Kosci: Croatian Vampire

When the Lastovo Island of Croatia was hit by a diarrhea plague that caused a massive death, it was blamed on no other than the Kosci vampire.  The koscima is the male vampire and the koscicama is a term used for the female vampire.  The diarrhea plague happened during the 18^th Century wherein one of the villagers testified that a kosci rose from the grave to kill people.  Apparently, there are also times when the creature went to their former house to have a sexual interaction with their former partners.  He also pointed out that those people who turned into a kosci are people who met a tragic death particularly those who have died on drowning.

Another villager claimed that kosci is controlled by an evil spirit.  A demon entered the body of the deceased one causing it to re-animate.  It is believed that the demon do this to deceive the family of the dead and gradually drain their energy.

Other believes that the kosci would enter the house of a certain family to kill them and eat their hearts and their other internal organs.  Kosci is known to devour the heart and the liver of its victim and drain their blood.  They also believe to attack those people whom they did not like or those who they had a bad relationship when they are still walking on earth.  After killing them, this vampiric creature will proceed in attacking random victims.

Like the other vampires, a hawthorn is said to be effective in destroying this vampire.  The hawthorn possesses elements that can negate the vampire manifestation.  A person must strike a blow of this pointed object straight into the kosci’s chest.  He must then decapitate the head of the suspected vampire and impale an axe or a sharp sword on his knees.  This tradition is done since they believe that it will prohibit the corpse from rising up on their graves again thus ending the torments that a kosci poses to them.