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Customer Service Principle #1:

· Customers should be valued as people, and shown courteous and concerned attention to their needs.

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· Customers are Our Top Priority

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· Services should be Customer Centered

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· The Customer is Always the Customer

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· The Customer Deserves Value

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· Each Customer is Unique

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· Teamwork is Vital

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How to Become a Vampire

Introduction

Although rarely reported, vampirism is spreading. Vampires are in our theaters, in our bookstores, on our televisions and-- most importantly-- in our homes. Once feared, Vampires have become desirable and beloved individuals. But how does one become a Vampire?

To understand that, one must traverse back in history to look at the mythology of Vampires. If you believed that they were created by Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, or began with Vlad the Impaler, you'd be wrong. The legend of vampires is much older than that. In fact, some believe that they may have originated at the same time as Adam and Eve.

One word of warning, methods discussed here should not be attempted. There is no proof that they could bring a person back from the dead, and unsuccessfully attempting one of these methods could have deadly consequences. So keep in mind that everything included in this guide is for research and informational purposes only. Be careful!

What is a Vampire?

To begin, we must start by defining vampires. This is no easy task. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word vampire can be traced back to the early 1700s.1 However, the traits that define a vampire have changed through the ages.
Originally, vampires were undead creatures that escaped from their caskets. Some believed that this was caused by an evil spirit possessing the victim's corpse.
Eventually, the beliefs were complicated by the notion that vampires drink blood. At that point, other myths that involved with drinking blood were connected to vampire mythology.

Today, the only characteristic that seems to connect various offshoots of vampirism is the need for blood-- they may or may not be demons or even dead.2
For the purposes of this page, vampires may be reanimated corpses, drink blood or both.

Being Born a Vampire

Since vampires are frequently thought of as being dead, it might seem strange to suggest that someone can be born a vampire or be predisposed to becoming a vampire after dying.

According to South Slavic beliefs, children born or conceived between Christmas and Epiphany are more likely to become vampires.
In Romania, being born the seventh child is enough to make one a vampire if the previous six children were the same sex.
Being born the illegitimate child of parents who were themselves illegitimately conceived.
Being cursed either in the womb or at birth.
Sometimes there were physical signs that indicated people who were destined to become vampires. According to Slavic folklore, children with red hair and blue eyes would become vampires. Luckily, dark hair and eyes were most common in that region. It was also believed that a child who possessed any of the following traits upon birth was destined to one day become a vampire:

Teeth.

An extra nipple.

Extra hair.

A tail.

A distinctive red birthmark.

Two hearts.

Missing cartilage in the nose.

A split lower lip.

A membrane, known as a caul, covering the head.

According to Romanian beliefs, a pregnant woman had to guard herself from specific things that could make her unborn child a vampire. These things included:

Having a black cat cross her path.

Not eating enough salt.

Being looked upon by a vampire or witch.

Giving birth prematurely.

Lilith and Cain

One of the origins of the idea that vampires are born and not made comes from Jewish texts. According to the story, Eve was not the first woman created by God. Instead it was Lilith. Unhappy with her life, she left the Garden of Eden. She then made a deal with the angels who were sent to retrieve her, resulting in her transformation into a witch and the mother of all demons. She later paired up with Cain, after he killed his brother Abel. Some say that vampires are the offspring of Lilith and Cain. Although this story is not mentioned in either the Bible or the Torah, it can be found referenced in the story of Beowulf.

Becoming a Vampire Through Actions

If you are not born with the predisposition to become a vampire, then there are certain actions or events that, when they happen during your life, are likely to make you a vampire after you die. Examples include:

Eating the meat of a sheep which was killed by a wolf.

Being weaned too early.

Breastfeeding after being weaned.

Stealing ropes that were used to lower a coffin into its grave.

Sinful Deeds

More commonly, the act which would destine you to become a vampire was something specific which the Christian church considered highly sinful. For example, anyone who was excommunicated would become a vampire because they were unable to receive the sacraments and would therefore die without receiving forgiveness for sins committed. A few other examples of this include:

Living an overall sinful or immoral life, such as a living as a thief, prostitute or murderer.

Dying unbaptized, according to Greek lore.

Desecrating a holy day.

Practicing black magic or witchcraft.

If you're a priest, taking Mass while "in a state of mortal sin."

Being cruel or violent during your life.

Werewolves have long had a connection with vampires. In fact, many believed that when a werewolf died, he or she became a vampire. This also held true for any people that the werewolf killed. Unlike common beliefs, those killed by werewolves would come back as vampires-- not werewolves.

