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Master Vampires frequently exude an air of cold authority and confidence that is beyond the norm, like some invisible aura that makes humanoids (even non-psychics) feel strangely unnerving. The most powerful of all vampires, these also take the longest to grow as a race. Their natural powers are beyond any other vampire; luckily very few Master Vampires exist.
In the world of Beyond the Supernatural, Master Vampires will usually either hold high political positions or have a very high political influence over the region they live in. However, some (like the Von Endar Clan) have no interest in politics or social power in general. To these individuals it is the life of a vampire itself that fulfils their longing and desires.
Alignment: Any evil; radiates supernatural evil.
Attributes: IQ 3D4+18, ME +10, MA +12, PS +20, PP +10, PE 1D6+18, PB +16, Spd 5D6+10. (Any attribute with dice to roll will replace that attribute.)
S.D.C.: 150+7D6, 2D6 per level of experience.
Heart S.D.C.: P.E.+1D6 per level of
experience.
Horror Factor: 15, plus one at levels 5, 10, 15 and every five levels beyond.
P.P.E.: 1D4×10. Although, if they were an O.C.C. that had a lot of P.P.E. (like a wizard), they will start with an amount of P.P.E. equal to level one of their former O.C.C., in addition to the 1D4×10 they get here—P.P.E. per level is normal.
Natural Abilities & Powers Common to all
Vampires:
With a few exceptions the following
bonuses, abilities and powers are common to all Master Vampires regardless of
their clan affiliation.
1. Immunities: Vampires are immune to anything that does cold damage, any types of possessions or mind controls and to anything biologically or chemically induced (disease, poisons, gases, radiation, etc.). They also do not need to consume any foods or liquids (except for blood) for nourishment and they do not breathe.
2. Limited Armor Rating: Vampires, have a unique type of damage resistance that equates into a semi-natural A.R. of 17 to blunt type damages only. Any blunt attacks over the A.R. do only half damage and any blunt attacks under the A.R. do no damage! Anything that isn’t a blunt attack (fire, gunshots, explosions, natural energy attacks, psi-sword, etc.), do the full damage if over the A.R. If under the A.R. they do only half damage. Only natural rolls to strike apply when determining what damage is dealt to a vampire.
3. Regeneration: Vampires heal at supernatural rates—4D6 S.D.C. per melee. They can stand until -P.E. S.D.C., pass that point, the vampire will lapse into a powerful healing trance, healing 4D6×10 S.D.C. per minute and they will seem like they are dead. They do not awaken from this trance until all damage is recovered. If the brain is destroyed, they instantly lapse into the healing trance, regardless of how much S.D.C. they still have. If the heart is destroyed they turn to ash and die. Period.
4. Nightvision: A Vampires nightvision is equal to their normal vision range and they can see in total darkness. They also see in color vision at night and being exposed to any intensity of light (granted it isn't sunlight) will not impair their nightvision or blind them.
5.
Immortality: Unless a vampire is slain in
some way, they are immortal. It is for
this reason that many vampires are able to collect the social and political
power they command.
6.
Vampire Domination: Vampires will have near
complete control over those they have turned.
If they try to break away from their master they must roll vs. control
(18 or higher with Master Vampires). A
failed save means the vampire still has control and dominance over the vampire
they created. A save means that for
the moment the master has lost control of their creation and the vampire is
free to do as they wish for a short (2D6 melees) while. In this time, the vampire may do as they
wish (which sometimes includes attacking and trying to kill their master). To regain the control, the master must
attempt to exert their will upon their minion.
This is done by having a minion roll against the masters’ M.E.—no
bonuses. A natural 20 always wins. If the roll fails, then the minion is under
the control of their master once again.
However, if successful, the minion is one step closer to complete
freedom from a master.
Free Vampires are ones who have saved vs. their masters’ will a number of times equal to their masters’ M.E.—in a row. So, to break free from a master with an M.E. of 20, the minion needs to save vs. his masters will 20 times in a row. Giving in or having doubts (even for just one moment) means they will have to do the saves all over again. For this reason, it’s rare to hear of vampires who break control from their masters.
Vampires can also attempt to exert control over those they didn’t created, if so desired. Make a save vs. domination, 15 or higher, with all applicable bonuses. Victims have a –1 for every 100 years older the dominator is. In turn, the dominator gets a +1 for every 100 years older they are over the victim. It is obvious that vampires that are centuries old have absolute dominance levels of power.
Commands are not like giving commands to a robot. Instead the commands that can be given are similar to the commands a summoner would give his summoned creatures—the creature is aware they are under the influence of the summoner, but can do nothing to defy them. However, in the case of vampires, it is not true about defying—as noted previously.
7. Vampire Familiars: A vampire if they so desire, may use a bit of their P.P.E. (temporarily), to create a familiar; a human who willing serves the vampire. It costs 10 P.P.E. per familiar and it is beneficial to both the vampire and the familiar (well, to certain degrees on both sides).
