Meta:VHL Teacher's Curriculum Guide

The VHL Teacher's Curriculum Guide was written "at the request of a couple of North Miami teachers who were struggling to get urban kids to read fantasy novels" Previously, it only existed in archives of the official website, which no longer exists. Thus, it is being hosted here so that people will again have a chance to read and make use of it.

'Vampire Huntress Legends 101'

Many educators today are looking for creative ways to inspire their students to read--especially to get them to read literature that has a positive underlying message which promotes the core values of: "do the right thing," diversity and tolerance, and thinking of the larger world community, while also asking students to think about "choices and consequences" of their actions.

The Vampire Huntress Legend uses this within the context of "pop fiction" as the core foundation. The "good guys" are also cool. The setting is hip, urban, and contemporary, but beneath all the layers of fictive drama, the classic myths of a journey of transformation are told.

To that end, in 2005, a worthy veteran educator, Vera DaVinci, Program Manager for The Office of Accelerated Learning, School District of Philadelphia, created a "Teacher's Curriculum Guide" for the first two books of this series (Minion and The Awakening, both available in mass market sized paperbacks for a reasonable $6.99.)

Ms. DaVinci was requested to design this guide after we received numerous requests from educators nationwide who wanted to know how to harness the fantastic positive energy young people had as avid fans of the series. Given that the Major Themes in the VHL legend were in alignment with those themes many educators wanted to promote, these educators told us that they were also looking for ways to standardize a teaching methodology around the body of literature.

Thus, we are honored offer this to you in a downloadable PDF file format as a way to assist your literacy and teaching endeavors. Click here for your free Teacher's Guide (PDF 1MB).

Questions and Answers A Vampire Huntress Legend Study Guide

Below are some frequently asked questions and the associated answers for new readers to the series:

1. What does Neteru mean?

• Answer: Neteru is an ancient Egyptian term for, "Divine Powers latent within" or divine ways. It was chosen as the title for the heroine, Damali Richards, because she is a "superhero" in this story that fights for the good (or the divine.)

2. In the legend, the author often interchanges the word Egyptian with Kemetian (Egypt and Kemet.) Are these the same people and lands?

• Answer: Yes. Egypt was also called "land of the blacks" or "The Great Black," and the native African inhabitants called it KMT (pronounced Kamit, or Kemet, also seen in some documentation as Kemit), and refers to the historical period before the Greek and Roman invasions. Therefore, the author uses the indigenous reference to go all the way back to the original African people who actually built the great Egyptian/Kemetian Empire.

3. Who were the people in the prologue?

• Answer: Sara Richards was the heroine's mother. Damali Richards is the story's heroine (shown twenty years later when the actual story begins in Chapter 1), and she was the little baby who was crying in the crib. The preacher (Armand Richards), who was abducted by the vampire (Fallon Nuit), was Damali's father. Damali's father (Reverend Richards) was attempting to go after and slay the vampire, when he was abducted from his home. The young woman who came to baby-sit little Damali in the prologue, was Marlene Stone━who later goes on a quest to find the girl and bring her into the Guardian family for protection.

4. What is the tattoo that is on the heroine's back and what does it mean?

• Answer: The tattoo that Damali Richards wears is called a Sankofa. This is an ancient Akhan symbol from West African, and the literal translation means, "to go back and fetch it." The bird is looking backward to the past, the history of its ancestors and it is trying to grab an egg. The egg represents the future generations. Thus, symbolically it represents "going back to one's historical past, ancestry, to chart a path for the future," or, "going back to learn about the past to inform one's future decisions." Therefore the author used this for the young heroine, because she must learn about her history and past in order to do her present job of fighting for the good of humanity.

5. What is making the character, Jose, sick? (Is he a vampire or turning into one?)

• Answer: Jose is not a vampire, and is not turning into a vampire. He is a Guardian, but has made a child with a woman that became a vampire. The unborn child died with the mother (when she passed away from the vampire bite.) But the fact that the soul of this unborn child got temporarily trapped within the mother is making him sick. He, like the mother, is a part of the child. Therefore, to keep him from getting sicker, the situation requires that the Guardian team free this little soul and commend it into the Light so that Jose's connection to it is also sent toward the Light. As long as a part of it is trapped within the darkness, a part of Jose will continue to be trapped there as well, and he will remain ill.

