We come now to Greece which is the home of the Vrykolakas and a host of smilar creatures with similar sounding names.They ranged all the way from Greece into Romania and France. The word is believed to have come from the Bulgarian word vǎrkolak, which actually means were-wolf.
The vrykolakas is sometimes described as a werewolf or more aptly a demonic, undead werewolf.
In game terms the vrykolakas is a werewolf that came back from the dead as a powerful vampire. Once rising it is ravenous, attacking anyone it meets outside. Legend has it that the vrykolakas will go from house to house knocking on the door. It will knock once and then move on to the next house.
The vrykolakas will move about in the night but it has no qualms about operating during the day. The problem is that the body of the vrykolakas has swollen with stolen blood and will look stretched. The vrykolakas can also shift into a large werewolf-like creature.
Here is the Vrykolakas in OSRIC format.
Vrykolakas (Vampire)
(turned as type 10)
Frequency: Rare
No Encountered: 1d6
Size: Man-sized
Move: 120 ft
Armor Class: 1
Hit Dice: 8+3
Attacks: 3 (claw/claw/bite)
Damage: 1d6+4/1d6+4/1d4+Blood Drain
Special Attacks: Per Vampire; Blood Drain
Special Defenses: Per Vampire
Magic Resistance: Standard
Lair Probability: 25%
Intelligence: Exceptional
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Level/XP: 8/3,810 + 12/hp
The Vrykolakas is a powerful type of vampire that occurs when a werewolf comes back from the dead. The vrykolakas is a fierce fighter attacking with 2 claws and a bite per round. Each bite of the vampire drains blood at the rate of 1 Constitution point per bite. Victims drained to 0 Constitution will rise again as a vampire. Victims that don't die must have a remove curse or remove lycanthropy of they will become a werewolf.
The vrykolakas is immune to sunlight but can be repelled by holy items.
To destory a vrykolakas one must drag it out into the sunlight, stake it to the ground with iron spikes, cut off it's head and then burn the body. The ashes must be taken to a crossroads where they are dispersed.
Showing posts with label vampire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vampire. Show all posts
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Friday, April 24, 2015
Friday Night Videos: The Lost Boys
For this last FNV of Vampire Month I wanted to do something special.
Rarely does a movie come around that captures the feeling of the times quite like 1987's. My DM had moved to Chicago, I was in the middle of my world changing campaign that would later become part of The Dragon and The Phoenix and I was getting ready for college. I came up to visit and we went and saw this film. It was full of cool vampires, great music and fantastic ride of a movie. Yes it was taking advantage of the Anne Rice craze of the time, but it did more than that. It took the stock 80s teen movie and turned it into something else.
Given I was on the edge of my Ravenloft years this was the final push I needed.
The soundtrack to this movie fueled many nights of my early college days. To this day it still holds a special place in my heart. No one song is fantastic, but as a collective they are more than the sum of their parts.
The movie opens up with the Echo and the Bunnymen covering the Doors "People are Strange". I like this version and it is a worthy version, but you just can't beat the original in my mind.
Another song that helped make this soundtrack so iconic was Roger Daltery's cover of Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". I have a confession. I don't care for Elton John much, but I have always liked this song. Hearing it sung by one of my favorite front men made it an entirely new song. Is it better than Elton's version? Probably not. But I can't hear this song and not flashback to a time between 1987 and 1991, holding a beer and watching the sun set.
"I Still Believe" by Tim Cappello is an interesting choice. I am not really a fan of the song per se, only the memories it brings up. Though it is also the only song where the performer appears in the movie. Tim Cappello was known at the time for being a really big and cut guy. So oil him up and stick him into the movie.
Looking back nearly 30 years later, "Cry Little Sister" is not a great song. It's even a touch melodramaic, overwrought and a little over produced. So the perfect theme for 1987.
I hope you enjoyed this!
A to Z of Vampires: Upierczi
Heading to the final letters now. So lets go to Poland and meet a vampire that fascinated me when I was younger, the Upierczi. Also known as Upierczica, Upierci, and Upir.
This vampire was interesting because it had a barb under it's tongue to puncture the victims neck instead of fangs. The use the barb to cut their victims and then curl their tongues to suck up the blood.
Active day or night they can be found out of their graves from noon to midnight. They must feed on a human before retiring for the night. During the day they look human, but when they are sleeping they appear dead. Often they sleep with their eyes open so they will know if they are being visited.
In human form they are physically one of the strongest vampires, having strength roughly equal to a Fire Giant (Str 22). They are also the vampire that most easily passes for human. They can eat and drink; though they must regurgitate it all later. After feeding they are even capable of sexual intercourse.
Upierczi can be detected by the drought they cause. Plants near them will wither and die. Small ponds will dry up and it will not rain in the areas they are in. If you can find a stream of running water then they can be killed with that.
Upierczi
Armor Class: 2 [17]
Hit Dice: 10d8+5** (50 hp)
No. of Attacks: bite
Damage: 1d4+1/1d4+1 or by weapon + blood drain (2 Points Con)
Special: Con drain, charming voice, immune to sleep, charm and hold spells. Slashing weapons have no effect. +1 or better to hit.
Movement: 40’
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: F10
Morale: 10
Treasure: as per vampire
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
The Upierczi drains blood from his victims via a sharp barb under his tongue. He uses his charming voice (same as the Charm Person spell) to lure victims into his embrace. He can drain 2 points worth of Constitution with this attack. The upierczi must feed on 10 points of con at least once per week.
People killed in this fashion rise up as a 6HD Upierczi under the control of the one that killed them.
The upierczi is a very strong and tough vampire. Piercing and slashing weapons have little effect on it. Swords, daggers, arrows, spears all will only do 1 hp point of damage per attack, and that is only if they are magical. Bashing weapons and blunt weapons such as maces and staves do normal damage. Swords specifically designed to kill vampires will do their normal damage.
In combat this vampire is very fast, gaining two claw attacks per round. It can also opt for a weapon and also get in two attacks vs the same opponent per round. The upierczi favors small light weapons it can conceal on it's person.
The upierczi is not repulsed by garlic, salt or anything natural. They cannot enter into a home unless invited, but they can use their charm voice to get that. They are however repelled by holy symbols and take 1d8 hp of damage from holy water. They are turned as Vampires by clerics.
The only true way to destroy an upierczi is drag it out of it's resting area before noon. Nail it to the ground with an iron spike through it's head and then set the body on fire. The body will burn quickly and then explode with all the upierczi's flesh becoming squirming maggots. These must be burned as well.
Like the Moroi, Upierczi consider themselves lords of vampire kind.
This vampire was interesting because it had a barb under it's tongue to puncture the victims neck instead of fangs. The use the barb to cut their victims and then curl their tongues to suck up the blood.
Active day or night they can be found out of their graves from noon to midnight. They must feed on a human before retiring for the night. During the day they look human, but when they are sleeping they appear dead. Often they sleep with their eyes open so they will know if they are being visited.
In human form they are physically one of the strongest vampires, having strength roughly equal to a Fire Giant (Str 22). They are also the vampire that most easily passes for human. They can eat and drink; though they must regurgitate it all later. After feeding they are even capable of sexual intercourse.
Upierczi can be detected by the drought they cause. Plants near them will wither and die. Small ponds will dry up and it will not rain in the areas they are in. If you can find a stream of running water then they can be killed with that.
Upierczi
Armor Class: 2 [17]
Hit Dice: 10d8+5** (50 hp)
No. of Attacks: bite
Damage: 1d4+1/1d4+1 or by weapon + blood drain (2 Points Con)
Special: Con drain, charming voice, immune to sleep, charm and hold spells. Slashing weapons have no effect. +1 or better to hit.
Movement: 40’
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: F10
Morale: 10
Treasure: as per vampire
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
The Upierczi drains blood from his victims via a sharp barb under his tongue. He uses his charming voice (same as the Charm Person spell) to lure victims into his embrace. He can drain 2 points worth of Constitution with this attack. The upierczi must feed on 10 points of con at least once per week.
People killed in this fashion rise up as a 6HD Upierczi under the control of the one that killed them.
The upierczi is a very strong and tough vampire. Piercing and slashing weapons have little effect on it. Swords, daggers, arrows, spears all will only do 1 hp point of damage per attack, and that is only if they are magical. Bashing weapons and blunt weapons such as maces and staves do normal damage. Swords specifically designed to kill vampires will do their normal damage.
In combat this vampire is very fast, gaining two claw attacks per round. It can also opt for a weapon and also get in two attacks vs the same opponent per round. The upierczi favors small light weapons it can conceal on it's person.
The upierczi is not repulsed by garlic, salt or anything natural. They cannot enter into a home unless invited, but they can use their charm voice to get that. They are however repelled by holy symbols and take 1d8 hp of damage from holy water. They are turned as Vampires by clerics.
The only true way to destroy an upierczi is drag it out of it's resting area before noon. Nail it to the ground with an iron spike through it's head and then set the body on fire. The body will burn quickly and then explode with all the upierczi's flesh becoming squirming maggots. These must be burned as well.
