Can they rush in after the first two words, before you say “not”? Can they enter if they stuff their ears before they hear the final word?
The requirement isn’t that vampires need to hear you say “You can come in,” it’s that you need to extend them a formal invitation and lower the barrier that protects your home. Theoretically, you could lie to the vampire, but they’d probably notice your barrier and wouldn’t get fooled.
…you do have a barrier right? You properly consecrated the ground before moving, drew the sigils, and cleansed all existing evil spirits? 'Cuz otherwise, any old spooky creature will probably skip the pleasantries and just get you.
Pretty sure the realtor was supposed to handle all of that.
any old spooky creature will probably skip the pleasantries and just get you.
If they ain’t paying rent I can surely make them uncomfortable enough to leave by just being myself.
I’m sure it varies by setting but my head canon is it’s about intent. They don’t need to be granted permission explicitly, they just need you to explicitly want them to enter.
Depends, is this vampire known as Brock Turner?
Imagining a vampire showing up to Wayne and Garth’s studio.
“You may come in… NOT!”
“No.”
Vampires and humans are not known for enforcing laws against each other. Stake it before you get eaten rule. Eat then deny you were not invited in rule.
I’m not sure there is “binding magical power” in the food’s words, and if not, it’s not worth considering the food’s words. Not much recent history of “magical god intervention” stopping rule breaking, and there would need to be a “magical human+vampire governing interventionist god” there to supervise all interactions.
Don’t forget that a door mat that says “welcome” counts as consent.
What We Do In The Shadows reference?
At least I remember it from Renfield
I just realized that I’d be pretty safe from vampire infestations. I hate having visitors, and will make (up) any excuse to avoid them. “Sure, but I was about to leave to deal with a work-related emergency. I don’t know when I’ll be home.”
…and then they can sit there alone until I see them leaving on my door camera.I don’t mind visiting others, because then I can leave when I’m spent. At home, however, it’s where I expect to be left alone.
Usually, they only need permission once, then they can enter at will
With those implications, they’d never be allowed in.
Assuming that vampires can be seen on camera
Assuming someone knocking on my door without being visible on my camera would get a response to begin with.
You said “sure”, you’re done!
This inspired me to keep a handheld mirror near my front door, for when someone inevitably asks if they can come in, I can grab it and do a very obvious vampire check
I hope your can find a mirror made with silver, most modern ones aren’t, and that’s why vampires didn’t show up in them
Dammit, time to hit the antique store.
Dude. Thank you. I would’ve let so many vampires in.
As much as I appreciate it though, we’re poor as fuck, vampires still welcome.
You can use an old silver spoon or knife as a mirror
Or stab a stake in their heart! If they are a vampire, they will either instantly turn to dust or at least be paralysed, so you can easily dispose of them.
Otherwise it’s going to be just ordinary murder.
You’re mixing stuff up. Mirrors reflect souls, and since vampires don’t have souls, they don’t have no reflections.
By that logic, no inanimate objects should show up either. I’d look in a mirror and would see behind me through the back wall and all the way to my neighbors inside their now invisible soulless house, and all neighbors beyond. It’d just be a bunch of people at various distances in my mirror line of sight in an infinite void behind me as far as the eye can see. And we’d all appear naked.
That’s correct, and the “vampires have no reflection” thing is stupid. Most modern interpretations ditch it.
That’s hot.
the preferred nomenclature is “come back with a warrant”.
Don’t give them ideas!
Hey, that’s an idea! A buddy cop movie, where they’re also vampires and execute warrants to get invited into the houses of the victims.
So a documentary about America then
Vampires are way cooler than police imo.
Actually, that could be a fun plot point. Vampires get in with warrants, find out people hate cops, investigate why, instigate positive change in the system…
Would be a major improvement to normal cops since they would only enter your house with a warrant.
I think it’s safe to say that intent is what matters, not the technicality of communicating that intent. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intention
They don’t need to they just evict you instead.
No. It is magic so they would not be able to enter partway through an answer as doing so would make it clear that the vampire knew it was really a no.
They don’t know until the third word, they only hypothesize it’s a no.
If they are magically forbidden to enter without permission, but also don’t know every language or phrasing of ‘come on in’, then there is a magical way to know intent without needing to hear all the words.
Otherwise they wouldn’t be able to work with nods and hand motions from people who cannot speak, shrugs and grunts from drunk college students, etc.
Hmm, this was debated already and in this comment they provided a peer reviewed journal article about intent vs language and understanding. It sums things up better than I could. They clearly cared a lot more than me about this.
The thing with sources is that sometimes it is hard to know how reliable they are, and sometimes they do let you down.
I admire your confidence
It is a necessity when the vampires keep trying to get in!
What’s the longest duration between may and not that would be valid in keeping them out?
At least 20 seconds if you yell “psych” afterwards.
I imagine it’s the intent, so it doesn’t matter how long.
How long until you start questioning if it will work and invite doubt? Or will you assume defeat if the vampire fills the gap with, “why, thank you my good sir”?
My understanding of the idea with many interpretations of magic is they are all just ways of focusing your will on the world.
Ergo, the words aren’t themselves the source of power, your expectation that the words will result in a certain outcome is.
Therefore, if your intention is to deny entry is strong, there could be a fairly good gap.
But on the other hand, playing around to try and see could create doubt and uncertainty, weakening the effect.
If the vampire knows it is intended to be a no then it doesn’t matter. The person could never finish it as long as the vampire knows the real answer is no despite the words being stated not matching up.
It seems to me that the wording itself is unimportant, but rather the intention. So I would imagine no
Hear me out, so what if the vampire gaslights you into thinking that you already invited them in and they’re so good at it that you really believe it? Does that establish intent?
Only if they can gaslight into giving them permission. If they convince you theyre a friend you havent seen since high school that would be the way to go.
A lot of people here are telling you that the answer is ‘no’ because the vampires must respect your true intent or rely on trickery to get you to willfully invite them in.
But the real reason is ‘no’ because vampires aren’t real.
That’s what a vampire trying to enter my house would say.
Answering the question necessitates engaging with the premise. Refusing to do so and acting smug just makes you look like a dick.
Sure Mr Suspiciously Pale Human, whatever you say, you still can’t come in even if vampires don’t exist.
But there’s one asking to enter so it turns out you’re wrong about that.
If someone pulls a gun on me I can’t declare “bullets aren’t real” and expect to endure being shot without taking harm.
I guess we could ask OP to try saying “you may not” and see whether he survives to post confirmation that it worked?
Okay can I come in then?
The only correct answer.
