The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

Overview of VooDoo







Introduction



Voodoo is a system of beliefs, a religion, and a practical magical system with its roots in black Africa.The centers from which voodoo spread thorugh the world and developed are Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, south-east Gana and Senegal in Africa, where the terms Vodou, Vodoun, Vudu and Vudun are in use, and Haiti, where the term Voudon is in use.The Haiti islands are a specific background, where a special system developed , that consists of original elements and cults form black Africa mixed with creole legacy and catholic cult; further mixing with catholic cults and religion is noticed in Brasil, but we will deal with this later on.

The foundations of voodoo lie in the worship of ancestors and a multitude of Loa or deities, as well as a supreme being, the creators of all Universe.The basic purpose of voodoo as a practical system is to influence daily life, and to communicate with ancestors and deities through which that influence is made possible, and also the travel of the man's soul into spiritually higher realms.Although there are a multitude of Loa (this term signifies the singular as well the plural), we will focus our attention only on main Families of Loa, which are three in number, and which are common to all systems of voodoo.The Loa are forms given to manifestations of the divine force, in order to make easier the communication between them and the human race.That communication is not possible with the Creator, the Supreme Beings, who are away and beyond the realms of human existence, and serve as the upholders of the Creation, the Ones who make certain that all functions well and flows in its course; a good parallel would be Orlog, the eternal law, above humans and gods, from the ancient nordic tradition.Now we will deal with those Supreme Beings and the Loa.



The Supreme Beings



These are the Creators and upholders of the Universe.The common names for this Being are Mawu,Mahou or Mau, Olorun, Oniyama and Olodumare, in different traditions; as said before, these beings cannot be contacted and nothing can be asked of them; it is the Loa who serve this purpose, the intermediate between the Supreme and humanity.In Rada, one of the three main families of Loa, Damballah and Ayida-Wedo are also respected and worshipped; these male and female Supreme Beings are symbolised by two snakes surrounded by rainbows; these two are also of the supreme gods, but their purpose is to give love to all Creation; but, since they cannot understand human tongues, we are again compelled to address the Loa for our purposes.



The Loa



There are three main families of the Loa:



1.Rada Loa: this is a very old family, consisting mainly of benevolent Loa.The most important are Legba, Loko, Ayizan and Erzulie.Their traditional colour is white.



2.Petro Loa: a young Family, very practical and magical.It developed in the New world, so it has not a completely african background.It is said that it formed in the year 1768., on Haiti, through the medium Don Pedro, who himself became a Loa after his death.Other most important Loa are Marinette, Ogun and Carrefour.This family's colour is red.



3.Ghuede Loa: this family consists of the spirits of the dead.They are very powerful in the arts of healing and children protection, but are also tricksters.There are many Loa in this Family, but the most important is the Baron Samedi, who is also called Baron Cimitiere, Baron LaCroix, and Maman Brigitte or Grande Brigitte, where ''Grande'' stands for ''Granny''; she is the female complementary to Baron Samedi, and some say that she is his wife and consort.They are both guardians and protectors of graves and cemeteries, and crossroads, and particularly the central points of the crossroads.Their colours are black and purple, and also red.





The most important Loa



Baron Samedi



He is usually visualised as a man in a black suit, with a skull for his head, black sunglasses, black hat and cotton in his nostrils, just like a corpse ready for burial the Haiti way.He stands in the center of the crossroads, through which souls travel to Guinee (the astral counterpart of Africa, which symbolises the common home of all men, and whose center is Ville-aux-Champs,a city which could be viewed as paradise or Tiphareth); as such he posesses the keys to life, death and resurrection; he's also a very sexual Loa, and is sometimes portraited with his phallus in erection.He loves tobacco and rum.







Bacalou Baca



He is usually viewed as an ''evil'', or ''black'' Loa; he is respected mostly by the ''fazer les zombies'', the black magicians who turn men into zombies, and the ''servir-aux-deux-mains'', magicians who do not practice black magic as a rule, but offer such services for money.