Like the Moroi, Upierczi consider themselves lords of vampire kind.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
PWWO: A Red & Pleasant Land + Victorian Games
| Notice: I am not taking down this post because I feel it is more important to leave it up, but also update everyone on what is happeing now as February 11, 2019. Please see this newer post first. http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2019/02/i-am-going-to-talk-about-zak-today-and.html |
 |
| The print version with ribbon. I don't think there are many of these left. |
A while back I picked up +Zak Smith's vampire-themed Alice in Wonderland mashup (though that does not really describe it) A Red & Pleasant Land. It is well reviewed and you can read my review here: http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2014/12/review-red-pleasant-land.html
What got me at the time is a.) how much I liked it and b.) how much I didn't want to play it under D&D (any version). I started thinking about Alice, Dracula and this book I thought that what this book really needs is not a background of fantasy, even the Grimdark of LotFP or DCC, but the prim and proper sensibilities of a more refined time. Victorian England.
Think about it. I described the country, Voivodja, in AR&PL as Nightmare scape. Not an overt one like say the Hells, but a subtle one, and mostly a chaotic one. What a better contrast to the streets of fog soaked Victorian London? After all Voivodja isn't in our world, it's out there somewhere; down a rabbit hole or through the looking glass. Through a looking glass darkly. OR if it is, maybe it is an odd mirror. Page 14 of AR&PL will give you ideas. The difference now is that we are all using the same world. Unless your D&D game is set in Europe of course, then you are ahead.
There are a lot of great choices for games to use this with and each offers something special I think.
Cthuhlu by Gaslight
Cthuhlu by Gaslight is one of the best Victorian era magical games out there. CbG has rules, via Call of Cthuhlu, for dealing with the Dreamlands. This is a good way to get characters from the "real world" to Voivodja. Now Voivodja could be in our Carpathian Mountains or they could be in the analogue in the Dream lands. Who knows.
One thing I would suggest is get a good grip on the Sanity rules and how to apply them using AR&PL. There are things here that could be abused and drive the characters completely insane. I say use them sparingly; instead focus on the weirdness of it all. Not the mind bend weirdness typically one associates with the mythos. Translations of monsters would not be hard. Though the average CoC/CbG game is more about investigation. There is more doing in AR&PL, even if that doing isn't always combat. Though they both have that in common.
Ghosts of Albion
I think there are plenty of good reasons to use Ghosts of Albion. First the there is more expectation that characters will do more in GoA than in CoC. Again monsters are easy to convert; most are in the Ghosts core book or could be found in any of the Buffy books. Secondly let's address the elephant in the room. Zak may not have meant Alice to come off as an ersatz Slayer, but she kind of is. Or rather the Alice is the trope that the "Buffy" is trying to set up. All I am saying is that thematically they work well together or even as each other. Alices are not Protectors, but they can be weaker Slayers or Chosen Ones (Army of Darkness) in any case the rules in GoA have it covered.
Alice's would get extra Drama Points (I would say 2 extra at starting). The leveling up table would be used for every 25 XP gained. Just allow her to take the appropriate Supernatural Qualities.
The Alice would be a 5-Point Supernatural Quality. I'd have to work out what is in it, likely bonuses to Charisma, Hard to Kill, but some drawbacks too. Nothing major and nothing more than 5 points.
The more magic-rich world of Ghosts works well for AR&PL too. And between Ghosts' Supernatural rules, Angel's demon rules and Buffy's vampires you could make every type of vampire in the book and then some.
Ravenloft: Masque of the Red Death
This of course might the best fit. Ravenloft, Masque of the Red Death is set on Earth in the Victorian era. It uses the same D&D system as AR&PL. Plus a lot of the changes that LotFP made to D&D can also be found in this book. Specialists are called Tradesmen in MotRD. While the other two can be "easily converted" this one does not have to be converted at all. You can even use the Alice as is.
Plus a lot of the strangeness in AR&PL can be explained by the power known as The Red Death. I would opt for the 2nd Edition version pictured here as opposed to the 3.x update from Arthaus/SSS/White Wolf. In fact going back through my Masque books I think this might be the one I would use for this.
You could travel the Orient Express and end up in A Red & Pleasant Land.
In any of the above cases I am much more excited to run this than under D&D or a clone.
A to Z of Vampires: Tenatz
Let's head back to Eastern Europe and check in with the Tenatz, the vampire of Bosnia and Montenegro. The tenatz is another corpse that comes back from the dead. In this case it is an evil spirit, though some books claim the spirit of the person can come back to their own body if they are strong willed enough and evil enough.
The tenatz rises from his grave after sunset and will change into a mouse to enter a person's home. Unlike some species of vampire it does not need permission to enter if it enters in mouse form. As a mouse it can't be killed. It will crawl up to a living person and feed on their blood.
The tenatz is one of the weakest vampires, it's attack does not drain any ability and only does blood loss damage. It's main defense is it's resistance to magic. Tenatz have ar +2 vs any magical based attack (fire ball, lighting bolt, etc).
In their "human" form their skin is grey, regardless of the color it had been in life, and they have red, goat-like eyes. This is the form they will be found in when roaming about at night outside or in their graves. The tenatz must return to their grave before sun rise or be destroyed.
To destroy a tenatz you must find it's coffin and bring it out into the sunlight. The body must be burned to ash. The tenatz is powerless in the daylight.
The tenatz is repelled by holy symbols and garlic. Running water will also kill them.
Tenatz
Armor Class: 5 [14]
Hit Dice: 6d8+3** (30 hp)
No. of Attacks: bite
Damage: 1d4+1 +1d6 blood drain
Special: +2 saves vs. Magical attacks
Movement: 30’
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: F5
Morale: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Tenatz are lone vampires. They cannot make more of their own kind and it is rare to see more than one in an area.
Tenatz are turned as mummies.
The tenatz is one of the weakest vampires, it's attack does not drain any ability and only does blood loss damage. It's main defense is it's resistance to magic. Tenatz have ar +2 vs any magical based attack (fire ball, lighting bolt, etc).
In their "human" form their skin is grey, regardless of the color it had been in life, and they have red, goat-like eyes. This is the form they will be found in when roaming about at night outside or in their graves. The tenatz must return to their grave before sun rise or be destroyed.
To destroy a tenatz you must find it's coffin and bring it out into the sunlight. The body must be burned to ash. The tenatz is powerless in the daylight.
The tenatz is repelled by holy symbols and garlic. Running water will also kill them.
Tenatz
Armor Class: 5 [14]
Hit Dice: 6d8+3** (30 hp)
No. of Attacks: bite
Damage: 1d4+1 +1d6 blood drain
Special: +2 saves vs. Magical attacks
Movement: 30’
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: F5
Morale: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Tenatz are lone vampires. They cannot make more of their own kind and it is rare to see more than one in an area.
Tenatz are turned as mummies.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
A to Z of Vampires: Soucouyant
Let's head to the Caribbean now, in particular Trinidad. Here we find the shape-shifting, vampiric hag, the Soucouyant.
In game terms the Soucouyant could either be a hag, a fey, a vampire, or something else entirely. Today I want to look at how she is a vampire since there are some definitely undead characteristics to her.
The Soucouyant by day appears much as she did in life, an ugly, ancient old crone. By night though she removes her skin (much like a Boo-Hag) and turns into a floating ball of fire. Here she flies around looking for small cracks in peoples homes. She resumes human shape, albeit skinless. She sucks blood from their arms and legs, leaving behind blue marks. She then uses this blood for her magic.
In her fireball form, similar to a Will-0-Wisp or Feu Follet, she is powerless to attack save by blood drain. If attacked she will speed away to her skin, which she keep in a motar. To identify the Soucouyant the next morning look for the old woman covered in bruises.
In her human form she can cast spells as a witch. Her true strengths are her magic and her ability to summon lycanthropes, Loogaroo (a type of werewolf).
To prevent her from entering your home you must leave a pile of rice on the ground or at the local crossroads, which she will be compelled to count. If she is still counting rice when the sun rises she will be destroyed. Also if her skin can be found fill the insides with salt. She will not be able to don her skin and die when the sun rises. The skin of a dead Soucouyant is prized by wizards for it's magical effects.
Game Stats
For Pathfinder a Soucouyant is any hag that the vampire template has been applied to.
Basic Era Games
Soucouyant
Armor Class
- Human form: 7 [12]
- Skinless: 9 [10]
- Fireball form: 2 [17]
Hit Dice: 9d8+9** (50 hp)
No. of Attacks/Damage
- Human form: witch spells only
- Skinless: Blood drain 1 Con point
- Fireball form: 1d6 fire damage on touch
Special Qualities: Dark vision 60’, Iron Vulnerability, Summon 1d4 werewolves (loogaroo)
Movement: 40’
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: Witch 10
Morale: 9
Treasure: 6d6 CP, 0 SP, 2d8 GP, Gems: 50% 1d8, Magic 50% any 1d6, 2 potions
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
The Soucouyant can cast spells and use occult powers as if she were a witch of 7th level of the Demonic Tradition.
