Fantasy Core RPG: Vampire Lord

FANTASY CORE RPG

UNDEAD AND DEMONICALLY POSSESSED CREATURES

(c) Jerry Harris, 2016

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Playtest Rules.)

Creature Index

Vampire Lord

HD 8 (d12), Hp 96, AC 17* (Natural, they dislike wearing any armor, Magic or silver to hit, immune to electricity, poison, and acid), Enhanced Init +4

Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +10

Melee: 2 x Slam +8 to hit, 1d6+4 + Energy Drain DC 12 Will Sv or lose 1d4 negative hp.  Vampires dislike using weapons.  They don’t want to waste their victim’s blood.  They prefer rapiers if need be +7 to hit, 1d6+4.

Embrace: Vampires may directly drain blood (hp) with their fangs from opponents and regenerate themselves with it.  Any stunned or mesmerized victim may be immediately Embraced.  In combat, if both Slam attacks hit the same opponent in 1 rd, the Vampire may immediately grapple and Embrace.  In either case, the Vampire drains 5 hp in blood from them, which is then added to any of the Vampire’s lost hp. 

If the Vampire continues to Embrace, it is a DC 18 Str Check (or Escape Artist Skill) to break off.  The next rd ½ total hp remaining (at least 5) are drained.  The next rd all remaining hp are drained.  All drained hp is added to any of the Vampire’s lost hp.

The Vampire and the victim are considered to be helpless while in the act, but the Vampire can break off contact at any time.  After an Embrace attack, the Vampire cannot move or attack the next rd, but can defend themselves.  (This is why they prefer use it on helpless opponents and not in combat.)

Ranged: +8 to hit, to hit if using a Ranged weapon, but 1 attack/rd. 

Stealth: +8

Tracking: +8 (If there is a blood trail, they will automatically find anyone they’re looking for.)

Infravision

Healing: Vampire Lords can heal all lost hp with 1 turn of rest after a feeding of at least 5 hp of blood, but without that feeding, they cannot heal. 

Immortal: As long as they feed daily at least 5 hp worth of blood, Vampire Lords are animated.  They will become desperate if somehow prevented from feeding for a day.  Without feeding, the next day, they go into a state of torpor, requiring blood to be fed to them to come back to life.

Telepathy: Can read the surface thoughts of anyone within Short range, making it very difficult to sneak up on a Vampire Lord.  The subject gains a DC 18 Will Sv to actively mentally hide information that the Vampire Lord may be probing for.

Mesmerize: Can stun a victim for 2 rds by making concentrated eye contact.  DC 18 Will Sv to avoid if in a non-combat situation.  DC 12 if engaged in combat. 

Dominate: Can completely mentally take over a victim for 1 turn.  They must be Mesmerized first.  DC 18 Will Sv for the victim in a non-combat situation.  DC 12 in combat.  (A Vampire Lord will likely only bother trying this in combat if confronted with obviously low or no-level Characters or NPC’s, and then only as a distraction.)  A Vampire Lord may only Dominate 1 person a turn.  A victim who is completely Dominated for 3 days in a row becomes a permanent Thrall of the Vampire Lord. 

Thralls: The Vampire Lord will be telepathically linked to everyone they’ve completely Dominated, allowing them to control their Thralls and have access to their senses.  They are able to control up to 16 Thralls at a time.  Any others who have been completely Dominated and released are still susceptible.  If the Vampire Lord makes contact with an ex-Thrall, they need only Dominate them once to reestablish them as a Thrall.  A Break Enchantment spell (DC 18) is needed to end this arrangement.

Summon: A full rd action.  Any Thralls of the Vampire Lord will immediately come when called as soon as they can.  They will fight to the death for their master.

Sires: A Vampire Lord can create (Sire) lesser Vampires by feeding them their blood and sacrificing them.  This is typically only done on willing and loyal subjects, perhaps for immortal companionship or to protect themselves against other Vampire Lords and adventurers or for other reasons. 

A Vampire Lord may create as many Sires as they want, but the rub is that they can’t control all of them directly all the time.  Vampire Lords are typically loathe to Sire new Vampires for this reason.  Lords will virtually never Sire someone with magical powers (too dangerous to them).  More Vampires also creates additional competition for feeding and increased Vampiric activity may attract unwanted attention.  Still, Sires are mostly loyal to any summons, if not out of friendship, alliance, or opportunity, then fear.   

Vampiric Domination: While Vampires are usually immune to Vampiric mental powers, Vampire Lords can try to Dominate lesser Vampires for 1 turn.  They get a DC 12 Will Sv and it can only be attempted once per turn.  For Vampires of their own Bloodline (their Clan), it’s DC 18 and lasts for 1 day.  (Lesser Vampires may do their Lord’s will without being Dominated, if it’s in their best interests.)  This does not require the Vampire to be Mesmerized first.  Vampire Lords cannot make Thralls of lesser Vampires.  Vampire Lords cannot Dominate one another. 

Creation: Vampire Lords are 8^th level Warlocks.  Their motivation to become a Vampire may be the result of having taken too much permanent damage from a failed ceremony spells, an inability to progress as a Wizard, seeking an easier path to power, a desire for immortality, and other reasons.  The ceremony involves an unholy space, a silver knife to draw blood, and a basin where a vampire bat (for blood lust) and a wolf pelt (for animalistic man-hunting ferocity) are sacrificed in a fire.  The Warlock summons a demon at midnight and then commits suicide with the knife to allow the demon to enter them.  They must then be buried in a coffin to arise the next night as a Vampire Lord.

