Interview With a Vampire - Evelyn Rieko Reporting...

I was dancing in a ballroom with my friend Windwalker discussing the upcoming Halloween Holiday. I mentioned to him that I wanted to interview a vampire for the Second Life Enquirer. He told me he was a friend to a vampire clan and they were having a dance party that night. Of course we went...

The party was in the main hall of the clan's castle. Windwalker introduced me to the clan members and to the handsome King Of the Bella Morte Clan, King Jisper. I watched him, with his thick flowing dark hair and piercing blue eyes filled with intelligence and charm, being the perfect host.

I asked him for an interview and King Jisper agreed.






Evelyn Rieko: King Jisper, I noticed you have humans in your clan. Some of the humans are for food, aren't they? You drink their blood.

Jisper Darkfold: We have those who choose to protect the clan by providing their "Humanity" for both Lycans and Vampires. We consider these members to be very valuable and they are cherished. We don't consider them "food" like some other clans do.

Evelyn Rieko: That was my next question. I was going to ask if you consider humans as food.

Jisper Darkfold: My very first Queen called me Lunch when I was a Blood Doll under her... I was rather offended. Having held that position myself, it colors my attitude to those who chose that path.

Evelyn Rieko: I see. That gives insight into you. You treat the blood dolls with respect and caring because you were once a blood doll yourself. How did you rise from blood doll to the highest position in your clan as King?

Jisper Darkfold: My Forever Liege, Lord Alonzo, myself, and 3 others founded Bella Morte in 2009 after being in 2 other clans. I was a Count by appointment of my Liege who chose to take the mantle of King with the support of his minions. Over time He elected to raise me to Duke, and finally last year chose to hand the crown to me, because many in the clan viewed me as King anyway. Lord Alonzo remains in the Clan although in a advisory position to me.

Evelyn Rieko: Why did he step down and offer you the crown?
Jisper Darkfold: His real life has pulled him away and he felt he did not know what was going on well enough to make daily leadership decisions.

Evelyn Rieko: Okay. How long have you been King?

Jisper Darkfold: Since last April. I've been leading as Duke for most of the 2 years before that though.

Evelyn Rieko: So Lord Alonzo was your maker?

Jisper Darkfold: No - I was a blood Doll under Kimmie Snowpaw.

Evelyn Rieko: She turned you into a vampire?

Jisper Darkfold: No - I was turned later by King Phill of the Tormented, however that clan fell apart. I had asked for Alonzo to be my Proxy - but Queen Mirit had the King do it. My liege - Kimmie - had been unable to make the ceremony. Alonzo became my liege on my request after that. There were some political things going on.

Evelyn Rieko: That sounds intriguing. Vampires and humans are a lot alike in that way. Do you feel Vampires are superior to humans?

Jisper Darkfold: Um -- not superior really, it's a choice that is offered to some individuals who can withstand the challenge of it, but that does not make a vampire better - just different.

Evelyn Rieko: That's a very diplomatic answer. Vampires are viewed as predators but from all that you've said you and your clan do not hunt humans, am I right?

Jisper Darkfold: When we "hunt" we hunt for new members. Those we bite know what we are offering. We are selective and that is part of the reason why this clan has survived. We welcome those who are interested, at the level they wish to be, and really only go hunting when membership is suffering

Evelyn Rieko: Why did you choose to be a vampire in sl?

Jisper Darkfold: I was approached by Kimmie at a club. She was "hunting". I ended up seeing her clan and making some friends there - Including Alonzo. and decided to become a Blood Doll. About 4 months later one of my friends who was a vampire needed something I could not give her as a Doll - so I began thinking about turning. I eventually decided that being a vampire was the correct choice. I wanted to do more for the clan then I was allowed to do as a Doll.

Evelyn Rieko: And you are happy with your choice?

Jisper Darkfold: I have been happy with my choice, yes. Alonzo and I are Blood Bound. We hold each other's Souls.

Evelyn Rieko: That sounds very intense.

Jisper Darkfold: Alonzo and I have a very deep bond, yes. I would say it goes beyond simply being vampires of a shared line.

Evelyn Rieko: You have a Second Life partner Darkangel and she is also in the clan what type of bond do you share with her?

Jisper Darkfold: We are partnered and married - although the clan does not raise individuals base on personal relationships so she is not Queen. I am her sire and Liege because she asked me to hold her soul from her previous soul keeper.
sadly Blood Bonds can only be made with a single other person, so I am unable to make another.

Evelyn Rieko: Your blood bond is with Lord Alonzo. So you can not hold her soul?
Jisper Darkfold: Actually Blood Bonds and Soul keeping are not the same. Every Vampire can hold many souls - this is how they Sire someone - and how others are began on their path to turning vampires of a shared line.

Evelyn Rieko: What is a blood bond?

