Vampire - Any humanesque, full-blooded creature whose ancestry dates back to the Source (called the Lamiai). Vampires are humanlike, living creatures that are cold-blooded and reptilian. They cannot manufacture their own blood and so much take it from a host or victim.
Lamiai - The first creatures responsible for the creation of vampires. It is believed these alien creatures mated with humans to produce the creature we today call the vampire. Also, (archaic/lowercase) a vampire.
Dhampir - Any humanesque creature which is the offspring of a male vampire and a human female. Female vampires cannot produce dhampiri with human men, nor do dhampiri themselves reproduce.
The Coven - The greater body of slayers as created and maintained by the Vatican Historical Council. The term may also apply to any individual sect of slayers, such as "The New York City Coven of slayers."
The Ordinances of the Covenant - A lengthy diatribe explaining how vampire are to act in relation to human beings. It was drawn up during the Reformation and was signed by the then leaders of both human beings and vampires. The document - called a "diet" by the Old-worlders - is considered sacred and breakable only by penalty of death. The three main points (or Cardinal Rules) of the Covenant are such: 1. Vampires may not kill a living human being. 2. Vampires may not reveal themselves, or allow themselves to be revealed, to human beings, but only so long as the Second Cardinal Rule does not contradict the First Cardinal rule. 3. Vampires may not foster offspring on a human being.
Vatican Historical Council - A cover operation for those priests, Cardinals and other high-ranking human members of the Roman Catholic Church who control the activity of slayers and vampires throughout the world. The body as a whole. Covenmasters must answer personally to a representative of the VHC in whatever city or providence they hold jurisdiction in.
Covenmaster - The head slayer of any given Coven. The Covenmaster controls all slayer-related activities within his jurisdiction and must answer to an Overseer. Covenmasters are always male.
Overseer - A human priest which presides over any particular Coven. The Covenmaster answers to him. Overseers answer to the VHC. If a Covenmaster is negligent, the Overseer must be held responsible. Overseers are always human.
Awaken - To become aware of corruption within the ranks of the Coven
Purge - To destroy all known vampires; genocide.
Inquisition - A time of tribulation wherein vampires are sought out and destroyed as a means to lowering the population count. There have been several.
Circle - A meeting of slayers. A Covenmaster sits the head of a Circle. An Overseer may or may not be present.
Master - A high-ranking slayer.
Whelp - A young slayer, vampire or dhampir. Also (slang) a despairing remark.
Thrall - A vampire who is submissive to another, stronger vampire, especially a hivemaster. Also (slang) any female vampire.
Enthrall - To make a Thrall, or to overcome with Glamour.
Ghoul - A human who has ingested vampire blood and has been altered by it. A ghoul may or may not actually be blood-bonded to a particular vampire. Ghouls are often dominant in the relationship but cannot themselves become vampires, although they may gain almost all of a vampire's abilities. Dhampiri are not strong enough to make ghouls. Also (despairing) a weak human who serves vampires for favors.
Hivemaster - The head of a small enclave of vampires. A hivemaster must answer to any slayer or Covenmaster in his providence. If crimes have been committed within the hivemaster's enclave, the hivemaster must suffer the same fate as the offender. Hivemasters are always male.
Hive - A small enclave of vampires. There is usually one or two per large city, but they are seldom in conflict.
Shire - A large enclave of vampires, such as the size of a small, secluded town. There are no shires anymore.
King - The head of a shire. There are no kings anymore. Shires were dismantled and turned into hives. The terms "King" and "Queen" of the hive were kept for a short time, then "King" was replaced with the more modern equivalent, "hivemaster".
Bloodletting - A female vampire's menstrual period. In this case, however, she requires additional blood rather than loosing it and her natural bloodthirsty nature must be controlled by whichever male vampire she is blood-bonded to.
Control - Ability of a vampire or dhampir to reign in his/her bloodlust and appear normal.