Dying to Becoming a Vampire

Throughout Europe, the manner in which one died could cause that person to become a vampire. Part of this had to do with their beliefs about life and death. For example, according to South Slavic beliefs, the soul must remain on Earth for a certain amount of time. Therefore, if someone died before that time they were doomed to roam the earth as a vampire. Some of the many other ways a person could become a vampire by the way they died include:

Dying a premature death before being baptized.

Dying due to natural forces such as fires or drowning.

Being killed by an animal or another person.

Dying in childbirth.

Dying between Christmas and Epiphany, according to South Slavic beliefs.

Dying alone.

Committing suicide.

Suicide and Judas Iscariot

Committing suicide would also cause one to become a vampire because of how it was viewed by the Christian church. Because it was a sin against God, and because the sinner could not ask for redemption after committing the sin, it was unforgivable. Worse, a person who commits suicide cannot be buried on holy ground, making it even more likely to become a vampire. This belief was so strong that in England, people who committed suicide were buried at crossroads with stakes piercing their hearts.14
Interestingly, the belief that Judas Iscariot is the first vampire comes from this myth. According to the New Testament, after betraying Jesus with a kiss, Judas hung himself. Some believe that Judas did not die but rather was forced to live with his actions for eternity while thirsting for human blood. This myth is also likely the reason behind the idea that those who commit suicide return as vampires and why those with red hair become vampires (Judas' had red hair).

Becoming a Vampire After Death

Once you have died, you might think you are safe from becoming a vampire. Sadly, (or happily depending on how you view it), no. How a body is treated during the time after death and before burial can transform someone into a vampire as well. Some examples include:

If a cat or dog should jump over the body while it is lying in state before it is buried, according to Balkan folklore.

If a chicken flies over the body before it is buried.

Giving a person an object or shaking someone's hand over the body .

If the shadow of a living person falls onto the body.

Passing a candle over the body.

However, there were a few other things that, should they happen, would make a person return from the dead as a vampire. These things include:

Not receiving the proper religious burial rites.

If their brother sleepwalks.

If their murder has been unavenged.

If the wind from the Russian Steppes blows over their body.

In Romania, if they are buried face up.

If the corpse swells before burial.

This fear that a corpse would become a vampire was so common in the 16th and 17th century, that graves were often dug up so the bodies could be checked for signs of vampirism. Churches even documented some cases where corpses exhibited signs of being a vampire.

Depending on the mythology, the vampire may or may not be inhabited by the soul of the person who died. Sometimes, corpses were reanimated by demons. An example of this is the Indian belief of vetala, which were demons who possessed recently deceased bodies.

Becoming a Vampire Through a Bite or Blood

No page on how to become a vampire would be complete without discussing how a vampire's bite and blood can turn an otherwise normal human being into a vampire. It is also one of the more modern beliefs which has become so prevalent that it has overshadowed all the other traditional means of becoming a vampire. According to various beliefs, a person can become a vampire through blood or biting by:

Being bitten by a vampire and dying or nearly dying.

Receiving multiple bites from a vampire.

Drinking the blood of a vampire after being bitten.

These beliefs, although not created by, were hugely popularized by Bram Stoker's novel Dracula and the numerous books and movies which came after it. In fact, many beliefs about vampires can be traced back to that particular story, including the idea that vampires and the story of Dracula are both based on the Vlad Tepes, better known as Vlad the Impaler. In reality, Stoker only borrowed the name "Dracula" from Vlad.

Philosophy of the Vampire

Vampires are born out of a fundamental change which can occur in the physical bodies of creatures which possess a soul. In most mortals the soul is the fundamental source for action, creating the original impulses which eventually become the person's acts. It is also a passage through which the creature can gain a small amount of the infinite power underlying the universe, power which is necessary for the functioning of a self conscious being.

A vampire is born when a mortal creature undergoes a change which causes the sensual physical body to revolt against the soul, usually expelling it, and taking control of the creature. The actions of the being are then controlled by either the remaining physical brain, the remnant of the soul, whatever caused the expelling of the soul, or a conglomerate of these forces. It is this emphasis on the physical body to the exclusion of the soul, which causes many vampires to be obsessively sensual and addicted to their own suddenly intense perceptions.

There are many things which can cause a creature to become a vampire. These include certain forms of intimate demonic possession, various viruses, the casting of spells to become a vampire, or mental disease. Each of these causes has its own peculiar nature, and can result in very different outcomes for the victim.

The change into a vampire is almost always accompanied by physical changes in the creature's body. The most common of these is a removal of the ability to feel pain, and a fundamental change in their perception of the world. These are caused by the sudden lack of soul, which influences the way everything looks and feels. The immortality of the creature comes due to a perceptual change. The body in complete control of itself does not choose to harm itself with entropy, and so stops doing it. However it is the soul which provides a creature with true wisdom and this form of immortality almost always results in major psychological problems. While immortal, eventually almost all vampires end up committing suicide due to the pressure of their own thoughts.

