Questions on Vampires - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Questions on Vampires

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Jul 29, 2004 8:00:13 I have a few questions regarding Vampires and their behaviour/characteristics, on which I would like to have your point of view, interpretation and/or opinions.
I would like to keep my game pretty much by the standard "rules", as the have a point of reference to fall back on when needed. So just assume that in all these questions it concerns a 'regular' Ravenloft-vampire (eg. not a domain lord or anything with extraordinary powers).

So here goes. How would you reply to or handle the following questions?

- Does a vampire bleed when hurt? (I always assumed it was some sort of black ichor, but I never found an official source stating they do or don't).

- What happens if a vampire is slain? Does it leave a corpse?

- Supposing it leaves a corpse : How does the freshly slain corpse of a vampire look like? (Fangs, nails, bodily fluids, etc...)

- Supposing it leaves a corpse : What happens when a vampire corpse is exposed to sunlight? Is it still vulnerable when it is, well, officially dead, or is it to be treated like any other corpse?

Thanks for your time!

(Oh, and answers like "You are the DM, do what you think is best or feel is right" are worthless, let me state that up front to avoid 2 pages of replies with these. I don't want to go through all that again. Basically it boils down to this: If I wanted to do things how I think/feel they are best, I wouldn't come asking for your opinions, I would just do it and be over with it.)
#2
zombiegleemax
Jul 29, 2004 10:33:02 Well, I would say that the vampire only bleeds if it has feed. In this case, it's regular blood like any human. Otherwise, no bleeding of any sort. Ghouls have ichor in them cause it's dead blood still within it. In definition a vampire has no blood and needs to "resupply"

A vampire leaves a corpse only if it's not permantly slain. If permanently slain, it falls to ashes.

If you choose it isn't reduced to ashes, it will if exposed to sunlight.

Note that a stake in the heart doesn't destroy it. I say in this case it looks like a dead body from the lack of blood. Pale with stretch skin accross the bones.
#3
zombiegleemax
Jul 29, 2004 21:02:50 To a certain extent you can't get away from person opinions. Since I (respectfully) disagree with Charney on some points you may have to make a call as the DM. My thoughts:

I agree that vampires generally only bleed when they've recently fed. There is some material that suggests that vampire blood is "weird" in Ravenloft. In either the VanRichten guide to Vampires or the Arsenal I seem to remember something about magical uses or grendale like weapons based on vampire blood. A single drop of vampire blood is also used by the Kargat (or Kargatane?) to help enhance or control the next layer of minions further removed from Azalin.

Depends on how its slain. A vampire destriyed by immersion or sunlight would be ash. A vampire staked and beheaded (and whose mouth was stuffed with wafers etc.) would leave a corpse IMO. As its then be a corpse it could be exposed to sunlight without being reduced to ash.

I would tend to say that it looks they the guy or girl did in life and that any vampiric traits would e gone once the soul was freed. This is personal opinion. In Children of the Night: Werebeasts there is a Dread Possibility that Duke Gundar's remains are around with a stake through his heart (raising the possibility of his return if the stake is removed). If i recall correctly his remains were almost skeletal in appearance - however he was a Dark Lord way back when and might be a special exception to general rules.

Hope that wasn't too long. ;^)

-Eric Gorman
#4
zombiegleemax
Jul 31, 2004 20:25:23 My thanks to both Charney and HvF for the information! :-)
I was pretty much hoping that the answers would be along those lines, which fit perfect into my ongoing campaign. Tnx a lot guys!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Jul 29, 2004 8:00:13	I have a few questions regarding Vampires and their behaviour/characteristics, on which I would like to have your point of view, interpretation and/or opinions. I would like to keep my game pretty much by the standard "rules", as the have a point of reference to fall back on when needed. So just assume that in all these questions it concerns a 'regular' Ravenloft-vampire (eg. not a domain lord or anything with extraordinary powers). So here goes. How would you reply to or handle the following questions? - Does a vampire bleed when hurt? (I always assumed it was some sort of black ichor, but I never found an official source stating they do or don't). - What happens if a vampire is slain? Does it leave a corpse? - Supposing it leaves a corpse : How does the freshly slain corpse of a vampire look like? (Fangs, nails, bodily fluids, etc...) - Supposing it leaves a corpse : What happens when a vampire corpse is exposed to sunlight? Is it still vulnerable when it is, well, officially dead, or is it to be treated like any other corpse? Thanks for your time! (Oh, and answers like "You are the DM, do what you think is best or feel is right" are worthless, let me state that up front to avoid 2 pages of replies with these. I don't want to go through all that again. Basically it boils down to this: If I wanted to do things how I think/feel they are best, I wouldn't come asking for your opinions, I would just do it and be over with it.)
#2 zombiegleemax Jul 29, 2004 10:33:02	Well, I would say that the vampire only bleeds if it has feed. In this case, it's regular blood like any human. Otherwise, no bleeding of any sort. Ghouls have ichor in them cause it's dead blood still within it. In definition a vampire has no blood and needs to "resupply" A vampire leaves a corpse only if it's not permantly slain. If permanently slain, it falls to ashes. If you choose it isn't reduced to ashes, it will if exposed to sunlight. Note that a stake in the heart doesn't destroy it. I say in this case it looks like a dead body from the lack of blood. Pale with stretch skin accross the bones.
#3 zombiegleemax Jul 29, 2004 21:02:50	To a certain extent you can't get away from person opinions. Since I (respectfully) disagree with Charney on some points you may have to make a call as the DM. My thoughts: I agree that vampires generally only bleed when they've recently fed. There is some material that suggests that vampire blood is "weird" in Ravenloft. In either the VanRichten guide to Vampires or the Arsenal I seem to remember something about magical uses or grendale like weapons based on vampire blood. A single drop of vampire blood is also used by the Kargat (or Kargatane?) to help enhance or control the next layer of minions further removed from Azalin. Depends on how its slain. A vampire destriyed by immersion or sunlight would be ash. A vampire staked and beheaded (and whose mouth was stuffed with wafers etc.) would leave a corpse IMO. As its then be a corpse it could be exposed to sunlight without being reduced to ash. I would tend to say that it looks they the guy or girl did in life and that any vampiric traits would e gone once the soul was freed. This is personal opinion. In Children of the Night: Werebeasts there is a Dread Possibility that Duke Gundar's remains are around with a stake through his heart (raising the possibility of his return if the stake is removed). If i recall correctly his remains were almost skeletal in appearance - however he was a Dark Lord way back when and might be a special exception to general rules. Hope that wasn't too long. ;^) -Eric Gorman
#4 zombiegleemax Jul 31, 2004 20:25:23	My thanks to both Charney and HvF for the information! :-) I was pretty much hoping that the answers would be along those lines, which fit perfect into my ongoing campaign. Tnx a lot guys!