Can vampires sweat?

[jeninflorida]

I have a new story, but the vampires sweat. Okay, this is fiction and the only rules in fiction are, there are no rules…but still. Help?

 

[sirhugs]

not under most rules - they normally lack heart beats, respiration, thus how would fluids circulate? But that makes no sense - if fluids don't circulate, their skin would dessicate. so you can decide they sweat.

 

[jeninflorida]

not under most rules - they normally lack heart beats, respiration, thus how would fluids circulate? But that makes no sense - if fluids don't circulate, their skin would dessicate. so you can decide they sweat.

but...I remember in Underworld, Selena gave her blood to Viktor to bring him out of his sleep state. they did show his heart pumping...

 

[Kikori]

Without the circulation of a proper heartbeat, their body cools. Sweat is designed to cool the body.
Also, they don't drink water, nor do they live by it, so I doubt they have the h2o on reserve to use for sweat.

That's the reasoning behind the typical vampire. If you're going by the variation of what you saw in the Underworld, then the heat would be there, but unless he has a regular diet that allows him spare fluids to persperate, the answer's still 'no'. If you intend to bring up every reference of a Vampire to find common ground between them on what the explanation is, though, I'll have to ask you to please don't. Vampires in media are way too varied to get an official story on.

(A.k.a. "Normally no, but if you want them to, go for it.")

 

[jeninflorida]

Without the circulation of a proper heartbeat, their body cools. Sweat is designed to cool the body.
Also, they don't drink water, nor do they live by it, so I doubt they have the h2o on reserve to use for sweat.

That's the reasoning behind the typical vampire. If you're going by the variation of what you saw in the Underworld, then the heat would be there, but unless he has a regular diet that allows him spare fluids to persperate, the answer's still 'no'. If you intend to bring up every reference of a Vampire to find common ground between them on what the explanation is, though, I'll have to ask you to please don't. Vampires in media are way too varied to get an official story on.

(A.k.a. "Normally no, but if you want them to, go for it.")

thinking more about this, in True Blood the vamp's will bite their wrist and blood will flow out. so, doesn't that require a heart beat?

 

[tinawill77]

Without the circulation of a proper heartbeat, their body cools. Sweat is designed to cool the body.
Also, they don't drink water, nor do they live by it, so I doubt they have the h2o on reserve to use for sweat.

That's the reasoning behind the typical vampire. If you're going by the variation of what you saw in the Underworld, then the heat would be there, but unless he has a regular diet that allows him spare fluids to persperate, the answer's still 'no'. If you intend to bring up every reference of a Vampire to find common ground between them on what the explanation is, though, I'll have to ask you to please don't. Vampires in media are way too varied to get an official story on.

(A.k.a. "Normally no, but if you want them to, go for it.")

I'm not an expert in biology, but since blood is about 50% water, vampires could get water into their bodies that way. And if they happen to perspire a lot, maybe they would have to feed more or find themselves dehydrated?

 

[jeninflorida]

not under most rules - they normally lack heart beats, respiration, thus how would fluids circulate? But that makes no sense - if fluids don't circulate, their skin would dessicate. so you can decide they sweat.

what about this, can a vampire become a drug addict or addicted to alcohol?

 

[jeninflorida]

I'm not an expert in biology, but since blood is about 50% water, vampires could get water into their bodies that way. And if they happen to perspire a lot, maybe they would have to feed more or find themselves dehydrated?

I remember in one of the movies, that when a vampire ate human food, they become sick...hum....

 

[Cruel2BKind]

Here's an idea...

Never actually came across this in any other story, but I thought it would be a cool little twist. A vampire gets drunk if the human has alcohol in it's blood, and only then, because that's the only way they can metabolize it. It could lead to some interesting (or terrifying) scenes where the vampire asks or forces a human to ingest alcohol, or shoots up a human with heroin before feeding on them.

 

[Carnevil9]

I have a new story, but the vampires sweat. Okay, this is fiction and the only rules in fiction are, there are no rules…but still. Help?

I don't have a problem with vampires sweating, but I have to disagree with your statement here. There is at least one rule in fiction: it has to make sense. That is, it needs to be internally consistent. If you want to write about vampires that sweat, that's fine, but let the rest of your universe flow consistently from the same assumptions. If you go with "there are no rules," readers have no reason to care about your story.

