Types of Vampires

 Types of Vampires over the world

Adze

African.  A vampire spirit that dwells in tribal sorcerers among the Ewe, a people inhabiting parts of south eastern 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

Arabic.  Commonly known as a ghoul in western usage.  The Algul is a female demon that feasted upon dead babies and lived in cemeteries.  (Also known as Amine an Algul in a Thousand and one nights).

 

Alp

A German vampiric spirit associated with the bogeyman and the incubus, normally tormenting the nights and dreams of women.  The creature's physical manifestations can be very dangerous.  Long connected with the nightmare, the alp is considered male, sometimes the spirit of a recently deceased relative, and 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 lecherous 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.   Entry is made through the victim's mouth, with the alp using its tongue, becoming a mist that enters or turning into a snake.  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.

For protection from the vampire, women are told to sleep with their shoes at the sides of their beds with the toes pointing towards the door.  The alp is very protective of his hat and loses much of its power if it is lost.  It rewards generously anyone who returns his hat.  The alp must also protect it's eye which it uses to torment it's victims sleep.

 

Asasabonsam

W. African.  Folklore of the Ashanti people of southern Ghana.  Asasabonsam are human looking vampires except that they have hooks instead of feet and iron teeth.  The Asasabonsam are tree dwelling vampires that live deep in the forest.  They sit in the tops of trees with their legs dangling down which enables them to catch their victims with their hooked feet.  They tend to bite their victims on the thumb and its teeth are made from iron.  Also Asanbosam.

 

Asema

South American.  Took the form of an elderly man or woman during the day.  At night, it had the ability to change into a vampire by removing its skin and becoming a ball of blue light.  In this form it would fly through the village, enter houses and suck the blood of its victims.  If it found the blood particularly tasty, it would continue until the victim died.  Protection against this type of vampire was garlic, eating herbs that made the blood bitter or by scattering rice or sesame seeds outside the door. The Asema would have to pick up the seeds before entering, if it was still counting at dawn, the sunlight killed it.  People suspected of being an Asema, would be watched.  If they were witnessed removing their skin, that would confirm the suspicions and the skin would be treated with salt and pepper so that it shrank and the vampire could not get back in it.

 

Asiman

African.  Dahomeans word for Obayifo.  See also Obayifo.

 

Asra- Pa

India.  Also Asrk-Pa.  Means literally drinkers of blood.  Another name for Rakshasa.

 

Aswang

Philippines.  Appears as a beautiful maiden who engages in vampiric activities during the night, but leads a normal life throughout the day.  Some women have an ointment, which they rub on themselves to give them their supernatural powers.  When in it’s vampiric state, the Aswang became a large bird and flew around crying out kakak or kikak it would then land on the roof of it’s chosen victim.  It would let down its tongue, which was long, pointed and tube-like.  The point would be used to pierce the jugular vein and the blood would be sucked up through the tongue.  Once the Aswang had finished feeding, it would resemble a pregnant woman.  She would then return home and breastfeed her children.  The supernatural powers ceased upon either washing off the ointment or with the coming of the dawn.  This tale was often told to children to make sure they behaved. Also Danag.

 

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Baital

See Vetala.

 

Bajang

Malaysian.  A vampire assumed to be male, appearing as a mewing polecat 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 closed by a stopper made from certain leaves and is protected by various charms.  While imprisoned the bajang 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.  Bajangs are usually owned by wizards. Children are protected from the Bajang by amulets.  According to traditions the bajang came from the body of a stillborn child, coaxed out of it by various incantations.  

 

Baobhan Sith

Scottish.  The Baobhan Sith (pronounced buh-van she) these appear as crows or ravens but most commonly as young maidens wearing green dresses which hid their deer’s hooves.  These maidens would dance with men until they were exhausted, making sure they kept their hooves hidden and then feed upon them.

 

Bas

Chewong people of Malaysia.  The bas is a collection of spirits of various kinds, some attacked humans.  The usual food was ruwai.  The preferred prey of the bas was wild pig.  They set invisible traps to catch the pig’s ruwai.  Sometimes the trap would catch a human ruwai, in which case the bas would eat the human soul/spirit.  The bas did not usually attack humans or approach places where they would be.  The bas can be kept or scared away by fire.

They attacked humans on rare occasions, in different ways (depending on the spirit) but usually for ruwai.

 

Bebarlangs

A tribe found in the Philippines that had members that practised a form of psychic vampirism.  They apparently sent out their astral bodies and fed on the life forces and vitality of individuals.

 

Betail

See Vetala

 

Bhuta

Indian.  These are the souls of the dead; specifically those who died an untimely and/or violent death, had been insane or had been born deformed.  It could also be a person who did not have proper funeral rites.  They wandered the night and appeared as dark shadows, flickering lights or misty apparitions.  Occasionally they would enter a corpse and lead it to gorge on living persons.  They reside in and around cremation grounds, old ruins and other abandoned locations and deserts.  They could transform into owls or bats.  They were evil spirits and considered dangerous because they ate filthy food and were always thirsty.  They liked milk and would attack recently fed babies. They could enter the body through various orifices and possess a person.  People attacked by a bhuta could experience severe sickness or even death.  Bhutas only behaved like vampires on occasion so were generally seen as malevolent beings rather than vampires.  Also known as bhut or bhuts.

