Vampires » shapeshift

Azeman; South American Vampire

holiday — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 22:17:12 +0000

The azeman vampire is a magical creature of Surinam, a country in South America just north of Brazil. The azeman is a vampire that can magically transform itself into the form of a bat, and some myths claims that the creature can shapeshift into many forms, including that of a wolf.
The azeman is a type of living vampire almost always described as being a woman, and in the daytime she can walk about just like any normal human. She is indistinguishable from other humans, and there are no telling signs that at night she turns into a bat and hunts for blood.
Though this creature exists in the mythology of South America, it is very likely that the European settlers had a tremendous impact on the vampire lore. There are many similarities between the azeman and the European vampires, even the concept of the vampire transforming into a bat.
Another similarity can be found in the myths of the ways that people can protect themselves against the azeman. Much like some European vampire myths, the azeman is obsessed with counting. If one places a broom across a door, the azeman will typically not be able to enter as it will be forced to count all of the bristles on the broom before it can move on. An easy way to protect oneself is to throw seeds on the ground, in the way of the vampire’s path. The azeman will be compelled to count each seed before going any further. This can buy a person enough time to get to a safe place, and if enough seeds are spilled, the azeman might be preoccupied with counting until sunrise, when it will return to its daytime form of a human female. This will reveal the identity of the azeman, and by killing the human, the azeman is no more.

Adze; firefly vampire of Africa

holiday — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:00:52 +0000

Who would guess that a firefly is among the most dangerous vampire in the world? In southern Togo and Ghana, the Ewe people have a myth of such a vampire, called the Adze. The Adze is a type of vampire creature who turns itself into a firefly or other insect to feed before returning to its human form. They can transform themselves into any number of common insects which are seemingly harmless, and very difficult to capture.
The Adze have a taste only for the blood of the innocent. They are hunters of children, and only children, and they especially like to feed on infants. They can also feed on palm oil and coconut water, and often will raid a village’s entire supply of these, but they become dangerously weak if they do not feed on the blood of children. An Adze can sustain itself without needing to kill any child. It can take enough blood to survive. However, if the Adze is deterred or thwarted from feeding for a long enough period of time, it will go on a ravenous frenzy for blood. Often when the vampire reaches this stage of hunger, even the victims who survive become infected with a deadly disease which eventually kills them.
The Adze can also have the power to possess a human and become a living vampire. When the Adze is captured, it will revert to its human form. A human sorcerer can also willingly become possessed by an Adze spirit for the abilities and powers they will gain. As an Adze host, they are able to change their form, like a shapeshifter, from human to something else by magic. When they are captured, however, the magic will be lost and they will revert back to their human form. This is the only way to destroy the Adze, but catching them is the trick.
There is no way to protect against an Adze. Nothing will keep them out, or keep a child safe from its attacks. The only measure that can be taken against them is capturing them and destroying their human form. The safest thing to do is keep your supply of coconut water and palm oil up and set a trap.

9 Reasons Why Vampires Could Totally Win a Fight Against Werewolves

annimi — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:10:53 +0000

1. No one can ever agree on vampire powers, so a werewolf would be entering into a one hell of a gamble if he ever picked a fight with a vampire. It could do anything; transform into a tiger, or spew acid from its eye sockets. So the first reason is: uncertainty!

2. Werewolves are werewolves for one night a month. Vampires are cold hard bloodsucking bastards for hundreds of years, every day, and all hours. Except maybe the daylight hours.

3. Vampires are smarter. It’s true, sorry, but werewolves are mostly created from the “let’s go investigate scary noise” horror movie stock or, “ignore the crazy gypsy woman” types. Vampires are created either by choice, or because they were just so damn sexy.

4. Vampires are faster; they retain human forms, and don’t become huge, ungainly half-man half-wolf creatures that have to re-learn how to walk. Animal reflexes are on the werewolves side, but supernatural speed, –nope.

5. Werewolves are usually crippled by a lengthy, painful transformation, giving a vampire ample time to smoke, check his laundry, eat a light dinner of blonde virgin, watch the latest episode of True Blood on HBO, come back after picking up his dry cleaning, and finish on the werewolf before he’s even finished growing a tail.

6. Vampires are more popular; they’re hot, and they look like gorgeous pale people, thus, they’re more likely to have human allies, willing to die for them. Werewolves are scruffy, un-hygienic looking guys, who might have one girlfriend that they end up killing off themselves.

7. It’s easier for vampires to blend in with humanity, giving them an edge when it comes to hiding, or using the element of surprise in a fight. Werewolves are huge, mutant dog people; they don’t really have the same thing going for them once they’ve transformed.

8. Vampires multiply faster; it takes one night for a vampire to turn like, a dozen or so people. It takes a whole month for a werewolf to turn someone, or at least for the effect to kick in.

9. In the event that a vampire should have to flee, because the werewolf is fighting dirty, or ganging up on one vampire, then vampires can always shapeshift into something with wings, like these so-freaking-horrfiyingly-ugly-they’re-cute vampire bats. Then they can come back later and snuff the werewolf when he’s in the bathtub or something.

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 » shapeshift

Azeman; South American Vampire

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Adze; firefly vampire of Africa

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9 Reasons Why Vampires Could Totally Win a Fight Against Werewolves

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Vampire Abilities and Flaws

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