For vampires, some benefits of having a
familiar are obvious. Familiars can
serve as guards while the vampire sleeps, those with powerful “social
positions” or those in positions that have access to good “resources”
(information, money, business, etc) are all some common reasons for creating a
familiar. In some cases, the vampire
simply wants the familiar as a companion for a short while. A way to have a companion without having
anyone “steal” him or her away.
However, the most common reason to create a
familiar is so that the vampire will always have a human to feed off from. It is this reason that familiars are mainly
created. When creating a familiar the
vampire has the familiar tattooed with their own, specific symbol. This tattoo can be anywhere on the body, but
usually the vampire prefers to have the symbol tattooed in.
Familiars enjoy some bonuses and abilities from becoming, essentially, a slave to a vampire. Among this these are: +2 to all attributes, the vampires Limited A.R. (but it is only at 8, if it is a Master Vampires familiar) and the promise that one day the familiar will be given the “privilege” of Being Turned.
It is possible for a familiar to try to break the bond of being
a familiar. However, the chances are
next to nothing and in the event they do successfully break away, they lose all
the power of being a familiar.
Essentially, they must make the same save as minions do, but must make
twice as many subsequent saves when the vampire is attempting to regain
control. As a result, it is often said,
“Once a familiar, always a familiar—until it is your time,” which can mean many
things.
8. Being Turned—Becoming Unborn: A vampires’ bite by alone has a 25% chance to turn a victim. If a vampire actually tries to turn someone, they must bite the victim once and must drain enough blood for the victim to die. If they’re successful, the victim goes through an adjustment period, which lasts 3 days.
Technically, the victim is dead (they no longer have any hit points). However, they are still technically human—they still register a heartbeat and other normal human signs. A Sense Magic, See Aura or similar spell or psionic power will reveal something slightly different about the character, but they will generally seem human.
Once a vampire has killed their victim, they are able to sense their exact location anywhere in the world. They don’t have control over the victim immediately, but they do gain control gradually, in the victims’ 3-day adjustment period.
Killing the vampire who bit the victim has a 50% chance of breaking the transformation the during the first day; 30% at the second day, 10% at the third day and only 1% chance on the fourth day. During the fourth day, time is running out and if the vampire is not slain before nightfall, the person becomes a full-fledged vampire. If the vampire is slain and a successful roll is made, the victim’s 3-day adjustment period will reverse and they will eventually become human again. A failed roll on the first or second day will effectively create a vampire or (10% chance), creates a Wampyr. A failed roll on the third and fourth day kills the victim and puts them at rest.
Victims who have been saved from vampirism are likely to become resistant to being turned in the future (the vampire must make a percentile roll of over 25% per number of times the victim has contracted vampirism).
The first day, victims will be a bit slow and lethargic, their physical condition and symptoms are akin to being very tired or fatigued—this is the beginning of the change. During this time, victims are -1 to all combat rolls and -10% to all skills. They are still human (they still register vital human signs), as far as emotions and memories are concerned and if they were injured in any way before being bit, they are completely healed, even if they were on the brink of death just the day before. However, they can just 'feel' (as they describe it) their humanity slipping away from them—things just seem out of place to them.
The second day, the victim gains the all the attribute bonuses and the lethargic and fatigued feeling will have vanished. At this point, gain half the amount of S.D.C. they would normally have as a vampire and have Nightvision. They will have lost many memories about their lives up to this point, but still feel mostly human. For the rest of the day they will feel extremely thirsty and must have one gallon of water an hour or they get very agitated. They also feel repulsed (but are not vulnerable to) silver and garlic, their eyes become light sensitive and they will need to wear protective eye wear when going out into the sunlight. On a bright, clear day, without shades, the victim is at -1 to all combat rolls and –10 to all skills.
By the third day, they will have gained all vampire powers and will have lost most human memories (except skills and memories of loved ones, but they don’t know why they care for them so much). Although, they still have a nagging feeling of being human, which really bothers them (-1 to initiative). At this point, they have all the vampire vulnerabilities except for the Lust for Blood and Sunlight (but they will still be light sensitive) vulnerability and register as a vampire.
And the fourth
night, (since they will sleep through the day) they will have become a
full-fledged secondary vampire and they will be under the control of the
vampire who turned them. They also feel
depraved of blood and will need to feed.
They need at least 4 pints of blood immediately.
9. Psionic Powers: Unlike other psychics, vampire psychic powers are innate (they do not require I.S.P. to activate). All Master Vampires have the following psionic powers at tenth level strength, with no increases as they grow in levels:
Mind Block Auto-Defense and Hypnotic Suggestion.
They will get to select one new super psychic power or two new minor psionic powers every three levels of experience; all new powers are also 10th level strength, with no increases. All Master Vampires are considered Master Psychics.
Note: When selecting psionic powers, follow the guidelines under the Latent Psychics ability Natural Psychic Powers.
Further Note: If they were a P.C.C. before being turned they lose half their psychic powers, while the other half, turns into Natural Psychic Powers.
