Small assemblage of questions

[rodentfanatic.livejournal.com]

And once again, my brain has been ticking, and I wondered if anyone had any answers (or just ideas, theories, headcanons, etc.) on any of the following:

- I haven't read the book in which Byron appears, but an AB Wiki tells me that he "was turned at 15, but due to bulking up muscle can pass for 18." Is it ever stated in the books whether or not this bulking-up was done before or after death? I swear I got the impression somewhere that he did so AFTER being turned, which has all sorts of interesting implications. Like, if vampires can build muscle, can they lose it? Can they gain or lose fat, maybe by drinking from someone with high blood sugar or cholesterol too often or something like that? If they die bulked-up, do they have to work to maintain that muscle after death, or does anything you died with stay the same and you can only add from there, not lose?

- Why is the rat king/rodere leader called the Rom? What does that mean and how would it relate to rats? The only 'Rom' I know of is the Roma people, and when I searched the term on Wiki, I didn't get any results that seem rat-related.

- How much blood do vampires need to drink? In some parts of the book there's an implication that they don't need much at all, while other parts imply they can potentially kill someone by feeding on them. My guess is that while they may only need a bit, some go way overboard, either because they're assholes or just can't control themselves, but is it ever stating explicitly just what the case is?

- Necromancers can control all types of undead, not just zombies. There's been a lot of focus on Anita controlling vampires, but what about ghosts and ghouls? Ghouls are a type of undead, do ghosts count as such too? And has there been anything on Anita having influence over either since her necromancer powers awakened?

Comments

[dwg.livejournal.com]

Byron bulked up after he died. He showed up in Incubus Dreams, and I remember something about him being turned for pedovampire reasons so he bulked up to get people to take him seriously/not be mistaken for a teenager forever. Something to do with weights. The next thing that stuck with me is the book after when Anita was reflecting on that one time she had sex with him was just that one time because it turns out he's gay and she didn't understand how you can be turned down by being the wrong gender.

I would have thought that the bulking up/losing weight thing might work the same way that JC can grow his hair? It'd just take more energy, so Byron may eat more people to maintain it? Other than that it's all very *handwavey* because LKH says so, that's why.

No idea on the rat thing.

Re: blood - you're pretty spot on there. It's stated in the earlier books that a vampire can't actually drink all the blood contained in one human body, but I guess they can bleed someone out to dangerous levels, either through repeated feedings (and this is why it takes three bites to make a vampire) or being an asshole by chewing on someone's arteries and leaving them to leak everywhere. It gets hinky later when it comes to sex, in that JC suddenly has to feed every time he wants to have an erection and otherwise cannot get it up, even if he's just ejaculated. Which makes no sense unless he's ejaculating blood, which...ew. This is a retcon that baffles the hell out of me.

Re: ghosts, the only time they really played a major part was with Serephina (I MISS HER. SHE IS MY FAVOURITE) in Bloody Bones. After that, they haven't showed up. There's this whole thing about ignoring spirits in the graveyard, because giving them attention means they have power over you to pull on your clothes but it's never been something that's explored. Ditto on trying to control ghouls, that only showed up in GP iirc and they haven't returned since. Anita's necromancy has become something she busts out when she wants to appear spooky with protracted descriptions of fists opening and cool wind, but the most she's used it for is sensing if a vampire's nearby. So add this to the list of potential wasted in the series. (I'm sad there aren't like pissed off ghosts taking revenge because they're being ignored and it's her duty as a necromancer to listen sorta like in Clive Barker's Book of Blood/Jerusalem Street. How terrifying would that be?!)

[rodentfanatic.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Yeah, her necromancy seems mainly focused on vampires, because ghouls and ghosts can't be sexed up and thus aren't worthy of any attention or focus, I guess.

...ejaculating blood oh god D8

Do you remember if it was ever stated what bloodline Seraphina was? I remembered her as a fear vamp like Nikolaos for some reason, but I checked one of my usual AB Wikis and it doesn't specify, but all the vampires under her seem to have been rotters, so I guess she probably was too? By the way, I saw you mention your Kissaphina headcanon somewhere, and I TOTALLY SHARE IT NOW, JUST SO YOU KNOW.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

I'm sad that LKH has totally ruled out zombie sex because the decaying dead puts her right off. Which also doesn't make sense because Anita can make life-like zombies that don't even realise that they're dead, SO IT COULD HAPPEN. But clearly they're not as sexy as vampires.