 

Blautsauger

South Germany (Bavarian).  Popular term to describe an undesirable person.  It was said to have resembled a zombie, and was pale in colour.  It was believed a person would become a vampire if they were not baptised, were involved in witchcraft, led an immoral life or committed suicide.  It was also believed that if a person ate the meat of an animal killed by a wolf might also become a vampire.  Animals and nuns walking over the grave would have the same effect.  To prevent a vampire attack, garlic was spread on doors and windows, and hawthorn placed around the house.  If there was a black dog in the village, another set of eyes should be painted on it to scare away the vampire.  To kill the vampire a stake through the heart and garlic in the mouth would usually effective.

 

Brahmaparush

Indian.  Similar to the Bhuta.  These are a vampire like creature, that looks like a male demon with a head encircled with intestines and a skull filled with blood from which it drank.  Also known as Brahmaparusha.

 

Bruja

Spain.  Spanish name for a witch, much like the Strega of Italy and the Bruxa of Portugal.  The Bruja used in Latin America along with local names to describe witches and vampires.  In Spain and the Americas, the Bruja was a living person usually a woman, who was able to transform into animals and attack infants.

 

Bruxa (female)/Bruxo (male)

Portugal.  Meaning a witch.  A Pre-Christian term and was prominent in the middle ages.  The term was usually used to describe a woman, who would change into animals commonly a duck, rat, goose, dove and an ant, to suck the blood of infants.  Their powers were confined to midnight and 2am.  The witches gathered at crossroads in the village on Tuesdays and Fridays to worship Satan and to gain evil powers.  For the protection of children, iron and steel was used, a steel nail in the ground or scissors on the pillow, and various incantations were chanted to keep the witches and bay. Garlic was sewn into the clothes of children.  To identify a witch, the mother of a dead child would boil the child’s clothes and jab them with a sharp instrument. The witch would feel the jabs and come for mercy. Another way to find the witch was to sweep the house backwards (away from the door), while reciting an incantation.  Associated with the Lobishomen (Portuguese werewolf). Similar to the Aswang.

 

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Callicantzaro/s (also spelled as Kallikantzaro/s)

Medieval and Modern Greece.  According to Christian Greek folk belief, a child born during the time from the beginning of Christmas to New Year’s Day (or, in some versions, to Epiphany, Jan. 6) will become a callicantzaro.  The callicantzaroi are also active as a threat to normal humans during this same period.  Then they roam the countryside and enter villages at night but sleep in caves during the daytime.  They often appear in half-human, half-animal shapes. At the end of this period, they travel down caverns or other tunnels to Hades in the bowels of the earth. There they would remain until the next Christmas. While on the world’s surface, a male callicantzaro is apt to kidnap a mortal woman to bring her back with him to the underworld as his bride and have children with her who also became callicantzaroi. To prevent an infant of two mortal parents born during the proscribed Yuletide season from becoming a callicantzaro, the infant was sometimes held feet down over a fire by one of the parents until the toenails were singed. It was said that the first victims of a callicantzaro whose parents were both mortals were often his brothers and sisters, whom he was apt to bite and devour. The callicantzaroi are actually closer to werewolves than they are to vampires - there is no direct connection with blood drinking - but they frequently are described in non-fictional books about vampires.  A method of saving a child is to singe the toes and feet.

 

Camazotz

Mexican.  A cave god of the Mayan underworld.  A man bat with a sharp nose and large teeth and claws. He was feared among the Mayan underworld as a bloodthirsty god.  Related to the harvest.

 

Chedipe

India.  Literally meaning prostitute.  A type of sorceress in the Godari area.  Often pictured riding a tiger at night.  The chedipe would enter a home of a sleeping man, unclothed and suck his blood through his toe.  She would put the other members of the house in to a trance using hypnotism.  The man would awake in the morning feeling drained and intoxicated.  If he did not seek treatment the chedipe would return.  Occasionally, the chedipe would attack men in the jungle in the form of a tiger with a human leg.

 

Chiang-Shih/ Kiang-Shi/Kuang-shi

Chinese.  Originated as a means to explaining problems associated with death.  Chiang-shih arose following a violent death due to suicide, hanging, drowning, or smothering.  I t could also appear in a person who had died suddenly or improper burial procedures.  The dead were thought to become angry and restless if their burial was postponed for a long time after their death.  Animals particularly cats were kept away from an unburied corpse, to prevent them jumping over it and becoming vampires themselves.  The Chiang-shih is unable to dematerialise therefore is unable to rise from the grave.  Their transformation had to be before burial.  Their activity was limited to the night and the Chiang-shih had trouble crossing running water. 

The Chiang-shih were very strong and vicious, they were said to rip of the heads and limbs of their victims.  They are also said to demonstrate a strong sexual drive that led it to attack and rape women.  These vampires gained strength over time that enabled them to transform and be able to fly and develop a covering of long white hair.  May also be able to change into wolves. They have a terrifying appearance, it is tall, with white or greenish white hair all over its body, with long and sharp claws, terrible eyes and fangs.

There are several means of protection from this vampire.  Garlic kept them away.  Salt has a corrosive effect on the vampires skin.  Vampires were offended by loud noises; thunder could on occasions kill one.  Brooms were used to sweep the vampire back to its resting-place.  Iron filings, rice and red peas, were used to prevent the vampire entering a house or a vacant coffin.

If the vampire had transformed into the flying hairy monster, it could only b e killed by thunder or a bullet.  The ultimate solution was cremation.

