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.
this post was submitted on 15 Jan 2025
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They don't know until the third word, they only hypothesize it's a no.
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What’s the longest duration between may and not that would be valid in keeping them out?
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.
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.
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No, vampires usually leave that sort of "exact words" trickery to faeries and genies.
And in their case I think they'd let you finish speaking because they relish the challenge more than they want to simply squish you.
If you live alone and vampire shows up at your door with a gun and shoots you dead, could it then enter the house
No, because you didn't grant it consent to enter prior to death.
That only applies if you stick around haunting the house. If your soul moves on the house is no longer yours.
OK, but what if you're still haunting the house, but a new person legally buys it and then invites the Vampire in? Who's preference takes precedent?
That is yet to be decided in the courtroom of sitcom based on that exact premise.
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I would say, no, because the same magic rule prompting the vampire to ask permission in the first place also requires the answer to be complete. Otherwise, why bother? They would dart inside even before you had a chance to say "you" with the excuse that since you were taking too long you probably were okay with it.
I wonder if the magic rule understands double negatives. If you tell a vampire "You ain't never coming in here," can they enter? What about sarcasm? "Oh yeah, I'm definitely inviting you in."
I suppose it depends on if you can write a fun story around either one. Since every rule about vampires that sticks basically only has one thing in common, the writing in which it was featured was popular. If what you write around it isn't very good, then no, I guess retroactively that isn't how vampires work. But if it becomes popular and part of peoples canon in the future, then yes, that is exactly how vampires work, now.
i guess not.
hollywood says vampires have to sparkly shine first.
some vamp lore says it is your invitation that counts and not the permission part.
some cultures need visitors to declare themselves human when knocking at your door.
some cultures need visitors to declare themselves human when knocking at your door.
I didn't think that much about it until this post. People here, me included, basically call out "(I'm a) human!" while knocking on the door.
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"You mayn't."
A vampire mesmerizing a victim into allowing entry always felt like cheating to me
Yes, that would be cheating.
Isn't that the entire reason behind the rule, so that they could write a way for the vampires to circumvent it. They established a fake rule that never used to exist and then proceeded to prop it up over and over until the reader believed it to be law, and then when they least expected it, it was dashed to pieces in an instant.
Of course it's cheating, but cheating at what exactly? Cheating at a rule that never even used to exist, was written specifically to later be broken in that very same book. It's like any puzzle design in writing, like murder mystery, they usually create the puzzle backwards by thinking of fun solutions to problems they could then create to lead there.
The statement is more of a ritual appliance. I think the intent is key.
They're fast, faster than you can imagine, don't look away and don't blink. Blink and you're dead.
Just say no.
That's quite impolite, isn't it?
"Vell, you didn't have to be rude about it."
Let's not victim blame the vampire prey now. They do not owe a blood-sucking villain their time nor respect.
Yes. This happened to my cousin Ronny. He's undead now.
This is vampire propaganda.
You're already at their mercy if they are talking to you.
Similar question, what if you retract the invite after they've already entered the home?
First of all, why would you fuck around with a vampire? Second, don't try a not joke with them. I think if you wait to long between the "you may" and the "....NOT!", you're fucked.