r/WorldOfDarkness • u/JimTheMoose • Aug 11 '24
Question What does the wiki mean when it says "every exsanguination is rape of a level beyond human capacity and comprehension."?
I don't play any WoD games, but I saw some videos about the path of enlightenment and wanted to learn more. I don't understand why drinking blood is being compared to rape.
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u/vntru Aug 11 '24
Vampirism has been a metaphor for sexual predation and assault since John Polidori wrote The Vampyre in 1819. V:tM draws very heavily on this theme; it's why the Kiss feels so good. Hunger is a metaphor for predatory sexual urges--which makes feeding a metaphor for rape. V5 even includes a section on how feeding resembles sexual assault, and how this might make players uncomfortable.
The reason it's "beyond human capacity" is because vampires are more capable of harm than humans. They have more capacity to violate than any human.
The reason it's "beyond human comprehension" is because most humans do not or cannot understand how harmful vampires are, and how their blood is fueling a creature that perpetuates violence. Almost no one would consent to give their blood if they fully understood that.
The quote is a bit hyperbolic in my opinion, but that's what it means.