You're very own made up Vampire/Werewolf Origins

[Hallow]

Legend of Vlad the Impaler. True he was considered a fairly brutal king; the impaling of his enemies on large stakes lended to his name's sake. It was even more macabre when he would take his meals out on the fields where the men were alive and writhing on the stakes. Still, he was a war lord and, to me, that is kind of expected. He is still kind of celebrated as a hero amongst the Romanians and the fact that writers have romanticized his story has brought them recognition in the tourist industry.
There is one story that scares me a little more than the story of Vlad. It's the one about Countess Elizabeth Bathory de Ecsed. She was a renowned member of the Hungarian nobility, but she is better known as "The Blood Countess" or the "Blood Queen".
She was accused and found guilty of torturing and killing hundreds of girls. One witness attributed there to have been 650 victims. Supposedly she bathed in and drank their blood to keep her youthful. She was never tried or convicted, being a member of nobility and all, but they bricked her up in a castle that still stands in Hungary today. True story, I found. Took place in the 1600's I guess. Good inspiration for the new vampire writer.
Type her name in and you should get the full story. If you want any references to her, there were a few made in the movie Stay Alive(though loosely based), and the second Vampire Hunter D movie.

[ChaosChick]

All those presented on the first-ish comment were amazing! The alien one was epic... the God on was even better.

[Pumpkin_Man]

I saw that story on the History Channel, Hallow. I wonder if anyone ever tried to unbrick the enterence to that castle and fine her skeleton.

Mike

[ScarecrowJack]

This is a very interesting thread. Though from what I'd read about Lillith, she was originally a Babylonian religious figure (Goddess or demon varies with text) that was imported into Judiac lore. As for telling zombies apart from vampires, zombies as we interpret them now are a very recent phenomenon. The term zombie actually comes from Vodoo and bears little resemblance to the modern horror archetype.

I think my favorite riff on the werewolf lore is the Benandanti. They're first referenced in the werewolf trials as a group who were accused as werewolves and admitted they were. But their purpose was to protect their villages and considered themselves the hounds of God. I've been trying to adapt this mythology into a story for some time.

[VanHelsingStandIn]

All I know is you walk into Chuck Norris' game room and all you see are stuffed vampires and werewolf skin rugs.

When Chuck goes vampire hunting, he doesn't use a wooden stake. His eyes are enough to cause a vampires heart to implode.

When Chuck goes after werewolves he just puts out a can of Alpo and when the werewolves show up, they see Chuck, and then one of two things happen. They either fall dead from fright or turn into chihuahuas and pomeranians, which Chuck takes home to his Chihuahua/Pomeranian Farm in Texas and trains them to hunt wild boar.

[Murfreesboro]

My second son has several of those Chuck Norris posters in his room, the ones that have expressions like that.

ScarecrowJack, the Benandanti sound similar to the way the werewolves are used in the Twilight saga.

[NeverMore]

[ScarecrowJack]

Nevermore, I love, love, love that! Peter Cushing for the win!!

Murfreesboro, I haven't read Twilight but a friend of mine was telling me about how she treated werewolves. It was nice to have somebody work with that style of mythos.

[VanHelsingStandIn]

SA-WEET!!!!

When I saw Peter in the first Star Wars I wondered why they hadn't used Christopher Lee!

Of course years later AFTER Peter is dead, we get to see Chris!

But did you know?????

Peter Cushing has a poster of Chuck Norris on the lid of his coffin!?

[Pumpkin_Man]

Interesting. I didn't even know that Peter Kushing was deat. Bummer!

Mike