Difference between revisions of "Hidden Lore (Vampires)"
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<p>Refer to ''Monster Hunters 3: The Enemy'' pp. 8-12, though many of the particulars will differ in this campaign.</p> | <p>Refer to ''Monster Hunters 3: The Enemy'' pp. 8-12, though many of the particulars will differ in this campaign.</p> | ||
=Obvious= | =Obvious= | ||
− | <p>''Roll: No roll required with Hidden Lore (Vampires); Occultism+2. Note: This is, essentially, a ''confirmation'' or ''negation'' of what can be gleaned from popular | + | <p>''Roll: No roll required with Hidden Lore (Vampires); Occultism+2. Note: This is, essentially, a ''confirmation'' or ''negation'' of what can be gleaned from popular media.''</p> |
"It presents itself as mild anemia" ([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porphyria Porphyria]) | "It presents itself as mild anemia" ([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porphyria Porphyria]) | ||
*Nature: Supernatural undead (that is, not a virus) | *Nature: Supernatural undead (that is, not a virus) | ||
*Contagion: Can (not always) spread to others | *Contagion: Can (not always) spread to others | ||
*Feeding: Consumes blood | *Feeding: Consumes blood | ||
− | *Sleep: Sleeps during the day | + | *Sleep: Sleeps during the day |
*Telltales: | *Telltales: | ||
:*Fangs; Pallor | :*Fangs; Pallor | ||
Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
:*Garlic is bad for them | :*Garlic is bad for them | ||
:*"Good"/"Holy" is bad for them | :*"Good"/"Holy" is bad for them | ||
+ | *Support: | ||
+ | :*Powerful vampires can compel humans into their service; "mind control" | ||
=Known/Common (Skill 6-9)= | =Known/Common (Skill 6-9)= | ||
<p>''Roll: Hidden Lore (Vampires)+4; Occultism+0. Note: Knows what is ''not'' true.''</p> | <p>''Roll: Hidden Lore (Vampires)+4; Occultism+0. Note: Knows what is ''not'' true.''</p> | ||
"One thing about living in Santa Carla I never could stomach; all the damn vampires." | "One thing about living in Santa Carla I never could stomach; all the damn vampires." | ||
− | *Nature: Really "hard to kill" | + | *Nature: |
− | * | + | :*Really "hard to kill" |
− | * | + | :*Something of the former-self remains after "death" |
− | *[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapetum_lucidum#Eyeshine Eyeshine]; | + | :*Older = more powerful; new vamps are "mooks" |
− | * | + | *Contagion: Turning requires ingestion of vampire blood |
− | + | *Feeding: Extra-aggressive, "frenzy/berserk," when hungry | |
− | *Invitation required for entry into private residence; not required for public places | + | *Sleep: Tends to return to the grave to sleep during the day, but not always |
− | * | + | *Telltales: |
− | * | + | :*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapetum_lucidum#Eyeshine Eyeshine]; "Demon face" (when attacking, agitated; Ref: ''Buffy'', ''Lost Boys'', ''Dusk Till Dawn'', etc.) |
− | * | + | :*No reflection, and doesn't appear on film |
− | + | :*Prefers the cold | |
+ | :*Invitation required for entry into private residence; not required for public places | ||
+ | *Weaknesses: | ||
+ | :*Vulnerable to silver, sunlight, "Good"/"Holy", and will generally avoid them | ||
+ | :*Irritated by garlic (like tear-gas/ammonia) | ||
+ | *Destruction: Vampires don't all "go out" the same way when killed | ||
+ | *Support: | ||
+ | :*Familiars (Bug-Eaters, Renfields, etc.): Some humans serve by choice, and are not mind-controlled, usually for the promise of eternal-life (and are just evil assholes) | ||
+ | |||
===Rudimentary Taxonomy=== | ===Rudimentary Taxonomy=== | ||
− | *Alternate names: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upi%C3%B3r Upir/Upiór], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strigoi Strigoi] | + | *Alternate names (versions?): [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upi%C3%B3r Upir/Upiór], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strigoi Strigoi] |
*There are different "varieties," and "stages" of development | *There are different "varieties," and "stages" of development | ||
*Commonly Eastern-European | *Commonly Eastern-European | ||
Line 40: | Line 50: | ||
<p>''Roll: Hidden Lore (Vampires)+0; Occultism-4. Note: has direct/second-hand-direct experience.''</p> | <p>''Roll: Hidden Lore (Vampires)+0; Occultism-4. Note: has direct/second-hand-direct experience.''</p> | ||