The Chiang-shih appears livid and may kill with poisonous breath in addition to draining blood.  If a Chiang-Shih encounters a pile of rice, it must count the grains before it can pass the pile.  They can be harmed and destroyed by normal weapons and by sunlight.  Their immaterial form is a glowing sphere of light, much like a will-o’-the-wisp.

 

Chordewa

A witch found among the Oraons, a hill tribe of Bengal, capable of turning her soul into a form of black vampire cat.  In the form of the cat, the witch was able to visit the homes of the sick and the dying, she would eat their food and lick their lips and these actions would condemn the person to death.  Any injury to the cat would be discovered on the witch as well, if the cat was caught and captured the witch would fall into a coma, and would remain this way until the cat was freed.  Women suspected of being such a creature were usually burned.

 

Chupacabras

Mexico/Puerto Rico/Central America.  Also known as the ‘Goat sucker’.  It is believed to be a cross between a bat and a kangaroo.  It has hairy arms, glowing red eyes, bright coloured spines running from head to the end of its back.  Other common traits reported are scales, claws, a snake like tongue, and the smell of eggs and bat shaped wings.  The victims of the chupacabras are animals usually chickens and farm animals, including horses, dogs, cats and goats.  There are many recorded cases of goats drained of blood with puncture wounds on the neck, hence the name ‘goat sucker’.  The chupacabras leaves two puncture wounds on the neck and hunts at night, sucking blood.  A crucifix keeps it at bay.  This is a contemporary legend.

 

Churels

India. Also known as Jakhin/Jakhai/Mukai/Nagulai/Alvantin.  Churels are women who died in childbirth, during the Dewali festival.  If a woman had been treated badly by her family, she would return to seek vengeance upon them and dry up the blood of the male family members.  Such a woman would become a Dakini an associate of Kali and partake in her vampiric activities.  If a young man was tempted by churel and ate the food she offered. She would keep him until dawn and return him to his village a grey haired old man.  Churels are said to have an awful appearance; possessing pendant breasts, long sharp teeth, thick lips, unkempt hair and a black tongue.  A noticeable feature of the woman is that she would have her feet turned backwards.  Seeds affect the churels.  A woman who had died in childbirth was buried in a special place with red flowers on top of the grave to prevent her coming back from the dead.  Prevention can also be achieved if the woman is buried face down or by filling the grave with thorns or stones.  Also called a churail.

 

Cihuacoatl

Mexico.  Derived form the ancient goddess of Culhuacan. She was believed to have had a terrifying appearance with stringy hair, an open mouth to receive victims and two knives on her forehead.  She could change into a beautiful woman to entice men. She had sexual relations with them and then they withered away and died.

 

Cihuateteo

Aztec/Mexico.   A type of witch that originated from women who died in childbirth along with their babies.  The cihuateteo wandered the night and attacked children, leaving them paralysed or diseased.  They met with other cihuateteo at local crossroads.  Food offerings were left at the crossroads so that the cihuatetos would not attack the children. If vampiric beings were still at the crossroads when morning came, they would be killed by sunlight.  In recent mythology, cihuatetos have been described as having white faces, chalk covered arms and hands and crossbones painted upon their tattered dresses.  They wear the costume of the Tlazolteotl, the goddess of all sorcery, lust and evil. Also known as a Civatateo.

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Danag

A Filipino vampire held to be very ancient 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.  See also Aswang

 

Dearg-due

Irish. An ancient vampire that dates back to Celtic times, it is greatly feared.  The dearg-due is a standard European vampire, except that it cannot shape shift and may be defeated by building a cairn of stones over its grave.

The most famous tale of the dearg-due is the story of a beautiful woman supposedly buried in Waterford, in a small churchyard near Strong bows Tree.  Several times a year she rises from her grave, using her stunning appearance to lure man to there doom.  Similar to Leanhaum-Shee.

 

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 after death 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 life's essence from a living relative through a kind of magic.  To destroy this vampire, the back of the neck should be sliced off with a spade.  Also called a dubblesuger.

 

Duendes

Spanish.  Form of incubi/succubi.

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Ekimmu

Assyrian and Babylonian. . 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. They are naturally invisible and are capable of possessing humans. They can be destroyed by using wooden weapons or by exorcism.

 

Empusas

Ancient Greece and Rome. The Empusai appear as either beautiful women or ancient hags. They are strongly related to the incubi and succubi.

 

Erestuny

Russian.  Believed to become a vampire if a sorcerer took over the body by entering at the point of death.  This could happen to anyone.  The person would seem to recover, but they had actually changed into a vampire.  A sign of a vampire would be the death of family members and neighbours.

 

Eretica (plural Ereticy)

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 believed that seeing the eyes of such a creature would result in a slow withering death. Generally destroyed by using an aspen stake driven into the back or by fire. Also called Eretnik/Eretik/Eretnica/Erestun

 

Estrie

A Hebrew spirit, always female and invariably assuming the shape of a vampire. The estrie is considered to be an intangible 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, although no one is considered safe when it needs to feed.  It could shapeshift at will, but at night would be a flying demonic being.  Dirt was placed into the mouth of the corpse after a year of it being an active vampire, to make it inactive.

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Fifollet or Feu-Follet

African American (Louisiana).  Derived from the incubus/succubus.  It was believed that the soul of a dead person who had led a troubled life on earth would be sent back to earth to serve repentance, but attacked people instead.  Most attacks were just mischief but sometimes the soul became a vampire and sucked the blood of children, particularly children.  Some people believed that the fifollet was the soul of a dead child who had not been baptised.

 

Follets

French. Form of incubi/succubi.