10. Magic: If they knew magic before they turned, then they retain that knowledge, but there spell strength and power of spells will be diminished to the level one, as they begin a new life as a vampire. They can still learn new spells, but it takes 2 times as long.
11. Bonuses: All vampires have certain bonuses that usually keep them well above humankind. Master Vampires get all of the following: +5 attacks per melee, +6 on initiative, +6 on all perception rolls, +2 vs. Magic and +8 vs. Horror Factor. They also get +1 to save vs. Magic at levels 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 and +1 to save vs. Horror Factor 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15.
Secondary Vampires are vampires spawned from a Master Vampire or from other secondary vampires. They are usually the ones that do all the dirty work for the Master Vampires—the foot soldiers, assassins, bodyguards and henchmen for the Masters of the vampire nation. They usually do what they do because they have no choice—whatever vampire created them is their master that the secondary cannot resist. They usually never want to anyway. If their master is slain, then his/her first creation will become the Master Vampire (they gain all of the Master Vampire powers at their level). However, this Secondary Vampire must be their master’s very first creation of that master—if he or she is not, then that is the end of that legacy. If a Secondary Vampire gets the master vampire title and then they are slain, the rest of the vampires made by the original master will be free (they will get a bonus of +10 to resist Vampire Domination, if the new master is tries to try to maintain control).
Though not quite as powerful as Master Vampires, it is not to say that Secondary Vampires are not powerful. Contrary to that, they are a force to be reckoned with. It is easier to think of Secondary Vampires as extremely dangerous and then think of Master Vampires as nearly gods.
There have been accounts where Secondary Vampires rebel
against their masters, but they usually die.
The lucky few that do survive usually dedicate the rest of their immortal
lives to eradicating the rest of the vampire race or try to gain familiars that
will obey and protect their rogue behavior.
In either case, these types of Secondary Vampires are an option for
players, if they are interested in playing a Vampire.
Alignment: Any evil; radiates supernatural evil.
Attributes: IQ 2D6+14, ME +8, MA +10, PS +15, PP +8, PE 1D6+18, PB +13, Spd 4D6+10. (Any attribute with dice to roll replaces that attribute.)
S.D.C.: 100+5D6, 1D6 per level of experience.
Heart S.D.C.: P.E.+1D4 per every other
level of experience.
Horror Factor: 12, plus one at levels 5, 10, 15 and every five levels beyond.
P.P.E.: 1D4×10. Although, if they were an O.C.C. that had a lot of P.P.E. (like a wizard), they will start with an amount of P.P.E. equal to level one of their previous O.C.C. and they do not gain the 1D4×10 P.P.E. listed here. As they level up, they gain only half the P.P.E. listed under their former O.C.C.
Natural Abilities & Powers Common to all
Vampires:
With a few exceptions the following
bonuses, abilities and powers are common to all Secondary Vampires regardless
of their clan affiliation.
1. Immunities: Same as the Master Vampire.
2. Limited Armor Rating: Same as the Master Vampire’s, except a Secondary Vampire’s A.R. is 14.
3. Regeneration: Same as the Master Vampire.
4. Nightvision: Same as the Master Vampire.
5. Immortality: Same as the Master Vampire.
6. Vampire Domination: Same as a Master Vampire, only the initial save is 15. As a result, you get a lot more incidents of Secondary Vampire minions attempting to break free.
7. Vampire Familiars: Same as the Master Vampire’s, only the bonuses are +1 to all attributes and the A.R. is 7.
8. Being Turned—Becoming Unborn: Same as the Master Vampire, except if the vampire unwittingly causes vampirism, through a bite, there is a very small chance the vampire will be a Wampyr or Wild Vampire. Roll D%:
01-90% Secondary Vampire
91-95% Wild Vampire
96-00% Wampyr
When a Secondary Vampire actually wants to turn someone, the chances of creating a Wampyr severely diminish and Wild Vampires are only slightly less likely to result. Roll D%:
01-95% Secondary Vampire
96-99% Wild Vampire
00% Wampyr
9. Psionic Powers: Same as the Master Vampire, except the powers they start with Mind Block and Hypnotic Suggestion.
Instead of gaining two new minor psi powers
or a new super psi power every three levels, they gain only one new minor psi
power every five levels. Secondary
Vampires are considered Major Psychics and their powers are equal to 8th
level strength (like a Master is considered 10th level).
10. Magic: If they knew magic before becoming a vampire, they only retain half their spells and cannot learn new spells. However, they still gain P.P.E. and spell strength as per their former O.C.C. Secondary Vampires also start with their spells at level one strength as they start their new life as a vampire.
11. Bonuses: Like the Master Vampire, Secondary Vampires get bonuses as well. Add 3 attacks per melee, +4 on initiative rolls, +4 on all perception rolls, +1 to save vs. Magic and +6 vs. Horror Factor. Also, add +1 to save vs. Magic at levels 4, 7, 10 and 13. And add +1 to save vs. Horror Factor at levels 4, 7, 10 and 13.
