LORE SUBMISSION: Epic Race – Vampire

[Ornir Elunari]

Courtesy of Tyrion:

Vampires

A table with many young human warriors sit around just recently back from patrol around the lands of Luminari. They sit around drinking mead and boasting their exploits. Each trying to out do one another with stories of mythical beings. Spinning tales of great heroism to each other. At the end of the table sitting near the fire place of the tavern. Sit the sergeant of the platoon. Just watching and listening to the younger ones each taking a turn. He reaches into his belt pouch and pulls out his pipe. A finely crafted piece of work. Crafted from ivory and wood. He slowly begins to pack it with tobacco from another pouch on his belt. Just as the last story from a soldier finishes he lets out a deep chuckle. The tavern goes quiet. All eyes are on him. He gives a quick glance around and says “Mammoth bears and large cats huh….That’s the worst thing any of you can imagine facing on patrol in the forests.” The room now entirely silent. He brought the pipe up and gave a quick drag on it to make sure that it was properly packed and ready. He then grabbed a tinder-twig and lit it with the help of the fire place. As he lit his pipe and breathed in the deep aroma. He gave a glance around the table to make sure he had their full attention.

Breaking the anticipation filled silence he began while exhaling a thick puff of smoke. ” Vampires are among the worst that one could come across in the dark of night.” At the mention of Vampires came a chuckle from one of the soldiers. To which the sergeant snapped an stern look to. “You think they myth and legend do ya?” The soldiers face turned from a open smile to a look of shame under the stare of his sergeant. He continued his tale “They come from the shadow and appear to be man or woman. Either human or Elf either a preferred appearance. They look like any other normal person. Just an ordinary citizen out for a midnight stroll. They lure you in with casual talk. All the while they are using their charm to over power your senses. You find yourself to pay less attention to what is really happening. Just as you are completely under their spell they strike. Usually you don’t even really know they had already moved to your side. But then they embrace you and bite deep down upon your neck. You may try to move but their hold on you is as if being hugged by a bear. And their jaws clamped down with more pressure then a wolf clutching its prey.”

The sergeant takes another long drag on his pipe. Taking a quick glance around the table. He notices that not only does he have his soldiers completely enthralled he also sees that most of the other tavern occupants are also intently listening to his story. The bar maid smiling as she stares at him. Her beauty he had not fully noticed until now. A soldier broke his gaze by suddenly shouting “Then what?”. The sergeant slightly coughed and returned to his tale. “Then as they have you with their steel like jaws clamped down upon your throat they begins to suck. They begin to drink your very blood. Drawing it out with unnatural strength. And just at the time of death. Just as your sight begins to dim they stop. Choosing instead to let you bleed your last drop unto the ground. So that the last thing you see is their smile as they slowly slip away into the night.” A soldier blurted out in an attempt to regain composure only to fail as his voice cracked yelling “I could take one. Just one slash of my…..” The sergeants loud laugh interrupted the man.

“Say you are lucky to know what you face in the dead of night. They are several times stronger than a normal man. And three times as fast. Even if you managed to skillfully land a blow with your blade or even an battleaxe. What then? The blow would bounce off of their unholy undead skin. Or the wound that you caused would heal before your very eyes.” Taking another drag on his pipe and slowly exhaling. “No lad the best thing you can do in moments like that is hope. Hope that you can hold out till dawn. They are unholy monsters. Created by Tyrion.” At the mention of the Titan of Death’s name the tavern occupants had a combined gasp. “That’s right, the unholy children of Tyrion and his minions of the night. The light of day and the sun will turn them to ash in mere moments. Only the strongest and oldest of them can withstand the light of day. And even then its for a mere moment longer than normal.” The sergeant began to stand up and slowly tap out his pipe into the fire place. The tavern still silent as the grave all around him. With the air full of uneasy dread.

The sergeant began to slowly walk to the door. Looking back to say one final remark on the matter. “Aye you either hope for the sun or you pray for a Cleric or Paladin. They can command the holy divine power to turn the undead monster or smite them. If you find neither in the dead of night. Well you might as well go out swinging. At least then you can go to the grave with some sense of dignity and honor.” The sergeant walked out the tavern. Allowing the door to swing shut behind him. He looked up the road and saw the great church of the city. He then turned in the opposite direction and began to walk down the street. A woman’s voice called out to him from an ally to his right. She was appealing to the eyes and very attractive. She held up her hand and motioned for him to come to her in a flirtatious manner. To which he did. He followed her up the ally for several yards and growing tired and wishing to rest he called out to her. With unnatural speed she turned and embraced him holding her lips up to his cheek and ear. Whispering slightly just barely loud enough to hear. “Lay with me tonight. And protect me from the evil vampires.”

