Difference between revisions of "Quaint/Vampires"
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I have taken to using vampires in my exalted campaigns. | I have taken to using vampires in my exalted campaigns. | ||
| − | They are a race of their own, with myths about their ancestors being buried alive in a shadowland. They are somewhat more powerful than mortals but are weaker than dragonblooded. They don't naturally regain essence but have to drink the blood of the living, which is also required as basic sustenance. They can attain ages about that of dragonblooded, maybe a little more, elders are commonly 400 to 500 years old. Their blood allows them to be pretty sneaky and powerful and fast physically. Fire and Sunlight are their banes and they are relatively tough when faced with other damage, but they are still afraid of a headshot from close-up and they can be killed by excessive damage, especially when the head or the heart are targeted. | + | == Overview == |
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| + | They are a race of their own, with myths about their ancestors being buried alive in a shadowland. They are somewhat more powerful than mortals but are weaker than dragonblooded. They are comparable in power to enlightened mortals or god-blooded. They don't naturally regain essence but have to drink the blood of the living, which is also required as basic sustenance. They can attain ages about that of dragonblooded, maybe a little more, elders are commonly 400 to 500 years old. Their blood allows them to be pretty sneaky and powerful and fast physically. Fire and Sunlight are their banes and they are relatively tough when faced with other damage, but they are still afraid of a headshot from close-up and they can be killed by excessive damage, especially when the head or the heart are targeted. | ||
Vampires can learn a great deal of special powers, all inspired by classic vampire lore and games like Vampire The Masquerade or Vampire The Requiem as well as maybe the Blade movies. Mindaffecting powers work poorly or not at all against beings with essence 2 or more. Basically you can only securely influence standard mortals and beasts, anything else is tricky or impossible. | Vampires can learn a great deal of special powers, all inspired by classic vampire lore and games like Vampire The Masquerade or Vampire The Requiem as well as maybe the Blade movies. Mindaffecting powers work poorly or not at all against beings with essence 2 or more. Basically you can only securely influence standard mortals and beasts, anything else is tricky or impossible. | ||
Some of the oldest and most powerful elders are capable of learning shadowlands circle necromancy. Necromancy also allows for a ritual, a baptism of blood, to make a willing mortal into a vampire. | Some of the oldest and most powerful elders are capable of learning shadowlands circle necromancy. Necromancy also allows for a ritual, a baptism of blood, to make a willing mortal into a vampire. | ||
Vampires are a well known threat in creation and are commonly hunted. In areas where the immaculate order holds sway, they are often very rare, almost exstinct, because they are hunted so effectively. Sometimes they live in hiding. More often, they migrate to shadowlands, which are their natural habitat. Some are independent, lording over ghost and mortal, some serve other masters, even the deathlords. While they can survive in the underworld, they are not very common there. Ghosts are not such easy prey as mortals and their blood is unsatisfying, bad tasting and of little nutritional value. | Vampires are a well known threat in creation and are commonly hunted. In areas where the immaculate order holds sway, they are often very rare, almost exstinct, because they are hunted so effectively. Sometimes they live in hiding. More often, they migrate to shadowlands, which are their natural habitat. Some are independent, lording over ghost and mortal, some serve other masters, even the deathlords. While they can survive in the underworld, they are not very common there. Ghosts are not such easy prey as mortals and their blood is unsatisfying, bad tasting and of little nutritional value. | ||
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| + | == Becoming a Vampire == | ||
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| + | Most vampires are born that way, not made. However, using powerful necromancy and the blood of a vampire, a willing mortal can be transformed into a vampire. Some say this ritual inspired the Deathlords in the creation of Abyssals. This ritual is most often performed by vampire elders, but actually anybody who can cast shadowlands circle necromancy can learn and perform it. It requires vampire blood though. There are even rumors of a shadowy organisation of vampire and monster hunters which use the blood of their prey to become vampires. The enhanced powers of a vampire are well suited to hunting monsters and other vampires. | ||
| + | This ritual is also one of the reasons the Immaculates hate vampires that much - they promise power beyond the limits of your current incarnation and the Immaculates can't really have that, now can they. | ||
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| + | == Feeding == | ||
| + | Vampires do not actually need to kill the living. However, they sometimes fail to control themselves and thus don't stop in time. There are many ways in which vampires prey upon the living. Most common, perhaps, are two: Stalking lone people and jumping them with their supreme strength. Or seducing mortals, their natural charms enhanced with mind-affecting powers. | ||
| + | Most mortals are paralyzed when bitten by a vampire and stop struggling. This greatly aids a vampire in keeping their prey alive should they want to. Exalted, gods etc. are usually unaffected by this paralysis. | ||
| + | Vampires can debate at length about the tastes of blood. Healthy, young mortals are often regarded as most delicious. Supernatural entities can have much tastier blood though, even intoxicating and enhancing the performance of vampires. Because of their limited power, they rarely hunt supernatural entities or exalted. But should an exalt want something from a vampire, their blood can be a powerful bribe. | ||
Latest revision as of 12:04, 22 January 2016
I have taken to using vampires in my exalted campaigns.