(They don't ejaculate blood. Which is why the whole thing is completely baffling.)

I think Serephina came up before the whole bloodline thing happened? And even then it's hard to keep them straight because I think the fear ones started out being related to the rotting ones, but then later they're somehow related to Belle Morte? There was something to do with the chick that turned Damian. I'm still WTFing over how the Dragon is all about ANGER AND RAGE, okay? But wasn't he also supposed to be the actual Dracula? (but then Dracula became a bad luck name as seen by the most recent Master of London that fought to use it and promptly turned out to be batshit and had to be killed. Which is how Byron and Requiem wind up in St Louis.)

AW YAY. I'm still holding out for the off-chance that wereravens will totally happen, though it looks like Requiem won't have them as an animal to call. I still maintain that Requiem is the mysterious person who leaves booze and a rose on Poe's grave every year.

[rodentfanatic.livejournal.com]

Yeah, she did, but apparently someone, probably JC, made specifications on what lines some of the past vampires Anita had faced were while explaining them to her, and mentioned Niko as a fear one.

The fear ones are 'related' to Belle Morte in that the Moroven/Nemhain, their fountainhead, was of Belle Morte's bloodline, but then she developed her own powers and her own bloodline that made the fear vamps. With Damian, he indicates in Blue Moon that he is of Belle Morte's bloodline, yet in Incubus Dreams, we learn that he is from the Moroven's line. Additionally, in CS, Belle Morte herself claims Damian is of her line.

The Dragon is a woman, so I don't think she has much to do with Dracula? IDK, I didn't read the one where Byron and Requiem appeared.

Oh, and uh, one more thing...it is in Hit List that Anita for real says she can't cross her arms over her chest because of her boobs, right? XD

[dwg.livejournal.com]

AND THEN YOU PUT THE FOX AND THE GRAIN IN THE BOAT. I hate trying to keep track of how all this gets retconned pretty much every time it comes up.

The Dragon being Dracula could also be leftover headcanon from my RPG days. But JC definitely did let slip he apparently hung out with Dracula back in the day in Bloody Bones.

oh man, the boob thing. I'm certain it's a recurring theme that's showed up much earlier than Hit List. I want to say Laughing Corpse type early because I'm sure there was one time when Anita was jealous of Ronnie of being able to cross her arms across her boobs, but can't be bothered checking my books right now (I'm trying to go to bed, everyone stop emailing me) so I'll get back to you later on that.

[marveen.livejournal.com]

I will say that Anita must have short arms.

(I say this because I'm five three with [proportionately] short arms and DDD/E bra size, and I can't do that either. I can cross my arms above or below, but OVER means serious--and uncomfy--squashing.)

[magdalen77.livejournal.com]

Hmm...I'm 4'10" and have DD cups. I can cross my arms over my bosom and it's not uncomfortable. Of course I'm old so my breasts aren't exactly perky.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

I maintain that Anita has tiny t-rex arms. It's the only thing that makes sense. In Circus of the Damned, she mentions that she's too "chesty" for a size six dress, so she wears a size seven because they don't make like six and a half. So I'm guessing she's just a plain ol' C cup, which last time I checked did not have all this massive inconvenience like back pain or warping bra underwire. Plus later, she talks about how she can go braless if she's wearing a tight enough t-shirt. And somehow she doesn't spend all her time constantly adjusting the girls. It must be nice having magically perky boobs all the time.

[magdalen77.livejournal.com]

Actually it really makes no sense if she claimed to wear a seven instead of a six. Even numbered sizes are misses sizes and are meant for adult women so the difference between bust and waist size or waist and hip size are in more womanly proportions. A size seven would be a junior size which was more meant for teens or women with a more slender build. Since Anita is always boasting about being built like a "real woman" junior sizes wouldn't fit her body well. The next size up from a six is an eight.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

That's what I thought, but there it is in CotD:

"What size dress do you wear?"
That was a personal question for someone who'd never even kissed me. "Seven," I said.
"I would have guessed smaller."
"I'm too chesty for a six, and they don't make six and a halfs."