6. How did the vampire, Fallon Nuit, get out━and what came up with him?

• Answer: When Sara Richards went against her faith to consult an old witch, she unwittingly cast a spell that released the trapped vampire, and also, quite accidentally, released a demon along with it (an Amanthra demon.) Damali's mother, in her anger and hurt, was tricked by the old witch in the woods, and her actions caused a spiral of tragic events that would later affect her daughter (Damali) in years to come. [Note: Reverend Richards, Damali's father, also made a fatal mistake of not being honest with his wife or his congregation about what he was up to━slaying vampires. Hence, by keeping this secret, no one could help him, no one understood, and it created vast misunderstandings all the way around. The author used this device of 'mistaken intent' to demonstrate how a lie or an omission of truth by respected leaders can cause catastrophic issues within families and communities.]

7. Who are the Guardians and what do they represent?

• Answer: Each member of the Guardian team is an individual with a special power that was given to him/her to fight evil. Each one came to the team after they had a personal encounter with "the dark side," and survived. These people are not perfect but have good hearts and care about the broader scope of humankind. They are all older than the heroine, and their job as a superhero 'family' is to teach Damali, guide her, and protect her until she is old enough and wise enough to fight on her own (and until she is ready to lead the team.) They represent people from all ethnic groups and religions and cultures. The author chose this mix of individuals to represent the 'world family' of humanity. The focus is on people of all walks of life coming together to resist evil and to help each other to do the right thing for the greater good of the world.

Character List

• Damali Richards: Damali was born in New Orleans. After the death of her parents, she lived with foster parents and became a teenage runaway living in Los Angeles, California. She was rescued by Marlene Stone and discovered that she was born with the ancient powers needed to be a vampire huntress. During the day, Damali works as a spoken word artist and performs with her team of guardian protectors who assist her in the fight against evil vampires.
• Marlene Stone: Marlene was born in the South Carolina islands and was relocated to New Orleans. After the death of her church pastor, Damali's father, at the hands of the vampire, Fallon Nuit, Marlene was force to flee and protect Damali from harm. She serves as the Guardian team leader and the business manager for Damali's performance group, Warriors of Light.
• Nafes Shabazz: 'Bazz (for short) was born on the east coast and served time in prison on drug charges. He turned his life around and learned Aikido, philosophy, and strategies to protect Damali and his team. He serves as a sharpshooter for the Guardian team and works as a bassist and choreographer for the Warriors of Light.
• Michael Roberts: "Big Mike" was born in Mississippi and moved to Georgia before enlisting in the military. After he left the military, Mike counseled children and then became a part of the Guardian team. He also works as the sound man for the Warriors of Light.
• Jacob Rider: Jake (Jack or Rider) grew up in the Midwest and rode cross-country on a Harley. He met Jose on an Indian reservation and became a member of the Guardian team. He also plays the guitar for the Warriors of Light.
• Jose Cipointe: Jose (a.k.a. Wizard) was born to a Mexican mother and a Creek Indian father. He grew up in Mexico and Los Angeles. He learned the spiritual ways of his father's people and became a guardian after meeting Jake Rider in New Orleans*. He is also a percussionist for the Warriors of Light.
  • • This contradicts the information in the books. Both Ride the Night Wind and Make it Last Forever have Jose and Rider meeting in Arizona on Jose's grandfather's reservation.
• Joseph Leung: Joseph (J. L.) was born in Laos and was adopted by an American family. He was reunited with his birth parents after they immigrated to the United States. Joseph has a talent for creating electronic gadgets which he uses in his guardian duties. He plays the keyboards for the Warriors of Light.
• Daniel Weinstein: Daniel (Dan) was born in the suburbs and received an Ivy League education. He manages the Warriors of Light and becomes a guardian after he narrowly escapes an attack by vampires.
• Carlos Rivera: Carlos was born in Los Angeles and died in the Santa Monica Mountains. He becomes a Master Vampire and tries to hold his own against the Guardians and the Vampire Council.
• Fallon Nuit: Fallon was once member of the Vampire Council but he abused his power and was incarcerated in a New Orleans lair. He escaped imprisonment and created an evil army which he used to work towards overthrowing the Vampire Council. (His name means The Fallen Night in French)

Glossary of Terms

Atomic Pass:

Also known as a demat/remat━dematerialize/rematerialize maneuver. An atomic walk-thru (or an atomic pass) allows a vampire to walk through what appears to be a solid object (e.g. a door or a wall.) This is accomplished by deconstructing his/her cellular structure at the atomic level and passing through the atom gaps in the seemingly solid surface (since all surfaces are permeable at the atomic level), and then rematerializing on the other side of the obstruction. Requires the significant powers of thought concentration only available at the Master vampire level, but some strong second-generation vampires can perform this feat on a more limited basis.