A loogaroo is local type of werewolf. They are solitary and can change to large wolf like creatures on the command of the Soucouyant.
The blood drain of the Soucouyant does 1 of Constitution damage. She can only do this while the victim is asleep.
A throwback to their hag/fey origins the Soucouyant is vulnerable to damage from "cold" iron weapons, taking an extra +2 to all damage.
The Soucouyant by day appears much as she did in life, an ugly, ancient old crone. By night though she removes her skin (much like a Boo-Hag) and turns into a floating ball of fire. Here she flies around looking for small cracks in peoples homes. She resumes human shape, albeit skinless. She sucks blood from their arms and legs, leaving behind blue marks. She then uses this blood for her magic.
In her fireball form, similar to a Will-0-Wisp or Feu Follet, she is powerless to attack save by blood drain. If attacked she will speed away to her skin, which she keep in a motar. To identify the Soucouyant the next morning look for the old woman covered in bruises.
In her human form she can cast spells as a witch. Her true strengths are her magic and her ability to summon lycanthropes, Loogaroo (a type of werewolf).
To prevent her from entering your home you must leave a pile of rice on the ground or at the local crossroads, which she will be compelled to count. If she is still counting rice when the sun rises she will be destroyed. Also if her skin can be found fill the insides with salt. She will not be able to don her skin and die when the sun rises. The skin of a dead Soucouyant is prized by wizards for it's magical effects.
Game Stats
For Pathfinder a Soucouyant is any hag that the vampire template has been applied to.
Basic Era Games
Soucouyant
- Human form: 7 [12]
- Skinless: 9 [10]
- Fireball form: 2 [17]
Hit Dice: 9d8+9** (50 hp)
No. of Attacks/Damage
- Human form: witch spells only
- Skinless: Blood drain 1 Con point
- Fireball form: 1d6 fire damage on touch
Special Qualities: Dark vision 60’, Iron Vulnerability, Summon 1d4 werewolves (loogaroo)
Movement: 40’
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: Witch 10
Morale: 9
Treasure: 6d6 CP, 0 SP, 2d8 GP, Gems: 50% 1d8, Magic 50% any 1d6, 2 potions
Alignment: Chaotic (evil)
The Soucouyant can cast spells and use occult powers as if she were a witch of 7th level of the Demonic Tradition.
A loogaroo is local type of werewolf. They are solitary and can change to large wolf like creatures on the command of the Soucouyant.
The blood drain of the Soucouyant does 1 of Constitution damage. She can only do this while the victim is asleep.
A throwback to their hag/fey origins the Soucouyant is vulnerable to damage from "cold" iron weapons, taking an extra +2 to all damage.
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
D6 Dracula
David Baymiller, blogger and owner of The OSR Library, has been doing a lot of posts about the D6 system.
I am planning on doing something with D6 over the summer (been working on it for a bit), but this is too good not to share now.
He has stated up Dracula for the D6 system.
http://theosrlibrary.blogspot.com/2015/04/d6-supernatural-monsters-not-show.html
Have a look.
I am planning on doing something with D6 over the summer (been working on it for a bit), but this is too good not to share now.
He has stated up Dracula for the D6 system.
http://theosrlibrary.blogspot.com/2015/04/d6-supernatural-monsters-not-show.html
Have a look.
A to Z of Vampires: Rolang
The Rolang is the mysterious vampire of Tibet. The name "rolang" literally means "the corpse that got up" or "the rising corpse". It is believed that if the proper funeral rites are not performed then a spirit can re-enter the body and a rolang is formed. There is also another, more sinister form of rolang, the demonic, that is created when a sorcerer (witch or necromancer) performs a rite to attach a demonic spirit to the body.
Rolang
Rolangs come in two varieties. The Personal rolang has it's own spirit attached, the Demonic rolang instead has a demonic spirit.
The personal rolang rises up from improper burial rites. It is stiff, unable to bend it's joints very well and it walks with a strange straight legged gait like a zombie. Thus it is not very fast. It can not speak at all. It will make it's way home to be with family. It can't enter the home, but must be brought in. If so it will begin to drain Wisdom from everyone in the home at the rate of 1 point per night. Once a victim reaches 0 points of wisdom they will die. When everyone is dead the rolang will leave the home and attack anyone it sees. It can only use the wisdom draining effect on their own family.
The demonic rolang is much the same save that a demonic spirit is now inhabiting the body. The demonic rolang is a bit more agile but it still can not bend at the waist. Many homes in fact have low entrances requiring a person to bow or duck to enter to keep rolangs out. Unlike the personal rolang the demonic rolang can talk. Also the demonic rolang drains blood in the form of Constitution points (2 per night) instead of Wisdom. The demonic rolang will attempt to drain as many people as possible. Victims killed by a rolang become a personal rolang under control of the demonic one. In this case when a demonic rolang is dicovered there is a 30% chance that there will be 2-12 (2d6) personal rolang in operation at the same time. An entire village or town could be over run with them.
Both types of rolang appear to be walking corpses with long black claws. Often their tongue protrudes from their mouth as a corpses might. They have long fangs and will attack with them for biting damage. A demonic rolang can not drain unless they get a "critical hit" (a natural roll of 19 or 20) with a bite. At that point they will also drain 2 points of Con in addition to normal biting damage.
Method of destruction.
To destroy either type of rolang a shaman (cleric or priest) must hold down the rolang and remove it's tongue. The tongue is then burned to ashes while praying. If done correctly the body of the rolang will turn to gold. The gold must then be divided among the church and the family of the rolang. PCs destroying the rolang should expect 1000 gp for a personal rolang and 5000 gp for a demonic.
Rolangs are kept at bay by a salt line, burning incense, or by laying out a line of rice.
Rolangs are not destroyed by sunlight as are other vampires, but they become unable to move and the sunlight reveals them for what they truly are.
Notably the rolang have a weakness that is almost unique among the undead. If knocked over they can not get up. Rolang are very strong and knocking them over is difficult. Personal rolang have a strength of 18 and demonic rolang have a strength of 20. They must be knocked completely prone. At this point they are helpless.
Rolang
| Personal | Demonic | |
| Armor Class: | 7 [12] | 3 [16] |
| Hit Dice: | 7*+3 (35 hp) | 10*+5 (50 hp) |
| No. of Attacks: | 2 claw, 1 bite; | 2 claw, 1 bite or weapon |
| Damage: | 1d6/1d6/1d4 | 1d6/1d6/1d4 |
| Special: | Wisdom Drain | Con Drain |
| Movement: | 20' | 30' |
| No. Appearing: | 1 (or 2-12) | 1 |
| Save As: | Monster 8 | Monster 11 |
| Morale: | 9 | 11 |
| Treasure Type: | see below | see below |
| Alignment: | Chaotic (Neutral) | Chaotic (Evil) |
| XP: | by system | by system |
The personal rolang rises up from improper burial rites. It is stiff, unable to bend it's joints very well and it walks with a strange straight legged gait like a zombie. Thus it is not very fast. It can not speak at all. It will make it's way home to be with family. It can't enter the home, but must be brought in. If so it will begin to drain Wisdom from everyone in the home at the rate of 1 point per night. Once a victim reaches 0 points of wisdom they will die. When everyone is dead the rolang will leave the home and attack anyone it sees. It can only use the wisdom draining effect on their own family.
The demonic rolang is much the same save that a demonic spirit is now inhabiting the body. The demonic rolang is a bit more agile but it still can not bend at the waist. Many homes in fact have low entrances requiring a person to bow or duck to enter to keep rolangs out. Unlike the personal rolang the demonic rolang can talk. Also the demonic rolang drains blood in the form of Constitution points (2 per night) instead of Wisdom. The demonic rolang will attempt to drain as many people as possible. Victims killed by a rolang become a personal rolang under control of the demonic one. In this case when a demonic rolang is dicovered there is a 30% chance that there will be 2-12 (2d6) personal rolang in operation at the same time. An entire village or town could be over run with them.
Both types of rolang appear to be walking corpses with long black claws. Often their tongue protrudes from their mouth as a corpses might. They have long fangs and will attack with them for biting damage. A demonic rolang can not drain unless they get a "critical hit" (a natural roll of 19 or 20) with a bite. At that point they will also drain 2 points of Con in addition to normal biting damage.
Method of destruction.
To destroy either type of rolang a shaman (cleric or priest) must hold down the rolang and remove it's tongue. The tongue is then burned to ashes while praying. If done correctly the body of the rolang will turn to gold. The gold must then be divided among the church and the family of the rolang. PCs destroying the rolang should expect 1000 gp for a personal rolang and 5000 gp for a demonic.
Rolangs are kept at bay by a salt line, burning incense, or by laying out a line of rice.
Rolangs are not destroyed by sunlight as are other vampires, but they become unable to move and the sunlight reveals them for what they truly are.