These vampires are the most savage and reckless of all the vampires. They react only on instinct and are treated much as retarded humans are treated by humans. They are sometimes treated like a pet, rather than a vampire at all. They can’t form complete sentences and can barely form single words! They grunt, growl, howl and even make sort of this hiss, bark and roar all in one (it has a horror factor of 10). They usually look animalistic (they’re also the most corpse like and that means they are the ugliest) and predators that hunt like wild animals. They usually care nothing of human lives and think more like an animal than a human. As such, they are treated accordingly (pets, retards, etc.).
Even though these creatures are the most mistreated of all the vampires, they are still not hated or loathed as the “mutant freak Wampyrs”. Wild Vampires are considered on par with normal humans and are sometimes treated like them. In any case, Wild Vampires are an optional player character. But it is not usually suggested as a player character, because of their animalistic nature.
Alignment: Any evil; radiates supernatural evil.
Attributes: IQ 2D4+1, ME +4, MA+ 2D4, MA- +12, PS +25, PP +10, PE +30, PB 1D6+2, Spd 5D6+20. (Any attribute with dice to roll replaces that attribute.)
S.D.C.: 150+5D6, 1D6 per level of experience.
Heart S.D.C.: P.E.+1 per every other
level of experience.
Horror Factor: 13, plus one at levels 5, 10, 15 and every five levels beyond.
P.P.E.: 5D6.
Natural Abilities & Powers Common to all
Vampires:
With a few exceptions the following
bonuses, abilities and powers are common to all Wild Vampires regardless of
their clan affiliation.
1. Immunities: Same as the Master Vampire.
2. Limited Armor Rating: Same as the Master Vampire’s, except a Wild Vampire’s A.R. is 15.
3. Regeneration: Same as the Master Vampire.
4. Nightvision: Same as the Master Vampire.
5. Immortality: Same as the Master Vampire.
6. Vampire Domination: Essentially, a Wild Vampire can only attempt to dominate another Wild Vampire. They cannot dominate another intelligent vampire. They have no save vs. a domination attempt from any intelligent vampire and are never able to resist a domination save to break free. In the event that two vampires are vying for control of the same Wild Vampire, the two vampires make the same save as if they one was trying to dominate the other, except in this case, there is no number to roll against, quite simply—high roll wins.
7. Vampire Familiars: This is strange. Apparently, a Wild Vampire can only create familiars of pets, not humans. This is the most solid evidence that Wild Vampires are more animal, than vampire. Everything is the same, except it applies only to animals. Vampires usually enlist the company of large felines or canines, simply because they are hunting animals. It is rare for a Wild Vampire to gain a non-predator animal as a familiar (however, most types of rats are fine).
8. Being Turned—Becoming Unborn: Wild Vampires are too impatient and cannot focus long enough to willingly create another vampire. As a result, any bite by a Wild Vampire has a small percent chance (10%) to create another vampire and in the event they do create another vampire it is always another Wild Vampire. One thing that is constant is that they do have control of their new creation, to a degree—control is basically the same, only commands are limited to grunts, growls, howls and however else Wild Vampires can communicate.
9. Psionic Powers: None, Wild Vampires are too animal in nature to maintain any kind of powers that require any kind of focusing. The only psi power that Wild Vampires get is Mind Block Auto-Defense.
10. Magic: If they knew any before becoming an animal, err, Wild Vampire, all traces are completely gone.
11. Bonuses: Like all vampires, the Wild Vampire gets some extra bonuses as well. +4 attacks per melee, +8 on initiative, +6 on all perception rolls, +4 vs. Magic and +10 vs. all Horror Factor rolls. They get an additional +1 vs. Magic at levels 2, 5, 8, 11 and 14. They also get an additional +1 vs. any Horror Factor rolls at levels 5, 10 and 15.
ffffffffffffffff
A Lust for Blood…
A Vampire’s Bite does 3D6 damage and victims must make a save vs. shock/pain equal to the damaged rolled. Success to save means the victim only loses their next attack per melee, and may continue to fight the vampire off. A failed save will mean losing 1 attack per melee per 2 points of damage dealt. A vampire’s strength bonus doesn’t apply to their bite. And it should be noted that a vampire can drain approximately 1 pint of blood in two attacks per melee. For each pint of blood that a vampire drains, victims lose 50% of their Hit Points. Upon draining the last pint, the victim loses all Hit Points and goes into a coma—a save vs. coma/death is necessary. And at this point, only professional medical treatment can save them.
All true vampires need to consume at least 4 pints (2 liters) of blood every 48 hours, with the average vampire drinking four to five pints for a nice tidy meal. If a vampire does not consume two pints of blood within 48 hours, then the lust for blood will become gradually heavier with each passing day.
Smelling Blood is something innate to vampires, whom are able to smell it up to 100 feet away and they can recognize the blood of humans, within range, at a base chance of 50% +5% per level of experience.
