Playable Vampires, Vampirism and The Bitten

[Tathkar Eisgrim]

Playable Vampires:

Subject to a Major award, playable vampires become available. Playable vampires are the ultimate nemesis, capable of returning from beyond the grave to trouble settlements and heroes. Ultimately, however, their luck will run out. Undeath is a difficult path...

- Areas are added to crypts (lockable guild-houses) only ownable by Vampires or The Bitten. Vampire only portals for access and escape are contained within, along with guild-owned (and craftable) coffins.
- Playable Vampires are at the mercy of the game time clock. If the clock shows dusk-till-dawn they are active. If dawn approaches they are transformed into bat form. If dawn breaks they are teleported back to their guild crypt (or an attuned coffin), requiring the earth of their coffin to rest. This occurs regardless of whether the Vampire is on the surface or in the Underdark.

- Vampires start play in a vampire crypt (guildhouse).
- Vampires do not comply with normal rest rules.
- Vampires do not heal from health packs or potions.
- Vampires must drink blood of magical beasts or blood potions to heal (aah-hah-ha!)
- Vampires gain vampiric regeneration from melee attacks.
- Vampires gain Hypnosis abilities.
- Vampires gain shapeshift (bat) and shapeshift (wolf) forms. These are travel forms.
- Vampires gain a 'Bless the Bitten' ability.
- Vampires cannot enter any other guildhouse or Quarters unless they possess a key.
- Vampires have a forced Mark of Death (MOD). The final death represents the final staking; dismemberment; fatal turning.

Arelith Variant Vampirism:

Vampire victims develop an island-specific variant of vampirism, becoming 'The Bitten': the servant class to Vampire society and the weak-willed repeat victim. True Vampirism -cannot- be transmitted by bite or ceremony, it is a matter of birth - meaning a great curse or circumstance. The Bitten however, are the victims who are led to believe it is possible to become like their vampire attacker.

The Bitten:

The Bitten suffer (and are expected to roleplay):

- A dislike of sunlight, but can operate normally.
- Reduced saves to Will and Hypnosis effects.
- Phobia's and Neuroses regarding bats, wolves, darkness, and blood.

Craftable Item: Holy Symbols:

Holy symbols are a wieldable wand variant that can cast sanctuary-like effects and otherwise have strong will save bonuses.

Craftable Item: Wooden Stakes:

Daggers made of wood, with large bonuses vs Vampires.

Craftable Item: Blood Potions:

Made from the blood of increasingly rare creatures, blood potions are the portable means by which vampires feed themselves. The weakest are made from the blood of animals representing those pitiful vampires who weep at their fate and refuse to drink the blood of sentients.

Craftable Item: Blood-Knife:

A vampires dark dagger. If used to strike a PC victim, magical blood appears in the vampires inventory.