Folletti

Italian.  Form of incubi/succubi.

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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 performed.  Also called a ut.

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Hanh Saburo

Indian. These creatures live in forests and can control dogs. They will attempt to lure or drive travellers into the forest to attack them.

 

Hannya

Japan.  It is usually found as a feminine form although there are male hannya.  A hannya is believed to have once been a beautiful woman who became insane and was possessed by a demon.  She was transformed into a hideous creature, who would drink the blood of and eat children. 

 

His-hsue-kuei

A Chinese name for a vampire. Translated it means 'suck-blood demon'.

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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 enemies.  It was said to have an insatiable appetite and had to be continuously fed, it also used to take the form of a handsome man and become a lover to its mistress.  When not handed down directly, the impundulu was called a ishologu.

 

Incubus/Succubus

European. Incubi (plural of incubus) are sexual vampires. Known for its habit of invading a woman’s bedroom at night, lying on top of her and forcing her to have sex.  They are spirit vampires of a demonic nature. The general way they feed is by having sexual relations with the victim, exhausting them, and feeding on the energy released during sex. They may enter homes uninvited and can take on the appearance of other persons. They will often visit the same victim repeatedly. A victim of an incubus will experience the visits as dreams. The female version of an incubus is a succubus.  Originated from the ancient practice of incubation, where a person went to the temple of a deity and slept there overnight.  During the night, the person would have contact with the deity, often involving sexual intercourse.  This practice is the root of several religious practices.  The succubus is the female counterpart of the incubus.  These differed from the usual vampire as neither sucked blood or stole life energy.

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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 child's mouth.

 

Jigarkhwar 

A vampiric sorceress found in the Sind region of India. She feeds by extracting a person's liver through a piercing stare and various incantations. The liver is then cooked on a fire and eaten, at which time the victim dies.  Also called a jigarkhor.

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Kali

India. Kali is an Indian goddess who had a terrible and frightening appearance. She had human bodies as ornaments.  Her favourite places were the battlefield where she got drunk on the blood of victims and the burial or cremation ground.

 

Kappa

Japanese.  The kappa is about as lose as any Japanese monster gets to being a vampire.  They are unattractive humanlike children, with greenish yellow skin, webbed fingers and toes and somewhat like a monkey with a long nose and round eyes. They had shells like tortoises, smelled like fish, and had a concave head that held water, which if spilled, would cause the kappa to lose its strength. Kappas fed from the edge of water, pulling creatures in and sucking their blood out through their anuses.  They have been known to leave the water to steal melons and cucumbers, to rape women and attack people for their livers.  To keep kappas away, people would write all the names of their family members on to a cucumber and throw into the river where the kappa lived.

 

Kasha

A Japanese vampire that feeds by removing corpses from graves or prior to cremation and devouring them.

 

Kathakano

Crete.  The Crete vampire Kathakano is much like your generic vampire, but can only be killed by chopping of the head and boiling in vinegar.

 

Kephn

A demon found among the Karen tribes of Burma.  It is linked to sorcery and wizards and appears in the shape of a floating wizards head and stomach, its preferred meal is the human soul.  Similar to the penanggalan of Malaysia.

 

Kozlak

A Dalmatian term for vampire about whom very little is known. It may be derived from vukodlak,  which is prevalent among Croat beliefs.

 

Krvopijac

Bulgarian.  Krvopijacs (also known as ubour/vampir/oburs) look like normal vampires except that they have only one nostril.  They can be immobilised by placing wild roses around their graves.  One way to destroy a Krvopijac is for a magician to order its spirit into a bottle, which must then be thrown into a fire.

 

Kudlak

An Istrian (Dalmation) or Slovenian name for the vukodlak.  The kudlak symbolised evil and darkness.  The kudlak has been describes as an evil wizard, shaman or a vampire.  The kudlak was most dangerous after death and steps were taken to prevent the return of such an individual, either by impaling the corpse on a hawthorn stake or by slashing the tendon below the knees before burial.

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Lamia

Ancient Greece and Rome.  Named after Libyan Queen Lamia, daughter of Belus and Libya.  Lamias are exclusively female vampires. They often appear in half-human, half-animal (most often the snake and always the lower part) forms and eat the flesh of their victims in addition to drinking their blood. Lamias can be attacked and killed with normal weapons. 

 

Lamiai

Greece.  Not to be confused with Lamia (see above) whom the Lamiai were named after. Primarily know as demonic beings that would suck the blood of young children.  They had the power to change themselves into beautiful young maidens, to attract and seduce men.

 

Lampir

The Bosnian term for vampire, seen most often during epidemic sickness. Another name for vrykolakas

 

Langsuyar/Langsuir

Malaysian. The original langsuyar was a woman of great beauty, who bore a stillborn child and when told of the condition of the child, she recoiled from the shock. Suddenly she clapped her hands and flew into a nearby tree. She was then seen from time to time, identified by her green robe, her long fingernails and ankle length black hair.  Her hair hid an opening on her neck through which she sucked the blood of children.  The first langsuyar gave way to groups of similar beings.  Later langsuyars were flesh eaters, with a fondness for fish. 

If a woman died in childbirth or the 40 days immediately following, it was believed that she might become a langsuyar.  To prevent that from happening, her family placed glass beads in her mouth to prevent banshee-like screams, eggs under her arms, and needles in her palms to prevent flying. It was supposedly possible to tame a langsuyar, by capturing it, cutting off its hair and nails and stuffing them into the hole in the neck. A Pontianak is the stillborn child of the langsuyar.

