text; un: sekiken

[bloodspring]

Hello. My name is Louis, and it’s been about a month since my arrival.

This is something I’ve been curious about since arriving, so I’d like to gauge the current community:

Are you, do you know, or have you ever known a vampire?

If so, I’d like to learn as much as possible about the vampires from your worlds. While one might have in mind a vampire they would call “stereotypical,” that is undeniably a relative label, and it interests me just how widely the differences can range under what may very well now be called an umbrella term.

For example: My race goes by the name “revenants.” For all intents and purposes, I would still classify us as vampires, as we are immortals sustained by drinking blood—but perhaps you might think other criteria more appropriate for determining whether or not one falls into the vampire category? I welcome any challenges or elaboration.

Some further questions for consideration:

• Do your vampires have fangs? Powers, abilities?
• What kind of blood do they drink? How often? How do they feed?
• What does a vampire’s immortality look like to you?
• Are vampires well-embedded in your world’s history, or are they more recent?
• What relationships do you or they have with non-vampires?
• How have other vampires adapted since coming to this world? Are there any particular hindrances you or they encounter?

These are just a few to prompt discussion, but don’t feel limited to these questions only. This is meant to serve as a collaborative gathering of information.

As all of this may be a sensitive or even unpleasant topic for some, I want to offer full transparency from my side of things, and welcome anonymous responses should anyone wish to protect their identity. Please share as much or as little as you’d like, and feel free to ask if there’s anything you’d want to know of me, as well.

Thank you for reading.

Comments

private;

[demonicbookworm]

Yes and I'm very grateful for that. We're doing our best to change something in the world.

I think so. My world is... a bit of a mess right now, but I should be reincarnated after death. That's just how it works.

It's not making me uncomfortable at all. Don't worry about it.

[bloodspring]

I wish you and your allies the best of luck. I often worry about the state of my home too, while we're away here.

You mentioned having memories of your past life. Were these always known to you, or were they regained at some point?

[demonicbookworm]

Thank you.

I've had strange dreams ever since I was little, but only not too long ago I learned that they were my memories from the past life.

[bloodspring]

I see. I would not say it's the same at all, but revenants have a complicated relationship with memories as well.

Whenever we reach critical conditions, our bodies undergo a process called "dispersal"—a false death, one might say, as we always return from it. The cost is that each time we disperse, we lose part of our memories. Usually it's insignificant enough that one might not even notice they've lost anything... but eventually, it all adds up, and some have entirely forgotten themselves.

It can be astonishing to find what you've let yourself forget. Or rather, what's been ripped away from you.

[demonicbookworm]

I see... I don't have all the memories from my past life and it took me some time to remember the most important things. For instance, I couldn't remember how I died.

Some people forget about this life and they are lost in their past life's memories. They lose themselves, they live only to avenge the past.

I think it may be the reverse of what revenants are experiencing.

[bloodspring]

The reverse, hm... Perhaps.

Maybe it's not my place to say so, but to be consumed by the past and lose sight of what's right in front of you sounds... pitiful. I feel so sorry for them...

[No. Maybe it is his place, as he himself wasn't all that different, haunted by his own ghosts. But now—he wants to face the present properly, in order to pave that brighter future.]

I'd forgotten the details of my death, too. But someone very important to me helped me find them again. Confronting those memories was no small feat... but they're still a part of me, so it was important to me that I did.

[demonicbookworm]

I was once like that too. Thinking that I was better in the past than right now. But I'm not going to chase after my past life's shadow any more.

Confronting those kind of memories is always difficult, I think. Mine was... no better. I did something really stupid after regaining that memory, but it also opened my eyes and made me realize that the past and present are two different things.

[bloodspring]

We've all had our foolish impulses, especially when lost and confused; even I'm no exception to that.

But I'm glad you were able to realize yourself after it, and then set your heart on facing forward. It takes great strength to do so, and surely you're all the better for it now.

[demonicbookworm]

I feel I am a better person now.

Or at least I hope so.

In any case, if you ever need to talk I will always listen.