A to Z of Vampires: Yara-ma-yha-who

Let's head to the land down under for one of the strangest vampires I have found.

The Yara-ma-yha-who is a vampire of the aboriginal peoples of Australia.

It appears as a small red man with a large mouth but no teeth.  He lives in fig trees and jumps on people as they walk by attacking them with his sucker tipped fingers.   The Yara-ma-yha-who will then suck blood out the person unless he is flung off.  Each attack by the Yara-ma-yha-who makes the person a little shorter.  The attack drains 1 point of Constitution while attached.  A successful grapple role is needed to remove it.

Anyone drained to death by this creature will become one. The Yara-ma-yha-who will open it's wide mouth and swallow the dead victim whole.  It will sleep and then regurgitate the victim who will be small and red like the Yara-ma-yha-who itself. It will rise by the next dawn as a new Yara-ma-yha-who and must find a fig tree of it's own to haunt.

Unlike other vampires the Yara-ma-yha-who hunts during the day and sleeps at night.

Reducing the vampire to 0 hp or turning it will cause it to flee to it's tree.
The Yara-ma-yha-who can only be destroyed is by staking it int he heart with wood from  it's own tree and then then burning it and it's tree.

A Yara-ma-yha-who cannot enter a personal dwelling or holy land at all.

Yara-ma-yha-who
Frequency: Very Rare
No. Apperring: 1
Size: Halfling-sized (S)
Armor Class: 5 [15]₁
Movement
 Basic: 120' (40')
 Advanced: 12"
 3e: 30ft
Hit Dice: 8+1 (37 hp)
% in Lair: 100% (fig tree)
Treasure Type: Attacks: 2 (claw/claw) + Blood Drain
Damage: 1d4/1d4 + Blood Drain
Special Attacks: Per Vampire; Blood Drain
Special Defenses: Only killed by fig tree wood
Save As: Fighter 8₂
Magic Resistance: Normal
Morale: 8₃
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Level/XP: 8/3,450 + 12/hp

STR: 16 INT: 10 WIS: 10 DEX: 19 CON: __(10)₄  CHA: 13₅

1 Descending and [Ascending] Armor classes are given.
2 This is used for Basic games, and S&W. Also for monsters that I think need to save a little differently than others.
3 Morale is "Basic" Morale and based on a 1-12 scale.
4 Have not decided yet if I want to use 3.x style undead Constitutions or not. (15) Reflects what their Con would be if I do use it.  I might just put a number in () like I do for Ghosts of Albion.
5 obviously more reflective of personality and character than looks.

I am working on a monster stat block that I can use in my old-games and future publications (if I do any).  I want something that anyone can pick up and use regardless of the system they are using.
What do you think?

A to Z of Vampires: Xiāng-shī (殭屍)

Jason Rhineville

Back to China today for the Xiāng-shī also spelled Jiāng-shī or 殭屍.  These are the famous "hopping vampires" of Chinese myth and folklore.

The Xiāng-shī shares many similarities with the neighboring Rolang.  Both result from improper burial, both appear to be more corpse like than alive, and both have odd means of moving around due to the stiffness in their legs.   While rolang has a zombie style jait, the Xiāng-shī hops.

The character 僵 in it's name, means hard or stiff.  So this vampire can't bend it's legs at all and must therefore hop about. This is more effective than it appears as this vampire can move about quite well.
Additionally the Xiāng-shī can also fly.

Unlike some vampires the Xiāng-shī does not drain blood, but rather chi or life force from the victim.  While the results are the same; draining Constituion points (2 per attack) the difference is the Xiāng-shī does not have to bite the victim to do it.  On any attack roll where the Xiāng-shī lands two claw attacks it can grab the victim. Instead of a bite attack it begins to suck the breath or chi from the victim.

The claws of the Xiāng-shī are long, hard as iron and sharp as razors.  They can retract them or grow them as long as daggers.

