Vampire

Vampires are unliving beings that derive their continued existence from drinking blood. Doing so, they steal a bit of the victim's life and use it to replace their own. All vampires were once human, and it is upon humans they prey. While powerful beings, vampires have significant weaknesses, and many live in near-constant fear of hunters.

Vampire Origins

The origins of vampires are disputed by all informed scholars. It is clear that vampires have existed for a very long time, since or even before the age of Myth. Most explanations fall back to familiar imagery of the explainer's religion. The creation myths most commonly espoused tonight are, in rough order of popularity:

1. The first vampire was Caine, the first murderer. He was cursed by God to become the first vampire.
2. When cast off by Adam, Lilith became the first vampire.
3. A combination of #1 and #2, where Caine became the first vampire but learned disciplines from the first witch Lilith. This is the version in the Book of Nod, an old and fragmentary manuscript believed to have originated in Mesopotamia thousands of years ago.
4. There has always been vampires, or at least as long as there has been humans upon which to feed. Vampires are the dark to the human's light, and the very concept of an origin is meaningless.
5. The first vampires were mages that meddled with Things Man Was Not Meant to Know.
6. Vampires are actually aliens come from the stars. It is worth noting that while there are a number of known alien species that are vampiric, such as Star Vampires, there are none that have vampires like humanity does. This point is likely to be significant.
7. Vampires are created by god to terrorize humans into piety. This was the revelation of Longinus, the founder of Lancea Sanctum. Longinus was supposedly cursed into vampirism by the blood of Christ.
8. Anyone can become a vampire—and by extension, a clan founder—simply by wanting it enough when they die. Those who believe in this theory point to Dracula, who founded Ordo Dracul. He claimed to have neither sire nor clan. Dracula simply refused to stay dead and returned to wreak vengeance upon his enemies, somewhat like a kuei.

Vampires can spawn fairly easily and live forever, so in theory there should be huge numbers of them. In practice, not so.

Firstly, the immortality is overstated. Some rare elders grow weary of the world, and enjoy a final sunrise, while others fall to diablerie and intrigue. Young and foolish vampires have an unfortunate tendency to overestimate their immortality when confronted with the occasional hunter or werewolf.

Secondly, the influx of new vampires is limited by social factors. The Camarilla has espoused a limit of one vampire for 100000 humans, so as to have a large herd to swim in. Every prince will point to this figure when denying someone the right to spawn, but in practice numbers are always at least twice that. When they reach higher, the prince steps up enforcement efforts, and spawning decreases. Furthermore, modern society has reduced the number of virgins that are the best vampire candidates.

Together, these factors keep the vampire population at roughly a million worldwide.

Vampire Society

Vampires are, by their very nature, solitary hunters. At the same time, they still retain the human need for social interaction. These two drives are always in conflict, and that conflict continues to shape and reshape vampire society.

This change is countered primarily by the singular fact that vampires are immortal. Barring the occasional century in torpor, a vampire that has managed to get on top stays on top until forcibly evicted. Humans, when faced with a similar situation, knows that they simply have to wait for their elders to die. Vampires have no such recourse—they must either stay at the bottom forever, or fight their way to the top. This creates another eternal conflict in vampire society.

The interplay between these factors, and with human hunter activity, has shaped all vampire organizations.

Coteries

A coterie is simply a small group of vampires that like to spend time together. They will usually come to each others aid if needed, but it would be foolish to bet one's unlife on that. Coterie members will often be of different clans, bloodlines, or covenants, but the same sect.

Clans

The most basic unit of vampire society is the clan. Every vampire, except possibly Longinus and Dracula, belongs to one. This inclusiveness means that the clans can be found everywhere, should one need help. It also means that clan bonds are less powerful than they are usually made out to be. Without any choice for becoming a member, and without any possibility of either voluntarily leaving or being forced out, clans contain many members that are unwilling or unwanted.

The five accepted clans are Daeva, Gangrel, Mekhet, Nosferatu, and Ventrue. Several of the more important bloodlines have at times been regarded as clans, mostly because it was good politics at the time.

Clans have a loose leadership, self-tasked with enforcing the basic strictures such as the Masquerade. The main enforcer (the justicar) answers to the inner circle, and to the leadership of the sect.

