Vampiric Bloodlines
by Gilles LeblancAlphatian Vampire:
This strain of vampire is more common in the Alphatian region and with those of Alphatian blood. It was created when Alphatian mages wanted to create a superior breed of Alphatians. Alphatian vampires are often magic-users. Some Alphatian vampire, especially the older ones, still cling to the idea of the superior race, to this end they only create new vampire with people of pure Alphatian ( common or "noble" ) blood.
Normal Vampire:
OD&D Powers:
Change into Gaseous Form, Dire Wolf, Giant Bat
Regeneration outside coffin
Illusionist
Charm Gaze
Dimensional Movement
OD&D Weaknesses:
Repulsed by holy symbol
Unnatural Creature
Erroneous Belief*
AD&D 2E Powers:
Exceptional Strength
Regeneration outside coffin
+1 or better weapon to hit
Charm Gaze
Illusionist
Change into Gaseous Form
Shapechange into Large Bat
Dimensional Movement
Spider Climb at will
AD&D 2E Weaknesses:
Repulsed by lawful good holy symbol
Unnatural Creature
Erroneous Belief*
* Believes Alphatian humans and vampires are inherently superior to other people and vampires, thus they are known to underestimate these opponents. Suffer from racial prejudices which cloud their vision.
Minion: Does not have access to 2 of the following 4 powers; change into gaseous form, +1 or better weapon to hit, exceptional strength, change into animal
Disciple: Typically, disciple level Alphatian vampires do not have the change into gaseous form power.
Elder: Also possess Magical Aura.
Master: Also possess Magical Aura and Flight.
Venerable: Also possess Magical Aura, Flight and Fire Magic.
Sylvanos Vampire:
The Sylvanos vampire is closely tied to the forests and animals. Sylvanos vampire dwells as recluse in forest and seldom create other vampires. Their are many elves in this bloodline. There have been case reported where Sylvanos vampires possessed some animal traits, including feline eyes, wolf like fangs and claw-like nails.
OD&D Powers:
Bird Shapes
Change into Dire Wolf, Giant Bat
Regeneration outside coffin
Energy Drain Touch
Pass Without Traces
Summon Creatures
OD&D Weaknesses:
Repulsed by holy symbol
Weak Aura
Cannot cross running water
AD&D 2E Powers:
Exceptional Strength
Regeneration outside coffin
+1 or better weapon to hit
Pass Without Traces
Energy Drain Touch
Bird Shapes
Shapechange into Large Bat
Summon Creatures
Wolf Shape
AD&D 2E Weaknesses:
Repulsed by lawful good holy symbol
Weak Aura
Cannot cross running water
Need an invitation to enter a residence
Minion: Do not have access to Energy Drain Touch and Regeneration outside coffin.
Disciple: Do not have access to Energy Drain Touch.
Elder: Also possess Crocodile Shape.
Master: Also possess Crocodile Shape and Vampiric Familiar.
Venerable: Also possess Crocodile Shape, Vampiric Familiar and Summon Stirges.
Demos Vampire:
The Demos vampire is thought to have been created by Thanatos or another immortal of entropy. These demonic beast are utterly evil and live only to destroy. Fortunately for humans and demi-humans, their hatred of all things does not make them prone to create other of their kind. These beast have deformed faces, repulsing skin and abominable appearance.
OD&D Powers:
Fast Regeneration
Exceptional Resistance
Regeneration outside coffin
Energy Drain Touch
Poisonous Claws
Summon Creatures
OD&D Weaknesses:
Repulsed by holy symbol
Repulsing
Cannot cross running water
Creature of the Night
AD&D 2E Powers:
Exceptional Strength
Regeneration outside coffin
+1 or better weapon to hit
Poisonous Claws
Energy Drain Touch
Fast Regeneration
Exceptional Resistance
Summon Creatures
Terrible Might
AD&D 2E Weaknesses:
Repulsed by lawful good holy symbol
Repulsing
Cannot cross running water
Unnatural Creature
Creature of the Night
Minion: Do not have access to Summon Creatures and Fast Regeneration.
Disciple: Do not have access to Summon Creatures.
Elder: Also possess Summon Stirges.
Master: Also possess Summon Stirges and Extreme Resistance.
