Vampires A-Z
A
Adze
Area
from/nationality: southeastern Ghana and southern Togo in Africa. A
vampire spirit that dwells among the Ewe. The Adze flies around in
the form of firefly but, if caught, changes into a human. It drinks
blood, palm oil and coconut water and preys on children, especially
handsome ones.
Algul
Area
from/nationality: Arabic. Vampire, which translated means horse
leech, or a bloodsucking jinn. This form of vampire is traditionally
a female demon that feasted upon dead babies and inhabited
cemeteries.
Alp
Area
from/nationality: German. Vampiric spirit associated with the
bogeyman and the incubus, normally tormenting the nights and dreams
of women. The creature's physical manifestations can be very
dangerous. Long connected with the nightmare, the alp is considered
male, sometimes the spirit of a recently deceased relative, most
often an actual demon. Children can become an Alp when a mother uses
a horse collar to ease childbirth. During the middle ages the alp was
said to appear as a cat, pig, bird or other animal, including a
lecherous demon dog scene in Cologne, thus linking the werewolf in
with this legend. In all its manifestations the Alp is known to wear
a hat. The spirit can fly like a bird, can ride like a horse and is
credited with a certain gallant attitude, rarely forcing itself on
its prey. The Alp drinks blood from the nipples of men and children
but prefers the milk of women. Because it is so involved in terrors
of the mind and sleep the Alp is virtually impossible to kill.
Asanbosam
Area
from/nationality: Africa - southern Ghana and areas of the Ivory
Coast and Togo. A Vampire known among the Ashanti of southern Ghana
and by people in areas of the Ivory Coast and Togo. The Asanbosam is
believed to reside in deep forests, most often encountered there by
hunters. It is of general human shape, with two exceptions: its teeth
are made out of iron and its leg have hook like appendages. Anyone
walking by the tree in which it resides will be scooped up and
killed.
Aswang
Area
from/nationality: Philippines, A vampire believed to be a beautiful
female by day and a fearsome flying fiend by night. The Aswang can
live a normal life during daylight hours. At night however the
creature is led to the houses of its victims by night birds. Its
nourishment is always blood, and it prefers to feed on children. The
creature is recognized by its swollen form after feeding, it looks
almost pregnant. If the Aswang licks a persons shadow it is believed
that the person will die soon afterwards.
B
Bajang
Area
from/nationality: Malaysian. A vampire, assumed to be male, appearing
as a cat and normally threatening children. The Bajang can be
enslaved and turned into a demon servant and is often handed down
from one generation to the next within a family. It is kept in a
tabong (bamboo vessel), which is protected by various charms. While
imprisoned it is fed with eggs and will turn on its owner if not
enough food is provided. The master of such a demon can send it out
to inflict harm on his/her enemy, the enemy usually dying soon after
of a mysterious disease. According to traditions the Bajang came from
the body of a stillborn child, coaxed out of it by various
incantations.
Baobhan-sith
Area
from/nationality: Scottish. Vampire that normally disguised itself as
a beautiful maiden and lured its victims to their deaths. In fairy
lore the Baobhan-sith usually appeared dressed in green.
Bebarlangs
Area
from/nationality: Philippines. A tribe whose members are rumored to
have practiced a form of psychic vampirism. They apparently sent out
there astral bodies and fed on the life forces and vitality of
individuals.
Bhuta
Area
from/nationality: India. Normally created due to the violent death of
an individual. The Bhuta are found in cemeteries or in dark desolate
places, eating excrement or intestines. An attack by one of these
creatures usually resulted in severe sickness or death.
Brahmaparush
Area
from/nationality: India. A vampire that enjoys consuming human
beings. This creature would drink a victim's blood through its skull,
than eat the brain from the skull and finally proceed to wrap the
victim's intestines around its body and perform a ritual dance.
Bruxa
Area
from/nationality: Portugal. A female vampire, the Bruxa is normally
transformed into Vampiric form by witchcraft. She leaves her home at
night in the form of a bird and her most frequent activity is
tormenting weary lost travelers. She is said to appear as a beautiful
maiden and leads a normal human life by day, bearing children, which
in general become her regular form of food. She is said to be
impossible to kill.
C
Chordewa
Area
from/nationality: Oraons. A witch cable of turning her soul into a
form of vampire cat. It is said that if the cat licks a persons lips
that they will die soon after.
