Adze
A vampire spirit that dwells in tribal sorcerers among the
Ewe, a people inhabiting parts of southeastern Ghana and
southern Togo in Africa. 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
An arabic vampire, which translated means horse leech, or a
blodsucking Djinn. This form of vampire is traditionally a female
demon that feasted upon dead babies and inhabited cemeteries.
Alp
A German vampiric spirit associated with the boogeyman and
the incubus, normally tormenting the nights and dreams of women.
The creatures physical manifestations can be very dangerous.
Long connected with the nightmare, the alp is considered male,
somtimes 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 lechorus 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
A vampire found in Africa, known among the Ashanti of
southern Ghana and by people in areas of the Ivory Coast and
Togo. The Asanbosam is belived 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 hooklike appendages. Anyone walking by the tree in which it
resides will be scooped up and killed.
Aswang
A vampire from the Philippines, belived 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 belived that the person will die soon afterwards.
Bajang
A Malysian vampire, assumed to be male, apperaing 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
A Scottish vampire that normally disguised itself as a
beautiful maiden and lured its victims to there deaths. In fairy
lore the Baobhan-sith usually appeared dressed in green.
Bebarlangs
A tribe found in the Philippines that had members that
practised a form of psychic vampirism. They apparently sent out
there astral bodys and fed on the life forces and vitalty of
individuals.
Bhuta
A vampire from India, normally created due to the violent
death of an individual. The Bhuta are found in cemetries or in
dark desolate places, eating excrement or intestines. An attack
by one of these creatures usually resulted in severe sickness or
death.
Brahmaparush
A vampire from India that enjoys consuming human beings.
This creature would drink a victims blood through its skull,
than eat the brain from the skull and finally proceed to wrap
the victims intestines around its body and perform a ritual
dance.
Bruxsa
A female vampire from Portugal. The Bruxsa 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 travellers. 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.
Chordewa
A witch found among the Oraons, capable 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
A vengeful ghostlike vampire found in India, 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 tounge and
unkept hair.
Civatateo
A witch-vampire found among the Aztecs. Said to be a servant of
various moon deities, and assummed to be noble women who died in
child birth. Children were there favourite victims, dying soon
after attack of a wasting disease. These vampires were said to
appear with white faces, there hands covered in white chalk, and
with crossbones drawn on there clothing.
Danag
A Filipino vampire held to be very aincent 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
A dreaded creature of Ireland, whose name means "Red Blood
Sucker." An aincent 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 church yard near
Strongbows Tree. Several times a year she rises from her grave,
using her stunning apperance to lure man to there doom.
Doppelsauger
A German vampire found in northern regions, among the Wends
(a Slavic race). The idea was that a child once weaned would
become a vampire if s/he should nurse again. On its passing into
a vampire the Doppelsauger will eat the fleshy parts of its
breast and in so doing will draw out the lifes essence from a
living relative.
Ekimmu
One of the most feared of aincent 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
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
A 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 belived that seeing the eyes of such a
creature would result in a slow withering death.
Estrie
A Hebrew spirit, always female and invaribly assuming the
shape of a vampire. The Estrie is considered to be an incorperal
spirit of evil that has taken the form of flesh and blood, and
lives among humanity to satisfy its need for blood. Its
favourite prey is said to be children, allthough no one is
considered safe when it needs to feed.
Gayal
A vampiric spirit from India. 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 on relatives. The threat of
a relative returning as a Gayal usually ensures that the proper
funeral rites are preformed.
Impundulu
A vampiric servant of a witch found in the eastern Cape
region of Africa. It was usually passed down from mother to
daughter and was used to inflict suffering on ones enemys. It
was said to have an insatiable appetite and had to be continously
let feed, it also used to take the form of a handsome man and
become a lover to its mistress.
Incubus
Without doubt one of the most famous forms of vampires, the
male form of the Succubus, the Imcubus 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.
Jaracacas
A 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 childs mouth.
Jigarkhwar
A vampiric sorceress found in the Sind region of India. She
feeds by extracting a persons liver through a piercing stare and
various incantations. The liver is then cooked on a fire and
eaten, at which time the victim dies.
Kasha
A Japanese vampire that feeds by removing corpses from graves
or prior to cremation and devouring them.
Kozlak
A Dalamtian vampire about whom very little is known.
Prevalent among Croat beliefs
Kuang-shi
A Chinese vampire, caused by the demonic poession of a
recently deceased corpse. Said to have a terrifying apperance,
as it matures it gains new skills with the older among them
rumoured to have the ability to fly.
