Vampire Hunter's Kit

The following items should be procured by any prospective vampire slayer. Custom dictates that these be carried in a black bag or similar receptacle.

• Stakes
• Mallet
• Mirror
• Cross
• Garlic
• Holy wafer (optional)
• Holy water
• Knives
• Rope
• Saw
• Crowbar
• Pistol
• Flashlight
• Neck brace or iron collar (optional)

Vampire Hunter

A vampire hunter or vampire slayer is a character in folklore and works of fiction, such as books, films, and video games, who specializes in finding and destroying vampires, and sometimes other supernatural creatures.

A vampire hunter is usually described as having extensive knowledge of vampires and other monstrous creatures, including their powers and weaknesses, and uses this knowledge to effectively combat them. In many works, vampire hunters are simply humans with more than average knowledge about the occult, while in others they are themselves supernatural beings, having superhuman abilities.

A well known and influential vampire hunter is Professor Abraham Van Helsing, a character in Bram Stoker's 1897 horror novel, Dracula.

Vampire hunters in folklore

"Professional" or semi-professional vampire hunters played some part in the vampire beliefs of the Balkans (especially in Bulgarian, Serbian, and Romani folk beliefs). In Bulgarian, the terms used to designate them included glog (lit. "hawthorn", the species of wood used for the stake), vampirdzhiya, vampirar, dzhadazhiya, svetocher etc.

They were usually either born on Saturday (then called Sabbatarians, Bulgarian sâbotnichav, Greek sabbatianoí) or the offspring of a vampire and a woman (typically his widow), called a dhampir in Romani or a vampirović in Serbian. It was also believed that someone born on a Saturday could see a vampire when it was otherwise invisible (and sometimes other supernatural entities as well); similarly for the dhampir. In the case of the Sabbatarians, it was believed in some places that they needed to be fed meat from a sheep killed by a wolf (Bulgarian vâlkoedene); this would enable them not to fear the things that only they were able to see. In Croatian and Slovenian legends, the villages had their own vampire hunters that were called kresniks, whose spirits were able to turn into animals at night to fight off the vampire or kudlak.

In some traditions, the killing of vampires was only performed by vampire hunters. Aside from the well-known manners of execution (staking the corpse, burning it, etc.) that were normally entrusted to them, the hunters were also capable of using other methods such as enticing the invisible creature with music and then shooting it, or throwing its hat or head-cloth into the water and telling it to go fetch it (which caused it to drown). 

Vampire hunters in fiction

The vampire hunter has found new popularity in modern fiction and popular culture.

The most widely known example of a vampire hunter is Abraham Van Helsing of the novel Dracula and in other works of fiction adapting or modifying that work. Other more recent figures include Buffy "the Vampire Slayer" Summers from the television show and film of the same name. Buffy's spin-off series Angel is also focused on a vampire hunter, the titular star, Angel "the World's Champion," a vampire himself, is often portrayed battling vampires. Vampire hunters have also appeared in video games, such as BloodRayne.

As well as being knowledgeable about vampire lore, vampire hunters in fiction are often armed with an eclectic mix of items and weapons which are designed to take maximum advantage of the monster's traditional weaknesses. These have included firearms with silver ammunition, appropriate religious symbols, crossbows that fire all wood bolts and even waterguns filled with blessed holy water in the movies The Lost Boys and From Dusk Till Dawn.

The organizational strength of depicted vampire hunters can vary wildly. Most hunter characters are in small groups working alone and in secret. By contrast, the Hellsing Organization in the anime television series, Hellsing is a British government paramilitary strike force with access to troops, heavy combat vehicles and weapons and even allied vampires.

While predominantly depicted as human, examples of other types of vampire hunters also exist. Dhampiric figures, having a mix of human and vampire blood, are a popular form. Alucard from the Castlevania series, and the eponymous hero of the Blade series of comic books, movies, and television episodes, are both examples of dhampir vampire-hunters. Even rarer are vampire hunters that are vampires themselves. Two examples of this type can be found in Morbius from Ultimate Spider-Man, and Zero Kiryuu in the manga and anime series Vampire Knight.

