Modern cinema tends not to deal with the subject of hair, as a rule. One notable exception is Interview With the Vampire. The vampire child Claudia shears off all her hair in a rage, only to find that it grows back in seconds.

Reproduction

The term Dhampir in modern folklore refers to the offspring of a vampire and a human mate, traditionally a male vampire mating with a human female. This offspring was normally male. The dhampir was thought to have special qualities. He could sense where vampires hid themselves from the world, and therefore he had the ability to be a superb vampire hunter. These qualities would be passed down genetically to his offspring, and it was thought to last many generations.

As well, the terms incubus and succubus refer to vampires who perform a sexual attack upon their intended victims, and it was likely these types of vampires who produced offspring. However, references to exactly how (!) this was accomplished is very scarce.

Senses

In modern literature, a vampire's sense of vision is thought to be very acute. This is largely due to the fact that they are a nocturnal creature, and therefore must be able to adapt to their environment. It also explains why sunlight is thought to be so painful to their eye. Their eyesight has often been attributed to a residue from their ability to change into bats .

Many treatments of the topic also state that hearing can be heightened in a vampire body. This allows them to hear mortals from a great distance (far greater than human ears could pick up) and also to discern when another vampire draws near. This is evident in the Canadian television program Forever Knight; Nick can hear over great distances, and this allows him to capture the criminals he chases. Their acute sense of hearing may also be attributed to their nocturnal nature; as night hunters, the ability to hunt quietly and hear well would be invaluable.

Strength

The vampire came by its supernatural strength through modern film and literature. Vampires, historically, were not know for their great strength; they normally attacked only "weaker" victims, such as children or the elderly. They never attacked a group of people for fear of being overcome. However, the modern view of vampires have allowed them a certain arrogance, knowing that no mere mortal could overpower them. Many of the personality traits that we have come to so adore in the vampire today are a result of this arrogance, knowing that they are truly immortal but for a few weaknesses.

Shape-Changing

Although there was a small link between shape-changing and vampires for hundreds of years, it was not until Dracula that the true connection was made. In the novel, Stoker described Dracula as able to change into a rat, a bat, or the very mist itself.

Vampire bats became by far the most common of these shapes a vampire could command at will. This could be because vampire bats, by their nature, are closely related to the vampire itself. They are nocturnal, and feed exclusively off the blood of various mammals and other vertebrates. They have very sharp teeth which they use to pierce the victim's skin, and then they lap up the blood as it flows. It has also been known as an emerging problem; it is a proficient carrier of rabies (not unlike the definition of Nosferatu, which itself mean plague-carrier).

The ability to transform at will into mist has brought many advantages to the vampire, allowing him to escape vampire hunters and other dangers quickly. In addition, mist (in some cases) has allowed the vampire to move great distances at one time.

Skin

Historically, vampire skin was dark instead of the alabaster skin we see today in film. Paul Barber, author of Vampires, Burial and Death, suggests that this is becuase suspected "vampires" were actually corpses decomposing in their graves. Skin naturally turns darker and sloughs off the bone as the body decomposes. This may account for many reports in medieval Europe of vampires "growing new skin".

Today, vampire skin is by nature very white and smooth. This is likely due to the fact that these creatures are nocturnal, and never get to see the sun. Their skin therefore gets bleached over time. Also, the vampire is an undead creature, and unless he has recently fed, there is a lack of colour-giving blood in his body.

In The Vampire Chronicles, Anne Rice describes the vampire skin as nearly transparent when the vampire is starved for blood. After feeding, they attain a healthier, more human skin tone, but this is a temporary change. Lestat mentions on several occasions having to powder his skin to pass for human.

This is a common and universal method of disposing of a vampire.

 ~won't/will work- after burning you must spread the ashes to make it work~

BURYING FACE DOWNWARDS

If it was suspected that someone might become a vampire, burying them face downwards was believed to prevent the change occurring.

 ~won't work- if you've been changed there is no way to stop you from becoming a vampire~

WOODEN STAKE

It was believed that the heart was the first seat of life therefore driving a stake through the heart would destroy that life force. According to some legends, the stake must be a special type of wood--generally ash, hawthorn, maple or aspen--and it must be driven through the heart with one blow.