Notably the rolang have a weakness that is almost unique among the undead. If knocked over they can not get up. Rolang are very strong and knocking them over is difficult. Personal rolang have a strength of 18 and demonic rolang have a strength of 20. They must be knocked completely prone. At this point they are helpless.
Monday, April 20, 2015
A to Z of Vampires: Vampire Queen
Something a little different today. I want to talk about the Queen of the Vampires and her relationship with my gaming. BTW, there is a "Q" Vampire, but only one I have found. The Quaxates is a vampire from Mexico that makes women cry before they feed on them. That is all I have been able to find.
Last year I did Witch Queen but there is a longer history of Vampire Queens in gaming.
The first Vampire Queen was also the very first published adventure for D&D back in the early, early days of 1976. Palace of the Vampire Queen was written by Pete and Judy Kerestan. I should also note that the very first published adventure was also co-written by woman; so yes women have always been a vital part of this hobby.
This adventure was always something of a holy grail for me. I knew about it, but had only seen bits and pieces. I didn't know much more than it was the first published adventure and it was really, really rare. Sites like the Acaeum helped fill in the blanks. Copies are still very rare, but I managed to score a couple of official reprints from Pacesetter. As well as the sequels Crypts of the Living and Castle Blood.
I have run the original PotVQ before and it was great fun. The adventure is so barebones by even the standards of the early 80s that it is easy to use anywhere. The next two are more "story" driven. I have run Castle Blood, but it didn't quite live up to the promise of the Vampire Queen.
Personally I would like to take all three and recraft them into something else. Keep the Vampire Queen elements of course, but introduce some more background.
Hitting that nostalgia feeling hard is another adventure, The Hanging Coffins of the Vampire Queen. This adventure, written by Mark Taormino might be an homage to the first Palace of the Vampire Queen adventure, but it is more likely an homage to those meat-grinder, total-party kill, fun-house dungeons of the late 70s early 80s. There is a basic plot here, enough to get you in the door and moving along, but really this adventure is about killing things and avoiding getting killed. Example, in one of your first encounters you have to run a gauntlet and get past a bunch of fire giants. Eight of them. And their hell hound pets. This is "room 1". It is downhill from there. It has demons and other vampires in the wander monster table. Liches, demons, succubi, greater devils, nearly 50 vampires in total, tons of other monsters and of course the Queen herself, Lady Neeblack.
This is not an adventure to challenge the resolve of hardy role-players. This is an adventure to survive and leave a trail of bodies behind you. It is old-school, but old-school through the eyes of 40-somethings looking back on their times as teens.
The adventure itself has a great lead in to get you interested, but that is just the carrot on a stick, most people buying and playing this module are going to want to jump right in. Another example (this is not a spoiler), you are captured by Lady Neeblack and told you have to run through her crypts for her amusement. The conceit is the characters will feel coerced into doing this, so they slide down a passage to the previously mentioned Fire Giants. In truth my players wanted to jump in like they were doing a dive at the pool.
Though to claim people will play this for nostalgia reasons is completely unfair. Mark did a great job of this. The rooms are detailed and what detail! There are interesting encounters and Lady Neeblack herself should really move up the ranks as one of the more memorable NPCs ever. In fact I am hoping that she comes back for a sequel sometime soon. Just like a good Hammer villain she should find ways to come back from the dead. +Mark Taormino, this needs to happen.
The text of the book is big, easy to read and despite the "old school" claims still has boxed text to read (screw you Grognards! I still like boxed text even when I don't use it.) Each room is unique and feels like it belongs. Plus the "Hanging Coffins" themselves are the coolest idea in vampire graves since the Lost Boys.
The proof of any adventure is not in the reading, but in the playing. So I played it. It rocked.
Now the game is designed for OSRIC, but can played with 1st or 2nd Ed AD&D. I played it with 5th Edition D&D. I just replaced the monsters and made a character sheet for Lady Neeblack. I ran the same group of people that I had taken through the original Palace of the Vampire Queen and we all treated it as an unofficial sequel. I worked out well enough. We all had fun, but if this module reads as a deathtrap on paper it's a killer in the playing. So make of that what you like.
Personally I would love to run it again using AD&D1.
In any case this is one of those adventures that will have your players talking for a long time.
One I would like to take all these and combine them in a longer campaign, or part of a campaign.
Last year I did Witch Queen but there is a longer history of Vampire Queens in gaming.
The first Vampire Queen was also the very first published adventure for D&D back in the early, early days of 1976. Palace of the Vampire Queen was written by Pete and Judy Kerestan. I should also note that the very first published adventure was also co-written by woman; so yes women have always been a vital part of this hobby.
This adventure was always something of a holy grail for me. I knew about it, but had only seen bits and pieces. I didn't know much more than it was the first published adventure and it was really, really rare. Sites like the Acaeum helped fill in the blanks. Copies are still very rare, but I managed to score a couple of official reprints from Pacesetter. As well as the sequels Crypts of the Living and Castle Blood.
I have run the original PotVQ before and it was great fun. The adventure is so barebones by even the standards of the early 80s that it is easy to use anywhere. The next two are more "story" driven. I have run Castle Blood, but it didn't quite live up to the promise of the Vampire Queen.
Personally I would like to take all three and recraft them into something else. Keep the Vampire Queen elements of course, but introduce some more background.
This is not an adventure to challenge the resolve of hardy role-players. This is an adventure to survive and leave a trail of bodies behind you. It is old-school, but old-school through the eyes of 40-somethings looking back on their times as teens.
The adventure itself has a great lead in to get you interested, but that is just the carrot on a stick, most people buying and playing this module are going to want to jump right in. Another example (this is not a spoiler), you are captured by Lady Neeblack and told you have to run through her crypts for her amusement. The conceit is the characters will feel coerced into doing this, so they slide down a passage to the previously mentioned Fire Giants. In truth my players wanted to jump in like they were doing a dive at the pool.
Though to claim people will play this for nostalgia reasons is completely unfair. Mark did a great job of this. The rooms are detailed and what detail! There are interesting encounters and Lady Neeblack herself should really move up the ranks as one of the more memorable NPCs ever. In fact I am hoping that she comes back for a sequel sometime soon. Just like a good Hammer villain she should find ways to come back from the dead. +Mark Taormino, this needs to happen.
The text of the book is big, easy to read and despite the "old school" claims still has boxed text to read (screw you Grognards! I still like boxed text even when I don't use it.) Each room is unique and feels like it belongs. Plus the "Hanging Coffins" themselves are the coolest idea in vampire graves since the Lost Boys.
The proof of any adventure is not in the reading, but in the playing. So I played it. It rocked.
Now the game is designed for OSRIC, but can played with 1st or 2nd Ed AD&D. I played it with 5th Edition D&D. I just replaced the monsters and made a character sheet for Lady Neeblack. I ran the same group of people that I had taken through the original Palace of the Vampire Queen and we all treated it as an unofficial sequel. I worked out well enough. We all had fun, but if this module reads as a deathtrap on paper it's a killer in the playing. So make of that what you like.
Personally I would love to run it again using AD&D1.
In any case this is one of those adventures that will have your players talking for a long time.
One I would like to take all these and combine them in a longer campaign, or part of a campaign.
Saturday, April 18, 2015
A to Z of Vampires: Pĕnanggalan
I am flipping through this book full of weird monsters and I see this crazy looking flying head with it's guts hanging out. Turns out it is also a vampire! I had no idea there were any other types of vampires.
Lots of research later, which in 1982 meant getting on my bike and riding to the public library, I discovered there were all sorts of vampires out there. But this is the first one I discovered.
What got me most about the Pĕnanggalan in the Fiend Folio was how much like a vampire it wasn't, save for the sucking of blood. It was just a weird creature and I liked it.
What I also like was that this was one of the first vampires I read about that made a link between vampires and witches, two of my favorite topics.
The Pathfinder game has a Pĕnanggalan witch.
The Pĕnanggalan comes from Malaysian folklore and may be distantly related to the Aswang.
Pĕnanggalan (Vampire) (S&W stats)
Hit Dice: 8 (see below)
Armor Class 2[17];
Attacks: 1 bite (1d6 + blood drain);
Move: 12 (Fly 12);
Save: 8
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 11/1700;
Special: Immune to non-magic weapons, regenerate (3/round), charm gaze, drain 1d4 Constitution points per bite.
The pĕnanggalan head will take 4 HD worth of damage (half what the full creature has) before it flies back to it's body in retreat.
To drain Constitution the pĕnanggalan must attack a victim she has charmed or is sleeping, she can not drain constitution in a combat situation. Male drained to 0 Con become Ghouls under her control. Females drained to 0 Con become pĕnanggalan, but free of being controlled. For this reason pĕnanggalan attack males most times.
The pĕnanggalan will look like a normal woman during the daylight hours. Any attempts at divination (ESP, Know Alignment) will reveal she is a normal woman. Once the sun sets she will retire to a secret place where her head will rise out of her body and fly out in search of blood. Her lair will be protected from the sun and will also contain jugs of vinegar. The pĕnanggalan must soak her organs in vinegar before she can return to her own body after a night's feeding.