By the third night (72 hours without blood), the vampire will awake at night with stomach pains and a huge craving for blood. Although, at this point, the vampire can shake the urge, and suffer no real penalties.
By the fourth night (96 hours without blood), the vampire looks bad. They have a slight pale yellow waxy complexion, dark circles around their eyes, are constantly sweating and feel famished. In this famished, hungry state, the vampire suffers the following penalties: -2 on initiative and -10% to all skills.
At this point, the vampire can smell blood, within range, up to 500 feet! If the vampire smells blood near them, they must make a save vs. Bloodlust (12 or higher) without any bonuses. If the vampire succumbs to their Bloodlust, they revert to their true savage nature (akin to Wild Vampire behavior) and will attack the first person with blood in their body. If the vampire is of good or selfish alignment then they will avoid feeding on friends, allies or the innocent. If they are around nothing but friends, allies, or innocents, they will feed on one of them (the person they consider to be their least ally, friend or innocent). If this happens the vampire only feeds long enough to drain 2 pints, after which they may make another roll vs. Bloodlust to resist feeding more. If the save fails, they continue to feed on the person until consuming another pint. Additional saves can be made for each pint consumed after the first two, until the vampire saves or consumes seven pints of blood! A vampire of good alignment will never kill a friend, ally or innocent from feeding—if they make it to 4 pints, the vampire receives a +6 bonus to save vs. Bloodlust for each save after.
If the vampire is deprived of blood for another night (120 hours without blood), they suffer a cumulative -1 penalty to save vs. Bloodlust.
Each night after the fifth night with no blood, confers a -1 to save vs. Bloodlust. So, eventually the vampire will fail the save and must feed on the first person they see. If the vampire should ever resist long enough to the point that they are at 0 to save, they can still roll to save! However, the roll must be a natural twenty—no exceptions. Technically, it is possible for a vampire to actually go without blood for more than 16 days, but this is very unlikely and very hard. At this point, they can smell blood up to one mile away and have a bonus of +20% to recognize human blood. In addition, the vampire, at this point loses 1 point of P.B.
Prolonged starvation can never kill a vampire, but it will lead to insanity and loss of vampire class. After 3 weeks with no blood, the vampire must roll to save vs. insanity. If a failed save, the vampire gains a single long-term insanity (which will last a week, instead of 1D4×10 hours), except for “developing psychosomatic blindness, deafness or paralysis”. Additional saves vs. insanity must be made for every week after the third. Failed saves result in a new sanity until the vampire is feed. If (and in most cases, when) a vampire is deprived of blood for a duration longer than 180 days (about 6 months), a permanent insanity develops and the vampire is downgraded to whatever is the next level down as a vampire (Master Vampires become Secondary, Secondary become Wild and Wild simply become more deranged, animalistic and savage (Adjust all powers, abilities and attributes accordingly). In any case, they lose one point of I.Q. permanently for every week after the third week. When reaching an I.Q. of eight or lower, they fully resemble a Wild Vampire (and will most likely be one, too). The vampire is unable to form words, perform simple tasks, and recognize any friends, allies or the innocent. They even communicate like a Wild Vampire (growling, hissing, roaring, etc.). At this point, they no longer have any save vs. bloodlust and are able to smell even the slightest blood 10 miles away at 99%!
In this state, the vampire is more savage and an animal than a civilized vampire. If given the chance, a vampire will attack, kill and drain completely, the first person the vampire sees. It makes no difference if that “person” is human or not. In some cases, vampires so far tortured and starved have been known to even attack, kill and completely drain the blood of another vampires! However, once they feed off of at least eight pints of blood, they return to normal in 1D6 melees—a fully fledged Secondary Vampire, however, but nonetheless, they no longer are a savage animal.
Legends tell of ways to kill
vampires. Literature, films and the
like have been made depicting vampires a certain way. Of all the myth and legend that surround vampire kind, none have
been more poorly depicted than their vulnerabilities.
Crosses, holy symbols and holy water do absolutely jack to a vampire. It is because of this that parapsychologists believe that vampires are not from our earth. This notion has yet to be confirmed. Only the most ancient vampires themselves know exactly where they come from.
Water itself is said to harm vampires as well. This myth is apparently deeply rooted in rumor and fiction. There is not a single bit of evidence that any amount of water does harm.
Sleep or rest is needed for a vampire to function—this myth is responsible for many falsifications. Some of which include the fact that vampires need to sleep in a coffin; they need have to sleep in the continent in which they were born or created on and that vampires need rest just as humans do. All of this is a myth. Vampires do not need sleep, nor do they need to sleep on their homelands, nor do they sleep in coffins (well, some of the more solemn vampires like the idea).
Wooden Stakes through the heart is the only sure method to kill vampires. This is true in the most basic sense. However, what is fabrication is that a plastic stake, a metal stake or even glass stakes can’t kill a vampire. The fact of the matter is that when the heart is destroyed, the vampire is destroyed. Wood, of any kind, has absolutely no significance.