If reduced to 0 hit points, a jiang-shi vampire crumbles to dust but is not destroyed. It reforms in 1 minute with 1 hit point in the same space, or the nearest unoccupied space. Scattering the dust before the jiang-shi reforms destroys it permanently, as does mixing rice into the dust with a dose of holy water. Jiang-shi vampires are also susceptible to wooden weapons carved from peach trees, as such weapons represent the unity of all elements and life to these creatures.  Any successful hit from such a weapon that reduces a jiang-shi to 0 hit points immediately destroys the creature. Although they normally retreat from daylight, jiang-shi vampires are not destroyed by sunlight like regular vampires and can move around during the day without harm.

Xiāng-shī turn as vampires.  Rice, incense and holy items will keep them at bay. Holy water will burn them.

This Xiāng-shī is based a little on the Pathfinder Jiang-shi.

Trying out a new format here for old school games.  This takes the bits from OSRIC, Basic Fantasy and Swords & Wizardry. I am also inserting a bit of 3.x where I need it.

Xiāng-shī
AKA: Jiāng-shī
Frequency: Very Rare
No. Apperring: 1
Size: Man-sized (M)
Armor Class: 1 [19]₁
Movement
 Basic: 120' (40') / Fly: 180' (60')
 Advanced: 12"/18" (Fly)
 3e: 30ft
Hit Dice: 9+4 (45 hp)
% in Lair: 100% (home 50%, grave 50%)
Treasure Type: Attacks: 3 (claw/claw/bite) + Life Drain
Damage: 1d6+4/1d6+4/1d4 + Life Drain
Special Attacks: Per Vampire; Life Drain
Special Defenses: Per Vampire
Save As: Fighter 9₂
Magic Resistance: 25%
Morale: 10₃
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Level/XP: 9/4,240 + 13/hp

STR: 21 INT: 18 WIS: 15-17 DEX: 9 CON: __(15)₄  CHA: 16₅

1 Descending and [Ascending] Armor classes are given.
2 This is used for Basic games, and S&W. Also for monsters that I think need to save a little differently than others.
3 Morale is "Basic" Morale and based on a 1-12 scale.
4 Have not decided yet if I want to use 3.x style undead Constitutions or not. (15) Reflects what their Con would be if I do use it.  I might just put a number in () like I do for Ghosts of Albion.
5 obviously more reflective of personality and character than looks.

I am working on a monster stat block that I can use in my old-games and future publications (if I do any).  I want something that anyone can pick up and use regardless of the system they are using.
What do you think?


I should point out that my blogging buddy Natasha Duncan-Drake talked about the Xiāng-shī last year too.  http://tashasthinkings.blogspot.com/2014/04/atoz2014x.html

The Dragonslayers Assemble!

The Dragonslayers are fresh off their victory over the Tomb of Horrors.  We had one near casualty and one character that had to take that other character back. They are now headed home but the Barrier Peaks are in their way.

We converted our 3e based Dragonslayers game over to 5e last session.  I wanted to try something new again, Castles and Crusades, but ended up overruled. So we are sticking with 5e.

Last night we began the Expedition to the Barrier Peaks.  I am using 5th Ed. D&D along with the 1st Edition versions of the module (the original, the new reprints and the old S1-4 super-module Realms of Horror) along with the 3e updates and some 5e updates supplied to me by +Rich Howard.

They all mix together nicely in a big vat of D&D goodness.  I am also adding in some material from the classic 1st Edition version of Metamorphosis Alpha.  I have already specifically decided that this is the Starship Warden.  In addition to carrying colonists it was carrying a number of Ilithid prisoners to be dropped of at a penal colony prior to going to high warp.

Since my other 5e game with most of the same players takes place in the future of the Dragonslayers, I am setting up the Ilithids as being one of the major bad guys.  It should work out nicely really.

With this adventure I will have run the Dragonslayers through all of the S-Series of modules, and it had been a total blast.

A to Z of Vampires: Wurdalak

Off to Russia again today to visit the family preying Wurdalak!  The wurdalak was popularized by the film, Black Sabbath (from which the famous band gets their name!).  I covered this movie in my last October Horror Movie marathon and stated it up for Ghosts of Albion.

