A to Z of Vampires, Farkaskoldus

Today we travel to Hungary and enter a part of the world over run with vampires, vampire legends and stories.  It is my pleasure to introduce the Farkaskoldus ("Far-kiss-ole-dis").

This creature is a revenant type vampire. Which means it was dead and now it rises from it's grave. As opposed to spiritual, psychic or astral vampires.  It is also something of a cross between a werewolf and vampire.  I have read some material that suggests it is what happens to a werewolf when they die and come back as a vampire.

In death they still resemble werewolves. They can shift to a wolf-like form.

They are equipped with deadly claws and a bite, but their preferred prey is a baby.  Human babies typically only have 2-3 points of Constitution and the Farkaskoldus drains 1 per night.   If there are number of unexplained deaths among babies then the hunt for Farkaskoldus must begin.

They can be found in their coffins (which they must return too by daylight) with their abdomens distended and full of blood. They will also show no signs of decay.

Farkaskoldus
Armor Class: 1 [19]
Hit Dice: 8d8+8** (48 hp)
No. of Attacks: 2 claws, 1 bite
Damage: 1d6+2 / 1d8+1
Special: Blood drain, shapeshift
Movement: 45'
No. Appearing: 1-3
Saves As: Fighter 10
Morale: 9
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic (Chaotic Evil)*
XP: 2,075

The Farkaskoldus is a viscous vampiric monster.  It survives solely on the blood of newborns and babies younger than 6 months.  It must drain at least 3 Con points per each full moon or be forever destroyed.
Farkaskoldus are affected by all the same things that affect vampires; holy symbols, garlic, holy water.  Additionally silver coated weapons also do +1 of damage.
To destroy one of these creatures one must find it in it's grave, cut off the head and burn the body to ashes.

Links
http://tashasthinkings.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/atoz2014f.html
https://mariwells.wordpress.com/2014/02/12/farkaskoldus/

A to Z of Vampires, Estrie

For E lets take a look into Jewish folklore.  Today I present you with the Estrie, which is something like a vampire + demon + witch.

Like a vampire the Estrie is a corpse that crawls out of her grave (Estries are always female) to drink the blood of the living.  They are possessed by a demonic spirit, but may have been witches when they were alive.   The name Estrie comes from the French Strix or night owl. A word that also is related to Strega, Stirge and a host of related creatures.

Estrie by Feline Zegers

Estrie
Armor Class: 4 [15]
Hit Dice: 6d8+6** (38 hp)
No. of Attacks: 2 claws, 1 bite (monster form) OR 1 (human form)
Damage: 1d6+2 / 1d8+1 OR by weapon type.
Special: Blood drain, cause fear (as per spell), witch spells, shapeshift
Movement: 30’ (90' fly)
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: Fighter 7
Morale: 10
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic (Chaotic Evil)*
XP: 1,750

The Estrie is a type of vampire that can pass for a normal human during the daylight hours.  Indeed she can appear to be living, have good alignment (if detected) and even walk onto holy soil and wear holy symbols.  However at dusk she will revert to her vampiric form which appears to be a rotting corpse.  She can shapechange after that, but it takes a full turn for her to do so. The estrie must kill anyone witnessing this transformation or she will loose her powers (fear, spells) over them.
As a vampire the estrie can also shapeshift into large night owl, a large black cat or into smoke if she is reduced to 0 or fewer hp.  Unlike a vampire the estrie can be hit with normal, non magical, items.
The estrie can cause fear but she lacks the charm power of many other vampire types.  She can though cast spells as if she were a 3rd level witch; specifically of the Mara tradition.
Estrie's are strong (18 strength) in their "Vampire" form, but seem to be normal humans in their "human" form.
The estrie attacks with a claw/claw/bite routine.  A successful bite inflicts 1d8+1 damage.  A critical hit bite (a roll of 20) does damage and drains the victim of 1 point of Constitution.
If someone offers her bread in any form she is powerless against that person until after the next sunset.  In her vampire form she cannot enter a dwelling without permission.
In order to fly the estrie must have her hair unbound and allowed to to blow in the wind.  Some scholars believe she needs her hair to fly or at least to navigate.
Her favored prey are young men, ones that would be enchanted by a young woman without the need of arcane inducements.  She will attack these men as they sleep, not wanting to enter into combat. The estrie must feed every night.  In this form of attack she drains either 2 points of Constitution or 2 points of Strength each night. If only attacked once or twice the victim can regain lost points with bed rest at the rate of 1 per week.  If the victim has been attacked three times then the rate is 1 point per 2 weeks.   Any victim drained to 0 in either Constitution or Strength will die.  Male victims, the most common, will return from the dead as a shadow.  The rare female victim will return as an estrie herself.
An estrie must return to her grave before dawn.  She must remain in her grave till "noon". By this it is when the sun has passed it's mid-day point.  After this she may rise and appear human.
To destroy an estrie one must first force her back into her grave.  Then the body must be exhumed.  The mouth of the creature, which is always open, must be filled with dirt from her own grave and then sewn shut.  The head is then removed.