Papa Leghba



He is the Opener of the Gates, spiritual and material, the absolute Initiator, who, as such, is often identified with Christ.He makes possible the communication with the Loa, and is the guardian of spiritual crossroads.He is one of the most revered Loa, and si saluted first in all ceremonies.He is usually represented as an old man smoking a pipe.



Erzulie



A female Loa who has several forms; as Erzulie Freda, she is the epitomy of female sensuality and beauty, the goddess of luxury, love, jewels, and precious stones; her colours are pink, blue and gold.In the form of Erzulie Dantor, she is an old woman with many scars, who in one hand holds a knife, and in the other protectively holds a child; she protects woman and children, and is also associated with protection of gay men and women.She is laso, sometimes and in certain cults, represented as the Black Madonna.She is also Erzulie La Sirene, a form which probably derives form the ancient nigerian snake-goddess Ezi-Aku.



Ogoun



The great Loa of the Rada Family; he also has different forms.This is a male Loa, with all male and martian qualities; he is a warrior, ruling over thunder, storms, swords and all weapons of steel, and guards and protects the warrior in battle.His are the steel and red colur, the colour of blood.As Ogun Badagris, he is a phallic and magical Loa who helps in divination and foretelling, and as Ogun Fer, he is a pure warrior.



Carrefour or Kalfu



''Carrefour'' means ''crossroads''.This Loa controls the crossroads, but the points further away form the centre; he controls the evil spirits, and measures the misfortune, death and disease to be led from the spiritual world into ours.He is the Lord of spells, magic and sorcery.Although he is not the most favourite Loa, he is very respected.



Marassa Jumeaux



These are the divine twins; the Lords of justice, happiness and spiritual wealth.They symbolise the dual nature of the Universe (or Multiverse, as Thorsson would say), and the nature of men and gods and their interaction.





Religions and systems closely conncted to voodoo





Santeria



''Santeria'' means ''the way of saints''.This religion rerspects the Supreme beings Olorun and Olodumare, male and female, the Cretaors of the Universe, and the lower spirits, the Orisha, and also the Ara Orun, ''people of the sky'', who are the souls of the ancestors.This religion derives form the old Lukumi religion, practiced among the Yoruba people, and this word Lukumi derives form the ancient word Olukumi, which means ''my friend''; I think that this word explains a lot of the interaction between the Orisha, the ancestors and the faithful.Santeria, as is today, appeared for the first time in XVIII century on Cuba.As the religion of the slaves, it was practically outlawed, and hence the identification of many Orishas with catholic saints, which served as a disguise for them and thie cult.This religion is ''responsible'' for connecting voodoo with the sacrifice of animals, since it is regular poractice to sacrifice chickens, in order to satsify the Orishas thirst for blood, which is satisfied when the mediums, posessed by the spirits, drink the blood of ther animals.However, this practice is discarded by the esotheric voudon of the adept Michael Bertiaux, who will be adressed shortly.



Umbanda



This is a union of spiritualism, catholic cult and ancinet afro-brasilian voodoo cults.It was made manifest by the medium Ze'lio Fernandinho de Soares in the early XX century.The name itself derives form the angolan word ''K'imbundu'', which means ''to practice religion''.The Umbandas worship the Orishas, disguised as catholic saints, and the spirits , who again divide into two ''falanga'':



-Caboclo, the spirits of the brasilian Indian tribes, who give knowledge about the herbs and their use, and the forces of nature, and



-Pretos Velhos, the spirits of black slaves, who give aid in times of suffering.



The main spirits are Yemanja, a female principle symbolised by the ocean s and the seas, and Oxum, another female principle symbolised by the waterfalls and rivers, Xango, the male principle of justice and law, symbolised by the rocks and mountains, Ogoun who is of course the protector of soldiers and warriors, and Exus, male and female spirits who are intermediates between different Loa families and betwen the Loa and men.



Candomblé



A religion mainly based in Brasil and surrounding countries; it venerates Olorun as the Creator and Orishas as his messengers and servitors.A number of catholic saints are also respected.Candomble is also called Macumba, especially in the area of Rio de Janeiro, but these two are very different.The main Candomble ritual is ''toque'', which consists of the preparatory part, made only by the priests and initiates, and the festive part, in which the mediums are ''ridden'' by the orishas, and all ends with a banquet.