Bloodlines

Within the clans, there are bloodlines. Like clans, bloodlines are inherited, but unlike clans, not all express the bloodline traits. It is a matter of will, one must want to become part of the line. This tiny difference is enough to make most bloodlines much more tightly knit than clans.

Despite this, or perhaps because of it, few bloodlines have a formal leadership like the clan's inner circle. Being smaller, there is less need for rules and enforcers.

Newer bloodlines usually have their founder to act as leader.

Covenants

While clan membership is a matter of blood and inheritance, covenants are at least in principle open to everyone. Furthermore, it is possible (also in principle—some tend to punish reprobates severely) to leave a covenant. Thus, covenants are much like social clubs or cults.

There are many sorts of covenants—religious, philosophical, political, diabolical, and more. The most well-known covenants are the Carthians, Circle of the Crone, Invictus, Lancea Sanctum, and the Ordo Dracul. Less well-known, mostly because few dare to speak of them, are the demon-worshippers of Belial's Brood and the vampire-slayers of VII.

Sects

There are two vampire sects: the Camarilla and the Sabbat. Membership is semi-voluntary, and mostly based on territory and clan. If you live in a Camarilla town or are of a Camarilla-aligned clan, you had better be Camarilla, or strong enough to resist their enforcers. Not following the party line can have dire consequences.

The first Camarilla was a secret society of vampires, created to help plunder the wealth of Rome. It joined the Roman Empire on the graveyard of history. The second Camarilla was created as a response to the vampire hunts during the late middle ages. The newly formed Camarilla tasked itself with enforcing the Masquerade. In a Camarilla town, streets are patrolled by ghouls and younger kindred, and newcomers are pressured to join. There are also Camarilla recruiters in non-Camarilla towns, seeking the naïve or discontent, promising them an easy life with the Camarilla.

Some claim that the Sabbat was formed as a response to the heavy-handed Camarilla tactics, others that it has a far longer history dating back far beyond unliving memory. The Sabbat is a cult that traces vampire origins to Caine, the first murderer. It believes strongly in vampire supremacy, and that vampires should prey openly upon the kine. They specifically refuse to follow the Masquerade.

With the Sabbat and Camarilla at diametrically opposed positions regarding the Masquerade, they have fought each other since the beginning. This is known as the Sabbat War. In Europe, Africa, and most of south America, the Sabbat War ended in a truce almost a century ago. In north and central America, however, the war is still being fought tonight.

Vampire (Template)

Forever frozen as they were in their moment of death, these nocturnal predators exist to feed upon humanity. Newly created vampires look just like they did in life, perhaps a touch idealized if of clan Daeva or slightly off-putting if Nosferatu. As they age, their flesh grows ever paler, eventually gaining a look and texture somewhat like white marble. When they feed, they grow short but sharp fangs.

Vampires have no need for most internal organs. What they don't keep in use rapidly wither and disappear. Thus, most are unable to drink anything but blood, and very few can eat any solid food. They only use their lungs when they speak, and don't breathe. All circulatory systems are shut down, and the blood moves by Will and osmosis through their damned flesh.

Young vampires often tries to live much like they used to—old ones tend to embrace depravity and opulence, behaving like ancient lords and princes.

Template Traits

Vampire is a bestowed template that can be added to any human or near-human, except to a mage. It is gained when another vampire uses its Create Spawn ability.

Type: Unliving (vampire). Vampires exist in a perpetual twilight between life and death, and must feed on human blood to maintain their existence.

Ability Modifiers: Vampires have +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, and +2 Charisma. This is further modified by their clan. Vampires that take temporary ability damage do not recalculate skills, attacks, saves, or other such derived values until that ability falls to 0.

Feats: All vampires can smell blood and open wounds as if they have the Scent ability. Vampires cannot take the Faith feat, but may keep it if they had it before they became vampires.

Advancement: Vampires primarily advance by character class, in particular the vampire power class. They can have all normal and advanced classes not specifically prohibited.

Allegiance: Most vampires have an allegiance to their sire, the one who made them a vampire.

Taint: A vampire always has a corruption score equal to 1 + one-half its Charisma score. It has a minimum depravity score equal to 1 + the number of centuries of unlife (not counting time in torpor).

