“Vampires of Tilisyck” by Mark Ellis Harmon
Introduction:
Vampires are not currently an official part of the official Grandilar
world. This means they are not DS Guild approved. I am doing this to
test out some ideas and to see where these strange creatures could fit
into the DS universe. To use these fine folks the GM should make their
own cards or print out this article and use the vampires in their private
games. All of the following vampire cards are features which would be
added to an existing cast member.
Overview of Vampires:
Vampires are creatures who have appeared in the last 200 years as a
side effect of the warp storms so prevalent on today's world. They do
not have a long history. Vampires qualify as Mad Spawn and may be charmed
by Necromancers using the Charm Madspawn spell. This necromancer ability
makes them leery of dealing with necromancers. Being undead the vampires
are directly opposed to shamanism and are affected by Dismiss Undead
and Banish. Vampires find it difficult to use magic. Their spell ace
cards may amount to no more than 20% of their total card points.
Vampiric Organization:
Vampires live in small bands that are composed of living zombies, ghouls,
vampires and a master vampire. These bands have come to be referred
to as vampire nests. The living zombies live among the locals providing
information, cover and supplies for the vampires. The ghouls provide
muscle for the vampires. Vampires are the core of the nest. Master Vampires
are the vampires who lead a nest and in general all the vampires in
a single nest were created by the master.
Thrall Card: Warp Feature 0 / P, 6 card points.
STR= +2, COR= 0, DEF= 0, SPD= +1, WIS= -1, HP= +8, CAP= 0.
Warp DEF= 4.
The Thralls are people who have been infected by a vampire, but have
been neither killed to become a ghoul nor completely drained to make
a vampire. From the time a victim is bit it days one to six days (d6)
for them to become a Thrall. During this time if the victim is purified
by Purify Body or a plaguebreaker potion, they are healed and will not
become a Thrall. If the creating vampire is destroyed the Thrall returns
to normal, never realizing what happened to them.
Thralls are not entirely aware of the position in life and follow the
mental commands of their creator. They will act strange, suddenly stopping
what they are doing to perform a duty for their vampire creator. The
vampire can not tell what the thrall is doing, saying or hearing, but
they do know when the thrall stops being a thrall. The thrall will have
to go make a verbal reports to their creator for the vampire to know
what is happening.
These people are +2 perception and stealth in the dark.
Ghoul Card: Warp Feature 0 / P, 12 card points.
STR=+4, COR= 0, DEF= +2, SPD= +3, WIS= -2, HP=+16, CAP= 0.
Warp DEF= 6.
Ghouls are living creatures, if you can call them alive. They are physically
killed by a vampire after they have been bitten, victims who are killed
without being bitten are dead. In one to six days (D6) these creatures
rise from the dead to follow the orders of either their creator vampire
or the master of their creator. They can receive orders mentally at
a distance of up to 20 miles. Generally this means anywhere in the same
terrain area as their creator.
Ghouls are alive, but they have been dead for a few days. Most ghouls
can not walk among normal people, they smell, look bad and drool allot.
This does not make it easy to hide what they are. They also have a tendency
to think of garbage, dead bodies, and bugs as "good eatin"
Ghouls provide the primary defense of the nest during the day and even
at night. They have +4 Stealth and Perception. They are also immune
to being put to sleep and subdual damage.
Ghouls regenerate 4 HP per hour of nighttime.
Destroying a ghoul can be done in a couple of ways. A Purify Body removes
the warp feature and they fall to the ground, but they do gain a +3
versus Purify Body. A second way is to take them to 0 HP, remove the
head and bury it separate from the body. If their creator and her master
are gone, or destroyed, the ghoul wanders aimlessly, eating, hunting
and killing without purpose.
Vampire Card: Warp Feature 0 / P, 24 card points.
STR= +8, COR= +3, DEF=+2, SPD= +4, WIS= 0, HP= +32, CAP= +1
Warp DEF= 6.
Vampires are allergic to sunlight and take D6 direct magic damage per
round in sunlight. Healing spells do not help a vampire. Vampires are
undead and receive a +6 roll versus dismiss, banish and purify body.
Vampires also have a +6 added to perception and stealth contests.
When a vampire has a successful Purify Body cast on them their Vampire
Card is removed for five minutes and then they recover the Vampire card.
Vampires regenerate 8 HP per hour at night. They recover cards at a
rate of 1 per hour during their traditional daytime slumber.
Vampires have a special magical bite attack which does 2D6 damage, may
not be deflected, ignores DEF and is a real pain. The vampire immediately
heals an amount equal to the attack. If the bite attack takes the victim
to 0 or -1 HP the victim will rise in one to six days to become a vampire.
