Doctor Alberton looked up from his dusty volume of European history as Charles came striding into the room, backlighted by the setting sun that peered through the Doctor's window. Charles' trenchcoat bulged in various places, and the Doctor could just barely make out the gleam of a golden cross peeking above the nylon bandolier of garlic bulbs Charles had strapped across his chest.
"I think I've tracked the bloodsucker to his lair, Doctor," Charles said, looming over the aging Doctor, even across the desk. "I'm going after him tonight."
"Do you have garlic?" the Doctor asked.
"Yes," Charles said, patting the bandolier.
"Have you a mirror to confirm your suspicions of the killer's nature?"
"In my pocket."
"And Holy Water?"
"That, and I have a van ready to take the beast to the East River."
"Why the river?" the Doctor asked.
"To throw the vampire in after I've knocked him out with the garlic fumes," Charles beamed, clearly proud of his own ingenuity. "Running water dissolves vampire flesh, right?"

Vampire Lore x1
You know that vampires are real. Sunlight, silver, fire, wooden stakes through the heart and holy symbols injure them, and the unliving may not approach a bearer of the cross. Garlic wards against vampires, vampires may not cross running water (which disintigrates them if immersed in it), and they may not enter a domicile uninvited. Vampires cannot cross holy ground. They do not cast reflections. Vampires must sleep during the day in a coffin lined with fresh grave earth. You know that vampires are usually pale and thin, and they often have claws or glowing eyes in addition to fangs.
You believe that most vampires are stronger and faster than humans, and they can control minds, change into bestial forms and see or hear things that humans cannot sense. People who are bitten by vampires become vampires themselves, as may some people who are buried without proper rites and who were sinners in life. A vampire must have its head cut off and its mouth filled with holy wafers or garlic if it is to be killed permanently, or else it must die from exposure to sunlight or running water.

Vampire Lore x2
Sunlight and fire can kill vampires, and crosses, silver, and wooden stakes can injure them, though these last might not kill them. Vampires dislike garlic but it does not hurt them. Running water has no adverse effect on them, but they cannot cross it. A strongly presented cross can force a vampire to stay back, but only for a short time. Vampires cannot tread on holy ground or enter churches uninvited. A vampire must sleep during the day, usually in a coffin or crypt. You know that vampires are pale and often thin, and they have fangs, while few have glowing eyes or claws (although these become evident when the vampire is enraged).
You know that vampires are hardier and stronger than humans, and are sometimes faster. All vampires cn heal wounds rapidly, so most injuries do not slow them. Most vampires can influence minds or emotions. People bitten by vampires may or may not become vampires themselves, but they do die. A vampire, once beaten, must be decapitated to be destroyed finally.

Vampire Lore x3
You know that fire and sunlight can injure vampires, and that prolonged exposure can kill them. Silver does not seem to harm them especially, nor do crucifixes, although priests with crosses and holy water are effective. A vampire's body decomposes rapidly upon death. Vampires can enter most places uninvited, but they can only enter a church if invited by a priest. Running water neither harms nor blocks vampires, and garlic may repulse them briefly but does not injure them. Most vampires do cast reflections. All vampires must sleep during the day, though not all seem to do so in a coffin or crypt. Vampires do not breathe, eat, or drink. A vampire's fangs are only visible when he feeds. Many vampires seem to exhibit mannerisms from their ancient former lives, such as collecting ancient art of all sorts, or evidencing horrific or animalistic features, or associating with only a certain type of victim.
You know that vampires drink people's blood, but doing so does not always kill the victims. A vampire can always absorb more injury than a human, but is not always stronger or faster, or smarter (but old vampires are often quite crafty through years of experience). All vampires have some special powers, though mastery of these seems to vary, whether mind control, speed, concealment, or shapeshifting. You know that vampires which are related often have mastered similar powers and weaknesses. Some vampires form allegiances, and some vampires are even hostile to one another.

Vampire Lore x4
Fire and sunlight injure or kill vampires, and the unliving flee from these forces. You know that a wooden stake through the heart immobilizes a vampire but does not kill it. Decapitation will kill a vampire, 'though. The corpses of particularly old vampires do decompose rapidly upon death. Crosses and holy objects sometimes hurt or ward against vampires, but not always, with no seeming rationale. Churches and holy ground are not exempt from vampires - they can usually enter and cross these places uninvited. Most vampires cast reflections, and running water does not hinder them. Vampires often sleep during the day, but can do so in any locations so long as it is away from sunlight. Not only do they not generally breathe, they are also cold to the touch, and sometimes have monstrous features (especially when angry).
You've learned that they often gather in groups or families, and these families often master similar powers. You've also heard that many vampires claim descent from caine, the first murderer from the Bible. Furthermore, they seem to band together into groups against other groups of vampires ('though you've likely only heard the name of one of the sects, you do suspect that other sects exist). Young vampires have mastered few powers, while oder ones have stronger, stranger abilities. Vampires usually have some sort of weakness, and families often share a similar weakness. They are not always more physically powerful than humans, but many are, at least for short spans of time. They sometimes go berserk when very hungry or frightened. People bitten by vampires do not always become vampires - the vampire must feed them some blood first, and then they must die. These people often serve the vampire in the interim, gaining great strength or power until their demise when they become vampires themselves. Vampires can hide their fangs, and can disguise all evidence of their bites.

Vampire Lore x5
You know that vampires are injured or even killed by fire and sunlight, that holy symbols and objects only have effect if the bearer is faithful enough, and that decapitation kills vampires outright. A wooden stake through the heart paralyses a vampire, but does not kill it. You know that running water and garlic bar only a very few vampires at all, and that only some lack reflections. Vampires must sleep during the day, 'though they can rise (with great difficulty) in times of danger.
You know that vampires organize themselves according to lines of lineage (sometimes called "bloodlines," "families" or "clans"), and that vampires of common lineages often share similar powers and interests. Each of these lineages apparently traces back to a powerful progenitor, and then to Caine, the biblical murderer cursed with vampirism by God for his deeds. Vampires also divide themselves among certain political allegiances; the "Camarilla" consists of vampires who try to hide their nature from humanity, while the "Sabbat" is populated with vampires who revel in their monstrous natures. Vampires may enter domiciles freely and without invitation. Many vampires manifest a few different powers, and you know of many common abilities (incredible speed, strength, resilience, sensitivity, the ability to control minds, sway emotions, conceal or change shape), but only very old vampires have a great variety of powers. Also, some rare vampires can cast spells, control shadows, or raise the dead. A vampire passes on the curse by draining the blood of an individual and then feeding that person some blood. Individuals who drink of a vampire's blood may feel a mystical bond of servitude to that vampire; if human, such individuals may gain some vampiric powers. Vampires have a mortal terror of fire and sunlight, both of which may cause them to flee. Vampires can also be goaded into a rage through insult, injury, and hunger. A vampire can heal injuries inflicted through normal sources - swords, bullets, being hit by a car - rapidly. Vampires are usually somewhat pallid, and they lose a bit of weight in the process of "dying." The fangs of a vampire only extend when the vampire wishes to feed or is enraged. Furthermore, a vampire can lick a bite wound, causing it to close. Vampires do not breathe naturally, and they are cold, although some vampires can overcome this shortcoming with effort.