Vampirism

The vampire lifestyle or vampire subculture is an alternative lifestyle. The vampire subculture has stemmed largely from the goth subculture, but also incorporates some elements of the sadomasochism subculture. GalNet provides a prevalent forum for the subculture along with other media such as glossy magazines, Virtu Experiences and dedicated channels devoted to the topic.Many self-professed vampires actively resent the term "lifestylers", as it tends to carry the connotation that vampirism is not real.Active vampirism within the vampire subculture includes both sanguinarian vampirism, which involves blood consumption,and psychic vampirism, whose practitioners believe they are drawing spiritual nourishment from auric<span style="font-weight:400;font-size:14.6667px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(255,255,255);white-space:pre-wrap;"> or <span style="font-size:14.6667px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;white-space:pre-wrap;">pranic<span style="font-weight:400;font-size:14.6667px;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(255,255,255);white-space:pre-wrap;"> energy.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The Vampire lifestyle appears to be exclusive to human and humanoid societies, especially within the Thauran and Earth societies. It is also almost exclusively found in large metropoles and cities and is rare to be encountered on more rural and developing colonies.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">There are several forms this lifestyle is expressed. From mild adherence to theatrical, elaborate costumes, nightly parties with the consumption of red wine, animal or human blood (1) to the excessive version where genetic tailoring, bionetic enhancements and surgery is used to become a Vampire. These individuals are called “Night Hunters ” by law enforcement agencies.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">While the adherence to any lifestyle, the expression of it is not against the law, attacking and hunting other beings for their blood is.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">(1) <span style="color:rgb(255,255,255);font-family:Arial;font-size:14.6667px;font-weight:400;white-space:pre-wrap;line-height:1.38;">Drinking or consuming blood is perfectly legal and blood from many sources is a traded commodity

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">For Thauran Vampires and Thauran Vampirism see Thauran Vampires

==<span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Members of vampire subculture == ==<span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Contrary to popular belief, members of the vampire subculture range beyond simply those who drink blood. Such members tend to congregate into small clans, usually called covens or "houses," in a <span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">tribal culture<span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> to find acceptance among others that share their beliefs. Generally vampirism is not considered a religion but a spiritual or philosophical path. There are also many modern vampires that are not part of a coven, but rather are solitary. == ==<span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Most vampire enthusiasts wear special clothes to advertise their lifestyle choice. In addition, some play as hybrids, human vampires that take both blood and energy. There are four main types of vampire lifestylers: ==

<span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Psychic vampires
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Psi-vamps are another kind of human vampire that claim to obtain nourishment from the <span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">aura<span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">, psychic energy, or <span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">pranic<span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> energy of others.They believe one must feed from this energy to balance a spiritual or psychological energy deficiency such as a damaged aura or chakra.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">This is not to be confused with the psionic gifted leechers of the Leedei or the Emo Thiefs from Phantas.

<span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Blood donors
===<span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Blood donors are people that willingly allow vampires to drink their blood. Within vampire society, vampires and donors are considered equal, yet donors are expected to be subservient to the vampires.At the same time, donors are difficult to find, and because of that, human vampires have no reason to abuse their donors. ===

<span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Blood fetishists
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Fetishists in the vampire community use blood as a fetish or stimulant in <span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">sadomasochistic<span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> sex. ===<span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Vampire role-players === ===<span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Vampire role-players or "fashion vamps" differ distinctly from other members of the vampire subculture in that they acknowledge being "serious vampire fans and those who dress up in vampire clothing, live a vampire lifestyle (e.g. sleep in coffins), and primarily participate in LARP style events. ===

<span style="font-size:14.666666666666666px;font-family:Arial;color:#ffffff;font-weight:400;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Sentient life forms that consume blood are not considered Vampires as they usually consume the blood of other bioforms in general not sentient.