
Vampirism and VampyrismGlossary of terms about Vampyrism
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Note about vampyres:As stated in the vampire / vampyre menu, we use the
term "vampyres" to refer to a real phenomenon involving
real people. We use "vampire" to refer to imaginary mythical
creatures who mainly inhabit horror movies and other works of imaginative
fiction. This notation is used by some in the vampyre/vampire community, but its
use is
far from a consensus. In fact, some use the opposite definition; still others
use both terms to refer to both types of vampires/vampyres. Vampyrism is a diverse community. There is no centralized organization to
specify beliefs, practices, definitions of terms, etc. Thus, many vampyres do
not use some of the terms listed -- e.g. adra, ardetha, Black Swan, Childe,
kitra, etc. Some terms are generally restricted to a single group. Also, some terms are defined differently
in different cities or areas of North America.

Adra: A sponsor or mentor of a fledgling vampyre. Ardetha: An individual who has been awakened as a vampyre as a
result of a magickal ritual. This is a controversial belief. 1 Auto-vampirism: The act of drinking one's own blood. Awakening: The process whereby a latent vampire
realizes what their true condition is, and accepts it. Beacon: A signal in the form of "a particular feeling or energy
signature." 8 generated by both vampyres and "latent or
potential" vampyres. Its main function is to lead vampyres to latent
vampires in order to assist in their awakening. The Becoming: The process of conversion from a non-vampyre to a vampyre. Black Swan: An individual who is not a vampyre but who is close to one
or more vampyres and is often a supporter of the community. The Black Veil : A
non-binding but widely accepted ethical guide for vampyres. (The first version of
the Black Veil was called The Thirteen Rules of Community.) 10 Blood bond: A feeling of attraction between a vampyre and a donor that
is often felt only by the donor. The term also means an initiation ritual in
which a vampyre joins a coven. It also refers to a marriage between two
vampyres. Blood Fetishist: An individual who is sexually aroused by the sight of
blood. This is generally unrelated to vampyrism. Blood Junkie: A pejorative synonym for a sanguinarian vampyre. Bloodletting:
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Cutting or piercing skin to release blood. This can be a dangerous procedure unless
conducted by a trained individual. |
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In ancient times, a medical procedure falsely believed to cure diseases
and disorders. |
Blood lust: An overwhelming desire to feed on a donor's blood.
Bloodplay: Ritual activities, often of a sexual nature, involving blood.
Chi: Close synonym for prana, or life force. A
Chinese term.
Childe: A pejorative term for an inexperienced vampyre.
Clinical vampirism: Synonym for Renfield's Syndrome.
Coming out of the Coffin: The process of revealing one's vampyrism
condition to non-vampyres. This is analogous to gays and
lesbians coming out of the closet, and Wiccans
and other Neopagans coming out of their broom closet.
Coven: A group of vampyres.
Darkside (a.k.a. Dark side): Synonym for nightside.
Dayside: Mundane activities in the "real world."
Donor: A person, usually a non-vampyre -- who freely volunteers their
blood or life energy to be consumed by one or more vampyres.
Dhampyri: an individual who exhibited symptoms of vampyrism prior to
puberty.
The Dragon: Synonym for nightside.
Elder: A person who has been active in the vampyre community. for a
lengthy interval, and who shares their knowledge with others.
Embrace: A mythical process of converting a non-vampyre into a
vampyre
by having them ingest the blood of a vampyre. This concept frequently appears in
vampire literature, but is foreign to the beliefs of vampyres.
Energy signature: An individual's specific energy pattern which is
uniquely theirs. This allegedly enables vampyres to recognize fellow vampyres.
Energy vampire: A vampire who obtains nourishment primarily or
entirely by tapping into another person's prana or life force
directly, without ingesting their blood.
Excommunication: The act of excluding a vampyre from a coven or from
the entire vampyre community.
Feeding: An activity of vampyres in which they consume a donor's blood, or prana from a donor
by other means, or elemental energy
from nature.
Fledgling: a recently awakened vampyre with little
experience.
Gaja: synonym for poser.
Golden Circle: Individuals who form a vampyre coven. This typically
includes black swans, vampyres, and kitra.
Haematodipsia: Intense feeling of haematophilia.
Haematomania: A strong psychological craving for blood.
Hematophageous: Having blood as one's only form of nourishment.
Haematophilia: An sexual attraction to the presence of blood.
Haven: A place where vampyres meet.
Hemeralopia: An inability to see in bright light
House: A group of vampyres who share common beliefs, rituals
traditions, etc.
Human: A non-vampire. (this can be a confusing term because it implies that vampires are not
human.)
The Hunger: An intense psychological and physical need to feed.
Hunter: An individual who attempts to harm either vampyres or persons
perceived to be vampyres.
Incubus:
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A male vampyre who feeds on pranic energy while
involved in sexual activity. |
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An mythical male demon who seduced females in their sleep. |
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See succubus. |
Kindred: Fellow vampyres.
Kitra: An individual who is both a vampyre and a donor.
Klavasi. A vampyre who experienced a post-pubertal
awakening. Most vampyres are klavasi.
Latent vampire: A vampyre who has not yet realized her
or his condition.
Leech: A pejorative term for a vampyre.
Life force: Synonym for prana.
Mentor: An experienced vampyre who guides a fledgling.
Mortal: A non-vampyre. (This can be a confusing term, because all
vampyres are mortal, just like the rest of the population.)
Mundane:
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A non-vampyre. |
 |
Normal, everyday activities |
Nightside: "The life of a vampire; being part of
the vampiric community." 2
Of the Blood: Identifying an individual as a vampyre.
Porphyria: A group of medical disorders of which most will cause the individual will have
a strong reaction to sunlight. Areas of the skin which are exposed to the
sun may burn, blister or scar. 3
Some vampire myths may well have originated as a result of the fear of sunlight by persons with porphyria.