I'm sure you know the old saw about why is truth stranger than fiction? Because fiction has to make sense.

 

[emap]

Hell let's go back to the first time vampires are written down in a cohesive manner. Well alright so it's incredibly not cohesive but Dracula is the story that vampires were based on for a hundred years.

Anyway, that puts us in a situation of vampires are exactly the same as everyone else unless you get them in front of a mirror. That means they do sweat, have a body temperature and the same odor as everyone else. Think about it, in the time period Dracula is set in deodorant was perfume. There's no way to get perfume to drown out the odor of the person so a vampire needs to smell the same as everyone else.

If you pay attention you realize that Dracula in his castle drinks wine, when he comes to London, he drinks wine. Never eats, but he drinks so there is a fluid intake. Besides blood of course, he also has sex with Lucy while turning her into a vampire. This is quite evident if you watch the Bram Stoker's Dracula movie, though the novel was described as pornographic at the time.

Which means, vampires do sweat, they do drink fluids. There is one point where Dracula goes out during the day. He is simply weakened in the daylight. He changes his looks, goes from old to young to woo Mina. He also turns into a bat thing and a wolfman, which is when he fucks Lucy. Vampires have more powers than most give them credit for oddly enough.

 

[sirhugs]

what about this, can a vampire become a drug addict or addicted to alcohol?

why not?

 

[jeninflorida]

Never actually came across this in any other story, but I thought it would be a cool little twist. A vampire gets drunk if the human has alcohol in it's blood, and only then, because that's the only way they can metabolize it. It could lead to some interesting (or terrifying) scenes where the vampire asks or forces a human to ingest alcohol, or shoots up a human with heroin before feeding on them.

great idea!

 

[jeninflorida]

I don't have a problem with vampires sweating, but I have to disagree with your statement here. There is at least one rule in fiction: it has to make sense. That is, it needs to be internally consistent. If you want to write about vampires that sweat, that's fine, but let the rest of your universe flow consistently from the same assumptions. If you go with "there are no rules," readers have no reason to care about your story.

I'm sure you know the old saw about why is truth stranger than fiction? Because fiction has to make sense.

okay daddy, you win

 

[xssve]

If they're dead, probably not, if they're only half dead, why not?

It's really question of biology vs. magic - for the sake of argument, if they are going to be presumed to be real, and not just symbols, they would logically have to exhibit some sort of metabolic function, in fact, given their usual list of traits, they would have very robust metabolisms, akin to tweeties, with the exception of much greater appetites and the need for considerable downtime in order to recuperate.

In short, if they sweat at all they would sweat copiously.

But, sweat itself is a temperature regulation mechanism, so it would depend on whether their body temps ran high or low - fast metabolisms are associated with high body temps, but vamps are usually assumed to have low body temps.

It's all very confusing, but presumably they possess some mechanism that couples fast metabolism with low body temps - perhaps a variable metabolism that allows them to conserve energy, but makes them capable of exerting short bursts of intense activity, like a Cheetah - at such times, they might conceivably sweat, as that would cool them off, and help them return to the more languid conservation state.

That help?

 

[DocCIS]

Vampires can be what you want them to be...so I wouldn't hold back on any restrictions, although you may need to write a few paragraphs explaining things.

One of my personal favorite vampire books are JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. In those, vampires are not undead but just another species broken off from humans. They live, breath, sweat, have heartbeats, etc., just cannot be out in daylight and have a few different psychic powers. The twist to her novels is vampires don't drink human blood but blood from those of their own species' opposite sex...makes a lifetime donor out of a mate!

 

[Cameo_Fleur]

Vampires are neither alive nor dead, they're "nosferatu" or undead. Apparently existing, but not living, in a state between life and death. They don't take nourishment in the form of food, nor do they drink. Dracula's famous line, "I never drink...wine." Their hearts don't beat yet blood circulates through the veins. I don't think a vampire would sweat or cry or urinate. All of these would require normally functioning body organs.

Basically most of what we know as vampire legends are "facts" made up by Hollywood and Hammer Studio script writers.

The best thing to do would be to read up on authentic vampire legends of the country in which the story is set. The internet and a public library should have a lot of information on vampire legends according to country and ethnic group.

 

[sr71plt]

If you want your vampires to sweat, they can sweat. If anyone asks, just say your vampires are from the Cleveland branch of the family--the branch that sweats.