The pĕnanggalan can use her charm ability during the day to charm men. If they fail their save she will return to them at night and drain their blood. The men will believe they had an amorous encounter with the woman. Typically the pĕnanggalan will have charmed several men and spread out her feedings so not to spread suspicion when they start to die.
The pĕnanggalan must return to vinegar jugs before dawn. If sunlight strikes her organs she will be paralyzed. If she remains in the sunlight for 10 round she will destroyed.
Likewise running water will destroy her and a line of salt will keep her at bay.
To destroy a pĕnanggalan you must discover her lair and destroy her vinegar jugs and burn her headless body.
The most common remedy prescribed to protect against a pĕnanggalan attack is to scatter the thorny leaves of any of the subspecies of a local plant known as Mengkuang, which has sharp thorny leaves and would either trap or injure the exposed lungs, stomach and intestines of the pĕnanggalan as it flies in search of its prey
Friday, April 17, 2015
Friday Night Videos: Vampire Music The 90s
The early 90s were a great time for Vampires. Think it is good now? Back then in the RPG scene we had White Wolf's Vampire the Masquerade, Chill 2nd edition, Ravenloft and plenty of other games. We even had one of my most favorite Rifts books ever, Vampire Kingdoms.
We also had singers like Suzanne Vega with her "Blood Makes Noise". Suzanne Vega also kinda looks like a vampire.
That the one song that always got me in the mood to do some writing or run a game was Faith No More's The Morning After from their epic album The Real Thing.
Sinéad O'Connor's second album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got was without a doubt the most anticipated album of 1990. Well. At least by me. In 1988 I discovered Sinéad and The Lion and The Cobra. My best friend at the time and I blew off class to pick it up. I later bought her a copy of the EP of I Am Stretched on Your Grave. It became one of my favorite songs on the album.
Was the woman singing the vampire in this? Or was the grave she was lying on? (yeah I know it a song about a woman talking to her dead mother, but vampires worked better for me).
That best friend? Yeah I ended up marrying her five years later.
Another artist that isn't normally associated with vampire or the 90s is Thomas Dolby. Many remember Dolby from "She Blinded Me With Science", but he had a number of later released that were critically praised but not great sellers. One was 1989's Aliens Ate My Buick with the haunting "Budapest By Blimp" a song I always thought was about a vampire returning to his ancestral home to only be sad by how much it had changed.
Dolby does have street cred when it comes to Gothic Horror. He worked on the soundtrack for the movie Gothic which recounts the tale of Lord Byron, John Polidori, Percy and Mary Shelly. A weird little movie from the guy that gave us Lair of the White Worm, starring the Warlock, Wormtail., the guy who almost survived Keyser Söze, and the Handmaid.
In the early 90s nothing was bigger than Concrete Blonde. I remember seeing them opening up for Sting on the last leg of his Soul Cages tour. "Tomorrow Wendy" might not be a song about vampires, but it oozes pathos and thanatos. Frankly it captured those early days of Vampire the Masquerade perfectly.
A to Z of Vampires: Ovegua
Note: This is my A to Z Challenge post for O. If you are looking for my S&W Appreciation Day post, go here.
Let's head back to Africa today, in particular to visit Guinea, Africa and their local pest the Ovegua.
The Ovegua is actually very similar to a lot of creatures, Asanbosam, Owenga, Ovengwa, Otgiruru and many more found in West Africa. They all likely share some linguistic root.
This creature is created when a sorcerer or witch is killed. It can take the shape of a dog and has hooks for hands, or sometimes hooks for feet. The Ovegua will hang out in forests at night and call out to a victim by name. If the victim answers them the vampire will then target them by sucking blood through their thumb. During the day they hide in dark caves.
Ovegua has all the standard weaknesses of all vampires. They can not cross running water, sunlight destroys them and religious items keep them at bay.
To destroy one you must locate it's cave. Nail it to the ground and burn the body to ashes.
The Ovegua can shapeshift to a wild dog and mist. It has two claws and a bite attack. It's drain attack drains 1 point of Constitution per night; regardless of number of attacks. It can only drain sleeping victims, not in combat. It is only a little stronger than the average human (Str 14) but not much faster. Ovegua would be a weak vampire but it retains some of the knowledge it had as a sorcerer. It can cast spells as a 3rd level witch. Additionally it only regenerates 1 hp/round vs. the typical 3.
Since today is Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day, here he is in S&W format.
Ovegua (Vampire)
Hit Dice: 7
Armor Class: 2 [17]
Attacks: Bite (1d6 + CON drain)
Saving Throw: 9
Special: vampire powers, witch spells
Move: 12
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 7 HD (9/1,100)
Let's head back to Africa today, in particular to visit Guinea, Africa and their local pest the Ovegua.
The Ovegua is actually very similar to a lot of creatures, Asanbosam, Owenga, Ovengwa, Otgiruru and many more found in West Africa. They all likely share some linguistic root.
This creature is created when a sorcerer or witch is killed. It can take the shape of a dog and has hooks for hands, or sometimes hooks for feet. The Ovegua will hang out in forests at night and call out to a victim by name. If the victim answers them the vampire will then target them by sucking blood through their thumb. During the day they hide in dark caves.
Ovegua has all the standard weaknesses of all vampires. They can not cross running water, sunlight destroys them and religious items keep them at bay.
To destroy one you must locate it's cave. Nail it to the ground and burn the body to ashes.
The Ovegua can shapeshift to a wild dog and mist. It has two claws and a bite attack. It's drain attack drains 1 point of Constitution per night; regardless of number of attacks. It can only drain sleeping victims, not in combat. It is only a little stronger than the average human (Str 14) but not much faster. Ovegua would be a weak vampire but it retains some of the knowledge it had as a sorcerer. It can cast spells as a 3rd level witch. Additionally it only regenerates 1 hp/round vs. the typical 3.
Since today is Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day, here he is in S&W format.
Ovegua (Vampire)
Hit Dice: 7
Armor Class: 2 [17]
Attacks: Bite (1d6 + CON drain)
Saving Throw: 9
Special: vampire powers, witch spells
Move: 12
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 7 HD (9/1,100)
Thursday, April 16, 2015
A to Z of Vampires: Nosferatu
So it has been asked a few times on this challenge "Are there any ugly vampires?" Germany responds with a resounding "Ja!"
I give you the Nosferatu!
The "Nosferat" originally came from Central and Eastern Europe and described a beautiful vampire that was more akin to the Moroi. That all changed in 1922 when F. W. Murnau released his unauthorized version of Dracula on film called "Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens" or "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror".
Vampires had entered the cinema and the world was never quite the same.
The Nosferatu, Count Orlock played Max Schreck, was nothing like the vampires of today. He was ugly, had long rat-like teeth, was bald with pointed ears; in short he looked like the walking dead. He spread plague and death. Women did not fawn and swoon over him, they were horrified and repulsed.
So effective was this film that you can still see elements of it in modern day vampire films. Everything from the look of Radu in "Subspecies" to how shadows move in "Bram Stoker's Dracula" and countless others. The movie was remade in 1979 with Klaus Kinski in the title role and 2000s "Shadow of the Vampire" starring John Malkovich as Murnau and Willem Dafoe as Max Schreck.
In games the Nosferatu has taken on an unlife of it's own. It is one of the more iconic clans of the Vampire: The Masquerade game and it was one of the first vampire sub-species in Ravenloft.
Nosferatu
Armor Class: 2 [17]
Hit Dice: 9d8+9** (50 hp)
No. of Attacks: claw/claw/bite
Damage: 1d6+4/1d6+4/1d4+1 + CON drain
Special: Constitution Drain, Cause Fear, Summon Plague, Summon Rats
Movement: 30’
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: F10
Morale: 11
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
XP: 7,200
The Nosferatu is a subtype of the vampire. It is turned like a vampire and has all the same strengths and weaknesses.
Though the Nosferatu has a few additional abilities.
The Nosferatu looks pale, and withered. He also has almost rat or bat like look to him. His fingers and ears are elongated. A Nosferatu can never pass of anything other than the walking corpse he is.
Nosferatu can not turn into wolves or bats like other vampires, but instead can become a swarm of rats. Each rat of the swarm is part of a collective mind, so killing one will not destroy the creature. In fact even if all are destroyed save one the creature will reform.
Additionally Nosferatu can summon 10d100 (10-1000) normal rats to his aid or 2d20 (2-40) plague stricken rats (save vs. disease).
Like some vampires the Nosferatu can be held in place by a line of salt. A ring of salt around the Nosferatu will trap it.
Nosferatu are more sensitive to sunlight and will die with even the briefest exposure (1 round). They are effected by a Light spell as if it were Continual Light. Their vision in darkness is 180' and they see as well in complete darkness as humans can in twilight.
Nosferatu gorge themselves preferring not to waste time with luring prey. Once they attach themselves to a victim they will drain them on blood (Constitution points) till they are dead. A Nosferatu concentrating on feed (ie not in combat) can drain 3 points of Con per turn. In combat situations they can only drain 1d4+1 HP of blood per round, but they do not find this satisfying.