Sanity: To become unliving and live on blood is enough to shake anyone. It causes an immediate loss of 1d10 Sanity.

A vampire that goes permanently insane becomes maddened with eternal hunger, somewhat like a more articulate and powerful vampire spawn.

Special Qualities

A vampire gains the special qualities described below.

Blood Drain (Ex): You can suck blood from a willing, helpless, or pinned living victim with your fangs. You inflict normal bite damage the first round, and deal 1d4 points of Constitution damage draining blood for as long as the victim remains willing, helpless, or pinned.

The act of being drained is deeply pleasurable to both the vampire and to the victim. The latter must make a Will save (DC 15), or stop resisting further drain. (-> feat?)

Each round of drain removes one night's worth of accumulated hunger penalties, and allows you to do one of:

• Heal 5 hit points of damage.
• Gain 5 temporary hit points. These go away at dawn.
• Heal 1 point of ability damage.
• Regenerate a fifth of a lost or withered limb. The regeneration occurs over a 24 hour period. The limb doesn't become functional until its completely regenerated.

If you kill the victim by draining all Constitution, you gain an immediate second wind, and all accumulated hunger penalties are removed.

Stored blood, such as from a blood bank, can only be used to stave off hunger. Drinking at least a bagful of blood counts as having fed when calculating the next night's hunger penalties, but cannot remove previous hunger penalties. Processed blood such as plasma provides no nourishment at all.

Blood Bond (Su): A mortal or vampire that drinks of your blood on three different occasions gain an Allegiance to you. All other allegiances are suppressed, but not lost.

Clan Qualities: You get any clan qualities listed for your clan.

Fangs (Ex): You have extendable fangs. You can bite a helpless or grappled victim, dealing 1d4 + 1/2 your Strength modifier damage.

Low-Light Vision (Ex): You have low-light vision, and can ignore partial concealment due to darkness.

Undead Resilience: When you take a major wound you drop just 1 row on the condition track, rather than 2. You don't bleed when you are unconscious, so you cannot die from a failed Constitution check to regain consciousness.

Weaknesses

A vampire has several weaknesses, described below.

Blood Thirst: You require blood to sustain yourself. If you did not feed the previous night, you gain a -1 persistent condition on the condition track. You have a -2 condition after the second night without feeding, a -3 condition after the fourth night, and a -4 condition after the eighth night without feeding. If more than 16 nights pass without feeding, you go mad with hunger.

Creature of the Night: While the sun is in the sky (even if you cannot actually see it), you have a -1 persistent condition on the condition track, and none of your supernatural powers can be used.

Additional Weaknesses: In addition to the common weaknesses above, a you have 6 of the following weaknesses. You may pick an extra weakness to get a basic quality, and another at blood potency level 5 to get an extra intermediate quality. At least half of all weaknesses must be ones that your sire also have. Most clans have additional choices or limitations.

Aversion: You are repelled by the object of your aversion. You must make a DC 25 Will save to come within 20 feet of the aversion, and even then can only advance at 5 feet per round. If the object of the aversion comes closer, on its own or with someone else’s help, you must make another Will save or must retreat out of range. You suffer a -2 penalty on melee attacks against anyone wearing or carrying the aversion.

You can take the aversion weakness more than once, with multiple objects. Garlic and holy symbols are common aversions for vampires; roses and other symbols of life, vitality, and purity are also known in various cultures’ folklore.

Severe Aversion: It is also possible to take aversion twice for the same substance. If trapped within 20 feet of the object of severe aversion, you must make a Charisma check every round to avoid taking damage, with a DC of 15 +1 per additional round you are there. When you fail a check, you begin suffering much as if you are a mortal drowning: in the next round you fall unconscious with 0 hit points, the round after that you're reduced to -1 hit points, and the round after that, you're destroyed. You can heal (and use special escape options like Gaseous Form) only after the aversion is removed or you're taken out of its range.

Cannot Cross Running Water: You cannot cross running water by your own strength and powers, though you can be carried by someone else as long as you remain inactive. If immersed in running water you lose one-third of your remaining hit points per round, and are destroyed at the end of the third round.

You may also have the Aversion weakness with running water, and if so, the more severe damage associated with aversion takes precedence.

