Vampyre Terminology

I've pulled together a list of important Vampyric terms for you all to have. I used various different resources, so if your definition is posted here and you would like to either change it or remove it, please let me know. Every term here is important, but I've used red text to indicate the terms that should be given the most attention.

-Lilith-

Ancients: Refers to the ancient deities and mythical/spiritual personas such as Lilith, Set, The Ancient Vampiric Gods, Caine, Kali, etc.

Awakening: The physical and mental changes involved when one's vampyrism begins to manifest itself, also known as "the change."

Beast: The primal, animalistic, bestial nature of a frustrated or desperate vampire. It's destructive and cold, and if you don't control it, then you will be under its control.

Beacon: A particular feeling or energy signature generated by vampyres in general, but latent or potential vampyres in particular. The beacon seems to exist to attract other vampyres to the potential so that they may instigate the awakening process. The beacon is also a way for vampyres to know and recognize each other.

Black Swan: A non-Vampyre lover or friend who is not one of us, but who is nevertheless favorably inclined towards Vampyres.

Black Veil: 13 tenets of common sense, ettiquite and responsibility used by many within the vampyre community.

Blood Fetishist: Someone who is erotically attracted to the sight, taste or smell of blood; they are not vampyres, have no physical need to consume it, and will usually be happy with small amounts.

Bloodplay: Similar to bloodletting, bloodplay is the act of using blood in sexual or fetish situations. Bloodplay can also refer to the integration blood and bloodletting in ritual.

Caste/path: one of three roles (guardian, priest & companion) used in many Sanguinarium households started by the Kheperian Order.

Calmae (cal-may): a term refering to an initiate and formal member of a Sanguinarium household or court, who is familiar with the Scroll of Elorath and abides by the tenets/traditions of a household and the Black Veil.

Chi: Chi is the Chinese term for life energy. It is also often referred to as pranic energy or life force. Chi is the bio-electrical energy which runs our bodies on a subtle level. Energy vampires and psi-vamps can manipulate chi and feed upon it to sate their hungers. Blood vampires also feed upon chi, for a great deal of this subtle energy is concentrated into the blood.

Clinical vampirism: A psychological condition, also referred to as Renfield's Syndrome, in which the afflicted person experiences a psychological urge to drink blood. This urge is often satisfied with their own blood, and sufferers of Renfield's Syndrome typically bear slashes from razors and knives up and down their arms from where they have drawn blood from themselves. This condition is similar to a new pathology, known as SMS, or Self-Mutilation Syndrome, which is becoming alarmingly common in American youths. A clinical vampyre is not a true vampyre. Many vampyres do drink of their own blood, but it is called "Recycling" and it is done simply to ease the cravings.

 Clutch: a small group of vampyres, who are a part of a larger household. Maybe 3-5 people.

Coming out of the Coffin: a term for going public about one's vampyrism, hehe I love it.

Court: a geographicly based formal Quabal and organization with their own ceremonies, traditions, hierarchy and memberships.

Coven: Covens are groups of individuals who band together under a specific theme, set of ideals, traditions, common Sigil, havens, membership requirements, hierarchy and rites.

Dayside: the mundane life we must all lead, paying taxes, mundane family relations, rent, dayjob, etc.

Dhampyri: someone who was born a vampyre and awakened before/during puberty. 

Donor: Someone who gives/shares their blood or energy consentually.

Elder: A prominent member of the Vampyre community who is honored and respected for their experience, accomplishments and devotion.

Embrace: The elusive and highly controversial act of giving one's energy to a mundane to trigger a transformation.

Energy signature: Term used to indicate the unique energy-pattern, feeling, or vibes that each individual has. Vampyres have a particular energy signature that can be recognized by those familiar with it. In this way, others outside the community skilled in psychic practices may identify us for what we are.

Feeding: The act of consuming pranic energy (blood) or psychic energy (emotional and elemental energy)

Fledgling: a newly awakened, uninnitiated and unexperienced vampyre.

Gaja (ga-jaa): a fashion vampire, one who does not embrace the Strigoi Vii philosophy and is only focused on the aesthetic aspects of the vampyre scene.

Golden Circle: The people around a small coven or circle, which include black swans, other vampyres, etc.

Haven: a vampyre gathering place or home, also known as a safe-house. A haven is also a public place or "vampyre hang-out" like a club or a coffee shop where vampyres are known to be.

Human: Term used for the purposes of distinguishing those who are not vampyre. (The term "mundane" is also used quite frequently, and I actually prefer that.)

The Hunger: The desire to feed, also identified as the Thirst. The Hunger is both a psychological and physical sensation. Physically, it manifests as an intense hunger or thirst - but not for physical food or drink.