Nosferatu are all very strong (Strength = 18) despite their thin, corpse-like visages.
I give you the Nosferatu!
The "Nosferat" originally came from Central and Eastern Europe and described a beautiful vampire that was more akin to the Moroi. That all changed in 1922 when F. W. Murnau released his unauthorized version of Dracula on film called "Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens" or "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror".
Vampires had entered the cinema and the world was never quite the same.
The Nosferatu, Count Orlock played Max Schreck, was nothing like the vampires of today. He was ugly, had long rat-like teeth, was bald with pointed ears; in short he looked like the walking dead. He spread plague and death. Women did not fawn and swoon over him, they were horrified and repulsed.
So effective was this film that you can still see elements of it in modern day vampire films. Everything from the look of Radu in "Subspecies" to how shadows move in "Bram Stoker's Dracula" and countless others. The movie was remade in 1979 with Klaus Kinski in the title role and 2000s "Shadow of the Vampire" starring John Malkovich as Murnau and Willem Dafoe as Max Schreck.
In games the Nosferatu has taken on an unlife of it's own. It is one of the more iconic clans of the Vampire: The Masquerade game and it was one of the first vampire sub-species in Ravenloft.
Armor Class: 2 [17]
Hit Dice: 9d8+9** (50 hp)
No. of Attacks: claw/claw/bite
Damage: 1d6+4/1d6+4/1d4+1 + CON drain
Special: Constitution Drain, Cause Fear, Summon Plague, Summon Rats
Movement: 30’
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: F10
Morale: 11
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
XP: 7,200
The Nosferatu is a subtype of the vampire. It is turned like a vampire and has all the same strengths and weaknesses.
Though the Nosferatu has a few additional abilities.
The Nosferatu looks pale, and withered. He also has almost rat or bat like look to him. His fingers and ears are elongated. A Nosferatu can never pass of anything other than the walking corpse he is.
Nosferatu can not turn into wolves or bats like other vampires, but instead can become a swarm of rats. Each rat of the swarm is part of a collective mind, so killing one will not destroy the creature. In fact even if all are destroyed save one the creature will reform.
Additionally Nosferatu can summon 10d100 (10-1000) normal rats to his aid or 2d20 (2-40) plague stricken rats (save vs. disease).
Like some vampires the Nosferatu can be held in place by a line of salt. A ring of salt around the Nosferatu will trap it.
Nosferatu are more sensitive to sunlight and will die with even the briefest exposure (1 round). They are effected by a Light spell as if it were Continual Light. Their vision in darkness is 180' and they see as well in complete darkness as humans can in twilight.
Nosferatu gorge themselves preferring not to waste time with luring prey. Once they attach themselves to a victim they will drain them on blood (Constitution points) till they are dead. A Nosferatu concentrating on feed (ie not in combat) can drain 3 points of Con per turn. In combat situations they can only drain 1d4+1 HP of blood per round, but they do not find this satisfying.
Nosferatu are all very strong (Strength = 18) despite their thin, corpse-like visages.
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
A to Z of Vampires: Moroi
The Moroi (male) and the Moroaica (female) are "living" vampires from the legends of Rumania. Living, because despite some overt vampire like traits they are living, breathing people and can be harmed or even killed like everyone else.
Legends abound on the how a Moroi is born and what makes them different from a Dhampir. With a Dhampir the mother must be human and the father a vampire. For the Moroi both parents are living. According to some accounts a Moroi is created when a baby is born with a caul or a vestigial tail. In other legends a Moroi is the result of an incestous relationship. Of course a Moroi can also be the product of two Moroi.
On their death Moroi will become a vampire, a Strigoi. This is actually pretty close to the separation between the Living and Dead vampires in the Hollows Series by Kim Harrison and even the Vampire Academy books by Richelle Mead.
In the Pathfinder RPG, the Moroi are a type of Dhampir race. That race has a lot going on, I tend to like something a little simpler.
Moroi Race
The Moroi are a race with the blood of ancient vampires in their veins. Some speculate that the Moroi came first and vampires followed after their deaths. Still others claim that the vampires were always first and they perverted the Moroi to their current state.
Once the Moroi had a great empire with the undead Strigoi at the top of their ranks and thousands of human slaves. This empire has long been overthrown and destroyed but Moroi remain. Many of the living Moroi know of this history and act as if they still were the royalty they once were.
Physical Description: Pale, tall and thin, Moroi look like humans carved from marble or ivory. Their features are sharp but fine. Thier limbs and fingers are long and look delicate, but are deft and fast. They are all physically attractive, cultured and refined despite what their true upbringing might have been. Despite their loss of power and position Moroi families are still quite wealthy.
Males tend to be 5'11" to 6'9" though only weighing 110lbs to 160lbs. Females are 5'7" to 6'2" weighing 100lbs to 140lbs. So quite thin indeed.
Skin tones are universally pale. Hair color tends to be black for both males and females. Some Moroi families have been known to have an occasional red head or platinum blonde. These births are a great omen. Eye color also tends to be pale though some are born with black irises and others red.
Moroi reach maturity at 16 years of age and live approximately 120 years. Most are able to pass as human or sometimes half-elf.
Moroi are cross-fertile with humans and half-elves with Moroi traits being dominant over 3 generations. Moroi however find such matings beneath their status and they generally prefer their own kind. Intermarriage of cousins in Moroi society is common and acceptable.
Standard Racial Traits (3rd Era Games)
Ability Score Racial Traits: Moroi are quick, graceful and always charming, but somehow appear to be thin and underfed. They gain +2 Charisma, +2 Dexterity, and –2 Constitution.
Size: Moroi are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Type: Moroi are humanoids with the Moroi subtype.
Base Speed: Moroi have a base speed of 30 feet.
Languages: Moroi begin play speaking Common and Moroi. Moroi is an ancient language understood by all vampires. They may learn other languages based on their Intelligence and Linguistics skill
Senses: Moroi have Darkvison to 60'
Undead Resistance: Moroi gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease and mind-affecting effects. This resistance also works against the Moroi in terms of magical healing. Any spell or spell like affect that heals will take a penalty of -1 hp. Ex. If a Cure Light Wounds spell would normally heal 3hp of damage, it would only heal 2hp on a Moroi. This includes the Laying on Hands ability and potions. It is possible for a result of 0hp to occur.
Favored Classes: The Moroi favors classes that allow it to use their innate magical abilities such as Bard, Sorcerer and Warlock. Moroi Sorcerers are typically of an Undead or Vampire bloodine. Moroi Warlocks typically are Death Pact warlocks.
Alignment: Morio tend towards Chaos and Evil as a race, but individuals can be of any alignment. Lawful Good Moroi, while not unheard of, are rare.
Basic and Advanced Era Games
Moroi have a minimum Charisma score of 14 and a minimum Dexterity of 12. Their maximum Constitution is 16.
A moroi character of can opt to be a fighter (maximum of 9th level), a thief, an assassin (maximum of 10th level) or a witch (maximum 13th level). An moroi character can also be multi-classed, i.e. a fighter/witch, a fighter/thief, a witch/thief, or a fighter/witch/thief. Thief can be substituted for assassin where appropriate.
Moroi characters have a 90% resistance to sleep and charm spells (if these spells are cost upon them a percentile dice roll of 91% or better is required to allow the magic any chance of having an effect, and even then the saving throw against spells is allowed versus the charm spell).
Moroi have the ability to see into the infra-red spectrum, so they are able to see up to 60' in darkness, noting varying degrees of heat radiation.
As has been shown previously, moroi characters add a bonus of +1 to their initial dexterity score. Likewise, as moroi are not as sturdy as humans, they deduct 1 from their initial constitution score.
Moroi as a Class (Basic Era)
Moroi generally follow the example of the Elf class. instead of magic-user spells the moroi use witch spells.
Legends abound on the how a Moroi is born and what makes them different from a Dhampir. With a Dhampir the mother must be human and the father a vampire. For the Moroi both parents are living. According to some accounts a Moroi is created when a baby is born with a caul or a vestigial tail. In other legends a Moroi is the result of an incestous relationship. Of course a Moroi can also be the product of two Moroi.
On their death Moroi will become a vampire, a Strigoi. This is actually pretty close to the separation between the Living and Dead vampires in the Hollows Series by Kim Harrison and even the Vampire Academy books by Richelle Mead.
In the Pathfinder RPG, the Moroi are a type of Dhampir race. That race has a lot going on, I tend to like something a little simpler.
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| Moroi by Diana Martinez |
The Moroi are a race with the blood of ancient vampires in their veins. Some speculate that the Moroi came first and vampires followed after their deaths. Still others claim that the vampires were always first and they perverted the Moroi to their current state.
Once the Moroi had a great empire with the undead Strigoi at the top of their ranks and thousands of human slaves. This empire has long been overthrown and destroyed but Moroi remain. Many of the living Moroi know of this history and act as if they still were the royalty they once were.