Lamia
A Libyian vampire. 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
A Malysian 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
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 lifes essence through exhaustive love making.
Lobishomen
A 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
nymphomanical tendencies.
Loogaroo
A 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
A form of Albanian vampire, said to be reasonably harmless,
only feeding briefly on its victims, not actually killing them.
Mara
A Slavic vampire, also found in the legends of the Kashube
people of Canada. Said to be the spirit of an unbaptized 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 plauge his slumbers till his death. She is
also said to be fond of feeding on the blood of children.
Masan
A vampire from India, said to be usually the ghost of a child,
that 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
A female vampire from India, she is said to be the spirit of
burial grounds. She is black in apperance. Her hunts are
conducted by night, starting as she emerges from a funeral pyre.
Anyone passing the burial site will be attacked.
Mormo
A vampire from Greek mythology, said to be a servant of the
goddess Hecate. Considered to be a terrible denzien of the
underworld.
Moroii
A living Romanian vampire. It can be either male or female,
and exhibits most of the characteristics of a Strigoii.
Muroni
A kind of vampire found in the 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.
Nachzeher
A vampire found among the 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
A 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
A German vampire, considered to be a great carrier of plagues
and pestilence, traditionally only seen in times of great
epidemics.
Nosferatu
A Romanian 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.
Obayifo
A living vampire found among the Ashanti people of the Gold
Coast in Africa. It is said to be a male or female human which
leaves its human body at night and feeds. Said to be
particualarly fond of young children, it can also cause blight
in crops.
Ohyn
A vampire from Poland, caused by the presence of teeth and a
caul at birth.
Pacu Pati
A powerful vampire from India. The creature is deemed lord
of all beings of mischief. It is seem at night in cemeteries and
places of execution.
Pelesit
A Malaysian spirit vampire. It invades a persons body,
causing illness and death. Victims will rant and rave while
under its possession.
Penanggalan
A Malysian vampire, which flies at night with only the head and
neck of its body complete and with its intestines dangling
beneath them. The creature is always female and generally feeds
on children or women in labour.
Pijavica
A Slovenian vampire. It is created as a result of evils
perpetrated during a persons mortal life, particularly incest
which is guaranteed to cause ones return as a member of the
undead. It generally feeds on relatives or descendents.
Pisacha
A vampire from India, said to be a creature created by
humanities vices. While it is in general an evil deity, its
favourite past time being the consumption of fresh corpses, it
can also cure diseases if enticed too.
Polong
A vampiric imp from Malaysia, created by bottling the blood
of a murdered man and performing certain archaic rituals over
the bottle, a bond is made between the creator of the Polong and
itself by allowing it to feed briefly each day on a finger. It
is closely associated with Pelesit
Rakshasa
A vampire from India, 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
A living vampire found in Madagascar. A servant of the tribal
elders the Ramanga would consume the nail clippings and spilled
blood of a noble member of the tribe.
Stregoni benefici
An Italian vampire, said to be on the side of goodness, and
a mortal enemy of all evil vampires.
Striges
A female witch-vampire which could transforn into a crow and
would then drink the blood of humans. Classified among the
living vampires.
Strigoii
The infamous Romanian dead vampire. There numerous ways to
become a Strigoii, including being a seventh son and suicide.
Generally said to be friendly towards Gypsys.
Succubus
A female vampire, a fiend that visits men in there sleep to
torment their dreams and engage them in sex. The Succubus could
render a victim totally exhausted in its pursuit of carnal
pleasure.
Talamaur
A living vampire found in Australia. 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
Vampiric witches found among the Nahuatl Indians of Mexico.
They can turn into a ball of flame or into a turkey, in which
form they can feed unnoticed.
Ubour
A 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
A Polish vampire that is unusual in the fact that it rises
at mid day and returns to sleep at midnight. It is said to have
a barbed tounge and consumes vast quantities of blood. This
creatures fascination with blood goes much further than normal
vampires as it sleeps in blood as well.
Upir
A vampire found in the Ukraine, that is noted for its desire
to eat large amounts of fish.
Upyr
A 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.
Ustrel
A Bulgarian vampire that preyed exclusively on cattle.
Thought to be the spirit of an unbaptisied child that has
recently died.
Utukku
A Babylonian vampire spirit, sometimes viewed as a demon.
Generally belived to be the spirit of a recently deceased person
that has returned from the grave for some unknown reason.
Zmeu
A vampiric figure found in Moldavia. It took 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.