Black Blood Exchange:

Whereby two vampires siphon one another to feed, to heal a severe wound/regenerate, or do so in passion. This exchange is a capital offense when shared with those outside level six (i.e. were-demons), because with the exchange, temporary power transfers to enemy levels within the realms could accidentally occur. An exchange with an adversary level at Vpoint is grounds for immediate execution.

Bulk:

Increase in muscle mass for battle.

Covenant:

Members of The Covenant are lethal clerics that represent the twelve major religions on earth, and are regarded as spiritual assassins that protect the Guardian teams. The Vampire Nations, or The Empire, considers this group of humans to be their mortal enemies, and they are a hindrance that forms the deadly, outer protective ring around the Neteru.

Daywalker:

A vampire impervious to sunlight that can also eat normal food━the most revered entity that can be genetically engineered via the combination of a ripened female Neteru and male Master level (or higher) vampire.

Double-plunge:

A highly erotic simultaneous passion bite as a part of lovemaking. (Can only be accomplished by two vampires, thus a drawback for selecting a human sexual partner.)

Drop fang:

Lower one's incisors; used as, "She made me drop fang on her, man." NOTE: Fang length is denoted by the type of bite being delivered;

• Passion-length is normally two inches (as not to create mortal injury to a human━and the inability to control the drop under these circumstances is akin to an oral erection, a source of novice embarrassment in public if seen by other higher-ranking male vampires. However, it is a magnet signal for female vampires);
• Rage-length is approximately six inches;
• Battle-length can be as much as eight to ten inches━depending on the vampire's prowess and testosterone levels. Comparisons are made between male vampires' battle-lengths within the vampire community.

Flicker:

• Change in normal eye irises denoted by color. To "flicker" gold is a warning that gall level in the chakra system has been reached (angry, but still rational.) To "flicker" red is a definite warning that mortal combat is potentially eminent, as the primal chakra system (base chakra) has been breeched. To "go solid red" (glowing) means that the fight response has been engaged━also accompanied by instantaneous bulk and a battle-length fang drop. However, to "flicker" in the presence of a lover during a seduction is a compliment and cue to the level of arousal in effect... generally accompanied by a "hint of fang" showing.

Generations:

Within the vampire hierarchy, there are multiple levels of vampires. Each generation is diluted as new vampires are made at decreasing levels, and the powers they have also diminish;

• Council Level (or throne level) is the highest caste━and they rarely come to the earth's surface. Their primary residence is on Level Six in Hell and their blood supply is brought to them by courier transporter bats;
• Master level vampires can only be made by seated Council level vampires, (Note: Only Master Vampires have the power and skill to finesse a v-point experience, and are highly regarded for their sensual capacities);
• Second generations (or second-gens), are created by a bite from a Master Vampire;
• Third generations are made by a turn bite delivered by Second-generation level vampires (and so forth.)

Guardians:

Usually a seven human squad (or larger) that is combat prepared, deadly, and has the linked soul mission to wipe evil from the face of the planet. Of the one hundred and forty-four thousand Guardians on earth, the one team that has the sole purpose to guard The Neteru is the most lethal. [Note: While mortal enemies with this group, vampires have a healthy respect for Guardian teams, and thus generally try to avoid them.]

Knock Your Head Back:

Most often used in reference to the effects of being Neteru blitzed, but also means extreme ecstasy━whereby a male vampire will be moved to vulnerably expose his throat to a bite. E.g. "That woman was so fine she knocked his head back."

Lines:

Refer to a Master vampire's bite lineage of victims, or those within his territory that were acquired upon taking over a region.

Marked:

To put one's vampire seal of protection on a human helper, or to mark a person/family as off limits to attacks, seductions, and feedings by other vampires. This mark is invisible to humans, but colors the aura of the marked individual(s.) To "mark" a lover is done at the jugular vein, whereby humans cannot see the healed bite puncture wounds, but the infrared heat tracer is apparent to other would-be vampire lovers.