The sergeant began to laugh which caught her by surprise. She loosened her embrace only to find her self thrown against the wall. The sergeant threw back his cloak to reveal the gleaming full plate below. Holy symbols etched into with gold inlay. He began to glow. He began to speak. “Unholy monster did you think I was not onto your scheme. You played into my hand. In the holy name of Vedic I smite thee Vampire. In all that is divine and holy I smite the foul creature of the dark.” As he spoke these words she felt paralyzed with fear. He slowly drawing his blade as he spoke. Her last sight was the blade piercing her chest and holy flame shooting through her body. With his prey turning to ash before the mighty paladin of Vedic, he gave up a short prayer to his divine lord. “In your name I will drive the evil from this land.” Pulling his cloak back down around him so as to hide his true position in the clergy he walked back to the main street. And began to walk up towards the church. Leaving the ash to blow in the wind.

Vampire Race

Hit-points – +10 at start with +4 at each level.

Natural Armor – +6

Slam/Blood Drain – Vampire gets a slam attack much like bash or
headbutt. But not only does it do damage. It also does 1 point of con damage to the enemy. And heals the vampire for an amount.

Dominate – At higher levels vampires have the ability to dominate the minds of their enemies. This affect last for 1 hour.
Alternate form – Vampires have the ability at will to take the same of mist. While in this form they take no damage and have the ability to fly. They can stay in for as long as they wish and switch back at will.

Damage Reduction – Vampires have damage reduction 10/silver and magic

Fast healing – Vampires heal at a much faster rate than other creatures of the world. They heal 5 hit points a round.

Resistance – Vampires have resistance 10 to cold and electricity

Turn Resistance – Vampires are undead but they are more powerful than other undead. They have a +4 to their restance from being turned by paladins or clerics.

Stat bonuses – Str +6, Dex +4, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4.

Constitution- (up to you guys) Being that vampires are undead. They do not have a con score. Instead con based checks use their charisma score instead. However they gain hit-points from their classes as normal. They should have all their hit dice no matter the class be D12. With no negatives for having no con score.

Skills – Vampires have a +8 racial bonus to Bluff, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. (I understand that some of these do not exists in luminari I am just naming everything from d20srd.)

Feats – Alertness, Combat reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, and Lightning Reflexes.

Weaknesses – They take damage from holy spells. Such as heal and cure based spells. They also take double damage from silver. Other weaknesses such as daylight doing damage and the such will probably be best left for release when everything is mostly worked out.

Experience modifier – HUGE!!!!

Possible other powers upon further release of luminari. Probably the ability to create other vampires through roleplay with players after they have done the work and submitted request to the Titans.

Lore: The first.

Vlad began walking the path of the Holy Paladin to follow int he foot-steps of his half brother Mercerion. They joined the church of the holy divine. The titan of Justice and Wisdom. In his name they traveled the lands of Luminari seeking out the evil that had come up from the Underworld seeking the souls of the innocent. They made a team like no other. Mercerion keeping to his wits and using his superior skill with his twin blades to both parry and strike. When ever the opportunity presented itself he did smote those that worshiped and followed Tyrion. The titan of Death. Th brothers traveled near and far. Going where ever rumors surfaced of the titans minions causing havoc upon the land. On one occasion they even helped General Tso out in a decisive battle against a fairly large orc army that was attempting to besiege Sanctus. General Tso along with the brothers broke through and as a holy spear peirced deep into the orc horde lines. Where they cam across their Chieftain. The Boss. A bestial orc twice the size of an ordinary man. The battle lasted an hour of the brothers parrying blows from him and returning blows of their own. The time came where their strength was almost faded. And the hour dire. They summoned the last of their strength and as one they raised their weapons on high and shouted with holy confidence. “In the name of Holy divine we smite thee.” As the blow struck home The Boss was defeated but not dead. The horde that had been kept at bay by General Tso and his elite soldiers caved in on them. It took the very last of their strength, along with a lot of luck to hold a a small defensive line. More than one occasion Vlad went down only to be brought back up by a helpful hand from his big brother Mercerion. The orcs were fighting a retreat. An hour later they had fled the battlefield. Leaving General Tso with the Victory. And ensuring Sanctuses safety.