HOW DOES THAT WORK. Unless you're getting all your clothes specially tailored, in which case you probably have more money than sense but an amazing wardrobe that is not full of polo shirts. Either way, this makes Anita smaller than the average woman and should easily be able to find outfits off the rack, boobs and all.

[magdalen77.livejournal.com]

That really sounds weird like LaLa never paid attention to the sizing of women's clothes. Half sizes are basically for women like me (fat women) and the lowest half size is 12 1/2*. I'm thinking that CotD came out when she weighed 75 lbs more than she does now. Maybe since she was heavy she never paid attention to smaller sizes and what they meant. It comes off weird. Really any women living in America should know these things.

*BTW, I'm not saying a woman who wears a 12 1/2 is fat. She's not. From my perspective she's a normal sized woman.

[lady-fellshot.livejournal.com]

Maybe she has inflatable boobs? Tight t-shirts have no support unless they've got a shelf bra integrated into it (works like a sports bra).

[dwg.livejournal.com]

COULD BE. Or maybe Anita's a comic book woman trying to operate in the real world. Given the ways she contorts during sex, she may also have the weird spine that can bend into impossible positions.

Yeah, this t-shirt was just a tight scoop necked t-shirt. No support, but apparently enough for the girls. Boobs don't work like that, LKH. They really don't.

[lady-fellshot.livejournal.com]

Anita must have T-Rex arms.

I'm an AA cup and my elbows are level with the bottom of my ribs. Thus when I'm crossing my arms across my front, they go under my bosom normally. Also the last time I checked, the ribs were considered part of the chest. It's really clumsy wording on LKH's part.

[dreamstrifer.livejournal.com]

I read a slash version of Dracula where the vampires ejaculated blood, and that's how a guy was turned, from giving multiple blow jobs to a vampire.

It was gross.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

I've read something similar! Except with actual magical vampire semen that changes a person into a vampire. It was the last time this countess had amazing sex, it just wasn't as good after she'd become undead and got super tired of living so her and her husband set about seducing this young American couple to take their place. Also, sex with a lady vampire turned someone into a Renfield. It's not enough to turn someone (due to the lack of magical vampire semen) but will keep a person young-ish and kinda addicted because the sex is that amazeballs to a human. And since this had a backdrop of WWII, there were also Nazis.

This is why I trawl 3 for $10 bargain bin books. Sometimes I come across something so delightfully wackadoo, it's worth its weight in lulz.

[plastraa.livejournal.com]

O.o Ohhhh...you had me at Slash version of Dracula. AND yes I know it probably makes me a bad person, but I wouldn't care even if he turned into a bat and rides someone around like a pony. I'd still want to read it...hehe. Please share the name. :)

[christwriter.livejournal.com]

Thank you for that image. I may now file it away in the "KILL WITH FIRE" file, along with the many fan theories about how Edward Cullen's plumbing worked.

By the way, do you have any spare brain bleach?

[dwg.livejournal.com]

You're welcome? I use My Milk Toof (http://mymilktoof.blogspot.com.au/) as a pick-me-up in dire times like these.

[rodentfanatic.livejournal.com]

The ABVH continuity is so weird that I pretty much gave up keeping track of it

I should really learn to do that. I just have this overwhelming need to make it all make SENSE AND ORDER and it's FUTILE because THERE IS NONE ANYMORE.

Of course Rome and Romulus are associated with wolves, not rats, but it's a name with a good legendary pedigree and LKH isn't hugely concerned with accuracy these days.

Ugh, sadly true. I really hope that it's something else that makes more rat-related sense, but it might not be.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

NO THIS TOTALLY MAKES SENSE! And would be completely terrifying if it actually happened.

[threeringedmoon.livejournal.com]

Finally: an explanation that makes sense.

[ladyniko.livejournal.com]

Wow, I'm impressed with this thought out explanation!

It makes a LOT more sense than "true" Anita verse! :)