Counting: You must stop to count the individual items in a scattered handful or heap of some substance, such as rice. The substance should be something commonly used for food in the area.

You can take this weakness again for more intense effect: now you must stop to count any gathering of small loose items, including grains of sand, nuts and bolts, M&Ms, pennies, and so on.

Dependent on Invitation: You cannot enter a privately owned residence unless invited in by the rightful owner or tenant. This does not apply to businesses, but does apply to residences that have been abandoned for less than a year.

Less Than Master: You are perpetually somewhat weaker than the one who created you. If your creator is currently 4th through 7th level in blood potency, you can only develop basic qualities, however high your own class level. You can begin developing intermediate qualities when your creator reaches 8th level. You can never develop advanced qualities, until and unless your master is destroyed.

Must Sleep in Own Soil: You can only slumber in a coffin or other space containing at least two handfuls of dirt from your grave, or can only slumber in a coffin or other space containing at least one cubic foot of dirt from your homeland. (Choose one of these options when selecting this weakness.)

No Image: You cast no reflection in a mirror or other shiny surface. You cannot be photographed by any mechanical or electronic device. Only living senses detects you.

No Shadow: You cast no shadow.

Offensive to Animals: Animals instinctively dislike and fear you. You get a -5 penalty on all Animals checks when dealing with living animals.

Pallor of the Grave: You have lost all bodily functions, and look pale as the dead. Not necessarily the recently dead, either. You suffer a -5 penalty to all non-coercive social interactions with those who can see you.

Prey Exclusion: You can only feed from a fairly distinct group of humanity. It does not have to be rare, but it must be uncommon enough that you won't meet a member of the group during a normal hunt. The most common variant is virgins, or at least nubile young females, the possible permutations of this weakness are endless.

Reek of the Grave: You always smell of grave mold and decay, no matter how clean and trim you may look. You suffer a -5 penalty to all non-coercive social interactions with those who can smell you.

Slumber of the Dead: While the sun is up, you are unconscious. You will not wake even if rats gnaw your body or hunters tickle you with torches. If some magic effect wakes you, you will immediately fall unconscious when the duration is up.

Vulnerability: You take extra damage from attacks using a particular substance. Whatever damage reduction you have don’t apply to the substance, and you suffer +2d6 additional damage from attacks using it. If the substance is solid (like wood or silver) and formed into piercing weapon, a successful critical attack with the substance will paralyze you instantly, leaving you unable to move or act (though you continue to sense the world and to think) until the substance is removed.

Wood and sunlight are the most common vampiric vulnerabilities, allowing for staking in the classic manner and for the dramatic consequences of exposing a vampire to the pure light of day. Silver and holy objects are also common.

Severe Vulnerability: You can take Vulnerability a second time for a given substance, for even greater vulnerability. Attacks with the substance do +4d6 extra damage. The critical threat range of weapons with the substance is increased by 2, and a successful critical hit instantly destroys you.

Vampire Spawn

When the vampire creation process fails, a vampire spawn is the result. The spawn is fast, furious, and always hungry. It possesses animal cunning and intelligence, and can use speech to lure victims, even though it doesn't really understand language. Hunters and other outsiders often call them ghouls, even though there are several other creatures sharing that designation.

Type: Undead (vampire). Unlike their vampire creators, vampire spawn are undead creatures.

Languages: Vampire spawn can speak in the same manner as a parrot - without true understanding of what they say.

Size: Medium size (as humans). They have no particular bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Hit Dice: 4d12+7. Vampire spawn have no Constitution score, so they get no bonuses to their HD. Like other undead, a vampire spawn reduced to 0 hit points is dead and destroyed.

Speed: 40 feet.

Attacks: As when human. Vampire spawn can use simple weapons, including personal firearms.

Special Qualities: A vampire spawn has the following special qualities of a full vampire: Blood Drain, Damage Reduction 5/silver, Fangs, Fast Healing 1, Low-Light Vision, and Resistance to Energy (cold 8, electricity 8).

Weaknesses (Ex): A vampire spawn has the following weaknesses of a full vampire: Blood Thirst, Creature of the Night, No Image, Offensive to Animals, Pallor of the Grave, Unhealing, Vulnerability (Fire, Sunlight), severe Vulnerability (Wood).