 

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 life's essence through exhaustive lovemaking.  Similar to the Dearg-due.

 

Lidérc

Hungarian. A Hungarian Succubus like creature, that could appear as a person, animal, or shining light.  It is said that they did not have the ability to transform, but existed in all shapes at once, choosing which form an observer might see it in.   It killed its victims in the same way as the incubus/succubus would – exhaustion. It loved them to death.  Garlic and the placing of garters on the bedroom doorknob were preventative measures against the vampire.

 

Lobishomen

Brazilian, Mythical creature in the folklore of South America.  Originally derived from Portuguese mythology, the lobishomens were not vampires but Portuguese werewolves.  The lobishomen has been described as a small, stumpy and hunch backed monkey like being.  It had a yellow face, bloodless lips, black teeth, a bushy beard and plush covered feet. It attacked females and caused them to become nymphomaniacs. It would be vulnerable when drunk on blood and so easier to catch.  It would then be crucified on a tree.

 

Loogaroo

West Indies (Haiti). Appearing as old women that had made a pact with the devil.  The devil would ask for some warm blood each night, and in return give the loogaroos magical powers. When retrieving blood, they would take their skin off and take the form of a fiery ball of light, much like the will-o’-the-wisp.  The loogaroo could enter any habitation and could be prevented from doing so by leaving rice or sand scattered outside the door.  

Lugat

A form of Albanian vampire said to be reasonably harmless, only feeding briefly on its victims, not actually killing them.

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Mara

Scandinavian.  The nightmare.  Often seen, as a beautiful woman but is really a troll.  Came to people as they slept, she would lay upon the chest so that the victim could not draw breath or move their limbs.  The Mara would put her finger in the mouth of the victim to count their teeth.  If she was given time to count the teeth, the victim would die.  Also known to attack horses all night so they were found sweating in their stables the next morning.  Prevention from this vampire was to put seeds around the house, turning shoes the wrong way at the side of the bed and placing a scythe on the front of the bed. A knife or other sharp implement was an effective way of killing.

Mare

Old Teutonic.  Closely related to incubus.

Masan

A vampire from India said to be usually the ghost of a child or a low-caste individual, that delights in tormenting and killing children. The masan can turn its victims green, red and yellow, children usually waste away. 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.  To free children from the masan is to weigh them in salt.

Masani

A female vampire from India, she is said to be the spirit of burial grounds. She is black in appearance. Her hunts are conducted by night, starting as she emerges from a funeral pyre. Anyone passing the burial site will be attacked.

Mora

Slavic.  A demon of the nightmare that is closely related to incubus.

Mormo

A vampire from Greek mythology said to be a servant of the goddess Hecate. Used as a storey to scare children.  A female vampirelike creature said to be similar to the lamia.

Mormolykiai: Greece. Named after Morma a woman who cannibalised her own children.  The mormolykiai were known for their blood drinking but were spirit beings rather than revived corpses.

Moroii

A Romanian name for a kind of vampire more specifically a live vampire.  It can be either male or female, and exhibits most of the characteristics of a Strigoi.  A male moroii is usually bald or balding; a female, red in the face.

Mulo

Gypsy.  Also Mullo, plural Mulé, meaning 'one who is dead'.  Gypsies all over Europe generally believed in the mulo.  Any one who died an untimely death might become a vampire.  The mulo was the spirit of a person dead and buried which left its corpse in its grave at night and returned to the corpse at dawn. The mulo was generally invisible but was often believed to be visible to certain people, in which case it usually appeared in the original form of the dead person.

Some Gypsy clans believed that their muloes were too loyal to their clan to trouble them. But in the cases of clans who believed otherwise, especially in Balkan countries such as Kosova, Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia, the mulo often played the role of the vampire.

The vampiric mulo most often preyed upon sheep and cattle. But there were some Gypsy villages in the Balkan countries that had tales of entire households being victimised by a mulo. In the Balkan countries, the adult male mulo would typically come to visit his widow at night to resume his relationship with her. If the deceased was an adult male who had died unwed, his mulo might visit a woman whom he had loved during his lifetime. In some versions of the belief, he would be visible to his widow and act kindly towards her, helping her with household tasks and regaining her favour. In another version, he would be visible to her but would make demands for good tasting food, but always rejecting what she offered, and at the same time was invisible to other family members, often behaving much like a poltergeist. In a third version, the mulo is invisible even to his wife - but he lies upon her and rapes her while she feels paralysed and is unable to cry out to others sleeping in the Household; the widow becomes sick with terror, refuses food and drink, and eventually dies.

Some Gypsies in Kosova once believed that a brother and sister born together as twins on a Saturday could see a vampiric mulo if they wore their underwear and shirts inside out. The mulo would flee as soon as it was seen by the twins.

A Gypsy practice in Moravia now the eastern province of the Czech Republic, was to use a hen’s egg to bait and ambush an invisible, vampiric mulo. When the egg suddenly disappeared, the men would fire their guns at the spot.

In spite of the fact that Gypsies believed the vampiric mulo to be a spirit of the dead separate from the physical corpse while it is active among the living, they also believed the male mulo was capable of impregnating women, often their widows. The resulting child was variously called a “vampijorivic”, a “vampiric”, or a “lampijerovic”, which all mean “little vampire”. Another name for such an offspring is “dhampir”. They were generally thought to be fated to become undead vampires after their death unless measures were taken at burial to prevent this such as driving a stake into the heart of their corpses, decapitating the corpse, or cremating it.

