Bio-electrical Vampiric Revivification

by Professor Harvey Wangenstein, Electrodyne Engineer
June 28, 1882
 

Vrykolakas. Ekimmu. Penanggalan. Dearg-due. Vampire. From the Aztec civatateo to the brahmaparush of India, every culture on earth has its own legends of the living dead; animate corpses that leave their place of burial to hunt humans for their blood. These legends trace back centuries, even to Biblical times. Stories abound of evil spirits and demons possessing the bodies of the recently deceased, for purposes ranging from simple mischief to wholesale slaughter. The Consensus has long believed these stories to be just that. Unfortunately for Mankind, each of these “myths” has its basis in fact. Whatever its derivation, the vampire has troubled Man since its inception, and will continue to do so until we take the proper steps to solve the problem. Attempts to control the numbers in the vampire population have met with very limited success, and have usually revolved around massive amounts of firepower, including several fruitless prototypes of a solar reflector or projection device. However, as we are Men of Science and not butchers, what are the proper steps to rid ourselves of the vampire menace without reducing ourselves to their level? Once again, Science provides us with an answer. Too many brilliant Theories involving vampires have revolved around methods for their destruction. For example, Dr. Lawrence Newton’s Repeating Stake-Thrower, while an excellent example of mechanical engineering, suffers from this limited thinking. What we need is a Theory that can cure the disease without killing the patient, so to speak. The work of Dr. Waldman, whose genius allowed him to return life to dead matter, is the key to this Theory. Waldman’s Experiment, in which he reconstructed and brought back to life a human body from the limbs and torso of recovered corpses, provided the spark of inspiration. What are vampires, if not animate human corpses? In fact, with their decomposition halted by processes unknown, they are more fitting candidates for revivification than that used by Dr. Waldman.

Of all the components of this Theory, the most important among them is the physiology of the vampire itself. With notes and fragments gathered from around the globe, I have been able to make several determinations about the construction of the creatures. No matter the culture, the vampire is bestowed with incredible powers, which it uses to gain access to and control over its chosen prey, humanity. Possessed with superhuman strength and speed, the ability to alter its form and control the minds and perceptions of those around it, the vampire is not a foe to trifle with. Vampires are not, however, without limitations. Prolonged exposure to sunlight appears to be fatal in all cases, and collected observations suggest an aversion to religious symbols. Numerous legends concerning vampires stated that the internal organs of the creature shrivel up after death, withering away to dust within the walking corpse. I have found this supposition to be incorrect. It is my finding that the organs merely cease functioning, with no greater decay evident to them than the rest of the body. This simple fact has incredible ramifications for those attempting to understand and manipulate the vampire physiology: signaling that the Pattern of the vampire remains greatly unchanged after death, save for those changes necessary to support its new form of life. It also suggests that the internal organs are simply inactive and, with the proper stimulus, can reactivate and return to normal functioning.
 

The system I have devised in order to apply this restorative is called “Professor Wangenstein’s Bio-electrical Vampiric Revivification Process” (hereafter referred to as ‘the Process’):

The first step in the Process involves taking an extended, 18-hour reading of the vampire’s bio-electrical (bio-e) impulses. Alive or not, there has been no evidence to suggest that the vampire’s brain does not continue to control the body via bio-electricity. We then contrast this bio-e reading with a reading from a living human of similar height, build, (apparent) age and gender. Simply put, the difference in the two readings should be the brain’s control of the body’s vital organs and involuntary bodily processes, such as heartbeat, breathing and digestion, at work. Incorporating that difference into the vampire’s bio-e reading and impressing it upon the vampire (by means of electrodes fastened to either temple) should send the proper signals to restart the vampire’s internal organs, essentially restoring them to life. Stories tell (thus far without verification) of vampires able to eat and drink as if still alive. Such vampires should respond especially well to the Process, as it appears that their systems somewhat mimic that of the living. It is vitally important to note here that we must now carry out the Process to its conclusion. Interrupting the Process at this delicate stage will cause great pain and suffering to the vampire as its unnatural state reasserts itself, stopping its heart and other internal organs once again. This pain, in turn, may bring the vampire to reconsider its cooperation (if that is indeed the case) or confinement (more likely), and attempt to depart with extreme prejudice.

