you've described here... Even just changing the facial features slightly while doing something nefarious so as to avoid detection later.

I've read books in which shifters, witches and the Fey have this skill but not sure if I've ever come across a vampire with the ability. It opens so many doors.

As for the suspect appearing to have done something a human cannot: if your Suspect and the vampire are in the same area, perhaps the vamp could make it appear the Suspect is in two places at once (using that vampire speed). That would throw off even an experienced vamp slayer/hunter.

DavidZahir · Aug 22, 2009

Nivarion said:
What is the skill of the hunter? That would help greatly. If the hunter is a total n00bthen anything could make him think its a vampire. If he's successfully hunted them before then this could be a lot harder.

If he's hunted them before, how many has he taken? How old were they? How did he find and kill them?

He is an experienced Hunter, having taken part in seven confirmed "kills." Nearly all vampires are killed via destruction of the brain (or heart) and/or burning. Decapitation by any means works. This Hunter belongs to a group that recommends disabling a vampire with long range weapons then approaching the creature for a coup de grace. Disabling in this context means inflicting enough damage that their ability to heal is overloaded (this varies greatly with the age and power of the vampire). Most vampires killed are relatively young, or if older suffer from psychological problems (not at all uncommon).

But in this situation, the Hunter lacks backup or heavy weaponry.

Keyan · Aug 22, 2009

Over what period of time does he make the mis-identification? If it's in a short time and at a distance, then maybe just having him vaguely resemble a vampire would be enough, especially if the Hunter is all alert for a vampire and is under some kind of time/ psychological pressure.

If it's over weeks or months, then perhaps his suspicions are aroused, and he's more ready to believe that everything's a clue. Perhaps we could help more if we knew what distinguishes genuine vampires in your book? Apart from blood-sucking and violet eyes?

DavidZahir · Aug 22, 2009

Several days.

jeseymour · Aug 24, 2009

Well, he's an albino. Sometimes albinos have violet eyes (usually they have blue or pink), and he wears tinted glasses because sunlight bothers him and also (like most albinos) he has poor eyesight.

Please do not perpetuate myths about people with albinism. (They prefer not to be called albinos.) My daughter has albinism. I have never met a person with albinism with pink eyes, so your statement that they usually have blue or pink eyes is wrong. If you're going to say "usually" it would be usually they have blue eyes. On the other hand, I am delighted that you recognize that most people with albinism have vision problems. They do not make good snipers.

This is from the NOAH (National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation) website:

A common myth is that people with albinism have red eyes. In fact there are different types of albinism and the amount of pigment in the eyes varies. Although some individuals with albinism have reddish or violet eyes, most have blue eyes. Some have hazel or brown eyes. However, all forms of albinism are associated with vision problems.

I wonder if the red eye myth comes from the fact that when you take a flash picture of people with albinism, their eyes generally show up red. It has something to do with the lack of pigment in the back of the eye. I have the gene for albinism, (obviously) and my eyes often show red in flash pictures as well.

There is another disease where people are allergic to sunlight, there's even a camp for kids with this disease. That would be a good one for a vampire suspect. Good luck with your story.

Sarpedon · Aug 24, 2009

I seem to recall an Xfiles episode that dealt with vampires wherin Mulder talked about various less well known traits of vampires.

One that I recall is obsessive compulsive behavior: picking up sticks, counting things, tying or untying knots, etc.

Incidently, I think that was probably one of the funniest Xfiles ever.

Mulder: Do you have any swamps around here?
Sheriff: We used to, but then the EPA made us start calling them wetlands.

Buffy the Vampire slayer is one of the few to get the whole 'can't enter private residences unless invited' thing.

And then there's aversion to garlic. Maybe your suspect just really hates french food.

And aversion to Wolfsbane. I don't know how that comes into play. Maybe he breaks out into hives while visiting the botanic gardens.

Recognizing a Vampire

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