Vampires
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Vlkodlak/Volkodlak
The Vlkodlak is from Serbian legend. They starts out as werewolves, being humans who could turn into wolves without any additional supernatural abilities. After they die as werewolves, they rise from the grave as a Vlkodlak. They resembles a drunk person with skin flushed red like blood. They exist in this form for seven years and drain the blood of the living. After these seven years, they become normal humans, which will turn into a Vlkodlak again upon its death. A Vlkodlak can also be created if someone sees a werewolf and survives, which guarantees they become this after death. They can also be created by eating sheep that has…
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Vjestitiza/Veshtica
The Vjestitiza is a vampiric witch from Slavic myth in Montenegro and Serbia. They appear as old women, but may take the form of a blue ball of light. They can be recognized by facial hair, sharp teeth, and prominent bones. They use magic with a wand and may grow bat wings after becoming Vjestitiza. They prey on children and cannot attack the elderly. They can shape shift into various animals such as hens, flies, and black moths. They often hunt alone and may form covens. They drink blood and may rip out their victims hearts. After taking the heart and liver from a victim, they can schedule when and…
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Varcolac/Varacolaci(pl.)
The Varcolac is a form of wolf monster from Romanian myth. Some believe the Varcolac is a Christian reinvention of Fenrir. They sometimes take the form of demons who possess the corpses of unbaptized children. They can be created when someone commits suicide, or they can simply become a Varcolac from a hereditary curse. Some however believe God sends the Varcolaci to consume the moon to lead men to repent. When they rise from the grave they have pale, dry skin. They’re seen as enemies of light who seek to swallow the sun and the moon, causing eclipses when they near success. They are particularly active on St. Georges day,…
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Upyr
The Upyr is a Russian vampire that rises from the dead. They hunt down entire families starting with the children and working up to the adults. They come from the corpse of a witch or from someone who committed suicide. They can also be created if a person or animal walks over the grave of someone recently deceased, causing them to drain their life force to reanimate themselves. Citations: Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.
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Upier/Upierczi(pl)
Upierczi are undead vampires from Poland. They build nests in crypts or some other secure location. They rarely use their own graves for their nests and instead nest far from their own burial locations. They hunt from noon to midnight. They fill their nests with blood when they come back and sleep in them. They use their forked tongues to attack instead of fangs. They are constantly hungry and drain their victims entirely. They are the risen corpse of someone born without teeth or with a caul. In life they are agitated, hyperactive, and have an intense flushed face. They are completely evil after death. They can be prevented from becoming…
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Upior
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Tsutsuga
The Tsutsuga are a form of shapeshifting Yokai from Japan. They are capable of taking the form of bugs, birds, vermin, will o wisps, fog, or recognizable religious figures. They sneak into houses at night to infect humans with various diseases and feed on the misery of those it makes sick. Many victims of the Tsutsuga become miserable enough in their sickness to commit suicide, which also feeds the Tsutsuga. The Kara-Mon gate has a bronze statue of one. Citations: La Boda, Sharon. International Dictionary of Historic Places: Asia and Oceania. United Kingdom, Fitzroy Dearborn, 1994. Guides, Insight. Insight Guides Japan (Travel Guide EBook). United Kingdom, Apa Publications, 2018. Maberry,…
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Tenatz
The Tenatz are from Bosnian legends. They are undead shapeshifters. They can turn into mice or other small burrowing creatures to escape from their graves. They return to the form of a walking corpse once above ground. They consume blood. Cutting the hamstrings of a corpse is thought to prevent them from rising as a Tenatz. If they have already risen, they can be stopped with fire or exorcism. Citations: Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.
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Sundel Bolong/Sundal Bolong
The Sundel Belong is a form of ghost from Indonesia. The name translates to “prostitue hole” referring to the large hole in their backs. Sometimes they’re ghosts of women who died while pregnant outside of marriage. As the baby is still inside her body when she’s buried, it is born in the grave and bursts out of her back. This action leaves a massive hole in her back. She often has long black hair reaching all the way down her back to cover the hole. They often take the form of a seductive woman in a white dress. They appear pale but entirely human aside from the hole in their…
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Strigoi
The Strigoi is a form of vampiric monster from Romanian myth. The term Strigoi can be used as a general term for any evil entity, and it comes from the Italian word “strega” meaning Witch. They often shapeshift into night birds like owls. Over time they transformed from witch vampires to an undead form of vampire. Citations: Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.
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Stregoni Benefici
The Stregoni Benefici is a unique supernatural creature from Italian belief. Sometimes they are seen as an Italian variation of the Krsnik. Their name translates to “beneficial vampire.” They are thought to be a form of living vampire, or half vampire, that repents from evil and is forgiven by the church. They abstain from drinking blood and become powerful monster hunters. Sometimes they aren’t actually vampires at all and are simply humans who dedicate their life to vampire hunting. Citations: Bunson, Matthew. The Vampire Encyclopedia. United Kingdom, Gramercy Books, 2000. Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2017. Gothic Shakespeares. Ukraine, Taylor & Francis, 2008. Maberry,…