Venerable: Also possess Summon Stirges, Extreme Resistance and Fury of the Beast.
Darian Vampire:
These nomadic vampires are more commonly found in Karameikos, Sind, Hule and among some sea-fearing nations like Ierendi or the Minrothad Guilds. They usually travel for a few years and then settle for half a century in a particular region. Sometimes during this period of sedentary activity they may travel a bit or relocate not far from their first location. This bloodline possess and incredible charisma and are able to bend to will of almost anyone. They are often well known in the local folklore of a region when they temporarily settle. Although this makes their presence well known, the nomadic ways helps maintain some form of anonymity. Darian vampires like to be admired and love to seduce people with their roguish, almost romantic personality.
OD&D Powers:
Magnetic Personality
Illusionist
Regeneration outside coffin
Vampiric Stealth
Charm Gaze
Summon Creatures
OD&D Weaknesses:
Repulsed by holy symbol
Repelled by garlic
Cannot cross running water
AD&D 2E Powers:
Exceptional Strength
Regeneration outside coffin
+1 or better weapon to hit
Charm Gaze
Vampiric Stealth
Magnetic Personality
Illusionist
Summon Creatures
Spider Climb at will
AD&D 2E Weaknesses:
Repulsed by lawful good holy symbol
Repelled by garlic
Cannot cross running water
Offended by mirrors
Need an invitation to enter a residence
Minion: Do not have access to Regeneration outside coffin and Illusionist.
Disciple: Do not have access to Illusionist.
Elder: Also possess Vampiric Speed.
Master: Also possess Vampiric Speed and Vampiric Familiar.
Venerable: Also possess Vampiric Speed, Vampiric Familiar and Dimensional Movement.
Necrotic Vampire:
Necrotic Vampire are a dark cabal of necromantic vampire. Although Necrotic vampires do not possess any form of camaraderie, they are known to consult each other hold secret meetings where they trade arcane secrets. These vampires are known for their love of the undead and necromancy, but also their fascination for death. These vampires are usually necromancers ( mages ) or clerics of Nyx, Thanatos or Alphaks.
OD&D Powers:
Change into Gaseous Form
Create servitors
Regeneration outside coffin
Energy Drain Touch
Charm Gaze
Fire Magic
OD&D Weaknesses:
Repulsed by holy symbol
Unnatural Creature
Weak Faith
Creature of the Night
AD&D 2E Powers:
Exceptional Strength
Regeneration outside coffin
+1 or better weapon to hit
Charm Gaze
Energy Drain Touch
Change into Gaseous Form
Create servitors
Fire Magic
Magical Aura
AD&D 2E Weaknesses:
Repulsed by lawful good holy symbol
Unnatural Creature
Weak Faith
Creature of the Night
Need an invitation to enter a residence
Minion: Do not have access to Fire Magic and Charm Gaze.
Disciple: Do not have access to Fire Magic.
Elder: Also possess Illusionist.
Master: Also possess Illusionist and Corrupting Influence.
Venerable: Also possess Illusionist, Corrupting Influence and Dimensional Movement.
Mitelass Bloodline:
This very rare bloodline resembles the normal vampire in appearance and personality but has incredible physical powers and weak magical powers. This bloodline is very rare and may only count 150 vampires on Brun. About half of these are found on the Savage Coast and the surrounding regions. Another 50 Mitelass vampires are said to be found on Skothar and Davania.