The image of the vampire hunter is often a mysterious and dramatic avenging hero, an eccentric extremist, or sometimes a bit of both. A hunter may be a heroic figure, a lonesome avenger, or sometimes, although not usually, a bounty hunter-style character, hunting Vampires for profit. Vampire hunters have also popularly been depicted as hunting various creatures such as werewolves, demons, and other forms of undead as well. Others have been depicted as mages and cyborgs.

Having vampire hunting become a family tradition handed down to future generations of a bloodline is a popular use of the archetype in fiction.

A vampire hunting kit is on display at the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in Niagara Falls Ontario.

Protection from a Vampire

Common means of securing safety from vampiric attack.

Common Impliments

• Garlic: Most common protective herb, used on windows, doors, around neck, possibly under armpits; mixed with water it can be sprinkled or sprayed throughout an area.
• Holly: Placed around house.
• Fishnets: Placed on windows or doors or in graves to distract vampires who are obsessive about untangling objects.
• Seeds: Seeds such as mustard or poppy are sprinkled on yards or walkways.
• Grain: Oats, millets, and other grains are sprinkled on yards and walkways.
• Holy water: Vials can be thrown at vampires, poured into graves or coffins, or sprinkled on doors, windows, thresholds, and other areas.
• Juniper: Logs kept in house for their antievil powers.
• Bells: Constant rining will drive away the undead.
• Candles: An abundance of light deters vampires, especially if candles have been blessed.
• Incense: Incense of the Latin rite preferred over the Eastern variesties, but both are acceptable and offer powerful protection.
• Tar: Crosses are painted with tar on doors and windows.
• Knives: Stab the vampire in the heart; also useful against the mara.
• Mirrors: Placed on doors because they really annoy vampires when they cannot see their own reflection in them.
• Stakes or pins: Used to impale or pierce, but care must be taken to avoid spurting blood.
• Magic or witchcraft: Potent protections, but can be performed only by the trained.
• Appeasement with blood: Barely useful, but a method for stalling until help or dawn arrives.
• Crosses or crucifixes: The traditional method; the use of such sacramentals can hold vampires at bay or can render a gravesite useless to them.
• Icons: Particularlyeffective amoung Byzantine or Othodox vampires.
• Eating of blood bread: A method used in Poland.
• Burial of wine: A method used on Transylvania, not known in many other regions.
• Drinking blood brandy: A method used in Pomerania.
• Consecrated host: The sacramental is hard to come by and should be handled with care, lest sin of blasphemy cause user more problems than the visits of a vampire.
• Prayer: Always helpful.

Destroying a Vampire

Methods by which such creatures can be annihilated thoughout the world, designed for specific species and to be used in any combination with care.

Common Methods

• Staking: The most commonly used method in the world.
• Beheading: Avoid splattering of the blood.
• Sunlight:Some aged and powerful vampires are immune.
• Cremation: Found throughout the world; scatter the ashes.
• Piercing with a sword: A blessed sword should be used.
• Immersing in water: A bathtub can be used, but body disposal may prove a problem.
• Drenching in garlic and holy water: Large amounts have to be hailed to the gravesite to assure a clean kill; oil, wine, or vinegar can also be used.
• Touching with a crucifix: Destroys young vampires but is normally used only as a repellent.
• Trapping in the grave: Tron bits, red peas, rice (for Chinese species), roses, garlic, stones, and holy water can be used.
• Extracting the heart: Can be very messy.

Less Common Methods

• Stealing the left sock: Useful for only a frew species: Fill a sock with soil, grave dirt, or rocks, and throw outside of village limits, aiming for a river.
• Injecting with holy water: Demands close proximity to the vampire.
• Magic: Use only a trained sorcerer.
• Bottling: Hire a professional Malaysian or Bulgarian sorcerer.
• Using a dhampir: Some dhampirs are disreputable and untrustworthy because of their vampire lineage.
• Using animals: Cocks, dogs, and white wolves recommended.
• Boiling the heart: Use in conjunction with heart extraction; vinegar, oil or wine can be used.
• Using Sabbatarians: Only if they wear their clothing in a particular fashion.

