The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

The much longer life span of the vampire has always been one of it’s greatest strengths. It can also represent a great weakness.



The human life span is roughly 75 years. Generations change every 15 years or so. To the human – it seems slow when one is young, but entirely too fast when one is old. To a vampire who has lived 100 years or more, the speed can be blinding unless the vampire has adapted himself or herself to their new temporal frame of reference.



Einstein taught us that time is not a constant. Time is relative to your frame of reference, and the speed of that frame of reference. In a sense this holds true for conscious beings as well. I’m not saying that a second is shorter or longer for a 75 year old than for a 15 year old. In empirical terms the second is equally long – what is different is the perception of that second. To someone who has only lived 15 years – a couple of months may seem like a very long time – indeed, it represents a full percent of their life to that point – but to say, a 50 year old, the same two months seems much shorter – as it represents a far smaller percentage of their overall existence.



There is another aspect to consider when one views the passage of time – mortality. When one grows older – one is more conscious that there is less time left. This creates anticipation, and the desire to fill days with as much activity as possible. Just as the youth feels the last days of vacation pass by much too quickly – so does the older person feel their autumn years slide by.



So what then does a being with a potential lifespan of thousands of years have to expect. With each passing year – a month or a year becomes a less meaningful unit of time. Time on the one hand seems to fly by at alarming speed, but time on the other hand seems to be meaningless as there is no natural “end” to anticipate. Herein lies the basis of the conundrum written on by so many authors – how does a vampire stay “current” when he or she crosses so many generations of humanity.



One key is to understand the effects of time and develop a strategy for dealing with them. This is one case where there is no “one size fits all” solution – but it is easier for some groups of people than others. The strategy also relates to who makes a good candidate for vampirism in the first place. I hesitate to use the word “social conservative”, as it’s too politically charged, but an individual looking always to go back to “the good old days” is going to be severely challenged by the rigors of a vampiric life span.



One key is finding a way to break free of the tendency to let days, weeks, months, and years blur by. The less engaged one is with the passage of time, the more chance one has to become isolated – out of touch – and lethargic. Such vampires become easy prey for their enemies or simply go to ground – never to awake.



Another key is to understand that basic human nature – and therefore the basic motivation of society – hasn’t changed appreciably in thousands of years. Rome faced many of the same challenges as modern America. The names are different, but the issues remain the same. Technology changes rapidly – nothing is permanent – those that have the easiest time long-term are those who always look for the new. They are what the technology industry calls “early adopters”.



Remember, the solution here must be individual – but must bear in mind both one’s changing perception of time and the need to stay connected to the current decade. It is also an important thing to remember when seeking new children. Not all are prepared for this challenge – best to leave those that aren’t, as they are…

One of the greatest allures of vampirism is the power and ability conferred by the transformation. The young tend to revel in these new found abilities – like a child freed from the normal restraints of boundaries, discipline, and even just plain common sense. For those who had little, or felt disenfranchised as normal people, the power can bring a new confidence. It can also bring arrogance or over confidence.



Many youth often forget one simple fact – when one is normal, one is average, it is easy for one to blend into the background. When one is powerful, one is visible. The powerful and the visible have a way of accumulating enemies. For no matter how strong one is when born into this life – there are others who are more powerful – many frighteningly more powerful. For our strength and abilities grow with age.



Others see their new abilities as a toy – a plaything – or the masses of people as toys and playthings. Our powers give us the ability to dominate and control through means both overt and subtle. Some use this capability to build up legions of followers – though this seems a hollow existence based on nothing more than insecurity. For what has one demonstrated through such domination other than the fact that one has the ability. What can the dominated, or worse – the sycophants – truly offer anyone in terms of companionship?



Many of our kind meet untimely ends for no reason other than they are careless of their power. Certainly, many also underestimate their enemies, but in the final analysis it is more important that their enemies did not underestimate them. Those given to lavish displays are like the card player who plays with their hand face up. Their strengths – and weaknesses – are on display for the entire world to see. One can always be sure that someone is taking notes – somewhere.



The greatest test of strength – the greatest test of true power – is knowing when to apply it. If one’s powers are not on display for the world to see, it becomes impossible for one’s enemies to adequately prepare a plan of attack. One’s foolish enemies will underestimate their foe and fall to the wayside. One’s clever enemies – truly the real threat – will be given pause and will not act rashly – delaying perhaps indefinitely any real attack.



When forced to use one’s strength – that force must be applied with speed, precision, and with a single achievable goal in mind. Once that goal is achieved the use of force must end as abruptly as it started. One must be like the shadow until the strike is delivered, and then one must return to that shadow once the blow has been struck. To do otherwise exposes one to all of one’s enemies because one is most exposed in the moment before and after the strike.



Many of our kind never survive long enough to learn the wisdom of caution. Though we move in the night – we are powerful – and therefore we are not anonymous. The night has eyes – know who is watching – and prepare accordingly.





On isn’t hiding abilities the greatest power.



I see the ability to hide one's power more of a "skill" than a "power". In this context a "power" is a supernatural ability - it is something granted - not earned - though it can be developed.



To hide power - especially great power - requires great discipline. Discipline is not a "power" - discipline comes truly from within. It comes from a well-ordered mind. This is not something that can be granted - it must be developed purely with ones own faculties.



Picture if you will the master of the martial arts. In many cases true power there comes only through some level of discipline - though some are still prone to displays. Yet the strongest - the most powerful - are the ones whose discipline matches their ability. They have an advantage because the superior abilities came hand in hand with superior discipline...



... for us it is harder for the abilities came independent of the discipline.