Macumba or Quimbanda



Macumba is a Bantu word; although this religion is somewhat similar to what is mentioned above, it is very much connected with european witchraft and sorcery, therefore a very practical religion who indulges into practices of white nad black magic as well, most often necromancy.Preparation of potions, poisons, spells and dolls is often precticed.The two most important Loa are Exu and Pomba Gira.Exu is the protector of crossroads in more practical and material way, the giver of happiness and misery, and connected with all things pertaining to death, also a psychopomp, also venerated in santeria cult. Pomba Gira is considered to be his wife and consort; she emanates femininity and sensuality, and desire.



Hoodoo



This is probably the most ancient form of voodoo; it was imported to Americas with the arrival of the first black slaves.It is based on spells, sorcery, working with herbs, potions, and communication with spirits.The word Hoodoo derives from the Ewe people word ''hudu'' which designates someone practicing magic.Hoodoo was brought to its heights by the Adept Michael Bertiaux, with whom we will deal shortly.The main aim of Hoodo is to give its practicioners access to ''supernatural'' forces in order to gain influence and control daily life, form gains in gambling, success in love, obtaining knowledge etc.The peculiarity of Hoodoo is that it has no hierarchy, no prescribed religious services and no priesthood.All this is accomplished through communication with Hoodoo spirits, who assure that the practices will be successful, and who give the petitioners what they want.





Michael Bertiaux, Lucky Hoodoo, Esotheric Voudon

and organisations Ordo Templi Orientis Antiqua and Societe La Coulevre Noire





The most advanced and practical form of Hoodoo, and probably of all voodoo is the system of the esotheric voudon of the adept Michael Bertiaux, working through his magical Orders Ordo Templi Orientis Antiqua(OTOA) and Societe La Coulevre Noire (LCN).

THis sytem is thoroughly explained in his capital book ''The Voudon-Gnostic Workbook''; we will say only that its basis is the communication with the Lucky Hoodoo spirits, who in their turn are the spirits of the powerful magicians form the lost continent of Atlantis, and who continue to practice their magic on the ocean flor even today, and the older they get, the more power they gain.The practice consists of a simple ritual of showing devotion to the Spirits and of placing oneself in their service, and a small daily ritual thorugh which a magician shows them respect and devotion.This system is worked on in Bertiaux's magical Orders OTOA, which is based on the combination of the gnostic-hermetic european traditions and haitian metaphysics, and the LCN is based solely on studying the voudon gnosis and afro-atlantean mysteries in their purest form.





New Orleans voodoo



Maybe the greatest respect for the spreading of interest of voodoo is to be given to New Orleans, the city which has , with its colourful and mixed legacy, springing form the melting-pot of religions and cultures, always been considered the voodoo-town.

It has been so since the first slaves arrived, and it is so today.The ''golden age'' of voodoo in New Orleans was definitely the time between the years 1820. to 1860.Voodoo ceremonies were held publicly, on the renown Congo square, and mainly on Sunday, the free-day of the slaves.They were held by the balck slaves coming directly form Africa, and also by the Creole population; but the Creole thing is considered to be ''only'' the veneration of their african roots, without the necessary undersatnding of the rituals, but the slaves were in touch with the current, and their ceremonies were outright voodoo rituals in public.The 1830s were the time of Maman or Mambo Marie Laveau, the first voodoo priestess to be publicly known and accepted; she was a freewoman of Creole background, and was so respected that the New Orleans elite came to visit her for her services, and she was even allowed to practice her rituals behind the New Orleans cathedral.However, after the civil war, voodoo was practically oulawed, but that was short-termed, and it flourished again, as it flourishes today.

The men who gave great service to voodoo were, of course, the earliest blues musicians form New Orleans; particularly Dr.John, who took his name after the name fo John ''Dr. John'' Montenet,m a renowned voodoo magician, and of course Robert Johnson, who allegedly sold his soul to the ''devil'', famous for his song ''Devil and Me''.There are some voodoo element sin dixie, but in a much smaller manner.