Glamour - A vampire and (sometimes) a dhampir's ability to mask their outward appearances to the general public. The strength and endurance of Glamour is different for every individual and the trick is not foolproof against certain more powerful beings. But theoretically, every being with vampire blood has some degree of Glamour, even if it is nothing more than a winning personality.
Empath - A reference to a vampire, dhampir and (sometimes) a human being or ghoul who can read the feelings, emotions, and, to a lesser degree, mind of other beings.
Seer - A reference to a vampire, dhampir and (sometimes) a human being or ghoul who can see future events. A clairvoyant.
Flight - Not true flight. A vampire or dhampir's ability to separate mind from body and observe things from afar. A controlled "out of body" experience.
Talent - The psychic ability unique to a vampire or dhampir, such as Empathy, Seeing, Flight, Glamour, Telekinesis or Pyrokinesis. Talent varies from one individual to the next, and a being may possess more than one talent, though there is always a dominant talent inherent to them.
Firestarter - (slang) Any being with Pyrokinetic talent. Taken from the Stephen King novel of the same name.
Hoursecleaning - The total destruction of a hive.
Queen - The first consort of a King or hivemaster; the first (dominant) female.
Father - Covenmaster or sensei. Also, term of endearment.
Sensei - A Covenmaster or Master who trains slayers. Usually a term of affection used by a student.
Acolyte - Any student of a Covenmaster or slayer.
Prot�g� - Favored student of a slayer or Covenmaster. Often used to set apart an acolyte who will become a Covenmaster in time.
Mark - To put a physical (bite) mark on a favored student as a sign of possession and affection. Also represents the mental and physical bond between student and teacher. If performed by a Covenmaster, the Mark becomes a sign of succession. But since Marking is considered bad form and a betrayal of a slayer's or Covenmaster's vow of celibacy, it is usually hidden by the hair or clothing.
Serve - (slang) To deliver a warrant for termination.
Retire - (slang) To censor for termination. "Retire the mark."
Mark - (slang) A vampire slated for termination.
Drop - (slang) To terminate a vampire without a warrant, such as in self-defense. Dropping vampires is not considered a crime according to the Covenant and is usually overlooked by the VHC.
Dominatio - Word of unknown origins but probably from Latin "to take." Ancient ceremony performed between two creatures with vampire blood where one may absorb the blood, soul, spirit and abilities of the other. The ceremony must be done willingly between the partners.
Rite of Blood - Similar to the Dominatio, except that the participants of the ceremony do not conclude the ceremony, and the two souls are bound only tentatively. Usually used to Mark an heir.
Souleater - (slang) A vampire or dhampir who spontaneously absorbs the talents and, sometimes, personality of those whose blood it partakes. The result is usually death for the host or victim.
Lillith - Legendary queen mother of the Lamiai and origin of vampires.
Blood-bond - The physical, mental, emotional and spiritual relationship between two vampires or a vampire and a human. Dhampiri cannot blood-bond to any except common (family) blood.
Common blood - Two or more vampires or dhampiri related by blood and family. Also, an enclave where all the vampires are of the same family. A "common blood" of vampires.
Turn - For a dhampiri to loose his or her hold on their human nature. To become a vampire.
Shriker - A slayer who originates from the Southern, Midwestern or Northern part of the United States. Derivative of shrike + slayer.
Old-worlder - A slayer who originates from Europe or the East Coast (USA). May or may not actually be very old. Also (despairing) an old-fashioned or technophobic slayer.
Ground - To use influence, such as within a hive or enclave, to physically bound to ground an intruding vampire. Vampires who are grounded cannot move. Also (archaic) to kill a vampire with iron stakes or spikes.
Rogue - A slayer who betrays his Coven and is slated for termination.
Black nation - Human: Gothic nation. Vampire: Vampires who resist the Ordinances of the Covenant.
White nation - Human: Mainstream. Vampire: Vampires who comply willingly with the Covenant.
Dog - (slang/despairing) A vampire or slayer who plays to a powerful human for favors.
Murder - A small nomadic band of vampires with no established leader. Derivative of "A murder of crows."
Nomad - A vampire who has no hive or is part of a Murder.