Sunlight
Myth and legend speak of vampires boiling and melting in the true light of day. However, it is not so much sunlight that kills vampires. It’s sunlight’s ultraviolet rays that hurt and kill vampires. All knowledgeable characters of vampire lore know this and they exploit it.
For each ray of light one foot in diameter, a vampire takes 1D4 S.D.C. damage per attack. If fully exposed to sunlight, a vampire takes 2D4×10 damage per melee! Ultraviolet rays do the same thing—the same rules apply.
Silver
Vampires for some reason are unusually sensitive to silver. Silver weapons and anything made with a nice thick layer of silver will hurt and can kill a vampire.
Silver automatically passes right through a vampire’s A.R., doing normal damage to them. If a combat is skilled enough, it is possible to combat a vampire until all S.D.C. is gone. At that point, they will lapse into their healing trance. Although, any slayer will tell you that it is best to go straight for heart, so that you instantly kill the creature.
Garlic
Another interesting fact about vampires is that garlic seems to work a lot like how acid affects humans. It burns and melts them to the touch. Of all the outlandish myths, this seems as if it is the most unbelievable to be true. However, it is true and a vampire can die from it.
The amount used determines how much damage a vampire takes. Touching a clove of garlic burns as if a human touched a hot frying pan. It does relatively little damage (1D4), but the thing that really affects them is the burn. A save vs. pain of 14 is necessary. A successful save means that the burn hurts, but it is not that bad. A failed save means immediately losing two attacks per melee. Note that to do the damage, a vampire has to touch the garlic for more than one attack.
Weapons coated with silver nitrate (essence of garlic) work like normal bullets against vampires. Hollow Point cartridges filled with silver nitrate works like explosive ammunition—it ups the tissue damage rating by two. Damage dealt as if this is special, because a vampire’s regeneration ability doesn’t kick in for 1D4 melee rounds per 5 damage dealt.
A vampire forced to eat garlic or drink silver nitrate is akin to a human drinking a beyond boiling hot cup of water and the garlic will continue to burn for 1D6 melees. It stops when the garlic reaches the vampires intestine, which will break it down into nothing, at which point, a vampire’s regeneration ability will kick in. Until then, the damage cannot be recovered.
The Heart
The heart is the key to a vampire’s existence. If destroyed, the vampire is destroyed. Once the heart has sustained enough damage, the vampire’s link to this world is severed. They will immediately turn to ash. Obviously, striking at the heart is the best way to kill a vampire.
Though destroying the heart is the best way to kill any kind of vampire, it is by no means the easiest. The heart is a small target and furthermore, enough trauma must be dealt to it for a vampire to be killed. Worse, a vampire’s regeneration ability also regenerates their heart—though not as fast as the rest of the vampires body, but is nonetheless, effective. Essentially, 1 point of Heart S.D.C. is recovered each melee (2 points if it is a Master Vampire).
Magic
A little known fact is that vampires are not resistant to the effects of magic. Of course, mind control spells, possessions and any kind of magic that attempts to influence the mind of a vampire is ineffective, vampires to take full damage from spell magic that directly damages the physical body. Spells magic such as Call Lightning, Fireball, Energy Bolt and similar spell magic do affect vampires, doing normal damage.
This is a little known fact because there are not many in the world that know about, let alone practice, magic at all. There are even vampires out there that do not know this since magic is so rare.
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Vampire Culture & Society
Vampires are more common than one might imagine. They are literally everywhere. Clans have been established in every major nation in the world. Any person that one encounters has a small percent chance of being a vampire. Librarians, clerks, school teachers, politicians, doctors, punk kids, aristocrats and just about any other occupation the world over, some vampire, somewhere in the world is probably one of. It is no grand feat that they are able to keep their true nature a secret though. It’s not that hard to hide their powers and finding a night job is not a difficult task, especially because of a vampire’s nature.
Most recently though, vampires have turned to business as a means of wealth. Vampires can usually be found being the owner of a nightclub or bar. Some are advisors to politicians or even as a politician themselves, just as long as their choice of work does not involve daylight hours. How vampires have managed to survive without daylight activity is a mystery. It’s even safe to say that most humans cannot function only in the nighttime hours. However, vampires, nonetheless, manage to survive. Mostly due to their ability to create familiars. Which are usually the ones who do any work for a vampire that needs to be done during the day. As for sustenance, vampires need a certain amount of blood to live. This partly contributes to the fact that vampires have recently begun to open up “nighttime” businesses. Nightclubs and bars are most frequent, for either of these establishments provide ample “food” for them. All of those missing person reports on television—about half to 60% of the result of a vampires hunger. It is a common practice to seduce, fool, mislead or otherwise manipulate a human for the sole purpose of feeding off them when the perfect opportunity presents itself. This is not looked down upon because, it is the very nature of vampires that allows them to do so—though not a single vampire will admit it, they do feel damned to hell.