Voodoo rituals



There are as many rituals as there are voodoo families; we will consider only the basis of every voodoo ritual.It consists of:



-A feast before very ritual

-Making of a veve, or a ritual sigil pertaining to a specific spirit involved in the ritual, or a sigil that symbolises the request that is to be gratned by the spirits, or most often both

-Using of instruments, mainly drums and rattles

-Singing of songs pertaining to the spirits and the purpose of the ritual

-Ritual dancing

-In some cults, mostly Santeria, sacrificing of animals, a dog, a sheep, a goat or a chicken.











Religions similar to voodoo



Obeah



Obeah or Obi is the term for sorcery in language of the Ashanti people.It is practiced foremost on Jamaica, but also in Trinidad and Tobago, Belize and Bahamas.Its roots lie in Western and central Africa; its baisi is sorcery, very similar to Hoodoo sorcery.The practice consists mainly of preparing potions, amulets and talismans.The term Obeah is also important in the thelemic universe.



Kumina



This system is based in eastern Jamaica.It has two pillars: one is the communication with the souls of the ancestors, thorugh medianic posession, and the other is the communication with ''nkisi'', spirits who are an amalgam of the souls of the ancestors and some natural forces.





Palo



Very similar to Kumina, Palo is practiced mainly in Cuba and Dominican Republic.The mephasisi is on the forces of nature, and natural objects such as trees, stones, branches, streams are considered to be of great power.



Spiritual Baptism Church



An afro-caribbean religion combining elements of old african religions and protesthantism, borught here by the balck soldiers who served under British flag in the american Independence war.It is also called a ''shouting church'', since its faithful clap hands and shout when they ''catch the spirit''.











Voodoo is a very colourful religion who attracts much interest and followers.This is because it has no dogma, no strict hierarchy, no burden of original sin, no threat of Hell, it is close to nature and, above all, it has the subconscious appeal that leads us far away, to a world far beyond the known and official history; a primal world before the beginning.It leads us to Guinee, the primeval home of all mankind, and gives us the possibility to communicate with our ancestors, the ancestors of all men, the benevolent Loa, who will lead us by their wisdom to Ville-aux-Champs, the City in the Fields, the final resting place of the soul.

Out of what crypt they crawl, I cannot tell

But every night I see the rubbery things

Black, horned, and slender, with membraneous wings

And tails that bear the bifid barb of hell.

They come in legions on the north wind's swell,

With obscene clutch that titillates and stings,

Snatching me off on monstrous voyagings

To grey worlds hidden deep in nightmare's well.



-- H.P. Lovecraft, "Night-Gaunts"





The strigoi are in encyclopedia terms the undead, both spirits and physical forms, that rise from the grave to seek vengeance or otherwise haunt the countryside, feasting on either the life force or actual flesh and blood of its victims. The Romanian engage in the following practice to rid the burdened of the strigoi:



There are a few variations on this ritual depending on region and oral tradition, but the basics remain the same: The suspected deceased is exhumed by the victimized with more often than not a holy man present, for protection I suppose, and more often than not without consent from the dead man's family. The victims then cut out the heart and burn it to a crisp, then grind it into a fine powder. The powder is then mixed with a few ingredients including water, maybe oil, and often alcohol. Finally the concoction is heated to a near boil to make sure the powder is soaked and evaporated into the other ingredients, and a cup is passed between the victims who proceed to drink the brew of powdered heart.



Today only rural areas of Romania practice this, and even then it isn't very often the dead rise. Even though modernized parts of Romania no longer practice acts of this nature, urban and rural alike still both believe and fear these beings and take superstitious measures to evade their attention.





Introduction



A bloodline rarely known outside of Romanian folklore, the Strigoi have existed for countless centuries, an almost primordial branch of the Nosferatu haunting the wilderness of Transylvania and Wallachia. Long divorced from the clan which spawned them, the Strigoi have become something of an isolated strain, a self-contained pocket of creatures unconnected to the vast world of the Kindred glittering beyond their impenetrable forests. And yet this isolation has molded them in ways far more terrible than the shaping forces of Kindred society, for the Strigoi still possess the ability to transform into monstrous beings; winged demons that haunt the night sky like relics from a mythological past. . . .