Ability Modifiers: Vampire spawn don't have Constitution scores. They gain +4 Strength and +2 Dexterity, but suffers a -4 penalty to Charisma. The have Intelligence 3, like a really smart animal.

Skills: Athletics +9, Deception +5, Initiative +8, Stealth +8, Perception +12.

Feats: Scent, Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness (revised).

Advancement: None.

Taint: A vampire spawn always has a corruption score equal to 1 + one-half its Charisma score.

Vampire (Power Class)

Must be a vampire.

Age Group: Roughly depending on the innate power of vampires, they're divided into age groups. These are:

Neonate: In common parlance, vampires that have but recently (within the last few decades) become a vampire. Typically has 0-4 class levels.

Ancilla: Has been a vampire for some time. Most are at least a century old. Typically has 4-7 class levels.

Elder: Has been a vampire for a long time. All are at least a century old. Typically has 7-9 class levels.

Ancient: At least a thousand years as a vampire, but often much, much more than that. Very powerful. Typically has 9-10 class levels.

Hit Die: 1d12. Being undead, you get no Constitution modifier.

Defenses: AC +1, Reflex +2, Will +2. Being undead, you are immune to most Fortitude effects.

Table: Vampire Class

Level	BAB	MR	Skills	Class Features
1	+¾	+½		2 Basic Qualities
2	+1½	+1	1	Basic Quality, Create Spawn
3	+2¼	+2		+1 Str, Basic Quality, Bonus Feat
4	+3	+2½	1	Intermediate Quality
5	+3¾	+3		Intermediate Quality
6	+4½	+4	1	+1 Cha, Bonus Feat
7	+5¼	+4½		Intermediate Quality
8	+6	+5	1	Advanced Quality
9	+6¾	+6		+1 Str, Bonus Feat
10	+7½	+6½	1	Advanced Quality

Basic Qualities

You can pick a basic quality from the list below or from your clan. In general, you cannot pick the same quality more than once. You must meet listed any prerequisites.

Blindsense: You can sense your surroundings with hearing, scent, and touch even when your sight is useless. You don't have to make Perception checks to pinpoint the location of anything within your normal line of sight. Concealed foes have total concealment, with the regular penalties, and you are still denied your Dexterity bonus to Defense against attacks from sources you cannot see.

Command of Temperature: You can alter temperatures in your vicinity by an act of will. You can ignite or snuff out a fire and freeze water or melt ice within a range of 5 feet per class level. Each temperature change is accompanied by a stiff gust of wind, strong enough to put out candles and rattle or knock over light objects.

Damage Reduction I: You gain a damage reduction of 5/silver or 5/wood.

Fangs: You can make a Bite attack that does 1d6 damage + Strength modifier, without needing to grapple.

Fast Healing: You can heal half your class levels (rounded up) in hit points per round, as long as you have at least 1 hit point. If reduced to 0 hit points, you are disabled much like other creatures.

Intimidation: The Vampire can radiate an intense aura inspiring dread and fear in others. It takes a standard action to begin or end this effect. While it’s active, the Vampire receives a bonus of +2 plus 1/2 class level (rounded up) to all checks relating to intimidation and coercion, and animals will not voluntarily attack him if any possibility for flight exists. Anyone attacking the Vampire must make a Will check, DC 15 + Vampire’s Charisma modifier, to avoid being considered shaken while fighting the Vampire (-2 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks).

TODO: Better mechanics needed.

Table: Mind Probe

Modifier	Information
0	Nothing the target is concerned about hiding
-2	Target wishes to avoid discussing the subject
-4	Emotionally sensitive topic or oath-bound secret
-7	Target actively fears revelation of this information
-10	Secret could get target killed or ruin his life

Mind Probe: You can examine some of the thoughts in a target’s mind. You spend a full action to engage the target in conversation that has some connection to the subject you're interested in. (For many vampires, this can be melodramatic utterances of great fervor, but it can also be more subtle and nuanced.) You then specify the information you're looking for and make a Perception check against the target's Will defense, with a modifier depending on how the target feels about it. Note that no degree of success is sufficient to provide results if the target doesn’t actually know anything about the subject.

Resistance: You gain the ability to ignore 2 points per class level of damage from cold-based and electricity-based attacks.