Forsaken
Immortality—the very sound of the word breeds a seducing ring that nearly everyone can identify with. Except vampires, they know all to well the price they pay for immortality. True, when first becoming a vampire, the thought of never aging is very enticing. But as time passes and the same, unforgiving, cruel world is seen day by day by day, all of a sudden, death becomes a power that vampires no longer posses. Humans are beautiful because they can die. Because they do not have the curse of living to see all there loved ones die. Because life by its very nature only has meaning because everyone dies. This is not true for vampires though. And the bitterness, hatred and envy builds, only more and more with each passing day for the human race. All of sudden, all the power in the world is not at all enough to satisfy a vampires most basic desires. They have seen all there is to see and nothing changes. They can never again love, for that person will die. Suddenly, they have given themselves the greatest curse—they have forsaken themselves.
Companionship is something that all vampires long for, for they still have human emotions. Vampires may feel superior to humans, because they have power unprecedented, but they still feel. And it is loneliness that becomes the greatest enemy of vampires. Haunted with the thought of spending eternity in a prison they created. A prison that doesn’t care about them, a prison with no friends, a prison with no end. Vampires choose to forsake humanity and likewise, they are forsaken by it.
Envy & Jealousy
Essentially, vampires can be good-natured, but it has to be a pretty strong-minded vampire to accomplish such a feat and since most vampires envy humans for their frailty of life, it is very common that vampires become bitter and jealous of their “prey” to die. Initially, once turned, a vampire will feel like a superior being to humankind. This usually lasts a generation, maybe longer depending on how evil and uncaring they were to begin with. However, as time passes, they begin to realize the true curse that comes with being a vampire. They usually come to realize the vampirism is perversion and once they get to this point, nothing matters. They are damned and envy will consume them.
Jealous that they can never again feel “alive” again, many a vampire will take their anger, hatred, rage and contempt out on humankind. For this reason, vampires are always evil; this is true even if a vampire was initially a good person, because it is human nature to want what you do not have. Hatred and envy are born in the midst of the vampire wanting and longing for the luxury of death. Secondary Vampires are usually more jealous and evil than Master Vampires, because at some point, they had that luxury and then they forsake it (or it was taken depending on the circumstances). Master Vampires, however, are usually less livid than Secondary Vampires, because they never had the luxury to begin with. And most are born with a certain amount of evil tendencies. This coupled with the fact that they do not perceive the world as humans do; your typical Master Vampire does not view the world as real, so to speak. To these creatures, humans are beyond beneath them. To the typical Master Vampire, human life means nothing—human’s emotions such as love, compassion, gratitude and even sorrow and other emotional pains mean nothing, because from birth a Master Vampire (if not taught), knows that they are immortal. They do not have joy for life that humans do. They cannot be in love, because it is not worth their time. The latter is the big difference between a Master Vampire and a Secondary. Those who know what it feels like to love another, because life does not last forever, have a luxury. Master Vampires are born not knowing this, but Secondary Vampires are born knowing this. And this is what makes them usually more bitter, envious and jealous of humans than Master Vampires; to Master Vampires their contempt for the love for life that humans have is more a contempt out of curiosity (that usually passes), than a genuine feeling that was taken from them.
The Clans & The Conciliu Lamiam
The only real clan that has intimate knowledge of vampire origins and history are the Alverna and Celespire. The others could, quite frankly, care less. They are unliving a great unlife and they need nothing else except food. However, for many, especially those whom have lived thousands of years, they are bored and they need something to look forward to. Watching the centuries pass has become tired and this usually prompts a good deal of older vampires to play with humankind in evil, if not out right vile ways. It is this reason that vampires, in most cases, begin to acquire wealth and try to live lavishly. After all, what is the point of being immortal if you do not live a life better than humans? Why live, if you are no better than any human? This general idea eventually breeds into all vampires.
As for the specific clans, each of the clan leaders have their own agendas and plans to keep them occupied and amused for the moment. However, for the last few centuries, the general idea of controlling the world has become the common goal of most of the clans. Because of this, quite some time ago (many millennia ago), the clans brought themselves together to unite all vampires under the common goal. Ever since the Council’s inauguration and establishment, every single clan has become horrifyingly organized and precise.
In recent years, however, (the past century), certain clans have become more bold (the Kashe especially); choosing a life in the open, forsaking the age old tradition of “a dark life.” It is not uncommon, now a days, to hear of people claiming to be a vampire and about 30% who do claim so, are telling the truth (which has become a sort of fad these days). This problem has just recently come to the attention of the Council and what the Council will do about it is still being debated. But as of late, it does not seem like they are angered at the situation. For some members of the Council, it seems to them as if “finally, one of us has said what we desired.”
In general, all of the clans are well organized as a group. If there was a single leader, it would be Celespire. Seemingly an indomitable ancient, Celespire has knowledge and intelligence that most vampires have only heard of in legend. Though, at a single moment he only exhibits a fraction of it, throughout his life it has been recorded that he has made incredibly lucrative, wise or strategic decisions, changing the fate of all vampires. He is admired by all for his age, wisdom and genius mind.
