Vampire Personality Characteristics

More from the Congressional Committee on Non-Human Involvement in the Global Economy. This is particularly interesting to those of us who provide mental health services to preternatural populations.

What are vampire personality characteristics?

As far as is known, all vampires were originally human and mortal. Humans vary in terms of personality structure and functioning, and much of that variance remains after the newly dead human rises again as a vampire. There are personality similarities between vampires, however, which can be accounted for by the fact of vampirism itself. These are summarized below.

Paranoia. Due to their status as predator to human prey, and the consequent antipathy between mortal victims and the few immortal hunters, vampires must remain hidden, undiscovered, and defended, their true natures and behavior patterns unrevealed. They are therefore secretive, suspicious, watchful, guarded, and hostile toward humans and other vampires.

Aggressiveness. Vampires view humanity in general as dangerous prey, with all the thrill and savor of the hunt, the chase, and the capture. Toward captured human victims, however, they apparently exhibit the attitude of exploitative indifference that most humans have for their food-animals. Vampires reserve most of their aggressive attention for each other. Rarely, they may express a “higher order” affection for their prey (see below).

Parasitism. As literal parasites, vampires depend on the blood of their victims for their continued existence. They are almost always also psychically parasitic upon selected victims in a manner similar to that of some personality disordered humans. Most experts believe that vampires may be able to achieve a semblance of love or relationship with humans during the parasitic phase before the death of the victim, but only with the imbibing or the exchange of blood. Older vampires may need less blood less often. Blood-taking often occurs without the victim’s conscious knowledge—which partially accounts for the severe underestimation of vampire activity in this country prior to the Attacks of October. In those infrequent instances when a victim has survived a first attack and also been aware of and reported the vampire’s visit, it is evident that the virulent phase of psychic parasitism begins immediately. Vampires may attach themselves for long periods to one “love” object, as do their lesser demonic cousins, the incubi and succubae, until the victim is either Turned or permanently dead.

Ennui, Depression, and Suicidality. An undetermined but probably significant minority of new vampires commit suicide immediately upon recognizing their condition, usually by self-immolation in direct sunlight. Others may refuse to feed, and so fade, but this intent to cause no harm may backfire as the vampire will have less control over the blood lust the longer starvation continues. “Going to earth” or “returning to earth” are the usual vampiric terms for a prolonged voluntary comatose state which can result from injury, defeat by an enemy, or from what would be labeled in humans as depression. Some vampires eventually emerge; some do not. Even vampires who were initially enthusiastic about their new powers may eventually find themselves bored with or tired of the relentlessly aggressive vampire social structure. Vampire duels and challenges, especially against a much more powerful foe, may be a form of suicide for some.