The Creed

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I. The Kheprian Charge
We are the many-born. We are the immortal. We have been known by many
names throughout the ages, though few have understood the truth of our
existence.
Endlessly, we die and are reborn, changed yet unchanging throughout the
ages. We move from lifetime to lifetime, taking up bodies as garments.
We are watchers and we are wanderers.
We seek knowledge and understanding above all.
Long ago we strove the sunder the life of our body from our roving minds,
for it grounded us. It held us back. It bound us to a single span of
days. Through a ritual of death and rebirth, we severed our living ties
and gained immortality.
Now we are freed of the life of the body, but we are irrevocably tied to
the life we cut away. It sustains us and empowers us.
We thirst for life and we feed upon it.
It is our greatest weakness and our greatest prize.


II. Beginnings
Eternal, we wander the aeons, moving to the rhythm of our own inner
tides.
Freed from the most fundamental of cycles, we are nevertheless beings
bound by cycles. Our heightened awareness of ourselves and the world
around us forces us to acknowledge natural rhythms that others simply
ignore.
As the day waxes and wanes, we can feel it, and we know that the true
realm of magick is the night, for that is when we wax in power. As the
moon grows gravid and slim, we feel it, and we know, too, that there are
more complex rhythms of power tied to her phases. As the wheel of the
year turns round, we feel the wild times, the apogees and nadirs of
power.
The dark time of the year is our time, as are the threshold times when
we celebrate Samhain and Beltane. These days are our Im Kheperu, the Day
of Transformation, and our Im Sekhemu, the Day of Double Power. As
beings poised on the threshold of many things, the energies of these
holidays affect us profoundly. At these times we enjoy our greatest
power, but in balance, we also pay a stronger price. Waves of energy
rise and fall within us, and when in their grip, our hunger burns.
Forever, we are active elements moving through passive worlds.
Our rules are our own. We accept no others. We define who we are and
what we shall become. There is nothing in our lives which we cannot
control if we but choose to.
Our memories are carried like gems within our souls. Over the lifetimes
they build and crystallize until we can take them out and gaze upon them
as we choose.
Life sustains us, but death defines us. We are the many-born. Our
conception was in death, and each death now brings us a new beginning,
forever without end.


III. Catalysts of Change
Everything we touch, we change. We take in energy constantly, and
although this is how we feed, this energy is never destroyed. Through us,
it is transformed. It changes states. It resonates to a higher level.
Yet every birth is accompanied by struggle and pain. Every rebirth is
just as painful. It may seem that we bring destruction, chaos, and
turmoil to all those around us. And in a sense we do. But the changes
are always for the better, even though the initial change may seem
terrible.
Change is terrible. It tears away what we've grown comfortable with. It
destroys what we find familiar, stable, and simple, leaving uncertainty
in its wake. But to face uncertainty and to thrive is to become stronger.
Everything must change or die. We are active participants in this
universal mystery.
Every person that we come into contact with, no matter how casually, is
altered. Wherever we go, change will follow. Our dynamic spirits stretch
out all around us, and the wake we leave in our passing is like ripples
on the ocean. Only the ripples we cause can become tidal waves.
As beings on a threshold state, we are living embodiments of the dynamic
complimentarily that keeps the universe in constant motion. This is our
burden. Yet this also is our purpose. In the gray area between two
polar opposites lies revelation. We feed upon all around us. Yet we can
also harness that energy to heal. We tear away and bring destruction,
yet we also nurture new growth. This is our nature, the mystery of who
we are.
There is no rebirth without destruction. Light only blinds without
shadow to throw it into relief. Understanding comes from balancing all
these things within the Self. We are that Balance. We affect it, and it
affects us. We are facilitators of the universal flow. We must accept
this, and never fear to move with that flow.


