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Welcome to Nottonmap, a small village in Whateverdrivestheplotland! The entire village has an impressive total of 500 inhabitants and doesn't really have more to offer than a smog-free and peaceful environment. Because the village is so small everyone knows each other, and often get together on holidays or sport events.

Eight years ago this village gained two new residents who moved inside the village's old abandoned mansion: A man in his early forties together with his daughter of seven. Being a single dad is hard enough, but the poor guy also has various health problems: photosensitivity, eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorder, as well as numerous other allergies for various foods. This means he can't go outside or eat anything solid without throwing up. Regardless of these weird quirks he got accepted into the community and is still, after 8 years, one of the most likable neighbours in the village. ...But why?

Vampire-dad is back from my previous question! This question mainly focused on keeping the masquerade to his daughter, who doesn't know that her dad is actually a vampire. The reason why convincing the village's residents wasn't that important is because he already is an accepted and respected member of the community. "Stop calling that poor man a vampire, he's really conscious about his health issues!"

The problem here is that vampire-dad can't go outside during the day. May sunlight ever hit his skin he will painfully combust into flames - no sparkles or rashes, just instant death. To make matters worse he can't eat 'human food' either, or he'll throw up. This kills most of his options to socialize with the villagers. I could just say that the residents are empathetic of his issues and wait till dusk so he can join in events, but would a close-knit community like that really refit its schedule for the new creepy-looking stranger who just moved into the local abandoned mansion?

How do I justify vampire-dad being an active and liked member of the village community? Assume modern day age with nobody knowing about the existence of vampires while still aware of popular vampire-tropes from fiction.

A few things about vampire-dad:

  • He can't stand sunlight. UV or any other light doesn't bother him, but a single ray of daylight will lead to a flashy and painful demise. While he technically can go out during the day he really shouldn't risk it.
  • He is seriously allergic to garlic. Even the smell seems to cause rashes.
  • He can't eat normal 'human' food. If he does he'll throw up after an hour or so.
  • He needs to have his daily blood-fix, which he gets through a weird fruit he cultivates in his own backyard. He jokingly calls them 'blood-oranges'. They hold no nutritious value to humans and taste absolutely horrible.
  • He has super strength, super senses, super reflexes, can fly and turn into black mist. But only during the night.
  • Sleeps like any other person, but during the day because of his job. The real reason being, of course, that he really can't afford to go outside during the day even when it's cloudy.
  • He has a lot of money, but still works night shifts at the hospital in the nearest city a reasonable drive distant away. He does this because he likes the work and to create some routine in his day. The real reason is to keep up the charade, of course.
  • He is on good terms with his daughter.
  • He does have a reflection. I removed this rule from the original list because it was too much of a hassle.
  • He told everyone that his vampire quirks are all medical conditions for which he feigned the proper documents through his job at the hospital.
  • He does not have any mind-controlling powers.
  • He is very tall and looks really intimidating if you don't know him.
  • He's a really nice person and wouldn't think of deceiving anyone about anything other than his vampirism.
  • Just wants you to give him a chance.

Vampire-dad's daughter

  • was 7 when she arrived into town, and is now 15.
  • has no clue her dad's a vampire, and will defend him when someone puts his medical issues to question.
  • is diurnal unlike her father and goes to school, but always on her own as her father can't go outside during the day. She is used to this and still sees him often enough during the morning and evening.
  • Is not showing any vampire-traits. Yet.

Bonus points for the person who can think of a proper name for the village.

