Judas Iscariot as the first vampire?

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by mr beer

I think I've seen this idea before in a novel. .

Probably a book in Faith Hunter's Skinwalker series. Thay have it there though it's the Sons of Judas who are the real founders of vampdom.

[Christopher R. Rice]

There was also a movie (Dracula 2000) where Judas was the creator of vampires.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by maximara

Actually per the actual vampire myths Judas as the first vampire does not work at all - he is far too young - vampire myths go back as far as Ancient Egypt thousands of years before Judas was even born. In fact, there is a story in Jewish Folklore about Adam having a wife before Eve names Lilith. Because she wouldn't take a subordinate role to Adam she and eventually left Eden of her own accord and become the mother of all demons...including the Lilim or Lilitu

"Her progeny were the (in reference to the more ancient Babylonian myth), and they were thought to be vampiric demons themselves." - GURPS Blood Types.

A huge number of disparate monsters frequently get lumped together into "vampire." If someone is creating a setting with Judas as the first vampire, they're likely using the "Christian" version of the vampire (I think this variant is roughly Romanian in origin, with some peasant tales from elsewhere in Europe, and more solidified by the likes of Bram Stoker and everyone who copied him expanded on the idea). Sure, if you want ghul, lilim (who are often portrayed as akin to succubi*), jiangshi, hino-enma, etc, Judas as the first doesn't make much sense. Of course, all of those are sufficiently different you'd be hard-pressed to try and link them all together as the same "species," even without bringing Iscariot into the picture.

*Note also that a lot of "vampire" listings include succubi. Because of course they do.

[Hide]

Assuming you are talking about the Christian God, you could say either Judas or Cain became vampires, but that would not have happened because of “a curse” from God.

In the sense God is portrayed, it is very unlikely to have God “curse” and provide a (corrupted/evil) human with vampiric super powers and also the ability to pass said curse to others.

It is more likely that if a person was “cursed” by God, what said person would actually receive would be something to think about and reflex within the limits of human life. Not super powers.

Roughly speaking, you could said fallen angels already had their knowledge before turning into demons. Tempting others to do evil, and sharing their knowledge with others and tainting them is simply part of the power suite they had when “they were good”.

Maybe this Judas received a message and curse from something posing as God; that would be more likely.

Finally, if you want to put something that really involves God for your character, think of a chance for redemption. Redemption means you need to give something in exchange, usually with the same value of your target.

[Flyndaran]

Perhaps the God curse was really a blessing from Satan who deceived him into betraying Jesus for the "greater good".
That allows for a conflicted nature to him, if that's what one wants.

[Flyndaran]

Don't forget the Wandering Jew Christian myth likely created during the 1200s.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wandering_Jew

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Phalanx

While preparing an urban fantasy/horror campaign I came up with this idea. That Judas was cursed by God for his betrayal and become the first vampire as a result. Would it be stretchy to associate Judas with vampires and look silly? Or could it work?

Apart from the question why Judas and his descendants would get supernatural powers, although it would be a curse.

Yeah I saw that movie. They explained silver being vampire kryptonite as being derived from the 30 pieces of silver. It's no worse than VTM's use of Cain and Lilith.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Hide

Assuming you are talking about the Christian God, you could say either Judas or Cain became vampires, but that would not have happened because of “a curse” from God.

In the sense God is portrayed, it is very unlikely to have God “curse” and provide a (corrupted/evil) human with vampiric super powers and also the ability to pass said curse to others.

It is more likely that if a person was “cursed” by God, what said person would actually receive would be something to think about and reflex within the limits of human life. Not super powers.

One idea could be that the curse was all of the negative aspects of vampirism - burn up in sunlight, must drink blood, weakness to silver, repelled by crosses and running water, etc - with none of the powers. The powers would then have been gained by the vampire via some manner of dark sorcery. Immortality is often portrayed as a curse, but it's difficult to think it would be worse than being tossed right into damnation. Do note, however, that the "mark" God placed on Cain that is often thought of as vampirism (by those who go for "Cain is the first vampire") was not a curse, but rather something of a blessing - Cain was worried he'd end up murdered for his crime of killing his brother when he was exiled, and God placed the mark on him as a form of protection.

Of course, immortality could be a curse for Judas. In some (many, in fact) interpretations of Christianity, there's essentially a divine loophole that so long as you convert to Christianity (and stay that way; those who opt to leave the faith after conversion are considered to have never actually converted, but to have just been play-acting at it), you get into heaven once you die, regardless of what else you've done in your life. To ensure Judas couldn't make use of this loophole to get into heaven, God could curse him to never die. His progeny would have a lesser form of the curse, so could be destroyed - indeed, all vampires beyond Judas may have their souls harvested and sent to the afterlife upon being turned - but Judas himself would be outright unkillable.

[Anders]

I would use this to misdirect the players and develop new weaknesses for Judas.

1) Instead of a stake through a heart and chop off his head you would have to put a noose around his head and disembowel him (supposedly Judas died both from hanging and from having his belly burst and his bowels).

2) The silver fits well with Judas's story, so no need to change him. Equally, symbols of Christianity (or possibly the only true sect of Christianity if you dare to go there) are good for repelling him.

3) A classic motive is that they have to count something if thrown in front of them - poppy seeds, rice, etc. So what would a Judas vampire need to count? Well, he would be thwarted by Kingdom of God, which is like a mustard seed. So why not make him a compulsive mustard-seed counter?

4) Apparently garlic is a very common ingredient in Jewish cooking*, so him being afraid of garlic is also fine.

* I get my information from doctor Google, so this may not be true.

[Flyndaran]

#3 Why not counting currency like small change? Or silver shavings which could be made quite small and therefore numerous in parts to optimize distraction time?