Physical Description: Pale, tall and thin, Moroi look like humans carved from marble or ivory. Their features are sharp but fine. Thier limbs and fingers are long and look delicate, but are deft and fast. They are all physically attractive, cultured and refined despite what their true upbringing might have been. Despite their loss of power and position Moroi families are still quite wealthy.
Males tend to be 5'11" to 6'9" though only weighing 110lbs to 160lbs. Females are 5'7" to 6'2" weighing 100lbs to 140lbs. So quite thin indeed.
Skin tones are universally pale. Hair color tends to be black for both males and females. Some Moroi families have been known to have an occasional red head or platinum blonde. These births are a great omen. Eye color also tends to be pale though some are born with black irises and others red.
Moroi reach maturity at 16 years of age and live approximately 120 years. Most are able to pass as human or sometimes half-elf.
Moroi are cross-fertile with humans and half-elves with Moroi traits being dominant over 3 generations. Moroi however find such matings beneath their status and they generally prefer their own kind. Intermarriage of cousins in Moroi society is common and acceptable.
Standard Racial Traits (3rd Era Games)
Ability Score Racial Traits: Moroi are quick, graceful and always charming, but somehow appear to be thin and underfed. They gain +2 Charisma, +2 Dexterity, and –2 Constitution.
Size: Moroi are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Type: Moroi are humanoids with the Moroi subtype.
Base Speed: Moroi have a base speed of 30 feet.
Languages: Moroi begin play speaking Common and Moroi. Moroi is an ancient language understood by all vampires. They may learn other languages based on their Intelligence and Linguistics skill
Senses: Moroi have Darkvison to 60'
Undead Resistance: Moroi gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease and mind-affecting effects. This resistance also works against the Moroi in terms of magical healing. Any spell or spell like affect that heals will take a penalty of -1 hp. Ex. If a Cure Light Wounds spell would normally heal 3hp of damage, it would only heal 2hp on a Moroi. This includes the Laying on Hands ability and potions. It is possible for a result of 0hp to occur.
Favored Classes: The Moroi favors classes that allow it to use their innate magical abilities such as Bard, Sorcerer and Warlock. Moroi Sorcerers are typically of an Undead or Vampire bloodine. Moroi Warlocks typically are Death Pact warlocks.
Alignment: Morio tend towards Chaos and Evil as a race, but individuals can be of any alignment. Lawful Good Moroi, while not unheard of, are rare.
Basic and Advanced Era Games
Moroi have a minimum Charisma score of 14 and a minimum Dexterity of 12. Their maximum Constitution is 16.
A moroi character of can opt to be a fighter (maximum of 9th level), a thief, an assassin (maximum of 10th level) or a witch (maximum 13th level). An moroi character can also be multi-classed, i.e. a fighter/witch, a fighter/thief, a witch/thief, or a fighter/witch/thief. Thief can be substituted for assassin where appropriate.
Moroi characters have a 90% resistance to sleep and charm spells (if these spells are cost upon them a percentile dice roll of 91% or better is required to allow the magic any chance of having an effect, and even then the saving throw against spells is allowed versus the charm spell).
Moroi have the ability to see into the infra-red spectrum, so they are able to see up to 60' in darkness, noting varying degrees of heat radiation.
As has been shown previously, moroi characters add a bonus of +1 to their initial dexterity score. Likewise, as moroi are not as sturdy as humans, they deduct 1 from their initial constitution score.
Moroi as a Class (Basic Era)
Moroi generally follow the example of the Elf class. instead of magic-user spells the moroi use witch spells.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
A to Z of Vampires: Lilith
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| Lilith by Isra2007 |
Er...wait. Haven't I done this before?
Actually I have, I talked about Lilith last year on the A to Z of Witches and the year before that on the A to Z of Demons. She is just one of those subjects I never grow tired of talking about.
Obviously since I made her the cover of my Eldritch Witchery book.
Back in my WitchCraft RPG game I actually wanted to do three different Liliths that were also all connected.
Following the Maiden, Mother Crone archetype she would have been a Witch, Vampire and Demon. In my Buffy/Ghosts of Albion games she was a more central figure. A faction all her own in the constant wars between the forces of good and evil.
While that was a fun idea and it worked well for the WitchCraft RPG, for something like D&D I prefer one Goddess. A complicated Goddess to be sure.
So here she is. In Petty Gods format. Though she is by no means a Petty God. She is actually something more than a demon, witch or goddess. She is Lilith.
Lilith
Goddess of Witches, Mother of Vampires and Demons
Also known as: Ardat Lili, Lili, Lillitu
Symbol: Image of the Goddess
Alignment: Chaotic Evil*
Movement: 40' (Fly 160)
Armor Class: 4 (15)
Hit Points (Hit Dice): 140 hp (25 HD)
Attacks: Special, see below
Damage: Special, see below
Save: Witch 25
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: XV
XP: 16,660
Lilith is the mother of monsters. She is the mother of demon, having spawned so many, but she is also the mother of vampires and many say witches.
Lilith was the first human woman. She rebelled against the gods that created her and now controls armies of demons. The gods won't work against her or strike her down because she knows all their True Names.
Lilith has no true friends because most fear her. She is known to ally herself with the Goddess Ereshkigal since both have similar portfolios and areas of concern. Some even claim that Lilith spent some time as Ereshkigal's handmaiden. Others claim she served Astártē or Ishtar.
Appearance and Emissaries
Lilith always appears as a young very attractive woman. Most often with long flaming red hair. It is claimed her true form is that of a ancient hag with long, but sparse wild black hair, talons, fangs and the feet of a predatory bird. Either or neither could be her true form.
Servants
Naamah - Known as the Daughter of Lilith Naamah is either a demon, a human or something else. She is honored in her right as either the Patroness of Whores or the Patroness of Those Who Hunt the Night (slayers of the undead). Her title as The Daughter of Lilith, as opposed to just a daughter of Lilith, is significant. She may be her first true daughter or she may be her first human daughter.
Abyzou - Another daughter of Lilith. She is a powerful Lilitu Demon. She takes pleasure in possessing others and destroying them from the inside out.
Nox - The Petty Goddess of the Dusk is also believed to be a daughter of Lilith. Possiblly the offspring of Lilith and a Sun god.
Camazotz - a Son of Lilith and the bloodthirsty god of Vampires. Some claim that his father may have been Orcus.
Combat
Lilith never openly attacks. She considers combat beneath Her and will not partake in it. Her arena is intrigue, guile and deception. Why fight when a cup laced with poison or a dagger in the night are much quicker. If forced into combat she can summon pretty much any demon she likes save for the Baalor. If it comes down to it, Lilith can cast spells as 25th level Witch of the Demonic Tradition.
*Lilith's alignment is listed as Chaotic Evil. The Chaos part should be obvious, she has rebelled against the entire universe. While many of her actions are evil, she still kills babies, she is also a lot more complicated than that. Lilith has a high personal morality. She honors and keeps her friends and associates. You can trust that she will always do what is best for herself., but she also cares for her own "children" so she will protect them.
Other posts about Lilith here:
Every Angel is Terrifying: The Secret and True Origins of the Slayer
- Pseudo Slayers
Going Up to Hell: Cosmology
Sympathy for the Succubus
- Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Let's Talk About Sex(y)
E is for Eodemon
The Dragon and the Phoenix: Episode 7
Season of the Witch: Episode 2
Monday, April 13, 2015
A to Z of Vampires: Kyuuketsuki
Going back to Japan today and visiting the Kyuuketsuki (吸血鬼).
The most amazing thing about this vampire is how un-amazing it is. Not that it doesn't have powers or anything like that. But that the Kyuuketsuki is almost exactly like the common European Vampire.
They are often depicted with white or red hair and red glowing eyes. They have fangs like other vampires, but can also have a mouth full of sharp teeth. Sometimes instead of turning into bats they grow large bat like wings.
Game-wise they really do not differ all that much from other vampires.
Getting into the Anime or Manga versions they can have all sorts of strange powers. Such as using their hair to fly, or having a demon possessed body part, to even using blood as a tentacle to grab on to things.
I think to give them variety I would grant them telekinetic powers.
(that's all I have in me today. Been sick all weekend long).
Saturday, April 11, 2015
A to Z of Vampires: Jigarkhwar
Let's head back to India and deal with another different sort of vampire. This time it is a vampiric witch known as the Jigarkhwar. This undead creature had been an evil witch in her previous life. No she is a monster.
Jigarkhwar
Armor Class: 8 [11]
Hit Dice: 5d8+8** (30 hp)
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage: Special
Special: Charm, Witch spells.
Movement: 30’
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: Witch 6
Morale: 10
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic (Chaotic Evil)*
XP: 2,200
Armor Class: 8 [11]
Hit Dice: 5d8+8** (30 hp)
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage: Special
Special: Charm, Witch spells.