Changes such as an increase in strength, the ability to fly, psychic and telekinetic powers, and magic abilities are fueled by a power source which accompanies the transformation. As such these abilities are dependent on the amount of energy within the being, and will be increased or decreased by this factor.

Energy is a major problem for vampires, who have to fuel a self conscious existence without the benefit of the soul's pathway to the infinite power source. If a demon initiates the change, then their inherent power will fuel the initial act. If the change occurs due to a mental problem, or a mental problem caused by a virus, then the remnants of the soul and the body itself will have to fuel the initial change. This often results in vampires of very low consciousness and power.

Later energies have to come from another source, as even the initial power of a demon can not fuel a conscious being for long. This power is often gained through the drinking of the blood or souls of other self conscious creatures. Unfortunately the drinking of a soul, or soul blood, will only give a creature a limited amount of energy, requiring that the vampire repeat this act on a regular basis to survive.

The need for energy can become an obsession in vampires, overwhelming any sense of control and self they may have once had. If the need becomes too great, it can utterly destroy whatever mind remains in the creature, turning them into a zombie.

Some experiments have been done with plasma, as well as nuclear and subatomic energy sources as a way of fueling vampires. This technology is still in its infancy however, and most of the vampiric test subjects claim that these methods are still too weak to effectively sustain them.


METHODS FOR BECOMING A VAMPIRE

Intimate infection from a demon: When a demon infects a mortal in such a way that they bind with the physical body of the creature, they can often pry the soul out of control of the body and permanently remove it. The power of the demon fuels the initial removal of the soul, as well as the first few hours of action. After this, most vampires will require the blood or soul of other conscious beings. Over time the demon will become more efficient at extracting the energy from these sources, and will require less. However initially, the need will be quite great.

This method of infection can also be transmitted to other conscious beings through the sharing of blood. In this way the demon within the initial vampire can multiply itself. The power of the second vampire will be slightly less then its makers, however over time it will also increase. There is also some speculation that when the initial vampire is destroyed, if the demon is eradicated with it, that all of the vampires born of that demon will also be destroyed.

These vampires tend to be the most powerful, and possess the strongest attributes. This is because the energy of the demon fuels the initial transformation, and the first few hours of existence. The demon also helps the body to become accustomed to its new existence, and can synthesize the souls or blood of other creatures, making it a useable source of energy. They also make it easier for the body to tap into telekinetic, psychic, and magical powers, as well as the new physical power within its body.

Infection from a virus: Some viruses can cause a change in the body which destroys it in such a way that the soul fleas, but the physical brain retains some control over the creature's actions. Initially such beings will be extremely weak and may be mistaken for dead. However, if they gain a source of energy, and a way to synthesize it into something they can use, they may be able to cobble together a consciousness. Their energy source may be the blood or souls of humans, or might be some other form of magic or chemical energy.

These vampires are marked by weakness, and a lack of consciousness. They are often compared to zombies, with the main difference being that vampires do not seam to degenerate after the initial change, while zombies are in a constant state of decline.

Vampirism by mental disease - In rare cases a person's physical mind can become obsessed with the sensual body to such an extent that it begins to revolt against the creatures inner soul. This is usually a violent struggle, and can be very painful and difficult for the victim.

As the soul is removed the creature begins to require alternate sources of energy to fuel its consciousness. In these scenarios, blood or souls are as likely as any other source to become the fuel, as the creature does not possess the ability to synthesize blood into a useable form. Some cases have been observed where vampires of this type become voracious eaters, others draw their energy from fire, and others use magical means to fuel themselves.

Spells to become a vampire: There are many mystical methods which can be used to become a vampire. To find out more about them, click here.

For a brief background in magic, click here.


WEAKNESSES OF THE VAMPIRE

The greatest weakness vampire's face is their need for energy, often in the form of blood. Since consuming the blood and souls of conscious beings is generally opposed by the conscious beings themselves, vampires have a constant enemy that they are intrinsically tied to. They can't live with their prey, but they can't live without them.

If a vampire finds a way to synthesize enough energy to survive, they will usually develop a second problem. As a creature increases its ability to take energy from subtle existences such as life, they will become more sensitive to the energy in the world around them. Generally if the vampire becomes good enough at synthesizing energy from blood or souls to survive, they will also become so sensitive to energy that sources such as the sun and fire will be extremely harmful to them. This is why many traditional demon induced vampires, who enjoy instant acclimation to vampirism, also suffer from the inability to go out in daylight. However there can be a convergence point for some vampires where they become so good at synthesizing energy that their power increases faster then their bodies sensitive to light and heat, and they become impervious to them once again.