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    $\begingroup$ A nice doctor in a small village is bound to be valued. Given the medical terms and such, we can surely assume the setting is current-day, so the villagers aren't forced to bed by lack of light. In Spain we have an odd schedule and we are quite active at night, it wouldn't be odd if they didn't need to refit the schedule at all. Though he may not like the amount of sun hours in Southern Europe... $\endgroup$
    – Faerindel
    Commented Jan 26, 2017 at 12:40
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    $\begingroup$ Before settling down he could have been the lead guitarist in a popular band (I rate with super reflexes he'd shred like a boss). Would explain why he has so much money, as well as instantly being liked due to his fame. He then starts a local cover band that plays at the pub on weekends. $\endgroup$
    – Lu22
    Commented Jan 26, 2017 at 13:35
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    $\begingroup$ A village not on the map where strange things happen? Dunwich of course. It is (or used to be) an important town on the coast of Suffolk, capital of the kingdom of East Anglia, it fell into the sea between 1904-1919. See also the Dark Heart of Dunwich. $\endgroup$
    – Separatrix
    Commented Jan 26, 2017 at 14:27
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    $\begingroup$ Amusing as this is, I see this as too plot/character oriented. Do folks here consider this to be world building per the rules? (My working hypothesis is that sufficiently entertaining questions get a pass, whether strictly on topic or not.) I'm not pushing to close, but am interested in better clarity of on/of topic-ness. $\endgroup$
    – Catalyst
    Commented Jan 26, 2017 at 14:51
  • $\begingroup$ Is he weak to fire/electricity/(radiation? I don't know if they are) like vampires from The World of Darkness or resistant to them like... I don't know, that vampire from The Witcher books? $\endgroup$
    – Mr Scapegrace
    Commented Jan 26, 2017 at 15:42

3 Answers 3

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He can participate in the village activities (lets say some local fair), since most of them have duration of a full day. So, when the sun sets down, our vamp-dad can make an appearance, talk and interact with normal humans, etc.

He attends the school meetings of his daughter regularly, since these happens after school hours (sunset again), although for a brief time due to his working hours/shift.

He can invite neighbors to watch a game on tv on his day off, of cook some diner for them (he cant eat, but he is a descent cook since he must cook for his daughter).

He can meet with friends in local bar/pub and have a beer or two (he can drink i assume, since you mentioned only that he cant eat human food).

He attends meetings in mayor's house to vote/talk about local problems.

Once he beat up couple of punks that were harassing one elderly couple (improved physical attributes), but only after he tried to talk to them and only when they attacked him first - this gave him extra points.

Once he got drunk (faked it of course) and do something stupid. The next day he made amends and ever since he tries to behave (for example, he paint black the local statue of . Ever since, he takes good care of it, clean it, in a regular basis.)

In general, you can be very social in such a small community, despite the limitations, and be very likable only by performing one or two memorable deeds.

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The fastest way to win a starting amount respect of the people in small village like this would be a heroic deed.

For example, if your vampire-dad is resistant to fire, make him save a person or two from the burning house:

It was a dark and calm night a few years back when all'o the sudden Joe's gas pipes blew sky high. I told him a million times to fix the damn pipes, but "no-o-o, it's too expensive, they are fine as they are..."

Anyway, Joe's ball'n'chain got out of the house in a nick of time, but Joe himself was trapped in this bloody inferno. The whole village came to try and put down the fire, but we couldn't do a damn thing. And then this new guy, thin as a stick, comes in and runs into the house like a crazy.

"Well, damn, now we'll have to bury two of them" - I thought.

A minute passed and then this new guy jumps out of burning window with poor Joe on his shoulders. Like a bat out of hell, I tell ya.

Well, turns out this new guy wasn't that bad after all. Sure, he is a bit weird and if he had a dime for every illness he has he'd be rich as... as he is, I guess. He helped the poor Joe to rebuild his house. And he is a great doctor too, he helped me to get rid of that damn blister that had been bugging me for last twenty years. He is a good guy, I tell ya.

(Sorry for the poor grammar, English is not my native language)

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  • he can not eat - but can he drink? if so, he can definitely gather sympathy points at the bar - maybe even being the barkeepers favourite because he's the only one not getting blackout-drunk because of a super-human liver capacity
  • he is regularly winning his team a bowling competition with a competetive, neighbouring village - which is only carried out late in the evening because the lane doesn't open earlier... there are many other potential activities that can be moved into the night for non-outlandish reasons.
  • how succeptible to sunlight is he - does he really instantly die at the first ray? does a ray reflected by a mirror hurt him (and if yes, why can he stand moonlight)? can he go outside while staying in the shadows?
    • last scenario could open some geographically based options for the story, maybe a mountain village with less "direct sunlight"-hours than usual
  • art. make him a great (or at least decent, but lovable) artist of some kind, perhaps photography? if the technology is available, perhaps he even has an obsession for photographing sunrises/sunsets (via remote/time-controlled cameras). if that's too weird, let him paint instead.
  • art again, specifically performing art. he could regularly perform standup-comedy, which is usually done at night, anyway.
  • how modern are the telecommunication habits? nowadays, thanks to internet messaging, most people wouldn't necessarily have to go outside to become popular, anyway
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