As the bio-e filtration takes effect, the next step of the Process must begin. We insert two large siphon needles into the jugular veins, and two more into the carotid arteries. The jugular needles begin drawing out the tainted blood already in the vampire, while the carotid needles replace it with untainted human blood. Alternately, we may use specially prepared human blood in the transfusion. This blood is super-oxygenated and impregnated with Ether, so as to buffer the body from Pattern Shock, the condition common in Experiments requiring such radical bodily alterations. As blood-flow begins, signs of life should be noticeable: rising and falling of the chest, fading of pale complexion to healthier hue, fluttering of the eyes. A pulse should also be discernible at this point. The exsanguination of the vampire’s tainted blood must be complete. Otherwise, just as a weed will re-grow itself from the smallest remnant of root, so too will the remaining tainted blood inevitably rekindle the vampire’s unnatural state.

With the resumption of the normal function of the vital organs, and having completely purged the body of all tainted blood and replaced it with new blood, the former vampire truly lives again. They become as mortal as you or me, returning to their normal life-span from the exact point where they left off. Their supernatural abilities are gone, but so too is their craving for human blood. The newly reborn man or woman can also walk in the sun without fear or pain, their life returned to them. This Process ends the endless, nightmarish cycle of death and undeath without killing its victims.
 

Game Notes

(Second Edition.) This Process holds as much promise for ridding the world of vampires as it has potential for abuse. To help remedy this for Storytellers, I offer the following options and alternatives:

A Limited form of the Process that doesn’t actually alter the vampire’s Pattern, meaning that after a certain amount of time amongst the living, the subject would painfully revert back to their vampiric form; or, the subject could build up a tolerance for the Process, and each treatment would last a shorter and shorter amount of time. Another possibility is that the subject could maintain their living form, but would begin to suffer from Pattern Leakage, as in the Life Effect, ‘Better Body’. If this Limited method is preferred, a new bio-e reading is not required for each treatment; only the bio-e filtration and blood replacement is necessary. If the vampire possesses the Merit, ‘Eat Food’, the Difficulty of the Process is reduced by one.

Of course, if the Storyteller wants to allow it, the lucky Scientist can begin permanently reviving vampires left and right. That is, until the Sires of all those vampires come looking. I realize that, in Vampire, the great quest for many vampires is the return of their humanity through Golconda, and that having it available by appointment would sort-of ruin the tragic romance of it all. But then, this is Mage, isn’t it? Besides, this is just a one-hundred year old Process. Nobody says it has to be used everyday.

This solution suggests other questions as well: what happens to the person’s Avatar? If it still exists, will it Awaken normally? What happens to the newly revived human? Will they attempt to get themselves re-Embraced, or will they celebrate their newfound life and try to acclimate themselves to it? Will the characters help? Will that person’s former Sire come looking? Such a person could make for an interesting Mage or Arcanum character.

Limited Process (Temporary) - Matter ••, Life ••••, Forces ••, Entropy •••, Time •

Matter is used to tie the various Effects to the subject’s body for the first half of the Process. Life reestablishes the body’s normal functions and helps to tie Effects to the living body. Forces acts in conjunction with Life to alter the vampire’s bio-electrical rhythms and “jump-start” the body. Entropy causes the subject’s tainted blood to collect at the siphon needle, making extraction easier. Time coordinates the different steps of the Process so that each step starts and stops at exactly the correct moment.

Full Cure (Permanent) - Matter ••, Life •••••, Forces ••, Entropy •••, Prime ••, Time •

Matter is used to tie the various Effects to the subject’s body for the first half of the Process. Life reestablishes the body’s normal functions, helps to tie Effects to the living body, and works with Prime to alter the vampire’s Pattern, making them fully human. Forces acts in accordance with Life to alter the vampire’s bio-electrical rhythms and “jump-start” the body. Entropy draws the subject’s tainted blood to the siphon needle, making extraction easier. Prime works with Life to permanently alter the vampire’s Pattern. Time ensures that the different steps of the Process start and stop at the correct moment.

Pattern Shock Buffer - Life •••, Prime •••, + x Quintessence

If ordinary human blood is used in the transfusion, the newly revived human will begin at Incapacitated, and continue healing as a normal human. He or she will require months of bed rest in order to recover fully, as the damage is considered Aggravated. When specially prepared blood, as described above, is used, the body recovers much more quickly. For every point of Quintessence used in the Buffer, the subject regains one Health Level immediately. Remaining Health Levels are considered Aggravated, and must be healed with bed-rest. Life Effects used to heal the damage will be considered Vulgar.

1998 Derek D. Bass
 

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