SUNLIGHT: We burn...as much as the next person. The sunlight thing comes in where those of us with improved eyesight are concerned. Too much light can get into our eyes at once, and it can burn them. Fixed by either sunglasses, or likewise. Not a big problem on cloudy days. Easy to deal with in small doses. For some reason we all feel more at home in the dark and at night. Except, it is hard for us to stay awake when we feel sunlight on us. We can stay awake, but the
urge to pass out is almost unbearable. The older you get in vampiric years, the more you feel the pull of sleep at day, and extremely restless at night. That is perhaps why most vampires work the night shift.
SKIN/MARKINGS: The skin has an odd stretchy quality after awhile. More difficult to pierce. Can be much shinier or have a kind of luster at times. Certain of us get odd markings on our necks. You can tell how far along these vamps are in the moon cycle by the color and number of marks. Draining marks can be left on a person from time to time. It usually shows where the tips of the fingers were, and they are reddish, with small, rash-like, bumps. You can tell whether a vampire is sick or underfed or ill, bu how their skin looks, and how far it can stretch.

Before I left for the mid-west, I was trained as a Hunter, one of the vampires specifically taught for tracking down animals, humans, other vampires, etc. I was chosen because of the fact that all of my senses improved.So they helped me develop them to automatically record specific smells, etc. I was trained to feel the presence of different things, and I am good at it. It is part of the reason it is hard to sneak up on me, and part of the reason I always know when my fledgling is nearby. The other reason I know when he's around is because I made him. I can feel his presence at approx.20 yards, unless there is much in the way, e.g. walls, people, etc.
When people are trying to sneak up on you their breathing changes and their heart rate speeds. TRACKING VAMPIRES: A vampire has an aura they project that has a magnetizing effect on humans. A vampire can recognize another vampire by it. Sort of a kindered spirit thing. You know your own kind. Plus, we give off a slightly different scent than humans.
TRACKING WEREWOLVES: A werewolf also has a different scent, and their aura pulses a bit since their brain activity differs from a normal human's. It has a reddish feel.
TRACKING ANIMALS: Anyone can do it. Tracking animals is simple. Recognize the types of vegetation and creatures living in the area, pay close attention to smell, sounds, footprints, etc. Any human hunter can do it.
Hunter Vampires are mainly used to find vampires who go missing.

HEIGHTENED SENSES: It varies. For instance, someone with poor eyesight, their vision may not improve, but their hearing and sense of smell may advance. Or a normal person with average senses may get excellent eyesight, but keep average hearing and smell. It varies. All of my senses advanced, but it was because I was half turned naturally before bitten.
"CHARMS": Vampires give off a high level of pheremones. This makes it so that nearly every person we come in contact with is "interested" in us. We can shut off the excess pheremones, but
we disable our powers in doing this.Then there is our physical and etheric presences. We give off that magnetizing aura, and when we
don't sheild ourselves in any way, whether it be bad clothes, jerky movements, etc, we are irresistable. Our natural movements can be hypnotic. Our eyes seem to say, " I could throw you down right now and f**k you 'till your head explodes, and not even break a sweat," and they can throw people into a trance on accident.
We seem ethereal, or maybe like succubi or incubi when we fail to mask our natural movements, looks, etc. Sometimes people can be horrified though. But it is a rare effect, and that is when you
get your vampire hunters.
POWERS: Powers differ depending on the vampire. Some of us can glean thoughts. Some of usare extra quick. Some of us can use our energy drain to heal or harm. Some of us can influence other's thoughts, feelings and actions.
All of us can drain energy, transfer and circulate energy, know what a person is feeling without any prodding or hints, and we can all move especially smooth and balanced at will.