The brothers taken back by this advance of evil upon the land decided action was needed. They both took up their weapons and prepared there holy chants for the upcoming battle. It was dawn and they struck out into the underworld. At first the going was tough. Tougher then they had though it would be. Undead were everywhere and hell hounds coming out of the shadows. They fought back to back with Holy divine in their hearts they pushed on. They knew in his name and honor they would bring justice to Tyrion and finally put a stop to his evil plots. They killed many however they dead sometimes didn’t stay dead. On occasion the dead would either crawl away or stand back up and fight once more. They took shifts sleeping 5 hours a night with one standing watch. What they thought would be a week journey turned into a month. With the twists and turns of the underworld throwing them off course. But finally two months into their journey they felt the presence of Tyrion growing stronger. But something dark was happening. Mercerion grew stronger with divine might and at times in the heat of battle glowed with divine power. However Vlad felt nothing. He felt no different. He usually shook it off as nothing. But it was Tyrion. The Titan of Death was spinning a plan that would change the lives of the brothers for ever. He began with slowing severing Vlad’s connection to the divine. As this happen Vlad started to rely less on smiting and channeling divine power through him. And more on dirty tricks and brutal attacks with his blades.
A week went by and Vlad started feeling less hungry. Well less hungry for the rations that they had brought with them. He thought that it was just the underworld getting to him. He then started looking at those he killed in a new light. He sliced the neck of a fire daemon to see blood spray out in a pleasing arc. And he started having the urge to lick the blood. He fought it with all his will power. At night on watch he started too stare at Mercerion. Feeling his stomach growl as he did. He prayed to the divine, but felt nothing in response. Starting to become lost in his quest. He felt betrayed. Abandoned and more importantly he was starting to feel angry at divine. He started silently cursing his name every time Mercerion invoked it. Watching his brother glow with divine might every time. Proving all the more to him that his Titan had abandoned him. That he was no longer worthy. He began to feel ashamed. To ashamed to seek his brothers wisdom. In which he did often till they entered the Underworld.

The fateful week came with the silent marching of over a hundred undead skeleton warriors. They held a line in a tunnel that the dark presence was emanating from. The brothers looked at one another and with a nod they charged the line. The battle was fierce. And the brothers soon became separated. Mercerion was still closer to the front of the line. While Vlad found it easier and easier to push through the skeletons. Their were 2 ranks left between him and a Glowing red door and he noticed for the first time something strange. He looked back and saw Mercerion just duck under a mace from a skeleton while destroying another with his off hand sword. He then looked at the skeletons in front of himself and they did nothing. It was as if he wasn’t even there. He simply pushed past them and approached the door. He felt drawn to it. As if for the first time in his life he was where he belonged. He reached out and opened the door. When he walked through it he was standing in a study. The door slowly shutting behind him with the sound of battle quieting. He looked around and saw a desk with. A man sat in a chair behind it. Eyeing him with his full black eyes. His white hair brushed behind his naturally pointed ears. An evil grin across his face displaying his perfect white teeth. With stern authority he said “Welcome Vlad to my study. I as you probably guess am Tyrion. I hear you and your brother have been looking for me.”
With a confused expression displayed across his half-elven face. “Indeed we have been.” While standing up from his chair to his full height of over eight feet. “Now that you found me you no longer want to kill me.” Dropping his sword and orb to the ground. “No……I don’t.” Slowly walking toward Vlad “You are brave Vlad. More brave than your brother. He has the full support of the divine and you do not. He has abandoned you and you still fought my pets.” While staring into his full black eyes Vlad said “I wanted to see you. I wanted to stand in your presence. I know not why.” Slowly placing his hands on Vlad’s shoulders and gazing deep into his very soul. “It is because you wish to serve me. It is because you wish to be greater than anyone who has ever lived. You want immortality.” At that note a grin shot across Vlad’s face. Continuing in his speech. “I am prepared to make you something new. To bring a new being of greatness into the realm. I will make you a vampire. An immortal undead monster. That will sustain on the blood of the innocent and have command over my legions as a captain or even someday a general. Leading my armies deep into the realm of divine and together we will destroy the surface world. Bring all who live upon it to death and ruin. Do you accept my generous gift of power and the blessing of becoming a vampire? To serve me for all eternity as my immortal soldier and when the time comes and your death is at hand to have your soul given to me.” Kneeling before Tyrion. “I do lord make me your immortal servant. So that I may serve you and be your unholy hand in the mortal world.”

Tyrion placed a hand on Vlad’s head and began to chant in evil dark speech. And Vlad began to glow red. He felt his insides begin to turn and harden. He felt the warmth slowly leave his body. His lungs slowly seizing. It was at this moment that Mercerion burst through the door. He yelled out Vlad’s name but Vlad did not respond. He through his Holy avenger at Tyrion while yelling a prayer to the divine. But it was no use. Tyrion simple brushed the sword out of the sky with his other hand and a flick of his wrist. He then started to glow red and as a chain of dark lightning leaped from his out stretched finger and almost hit him. He was covered in a beam of holy bright light. When Vlad finally stood back up Mercerion was gone. And only his master was there. He felt the rush of dark undeath energy wash over him. And as he felt his new fangs with his tongue he looked at Tyrion. “What is thy will my master” slightly bowing his head at the end of the sentence. Tyrion took a second and with a grin. “Bring death to those that follow the holy power. And drink, drink the blood of mortals. DRINK TILL YOUR HEARTS CONTENT!” His voice becoming deep and loud as he uttered the last words almost shaking the room. As if thunder rolling across the sky. “As you wish my master” Thus begins Vlad the First of the Vampires.

[Tyrion]

Thank you Ornir for posting this.

[boom]

That sounds amazing, just wondering if they would be over powered or not

[Author]

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