Poser: A non-vampyre who pretends to be a vampyre by
claiming to:
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Have come from a line of vampyres, |
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Be immortal, |
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Be unable to step
over flowing water, |
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Be unable to cast an image in a mirror, etc. |
Prana: Life force. Sanguinarian vampyres obtain pranic energy through blood; Psi
vampyres extract it from other person's
emotional energy without consuming blood.
Psi vampyre: A vampyre who feeds off of the emotional energy of
another person or persons.
Psychic energy: Forms of energy which may be pranic (from living
things) or elemental (from natural forces)
Psychic attack: An action by a psychic vampire which drains prana from
another individual without their prior consent.
Psychic vampyre:
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An individual who feeds off of the prana of others by
tapping into their emotional energy. |
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A vampyre with psychic powers. |
Real vampire (a.k.a. RealVamp): A sanguine, psychic, psi, or energy
vampyre
who needs to feed off of other individuals or of nature in order to maintain
their health and energy levels.
Renfield's Syndrome. A psychological disorder named after
a fictional
character in Dracula. Richard Noll
proposed the syndrome. He suggests that children go through blood-related phases until full
vampyrism is expressed after puberty. The theory is not widely accepted among mental
health professionals. It does not appear in the American Psychiatric
Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(DSM-IV). More info.
Role player: A synonym for poser.
RPG'er: An individual who considers themselves to be a vampyre because
they play that role in a Role Playing Game
Sang: a synonym for Sanguinarian vampyre.
Sanguinarian vampyre: An individual who has a need to consume blood --
usually from human source(s) in order to maintain adequate physical and/or emotional
energy. He or she may also tap into the emotional energy of others in addition
to consuming
blood.
Sanguine: a synonym for Sanguinarian vampyre.
Seeker: An individual who wants to be around vampyres.
Often, they want to become a vampyre through the mythical process of
embracing.
Sexual vampyre: A vampyre who feeds from the sexual energy released
during sexual activity. They are rare among the vampyre community.
Shadow: Synonym for nightside.
Sire, Siring: The mythical act of creating a new vampyre by
embracing.
Slayer: An individual who attempts to kill vampires. Sarah Michelle
Gellar, "The Chosen One," played the role of Buffy the Vampire Slayer,
on a TV program by the same name.
Source: A donor; an individual who willingly donates blood to a vampyre.
Succubus:
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A female vampyre who feeds on pranic energy while
involved in sexual activity. |
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An mythical female demon who seduced males in their sleep. |
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See Incubus. |
Thirst: Synonym for hunger.
Turning: The process of converting a non-vampyre into a vampyre,
generally through blood ingestion or pranic energy exchange. Most
vampyres believe that
this is impossible. It is a common theme in vampire literature.
Twilight: Establishing an optimum balance between one's Dayside and Nightside
activities.
Vamp: Synonym for either vampire or vampyre. Alternately, a sexually predatory non-vampire woman.
Vampire:
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A male or female, mythical, animated corpse found only in novels, films, comic books
and religious myths who rises from its grave to feed off of the blood of
animals or humans. 4 |
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A real female or male person who has a condition requiring them to feed off of the
pranic energy of other humans or derive energy from
natural forces. Non-vampyres regard vampyrism as a hobby, lifestyle,
occultic activity, religion or condition. |
Vampire bait: A poser or wannabe who attempts to lure a vampyre into
their presence.
Vamping out: An extreme attack of the hunger. It
generally produces many physiological changes in the vampyre's body. Vampire children: A pejorative term referring to children with
xeroderma
pigmentosum. This is a genetic disease that causes an extreme sensitivity to
sunlight. Even ordinary exposure can cause skin cancer. They have no actual
connection to vampyres. 5 Vampiress: A female vampire. Vampyre: A variant of the term "vampire" that is sometimes used to
differentiate a real individual from a mythical vampire. Vampyress: A female vampyre. Vampyric community: All individuals who either refer to themselves as
vampyres, or have been identified as vampyres. Vampire lifestyler: A non-vampyre who who adopts "fictional vampire
imagery and trappings into his/her personal life," often patterning
themselves after a fictional character. 6 Vampire tap: An electronic connector which pierces through the insulating
layer of a coaxial cable and makes contact with the inner conductor of the
cable. It is often used in Ethernet networks that are linked by coaxial
cables. They have no relationship with vampyres or vampires. They are also known as a
piercing tap. 7 Wannabe: Pejorative term for a non-vampyre who wants to become one. White Swan: An individual who opposes the vampyre community. 
References used:The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above
essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.
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"Encyclopedia," Darkness Embraced," at:
http://www.darkness-embraced.com/
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Jodi Lee, "A glossary of Vampiric terms," at:
http://sacredtriskele.net/
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"American Porphyria Foundation," at:
http://www.porphyriafoundation.com/
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"Dictionary / Terms," Everything You Need to Know About Vampires, at:
http://www.angelfire.com/
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"Definition of Vampire children," at:
http://www.medterms.com/
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Ceinwyn, "Some useful terms...," Society of the Black Swan, at:
http://www.angelfire.com/
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"Vampire tap," at: http://isp.webopedia.com/
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Sanguinarius, "Terminology & Lingo," at:
http://www.sanguinarius.org/ This is a very extensive glossary.
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"Comprehensive Vampire Community Dictionary, House Eclipse, at:
http://www.house-eclipse.org/
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" 'The Black Veil,' v. 1.0 plus information," Sanguinarius.org for Real Vampires, at: http://www.sanguinarius.org/
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 Copyright © 2005 to 2010 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally posted: 2005-OCT-25
Latest update: 2010-JNA-08
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