Alp

Lore

An Alp is a vampiric demon traditionally described in legends as male, though female Alps are mentioned—albeit very rarely. Notably, this demon possesses exceptional shape-shifting abilities. The Alp can take the form of any animal it desires, but it usually prefers birds, cats, demonic dogs, regular dogs, and snakes. By its nature, the Alp is a powerful demon, and it's important to mention its abilities: it can become invisible and can fly. Additionally, when threatened or needing to hide, it uses its unique ability to spit nocturnal butterflies and moths from its mouth to conceal itself. This is especially effective if the Alp is indoors; the moths and butterflies fill the space, allowing the Alp to become invisible and escape or transform into a bird.

Generally, demons have not been connected to humans; they dwell in hell and strive to escape to, for example, possess a human or animal. But escaping from hell isn't just a teleportation—it involves a sequence of events that must occur, including in the human world. On the other hand, an Alp, who was once human, essentially becomes a demon through rather dark circumstances, such as when a newborn boy dies; when a child dies whose mother endured painful childbirth; or after the death of a family member, when their soul simply returns without any additional reason.

At night, the Alp seeks a sleeping woman, though it's known to sometimes attack men, as well as horses. Once the prey is chosen, the Alp transforms into mist and slips into the house completely unnoticed. Then it sits on the victim's chest and presses the air out of their lungs so they cannot scream. The Alp will then drink their blood (and milk, if the victim is a breastfeeding woman). The next day, the victim will have memories of the attack, along with feelings of exhaustion and despair. Despite all this, the Alp does not kill its victim, nor does the victim become a vampire or an Alp after being bitten. Interestingly, if a woman summons an Alp herself, he will be a gentle lover to her, who drinks her blood at night.

When an Alp attacks a horse, he rides it and can run it to death. The Alp may also choose to strangle the animal and drink its blood. It's known that he has crushed geese and rabbits to death while they were penned up. Fortunately, as powerful as the Alp is, it's equally easy to thwart his attack. To protect horses from being ridden or strangled, simply hang a couple of crosses shaped like crucifixes—usually about half a meter high.