IV. Awakenings
We are neither wholly born nor wholly made what we are. The choice for
us to become was made long ago. From that time onward, we have been
reborn again and again, carrying within us in every lifetime the seed of
what we are.
Sometimes we forget ourselves, and wander our lives like sleepwalkers,
only half-aware of our true natures. Yet sleeping or awakened, we are
born with the potential for transformation.
Awakening is a process of expanded awareness. Anyone with gifts and
talents of a subtle nature undergoes an awakening in their life. This is
when they come into their own, finally accepting what has been latent
within them since birth. For us, the process can be traumatic, as the
existence we awaken to opens us up to a host of strange thoughts,
sensations, and experiences which lie outside the limits accepted even
by other Awakened.
Awakening is the alchemical forge in which we are transformed from dross
to spiritual gold. It is the recalling of a part of our Selves that has
become clouded over time. It is becoming more than the little self of
this lifetime, grasping the totality of who we were and who we are to be
-- our Essential Self.
Some of us have greater potential than others. Some are born with an
instinctive understanding of their potential and they may gradually come
to realize that potential on their own. They recall without prompting
and their power is great.
The bulk of our number are born ignorant to what they are. As they grow
and mature, there are subtle hints of the latent power, but fear and
self-doubt generally keep these from being acknowledged and accepted.
Such as these must be awakened to their true selves by another of our
number already familiar to our ways.
There are two rituals of initiation. The Lesser Initiation is an
exchange of feeding which occurs between the teacher and the initiate.
The initiate is drained deeply, often for the first time. This heightens
his awareness of his energy body and will often catalyse him into
realizing his potential in the next few days. The sensations that this
process inspires are usually too intense to ignore or explain away. If
fed from deeply enough, his instincts will overcome him and he will feed
from others in order to replenish his depleted system.
The Greater Initiation involves a ritual death and rebirth which occurs
on both the physical and spiritual levels for the initiate. It is
visionary and shamanic in nature and forces the initiate to face himself
and all that he has been within the boundaries of his own soul. Like
all deaths and rebirths, this ritual strips away old identities and
assumptions. The little self of this lifetime is subsumed into the
greater Self, and the initiate is irrevocably changed. This rite is
reserved for only the strongest minds, for any who are weak or filled
with fear may not survive the initiation. Their minds can be blown away
like dry autumn leaves in the face of the totality of who they are.


V. Potential
We often associate with the Awakened or with those who hover upon the
threshold of Awakening. We prefer the company of those who can interact
at least to some degree with the level of reality that is our constant
daily experience.
By our very natures we Awaken those around us. Even those not of our
kind can be affected by the transformative effects of our presence. We
draw out latent powers and provide a burden of proof for individuals who
have otherwise rejected their own natures due to self-doubt. We can use
this intentionally if we choose, though it will always occur to some
degree, whether intentional or not.
Sometimes we mistake a Potential of our own kind merely for one of the
Awakened. If such an unrecognised Potential is fed from, the effect,
though unintentional, is equivalent to the Lesser Initiation. The
Potential feels himself undergo a change and is driven to feed from
others. Such accidents cannot be abandoned. Confused as to their true
nature, ignorant of their power, they wield that power nonetheless and
can cause much damage to themselves and others if left to struggle on
their own.
Still others have Potential, but it is too weak to ever fully be
realized in this lifetime. Others are too unstable to survive the
initiation. They are best left to sleep so they will come to maturity in
their own time. If forced to awaken, they are merely shadows of us --
weak in power, unstable in mind, whose powers are likely to fade unless
constantly put to use or manipulated by their mentor.
Sometimes a feeding vessel may manifest the symptoms of vampirism, but
this is merely a sympathetic state brought about through prolonged or
obsessive contact with one of our own. Such a one's natural reserves are
depleted to a point where they cannot recover their vitality on their
own. Given time, however, and separated physically and / or emotionally
from the dominating personality, such a person will gradually recover
and return to a normal, non-vampiric state. In some cases, the afflicted
person does not wish to give up the state of sympathetic vampirism. If
the person understands even a little of what has happened to him and
wants the condition to continue, he can maintain this quasi-vampiric
state indefinitely and may even eventually come to be mistaken for one
of our number as he will accept that he is nothing else.