THE CHANGING BITE: It's like a reversal of energy draining, when you're trying to put you're vampiric energy into them. It also requires lots of concentration, but is much simpler than a channeling. It can be dangerous if done wrong. You can hurt yourself, or the other person. Really all you have to do is focus on transferrance. Just imagine as if you are possessing them. When it's
done, you'll feel it.
ENERGY DRAINING: Most do it automatically, until they practice controlling it. You don't have to bite, or even touch the other person, but it's easier if you do. It can be done by biting the other, or by putting your hand on them. Or you can project your power outwards, but that is really hard. Draining, whether sanguine or etheric, can be a very sensual, or sexual thing, unless done reflexively, so it is best to only drain those who are willing, or who you like, because it is easier. Though it is fun to drain enemies in anger.

I was a half-vampire since I was eleven, and was turned at the age of fifteen. I knew nothing about the lore and stuff until I was turned, since it never interested me until then.
So before I discuss the true history, I want to clear up a few things that are wrong in the occult scene.
1. Some vampires are intolerant to garlic, but it varies. All weaknesses are different depending on the vampire. Any metals, or things that affect us are different. I’ve met vampires who can’t have garlic, just like I’ve met humans who can’t eat tomatoes. The only difference is the effect it has. When a vampire has an allergy, it just makes them weak. No rashes, nothing. Just weaknesses. But we have human allergies left over from before the turn too. A vampire allergic to oranges, as a human, for instance, will still get rashes. No weakness. The only allergies that make us weak are the ones from afterward.
2. Crosses have no effect upon us. Most of us just don’t like church. I mean, who isn’t afraid of a Jehovah’s Witness? They’re like cult recruiters. I know many vampires that are Catholic and go to mass every Sunday.
3. So, obviously, sunlight has no effect. It only comes in where our eyes are extra sensitive. Most can see very well, and if too much light gets into our eyes, it burns. Literally. Our eyes get all bloodshot and we can’t see very well at all for a few days. Sunglasses, or a hat fix that pretty quick.
4. Another thing about the sun is true though. Most vampires sleep all day and are awake all night. But it’s interesting how it comes about. We can stay awake during the day, but it is very hard. Our bodies struggle to fall back asleep. You always feel like you could lay down and pass out. And at night, it is nearly impossible to fall asleep. At sunset, you feel all the energy rush into your body. This is mainly why most vampires work night-shift jobs. The sunlight doesn’t start to affect you this way until about the third year. I’m starting to get it right now. It sucks because I’m still in school. So I sleep when I get home, wake up at about 8pm, eat, take a shower, and then stay up as long as possible, going back to sleep at around 4:00am for a bit more rest. So far it is working well. It’s definitely better than insomnia.
5. Only a peasant would believe in the following warding off vampires: A) Buckthorn or whitethorn shrubs, believed to be what was used to make the crown of Jesus Christ entangle and confuse vamps. B) Putting millet seeds around the grave, a vampire will take the seeds instead of victims. C) Keeping sharp objects under your pillow. D) Keeping a cloth with feces on it on your chest while you sleep. [that would keep anything away…eww]
6. A stake through the heart would kill anyone. So would chopping someone’s head off, or lighting them on fire. Peasants are stupid in their method of killing vampires. But they were thorough, even though they thought a corpse could rise from the dead. They used to fill the grave of a suspected vampire with straw, put a stake in their chest, lit the straw and burned the body. Sometimes they would cut off the head of the corpse with a sexton’s spade, put the head at the feet of the corpse, and cover it with dirt. Then in another way they would put whitethorn on the corpse’s navel, shave all of the body except the head, slit the soles of the corpse’s feet, and put a nail into the back of the corpse’s head.
7. We are not dead. We need not go to a grave in the daytime, thought a coffin does successfully cut off all sunlight. Our heart rates are slower than average, and in supplication with that, our body temperature’s are lower too. We can hold our breath longer, and we breathe slower. We are stronger in ration to our bodies. The average person (who doesn’t work out) can lift half their weight. A vampire can lift their weight and a half. So a vamp that weighs 150lbs can lift about 225lbs. If we develop our skills, we are definitely superhuman in every aspect. But a vampire who doesn’t take care may be no stronger than the average human. We can move very gracefully at will, with much balance.