Jisper Darkfold: A blood bond it a bond created that allows two vampires to send blood to each other - it links their personal storage of blood. You can only have this bond with one other vampire. It means I can send Blood to Alonzo any time, for any reason, no matter where he is. He has the same ability.

Evelyn Rieko: Is this connected with Bloodlines?

Jisper Darkfold: Yes. http://www.slbloodlines.com/members/558234

Evelyn Rieko: Is everyone in your clan a bloodlines member?

Jisper Darkfold: Yes, but those who are allies need not be.However, since the clan is based on being vampires and few here play another system we stick to Bloodlines
Evelyn Rieko: I have heard some people describe bloodlines as vampires going around Second Life asking people to let them bite them. I think they need a high number of bites to advance or something like that. Is that true?

Jisper Darkfold: Every clan is different. Some advance by bloodline numbers - and those clans have loads of random biters.
Bella Morte does not play numbers - we have Dolls with no souls who are Ladies. We have members with 20 souls or more who are rank and file. Souls held or bites made don't count for much here - our covenant forbids random bites.

Evelyn Rieko: I was standing outside of a store once and a vampire asked if he could bite me to increase his number of bites. I said no.

Jisper Darkfold: Vampires that do that typically only care about the numbers. Many of our members have been caught in that and we've had to rescue their souls. When someone is bitten but do not get the bloodlines HUD their soul goes into "limbo". At this point they can get a potion that will restore their soul to them. If they get a HUD (there are 3 of them) then they need to have their soul rescued from the person who bit them - which happens, all too often. We can barter with the soul holder for an exchange most times - or there is a potion we can use to swap one soul for another. We usually try to get the soul out of limbo before getting a HUD - that makes it much easier for the new player to pick their soul keeper

Evelyn Rieko : What do you like about being a vampire in Second Life? What are some things you don't like about it if there are any.
Jisper Darkfold: I like being able to explore the darker sides of human nature, more taboo areas of desires, skirting the things that folks might find unappealing unless coached in pretty language. What I don't like about being a vampire is the recruiters from bigger clans who are looking to "eat" little clans through mergers. Number counting happens on so many levels, and it takes the heart out of the role play for me.

Evelyn Rieko: If you could be a vampire in real life would you want to be one? If you could be immortal and someone offered it to you would you accept it?

Jisper Darkfold: In Real life -- I believe that there would be a moral guide to follow if such a thing were offered - I would certainly consider it - and if I thought I could withstand the challenge of being a vampire and immortal I would take it - not because I want to live forever, but because my natural curiosity would drive me to experience it and be there to witness history as it happens. I'm a historian by training so the idea of being there and witnessing these events and documenting them for others appeals to me. (sort of like why time travel appeals too I suspect).
Evelyn Rieko: That's an interesting answer! I have thought about time travel and that I would like to do it if it were possible! But immortality... You don't think you would get bored, cynical and tired of living eventually?

Jisper Darkfold: You never really know - I mean the main reason that people get tired is that their physical body fails them - a vampire would not suffer from that as long as they had access to blood - and given today's technology that doesn't require killing anyone. I can't see getting tired of living - there would always be something new to learn or see or do.
Evelyn Rieko: You're an interesting person.

Jisper Darkfold: Well given 100 years I might actually manage to learn to be artistic, or master math, or find a passion for something I don't have time for right now - like dance.

Evelyn Rieko: Yes you could. If you were immortal you would have all the time in the world, literally. You are very charming and polite. Do you and your clan ever get wild or silly or is it always civilized and polite?

Jisper Darkfold: Um - we have club night Tuesdays and Thursdays for letting our hair down and -- there are times things get wild. *laughs* . We've done fetish balls and things of that sort.

Evelyn Rieko: That sounds like fun.

Jisper Darkfold: Yeah - one time I wore a leather kilt and fetish needles for needle play. Another time I wore silks and a barbed wire, so yes. *laughs*

Evelyn Rieko: Yeah, that's pretty wild ...silks and barbed wire.

Jisper Darkfold: It came with blood too - at a vampire party that's pretty risky. The clan does have a darker side - but, like with most things we keep it to the correct time and place.

Evelyn Rieko: Anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Jisper Darkfold: It's important to remember that bloodlines as a game is what each clan makes of it - there are many of them out there, many ways to "play" being a vampire. For me the game is just a underlying structure for role play - I step into the persona of "King Jisper" here- one that has evolved from humble origins because of the game system. If someone is interested in the role play elements of it, I suggest they shop clans very carefully to find the one that suits them. Don't settle for a bad match because you'll end up being unhappy. This is YOUR second life, so live it the way you want to.

Evelyn Rieko: King Jisper, thank you for a very informative and interesting interview!

Jisper Darkfold: My pleasure.