VI. Other Awakened
There are many beyond ourselves who have the potential for power. They
also undergo a process like our Becoming which consists primarily of a
expanded awareness and an awakening to their greater Self. This commonly
occurs with the onset of puberty, although it may happen later or
earlier, depending on nature and circumstance. These are commonly
referred to as the Awakened. Their ways and their powers are diverse.
Like us, many of the Awakened follow a particular archetype. They use
this archetype as a symbol to define themselves and their powers. They
have a fundamental connection to the energy of this archetype, and
although human in body, they are something more in spirit. Angels,
witches, the Fey, Otherkin, Shifters, these are but a few of the
archetypes that may be followed. Like ourselves, it may be that such
individuals are responsible for inspiring much of the folklore that gave
rise to the archetype in the first place and now, in a less spiritually
open time, they have only the buried grains of truth lingering in the
folklore to fall back upon to define themselves. Like us, they are human
and Other. They are spiritual travellers who take up bodies as garments.
We should always treat them with respect, for ultimately, we serve
common goals.
You will be attracted to the Awakened in much the same manner that you
are drawn to Potentials of our kind. Much is unspoken and unconscious.
Trust that your greater Self is guiding you, for it knows and
understands what may not always be accessible to your conscious mind.
Like ourselves, the Awakened can perceive and manipulate the many layers
of reality. They call themselves by many names and they follow many
diverse paths. Most of the Awakened draw their power from the positive,
generative forces of reality. Thus, they may fear us when they first
encounter us. This fear arises from ignorance. Though we are darkness
and they are light, we all work toward the same goal. We each in our way
bring awareness to the world, catalysing those with potential toward
Awakening.
When we come upon one who is verging upon Awakening, it is our duty to
guide and instruct them. Do not mistake every Awakened being for a
Potential of our kind. Nor should you attempt to push those not of our
kind into accepting our ways and our arts. This way is not for everyone,
and no one should ever be forced into following it. Be aware that some
may resonate with more than one archetype, and these are the most
difficult of all to identify and to educate. They may have much in
common with us, but there will be limits to what we can explain and help
them understand. In all cases, serve your function as a catalyst,
helping them toward their path but not seeking to define that path for
them. Ultimately, each person must walk their path alone.


VII. Fledglings
You are responsible for teaching and guiding those of our kind whom you
have awakened to their true natures. You must guide them through their
transformation, helping to ease the transition from one level of
awareness to the next.
Those who you guide in this way will be as your children and will share
a deep bond with you like no other.
You will know their very heart and soul. The mysteries of their
Essential Self will be unveiled to you. No distance will separate your
awareness of them.
The link goes both ways, and they can communicate with you and know your
feelings when they choose. You may use the link to feed from them at a
distance, to borrow their strength as your own.
Their thoughts will be yours to know; their actions will fall under your
control if you so choose -- but do not seek to abuse this power you
wield over them for as dearly as they may love you and revere you while
under your control, they will just as thoroughly hate and revile you
once that control has slipped away.


VIII. The Beacon
Our kind has ways of recognizing its own. Often this recognition occurs
on an unspoken level and is very subtle, so you must learn to trust your
impulses and allow your greater Self to guide you.
Especially in the unawakened, this recognition manifests itself as a
Beacon which calls us to them so that they may realize their Potential.
The Beacon calls to us on a very basic level, and often speaks purely to
our unconscious minds. Thus we find ourselves inexplicably attracted to
a Potential, stricken with a sudden fascination for him and a need to
draw him closer to us. If we listen to our perceptions and trust our
instinctual reactions, we can refine this awareness of others until we
can consciously pick out the Beacon in those around us. Sometimes, even
after such a refinement has been achieved, the Beacon still slips past
our conscious actions and we find ourselves simply responding to its
unspoken pull. The pull of the Beacon drives us to feed from the
Potential, thus awakening him to the most basic aspect of his hidden
nature.
We must learn to recognize the Beacon in others, to judge its varying
degrees of strength so that we may go about the awakening in a
deliberate manner. We must learn to recognize when it is appropriate to
awaken a Potential and when that awakening will bring only grief to all
involved.
We must let our judgment rule us in this matter and we must sometimes
resist the merely instinctual pull of the Beacon for awakenings that are
not appropriate. Not all of those with Potential are fit for the
awakening, and if we act rashly we may unwittingly loose the beast of
our destruction through a careless move.