Description



The Strigoi are a very unusual and fairly regional bloodline, and although no one has ever traced their origins directly to the Nosferatu, one could hardly draw any other conclusions. The Strigoi are hideously deformed, possess a high degree of obfuscation, and share a common geographical origin and mythology with the Nosferatu. But unlike their more prolific cousins, the Strigoi do not create ghouls or reproduce in the traditional vampiric fashion, and it is over these two important differences that the Nosferatu and the Strigoi may be clearly marked as distinct species. Like all Kindred, a Nosferatu is free to inflict the curse of the Embrace upon any poor wretch he sees; but for reasons that seem more superstitious than logical, the Strigoi may only Embrace a select group of mortals: witches who have already been made into Strigoi ghouls, and humans who have committed suicide.



How this is done creates an ecology unique in the vampire world. The vitae of the Strigoi has two distinct phases; the "quick" vitae of the Strigoi ghouls, and the "undead" vitae of the Strigoi vampires. Both types of vitae possess the power to engender progeny, and through a process that closely resembles the Embrace, Strigoi ghouls have the remarkable ability to create other Strigoi ghouls. Of all the clans and bloodlines of the Kindred, only the Strigoi have developed this separation of vitae, and a Strigoi ghoul is almost a new entity unto itself, more of a strange fusion between a vampire and a witch than a ghoul in the traditional sense. The unusual nature of the Strigoi and their ghouls is reflected in Romanian folklore, which distinguishes between them by name. The ghoul form is called a strigoi vii, or "living vampire;" and the true undead form is called a strigoi mort, or "dead vampire." The plural forms are strigoi and strigoi morti respectively; and though the Bloodline is commonly just called Strigoi, traditionally strigoaica should be used instead of strigoi in the case of a female.



Strigoi Vii



A strigoi vii is a unique class of ghoul, and is best viewed as an evil witch with partial vampiric abilities. Indeed, the word strigoi itself is derived from the Romanian word striga, meaning witch. This in turn comes from the Latin cognate strega, which has its origins in strix, the word for a screech owl; a creature often likened to a child-devouring demon of the night.



"Witch" here refers to the word in its most debased form; no wiccans or shamans are the strigoi, but unholy creatures from Romanian folklore, adept at black magic and intent on preying upon the pure and the innocent. They shun the sunlight, preferring to dwell in the blackest forests and emerging only at night. They have the ability to shapechange into animal form, often appearing as a bat, a wolf, or screech owl. They can leave their body behind while their spirits roam free, hunting for prey -- and their hunger is terrible indeed, for the strigoi rely on only two things for sustenance, blood and psychic energy. A strigoi vii can enter the dreams of a sleeping child and transform them into nightmares, riding the child's dreams until dawn and leaving the victim drained of psychic energy; an attack more feared than the draining of blood. These poor souls may grow quite sick, and if hagridden frequently, may even die. It is also said that the strigoaica -- the female strigoi -- are more powerful than the males, and according to folklore their very presence can ruin harvests, spoil milk and butter, stop cows from producing milk, and may even wreck marriages.



The Witch's Kiss



As mentioned previously, the strigoi have another power quite unique to ghouls -- the ability to create progeny. A strigoi vii may actually perform a partial Embrace, an act that dooms a mortal into becoming strigoi, a gradual transformation that may last over ten long and painful years. Not any mortal, however, may be so transformed by the Witch's Kiss; the strigoi are bound to select their victims from a rather exclusive pool. Candidates include witches and satanists, the unbaptized and the excommunicated, children born with a caul or a vestigial tail, the congenitally deformed, and the seventh son of a seventh son.