Powers of a Vampire

Commonly attributed abilities of the undead. (NOTE: not all vampires possess the powers listed; see separate species.)

Common Attributes

• Create other vampires: Some believe the vampire can choose to create more of it's kind; others think that it take three bites to be effective.
• Flight: The bruxsa (female species found in Portugal), lansuir (female species found in Malaysia), and aswang (female species found in the Philippines) can fly; other vampires change shape to fly.
• Misting or vaporizing: Gives the vampire access to places considered secure or hard to reach.
• Strength: Equal to that of many men; increases with age.
• Hypnosis: Useful in luring and ensnaring victims.
• Change in size or demensions: Good for tight spots.
• Control of the elements: Power over wind, rain, and other natural forces.
• Control of animals: Power extends over many creatures, including insects, rats, fleas, and bats.
• Eternal life: Varies in length; not all vampires are immortal.
• Scale walls: Vampires are as nimble as spiders.
• Transformation: Vampires can turn into bats, dogs, wolves, butterflies, insects, rats, birds, fleas, mice, and locusts.
• Drain life-force or psychic energy: An attribute of the psychic vampire.

Less Common Attributes

• Causing blight and crop failures: Vampires are opposed in this activity by the Kresnik (kind of vampire fighter found in Istria in Slovenia.)
• Causing plagues or epidemics: The result of killing some many people.
• Siring children: The offspring are called dhampirs in some regions.
• Causing impotence: A power of the nosferatu (Romanian species of vampire.)
• Stealing organs: A power of the jigarkhwar (witch or sorceress found in the Sind region of India), which takes the liver, and the upier (species found in the Ukraine), which takes the heart.

Detecting a Vampire

Clues to the presence of the undead, particularly to large infestations of the creatures.

At the Grave or Cemetery

• Finger-size holes
• Disturbed earth
• Constant mists
• Disturbed coffins
• Moved or fallen crosses
• Broken or fallen crosses
• Footprints leading from grave
• No birds singing
• Dogs barking (or refusing to enter cemetery)
• Geese screaming when near a suspected grave
• Horses shying from grave
• Groaning sounds heard from under the earth

Signs on a Corpse or in a Coffin

• Open eyes
• Ruddy complexion
• Fangs
• Bloated body
• New nails or long hair
• Long, talon-like nails
• Flexible limbs
• Lack of decomposition
• Blood around the mouth; or in the coffin or tomb
• Overly protective caretaker
• Sense of impending doom about the corpse
• Other similar corpse nearby
• White liver (when examined)
• Open mouth

Signs in Possible Victims

• Sleeplessness
• Nightmares
• Anemia
• Bite marks, usually on neck*
• Exhaustion
• Nervousness or irritability
• Sleepwalking
• Difficulty in breathing
• No appetite
• Weight loss
• Aversion to garlic
• Strange dental growths
• Photosensitivity

*NOTE: Not all victims are bitten on the neck, as some vampires feed from the feet, between the breasts, over the heart, from the nipple, or between the eyes. Also, not all vampires need blood.

Suspected Vampire's Appearance or Habits

• Fangs
• Red eyes
• Long nails
• Paleness
• Reluctance to enter house without invitation
• Hairy palms
• Aversion to bright lights
• No appetite
• Never seen during the day hours (not always true with some species)
• Possesses remarkable strength
• Has quiet footsteps
• Possesses knowlegde about botany, with a large collection of soil in a house or in a vicinity
• Resides in an abode deemed evil by others
• Strange clothing habits
• Evidences enormous sexual appeal
• People who know him/ her frequently die
• Rarely, if ever, duscusses religion
• Really bad breath