Once again going with OSRIC format today.

Wurdalak (Vampire)
(turned as type 11)
Frequency: Very Rare
No Encountered: 1
Size: Man-sized
Move: 120 ft
Armor Class: -2
Hit Dice: 9+1
Attacks: 3 (claw/claw/bite) + Blood Drain
Damage: 1d6+5/1d6+5/1d4+Blood Drain
Special Attacks: Per Vampire; Blood Drain
Special Defenses: Per Vampire
Magic Resistance: 25%
Lair Probability: 100% (home 50%, grave 50%)
Intelligence: Exceptional
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Level/XP: 9/4,240 + 13/hp

A wurdalak is created by a family curse.  Typically one laid down by a powerful witch on an entire line. When a member dies they will return as a wurdalak to feed on members of their own family.  Sometimes a wurdalak will also spontaneously arise when a member of the family disgraces their family name or when a member (typically a daughter) goes against the wishes of a recently deceased member (such as her father or uncle).

Once risen the wurdalak will return to their home to prey on the family members. It needs blood lke most other vampires and drains it at the rate of 3 Constitution points per attack.  A wurdalak can make up to three attacks this way per night.  Family members drained by a wurdalak become wurdalak themselves.  Non-family members drained by a wurdalak become ghouls.

It is wrong to assume to that because a person is not part of the wurdalak's family that they are safe.  The wurdalak will kill anyone in their way or whom they perceive as a threat.

The wurdalak has the following spell-like powers; charm person (3/day), cause fear (3/day), knock, spider climb (at will), and gaseous form (at will).  Once per it's "life" it can cast bestow curse as if they were a 9th level witch.  Typically this curse is bestowed near their death.

In combat the wurdalak will attack with claws and a bite. If it bites a victim in combat it can drain 1 point of Con. The other drain attack is for sleeping victims.  The wurdalak is very strong with a Strength of 22.

The wurdalak can cast shadows and reflect in mirrors.  They are not active at sundown like other types of vampires, but wait till 10:00 pm exactly.  To kill the wurdalak one must use a dagger that has been in the monster's family for at least three generations.  Sunlight reduces it to 0 hp, it will become gaseous and return to their coffins.   A sleeping wurdalak has an AC of 10.

Wurdalaks do not shape-shift into animals.

Zatannurday: Rise of the Vampires

Rise of the Vampires was mini-series/crossover event starting in March 2012 between the then new comics Justice League Dark and I, Vampire.

It was a minor success in my mind. Interesting story but didn't set the comic book world on fire at all.   It did have Zatanna and Constantine in it, so that was good for me.

It did however feature one of the reasons why there is a Justice League Dark, there are some threats out there that the regular Justice League just can't deal with.  In the first arc it was the Enchantress June Moone (played in the Suicide Squad Movie by model Cara Delevingne) going crazy.  This arc featured the rise of a vampires (natch) and their charismatic leader, Cain.  Yeah that Cain.  Same as in the Vampire the Masquerade books.

What I liked about the series was it had a beginning, middle and an end.  And at only six issues (3 for each title) it was a great size.

The story mostly takes place in Gotham, which is also always great. So we get to see Batman and the Bat Family.   But what bugged me was that the main cast ultimately didn't do anything.  I won't get into details about it here (spoilers) but it gave me a lot of ideas.

I have often wanted to bring in Dracula as a big bad in a Supers game.  And frankly I love the DC universe so that is an easy choice.  Dracula has always had such a great presence in the Marvel Universe that I feel he should have the same in the DC Universe.

David Baymiller has been stating up the various supernatural/horror monsters for D6 including Dracula, that it all seems to come together well with something else I have been working on.

So it would be better to use Dracula than Cain because, lets be honest, Dracula is way cooler.

Hopefully I will have something for you all soon.

A to Z of Vampires: Vrykolakas

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.

Friday Night Videos: The Lost Boys

Welcome back to Friday Night Videos as we continue the Vampire theme for Vampire Month here at the Other Side.

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!