Vampires

[Eight-Bit]

Leanthar - 4/24/2006 12:17 PM "....Also, this is Layonara, not Faerun, or Grayhawk, or Ravenloft, etc. . . Vampires can be anything that they are roleplayed to be. If they're a result of selling one's soul to the Soul Mother, then that is an entirely new form of vampirism unique to Layo. Their appetite for blood is an embodiment of her craving for the living as they become her semi-immortal agents on the prime material plane. It could even be said that the blood doesn't even animate the vampire, but is paid as a toll to the Soul Mother to keep themselves "alive."....." I especially agree with this 'Also, this is Layonara, not Faerun, or Grayhawk, or Ravenloft, etc. . . Vampires can be anything that they are roleplayed to be.', well said. Not a bad idea on the vampire requirements...things are changing at certain levels (design stuff) but I will keep this part in mind. I also tend to agree about the PrC thing.

 
  While I can't be so sure I am ready to RP with a Vampire in the traditional sense, I have an idea about them..
  To begin to understand the High Vampires, we must first begin to understand their lower cousions. The Low Vampires, those seen around and within the places where the dead dwell are not more than animals. They lack the cunning mind of the hunter, and often times hardly possess the ability to comprehende their surroundings more than that of a beast. They are fully absorbed by their vampiric taint and hold no ties to their previous life, except the lingering images of what they have lost. They are prone to brutal fits of rage and are known simply to charge a foe regardless of their chances of survival.(1)
  The High Vampires, however, are the ones turned by the Pure Blooded or brought into the dark embrace by the hands of the Soul Mother Herself. They are placed upon Layonara as a warning to mortals who defy, underestimate, and question the Soul Mother's existance and power over death. A High Vampire's spirit, once it has been bitten, escaoes to the Soul Mother. Yet, in exchange for this offering their free will remains, and they are granted the right to live a life as they choose. As for both a punishment by nature, and a blessing to the Soul Mother, they must consume the blood of the living in order to sustaine their undeath. Not all are able to survive such a process, and many whom are turned die shortly after, their bodies unwilling to adapt to the changes. Some simply die, some have their silver chord frayed, and others are punished with mindless fury. Those who die during a turning often rise the next night as a cursed low vampire. (2)
  All vampires, regardless of their lineage or heritage have one thing in common, they are the children of the Soul Mother. They are unable to call out their praise to any others, and despitewhatever they would try to do otherwise, theonly way they can reach death is through her will.(3)  Common Weaknesses, traits, and bonuses- (Some traits, feats, etc I just came up with...)
  Akin to the Moon -
  Vampires are creatures of the ...ed, and the sun's embrace is no longer suited to them. While causing little to no physical harm, their eyes are not ment for the sun, and they will be blinded for some time while traveling through the light.
  (I believe that vampires should be given the same light weakness as the Drow, but they should not be allowed to take the light adjustment feat until Epic, if at all. Or even something like the Death Penalties during the day, at -2 to all abilities.)
  Smoldering Flesh -
  The powers of the Divine have a considerable effect on the Vampires body. When damaged by the divine their bodies will burst into flames.
  (Vampires need this weakness. It's a generic vampire thing. When damaged by Divine Damage, they should be under the effect of a Combust spell. The DC shouldn't be too high, or low even. Maybe DC24 comes to mind here.)
  Eyes of the Night -
  The vampiric eyes are able to see keenly in the dark, as the shadows and night embrace them.
  (They should either be the Dark Vision Feat.)
  Feeding -
  A Vampire does not eat or drink as a mortal does, as their body no longer lives. They must drink of the blood of the living in order toplease the Soul Mother and maintain their immortality.
  (I think the way they should eat would work off a special ability or touch-attack. They should need to drink blood about as often as a normal player must eat, but when they do not they should suffer greater penalties. Perhaps the penalties of respawning, with -4 to all of their traits until they actually feed.)
  Feeding Cont. -
  A Vampire is unable to be healed by potions or magic as a mortal would. Their wounds must be dressed with bandages to prevent decay. While feedinga Vampire's body is restored somewhat.
  (A Vampire should be given the Vampiric Touch spell with one casting per five levels of the PrC.)
  Bone Skin -
  A vampire is a deadly hunter, and their bodys grow more powerful with every night they survive.
 
  I think vampires should be unable to take any Divine Spellcasting class levels, as theyare unable to worship a God or Goddess as the Soul Mother requires their sole devotion.
 
 
 
 
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[PsychicToaster]

In other settings it is typically held that the faithful (paladins/good clerics) are protected by their devotion and simply die rather than arise as a vampire.  That explanation could be extended to devotion to nature meaning druids or rangers that have gained enough natural awareness to cast like druids.

[Icurus]

On Haunted Halls they had vampire characters and being my (tool of a) friend created that site the vampires were quite interesting.

1st) Only a vampire character sire another character as a vampire. Then as a vampire you could always see you're vampiric heritage (which was cool). A character, after being beaten by the vampire, had to agree to want to become a vampire, so it wasn't forced on people.

2nd) The character, after beating somebody, could fill up viles with blood from the defeated, for which, I suppose would be similar to how you have to drink on Layonara, worked.

3rd) A vampire, though getting a great skin and nice powers, had a few drawbacks. 1) if they died, they'd become a ghost (like those spectre down near the forest by Velensk), and though they could fly fast, they had to get back to their crypt (which hopefully they hid well) within so many hours or die permanently. 2) The sun would permanently kill a vampire, so you had to watch the clock religiously. So, though you got great powers and were really powerful (pluses to Str and Con and Cha), the drawback was permanent death (thus, not a whole lot of people wanted to become vampires).

4) Some of the powers where the different forms a vampire could take (including mist, which was interesting), different charming spells, and the ability to other undead. Of course, his evil clerics could do that too, with Turn Undead, which was awesome.

He also had a neat lycanthrope script, that whenever you were attacked by a bite, you had to make a Fort Save or become a Werewolf during the next full-moon. Of course, there were things that could offset become a Werewolf like a remove curse and cures disease (needing both), or you could try belledona but that stuff was poisonous and didn't always work. The neat thing about his werewolves were that you couldn't control them (you're own character when being a werewolf) until you actually tried to control them (there was a item you tagged to do this). However, once you took control, you were permanently a werewolf (no more attempts at a cure for you).

It was pretty cool, but I don't know why a world really needs it unless they're okay with PC vs PC combat...because vampires (or werewolves) should definitely be battled when discovered.