OD&D Powers:
Terrible Might
Exceptional Resistance
Regeneration outside coffin
Vampiric Speed
Fury of the Beast
Fast Regeneration
OD&D Weaknesses:
Repulsed by holy symbol
Repelled by garlic
Cannot cross running water
AD&D 2E Powers:
Exceptional Strength
Regeneration outside coffin
+1 or better weapon to hit
Fury of the Beast
Vampiric Speed
Terrible Might
Exceptional Resistance
Fast Regeneration
Spider Climb at will
AD&D 2E Weaknesses:
Repulsed by lawful good holy symbol
Repelled by garlic
Cannot cross running water
Offended by mirrors
Need an invitation to enter a residence
Thonian Bloodline :
The Thonian bloodline originated in Thonia prior to BC 2000. A vampire created near the Blackmoor's cataclysm and suffering from radiation was altered. This vampire's name was Serge. Serge killed his progenitor and later ventured back to his homeland Thonia. Proud of his heritage he was revolted when Mystara's newest arrivals, the Alphatian prevented the Thonian's empire renewed expansion. The new arrivals were too strong for the Thonians. Serge infected with vampirism a general of the Thonian army sent in the first skirmishes the Thonian army sent to Alphatia. Believing this could lead to a war Serge and his newly infected general, Mistrel, could then with their awesome power tip the balance on the Thonian's side. The big war never came and Serge was destroyed by sunlight in an accident caused by Thonian's soldiers. Today the bloodline is strongly controlled by its eldest surviving member Mistrel who still after 2000 years loathes Alphatians. The vampires of the Thonian's bloodline are mostly Thonian's and surprisingly some Alphatians, commonly serving as secret agents, potential candidates are chosen from the ranks of Alphaks worshiper's, which guarantee that these new recruits feel strongly about the destruction of the Alphatian Empire. The Thonian bloodline consist of about 40 vampires, most living in Thonia, Skothar, Bellissaria and the surrounding lands.
Normal Vampire:
OD&D Powers:
Vampiric Stealth
Regeneration outside coffin
Illusionist
Pass Without Traces
Dimensional Movement
OD&D Weaknesses:
Repulsed by lawful good holy symbol
Need an invitation to enter a residence
Repelled by garlic
Offended by mirrors
AD&D 2E Powers:
Vampiric Stealth
Regeneration outside coffin
Illusionist
Dimensional Movement
Vampiric Familiar
Summon Creatures
Fire Magic
Create servitors
Pass Without Traces
AD&D 2E Weaknesses:
Repulsed by lawful good holy symbol
Need an invitation to enter a residence
Repelled by garlic
Offended by mirrors
Minions : Do not have access to vampiric familiar and create servitors
Disciple : Do not have access to create servitors
Elder : Also possess vampiric speed
Master : Also possess vampiric speed and flight
Venerable : Also possess vampiric speed, flight and extra sensory powers
General Mistrel
General Mistrel is the oldest surviving member of the Thonian bloodline and is the only one which was created directly by Serge, the line's progenitor. Mistrel, although not a part of the Thonian army anymore likes to be addressed as a general. He controls the line with an iron grip and goes to great length to destroy any vampire of is line which defy him or his order. Few Thonian vampires are beyond his reach and control and most of these are in hiding. He still loathes the Aphidian and eventually wishes kill them or drive them off Mystery. This has no longer anything to do with Thonian expansion has he as lost interest in the realms of the living and is now only motivated by millennia old hatred. Mistrel works with care and takes great pains not to let people learn of his existence or motives for he knows Alphatians are very powerful sorcerers and that he could not stand against several of them. He is currently residing in Bellissaria where he is plotting to wreak havoc on the Alphatians.
Mistrel
Master Thonian Bloodline Vampire
Full HP per hit die
Vampire Familiar : Stinger a very old looking stirge but powerful stirge
Mistrel always dresses in deep blue and wears loose fitting silk garment with a suede cape. He wears a broad hat with a purple feather. He has a silver rapier +1, +3 against vampires which he calls Redemption. He has used Redemption to kill many rogue Thonian vampires. He knows no magic apart from the one his vampiric powers fire magic and illusionist gives him. He was a fighter in life.
Brutes Bloodline :
The "brutes" bloodline was created by Mistrel, leader of the Thonian vampire to provide shock troops to his organisation. The "brutes" are defanged upon "birth" to prevent them from creating other brutes on their own and must drink blood like one drinks wine. Brutes were created to be strong and docile servants and nothing more. Because of their strength brutes who rebel or those who pass a certain age ( and thus get stronger ) are killed before they get out of hand. No brutes are created from spell-casting humans for the same reasons. Brutes are typically killed when they achieve normal vampire status or slightly before that. They are either killed but groups of elder Thonian vampires or Mistrel arranges for some of his henchmen to hire elite vampire hunters to hunt them down. Most brutes do not know of this fate. Brutes appear as strongly built humans with deformed ugly faces. Their muscles seem disproportionate compared to one another. Their eyes project a look of ignorance and their heads sport long unclean hair and many bald spots. They also tend to grunt allot.
