Case #24: Video

[19centconstable]

[George is seated at his tea table, which is serving as a writing desk at the moment. A copy of the book Carmilla is in front of him.]

Um. I'd like to know who here is, or has ever been a vampire, or has had intim-...particular experi-...contact wi-...knows a lot about vampires. I'd like to speak to all of you, if possible. There are a few

Comments

[feels_no_love]

Question away.

[19centconstable]

In your experience:
Do vampires have saliva?
Do vampires feel any sort of specific regard for the neck?
Does this continue once the person to whom the neck belongs is no longer alive?
Can vampires fly?
Can vampires float?
Does a vampire's hair grow?

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[feels_no_love]

Yes, we have saliva, though our mouths are drier than a human's.

The neck is merely...well...at the risk of being a bit embarrassing, it is like an erogenous zone. There are large blood vessels there. But...it's not necessary to feed from the neck. It is just handy.

No longer alive...? Ehm, normally we don't drink dead blood. Apparently it makes some vampires ill, but more to the point, it's considerably more work to get the blood out of the body when the heart does not beat.

Some vampires can fly or float. I am only permitted to do so in a few areas of the Barge for example--the CES and above decks. Others of us have wings sometimes.

Vampire hair does not grow. In fact, it can only grow back to its original length, no longer.

Anything else?

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[19centconstable]

How much so? Do you know what the purpose of having it at all is? It doesn't seem...neccessary.

So you wouldn't say it's something you...revere?

I see. How do you mean: considerably? Would the victim have to be bitten differently?

Where do the...wings...go?

I see. Do you shave at all, then?

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[feels_no_love]

I think we have it to lubricate the mouth and tongue to avoid discomfort and aid speaking.

Revere? No. I'm a breast man.

Well...to be blunt, the entire body would have to be held with the wound below the heart level in order for it to drain properly. That requires extra effort and the ability to reposition the body correctly.

Acquiring the wings is a partial shapeshift. They disappear into the region of the ehm...wait, I have a note on it here that I was going to share with TX--the trapezius muscle.

Actually, no. I need not shave, but in that same token I can no longer grow a beard. My hair, if burned off, will regenerate back to the same length, but it has no living root, so it will not continue growing on its own.

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[19centconstable]

I hadn't considered speaking.

That does seem like too much work. Unless the bite were on the foot, but that just seems unappetizing.

Trap...ez... [BRB, George is going to the circus.] How would...shirts?

Do you miss shaving?

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[feels_no_love]

To be completely honest, Constable, the TX and I are going to make an examination of vampire physiology soon, so that we may share in the knowledge gained. There may be many new discoveries from it.

Actually there's no problem with biting an ankle, it is rich with blood vessels and the mark often goes unnoticed. Biting anywhere else would require extra work, whereas with an ankle you need just sit the corpse down or lean it against a wall.

...odd. This topic in general doesn't seem that appetizing to me anymore. But in police work I imagine many unappetizing things come up.

They are the muscles that join the back of the arms to the shoulders. As for clothing, well, it is a magical shapeshift, not a physical one like werewolves. Our clothing changes as well.

Hm.

Well I was terribly rude to you, and I do apologize for that--so I think I owe you a few personal answers. Sometimes I think about the moustache I wore in my youth. It was quite magnificent.

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[19centconstable]

I'll look forward to that, then.

Oh, an ankle would certainly be...eroticsomething. [VICTORIAN.]

Frequently.

Ah, now that is convenient. And thrifty.

It's quite alright. We all say things when pushed too far. I do have several false moustaches if you'd ever like to wear one.

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[feels_no_love]

I suppose I have a little trouble talking about these practices because they are not mine anymore. And...well...they're a bit disgusting, in retrospect. But I'm rather terribly proud of my record since coming here.

Hm! False moustaches? There is an interesting idea.

May I ask...is there a specific reason why you are gathering this information now? I cannot help but be a little curious.

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[19centconstable]

I mainly just wonder these sorts of things.

...

But I also suspect someone has gone to great lengths to make it appear that a vampire killed Mr. Lupin.

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[feels_no_love]

[Cue flailing]

....

Is there anything I may do to assist? I have nothing to hide, and I feel strongly that if Mr. Lupin had not been killed, Hoffman would not have lost control.

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[19centconstable]

I know that it's a lot to ask, but if you do hear anything suspicious said among inmates, and you feel that you could, it would be very helpful if you would bring it to Mr. Nygma, Mr. Grayson, or myself.

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[feels_no_love]

Well, aside from being a bit worried about dear Lady Petronilla's temper, I...

I don't know. It may be nothing.

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[19centconstable]

And it may not be.

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[feels_no_love]

Franklin is a secretive fellow normally, but for the last week or so I have barely seen him. And he seemed...more so.

The man is a friend, but considering the chain of disasters that ensued...every angle must be looked at and I understand that.

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[19centconstable]

I do appreciate the information. We'll certainly look into it.

When you say you've barely seen him: he couldn't have slipped into a coma, could he have? Has he got a warden? I'm afraid I don't know him.

Also: I believe Mr. Nygma would like to get molds of everyone's teeth, just to eliminate them from the suspects list.