#folklorethursday

[undeadassociation]

Mythology Musing – Eastern Europe's Strigoi & The Dhampir

You literally cannot talk about vampires without bowing to Eastern Europe. Romania and the Balkans didn’t just give us the aesthetic; they gave us the corporeal revenants known as strigoi and moroi (Johnson, 2001), as well as their ultimate predators: the dhampir.

What I appreciate about Eastern European lore is how decisively unglamorous it is. You didn't become a strigoi by being bitten by a sexy aristocrat. Historically, legends of the undead returning to terrorize their families were often born out of mass hysteria surrounding tuberculosis (consumption) epidemics, where the unexplained spread of the disease was blamed on the restless dead (Buzea, n.d.). Death is a bureaucratic nightmare, and if society doesn't process it correctly, boom! You're a bloodsucker.

But the folklore also provided a hyper-specific cure: the dhampir. Born from the union of a vampire father and a human mother, the dhampir was historically considered the only being capable of seeing and destroying invisible vampires, turning the monster's own cursed bloodline into a community's greatest weapon (McClelland, 2006).

To combat the undead, villagers would hire these dhampir for chaotic, desperate rituals, wrestling unseen forces, exhuming bodies, and burning hearts. There is something tragic about the living making as much noise as possible just to drown out the quiet creeping of death. It’s the original goth impulse: responding to the horror of mortality with dramatic, ritualistic theater, guided by someone who walks between both worlds. Dhampir have made it into popular culture with Blade (Marvel), Alucard (Castlevania), D (Vampire Hunter D), and the Dungeons and Dragons and Pathfinder roleplaying games. And yes, this body of folklore and pop culture is why Alysia, our favorite fictional UdA assassin, is a dhampir: you need someone born of the dark to effectively fight it.

Strigoi Folklore (Wikipedia)

Moroi - Living Vampires (Wikipedia)

Dhampir (Wikipedia)

Schneider, F. Wesley, Beltrán, Whitney, et al. (2021) Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft.

Johnson, P. (2001). Count Dracula and the Folkloric Vampire.

Buzea, T. (n.d.). How a Book Changed a Nation.

McClelland, B. A. (2006). Slayers and Their Vampires: A Cultural History of Killing the Dead.

Art by LilithielGames at DeviantArt.

[bigfootmountain]

The Shunka Warak’in: A Cryptid Bridging Native Lore and Pioneer Tales…

And now for something completely different… this weird creature called the Shunka Warak’in. Often dubbed the “Rocky Mountain Hyena” or simply “the Beast,” this wolf-like creature has slinked through Native American folklore and settler tales,and maybe even the Ice Age. Roots in Native American Lore: The Dog-Snatcher of the Plains Long before European settlers arrived, the Shunka Warak’in was a…

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[maverick-werewolf]

Vampire Fact #12 - How to Identify a Vampire

I’m back with another vampire fact! In fact, all folklore facts are now back, so expect to see more of these!

The winner of the last vampire fact’s Patreon poll was “how to identify a vampire” (that was a hot minute ago because I had to take a break from these), very much like my previous werewolf fact on how to identify a werewolf.

I won’t be covering pop culture vampires in detail/providing a list of how to identify vampires in pop culture. I’m not so deeply versed in vampire pop culture as I am werewolf pop culture; I only study vampire folklore, not their modern media, unlike with werewolves. I familiar with some of it, for sure, but I’d never pretend to be any kind of expert on broader vampire pop culture.

Please note the following is not to be considered a 100% complete list, as there are many, many vampire legends out there! This is just several of the more “popular” methods of identification and perhaps some of the better-known.

Some Folklore Vampire Identifiers

Pale - There are some stories in which vampires actually are pale in folklore, and in which being particularly pale might be a sign of vampirism.

Reddish or purplish skin - Conversely, vampires can also be identified - especially in Eastern European regions - by having “reddish” or “purplish” skin and perhaps even a swollen appearance. All of this comes from drinking too much blood. It’s basically the opposite of being pale: they look flushed and reddened instead of pallid. This one was not uncommon.

Red eyes - This didn’t always mean red eyes as in red irises, like in a lot of popular culture. Often, it could also mean similarly to the flushed appearance: it meant bloodshot eyes, eyes full of blood. But some might also be interpreted as having red irises, and let’s face it, red irises are very cool.

Unnaturally beautiful - This one isn’t uncommon in legends, either: unnatural beauty. Vampires in many stories seduced their victims, and it wasn’t too unusual for things to get steamy, either. Again with the conversely, though...

Unnaturally hideous - Vampires can also be unnaturally hideous. We’re talking like really nasty, because they’re monsters - often these are the monster vampires, demons, not vampires that were ever actually human. However, sometimes signs of being a vampire could also be just human traits that are considered hideous, such as having a caul, being exceptionally hairy (judgmental much?), etc.

Only comes out at night - This is an obvious one in both popular culture and folklore. Often in folklore, however, vampires also only came out at night because it was the only time they actually left their graves. Vampires didn’t come out only at night because they were burned by the sun in folklore (they actually weren’t!), but because they were nocturnal.

Signs of undeath in coffin - Often, vampires were identified via actually unearthing the coffin and taking a look at the corpse. There were many signs that might show a corpse was actually leaving the grave as a vampire, such as growth of the hair or fingernails, the eyes being open or partially open, blood around the mouth, reddened eyes, or a swollen reddish or purplish appearance, as if the corpse is engorged with blood.