IX. Characteristics
The Beacon is present to a limited degree in those who have already
become. It is strong enough for us to recognize one of our number when
we come into contact with him, even if this recognition is the barest
hint of perception.
We may also be known by our distinct auras: deep purple sometimes shot
through with red, surrounded by a nimbus of black or grey mist. The
outer layer often stretches into tendrils that extend far beyond our
physical forms, reaching out and feeding from those around us. To those
who can perceive that level of reality, we often appear to be a nexus of
such tendrils.
The tendrils are varying shades of grey, with a smooth, rope-like
appearance. They are not perceptibly present in everyone; they can be
filaments so fine even the most experienced seer will have difficulty
perceiving them.
We are often noted for our pallor, but more often it is the intensity of
our eyes which gives us away. We tend to be thin with a powerful and
often intimidating presence which wraps about us like a shroud.
Our hands are often very cold. This is a cold which saps heat away, and
lingers where it has been touched. It is a symptom of our constant, low-level
energy draw. If we consciously channel energy through our hands, they
grow very warm. It is not the temperature which is important: it is the
responsiveness of our physical bodies to subtle effects that is
distinctive.
We are sensitive to strong odours and tastes, as our senses are often
acute. Many of us can hear in a more than normal human range. Some of
this is physical hearing, some may be limited clairaudience, as our
subtle senses extend far beyond our physical selves. We are almost
always much stronger and quicker than we look, for the body is merely a
vessel for a much more powerful Will.
We are sensitive to light and to the excessive heat of the sun. This is
symptomatic of our acute sensitivity to energy. The radiation of the sun
is an overwhelming form of energy which our systems have trouble
assimilating. Many of us burn very easily in the sun. Almost all of us
are made sick by it. When required to be out in full daylight, we
develop headaches, nausea, dizziness. The light saps us of our strength,
leaving us exhausted and drained. The night is our natural dominion,
for in the mythic imagination, it is the realm of secrets, of magick,
and all that the day-lit world rejects.
We carry ourselves with a proud determination and can seem arrogant,
detached, and cold. We are often of a predatory nature, and with
difficulty avoid using those around us.
To most we seem unapproachable. There is an air about us which seems
somehow to set us apart. Even those ignorant to our true natures react
to this, treating us with respect, attraction or fear.
The unawakened stare then look away from us and are unable to meet our
gaze. They are disturbed by our presence but rarely will they understand
what disturbed them or why. Instinctually, they fear us.
The Awakened will know us for what we are, though they may hesitate to
put a name to it. Still, on an unspoken level they will understand and
attempt to define us through the filters of their individual beliefs and
symbol systems.
Children will know us, though rarely do they fear. In their innocence,
they have not yet learned to doubt, and thus are open to a clear
perception of the world around them.


X. Subtle Body Changes
To the Awakened who can perceive energy or the subtle body, we may
appear flawed or incomplete. This difference in our energy bodies can be
mistaken as illness or disease. In truth, most of our kind partially or
completely lack an energy centre. This is most often the one located in
the belly, just below the navel. It is because we lack this centre that
we need to feed, for our subtle bodies cannot sustain the energy
necessary to maintain our physical forms. There is a schism between our
body and our spirit, and while this schism places us in our threshold
state, it creates weaknesses along with many benefits.
Our physical connection to life is thin and weak. In those of our number
who have not become, this may manifest itself in actual physical
debility or illness. Severe allergies, immune system malfunctions, and
other birth defects are not uncommon. If they gain awareness of their
powers and at the very least learn how to feed, they may learn to
compensate for these weaknesses. However, once you have learned to
compensate, if you are unable to feed enough to sustain yourself, this
weakness will return with greater severity than before.
Often well-meaning Awakened will offer to heal you so that you need not
suffer the drawbacks associated with this lacking. Their efforts should
be discouraged for they do not understand our nature. The absence of
this centre defines us as what we are and is carried over from lifetime
to lifetime. It cannot and should not be "fixed." In this respect,
vampirism is a condition of the spirit, and it is the spirit which
predisposes the body to physically manifest the characteristics
associated with vampirism.
Occasionally damage can be done to the subtle body of another that will
partially or completely destroy an energy centre. Such damage may be
more permanent than the physical flesh, and thus will be carried over
from lifetime to lifetime. This damage is most often the result of an
accident, yet it produces much the same results as that which we embody.
Those who have been damaged in this way will find that they need to feed.
Their subtle bodies can no longer sustain their physical forms, and if
life energy is not taken from an outside source, they will suffer
debilitating effects associated with the lost or damaged energy centre.
Though these are not our children, they are technically of our number.
It is our duty to help and guide them in understanding what has happened
to them and what this may entail. There is however hope that such
individuals will eventually heal on a subtle level, and thus recover
from their state of vampirism.

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The Vampyrie Codex II

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