Vampire Psychology

Vampires are individual beings; they live alone or in small groups; they are forever hunted by the peoples from which they arose - including people they might have known personally. They have needs which must be satisfied; they have a body which behaves very differently from their previous life. They also have an understanding that they are different.

It is not surprising that vampires often show signs of deep psychosis, experience mood swings and gross personality changes. It is for the hunter to understand these rival pressures and find consequent weaknesses that can be exposed.

Being Different

From the moment of induction, the protégé knows that they are special. They will be told - if they did not already know - they they have been selected for a new life, while others have been ignored, farmed, or simply exsanguinated. This will lead to an initial confusion; 'What have I lost, what will I gain? Is this immortality? Why have I feared these creatures that are just like me? What about my friends, my family?

A newly-created vampire is at its most vulnerable; it has little idea of how to survive, and is torn between escape and clinging to the familiar. It may panic; some disintegrate psychologically at this time. But the vampire who performed the induction will be close, and will have planned carefully to protect its protégé.

The protégé will be taught not only to survive and thrive, but to believe that it is a superior being, it is special, it is a chosen one.

Religion

New beliefs will clash with deeply ingrained expectations and religious beliefs. In most cases, the pre-vampire person was brought up in a close Christian world (vampires arose in Eastern Europe); the vampire still possesses all that knowledge, and, subconsciously, all those beliefs. It will also be aware that vampires are feared as evil incarnate. These contradictions must be suppressed for the vampire to survive, and fully mature vampires will be emotionally cold, arrogant beings who will show little interest in their previous existence or current events in the world of men and women.

At times of stress subconscious thoughts will be close to the surface, so it is not surprising that crucifixes and religious incantations can offer some protection to humans under attack - the vampire will hesitate, and may even flee. Marks made on the vampire's skin by a crucifix are not due to any religious effect, however, but the more mundane chemical effect of wood or silver on vampire metabolism.

References

Contributions Welcome

This section is still being developed; all contributions that can be used will be gratefully received and acknowledged.