Normal Vampire:
OD&D Powers:
Exceptional Strength
Regeneration outside coffin
Terrible Might
+1 or better weapon to hit
Exceptional Resistance
OD&D Weaknesses:
Cannot drain level
Weak Faith
Unnatural Creature
Repulsing
AD&D 2E Powers:
Exceptional Strength
Regeneration outside coffin
Terrible Might
+1 or better weapon to hit
Exceptional Resistance
Extreme Resistance
Poisonous Claws
Fury of the Beast
Vampiric Speed
AD&D 2E Weaknesses:
Cannot drain level
Weak Faith
Unnatural Creature
Repulsing
Minions : Do not have access to vampiric speed and poisonous claws
Disciple : Do not have access to vampiric speed
*Elder : Also possess Energy Drain Touch
*Master : Also possess Energy Drain Touch and fast regeneration
*Venerable :Also possess Energy Drain Touch, fast regeneration and corrupting influence
*Although no brutes has attained this level yet as they are killed by Thonian vampires before they do, this would be the progression of a brute who as not been killed by Thonians.
The Lost Bloodline: Dream Vampires
The Vampires of Mystara are usually (i.e., by me in my Vampire article) categorised in twelve major bloodlines (plus a handful of "naturally" occurring types of vampires). These bloodlines usually derive from some Immortal's manipulation of mortals or vampires of other bloodlines--for example, Thanatos created the progenitor of the Pojaaran Vampires, Luvarshalla, from one of his Taymoran Vampire follower.
The twelve bloodlines are no secret for most scholars of the undead, though the details are often obscure.
However, there is a thirteenth bloodline which has defied classification, due to the unusual circumstances of its creation, the limited number and the weird nature of its members. These are the Dreamworld Vampires, or Dream Vampires.
Necrology
When someone becomes a vampire as a result of the exposure to the Dreamworld (that is, a the outcome of a Situation is that the character awakes as a vampire), the victim returns as a Dream Vampire. Since they died during a nightmare, the Dream Vampires are often quite mad (-2 Wis). On the other hand, they have absorbed much from the dreamscape in terms of creativity and knowledge (+2 Int).
Dream Vampires do not drink blood, rather they feed on cerebrospinal fluids. The Vampire punches holes through the victim's spine or skull, and drains the fluids. This is quite damaging, and causes a permanent loss of 1d4 INT points per feeding. Victims who fall down to 0 INT become catatonic and will starve to death in the following days. Most, however, fall into madness after a single feeding (on a failed ST vs Spells, or other kind of Madness Check, depending on the rules adopted).
Most Dream Vampires have salient powers dealing with dreams and sleep, mostly dream-related spell-like abilities.
Powers
As for the other bloodlines I described, these powers are stated in AD&D 2e format, when a format is needed. They should work for OD&D as well.
A Dream Vampire has the same statistics as a standard Vampire, except for the following:
*It has a +2 bonus to INT, and a -2 penalty to WIS.
*A Dream Vampire cannot shapechange. However, it can enter the Dreamworld physically, as per Art of Dreams rules. The Dream Vampire needs to remain in the Dreamworld during daytime, and has a coffin and lair there. In the Dreamworld, the Dream Vampire appears to be a standard Vampire, and behaves as such (that is, in the Dreamworld a Dream Vampire drinks blood, though this doesn't count as feeding, and can shapechange, etc.).
*A Dream Vampire can turn to gaseous form.
*The monster can conjure a Nightmare once per day, but has no other summoning powers.
*A Dream Vampire can cast the Sleep spell thrice per day.
*The Dream Vampire's touch doesn't drain life energy. The Vampire, as said, feeds on INT instead of Life Energy.
*It can be turned as a standard Vampire, but priests of any power of Dreams or Sleep turn it as if it was one class lower on the table.
*The Dream Vampires are not affected by garlic, but they react to various lotus plants, like Amber Lotus and Black Lotus, as the more common varieties do to garlic.
*A victim killed by a Dream Vampire in the living world never comes back as a Vampire. A victim killed by the Vampire in the Dreamworld becomes a Dream Vampire. The Dream Vampire does not get any sustenance from this latter type of killing.
References
G. Caroletti, "Situations for Dreamworld" Agathokles, "Vampires of Mystara"