The Witch's Kiss is carried on much like a proper Embrace. The strigoi vii must drain the blood of her victim, a process that usually takes over a week of nightly visitations. Then, upon the last visit, the dying human must be coerced into drinking the blood of the strigoi vii. This is usually followed by a terrible sickness and a long convalescence, and often the victim never fully recovers his health. Not that it really matters, for by that time the unfortunate soul is doomed. After a few years of dormancy, the metamorphosis begins, and the progeny will begin to acquire the characteristics of a strigoi vii. One of the first signs is often a shift in personality -- almost as if something good inside the person has just curdled and died, leaving behind a sour and vindictive shell. People begin avoiding the poor wretch, and many notice the appearance of a faint but foul odor. Deformities begin appearing or growing worse, the skin dries up and starts oozing pus, and bones begin to elongate. Soon the progeny begins to feel his whole nature changing, and as a taste for normal food atrophies, a desire for fresh blood begins to assert itself with a maddening tenacity. The discipline of Nascence develops, and he begins to notice that his very presence has the power to profoundly disturb the sleeping -- an effect that gives him a strange sense of renewed energy. By this time, he has either been noticed by the Strigoi or will seek them out himself. Upon his first taste of Strigoi vitae, the transformation is complete.



If a mortal cannot find Strigoi blood to insure his ghoulish future, the transformation will eventually take a turn for the worse, and his body will begin to decompose. If no infusions of vitae are allowed to renew his tainted blood, he will die within ten to fifteen years of receiving the Witch's Kiss.



There is one interesting rumor, however, that may provide a glimpse of possible redemption. Some say that the transformation can be reversed at any point before the progeny drinks Strigoi blood and becomes a full strigoi vii. All that need be done is locate the creature that infected him and kill her, driving a stake through her heart and filling the mouth of her severed head with holy wafers....



Strigoi Mort



Upon death, a properly Embraced strigoi vii will rise from the grave as the much deadlier strigoi mort, or "dead vampire," hereafter referred to as "Strigoi."



A Strigoi is much like a Nosferatu; and worse still, the rebirth process often adds a second layer of deformities. As a result, more Strigoi are infected with such flaws as "Putrescence" and "Parasitic Infestation" than their marginally more fortunate cousins. The Strigoi are solitary vampires, preferring to dwell in the wilderness like outcast monsters, friends to the lowliest animal life on earth. They are known for preying on sheep and cows with just as much frequency as humans, and often -- foolishly, it may be said -- return to the same village over and over again, draining the livestock as well as the blood of their old friends, surviving family, and available enemies. The Strigoi are also more spiritually warped than the Nosferatu, and seem to draw nourishment from an bottomless well of bitterness and spite. There is no higher culture among the Strigoi, no real sense of community, no vast warrens peppered with subterranean artworks. The closest they come to such trappings of civilization are their sabbats, great midnight revels usually held on St. Andrew's Eve (November 11) and St. George's Eve (April 22). At these times the Strigoi gather around a bonfire to exchange stories, bleed captives, and dance with their ghoul cousins. These sabbats also serve another important function, for they mark the Strigoi calendar. The Strigoi are at their most powerful during winter, and the months between the sabbats find them at the peak of their powers. After St. George's Day, they become almost dormant, laying low until the summer passes, awaiting their resurgence on St. Andrew's Eve. These two holidays are closely marked by Romanian peasants, and even today only a fool will venture out of doors during the evenings preceding them....



There may be one aspect of the Strigoi which brings a small degree of solace to the human community, and that is the limitations of their Embrace. A Strigoi may only Embrace mortals of two types -- a strigoi vii, and a suicide. The rituals behind both these Embraces are different, but both create a Strigoi as a result.



The Kiss of UnLife



The Embrace of a strigoi vii is a great celebration that usually takes place during a sabbat, most often on St. George's Eve. It is a very painful affair, and one that almost always involves the sacrifice of an unbaptized child. The Strigoi will dance and cavort around the candidate witch, hooting as she devours the child, skeleton and all. After a brief ritual in the Old Slavonic tongue, the Strigoi chosen as her sire will step forward and perform the Embrace. The fledgling is then buried in a coffin and must claw her way out. (Many Nosferatu scholars believe this to be the origin of the Sabbat Embrace ritual.) If she is successful, she may present herself at the St. Andrew's Eve sabbat and she will be accepted into Strigoi "society" as a full member, bound to her sire until he sees fit to release her.