But it was also believed that such offspring, while still alive, and were able to see the undead vampires invisible to most others. Such a living male offspring would sometimes become a professional vampire hunter and destroyer. This belief was shared by some of the Serbs who had their own dhampirs. Typically, a dhampir would fight the invisible vampire on open ground, either defeating it with the blows of his fists and kicks of his feet or shooting it with a gun. There are also cases where a dhampir would detect the grave of a vampire and destroy it by shooting a bullet into the corpse or by older and more traditional means such as staking, beheading, and cremation.

The natural male offspring of a dhampir were also believed to be dhampirs, and so the profession of vampire hunting was often an inherited career. At least as late as 1959 in Kosova, there were dhampirs still in the business of hunting down and destroying vampires.

Muroni

A kind of vampire found in the Wallachia region of Romania. Also called murony and muronul.  It is said to have the ability to change itself into a variety of different animal forms (cats, dogs, fleas and spiders). While in one of these incarnations the muroni can kill easily, with misleading signs of attack being left.  The only clue left is that the victim is completely drained of blood without usual puncture marks.  Anyone who is killed is destined to become a vampire and there is no way for preventing it.  The recommended way of killing a muroni is to pound a long nail through the forehead or a stake through the heart.  The muroni is very similar to the strigoi.

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Nachttoter

German.  Literally meaning ‘night killer’.  Modern descriptive word for a vampire.

Nachtzehrer

Found among the Kashubes of northern Europe and in parts of Germany. These are ghosts of the recently dead that return to kill their families.  The Nachtzehrer originated from unusual death (suicide or accident).  It was believed that if a person’s name was not removed from his/her burial clothing they would return as a vampire.  When in the tomb the nachtzehrer had a habit of chewing on their clothes and extremities.  Their faces would be intact but their hands and other appendages would appear to have been devoured (open tombs = predator damage).  When the vampires had stopped eating their own bodies they would then rise to eat the bodies of others, often accompanied by the corpse of a woman who had died in childbirth.  To prevent a vampire from attacking: a clump of earth was placed under the chin of the vampire, a coin or stone was placed in their mouths, or a handkerchief was tied tightly around the neck. Or as a more drastic measure the head of the potential nachtzehrer was cut of. A spike was driven into its mouth to pin the head to the ground or to fix the tongue in place.  Also associated with epidemic sickness.  Shares similarities with the Vjesci of Poland.

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

German.  Literally meaning ‘Killer of nine’ originates from the belief that it takes 9 days for this vampire to be fully formed in its grave.  Believed to be a carrier of great plagues.  The method used for killing this vampire is to place a lemon in its mouth. Also used as the modern descriptive word for a vampire.

Njetop

Poland. Another name for Vjesci/ Vjeszczi

Nora

Hungary.  An invisible being, but to those who saw him, he appeared small, humanlike, bald and running on all fours.  He would jump on his victims and suck their breasts.  Victims were the immoral an irreverent.  The breasts swelled, as a result of the attack, the antidote was to rub garlic on them.

Nosferatu

A Romanian species of vampire said to be the illegitimate child of parents who were illegitimate. Soon after its burial, the creature wakens, departs the grave and embarks on a long career of destruction. It sucks blood and delights in tormenting and engaging in wild orgies with the living. The male can father children.  The resulting children are covered in hair and destined to become witches or live like vampires (muroii).  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.  The best method for destroying the nosferatu is by firing a shot into it's grave or by impaling it on a stake.

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Obayifo

Africa.  The Ashanti name for a West African vampire.  Known among the Dahomeans as the Asiman.  The Obayifo was believed to be a witch living in the community, there would be no way of telling who was a witch, there was not a genetic link.  The witch would be able to leave her body and travel at night as a ball of light.  It would attack people, usually children and sucked their blood.  It was also able to suck the juice from fruit and vegetables. Similar to the loogaroo.

Obur

Bulgarian.  Used among Gagauz people. Also known as Krvopijac. This vampire is a gluttonous blood drinker.  Rich food and excrement were offered to the vampire to prevent it from taking peoples blood.  The obur is a loud vampire, capable of creating noises like firecrackers.  It is also believed that it could move objects like a poltergeist.

Ohyn

A vampire from Poland, caused by the presence of teeth and a caul at birth.  The only way to prevent the child becoming a vampire is to extract the teeth.

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Pacu Pati

A powerful vampire from India. The creature is deemed lord of all beings of mischief. It is seen at night in cemeteries and places of execution.

Pelesit

Malaysian.  This vampire takes the form of a house cricket said to be the pet of the polong.  If a person is attacked by a polong, the pelesit generally accompanies it.  It is said that the pelesit arrives before the Polong to enter the victim’s body and prepare it.

Penanggalan

Malaysian. There are several variations of the penanggalan.

This originated from a woman who was performing a penance ceremony. She was sitting in a large wooden vat used for holding the vinegar derived from the sap of the palm tree.   In the middle of the ceremony, a man, who wondered what she was doing, startled her.  She was so startled that when she went to move to leave, she did so with such a force that her head separated from her body and with the entrails of her stomach trailing behind, she flew off into a nearby tree.

The severed head with the dangling stomach below became an evil spirit. It appears on the rooftops of homes where children are being born.  It whines a high pitched sound and tries to get the child to suck its blood.