Movement: 30’
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: Witch 6
Morale: 10
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic (Chaotic Evil)*
XP: 2,200
The Jigarkhwar appears as an attractive woman whether that was her true form or not. She attacks her victims by charming them and then extracting their liver out of their bodies in a complex ritual. The ritual, once begun cannot be interrupted and takes 5 mins. She extracts the liver and disguises it as a pomegranate seed. She then takes the seed back to her lair where she throws it on her magical heath fire. There it grows back to normal size and then she eats it. Once the liver is eaten the victim dies. If the Jigarkhwar can be captured and the seed fed to the victim his liver will rego inside him.
She can also cast witch spells as if she were a 4th level witch. However she can't use Ritual spells.
To destroy a Jigarkhwar is a complicated process. First both sides of her head must be branded. This removes her powers. Her eyes then must be plucked out and filled with salt. She is then hung up-sidedown in an underground cavern for 40 days. On the morning after the 40th day she will turn to dust.
The Jigarkhwar does not make more of her kind, but instead women accused of witchcraft will return as a Jigarkhwar if she was very evil.
Friday, April 10, 2015
Friday Night Videos: More Vampire Songs
These songs are ones we used in our games for the few times I used music. I do sometimes like to set a tone with some music before playing, especially when I am doing horror.
Back in the day I wrote an adventure for my group called "Ravenloft III: The Necropolis". Yeah, it was not originally named, but some of the things in the adventure later appeared in other adventures and games including what would later become the biggest "vampire game" in my life: Buffy.
The Who's Behind Blue Eyes was the "theme song" for the main anti-hero of the tale. A vampire that you were supposed to feel sorry for and help.
Queen has cemented their legacy as one of the best rock bands ever. But there was a time when this was not the case. Undaunted Freddie and crew still took risks with this song, "Who Wants to Live Forever", from the album A Kind of Magic which also served as the soundtrack to the movie Highlander. Of course a different kind of immortal was featured in the movie, but the song works for either. If you have not listened to this album I suggest you do so.
Yes it is cheese pure and simple, but Meatloaf's Bat out of Hell is one of the very, very few albums I can play D&D too. In fact my Freshman year in college I ran Ravenloft I6 while playing this album.
Also Meatloaf should get special mention here since the video for Bat Out of Hell premiered on Friday Night Videos before it did on MTV.
Not much else on this album is D&D-ish or even Vampire-ish, but this song still has a special place in my black heart.
A to Z of Vampires: Impundulu
Something a little different today. A vampiric spirit that takes the form of a bird when summoned by a witch. This is a creature in the folklore of the tribes of South Africa including the Pondo, the Zulu and the Xhosa.
Impundulu
Armor Class: 5 [14]
Hit Dice: 6d8+3** (30 hp)
No. of Attacks: 2 claws, 1 bite
Damage: 1d6+2 / 1d8+1
Special: Blood drain 1-3 points of Constitution per bite, Charm, Demonic abilities
Movement: 30’ Fly 60’
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: Monster 6
Morale: 12
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic (Chaotic Evil)*
XP: 2,400
The Impundulu, or Lightning Bird, is a type of vampiric servant used by evil witches. The bird is born when lightning strikes the ground. To all others it appears as a lighting strike, but to the witch it has chosen it appears as a bird. Once so chosen the bird will manifest to all as an Impundulu.
The bird can also assume the form of an attractive man to lie with the witch each night.
The Impundulu may also attempt to seduce other women, and feeds on them as a vampire, but it is not an undead creature, but rather one of the Calabim, or Demons of destruction.
The Impundulu must charm his victim to gain access to her home and bed, once there he will drain 1-3 (1d6/2) points of Constitution in blood each night. After three nights he will cease his attacks. The victim could well be close to dead at this point. Any victim lowered to 0 Con dies. Victims killed by the Impundulu will come back as weak ghost (1 hit die).
The Impundulu is immortal and is often passed down from mother to daughter. The Impundulu is incapable of fathering children.
The feathers of the Impundulu are considered to be a great source of magic for a gris gris or other talisman.
Impundulu have all the same immunities as do other Calabim; Half damage to Cold, Fire, Gas, and Lightning. They take full damage from magic and silvered weapon. They are fully immune to the effects of sleep spells and toxins.
The bird can be turned by a Good Cleric as if it were a vampire. To destroy it a hunter must find the feather binding it to this world and burn it. Usually this is with the witch that controls it.
Impundulu
Armor Class: 5 [14]
Hit Dice: 6d8+3** (30 hp)
No. of Attacks: 2 claws, 1 bite
Damage: 1d6+2 / 1d8+1
Special: Blood drain 1-3 points of Constitution per bite, Charm, Demonic abilities
Movement: 30’ Fly 60’
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: Monster 6
Morale: 12
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic (Chaotic Evil)*
XP: 2,400
The Impundulu, or Lightning Bird, is a type of vampiric servant used by evil witches. The bird is born when lightning strikes the ground. To all others it appears as a lighting strike, but to the witch it has chosen it appears as a bird. Once so chosen the bird will manifest to all as an Impundulu.
The bird can also assume the form of an attractive man to lie with the witch each night.
The Impundulu may also attempt to seduce other women, and feeds on them as a vampire, but it is not an undead creature, but rather one of the Calabim, or Demons of destruction.
The Impundulu must charm his victim to gain access to her home and bed, once there he will drain 1-3 (1d6/2) points of Constitution in blood each night. After three nights he will cease his attacks. The victim could well be close to dead at this point. Any victim lowered to 0 Con dies. Victims killed by the Impundulu will come back as weak ghost (1 hit die).
The Impundulu is immortal and is often passed down from mother to daughter. The Impundulu is incapable of fathering children.
The feathers of the Impundulu are considered to be a great source of magic for a gris gris or other talisman.
Impundulu have all the same immunities as do other Calabim; Half damage to Cold, Fire, Gas, and Lightning. They take full damage from magic and silvered weapon. They are fully immune to the effects of sleep spells and toxins.
The bird can be turned by a Good Cleric as if it were a vampire. To destroy it a hunter must find the feather binding it to this world and burn it. Usually this is with the witch that controls it.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
A to Z of Vampires: Hsi-Hsue-Kue
"Do you know, it just occurs to me. There are vampire legends on almost every inhabited planet."
- The Doctor. Doctor Who: State of Decay
The same could be said of every culture. Today let's go to a country so over run with vampires, ghosts and demon it is a wonder that there is any room left for normal humans.
China.
China might not be your first thought when it comes to vampires, but really it should. We are going to spend a lot of time here.
The Hisi-Hsua-Kuei or Hsi-Hsue-Kue is a demonic spirit that inhabits the bodies of the recently deceased. The spirit is completely foreign to the host body and has no memories of the body's life. It is simply an animalistic monster out to drink blood.
Killing the body will stop the problem temporarily but the demonic spirit will move on to another host to start over. A priest must perform an exorcism on the vampire while the spirit still remains in the body in order to force it completely out and back to the hell it came from. Alternately a cleric can also "turn" them as if they were a "Special" class undead. If they are high enough level for a D result then the monster is truly destroyed.
This creature must return to it's grave site by daybreak or be destroyed. Like other vampires it can also be destroyed by running water. Holy symbols and incense will ward it off, holy water will damage it.
Also like other vampires the Hsi-Hsue-Kue cannot enter into the private homes of others or enter holy ground.
Hsi-Hsue-Kue
Armor Class: 3 [16]
Hit Dice: 8d8+8** (50 hp)
No. of Attacks: 2 claws, 1 bite
Damage: 1d6+2 / 1d8+1
Special: Blood drain 2 points of Constitution per bite.
Movement: 30’
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: Fighter 10
Morale: 11
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic (Chaotic Evil)*
XP: 3,575
- The Doctor. Doctor Who: State of Decay
The same could be said of every culture. Today let's go to a country so over run with vampires, ghosts and demon it is a wonder that there is any room left for normal humans.
China.
China might not be your first thought when it comes to vampires, but really it should. We are going to spend a lot of time here.
The Hisi-Hsua-Kuei or Hsi-Hsue-Kue is a demonic spirit that inhabits the bodies of the recently deceased. The spirit is completely foreign to the host body and has no memories of the body's life. It is simply an animalistic monster out to drink blood.
Killing the body will stop the problem temporarily but the demonic spirit will move on to another host to start over. A priest must perform an exorcism on the vampire while the spirit still remains in the body in order to force it completely out and back to the hell it came from. Alternately a cleric can also "turn" them as if they were a "Special" class undead. If they are high enough level for a D result then the monster is truly destroyed.
This creature must return to it's grave site by daybreak or be destroyed. Like other vampires it can also be destroyed by running water. Holy symbols and incense will ward it off, holy water will damage it.
Also like other vampires the Hsi-Hsue-Kue cannot enter into the private homes of others or enter holy ground.
Armor Class: 3 [16]
Hit Dice: 8d8+8** (50 hp)
No. of Attacks: 2 claws, 1 bite
Damage: 1d6+2 / 1d8+1
Special: Blood drain 2 points of Constitution per bite.
Movement: 30’
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: Fighter 10
Morale: 11
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic (Chaotic Evil)*
XP: 3,575
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