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By Luther B Campbell, Hartview Vampire Society

If you are reading this, this is because you
have been recently been turned into a vampire
and unsure of what to do next.

Don't worry. That's what this guide is here for.

First off, we're sorry of what had happened. None
of this is your fault, it happened against your will,
and we're here to help.

Compared to the olden days where one is left to fend
for his or herself after being turned into one,
nowadays, we keep an eye out for each other, show
them the ropes and best methods of survival, giving
them to live peacefully without bringing any attention
to themselves.

I am sure that in your past life, you have heard, read,
or watched material dedicated to vampires. Some
of it is true, but keep in mind that these materials are
made by individuals with little to no knowledge on how
vampires live.

They did get one essential component right.

Namely, vampires are quite sensitive towards sunlight, beginning
from 0800 Hours until 1900 hours. Your skin will immediately
burn up during this time period, so it is advised that you
stay indoors during this time.

Should you need to go out, however, cover your body with
as much clothing as possible, and put on some sun lotion on
your face and hands to help your skin withstand the sunlight.
Articles of clothing such as hoodies, gloves, jackets and hats
will protect you should you need to go out during the daylight.

There are, however, a few types of vampires that can walk outside during
the day, and we have at least two vampires here that have the ability
to do that. This is strictly evolutionary, as they have developed an
immunity towards sunlight throughout the years, one taking more than
twenty years to do so.

It might be possible for you to achieve it, but getting there will
take a very long time. Rushing to get there will only get you killed,
so be patient.

Now, as I have mentioned earlier, anything you've heard, read,
or watched about vampires prior to your transformation is at best,
a work of fiction. Now, I myself have enjoyed some of them, as a
spy would enjoy a spy novel, but they are incredibly unreliable,
if not dangerous, reference source.

Forget about what you "know" about vampires and start afresh.

This is the real deal.

Now, let's go through this one at a time.

a) Vampires don't have reflections. This is false, as vampires are still
made out of skin, flesh and bones, and still a physical being. Therefore,
you can still see yourself in the mirror, get your picture taken and get
recorded just like before.

I've heard about the whole "Mirrors reflect one's soul," argument,
but using that logic, then lawyers and bankers wouldn't have reflections
of themselves in their mirrors, would they?

b) Vampires can't eat garlic. Well, contrary to what Van Helsing claimed,
vampires can still consume garlic with no ill effects. So the next time you
feel like ordering garlic bread to go with your pizza, go ahead.

c) Vampires can be repelled with crucifixes and other religious iconography,
and visiting a church or temple will kill them outright. These spurious
claims are made by the religious authorities beginning from the 18th century
to discredit and dehumanize vampires, by potraying them as demonic creatures
from hell for their own purposes.

d) Vampires can only consume human blood. While vampires do feed on human
blood, it is possible to subsist on animal blood. If you're feeling lazy,
there's nothing to stop you from eating a rare steak and get your nutrition
from there.

e) Biting another person kills them or turns them into a vampire. If this is true,
the world would be overrun by vampires and corpses by now. As you're aware
yourself, you become a vampire when you have consumed another vampire's blood.

It is actually pretty simple to bite another person without killing them, and is
much more preferable. Self-control is needed in most cases, and an experienced
vampire should be able to teach you how to do it without hitting the major arteries.

f) Vampires can turn into bats. This is a pretty popular misconception, and many
vampires can attest to that one time they decided to try flying and end up
breaking their legs as a result. What they forgot is that Count Dracula himself is
a magician and an illusionist, with skills that are out of reach from most individuals,
vampires included.

g) Vampires have unlimited riches. Actually, while this is true in some cases, this
is because they either came from nobility, or, more likely, invested wisely, and reaped
the benefits. Therefore, you will still need to look for a job, and nowadays, it's entirely
possible for a vampire to work from the safety of his or her home, or work the night shift
in a variety of industries to support yourself.

Now that we've covered all the misconceptions, let's move on.

You might ask, "What changes do I need to make to adapt to the vampire lifestyle?"

The answer is, "Not much."

First off, sleeping in coffins is a habit that's not only impractical, but downright uncomfortable.
Coffins aren't made with comfort in mind, and it can get suffocating during the afternoon. The
best form of rest is still by sleeping in a bed, sofa or sleeping bag, far away from the sunlight.
Having a coffin in your house not only arouses suspicion, it immediately raises the alarms of even
the most incompetent vampire hunter. It also makes you look like a pretentious jerk.

Now you might wonder, "What about clothing?"

Now, Bela Lugosi and Cristopher Lee have worn capes in their role as Count Dracula, and did it
magnificently, but capes are actually an impractical fashion accessory that isn't worth the money you spent
it on. It can get caught up in branches, signs and even door frames, the wind might blow you towards a different
direction, and most importantly, it is even more expensive to fix and maintain than the original price.

Normal, everyday clothes are still the best choice for a vampire. A word of caution, however: Vampires, like
everyone else, are still prone towards making embarrassing fashion choices. What is fashionable today
might look downright silly and embarrasing sometime in the future, and chances are your friends and fellow
vampires will still remember it and remind you about it from time to time, so choose your attire wisely.

"What about relationships?" You ask.

Some individuals used the opportunity to start life anew, but some would inform their friends and family about
it. The good thing about living in today's society is that people are more accepting towards vampires than they are fifty
or a hundred years back. However, you might have to remind them from time to time the difference between a real
vampire and a fictional vampire, and you might need to take into account that other vampires might try to cause
harm on them for whatever reason that comes into their mind.

You can still live with them like you used to, and cherish the time you spend with them. You might live for
a century and even more and only look like you've just added a few years, but they would still grow old and die,
so treat them well and remember them for years to come.

Let's move on to survival methods.

Like every living creature, vampires have an instinctive need to ensure his or her own survival. The most common form
of survival, is, of couse, avoiding the sunlight.

Other survival methods a vampire should take include:

a) Forge alliances with vampire hunters. This is beneficial for several reasons. First off, it helps keeping the
more troublesome elements in the vampire community, especially the ruthless and murderous ones, under control.
The hunter themselves will usually attest to your character and will come to your assistance should you be attacked
by another hunter or vampire.

b) Keep your bloodlust under check. An unchecked bloodlust will cause you to attack humans and animals randomly,
usually killing them outright. An uncontrolled bloodlust also affects you psychologically, you will become more
callous, violent and more brazen, attacking your targets without any restraints. This will bring attention towards
your presence in both the vampire and hunter communities, and they will hunt and exterminate you to ensure everyone's safety.

c) Don't take unncessary risks. Vampires usually abide by the rule of three when it comes to their weaknesses, and
the most common after sunlight are either wood or silver, along with some more interesting ones such as gold and lead.
You might be almost unkillable, but it is entirely possible that your target might have the very weakness that
would be the end of you.

d) Tread carefully. Just like everyone else, vampires too have feelings, and some carry grudges with each other for
various reasons, and they will use whatever means they can to get back at their enemies. In fact, more vampires are killed
by other vampires than by the hunters themselves.

We've come to the end of this article, and I hope you've learned and understood about your new life, and learn how to
adapt to it. I hope that covers all you need to know on how to become a vampire. Should you have any questions, you can
contact us at the phone numbers provided in the next page.

A vampire's life is a long one, don't waste it. Take it as an opportunity to live life to the fullest, do things that
normal people can only dream about, but do it wisely, and don't take any uncessary risks. Vampires will look out for each
other, but even then, they have rules and morals just as everyone else, and once you break them, they'll consider it to be
grounds for expulsion, or even worse, extermination.

We'll see you around. Good luck, and have fun with your new life.