Well, there’s a few, at least! There are so many vampire legends I won’t cover “all” of them until, you know, I write the Vampire Facts book someday (maybe? Werewolf Facts the book is definitely on the way, though). At any rate, be sure to tell all your friends how to find vampires today by reblogging this post!

Oh, and no, fangs are not included in folklore.

Also, if you are curious about vampire weaknesses, be sure to check out my post on that, too, as well as the vampire masterlist (linked at the bottom of this post)!

Until next time!

( If you like my blog, be sure to follow me here and elsewhere for more folklore and fiction, including books, especially on werewolves! And please consider donating and/or supporting me on Patreon - not only will you help me keep this blog running, but patrons get cool stuff and rewards in return! You’ll find lots more cool stuff over on my personal website.

maverickwerewolf.com  — Patreon — Wulfgard — Werewolf Fact Masterlist — Twitter — Vampire Fact Masterlist )

[ailishsinclair]

According to Scottish folklore, if you want to see fairies, you should eat a primrose! #FolkloreThursday #flowers #spring #fairies #folklore #primroses #snow #scotland #flowerstagram #flowersofinstagram (at Aberdeenshire) https://www.instagram.com/p/Crz70J-oigd/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[judyconda]

#FolkloreThursday: Imbolc 🕯️🌞 The celebration of Imbolc originates from the Celts. Imbolc symbolizes the halfway point between the winter solstice (Yule) and the spring equinox (Ostara). The word "imbolc" means "in the belly of the Mother," because the seeds of spring are beginning to stir in the belly of Mother Earth. Imbolc is a pagan holiday celebrated from February 1 through sundown February 2. Based on a Celtic tradition, Imbolc was meant to mark the halfway point between winter solstice and the spring equinox in Neolithic Ireland and Scotland. The holiday is celebrated by Wiccans and other practitioners of neopagan or pagan-influenced religions. Imbolc is just one of several pre-Christian holidays highlighting some aspect of winter and sunlight, and heralding the change of seasons. The celebration of Imbolc dates back to the pre-Christian era in the British Isles. The earliest mentions of Imbolc in Irish literature date back to the 10th century. Poetry from that time relates the holiday to ewe’s milk, with the implication of purification. It’s been speculated that this stems from the breeding cycle of sheep and the beginning of lactation. The holiday was traditionally aligned with the first day of spring and the idea of rebirth. After months of turning inward, of hibernation & of rest, life is beginning to stir again. Depending on where you are, you may be seeing the first spring flowers beginning to show signs of life. Spiritually, this is a time of new life coming into manifestation. We may only be seeing the tiniest hints of life above the surface but things are really beginning to stir in the darkness. Just like nature is beginning to awaken after its dormant period, we are also reawakening with new dreams & exciting new plans. #imbolcblessings #imbolc2023 #spring #springseason #spring2023 #summer #summerseason #summer2023 #mystique #spiritique #mindfulness #spiritual #spirituality #blessedimbolc #mysticalsummers #mysticalsummer #februaryblessings #firstdayofspring #pagan #paganism #mystical #mysticisim #mystic #folklore #folkloreflash #folkspirits #imbolc2023 #blessedbe #Brigid #brigidsday https://www.instagram.com/p/CoKMEZFyipg/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[solarpunk-druid]

Folklore Thursday: Burning of the bones

Folklore Thursday: Burning of the bones

#folkloreThursday Burning of the Bones The modern word bonfire posibly comes from the portmantu of ‘bone fire’. This is an old tradition of on holy days when a large fire would be lit bones would be cast into the fire to burn.It was said this would give those around the fire protection from malignant forces. This works in a very mundane sense as the smoke from burning bones is repellent to…

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[rowynnellis]

Really enjoyed loosing myself inking this Jörmungandr inspired water-beastie. Art is proving to be a helpful stress reliever right now x #FolkloreThursday #jormungandr #worldserpent #dragonart #fantasyart #artnerd2020 @ilovefantasyart @fantasyworldart https://www.instagram.com/p/B-MjiIzDGhU/?igshid=19edztbqhinl8

[stagandserpent]

I’m happy to announce that the GREEN MAN pin & postcard set is now available via the S&S store (link in profile)! This project is a collaboration with @the_darkest_ooser and portrays his own personal evocation of the enigmatic Green Man, together with illustration by Stag & Serpent & photography by @tavisamosford Born in Herefordshire, the home of cider and border morris dancing, The Darkest Ooser’s love of folklore, nature and craft set him on the path to create the Green Man, as well as other beasts (The Darkest Ooser, The Night Mare, The Apple Tree Man and Bucca). These entities mark the seasonal celebrations throughout the year, making their appearance only at designated times in keeping with the season or event that is being celebrated. His aim is to spread their story and to get people interested in folklore along the way so these tales will never be forgotten and Britain’s old customs and traditions continue to thrive. All proceeds from this project will be donated to Herefordshire Wildlife Rescue and Northern Ireland Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rescue @nisbtr #greenman #thedarkestooser #tavisamosford #FolkloreThursday #folklore #traditions #enamelpin #pingame #charity #stagandserpent https://www.instagram.com/p/CDQYWi_gjzp/?igshid=1x99gq65wdo7v