Mind Lock:

To telepathically send and receive messages between entities, and of particular usefulness in seducing humans. Also abbreviated to, "Get a lock on," or "get locked." E.g. "He had her locked." Used most frequently for erotic, dream-state seductions;

• Open Channel Lock: to broadcast without touching the intended target of the lock. (Like wireless fidelity, but the thought can be pirated from the airwaves.)
• Closed Channel Lock: to broadcast while touching the intended target. (A secure channel)

Mist or Vapor:

Used in speech as a verb; to transform into pure energy for transport or escape, but also used during arguments to denote anger. To "mist" on a relationship partner during an argument is akin to "catching an attitude." E.g. "He'd mist on her if she didn't shut up." Or, "She pissed him off so bad he served her mist." Or, "He'd vapor on her so fast that she'd be standing there arguing with herself!"

Neteru:

(Female version) is a being revered for her capacity to produce daywalkers, but also hated as a deadly adversary when not "in season" (or "in phase.") Also known as the huntress. (Also, "To get Neteru in one's nose," is akin to being mentally compromised by a female Neteru.)

Neteru Blitzed:

Disoriented by the scent of ripening female Neteru, akin to a DUI, that compromises rational thought or survival instinct. Master vampires have less tolerance to this volatile, airborne substance, and it is considered a dangerous controlled substance.

Nick:

To bite. However, there are several derivations of a vampire bite:

• A passion bite is considered a "nick,"
• A bite transforms a human into a vampire is paraphrased as "a turn," "turning," or "turned" the intended victim,
• A feed bite for blood nourishment is a "siphon,"
• An attack bite in mortal combat can be shortened in slang as, "take a throat."

NOTE:

To the Guardian teams and the Neteru, a bite is a bite━their slang for it is simply, "nicked" ñ as in, "don't get nicked." There is no distinction.

Realms:

Refer to the Six Levels of Hell; Dark Realms, where Vampires rule the most sophisticated space━Level Six... Level Seven is the ruling regional area that all demon levels report to. (Often abbreviated in conversation as, "I was down on six and met with Council.")

Sealed pull:

(Or a pro pull) to pull out of a bite and seal the wounds upon incisor exit━thus covering the vampire's trail. Complex coordination required at the Master level, as moving matter and reshaping the human's cellular dynamics are required while the vampire is experiencing extreme ecstasy.

Serve Wrist:

Vampire bites are exchanged based upon a power paradigm. To allow another entity to feed from the wrist can either be a familial act of transferring blood nourishment between line brethren, or to demonstrate power and authority over another entity that is desperate to feed for survival. If the transfer is familial, the wrist vein will be offered while both entities are standing; if it is a power demonstration━the subservient vampire will kneel while the dominant vampire stands above him/her. NOTE: A throat feeding at the jugular vein is only offered to trusted lovers at the most sensitive erogenous zone, and is a very private exchange. Other erogenous pulse points, i.e. the inside of the elbow and femoral artery, are only used during encounters with casual sexual partners. The throat offering denotes significant commitment.

Shape-shift:

(or "shift," for short) Try on the form of an animal. (Master Vampires have the capacity to draw upon the most specialized skills from the less sophisticated realms above theirs; level five━were-demons that have werewolf capacity, etc.; level four where there are the snakelike Amanthras, and levels three through one, where there are succubae, poltergeists and ghosts━ they can glean properties from any realm above their own when required.)

Smoke:

To kill. (Vampires that are staked burn and turn to ash, thus the derivation of the term. Also commonly used is the word, Dust or Dusted, as in "She dusted him.")

Subterranean:

Also expressed as, "Going sub," means to go underground to visit the Hell realms.

Take A Heart:

A literal translation━meaning to snatch a heart from a victim's chest.

Topside:

Earth, to be present where humans dwell. ("Going topside," means to leave Hell and come up to feed, or handle other pressing business matters.)

Vanishing Point:

The ultimate vampire orgasm, whereby the two entities astral travel at high velocity as two parallel lines that intersect at the atomic level when light bends to refract them into a single point━and the intensity of the climax is shared and recycled by both parties. Also known as, V-Point.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Vampires also have their own language, "Dananu," which they use during important negotiations. It has the power to bend wills. Look for references of it in book #4, The Bitten.

References

	Edits to this page before January 1, 2021 use CC-BY-SA-licensed content from the Fandom Vampire Huntress Legend Series Wiki.