Vampires, Role-playing, and their media. Oh my!

[Oraphi]

I'm not a hundred percent sure where this should actually go so I'm just putting it in general discussions for now.

There seems to be a lot of interest in vampire discussion but no actual forum thread dedicated to broad discussion of this very popular and classic theme / setting. The purpose of this thread is to create a space for us vampire lovers to be able to share our experiences, debate pros and cons of various themes, and ask for insight from our peers.

Since I'm starting the thread I'll begin by sharing some of my own past experience with vampire role-play. I think my introduction to vampire role-play was a-typical as it was more R rated than X rated. I fell into it pretty much by accident. It was a large scale clan or family oriented RP I'm not sure how many people where playing in it but I know my family had twelve people in it (some much less active than others as you would expect) and there were five other families, so pretty large scale.
The way things worked was each family had their own forum in which we'd coordinate both IC and OOC as well as do lots of in house forum RP. It was strictly forbidden to enter another families forum, your character would die and you'd be banned if you did. I'm not sure how they determined if anyone had maybe you needed permission to enter or maybe they just checked the visitors history I'm not clear on how web sites work. Clan interaction took place on a live chat, kind of the public square were everything you said could be over heard and everyone was watching for gossip or a chance to spread misinformation. You weren't suppose to go into the live chat unsupervised unless you where of a certain rank for fear you'd say something you shouldn't or didn't understand just who you were talking to. So much drama was caused by fledglings speaking out of turn, it was pretty great. I never got to very high rank before they whole thing kind of died off, I came along during their final year of running it but it was a pretty cool experience.

I wonder if smaller scale more intimate vampire role-playing would be more exciting though, or at the very least better paced. I'm curious to see how much of other peoples vampire role-play focuses more on the vampire and their victim dynamic versus the vampire political maneuvering stuff. Also I know there are all sorts of different types of vampire media and myths out there that people play with that sound pretty cool. I've just started getting into the whole vampires of the masquerade rabbit-hole which is pretty crazy in it's own rights. And then you have stuff like anime vampires, or romance novel vampires, and sparkle vampires. People through out history sure have like vampires, and I'm totally on board with that!

Come say hi and share any of your vampire experiences or ideas you care too! What was your first vampire RP like? How has your taist changed since then? How did vampire RP capture your interest in the first place?

 

[Sophor]

This is actually pretty interesting.
Firstly I have to admit that vampires were never a theme I was overly interested in. I feel Twilight really pulled down the public opinion of this theme, or at least it did for me. These days I an't but automatically associate vampire themes rps with all the negative cliches we are probably all too familiar with.
The main reason I decided to reply here way that I'm curious, I know it's still a huge and wildly popular 'genre', what is the draw for vampires especially? What is the big thing that makes this so juicy for so many people?
I most definitely see the draw in a passionate bite in the neck, although I have to admit that I get somewhat uncomfortable when actual blood comes into play (I'm the kind of person that almost faints when I get my shots).
Romance seems to be a big draw but all I do think about is how cold and lifeless a vampire must feel, like cuddling with a corpse

 

[Oraphi]

This is actually pretty interesting.
Firstly I have to admit that vampires were never a theme I was overly interested in. I feel Twilight really pulled down the public opinion of this theme, or at least it did for me. These days I an't but automatically associate vampire themes rps with all the negative cliches we are probably all too familiar with.
The main reason I decided to reply here way that I'm curious, I know it's still a huge and wildly popular 'genre', what is the draw for vampires especially? What is the big thing that makes this so juicy for so many people?
I most definitely see the draw in a passionate bite in the neck, although I have to admit that I get somewhat uncomfortable when actual blood comes into play (I'm the kind of person that almost faints when I get my shots).

Romance seems to be a big draw but all I do think about is how cold and lifeless a vampire must feel, like cuddling with a corpse

Well I'm not sure how many people are continuously aware of the actual history of vampire stories (not talking folk-lore or myths here, I mean written fiction) but they where used as a allegory for the courtship process (seduction, promise of a life of ease, gifts), marriage (becoming bound to your master), the loss of virginity (the bite itself hence the blood), followed by married life as a house wife in which your own home often felt like a prison or tomb.
Romanticized vampire stories often focus on the initial courtship faze before allowing the woman to either escape her fate or change the nature of the relationship. Katy McAllister; author of dark ones series that starts with 'A girls guide to Vampires' has really capitalized on these themes, to the point where she's often criticized for writing stories where her characters "fix" men. This isn't true, it's not the men women in these stories are fighting to fix it's society and culture. There's way more to it than all that, not all vampire stories and media even touch on any of that. Some (if not most) just focus on the danger and the appeal of the bad boy. Nothing wrong with that either, but there's more history there than what's being presented on the surface.
All that said; vampires are extremely relevant and tackle a very important cultural struggle in a safe and indirect way. When you think on all of this Twilight's popularity makes much more sense, I just wish it'd been better written and had less sparkles.

