Alp (Vampire)

Area from/nationality: German. Vampiric spirit associated with the bogeyman and the incubus, normally tormenting the nights and dreams of women. The creature's physical manifestations can be very dangerous. Long connected with the nightmare, the alp is considered male, sometimes the spirit of a recently deceased relative, most often an actual demon. Children can become an Alp when a mother uses a horse collar to ease childbirth. During the middle ages the alp was said to appear as a cat, pig, bird or other animal, including a lecherous demon dog scene in Cologne, thus linking the werewolf in with this legend. In all its manifestations the Alp is known to wear a hat. The spirit can fly like a bird, can ride like a horse and is credited with a certain gallant attitude, rarely forcing itself on its prey. The Alp drinks blood from the nipples of men and children but prefers the milk of women. Because it is so involved in terrors of the mind and sleep the Alp is virtually impossible to kill.