Seductive Presence: You radiate an aura of intensely attractive sexuality, crossing all regular lines of sexual orientation and attraction. You can ignore most penalties on Charisma-based checks relating to seduction. Not even a gay nun (or monk) can resist you.

The Coil of Blood: Your unliving body don't demand as much blood to animate itself as do those of other, less enlightened vampires. You can go without feeding for a number of nights equal to your Wisdom modifier without ill effects.

Intermediate Qualities

You can pick an intermediate quality from the list below or from your clan. In general, you cannot pick the same quality more than once. You must meet any listed prerequisites.

You do not have to take the basic version of a quality before getting the intermediate version, and can choose to acquire an additional basic quality instead of an intermediate one. All these qualities are consider Su (supernatural).

Beast Form: You can spend a move action to take on the form of a bat, rat, or wolf. The transformation automatically wears off at sunrise.

Special: The shapes available is actually somewhat dependent upon culture. In India vampires turn into panthers, for instance.

Claws: You may harden your fingers into knife-sharp weapons capable of inflicting 1d8 + your Strength modifier damage.

Damage Reduction II: You get damage reduction 5/magic. This stacks with any other damage reduction you have.

Domination: You may take an attack action to crush an opponent’s will by gazing into the target’s eyes. The target must be within 30 feet and able to see you. (Blind targets can be mesmerized through your voice, if they are in range and can hear you.) The target must make a Will save of DC 10 + 1/2 your level + Vampire’s Charisma modifier to avoid being enthralled for a number of days equal to the your class level. While dominated, the target temporarily loses all previous allegiances and gains an obsessive loyalty to you. The target can make a second Will save to escape control if ordered to do something blatantly self-destructive.

Gaseous Form: You can turn yourself and all your gear into an insubstantial hazy mist. This requires a move action. In gaseous form, you have damage reduction 20/magic, instead of whatever you’d normally have from the Damage Reduction qualities. Armor does not contribute to your Defense bonus, though other modifiers such as Dexterity and size still apply. You cannot attack while gaseous. You can remain in this form until you choose to regain solidity, or until sunrise, whichever comes first. You fly at 20 feet per round with perfect maneuverability, and can pass through cracks and holes in any surface that isn’t airtight. You are vulnerable to wind, and cannot enter water or other liquids.

With Gaseous Form, when you're reduced to 0 hit points without being destroyed outright, you automatically slip into this form and flees semi-consciously back to where you slumbered the previous night. If you don’t reach it within two hours, you're destroyed. If you do reach it, you spend one hour unconscious in Gaseous Form, then regains 1 hit point and your solid form. After that, your regular healing qualities apply.

Selective Senses: You can filter out anything in your environment that you’d rather disregard, by simple act of will. You negate all penalties to Perception checks for environmental distractions such as noxious smells, deafening noises, and blinding lights, and is immune to sudden sensory shocks such as flash-blinding from flares of light. You can also spend one full action to isolate a single sensory input, such as a single conversation in the midst of a crowd or the smell of poison in a dinner buffet.

Spider Climb: You can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell.

The Forgetful Mind: If you have eye contact with a target, and the target fails a Will save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Charisma modifier), you can change its memories as with a modify memory spell.

Advanced Qualities

At 8th, 9th, and 10th level, you can pick an advanced quality from the list below or from your clan. In general, you cannot pick the same quality more than once. You must meet any listed prerequisites.

You can choose to take an additional basic or intermediate quality instead of an advanced one.

The Children of the Night: The Vampire can call forth a pack of rats (1d8 x Charisma modifier), bats (2d10 x Charisma modifier), or wolves (1d6 x Charisma modifier). This is a full-round action. The summoned creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the Vampire for up to one hour.

Command of Age: You may appear to be any age, from shortly before the onset of puberty up to old age and decrepitude as experienced by living members of your species. This does not affect your abilities or other scores in any way. It takes a move action to make the change.