 

[jeninflorida]

wow, thanks! that is good news!!

Hell let's go back to the first time vampires are written down in a cohesive manner. Well alright so it's incredibly not cohesive but Dracula is the story that vampires were based on for a hundred years.

Anyway, that puts us in a situation of vampires are exactly the same as everyone else unless you get them in front of a mirror. That means they do sweat, have a body temperature and the same odor as everyone else. Think about it, in the time period Dracula is set in deodorant was perfume. There's no way to get perfume to drown out the odor of the person so a vampire needs to smell the same as everyone else.

If you pay attention you realize that Dracula in his castle drinks wine, when he comes to London, he drinks wine. Never eats, but he drinks so there is a fluid intake. Besides blood of course, he also has sex with Lucy while turning her into a vampire. This is quite evident if you watch the Bram Stoker's Dracula movie, though the novel was described as pornographic at the time.

Which means, vampires do sweat, they do drink fluids. There is one point where Dracula goes out during the day. He is simply weakened in the daylight. He changes his looks, goes from old to young to woo Mina. He also turns into a bat thing and a wolfman, which is when he fucks Lucy. Vampires have more powers than most give them credit for oddly enough.

 

[jeninflorida]

thanks! that makes logical sense.

I need my vamps to sweat

If they're dead, probably not, if they're only half dead, why not?

It's really question of biology vs. magic - for the sake of argument, if they are going to be presumed to be real, and not just symbols, they would logically have to exhibit some sort of metabolic function, in fact, given their usual list of traits, they would have very robust metabolisms, akin to tweeties, with the exception of much greater appetites and the need for considerable downtime in order to recuperate.

In short, if they sweat at all they would sweat copiously.

But, sweat itself is a temperature regulation mechanism, so it would depend on whether their body temps ran high or low - fast metabolisms are associated with high body temps, but vamps are usually assumed to have low body temps.

It's all very confusing, but presumably they possess some mechanism that couples fast metabolism with low body temps - perhaps a variable metabolism that allows them to conserve energy, but makes them capable of exerting short bursts of intense activity, like a Cheetah - at such times, they might conceivably sweat, as that would cool them off, and help them return to the more languid conservation state.

That help?

 

[RicoLouis]

I have a new story, but the vampires sweat. Okay, this is fiction and the only rules in fiction are, there are no rules…but still. Help?

Depends on the type of vampire. Rules change from one writer to another. Such as used to be iron that killed vampires but now days its silver. Guess it all depends on if you make them undead or not. If your going to write vampires make them your own. Some of the vampire rules or just silly anyways.

Such as if I wrote one a modern vampire wouldn't bite there vics if they where really trying to hide they would slit there wrist and drink there fill then maybe leave a suicide note. Great way to avoid those pesky slayers.

Never actually came across this in any other story, but I thought it would be a cool little twist. A vampire gets drunk if the human has alcohol in it's blood, and only then, because that's the only way they can metabolize it. It could lead to some interesting (or terrifying) scenes where the vampire asks or forces a human to ingest alcohol, or shoots up a human with heroin before feeding on them.

This made me think of the movie I come in peace. Alien kills human with drug OD then harvest there pituitary gland for a drug for his people. This might explain why vamps like to have sex before they kill, gets the blood filled with all those fill good hormones.

 

[xssve]

Yes, and their sweat might even presumably contain pheromones that are part of their hypnotic allure, causing their victim to flood their bodies with whichever hormones it is that they crave - again, presumably, if that happens to be a state of sexual receptivity, sex hormones: serotonin, oxytocin, vassopressin, relaxin, etc.

 

[Bad_Doggie]

Hey Jen, did you really think that you could keep abusing people and be naive enough to think that no one would retaliate in kind?

Woof!

 

[jeninflorida]

Hey Jen, did you really think that you could keep abusing people and be naive enough to think that no one would retaliate in kind?

Woof!

what are you talking about?

 

[jeninflorida]

Yes, and their sweat might even presumably contain pheromones that are part of their hypnotic allure, causing their victim to flood their bodies with whichever hormones it is that they crave - again, presumably, if that happens to be a state of sexual receptivity, sex hormones: serotonin, oxytocin, vassopressin, relaxin, etc.

Great info! Makes for a powerful fantasy