Churel
Area
from/nationality: India. A vengeful ghostlike vampire, normally a
woman that died while pregnant during the Dewali Festival. She is
said to hate life with her greatest spite being kept for her
relatives. The Churel is said to be vile in appearance, possessing
pendant breasts, thick ugly lips, a black tongue and unkempt hair.
Civatateo
Area
from/nationality: Aztec. A witch-vampire found among the Aztecs. Said
to be a servant of various moon deities, and assumed to be noble
women who died in childbirth. Children were there favorite victims,
dying soon after attack of a wasting disease. These vampires were
said to appear with white faces, their hands covered in white chalk,
and with crossbones drawn on their clothing.
D
Danag
Area
from/nationality: Filipino. Vampire held to be very ancient as a
species, responsible for having planted taro on the islands long ago.
The Danag worked with humans for many years but the partnership ended
one day when a woman cut her finger and a Danag sucked her wound,
enjoying the taste so much that it drained her body completely of
blood.
Dearg-due
Area
from/nationality: Ireland. A dreaded creature, whose name means "Red
Blood Sucker." An ancient vampire that dates back to Celtic
times, it is still feared. The only way to curb its predations is to
pile stones upon any grave suspected of housing such a beast. The
most famous tale of the Dearg-due is the story of a beautiful woman
supposedly buried in Waterford, in a small churchyard near Strongbows
Tree. Several times a year she rises from her grave, using her
stunning appearance to lure man to their doom.
Doppelsauger
E
Ekimmu
Area
from/nationality: Ancient Assyria and Babylonia. One of the most
feared of ancient vampires, found among the Assyrians and
Babylonians. It is said to be a departed spirit, the soul of a dead
person unable to find peace. The creature wondered over the earth
waiting to attack. There were many ways in which a person could
become an Ekimmu, among these were violent/premature death,
unfulfilled love and improper burial.
Empusas
Area
from/nationality: Greece. A Vampiric creature from Greek mythology,
usually said to be in attendance to the goddess Hecate. They are
described as demons, which can from time to time take human form.
There most common incarnation seems to have been in the form of a
Phoenician woman.
Eretica
Area
from/nationality: Russian. Vampire, usually considered to be a
heretic who has returned from the dead. It was in general said to be
a woman who sold her soul in life and then returns in the form of a
ragged old woman. At nightfall a group of Ereticy would gather in
ravines and perform a form of sabbat. Said to be active only in
spring and autumn, it was believed that seeing the eyes of such a
creature would result in a slow withering death.
Estrie
Area
from/nationality: Hebrew. A spirit, always female and invariably
assuming the shape of a vampire. The Estrie is considered to be an
incorporeal spirit of evil that has taken the form of flesh and
blood, and lives among humanity to satisfy its need for blood. Its
favorite prey is said to be children, although no one is considered
safe when it needs to feed.
F
None found
G
Gayal
Area
from/nationality: India. A Vampiric spirit. Usually created due to
the death of a man who has no one to properly perform the burial
rites at his funeral. When he returns the Gayal reeks his revenge
upon the sons of others and upon his own relatives. The threat of a
relative returning as a Gayal usually ensures that the proper funeral
rites are preformed.
H
None found
I
Impundulu
Area
from/nationality: Eastern Cape region of Africa A Vampiric servant of
a witch. It was usually passed down from mother to daughter and was
used to inflict suffering on ones enemies. It was said to have an
insatiable appetite and had to be continuously let feed, it also used
to take the form of a handsome man and become a lover to its
mistress.
Incubus
Area
from/nationality: unconfirmed - European. Without doubt one of the
most famous forms of vampires, the male form of the Succubus, the
Incubus used to visit women at night, make love to them and torment
their dreams. It posses all the characteristic properties of the
vampire, with nightly visits to its victims, draining of life and
strength and extreme sexual desire. Like vampires found among Gypsy
and Slavic communities it can father children.
J
Jaracacas
Area
from/nationality: Brazilian. Vampire, believed to appear in the form
of a snake, it feeds on the breast of a woman, doing this by pushing
the child out of the way and silencing the child by pushing its tail
into the child's mouth.
Jigarkhwar
Area
from/nationality: Sind region of India . A vampiric sorceress. She
feeds by extracting a person's liver through a piercing stare and
various incantations. The liver is then cooked on a fire and eaten,
at which time the victim dies.
K
Kasha
Area
from/nationality: Japanese. Vampire that feeds by removing corpses
from graves or prior to cremation and devouring them.