Curse: The Vampire can cast an evil eye upon a target and inflict supernatural misfortune. The Vampire makes a ranged touch attack, up to 25 ft. + 5 ft./2 class levels away. He must make eye contact (or speak a comprehensible curse, when dealing with blind targets) and make a ritual gesture while performing the attack. The target then makes a Will save. If successful, the target suffers a -2 penalty on all attack rolls, saves, skill checks, and ability checks for a number of days equal to the Vampire’s class level. Failure means that the target also suffers 1d4 points of temporary Wisdom damage. If the Vampire confirms a critical hit (threat range 20), he may choose one of the following effects: the target suffers a -6 penalty instead, or the target gets no save against the Wisdom damage, or the duration changes to one week per class level.

Dread Muse: The Vampire is a particularly effective artist in the service of evil. He gains a +5 dread bonus to all Crafts and Perform checks, as long as he's not trying to instill his works with feelings of light and wellbeing. He can also inspire dark creations in others. After one hour in conversation with a target, he may voluntarily suffer temporary Charisma damage, up to 1 pt./2 class levels. The target gets a matching temporary Charisma or Intelligence boost for a single act of artistic creation. This comes at a price: the target must also make a Will save of DC 15 + Vampire’s class level or develop an allegiance to evil in general or some specific evil to which the Vampire has an allegiance.

TODO: Better mechanics needed.

Flight: The Vampire can fly at 60 feet per round with perfect maneuverability. He may sprout wings (or may not—decide this when the Vampire develops the quality, and it remains constant throughout his existence), but otherwise retains his normal form while doing this. It takes a move action to take off or land.

Inevitable Comeback: Like Dracula in a Hammer movie, you just cannot seem to stay destroyed. You are soul-locked, and if you make a DC 16 level check you will return 4d20 days after being killed, or 8d20 days after having your body completely destroyed.

Mental Barrier: You become immune to mind-affecting effects.

Possession: As an attack action, you can take possession of a human opponent's body just by gazing into his or her eyes. You can attempt to possess only one target at a time, and the target must be within 30 feet and able to see you. If the target fails a Will save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Charisma modifier), you evict his soul and take complete control of his body. While you are possessing someone, your body lies insensate as if in torpor. You can end the Possession at any time.

Storm Call: The Vampire can create an unnatural storm in his vicinity. The storm lasts for six hours (unless the Vampire tries to extend it, as noted below). It extends up to one mile per class level in all directions, centered on the Vampire. He may choose to have it follow him as he moves, or remain centered on the spot where he called it. To call the storm, the Vampire must spend one hour in concentration and make a Survival check whose DC depends on the desired details:

Table: Storm Call

Storm Type	Base DC
Heavy Rain	10
Lightning Storm	15
Snowstorm	15
Features	DC Increase
Floods or snowdrifts block overland travel	+5
High winds block flight	+5
Lightning strikes specific locations	+2 per strike
Storm blocks communication	+5
Double duration	+2 per doubling

Create Spawn

You can create new vampires. The process is not automatic, and sometimes fails. To begin with, you must drain blood from the victim until it dies. At the moment of death, you allow some of your blood to flow down the victim's throat, carrying the curse of unlife with it. To activate the curse, you must spend an action point.

1. If the victim is anything but a normal human, the process fails completely. Mages, fey, werewolves, demons, and aliens cannot become vampires. They just die.
2. If the victim is a virgin or a player character, the conversion succeeds and the victim becomes a vampire, acquiring the vampire template.
3. Other ordinaries become vampire spawn.
4. Others must make a DC 12 level check to become full vampires, otherwise they become vampire spawn. They get +4 to their roll if the vampire has an emotional bond to them.

Vampire spawn are initially controlled by the creating vampire. Unless there is an imminent need for shock troops, the new spawn is usually destroyed immediately. Vampire spawn require as much food as a normal vampire, but lack the discretion to hide its actions. They're also rotten conversationalists.

New vampires can be controlled by their creator, if the latter has Dominate. Otherwise they are free-willed, but with an Allegiance to the creator.

Bonus Feat

At 3rd level, you can pick a feat for which you have all prerequisites. You can choose one of Combat Reflexes, Dodge (revised), Fast Drain, Gentle Drain, Herd, and Lightning Reflexes, or a clan feat.

You can pick another bonus feat at 6th and 9th level.

See Also

• Vampire the Masquerade, and its untold number of supplements.
• Vampire the Requiem, and its untold number of supplements.
• Hellsing.

Modern Horror
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