Overview
They are a race of their own, with myths about their ancestors being buried alive in a shadowland. They are somewhat more powerful than mortals but are weaker than dragonblooded. They are comparable in power to enlightened mortals or god-blooded. They don't naturally regain essence but have to drink the blood of the living, which is also required as basic sustenance. They can attain ages about that of dragonblooded, maybe a little more, elders are commonly 400 to 500 years old. Their blood allows them to be pretty sneaky and powerful and fast physically. Fire and Sunlight are their banes and they are relatively tough when faced with other damage, but they are still afraid of a headshot from close-up and they can be killed by excessive damage, especially when the head or the heart are targeted. Vampires can learn a great deal of special powers, all inspired by classic vampire lore and games like Vampire The Masquerade or Vampire The Requiem as well as maybe the Blade movies. Mindaffecting powers work poorly or not at all against beings with essence 2 or more. Basically you can only securely influence standard mortals and beasts, anything else is tricky or impossible. Some of the oldest and most powerful elders are capable of learning shadowlands circle necromancy. Necromancy also allows for a ritual, a baptism of blood, to make a willing mortal into a vampire. Vampires are a well known threat in creation and are commonly hunted. In areas where the immaculate order holds sway, they are often very rare, almost exstinct, because they are hunted so effectively. Sometimes they live in hiding. More often, they migrate to shadowlands, which are their natural habitat. Some are independent, lording over ghost and mortal, some serve other masters, even the deathlords. While they can survive in the underworld, they are not very common there. Ghosts are not such easy prey as mortals and their blood is unsatisfying, bad tasting and of little nutritional value.
Becoming a Vampire
Most vampires are born that way, not made. However, using powerful necromancy and the blood of a vampire, a willing mortal can be transformed into a vampire. Some say this ritual inspired the Deathlords in the creation of Abyssals. This ritual is most often performed by vampire elders, but actually anybody who can cast shadowlands circle necromancy can learn and perform it. It requires vampire blood though. There are even rumors of a shadowy organisation of vampire and monster hunters which use the blood of their prey to become vampires. The enhanced powers of a vampire are well suited to hunting monsters and other vampires. This ritual is also one of the reasons the Immaculates hate vampires that much - they promise power beyond the limits of your current incarnation and the Immaculates can't really have that, now can they.
Feeding
Vampires do not actually need to kill the living. However, they sometimes fail to control themselves and thus don't stop in time. There are many ways in which vampires prey upon the living. Most common, perhaps, are two: Stalking lone people and jumping them with their supreme strength. Or seducing mortals, their natural charms enhanced with mind-affecting powers. Most mortals are paralyzed when bitten by a vampire and stop struggling. This greatly aids a vampire in keeping their prey alive should they want to. Exalted, gods etc. are usually unaffected by this paralysis. Vampires can debate at length about the tastes of blood. Healthy, young mortals are often regarded as most delicious. Supernatural entities can have much tastier blood though, even intoxicating and enhancing the performance of vampires. Because of their limited power, they rarely hunt supernatural entities or exalted. But should an exalt want something from a vampire, their blood can be a powerful bribe.
