Minor Axis
Well-Known Member
I'm just finishing reading Dracula by Bram Stoker for the 3rd time (over a period of 25 years). If you've not read it, you're missing one heck of an adventure book. First time I read it was in 8th grade and the book floored me how good it was.
Here is what the original Dracula says about vampire powers (I think):
* Can change forms: bat, dog, swirling mist.
* Must be invited to enter premises.
* Can't cross running water. (It sounds like if thrown into a deep body of water, he would drown or be consumed in some manner?)
* Controls weather.
* Has strength of 20 men.
* Mind Control.
* They are repelled by mostly holy items- crucifix, holy wafer, holy water, garlic (not holy). In the book, a holy wafer pressed against Mina's forehead after she was "unclean" burned her.
* Can be out during the day, but has no vampiric powers during that time? (I thought the Sun killed them?)
* Baptism of Blood- The way a vampire turns a human into a vampire versus just feeding on them? This is what he did to both Lucy and Mina, but in the story there are witnesses to this event as he forces Mina to drink the blood from a self inflicted wound on his chest.
I always thought that vampires sleep during the day and were active at night, to the extend that in the day time, they were more or less powerless. However (if you've read the book) it seems like when the crew is waiting for Dracula in one of his London liars, he is out and moving about during the day. There is also another time when Jonathan Harker is out with Mina and he sees Dracula in town. I'm not sure if that is during the day or not and I'm not able to locate that particular passage.
Opinions?
edit: If the victim is not killed, he/she will turn into a vampire within 2 to 7 days (varying according to the stories). The master will then initiate the newborn vampire until he can survive by himself. The victim must drink the blood of the vampire. This is the act that van Helsing calls 'the vampire's baptism of blood.’ Once the victim has swallowed the vampire blood, the victim dies as for a poison to reborn as vampire.
Here is what the original Dracula says about vampire powers (I think):
* Can change forms: bat, dog, swirling mist.
* Must be invited to enter premises.
* Can't cross running water. (It sounds like if thrown into a deep body of water, he would drown or be consumed in some manner?)
* Controls weather.
* Has strength of 20 men.
* Mind Control.
* They are repelled by mostly holy items- crucifix, holy wafer, holy water, garlic (not holy). In the book, a holy wafer pressed against Mina's forehead after she was "unclean" burned her.
* Can be out during the day, but has no vampiric powers during that time? (I thought the Sun killed them?)
* Baptism of Blood- The way a vampire turns a human into a vampire versus just feeding on them? This is what he did to both Lucy and Mina, but in the story there are witnesses to this event as he forces Mina to drink the blood from a self inflicted wound on his chest.
I always thought that vampires sleep during the day and were active at night, to the extend that in the day time, they were more or less powerless. However (if you've read the book) it seems like when the crew is waiting for Dracula in one of his London liars, he is out and moving about during the day. There is also another time when Jonathan Harker is out with Mina and he sees Dracula in town. I'm not sure if that is during the day or not and I'm not able to locate that particular passage.
Opinions?
edit: If the victim is not killed, he/she will turn into a vampire within 2 to 7 days (varying according to the stories). The master will then initiate the newborn vampire until he can survive by himself. The victim must drink the blood of the vampire. This is the act that van Helsing calls 'the vampire's baptism of blood.’ Once the victim has swallowed the vampire blood, the victim dies as for a poison to reborn as vampire.
