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.

7 comments:

A Tarkabarka Hölgy said...

Interesting! I know similar stories from New Orleans, I always thought removing the skin is very gruesome... The rice-counting is an age-old anti-fairy or anti-witch trick, we have it in Hungary too, but with poppy seeds... :)

@TarkabarkaHolgy from
Multicolored Diary - Epics from A to Z
MopDog - 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary

Jennifer Hawes said...

I would love to visit the Caribbean, but I wouldn't want to meet up with this girl, hag, vampire thingy!

Sophie Duncan said...

She doesn't sound like a pleasant Will-O-Wisp. Waking up to find a msucle skeleton sucking on you would be a horrifying experience too.
Sophie
Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles
FB3X
Wittegen Press

djinnia said...

Interesting. I haven't heard of this vampire.

Anonymous said...

The idea of her walking around skinless gives me the heebie-jeebies.

~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Member of C. Lee's Muffin Commando Squad
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

Tasha Duncan-Drake said...

Can you imagine waking up to find a skinless vampire sucking your blood?! The skinned ones are horrid enough. And I just looked at the rest of your comments and see Soph said almost the same thing - doh!
Tasha
Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)

Anonymous said...

I love your theme and wish I had discovered it sooner. Guess I will need to catch up with your posts. vampires are so intriguing.