Another variation of the penanggalan is that it is an evil spirit that possessed a woman and turned her into a sorcerer.  When she wanted to travel, it would detach its head and with entrails dangling behind, would fly off to find food in the form of blood of the living and the dead.

Yet another is off a woman who was using the magic arts learned to fly. Her head and neck separated from her body, and with intestines dangling, it lived in a tree and flew from house to house sucking the blood of babies and mothers giving birth.  To protect birthing sites, leaves of the jeruju (a type of thistle) were hung around the house and out into any blood that spilt.  Anyone hit by dripping blood and juices from the entrails would immediately fall ill.

Pijavica

A Slovenian vampire found in north-western Yugoslavia. It is created as a result of evils perpetrated during a person's mortal life, particularly incest, which is guaranteed to cause ones return as a member of the undead. It generally feeds on relatives or descendants.  The creature can be destroyed by decapitation, which is made complete by placing the head between its legs.  The Croatian variation is called a pijawica.

Pisachas

India.  Meaning literally ‘the eaters of raw flesh’.  It was believed to be hideous in appearance, blood thirsty and revolting.  They were believed to be a source of malignant disease and to be products of anger of the deity Brahma.

Polong

Malaysian.  The polong is a very small female (about 1 inch tall).  It operated like a witches familiar in return for daily blood from the witch.  The polong would do many tasks including attacking enemies of the witch.  A sign of polong attack was a person afflicted by wild ravings, wise men were called to exorcise it and to discover who sent torment to the victim.

Pontianak

Malaysian. A pontianak is the stillborn child of a langsuyar. It takes the form of a night owl. To prevent a deceased baby becoming a pontianak, it was treated much like a mother would be surrounded by beads, eggs and needles.

Pricolici or Tricolici (wolves)

This is a variation of the Greek Vrykolakas or the Serbo-Croatian Vukodlak, which connected this term with pre-vampiric mythology meaning a creature who, devours the sun and moon.  At times when the moon appeared reddish, it was believed to be the blood of the vircolac flowing over the face of the moon.  Vircolac described a person who changed periodically into several animals, usually a pig, dog or wolf. Much closer to werewolves than vampires.

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Rakshasa

Indian. The Rakshasas are powerful vampires of the spirit variety. They usually appear as humans with animal features (claws, elongated fangs, slit eyes, etc.) or as animals with human features (flattened noses, hands, etc.). They often appear as tigers. In any form, rakshasas are powerful magicians. They eat the flesh of their victims in addition to drinking blood. They sought pregnant female victims and would attack infants.  They are nocturnal.  Burning, sunlight, or exorcism may destroy Rakshasa.  The Agni is the natural enemy of the Rakshasa, the Agni wee used to destroy or ward of demons.  The Yatu-Dhana is associated with the Rakshasa. They are sorcerers that devoured the remains left by the rakshasa although the term does get used interchangeably.  Also Asra-pa or Asrk-Pa (meaning drinkers of blood)

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.

Redcaps

Scottish.  Redcaps are malevolent spirits that haunted abandoned sites, especially places where violence had been committed. Their link with vampirism comes from the fact that they carried a cap that was dyed red with human blood.  The redcap would re-dye the cap with blood at every opportunity.  They could be driven away by a word from the bible or a cross.

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Stregoni benefici

An Italian vampire said to be on the side of goodness, and a mortal enemy of all evil vampires.  A variation of the kresnik.

Shtriga

Medieval and Modern Albanian. The Albanian Shtriga, like the ancient Roman Stryx, is a witch who preys upon infants by drinking their blood at night. But instead of transforming into an owl when she goes for her midnight snack, she is more apt to take the form of a flying insect. As recently as the early 20th century, many Albanians regarded the Shtriga to be the most common cause of infant deaths. (See also Veshtitza/vjeshtitza.)

Derived from Latin Strix meaning a screech owl, and a flying demon that attacked at night. Shtriga are blood sucking witches, related to Romanian Strigoi. The witches are members of the community and are difficult to identify.  A sign of a witch was a young girl’s hair turning white.  They attacked at night in the form of an animal, usually a moth, fly or bee.  Placing a cross or pig bones above a church door could identify a Shtriga, when the church was crowded.  The Shtriga would be unable to leave and would run round to find a safe exit.  If sighted, the shtriga could be followed and identified because it would have to stop to vomit up the blood it had sucked.  The vomited blood could then be used to make an amulet to protect against witchcraft and vampirism.

Striges

A female witch-vampire that could transform into a crow and would then drink the blood of humans, especially children. Classified among the living vampires. Derived from the Latin strix, originally meaning screech owl and later to mean a night flying demon that attacked and killed infants by sucking their blood.

Strigoi

Medieval and Modern Romania including Transylvania. The feminine form of the name is Strigoiaca. The terms obviously derive from the name of the ancient Roman blood-sucking, shape-changing witch, the Stryx. They apply to either a person who is already an undead vampire, a Strigoi Mort, or to a Strigoi Viu - one who is still living but born predestined to become an undead Strigoi Mort. In most ways, the Romanian Strigoi Morti resembles the undead vampires found in other Eastern European countries. They can be destroyed after exhuming their dormant bodies from the grave by such typical means as impaling them with a stake or by cremating them. And they were frequently blamed as the cause of death in cases of epidemics - with the dead victims frequently becoming Strigoi Morti, too. The Strigoi Vii is more unusual. According to old Romanian folklore, a person who is born with a caul (a veil of foetal membrane still attached to the head), with a small tail, or under other certain peculiar circumstances, is a Strigoi Viu. While still living, he develops certain supernatural powers. The Strigoi Viu is not a blood drinker - but his powers include what could be called psychic vampirism - he can steal the vitality of his neighbours’ crops and animals to enhance his own. Also, he can leave his body at night in the form of an animal or a small spark of light that can be seen flying through the air. Sometimes it was said that a Strigoi Viu took animal form by stealing the form from an animal.  The Strigoi Vii join together in covens and meet with the Strigoi Morti on special Sabbath nights such as the Eve of St. George (April 22) - the same auspicious night when Jonathan Harker meets Dracula in his castle in Bram Stoker’s novel.