Zatannurday: Happy Easter from Tibbar!

Happy Zatannurday, ur Zatanna-sunday, Zatanneaster, Zeaster...
Ah hell with it.  It's Easter sunday and I am a day late.
No big.  Easter and Zatanna both love rabbits, so here a some of the little guys from Zatanna's act.



Zatanna by dsoloud on DeviantArt


Zatanna by mikewalters on DeviantArt


Zatanna by Dericules on DeviantArt


Zatanna by Zarfire on DeviantArt


Zatanna by channandeller on DeviantArt


Passing Time with Zatanna Re-draw by Age-Velez on DeviantArt


Zatanna Commission by YETI000 on DeviantArt


ECCC print - Zatanna by marciotakara on DeviantArt


Zatanna by Deceaster on DeviantArt


zatanna commission by theunbrilliant on DeviantArt


Zatanna By claudiaaloisia by cerebus873 on DeviantArt

Happy Easter!

A to Z of Vampires, Dearg-Due

For D let's travel to Ireland for the nasty Dearg-Due.  Also know as the Dearg-dul or "Red Blood Sucker" these are particularly nasty little beasts.

Presenting them here for use with the Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG or the Ghosts of Albion RPG.

Dearg-Due

These ghoulish vampire sub-types were found in Ireland and parts of Great Britain before their Christian conversion. During that time, all Dearg-duls were wiped out. Some Church historians claims these are “snakes” that St. Patrick drove from Ireland’s shores. In any case, no one has seen one in nearly 1,000 years. Until today that is (aren’t you the luck one).
Dearg-dues are basically animalistic predators. They are not intelligent, but may be controlled to a slight degree by a sufficiently powerful sorcerer (Magic/Sorcery 4+). They hunt in packs of three or more. The creatures prefer the taste of fresh blood like all vampires, but they are not above raiding a tomb for food. Their eyes glow amber-red and they look like ragged, blue tinged corpses.
For the most part, Dearg-dues have the same powers and vulnerabilities as your garden variety vampires. What sets these little nasties off is that a stake to the heart (sufficient to drop them below zero Life Points) does not kill them. It stops them, but they don’t turn to dust. Their only goal at that point is to reach out feebly and remove the stake. Once that is done, they recover normally (normally for a vampires, that is) and come back for more. The only way to kill them permanently is by piling stones on top of them. Once every part of their body is covered, they are destroyed.
Dearg-dues can’t effectively make more of their own kind, but once in a while (1 on a d10) a victim drained by a Dearg-due will rise as one.

Name: Dearg-due
Motivation: Kill! Blood!
Creature Type: Vampire
Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 4, Constitution 4, Intelligence 1, Perception 3, Willpower 2
Ability Scores: Muscle 16, Combat 14, Brains 9
Life Points: 46
Drama Points: 1
Special Abilities: Destroyed only by stones, Vampire
Maneuvers
Name Score Damage Notes
Bite 14 18 Must Grapple first; no defense action
Dodge 14 — Defense action
Grapple 16 — Resisted by Dodge
Kick 13 15 Bash
Punch 14 13 Bash

Friday Night Videos: Vampire Songs

Welcome once again to Friday Night Videos!

The 90s began with me playing AD&D2nd ed and mostly Ravenloft.  The 90s ended with me, presumably searing off D&D forever in favor of C.J. Carella's WitchCraft RPG.

In between those two times I played Chill 2nd Ed, Mage the Ascension and of course the most 90s of all 90s angst filled games,
Vampire the Masquerade.

If there ever was a "vampire band" it was Bauhaus. No band was Gothier and Bela Lugosi's Dead is almost self-parody.  I am sure there were tons of Vampire the Masquerade that looked just like Peter Murphy.



No else one "got" the whole vampire vibe better than Concrete Blonde.



From the album of the same name Bloodletting was a bloody valentine to Anne Rice.

Another love letter to Anne Rice is Sting's Moon Over Bourbon Street.




Blue Öyster Cult was a huge influence on I think a lot of people's early gaming.
No angsty vampire or Victorian sex symbol.  This is Nosferatu.


And let us not easily forget "Anne Rice's Dracula", I mean Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula from 1992.



Next week some more vampire songs!

A to Z of Vampires, Camazotz

Now let's go to Central America where their vampires are gods and still straight up killing machines.

Please allow me to introduce Camazotz the vampire "death-bat" and god.

Camazotz was first made known to me from the pages of AD&D 1st Ed hardcover Deities  & Demigods.   His write up includes the standard stat-block and two thin paragraphs.  None of which help show how awesome this vampire/demon/god/creature is.  No picture either.

So for my games Camazozt is an ancient vampire. So powerful that over the epochs he has become more and more demon like and is now worshipped as a god. Well humans worship him, other vampires fear him and honor him as their king.  In a way like the Red Court Vampire King from the Dresden Files books.  Here he is in Petty Gods format.

