Vampires » aswang

As the Sun Rises the Dead Sleep

Moonlight — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:00:09 +0000

A vampire is known to sleep from dawn to dusk, since of course, the rays of the sun are particularly harmful to them. Truth is the idea of a vampire running to its coffin to hide from the day’s first light is something that mostly came from books and movies, it’s not a theme often used in folklore. But there are a few old tales of vampires that require sleep during the day. Like in Russian lore, there is a story of a hero is saved from death by the coming of dawn, for when the sun rose the vampire hunting the hero instantly fell to the ground asleep. Then there is another vampire myth from Crete that says the vampire is only able to sleep on Saturdays.

As I said, a vampire sleeping is mostly the creation of imaginative novelists. Once again we have Bram Stoker and his novel Dracula to thank for the spread of the idea of slumbering vampires. Remember how Jonathan Harker discovers that the Count has to sleep in one of fifty dirt filled boxes? Like most well known Dracula facts this idea spread and stuck, so now most assume that all vampires sleep in coffins.

Nowadays you have an assortment of vampires in film and in books taking dirt naps. In Anne Rice’s novels dawn tends to trigger most of the vampires to sleep against their will. Then we have shows like Buffy, Angel and even the new Vampire Diaries that often show us clips of the vampires sleeping. But then you have the famed Twilight novels and movies in which is it pointed out that Edward doesn’t have a bed, why? Because as he tells Bella, he doesn’t sleep. These are vampires from the entertainment world though. In old folklore and legends some vampires sleep, but many don’t require sleep at all, some don’t even need to hide from the rays of the sun, they can walk around during the day without any harm coming to them (like the aswang).

So once again we learn that movies and books don’t always have it right.

- Moonlight

Vampire Powers

Moonlight — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:00:57 +0000

There is more to being a vampire than just blood drinking you know. There is power, lots of it depending on what species of vampire you are. Since there are so many vampire myths and so many legends throughout the world there is a long list of what a vampire can do, what powers it may posses. Now, not all vampires have the powers listed below, some do some don’t, it really depends on the type of vampire.

Creating other vampires: This may not be much of a shock to you, most assume all vampires can do this. But some old school vampire myths have vamps that aren’t able to create more of their kind. While other myths have vampires that can create more, in some cases in involves biting a person three times.

Flight: There are a few vamps out there that can fly, like the aswang and langsuir.

Misting or vaporizing: Changing into mist is a pretty well known classic vampire move. There are loads of vampire movies that love to use this power on screen,

Super Strength: Another well known power that many vamps have.

Hypnosis: This is the perfect power for dealing with humans. You can do all sorts of things to their weak minds. Muahaha.

Changing size: This one may not be as well known. But some vampire legends have vamps that can change their size, making them able to sneak into small cracks and such. Like Dracula did with Lucy.

Controlling the natural elements: You know like wind and rain and what have you. They can cause a lightening storm to add dramatic effect to their evil deeds of the night.

Control of animals: Another fun power, on that can be used on all sorts of beasties like bats, fleas, rats and so on.

Immortality: Living forever and ever. Some vampires are immortal while others are not. Some simply have extended lives, just a bit longer than the average humans and some have a normal human lifespan.

Scale walls: Like Spiderman…but not quite.

Transformation: Another classic here. Being able to change form, like into a bat or wolf.

Draining life force or energy: Some vampires out there drain more than just blood from their victims, they also drain energy.

And then you have some lesser known powers…

Causing blights or crop failure: Yup, back in the day some people blamed bad crops on vampires. Seems like an awfully lame power to me.

Causing plagues or epidemics: I guess some vampire just want to kill off thousands at a time.

Having babies: Ok ok, this isn’t really a “power” but it is something some vamps can do and some can’t.

Causing impotence: Yes… some vampires are known to be able to do this. I’m sure loads of people would love to have those vampires around… wink wink.

Those are the powers that come from folklore. There are other vampire powers created by modern authors that are also interesting too (like Anne Rice‘s fire powers or Laurell K. Hamilton‘s lust feeding).