 ~won't work- vampire can remove the stake on their own and can heal after a little rest~

Other ways are:

Cut off and burn the head ~will work- already stated~

Pile stones on the grave ~won't work- vampires are generally made out of the grave so it would do no good~

Put poppy seeds on the grave ~won't work- same as last~

Boil the head in vinegar ~won't work- vinegar smells too much, lol kidding but it still won't work~

Chain to the grave with wild roses ~won't work- already stated~

Place a coin in the mouth and decapitate with an axe ~won't work- you really expect to hold one still THAT long, palease!~

Put a lemon in the mouth ~won't work- it's just a lemon!~

Bury at a crossroads ~won't work- already stated~

Remove the heart and cut it in two. Put garlic in the mouth and a nail in the head ~won't work- too messy~

Drive a stake through the heart and a nail through the temple ~won't work- basically the same as a stake through the heart~

Cut off the toes and drive a nail through the neck ~won't work- what good would cutting off the toes do?!~

Pour boiling oil on the body and drive a nail through the navel ~won't work- what would be the point of that?~

 

Mythical vampire powers:

CHURCHES: The traditional vampire could not enter a church, though some of his modern counterparts do not share this restriction. ~false- vampires can enter churches~

COFFINS: Vampires almost always have to sleep in their coffin during the hours of daylight.    Some legends include native soil as part of this myth. ~false- they just have to sleep in a dark place with no light, weither that be a windowless room, a coffin, a box, or a holw in the ground~

CRUCIFIXES: Traditionally a crucifix will hold off a vampire. If touched to the vampire's skin, it will burn and scar; though its use is usually not fatal to the vampire. Its efficiency depends upon the faith of its user. ~false- crucifixes hold no power over vampires and some actually have one or more~

EUCHARIST WAFER: This is another traditional weapon used to ward off vampires. Again, its efficiency depends upon the faith of its user. ~false- all it really is is water, true it is "blessed" but it still doesn't affect them~

FLYING: Traditionally this is done by turning into a bat. In more recent times, vampires can fly in human form. ~true- though the don't actually fly for say they can jump great hights and distances and their "inner demon" can makes them "fly" (the book Queen of the Damned is helpful in explaining this) ~

GARLIC: This plant possesses magical powers, which will ward off vampires. ~false- yes the smell is powerful and vampires have sensetive noses it doesn't ward them off~

HOLY WATER: Another religious weapon, which burns and scars a vampire usually without being fatal. Once again, its efficiency depends on the faith of the user. ~false- same as EUCHARIST WAFER~

INVITE: Initially, a vampire cannot enter a house unless invited. But once invited inside, it can re-enter as often as it pleases. ~false- basically vampires can go where ever~

MIND CONTROL: Traditional vampires had the ability to hypnotize their intended victims. They could also control some types of animals-usually those animals into which they could change. They could also exercise some control over elements such as wind and storm.    Modern vampires generally seem to have lost this skill. ~true and false- vampires can some what hypnotize and control people, and can read minds but they can't control elements at all~

MIRRORS: Traditionally vampires cast no reflection and have a strong aversion to mirrors. On the whole, modern vampires seem to have dispensed with this idiosyncrasy. ~true and false- they don't have reflections but they also don't bother to avoid mirrors~

 SENSES: Typically, a vampire's senses are much sharper than those of humans. ~true- their sences are more powerful, which is why garlic keeps them a way a bit until they adjust to the smell~

 STRENGTH: Vampires are possessed of great strength, far beyond human capabilities. ~true- they are much more powerful, which is why they can jump much much higher and farther~

 SUNLIGHT: Typically, you would expect sunlight to be the great enemy of vampires, but according to the myths it is not always fatal (e.g. Stoker's Dracula was only weakened by sunlight, not destroyed).  ~true and false- supposedly only the ancient and extremely powerful vampires can live through sunlight all younger and less powerful ones tend to burn to ashes(only hope for survival is blood all over them- see Anne Rice's Merrick for this info)~

 TRANSFORMATION: Traditionally vampires can change into bats, wolves, dogs and mist, though his modern successor seems to have generally lost this ability. ~true- though not always they do this they have the ability~

WATER: A vampire can only pass running water at the slack or flood of the tide (Van Helsing-Bram Stoker's Dracula). ~false- they have the ability to jump really far, so they could jump the Pacific Ocean if they wanted, therefore making a small river or whatever no problem to jump over~

Soruce(s) : http://www.geocities.com/calliope_demarquis/facts.html, http://vampirechronicles.freeservers.com/vampfacts.htm