Politics
Politics. Most vampires have their vile claws in almost any aspect of politics. They have familiars in all levels of agencies and governments around the world. Some vampires even hold positions of political power themselves. Though difficult as it is to pull off, some manage to do so! In general, vampires will create familiars (or many if in a bigger city) in strategic places and key establishments, to better their resources and to make a life as a vampire just a tad easier. Such places include a police station, city hall and many different types of business places—especially blood banks.
On a lager scale, certain clans (like the Celespire) managed to a familiar or many in such places as the United Nations and the FBI. They hold influence over such grand scale businesses as Microsoft and Sony. It is just this kind of power that allows vampires to acquire such quality and countless resources. Few positions in the United States government have been with the most trusted and loyal familiars as well.
WereBeasts
& The Immortal War
For many centuries, Vampires and WereBeasts were able to live in relative peace with one another. Though because of a WereBeasts nature, there were the occasional rivalry and in a few extreme cases, hatred for one another. However, no case in history has had such a grave impact on Vampire and on the WereBeast society as the Mogwari Incident.
When the white man started to colonize the Americas, they unwittingly brought with them the Vampires of Europe. In the early days, it became hard for vampires to adapt to a life of farming and agriculture. To keep a low profile, they decided it was best they feed on the natives, instead of their own people (so to speak). For the WereBeasts of the Americas and North Americas, this was not such an evil thing. They slowly began to get used to the horrible things the “white man” started doing to them. The secretive WereBeasts had the same thoughts and feelings about Vampires as the natives had about the European settlers. Minor skirmishes between Vampires and WereBeasts ensued as a result of the Vampires decision of prey. This went on for years, until one fateful, day that would change both the Vampire and WereBeast society for years to come.
November 4, 1791. America was barely forming into what many vampires call a “fetal” stage. The American Revolution had just been fought and early Colonial days were just around the corner. A local Cherokee tribe inhabited the wilderness to a nearby a Georgian city. The Cherokee’s, tired of the “white man taking and desecrating our land”, decided to retaliate. A nice winter day, the Cherokee warriors assembled and planned an attack on the city at the first sign of nightfall. Amongst this band was a WereWolf by the name of Mogwari. Nightfall had come and the assault ensued. Many townspeople died fighting off the Cherokee, but a single incident, not far from the chaos, was the sole reason for an immortal war that would soon come between Vampires and WereBeasts.
While the local law enforcement subdued most of the band of Cherokee warriors, the rest retreating out of defeat a single warrior was left behind. Mogwari, knowing it would be very easy to just take true form and slaughter as many as he saw fit, decided to do just that. As he began taking form, a man called to him in the alley he was hiding in. As he turned to attack his first victim, the man was already in his face. Surprised by the fact this man was able to move at least 80 feet away in under a second, Mogwari paused. And it was in that single moment, it happened—Mogwari soon came to realize the reason, why the mysterious man was not afraid. Mogwari struggled for his life with no avail, for the vampire was too strong and powerful. It was that night that a WereWolf died. Or so he thought. It was mutual on both ends—the WereWolf thought he died and his attacker thought he had a new minion. They were both wrong.
When Mogwari awoke, his attacker was already there. He told Mogwari what he had become. Mogwari, now a vampire, told him what he used to be. Astonished by the fact that it was possible to turn a WereBeast, the man let his guard down. In a split second, the primal nature of the wolf in Mogwari and his newly developed vampire yearning for vengeance took effect. A vampire died that night and a new clan was born.
Since the Mogwari Incident, the WereBeast nation made all vampires enemy number one. Furious for turning a Cherokee Warrior Chief into a vampire and a Master Vampire at that, all WereBeasts agree that vampires are a vile demon to everyone.
Wampyrs
A particular nuisances to vampires, Wampyrs are regarded with a prejudice not seen since the American Civil War. Like a Caucasian hating a Colored man in that era, today Wampyrs are viewed with the same prejudice. The feeling is likewise, a very mutual thing. Most Wampyrs, by their very nature, have an unsatisfying lust for hunting and murdering vampires. This used to not be a problem for vampires, since the Wampyr used to be a very rare a creature to be spawned.
However, in recent years especially in the Los Angeles and New York areas, Wampyr numbers are steadily on the rise and in a matter of a decades, they could become formidable force. Vampire clan members feel this is just around the corner and it is something they are very concerned with a the present. But, for the time being, Wampyrs are the least of their problems.
Wild
Vampires
Wild Vampires, as noted in their description, are basically the animals of the Vampire Nation. They are treated like any human would treat their pet. And because of their low I.Q., it does not bother them in the least bit. In fact, many view their Master much the same way as a dog views their owner. As a result, Wild Vampires are not subject to the same feelings that Master and Secondary Vampires are. They don’t feel jealous, forsaken or envious.