The Judas Kiss



This is the power to Embrace a corpse, and is available only to the strigoi morti. There are certain rules that limit this ability, however. The corpse must belong to a human who has willingly taken his own life. (Although certain Merits may expand this restriction; this will be discussed later.) The mortal may not have been buried for longer than forty days, and may not be interred in hallowed ground or buried at a crossroads -- both actions render the body untouchable to the Strigoi. Additionally, the corpse must not have been embalmed: the Judas Kiss must be preceded by the complete exsanguination of the corpse, and any embalming fluid destroys its potential for resurrection.



First, the Strigoi exhumes the body. Then he must drain it of every drop of blood, no matter how cold or curdled. This is usually done my clawing open the chest and saturating the heart with a stream of vitae from the Strigoi. The heart is then squeezed, allowing the vitae to permeate and unclot the dead mortal blood. After this blood is drained, the vampire allows his precious vitae to fall into the corpse's mouth, and the coffin is then resealed and the body buried.The transformation generally takes two to three days, after which the progeny will awake to his new state, and must claw his way to the surface or be trapped forever, a howling creature aware of only eternal hunger. If he does reach the surface, he may be lucky to find a sire waiting for him. Then again, that all depends on his Sire....



It should be noted that since most suicides wanted to be dead in the first place, they are generally quite upset at being granted immortality. This rage, coupled with an awareness of the aborted monstrosity they have become, often drives them mad -- or madder -- and the Strigoi produce a fair share of failed progeny which must be put to death. Of course, some of these damned souls discover that being granted a second life is a blessing, and these rare creatures often rise to become some of the greater of the Strigoi.



Future of the Strigoi



Fortunately for the rest of the world, both Kindred and Kine, the Strigoi are a dying breed. Increased urbanization, better burial practices (embalming fluid will prevent a corpse from being Embraced by a Strigoi) and a diminishing belief in the supernatural have all taken their toll. But blame for their eventual extinction may not be placed solely on the outside world. Many internal factors spell the doom of this bloodline, including a lack of sophistication, an entrenched xenophobia, a fear of travel, and a paralyzing obedience to tradition and superstition. Not all the Strigoi are like this, however. A few have migrated with the Nosferatu, blending in with their mother clan and adapting themselves to new homes. But these are few, and their potential to create progeny diminishes with every passing decade. One day the last Strigoi will find herself caught under the sun, her entire bloodline passing into myth with the swirl of her scattered ashes.



Information



Nickname: None, but in some parts of Romania, particularly Wallachia, the Strigoi are known as the Moroi.



Appearance: The Strigoi are even more loathsome to behold than the Nosferatu, but their disfigurements tend to remain more consistent than the seemingly random deformities of their cousins. Most Strigoi are bald and leathery, their vermin-infested flesh cracked and oozing with putrescence. They have long, spidery fingers that can stroke the hair of a sleeping child with tenderness one moment, and crush the spine of a horse the next. Their fangs cannot be retracted, and their disproportionate length is the cause of many running sores on their lips and chin. They tend to dress in old and tattered clothing, and most Strigoi have no desire at all for fineries and self-improvement. The older they get, the more corpse-like they appear, and truly ancient Strigoi look more like gaunt demons than anything related to the Kindred.



The strigoi vii are slightly less loathsome to behold, appearing as witches cursed with all manner of physical aberrations: humps, claws, cataracts, and club feet are common. Their breath is rank with the odor of spoiled milk, and all strigoi vii radiate an aura of foulness that makes mortals near them acutely uncomfortable. As they age, ingesting more Strigoi vitae, their disfigurements accumulate until a point is reached where they must be Embraced, lest their deformities cause their mortal death.



Haven: Most Strigoi dwell in the deep forests of Romania, making their havens in caves, old castles, or forgotten crypts.



Background: The strigoi are very similar to ghouls, and each one must drink the vitae of a strigoi mort to survive. They prey on the nightmares of children, visiting them in astral form or the shape of an animal, feeding on their psychic energy and only occasionally drinking their blood. Occasionally, if they find one who meets their criteria, they will Embrace her and she will become a strigoi vii over the course of the next few years. When it is time to cross over to real death, a strigoi vii witch is Embraced by a strigoi mort, and then must drink blood for survival as any other vampire.