Related to the Romanian word Striga meaning witch.  Which in turn is derived from the Latin strix meaning screech owl extended to refer to a demon that attacked children at night.  There is a distinction between strigoi vii (plural strigoi) which means live vampire and strigoi mort (plural strigoi morti) which means dead vampire.

The Strigoi vii are witches destined to become vampires after death, who can send out their souls/bodies at night to cavort with strigoi mort.  The live vampires tend to merge in thought with the striga (witch), who have the power to send their spirits and bodies to meet at night with other witches.

Dead vampires are the reanimated bodies of the dead who return to disturb and suck the blood of their family and/or livestock and if unchecked their neighbours.

Strigoi mort was a variation of the Slavic vampire, strigoi that occurred because of an unusual incident at birth or at death.  A living strigoi was someone who had been born with a caul or a little tail.  Strigoi Vii may become a strigoi mort as well as those people who had died irregularly by suicide or due to an accident.

Strix

Ancient Roman. Night demon which attacked infants and drained them of blood.

Stryx

Ancient Roman. Stryx literally means “Screech Owl” in Latin but the ancient Romans also applied the term to witches who transformed into screech owls at night and, in this form, preyed upon infants by drinking their blood and sometimes eating their internal organs as well. The Latin feminine plural form of “stryx” is “striges”. In the modern Italian language, “striga” has become a general word for “witch”. What we know about the original lore is what was written by Ovid (43 B.C -?). In his book Fasti, he includes a story about an infant who was attacked each night by a flock of striges who drank blood from wounds they inflicted upon his breasts. The demi- goddess Crane is his saviour. In a way, she is like Stoker’s Dr. Van Helsing. As part of her ritual to ward away these vampires, she sprinkles the door way with “drugged” water and places a branch of hawthorn in the window. In much later European lore, hawthorn is often as effective as garlic for the purpose of warding away or confining the undead vampires and the best material for stakes to pound through their hearts. (See also Shtriga, Strigoi, and Veshtitza.)

Succubus

See Incubus/Succubus

Sukuyan:

Trinidad.  The sukuyan resemble the loogaroo of Haiti and the terms are often used interchangeably.  The sukuyan is a member of the community and lived during the day as an ordinary person.  At night, it would remove it’s skin and travel about looking for blood in the form of a blue light.  To protect against the sukuyan, crosses were marked on the doors and windows, a pair of scissors and a mirror above the door inside the house would also serve as protection.  A broom upside down behind the door made the sukuyan powerless to work.  If caught, it would transform into an animal, and without it’s skin would be unable to resume human form.

Sundal Bolong

Javanese.  Literally means 'hollowed bitch'.  A female creature, the result of the suicide and return of a woman raped and impregnated by evil men.  Her chosen victims are young men to whom she appears dressed in white.  She lures them to their deaths, draining them of their blood.

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Talamaur

Melanesian/Bank Islands, near Australia. A soul or tarunga that went out and ate the soul or life still lingering around the body of the corpse of a recently deceased person.  It was also used to describe the ghoul like behaviour of a living person who would eat a corpse with the understanding that the ghost of the dead person would become a companion of the talamaur and use his ghostly power against those to whom he was directed to.  It was not considered a crime to be a talamaur.

Tenatz

Montenegro.  Used interchangeably with Lampir.  A tenatz was believed to be the body of a deceased person that had been taken over by evil spirits, which would wander the night and suck the blood of the sleeping.  To return to their graves they would change into mice.  To detect such a vampire, a black horse would be ridden in the cemetery, if the horse refused to walk over a grave that was where the vampire lay.

Thaye/Tasei

Myanmar (formerly Burma).  These are ghosts who were evil when they were alive.  They are condemned to be disembodied until they paid for their life and were reborn into another body.  They were sometimes visible. To those that saw them they described them as tall. Dark, had huge ears, a large tongue and tusk like teeth. They resided at cemeteries.  Sometimes took part in vampiric and ghoulish activities.  They fed on corpses and went to the village and attacked the living. They were believed to be the cause of minor illness and entered the village at high noon or after dark.

Tlahuelpuchi

Aztec/Mexico.  A person (usually a woman) who possessed the power

to change into several animals and would attack and suck the blood of infants in that form.  Derived from a mixture of the ancient Aztec goddesses and Spanish witches.  The most common animal reported was a turkey, but also fleas, cats, dogs and buzzards.  The tlahuelpuchi was born a witch and remained with her for life. To determine whether or not a person was a witch would be evident when she reached puberty. The power of transformation came with the first menses.  At this time she would develop an insatiable thirst for human blood.  Her relatives are usually the first to find out, and they try to conceal the fact.  The witch would kill anyone that revealed her identity, but not usually family members.  After this event, the witch needed blood at least once a month and as much as 4 times a month. 

On the last Saturday of every month, she would perform a magical rite in the kitchen.  She would ligh