Camazotz

God of Vampires
Also known as: The Death Bat, Bat God, Sudden Bloodletter, Slaughter Lord 
Symbol: a bat in flight
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Movement: 120' (Flight is infinite at night)

Armor Class: -2
Hit Points (Hit Dice): 120 hp (24 HD)
Attacks: Special, see below
Damage: Special, see below
Save: F20
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: XV
XP: 8,600
--
Armor Class: -2
Hit Points (HD): 120 (24 HD)
Save: F20
Morale: 12
Treasure Type: Q
XP: 13,600

Camazotz is the demon god of bats and vampires. But he is not truly a god or a demon but rather a vampire that is thousands of years old.  Vampires pay him homage more out of fear than actual piety. Humans on the other hand worship and hope that he will reward them with the gift of immortality (vampirism).  He requires blood sacrifices every new moon.  Camazotz himself goes through periods of extreme torpor and frenzied blood lust.

Camazotz dreams of one day destroying the god of the sun.

Camazotz attacks as a vampire with a claw/claw/bite routine of 1d8/1d18/1d12.  His bite (any natural roll of 18, 19 or 20) will drain 3 points of Constitution per round.  Anyone reduced to 0 becomes a vampire under his control. As a god-like being Camazotz can attack 4 times per round.

He lives in a dark cave like plane know as Xibalba on the Abyss where he serves as a vassal to Orcus. Again this is not out of fidelity but out of fear of the Demon Prince of Undead.  The cave is dark and the floors are stained with blood.  In this cave Camazotz can summon up to 1000 bats to do his will.

He considers the Goddess Nox his "Sister" but whether that is an actual familial relation or merely an affectation is unknown.

Links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camazotz
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xibalba
http://tashasthinkings.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/atoz2014c.html
http://demonhunterscompendium.blogspot.com/2012/12/camazotz-death-bat.html
http://www.blueroadrunner.com/camazotz.htm
https://ferrebeekeeper.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/camazotz-the-death-bat/

A to Z of Vampires, Berbalang

We are sticking with the Philippines today.  Why? Because they have some awesome freaky fantastic vampires there.  I swear they have the Carpathians and Eastern Europe beat.

The Berbalang blur the line between vampire and ghoul. They are described as "bat winged creatures that live underground and eat corpses. They make a loud moaning sound that can be heard for miles when they feed."

The Berbalang appeared in the Fiend Folio for AD&D 1st Edition and it was something like an astral ghoul. It changed a bit over the editions to what we have below.

https://sites.google.com/site/pathfinderogc/bestiary/monster-listings/undead/berbalang

Berbalang
CR 6
XP 2,400
CE Medium undead
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +14

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +5 natural)
hp 68 (8d8+32)
Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +9
Defensive Abilities projection DR 10/good or silver; Immune undead traits

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee* bite +10 (1d6+3 plus paralysis), 2 claws +9 (1d6+3 plus paralysis) or incorporeal touch +10 (1d4 Con damage)
Special Attacks paralysis (1d4+1 rounds, DC 18)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +13)

At will—bleed, ghost sound (DC 14)
3/day—alter self, charm person (DC 15)

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 19, Con —, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 18
Base Atk +6; CMB +9; CMD 26
Feats Defensive Combat Training, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Mobility
Skills Bluff +10, Escape Artist +10, Fly +17, Knowledge (local) +5, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception +14, Stealth +15
Languages Common

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Projection (Su)

Once per day as a full-round action, a berbalang can enter a trance that separates the creature's spirit from its body. This splits the berbalang's current hit points in half between its body and its spirit. The berbalang's spirit body gains the incorporeal subtype and special ability; otherwise, it retains the same statistics as its physical self with the following changes: AC 19, touch 19, flat-footed 10 (+4 Dex, +4 deflection, +1 dodge), single incorporeal touch attack that deals 1d4 Constitution damage on a hit as its sole attack. This spirit projection can travel no more than 1 mile away from the berbalang's body. Because the creature is only partially in existence when in this state, its body gains displacement as the spell. When separated in this way, the berbalang's body is unconscious and helpless. If the berbalang's body is injured while in this state, the separated projection immediately returns to its body, and the body loses displacement. If the physical body is slain, the spirit body immediately dies as well. If the spirit is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, it returns to the body immediately. A berbalang in spirit form can end the effect at any time as a standard action, at which point the spirit immediately returns to the body. When a berbalang's spirit form returns to the body, add both the spirit body's hit points and the physical body's hit points back together to determine the creature's current hit point total.

ECOLOGY

Environment any land
Organization solitary or pack (2-8)
Treasure standard

Berbalangs prefer to make their homes within a day's travel of humanoid settlements. These lairs are well hidden and sometimes protected by other undead creatures. Some berbalangs set themselves up as secluded shamans or wise old crones, using alter self to appear human. Ultimately cowardly, berbalangs rarely attack a settlement directly, preferring to pluck its meals from those who stray too far from civilization. A berbalang stands as tall as a human and rarely weighs more than 100 pounds.

OGL Section 15: Copyright Notice - Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3, © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, James Jacobs, Michael Kenway, Rob McCreary, Patrick Renie, Chris Sims, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.