Banes and Habits: Vampire Lords cannot be hurt by normal weapons, but magic and silver weapons do full damage.  Vampire Lords are afraid of fire, but will only harm them for 1 rd, after which they regenerate it immediately, even from below 0.  Vampire Lords are heliophobic, but do not disintegrate in sunlight.  If out in the sun, all of their ability stats go to 0, and they lose their spellcasting and special mental abilities.  An Exorcism will kill the Vampire Lord and host, but they must be in a state of torpor for the ceremony.  They cannot enter Consecrated or Hallowed areas.

Vampire Lords are an eccentric, individualistic lot.  Their odd habits and routines are their own.  If anything is common, they are generally very old and tend to keep to the shadows, never casually revealing their true power.  Dealings with the outside world are carried out by Thralls and Vampires of their Clan.  Almost needless to say, Vampire Lords do not get along with each other at all, far too much ego involved.  There may be proxy wars over turf between their Clans, though peaceful, but tense, relationships are a possibility.  Sired Vampires are not above changing sides against their Lord in a conflict if necessary for survival.

  

Final Destruction: Death by magic, silver weapons, or exorcism will kill them.

Ancient Ones: There are tales of the eldest Vampires, perhaps the original ones, lurking in the deepest of shadows.  These creatures may be truly immortal.  While they can be nourished by human blood, they require regular feedings of the blood of supernatural creatures, such as Werewolves and Vampires.  It has even been suggested that these creatures are allowed to propagate only to provide feeding stock for the Elders.

Vampire Lord Spells

Spellcheck: +8, Save Against: DC 16, 3 cumulative failures in a turn/encounter.

Vampire Lords are very intelligent (Int +4), but that doesn’t always translate to being a good spellcaster.  Being overly ambitious and insufficiently cautious is a bad combination for a Wizard, messing with supernatural things that only end badly for them.  Vampire Lords may actually only have a fairly thin spellbook and may have been alive long enough to have forgotten many of their spells.  Their addiction to blood and their potent abilities often cause their spellcasting skills to lapse.  They would use spells to enhance their Vampiric abilities.   

1ST-LEVEL WIZARD SPELLS (DC 13 to cast)

Cause Fear: One creature of 5 HD or less flees for 1d4 rounds. (Will Sv)

Charm Person: Makes one person your friend. 8 turns. (Will Sv)

Expeditious Retreat: Your speed increases by 30 ft. 8 turns.

Shocking Grasp: 12 electrical damage + Stun 1 rd. (Ref Sv all damage) Close range.

Sleep: Puts 4 HD of creatures into magical slumber, 1 turn. (Fort Sv)

Vampiric Speak with Animals: Vampire Lords can communicate with rats, bats, and wolves, who are used as spies. 

2ND-LEVEL WIZARD SPELLS (DC 14 to cast)

Blindness/Deafness: Makes subject magically blinded or deafened. Encounter. (Will Sv)

Blur: Successful attacks miss subject 25% of the time.  Encounter. Disrupted by a successful hit.

Fog Cloud: Fog obscures vision.  Fills immediate area. 0 Bonuses to Melee or Ranged attack.

Spider Climb: Grants ability to walk on walls and ceilings. 8 turns.

Vampiric Summon Swarm: Summons swarm of bats and rats.  No damage, but causes a constant distraction until warded off, 1 rd.

3RD-LEVEL WIZARD SPELLS (DC 15 to cast)

Clairaudience/Clairvoyance: Hear or see at a distance for 1 turn.  Line of sight, through 1 wall.

Dispel Magic: Cancels magical spells and effects. Roll a normal Spellcheck to cast, then also compare that to DC 11 + ½ the original caster’s level.  Both must be successful to dispel the magic.  If the just the Spellcheck is successful, it doesn't count as a spell failure (Caster Check)

Fly: Subject flies at speed of 60 ft./rd, 8 turns. Disrupted by any hit.

Gaseous Form: Subject becomes insubstantial and can fly slowly. 10 turns.

Lightning Bolt: 14 electrical damage + Stun 1 rd + Knocked Down. (Ref Sv ½ damage) Medium range.

Vampiric Summon Wolf Pack: Summons an angry pack of 6 wolves to defend the Vampire Lord. 

4TH-LEVEL WIZARD SPELLS (DC 16 to cast)

Charm Monster: Makes monster believe it is your ally.  Encounter/turn. (Will Sv)

Control Weather: Changes weather in local area. 8 days.

Invisibility, Greater: As Invisibility, but subject can attack and stay invisible. 0 Bonuses to hit by melee or ranged, +4 Saving Throws vs spells, disrupted by any hit.  Encounter.

Vampiric Shapechange: May take the form of a Bat or a Wolf, taking on those stats.  Lasts for 1 turn/encounter.  Requires 1 rd to shift form.  Usually used to spy, getaway, or to hide themselves.  Being killed in this form, reverts them to their Vampire form (less lost hp), though they wouldn’t want to fight as an animal. 

Wolf

HD 2+4, Hp 13, AC 14* (Still requires magic or silver to hit)

Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1

Melee: Bite +3 to hit, 1d6+1

Bat

HD 1/4, Hp 1, AC 16* (Still requires magic or silver to hit)

Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2

No attacks

Blindsense, radar vision

[But. . . But. . . What about wooden stakes to the heart and mirrors and turning to gas and all the other crap?  Forget it.  Or don’t.  Vampire Lords should be fairly individual creatures, so you can put in various banes and extra powers to your liking, even make up some new ones.  (Certainly Vampire mythology is random enough to allow that.)    Their Clan Bloodline would share those characteristics.  If a Lord has been around long enough, their foibles are probably well known in the communities they’ve haunted.  However, I feel these kind of hooky things detract more from their personalities than add to them, and Vampires should have personality more than anything else.]