Kuang-shi
Area
from/nationality: Chinese. Vampire, caused by the demonic possession
of a recently deceased corpse. Said to have a terrifying appearance,
as it matures it gains new skills with the older among them rumored
to have the ability to fly.
L
Lamia
Area
from/nationality: Libyan. According to legend Lamia was a Queen of
Libya and all of her children were slain by the goddess Hera, and who
in revenge still roams the earth feeding on infants. She is also said
to entice men into sex and then devours them in a gruesome fashion.
Langsuir
Area
from/nationality: Malaysian. Vampire, said always to take the form of
a beautiful woman. A woman can become such a creature if she dies in
childbirth. She is said to have extremely long nails, dress in green
robes and have black hair, which hangs down to her ankles. She
generally feeds on the blood of children.
Leanhaum-shee
Area
from/nationality: Irish. An Irish fairy mistress, not actually a
vampire but engaging in vampiric activities. She used her incredible
beauty to lure men to her side and then used her charms to place them
under her spell. The victim would then waste away as she slowly
drained away his life's essence through exhaustive love making.
Lobishomen
Area
from/nationality: Brazilian. Vampire, that preys mainly on women. It
does not actually kill its victims preferring instead to draw small
amounts of blood. After its attack, the woman begins to display
nymphomaniac tendencies.
Loogaroo
Area
from/nationality: West Indian. Vampire said to go to a "Devil
Tree" each night and remove its skin. It then flies off in
search of its victims, in the form of a sulfurous ball.
Lugat
Area
from/nationality: Albanian. Vampire, said to be reasonably harmless,
only feeding briefly on its victims, not actually killing them.
M
Mara
Area
from/nationality Slavic vampire, also known to the Kashube people of
Canada. Said to be the spirit of an unbaptised dead girl, she is
considered to be a terrible night visitor who crushes and oppresses
her victims. In the Slavic legend once the Mara drinks the blood of a
man she will fall in love with him and will return to plague his
slumbers till his death. She is also said to be fond of feeding on
the blood of children. May also be related to Mare, a similar
phenomenon found in German legends.
Masan
Area
from/nationality: India. Vampire said to be typically the ghost of a
child, which delights in tormenting and killing children. The Masan
is said to be able to curse a child that walks in its shadow. It will
also follow a woman home should she allow her gown drag on the ground
over his shadow.
Masani
Area
from/nationality: India. A female vampire , she is said to be the
spirit of burial grounds. She is black in appearance. Her hunts are
conducted by night, starting as she emerges from a funeral pyre.
Anyone passing the burial site will be attacked.
Mormo
Area
from/nationality: Greek. A vampire from Greek mythology, said to be a
servant of the goddess Hecate. Considered to be a terrible denizen of
the underworld.
Moroii
Area
from/nationality : Romanian. A living vampire. It can be either male
or female, and exhibits most of the characteristics of a Strigoii
Muroni
Area
from/nationality: Wallachia region of Romania. It is said to have the
ability to change itself into a variety of different animal forms.
While in one of these incarnations the Muroni can kill easily, with
misleading signs of attack being left.
N
Nachzeher
Area
from/nationality: Kashubes of northern Europe. This vampire has the
ability to kill its relatives by psychic means. While in its grave
the vampire will begin to devour its shroud and then pieces of its
own flesh. This causes living relatives to begin to waste away.
Nelapsi
Area
from/nationality: Slovak. Vampire, which can cause serious harm to
the living. The Nelapsi is said to be able to massacre entire
villages in a single visit. It also has the ability to kill with a
single glance.
Neuntoter
Area
from/nationality: German. Vampire, considered to be a great carrier
of plagues and pestilence, traditionally only seen in times of great
epidemics.
Nosferatu
Area
from/nationality: Romanian. A species of vampire, said to be the
illegitimate child of parents who were illegitimate. Soon after its
burial the Nosferatu embarks on a long career of destruction. It
delights in tormenting and engaging in wild orgies with the living.
The male can father children. The vampire hates newly married couples
due to its own illegitimacy and wreaks its revenge on such couples by
making the groom impotent and the bride barren.
O
Obayifo
Area
from/nationality: Ashanti people of Gold Coast in Africa. A living
vampire. It is said to be a male or female human, which leaves its
human body at night and feeds. Said to be particularly fond of young
children, it can also cause blight in crops.
Ohyn
Area
from/nationality: Poland. Said to be caused by the presence of teeth
and a caul at birth.
P
Pacu
Pati
Area
from/nationality: India. The creature is deemed lord of all beings of
mischief. It is seem at night in cemeteries and places of execution.