 

[Oraphi]

I do love vampires in fiction. It's an enticing concept to me however, I find the old stories, or stories focusing on clans/families to no longer be as engaging or interesting as they were when I was younger. Things like Underworld or stuff written by Christine Feehan(she's awful period, in my opinion, but the clans and kin and bonded lovers/mates for eternity crap is irritating) feel stale, weighed down by old world rules and societies.

I guess, I'd say, I am not fond of "ancient" vampires but prefer "modern outbreaks/post-apocalyptic" vampires. Stories that try to go back in time with all of our legends, folklore about vampires and put forth answers to them, like, "Hah! You thought people in ancient times were simply superstitious but that's what we wanted you to think! We vampires have been here all along and we've been hiding in plain sight this whole time!" I suppose stories like that might have worked for a beginner's step into the genre but it feels really dumb and needlessly complicated to me now.


NEW STORYTELLING

The best I can think of that I truly like as an example is Daybreakers(vampire protagonist) and the Strain(human protagonists). Both treat it as a viral epidemic that suddenly comes about and the vampires are very public and present in the mainstream mindset. I love the concept of vampires being our predators and owning that fact and taking over, like they rightfully should if they exist in all the capacity that they do. However, there is something very depressing and cynical about these epidemics and others that share the "viral bite" idea. If you don't restrict the eating somehow, then every time they feed they "ruin" another hard to manufacture food source, either by draining it, or passing on the vampirism(thus creating a double problem of a vanished food source on top of another immortal mouth to feed). These stories feel like, as much as the vampires hold an ideal place as the dominant predators, unless the humans triumph over them in some way...then EVERYBODY loses. Which brings me to my absolute favorite book series ever...

SOLVING THE "DAYBREAKERS" SHORTAGE

Originally published in 2011, Lena Mae Hill's book Blood Moon presents a unique take on the vampire that is my favorite of all time. Not only have vampires taken over humanity, raising them on Farms and putting them in "restaurants", but they have built up a culture and caste system wherein 1. A great bulk of vampires believe humans to be little more than simple animals incapable of complex emotions or intelligence(they're not) but also 2. there's a whole generation of vampires who are younger than the First created and under their control, believing themselves to be inferior to their elders(they're not). So, when they are told to ration their blood intake, they do so under threat from the law, and when they are told to take the mediocre jobs so the First and Second order can live in luxury and status, they do so, believing themselves to be weaker than their elders.

And the bite...is not viral. They can bite as many humans as they want and there's no way to spread it(the First and Second order hold the secrets to the "evolution" process and will likely never use it again, so as to keep the Third generation under their control). In this world, vampires are basically just evolved beings who drink blood. They have superhuman senses and abilities but for a great bulk of the book series, the main character, Draven, never realizes his potential. He's simply a regular "guy" with mundane goals and complacency with his lot in life(until there's a human he really wants as a pet and that drives the entire series).

One of the things that captured my imagination with this book series is, in this world, since humans are little more than brainless, innocent creatures(the cultural belief, which ends up not being true at all) romantic/sexual relations between vampires and humans is considered extremely deviant behavior and is punishable by law. It's basically "animal abuse" lol. I really like that taboo aspect, especially considering the fact that humans are in fact the same in emotional and intellectual capabilities as the vampires are but society frowns upon those who dare attempt to explore that truth. Which was why I decided to rp the idea with my current long-term partner incendonocturne.

THE ROLE-PLAY

I borrowed heavily from Hill's basic idea of ruling vampires and the "humans as livestock/bred without emotions and intelligence" ideas, added onto the non-viral bite. However there were some differences; her concept of the three classes(First Order bit the humans and created the Second Order; Seconds fought in wars to take over the planet and then spent a long time creating the forcibly evolved Third Order to use as slave soldiers; they decided after the Thirds were created that peace sounded like a better idea, especially now that they had a working class they could control and order around) was a bit compli and restrictive, and although in Blood Moon, Draven's lack of ability to rise above his station in life and his restlessness creates a catalyst for the movement of the story, it's very bleak to trap a character in basically a "slavery but different" kind of mindset yet still have them ruling over an even more inferior class of beings. Also, Hill's vamps are technically dead. They have no heart beat, they're cold, they heal super quick, and they have no physical needs except blood drinking.