Hunter: Someone that hunts, stalks, threatens, or does harm (whether it be physical, psychical, psychological, or emotional) to someone because s/he is a vampire, or because the hunter believes them to be so. This is a very real thing people. There are some people out there who've watched a bit too much Buffy, and then there are others who understand the vampyre community and think it's unnatural. Sometimes these people are extreme christians or just people who don't agree with the taking of outside life-forces. We've been called demons, leeches, blood-suckers, every variety of derogatory names that you can probably think of. These hunters sometimes just aim to hurt or threaten, but sometimes they're out to kill.

Im Sekhemu: During the Im Sekhemu, which properly lasts over a span of days leading up to Beltane, everything about us is heightened to an almost excruciating degree. We feel the last swansong of power just before the Dark Year fades, and at the same time we experience the greatest hunger as that power heightens all of our sensations. Sekhemu can also refer to the driving sensation brought about by this peak in hunger and power.

Klavasi (latent vampyre): someone who has awakened after puberty.

Latent vampire (ardetha): Someone who is already naturally a vampire, but whose vampiric tendencies have not yet manifested.

Leech: 1.) A small, bloodsucking worm; 2.) An incredibly rude and derogatory (well, at least disrespectful...) term to call someone who is a vampyre.

Lilitu / Lilian: Also the Children of Lilith. This is an order or movement within the vampyre community which promotes the idea that Lilith was the spiritual forebear of vampyres.

Mentor/Parent/Sire: The one who awakened you and/or taught/guided you.

Mradu (mra-doo): an initated "knighted" and appointed guardian and protector in the vampyric caste system.

Mundane: Term used to distinguish those who are not vampyres.

Nightside: the primal nature, "the dragon" which includes the side of oneself which is awakened during ritual, sexual arousal, artistic creation, and feeding.

Pandemonium: a term for a generally unpleasant experience which includes but is not limited to an acute heightening of all of a vampyre's sensitivities, a change in the person's manner, alterations in breathing, pulse rate, and thought patterns, as their body gears up to go out and attempt to satisfy the thirst. This phenomenon is when the "beast" or "darkside" is very definitely felt as a real force within the vampyre's psyche and the vampyre's self-control totters on a razor-edge. This particular phenomenon is experienced by both sanguines and psi-vamps alike, and it serves as a distinguishing factor between those who are real vampyres and those who are simply blood fetishists.

Poser: Someone pretending or claiming to be a vampyre who is not, with the intent of deceiving others by making false claims as to their powers, abilities, lifespan, etc.

Prana: Like Chi, Prana is life energy. Prana is a Hindu term, and it is strongly associated with the breath as well as the life. See also Chi and Psychic Energy

Pranic energy: Refers to blood and sexual energy.

Psychic energy: Refers to emotional and elemental(energy of the earth), also the life-force that surrounds and is contained in living things.

Psychic Attack: A term used for an attack by a psi-vampire. Any uninvited draining of one's vital energy.

Quabal (qua-ball): a gathering for socialization, ritual, initiations and education.

Ronin: a vampyre who is awakened and is not a member of a household.

Safari: A form of play-hunting when a vampyre or coven of vampyres goes out to find donors but not bring them home. Maybe a little nibbling, but never feeding. This was used in the late 1970s to teach fledglings how to embrace the hunter in them.

Sanguinarium (sang-ween-are-ee-um): the vampire / vampyre network which abides by the Black Veil.

Seeker: Someone who is seeking after vampyres, or knowledge of vampyres, usually desiring to become one him/herself.

Source: Someone from whom a vampyre will get blood.

Solitary: a vampyre who chooses not to be involved with a coven and has little if any interested in going out in the scene. See also Ronin.

Incubus / Succubus: A vampyre who feeds only while having sex or purely through sexual energy, also simply called a sexual vampyre.

Twilight: to maintain a consistant balance between the Dayside and the Nightside.

Vampyre bait: A poser or wannabe who is just screaming for a vampyre to come after them.

Vamping out: Experiencing an acute flare-up of the thirst, involves a change in the person's manner, breathing, pulse rate, thought patterns, etc.

Vampyre vs vampire: "Vampyre" is the older spelling of the word "vampire" used in the 17th & 18th centuries. (I appologize I'm sure I've been using both lol)

Vampyrecrafte: In general, this is the magick practiced by vampyres. Many vampyres are pagan and follow the old ways, and the ways of magick are an integral part of their beliefs. Most vampyres practice numerous techniques associated with energy manipulation. Many also practice some form of magick, most often ritual magick or chaos magick.