- Moonlight

The Aswang

Moonlight — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:20:57 +0000

The Aswang are another one of those vampire species that are way different than your traditional opera cape kind. This particular vampire is from the Philippines and is believed to be a sexy normal woman by day and an evil flying monster of terror at night.

During the day the Aswang appears to be a completely normal human. She can live in a house, work a job, carry and raise children and do all sorts of other human things like you and I. At night, however she takes the form of a demonic looking bird and takes flight, crying out “Kikik! (or Kakak!).

She feeds on blood and only blood and the way she feeds isn’t with fangs like the average vampire. She feeds using her very long, thin, hallow tongue she inserts through cracks in the roof of prey’s houses. The Aswang will feed especially on children but not on those that sleep on the edge of their mats. For some reason she only feeds on those that sleep in the middle and supposedly announces this before eating.

At dawn the Aswang returns to human form, possibly because of the sun or because it washes off the special ointment it uses to become a vampire. Because that is how an Aswang come to be, through a special ointment it rubs all over its body that gives it it’s dark powers.

Also, if the Aswang happens to lick your shadow you will die shortly after. Seriously. Curse those shadow lickers! Ahem. There is a way to keep them from licking your poor shadow though. Garlic rubbed under one’s armpits is an excellent Aswang repellent…although if you do that you will be repelling just about anyone and anything within 10 feet of you.

The Aswang is still used today by Filipinos as a kind of boogie-man to make their children behave.

So what have we learned today? Sleep in the middle of your bed and protect your shadow… oh and don’t rub any strange lotions all over your body.

- Moonlight

Vampire Abilities and Flaws

veritas — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:29:04 +0000

The abilities of a vampire are numerous, and naturally depends on what vampire is in what area, for one to know what kind of things they might be capable of. For example; many species of vampire are not know to be able to fly, however, the bruxsa in Portugal, the lansuir in Malaysia, and aswang in the Philippines all have the ability to fly. Other vampires native to cultures in different regions must first change shape to fly, which is but one more of their many talents. A vampire might turn into a dog, cat, bat, wolf, insects, and pests or rodents; anything to escape destruction. Many cultures believed that during the cremation of a vampire if you were to let even one maggot, or bug to escape from his corpse during the burning that he would have survived. Vampires also have the ability to defy gravity, in some cases, such as Count Dracula’s nimble talent of scaling walls like a spider, head down facing the ground.

To invade locked doors, or escape in tightly cramped areas, the vampire is able to transform himself into a mist, or vapour, so that he can travel beneath doors or through keyholes. Others believed that he was able to reduce in size or dimension, so that he could slip through narrow spaces. The vampire also possesses great mental and physical strength; if he is not able to hypnotize his enemy, he will surely have the strength of several men to defend himself. Some vampires have the power to control other animals, making them familiars or servants, while others are able to control the elements. Some believe that vampires are responsible for crop failure, and bad harvests. The Balkan people, among a few other cultures believed that a vampire could have intercourse with a human female, producing their dhampir offspring. Many cultures believed that vampires naturally possess eternal life, or at least live very long lives. In India and the Ukraine, some species of vampire stole human organs, while the Romanians believed that vampires caused impotence.

Despite the vampires many numerous strengths, they also have many weaknesses that render them destructible by man, or skilled hunters. For example, many cultures believe that a vampire is unable to cross over a threshold that they have not been invited into. Others believed that vampires could not cross over running water. European cultures maintained the belief that vampires must sleep during the day, which keeps them in a comatose state. The reason being for sleep during the day, is yet another weakness; vampires are unable to withstand direct sunlight. The vampire in many legends is vulnerable to Christian religious objects, as well as hallowed ground. Some cultures also believed that vampires must return to the soil of their native land in order to regenerate their powers, and to sleep. The other weakness, is that vampires are unable to see themselves in mirrors; this would not seem like a weakness, but was actually used to capture Dracula, in the film Dracula 2000.

Vampires » aswang

As the Sun Rises the Dead Sleep

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Vampire Powers

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The Aswang

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Vampire Abilities and Flaws

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