The Mark
Much has been written about the vampire mark in fiction. So, one might ask, where is mine?
Know, first and foremost, the “vampire mark” is not meant to identify vampyre to humans. History has shown that having any discernible or identifiable mark can actually be deadly.
Next, I have several. Only one of mine will be discussed. Similar to a mark described in a popular fiction series, mine was originally a crescent turned on its side (pointing to my left or to the right of an onlooker). It was located to the side of my forehead and not in the middle. (An art piece was made depicting some of my original marks.) My mark changed direction (pointing downward) when I shared it with my eternal, and he shared his with me. It became a constellation of moon and star-placements in the night sky. I am extremely proud of my marks and I have no problem with holding or expressing that pride. Even if it were possible to remove or relinquish them, I never would. I do not subscribe to any philosophy or belief system that would make me deny or feel shame for who I am.
Had the events in my past not occurred, I would not be sharing these photos.
I was a strong proponent of our truth being known and my kinds living in the open. But it is the vampyre and kindred who own their information and stories. Our myths and histories were never meant to be told by humans. That is appropriation. Our culture was never meant to be mocked, mimicked or copied. While the unscrupulous of my kind(s) have made money off me and others, almost everyone making money off of vampire/vampyre culture is human.
Know that if I had my way now, I would continue to write vampire fiction and the true histories, vernacular, customs and cultures of the vampyre/kindred would be erased from the memories of humanity.
Again, the marks are not meant to be obvious to anyone other than vampyre and kindred.
As you can see from this Pictish symbol, the crescent moon is almost identical to the size, shape and positioning of my mark.
Additionally, you will notice that the V (vampyre), three crescents (triple goddess) and heart are also possibly represented in the drawings/carvings.
To date, the Pictish Symbol Stones remain undeciphered.
Surprisingly, and probably very appropriately, someone saw these Pictish symbols as the heraldry for Alice in Wonderland-with the hearts and spades.
The spade symbol could also be seen as a feather or fleur-de-lys. Additionally, in the Brandsbutt symbol, I see the waves of the ocean symbolized.
Why would any be opposed to Artemis? Because she and Aphrodite do not always get along. One key event was the death of Adonis. While there are stories that Aphrodite smothered Adonis or that either Eres or Hephaestus turned himself into a boar to kill him out of jealousy, there is yet another story that Artemis was furious over his betrayal with Aphrodite. In that story, he is struck with an arrow. The death is blamed on either Eros/Cupid or Aphrodite but Artemis is the goddess of the hunt and the arrow was likely hers-both to punish Adonis and to hurt Aphrodite.
Then there is the betrayal of Hera. One only has to go back to the story of the golden apple, when Paris gives Aphrodite the apple over Hera and Athena. What happens next? Hera sides against Aphrodite in the Trojan war.
As noted in the text below, the Goddess of Night was known by a crescent on her forehead. The God of Night was also known by the crescent on his forehead but it pointed upward like bull horns. This might mean that the goddess crescent pointed downward, as with my mark.