In the story I am writing with incendo, I had the classes much more fluid. The story focuses on my main character, Howe, an Enforcement officer. He is basically a detective, his main job being to investigate restaurants that allow "illicit animal abuse" on the side, and to hunt down private citizens who mistreat their livestock. And it's a position he's worked towards, having had other preliminary careers leading up to it, gone through training to achieve, etc. So, when he has earned enough money to finally own his own human pet, it's a big deal. Come to find out once he purchases her, that not only is she not a simple-minded creature as he and everyone else has been lead to believe but he also falls for her romantically. This creates dire situations as he struggles to hide the relationship and still do his job, fighting with the justifications and moral grays that keep coming up as a result.

I also thought the explanation of these beings being "undead" was a bit complicated as well, so, instead made it so that they are living, breeding beings, but with an eye for eternity and thus different goals and aspirations that don't necessarily include the propagation of the species(when you live forever, how eager would you continue to be to raise progeny? You'd be more focused on yourself and your own fulfillment in life). The generations of our vampires were more like,

First order: escaped science experiments, bloodthirsty, zombie-esque vampyres who attacked modern-day humans, biting about 500 of them, turning them into the evolved beings. Thought to be dead now.

Second Orders, known as Elites: their bite does not spread the genetic evolution and they are the most potent, virile, and strongest of the vampires, being the most pure; ruling class, they operate the government, make the laws, and own most of the operating systems in society.

Third Orders: the sons and daughters of the Elite(and grandkids and great grandkids and great great grandkids, etc), all younger than 200 years old. They obey the ruling class and live self-involved indulgent lives.

There are restricted rations in Hill's books as well, which makes sense, to keep the vampires from overfeeding. In our role-play, we let capitalism rule, turning the human business into a booming industry, so, the human population likely outnumbers the vampires to some degree but animal abuse and overdrawing is still a crime. Just like our society, despite them being hungry for blood, most people will obey laws simply out of the convenience of keeping their freedom.


Another film that deserves mention here, simply because it isn't widely known and yet it's one of my absolute favorite comedies, is Netherbeast Incorporated. If you recognize him at all in the trailer, why yes, that IS Steve from Blue's Clues.

Hi The Goodman! That's quite an impressive post! Lots of neat stuff I'm going to have to look more into for sure. I enjoy most all vampire stuff myself, though admittedly some more than others. I personally like the more powered down takes on vampires, not to say I'm opposed to the action flick gothy goodness of some movies. They're lots of fun for sure, I just like a battle of wits more than crazy supernatural powered battles. But there's still lots out there I've yet to discover so who knows what my opinion might be tomorrow.

I'm kind of not as hot on a lot of modern takes on vampires. Too many of them remove weaknesses, such as crosses and garlic being just misinformation spread by vampires to fool mortals or running water has zero effect. I mean think about that, vampires aren't meant to even be able to cross a bridge over a river. Weaknesses are what make characters interesting, not super powers. So much of modern day vampires seem to be basically goth captain America, none of the down sides even more of the strengths. I love stories where vampires are the masters of their domain, but as soon as they leave their lairs they become extremely limited. A vampire can't enter your home without being invited in. But what if your home isn't yours? What if your renting it from a powerful land baron who is never seen unless it's for official business. Classic vampires needed help and scheming to continue their unnatural existence.

I like the idea of large scale vampire settings like you described in the Daybreakers series, though I haven't read it myself. That sort of thing is always interesting, misinformation, scheming, but against their own kind and on a much bigger scale. I don't think vampires would necessarily look on mortals as cattle or food though, that's how a living monster would view them, vampires are very notably dead. The alien mind and needs of a still thinking, still feeling corpse is one of the cooler things about vampire society. It could be that vampires don't need blood to function they need it to feel. Without blood they're just numb animated flesh. Their mind desperate to reject the truth of their new horrifying reality compel them to fill their veins with the fresh still warm blood of the living. I love that sort of stuff. But there are lots of cool takes on vampires and none of them are really bad, yes even sparkle vampires have their merits.