|
|
Stephan KaplanA candid interview with the world's foremost nineteenth century vampire hunter. |
||
| What better way to highlight
a vampire issue than with the incredible talent of the worlds foremost
vampire hunter. After much research, we sent Loya1 Sterling to track down
Dr. Stephen Kaplan, the brilliant vampire hunter from London, England.
My trip to England was uneventful, although long. Steamship travel has not improved on its speed for decades. I met with Dr. Kaplan at his modest brownstone, and we conducted the interview over tea. Dr. Kaplan is a modest man with quiet tastes. His home is furnished with heavy wood furniture and very few accessories. We conducted the interview in Dr. Kaplan's study, which contains one of the most extensive private collections of reference books and tomes that I have ever seen. After a cursory glance through his library, we began his interview. Players: What is the most unusual book or item that you have ever acquired? Kaplan: Well, I would have to say the most unusual item that I have acquired is a small medallion. It is of an interesting green stone; cut into a vaguely star shape. I do not think it has any particular monetary value, but, according to legend it is supposed to protect me from certain types of evil. I carry it with me always -- you can never be too sure. Players: Does this item protect you from vampires? Kaplan: Sometimes, yes. Players: Along with this item, what other tools do you carry on a "hunt"? Kaplan: Well, I carry a large selection of items, actually. I have found that while popular reading materials are not always necessarily correct in what is effective against these creatures, they are somewhat correct. Things such as holy water, religious symbols such as the cross, etc., can be effective in keeping the creatures at bay, but not all of them are affected by this sort of symbology. Some are affected by a simple right cross. Players: Why did you become a vampire hunter? Kaplan: Well, that's ... an interesting question, and not an easy one to answer. I guess I just decided that I had been presented with enough evidence of the possible existence on creatures such as vampires and the realization hit me that there was no choice but that someone had to stop them. Abominations to the natural order such as these cannot continue. Players: So you consider vampires truly evil. Kaplan: The true vampire, yes. Players: Have you ever killed or captured a vampire? Kaplan: No. I have never successfully captured one. I have successfully dispatched of a few, yes. |
Players: What other creatures have you
come across?
Kaplan: I guess it depends on your definition of other creatures. Players: Those that are not quite human. Kaplan: Well, I have seen and have had proven to me the existence of many things in this world. The vampire instinct is very strong in many creatures. The typical impression of the vampire that many people have is not necessarily true to form of all vampires. Players: For example? Kaplan: I have seen creatures bathed completely in flames that local natives call fire vampires. I have seen glowing lights which while having no particular proof of intelligence or malice are reputed to hunt the living for food. The local legends surrounding these lights called them simply Star Vampires. So as you can see, there are many different variations and vast formulae. For there are many things out there that may or may not truly exist and that is probably the greatest job of consultant individuals like myself; simply weeding out the truth from the myth. Players: Out of all the creatures you have encountered, which has been the hardest to defeat and have you succeeded in your endeavors? Kaplan: I have never fought a creature that I have not defeated -- eventually. Players: And the most difficult? Kaplan: Well, that would be difficult to say. When dealing with the supernatural, everything seems difficult in its day. I would have to say however, that a vampire -- the cold, cunning, intelligent, thinking being oftentimes with a life span of centuries -- its knowledge makes it powerful and that alone makes it a most challenging foe. It is probably one of the greatest foes I have seen. However, legends foretell of ancient gods and things and while I do not necessarily know of their existence for sure, obviously things like that would have a much greater effect over the whole of mankind. Players: How many of your experiences have involved fakes? Kaplan: Oh, there have actually been quite a few. To date, though I have not had any true reports occur here within England. There have only been a few select true incidences that have occurred. It is usually the ones that turn out to be real tend to occur in distant and remote lands -- on the dark continent and such areas as that. But, I have almost daily received reports of something occurring somewhere. Some are intentional pranks -- some are just misunderstandings -- but the greatest majority of them are not true supernatural occurrences. |
Players: So you believe that the supernatural
has more basis in less civilised locales?
Kaplan: Of course, our greatest weapons against the supernatural and evil in general are the power and light of knowledge and truth. Obviously the most civilised areas of the world such as here in the British Isles can never be dominated by the pure forces of evil. In general, man here is just too intelligent for evil. It is only in the more primitive cultures -- areas like Africa where those poor creatures there believe anything that you tell them, and places like the Middle East where they still believe in false gods and things like that. Of course, they would be much more susceptible to the wiles of evil forces. Players: In your quest against these evil forces, you travel with a group from here in London. Can you tell me more about the other members of this group? Kaplan: Well, I travel with many people. Some are devote followers of my teachings and some are more or less just traveling companions who do not necessarily agree with what I do or say, but none-the-less it makes for interesting travel for them to go to far off lands. While I am out digging around and roaming around to destroy something, in their eyes they can get a good vacation. Players: Do you belong to any clubs? Kaplan: Actually, I do belong to a small order in the outskirts of London. Many of the members are those who believe primarily in enlightenment. We read tomes from all over the world and travel a lot as well as seeking out new information and new things of interest to gaining intelligence and knowledge. There a few members who, since I have joined, have picked up and followed me, however most of the group is a little more reserved. Players: Is this order a secret organisation? Kaplan: While this group is not a secret society per say, as a gentleman I must refrain from revealing the names of our members. I have taken no oath of silence, just an oath of courtesy. I am sure you understand. Players: Of course. Having seen many strange, unexplainable things and traveled all over the world, I am sure you have learned a great deal. Have you any words of wisdom for our readers to help them in their lives and actions? Kaplan: With the end of darkness comes light, take strength in that. |
|
|