Pelesit
Area
from/nationality: Malaysian. A spirit vampire. It invades a person's
body, causing illness and death. Victims will rant and rave while
under its possession.
Q
None found
R
Rakshasa
Area
from/Nationality: India. Vampire whose name translates as "the
injurer". The female assumes the form of a beautiful woman,
luring man to their death. In the newer legends the Rakhassa is said
to live in trees and induces vomiting and indigestion in people who
stray into its territory. A child will be transformed into such a
creature if he can be induced to eat human brains.
Ramanga
Area
from/Nationality: Madagascar. A living vampire. A servant of the
tribal elders the Ramanga would consume the nail clippings and
spilled blood of a noble member of the tribe.
S
Stregoni
Benefici
An
Italian vampire, said to be on the side of goodness, and a mortal
enemy of all evil vampires.
Striges
Area
from/Nationality: unconfirmed. A female witch-vampire, which could
transform into a crow and would then drink the blood of humans.
Classified among the living vampires.
Strigoii
Area
from/Nationality: Romanian. The infamous dead vampire. There are
numerous ways to become a Strigoii, including being a seventh son and
suicide. Generally said to be friendly towards Gypsies.
Succubus
Area
from/Nationality: unconfirmed - European. A female vampire, a fiend
that visits men in their sleep to torment their dreams and engage
them in sex. The Succubus could render a victim totally exhausted in
its pursuit of carnal pleasure.
T
Talamaur
Area
from/Nationality: Australia. A living vampire. This creature could
communicate with the spirit world, making one of these spirits its
servant, which it could then send among the living. One version of
the Talamaur could send out its soul to drain the remaining life
essence from a fresh corpse.
Tlaciques
Area
from/Nationality: Nahuatl Indians of Mexico. Vampiric witches. They
can turn into a ball of flame or into a turkey, in which form they
can feed unnoticed.
U
Ubour
Area
from/Nationality: Bulgarian. Vampire, created when a person dies
violently or the spirit refuses to leave the body. The corpse remains
buried for forty days and then arises to cause mischief. It generally
won't drink blood until its other sources of nourishment are gone,
and as these include regular food the attacking of humans rarely
occurs. The Ubour is said to create sparks by its movement.
Upier
Area
from/Nationality: Polish. Vampire that is unusual in the fact that it
rises at midday and returns to sleep at midnight. It is said to have
a barbed tongue and consumes vast quantities of blood. This
creature's fascination with blood goes much further than normal
vampires as it sleeps in blood as well. May be related to the Upir
and Upyr.
Upir
Area
from/Nationality: Ukraine. Vampire that is noted for its desire to
eat large amounts of fish. May also be related to Upier and Upyr.
Upyr
Area
from/Nationality: Russian. Vampire, considered to be extremely
vicious. It will first attack children and then continue on to kill
the parents. As with the Upier the Upyr rises during the day and
sleeps at night, and in doing so has a fairly human appearance. May
be related to Upir and Upier.
Ustrel
Area
from/Nationality: Bulgarian. Vampire that preyed exclusively on
cattle. Thought to be the spirit of an unbaptisied child that has
recently died.
Utukku
Area
from/Nationality: Babylonian. Vampire spirit, sometimes viewed as a
demon. Generally believed to be the spirit of a recently deceased
person that has returned from the grave for some unknown reason.
V
Varacolaci
Area
from/Nationality: Romanian. Vampire that ranks among the most
powerful of all the undead. It is said to have the ability to cause
both lunar and solar eclipses. They may appear as pale humans with
dry skin. They can travel on an astral thread, the midnight spinning,
traveling as far as need as long as the thread remains unbroken.
Volkodlak
Area
from/Nationality: Slovenia. Vampire, linked in some ways to various
werewolf legends.
Vourdalak
Area
from/Nationality: Russian. Vampire, considered in Russian folklore to
be a beautiful but evil woman.
Vrykolakas
Area
from/Nationality: Adriatic and Aegean regions. Vampire that is
created by various means including an immoral life. It travels in the
dark and knocks upon doors, calling out the name of someone inside,
if the person responds they will die soon after. It gains further
powers as it grows older.
Vrykolatios
Area
from/Nationality: Island of Santorini. They are described as fiends
which banquet on the living.
W, X, Y
None found
Z
Zmeu
Area
from/Nationality: Moldavia. Vampiric figure that takes the form of a
flame and entered the room of a young girl or widow. Once inside the
flame became a man who seduced her.
