VAMPIRES

[SOOKIE STACKHOUSE]

Vampires are blood-drinking former humans, risen from the dead to prey on the living, with a variety of diverse powers and abilities, individually and within society. In the Sookie Stackhouse universe, the American vampires have divided the land into kingdoms, each state representing a monarchy controlled by a single lead vampire known as the King or Queen of the state. Each kingdom is then divided into areas (formerly known as fiefdoms) controlled by a sheriff who owes allegiances to the leader of the state.

The vampires announced on network television that they were actually present among humans (also known as the Great Revelation), an announcement that followed the Japanese development of synthetic blood that is able to maintain a vampire's life without needing to feed on human blood. In the mythology of the series, many nations refused to accept vampires as equal citizens, such as Bosnia, Argentina and many Islamic nations. The United States, Mexico, Canada, Japan and some Scandinavian countries adopted a more tolerant attitude. Though many vampires try to live among humans, they remain very secretive about their organization and government.

Vampires are pale and cold, extremely strong and fast, and have keen senses of hearing, smell and vision. They have the ability to remain completely still, expressionless and silent. Vampires can control the minds of humans, and a few can even fly. If a vampire and a human share blood with each other, it will form a blood bond, linking the pair's psyches. Their fangs come out when they are sexually aroused, excited, when they see blood or when they need to fight. A vampire is compelled to obey his or her maker (the vampire responsible for his or her transformation). Vampires are ageless and can survive and recover from most forms of physical injury, but will die if staked, exposed to sunlight or decapitated. Silver is also highly toxic to them.