If a bitten victim escapes and survives they will become a Thrall, If
they are bitten and then killed physically with 0 or -1 HP they will
become a ghoul in one to six days.
To kill a vampire you need to put a wooden stake through their heart,
remove their head and burn the body. They will also die if brought to
0 HP by sunlight damage.
Master Vampire Card: Warp Feature, 0 / P, 96 card points.
STR=+12, COR=+6, DEF=+4, SPD=+6, WIS=+3, HP=+48, CAP=+2.
Warp DEF= 10
Master vampires are allergic to sunlight and take D6 direct magic damage
per round in sunlight. Healing spells do not help a vampire.
Master vampires are undead and receive a +10 roll versus dismiss, banish
and purify body. Vampires also have a +10 added to perception and stealth
contests.
Master Vampires take only one-half damage from all magic and physical
attacks.
Master Vampires regenerate 4 HP per round at night.
Master Vampires recover all drained cards after sleeping for a day.
Master Vampires have two actions and movements each round of combat.
Master Vampires may fly, without wings, for four hours per night.
When a Master Vampire has her Master Vampire card removed by Purify
Body they recover the card at the beginning of the next combat round.
Master Vampires like the good life and rarely actually spend nights
in the crummy "nest" with the rest of their vampires. A Master
Vampire has a weak telepathic link with all of the creatures they have
created. The Master knows what happens to her creatures, but does not
see or hear through the eyes and ears of their creatures. The link is
primarily used by the Master to give orders.
Master vampires have a special magical bite attack which does 2D6 damage,
may not be deflected, ignores DEF and is a real pain. The vampire immediately
heals an amount equal to the attack. If the bite attack takes the victim
to 0 or -1 HP the victim will rise in one to six days to become a vampire.
If a bitten victim escapes and survives they will become a Thrall, If
they are bitten and then killed physically with 0 or -1 HP they will
become a ghoul in one to six days.
To kill a vampire you need to put a wooden stake through their heart,
remove their head and burn the body. They will also die if brought to
0 HP by sunlight damage.
It is unclear how a vampire becomes a master, but it appears that they
may do so only once their master has been destroyed. If a master is
destroyed the nest scatters and each of the surviving vampires has a
chance to become a master.
Dragon's Eye and Vampires:
Dragon's eye puts a living creature to sleep for 1 hour. Undead do not
require sleep as you and I understand it. When a dragon looks deeply
into the eyes of a vampire they see the spirit plane where the dead
exist. This is disconcerting and the Dragon's Eye will fail. The effects
on the user of the Dragon's Eye can be many and varied.
Shaman dragons have a knowledge of the spirit plane far beyond that
of other living creatures. If the shaman can win a +WIS roll they may
attempt to use the Dragon's Eye on an undead vampire or ghoul.
Vampires and Valarians:
Vampires are well aware of the effects for Purify Body on them and that
Valarians use Purify Body to protect themselves from infection. This
means that vampires try to avoid direct conflict with groups of Valarians.
They will happily attack a single valarian and try to turn them. A thrall
valarian acts as normal within the limits of being a thrall. A valarian
who is infected and becomes a ghoul or vampire looses their Valarian
Boon and the ability to use Valarian cards.
Vampires and Necromancers:
Necromancers and vampires do not get along well. Necromancers who are
fighting vampires keep a plaguebreaker handy to defend themselves from
infection and they keep an unused Charm Madspawn with them to tag a
master with. If a necromancer becomes a ghoul or a vampire they can
still use necromancy, but they are loyal to their master. Keep in mind
that vampires can only use a limited amount of spells.
Vampiric Desires:
Vampiric goals are somewhat similar to those of Valarians, but they
use entirely different methods. They use thralls and ghouls to rule
and protect themselves. Their ultimate goal is to eliminate necromancy
and valarianism so that the world can be made safe for their kind. Because
of their vulnerabilities vampire nests tend to know little or nothing
about other vampire nests.
Most powerful vampire nests have carved out a place for themselves in
a community and are living off of the fruits of others labors.
Adventures with Vampires:
If a group of characters are young and inexperienced they can stumble
across the results of a master being killed. That would be bemused peasants,
marauding ghouls and other incidental side effects of powerful valarians
or necromancers destroying a vampires nest.
If the characters are somewhat better they could encounter a single
vampire whose master has been eliminated. She is very carefully attempting
to build a network of thralls to protect herself. Near her sleeping
place she will have several ghouls for protection. This could be a combat
and detective scenario.
If the characters are very powerful they could stumble across evidence
of a full fledged nest.....
When you done trying this out e-mail me and let me know what you thought of my vampires and what you think of GM information and "cards" being published in this format.
Mark Harmon (08/19/2000)