"You aim for the head or the heart. Anything else, it's your ass." | "You aim for the head or the heart. Anything else, it's your ass." | ||
− | *Extremely fast, strong, tough, agile, and flexible. Normal weapons/bullets are not very effective, if at all. | + | *Nature: |
− | *Irritated by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allicin allicin] (chemical found in garlic) (like tear-gas/ammonia) | + | :*Essentially an "animated corpse" that can make itself look "alive" |
− | *Damaged (burned) on contact with holy water, holy symbols, sunlight; not "repelled/cowed" but will avoid contact | + | :*Extremely fast, strong, tough, agile, and flexible. Normal weapons/bullets are not very effective, if at all. |
− | *Holy or silver attacks are harder for them to heal, can interfere with powers | + | :*Can sometimes survive beheading |
− | *Stakes-to-the-heart can immobilize/stun ( | + | *Contagion: |
− | * | + | *Sleep: Sleep is really just a "standby" condition; they are fully aware when "sleeping" |
− | + | *Telltales: | |
− | + | :*Doesn't appear in mirrors, and cannot be "directly" recorded on any video/audio medium, physical or electronic (blur/smear/distortion may be recorded). Difficult to track down, as a result. | |
− | + | :*Invitation granted considered a "permanent precedent" unless ownership changes or magically revoked. Loopholes exist; a "welcome mat" is invitation enough. | |
− | + | :*Avoids Holy Ground™ | |
− | * | + | *Weaknesses: |
− | * | + | :*Irritated by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allicin allicin] (chemical found in garlic) (like tear-gas/ammonia) |
+ | :*Damaged (burned) on contact with holy water, holy symbols, sunlight; not "repelled/cowed" but will avoid contact | ||
+ | :*Holy or silver attacks are harder for them to heal, can interfere with powers | ||
+ | :*Stakes-to-the-heart don't kill, but can immobilize/stun (and may lead to death) | ||
+ | *Destruction: When killed, vampires may leave a normal(ish) corpse, or turn to dust/ash, or explode, or possibly other means | ||
+ | *Support: | ||
+ | :*Blood-Bond: Humans can be fed vampire blood to gain enhancements, mentally-enslaved (often driven mad) | ||
+ | |||
===Basic Taxonomy=== | ===Basic Taxonomy=== | ||
*Most-common examples originate around the Carpathian Basin area of SE Europe (Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, etc.), and often speak those languages | *Most-common examples originate around the Carpathian Basin area of SE Europe (Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, etc.), and often speak those languages | ||
*Recognized/commonly-encountered "clans" | *Recognized/commonly-encountered "clans" | ||
− | *"Levels": Juvies (sometimes "feral") < | + | *"Levels": Juvies (sometimes "feral") < Minions < Masters < Primes < Elders |
*Secret hierarchy/organization, rulership in place; "The Society" | *Secret hierarchy/organization, rulership in place; "The Society" | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Related=== | ||
+ | *"Secret" organizations dedicated to hunting or tracking vampires (etc) exist | ||
=Obscure/Expert (Skill 14-17)= | =Obscure/Expert (Skill 14-17)= |
Latest revision as of 21:43, 11 September 2025
Still WIP
Refer to Monster Hunters 3: The Enemy pp. 8-12, though many of the particulars will differ in this campaign.
Contents
Obvious
Roll: No roll required with Hidden Lore (Vampires); Occultism+2. Note: This is, essentially, a confirmation or negation of what can be gleaned from popular media.
"It presents itself as mild anemia" (Porphyria)
- Nature: Supernatural undead (that is, not a virus)
- Contagion: Can (not always) spread to others
- Feeding: Consumes blood
- Sleep: Sleeps during the day
- Telltales:
- Fangs; Pallor
- No reflection
- Requires invitation to enter
- Weaknesses:
- Beheading, stake-to-the-heart is bad for them (no surprise; works on the living, too)
- Sunlight is bad for them (& they don't sparkle)
- Garlic is bad for them
- "Good"/"Holy" is bad for them
- Support:
- Powerful vampires can compel humans into their service; "mind control"
Known/Common (Skill 6-9)
Roll: Hidden Lore (Vampires)+4; Occultism+0. Note: Knows what is not true.
"One thing about living in Santa Carla I never could stomach; all the damn vampires."
- Nature:
- Really "hard to kill"
- Something of the former-self remains after "death"
- Older = more powerful; new vamps are "mooks"
- Contagion: Turning requires ingestion of vampire blood
- Feeding: Extra-aggressive, "frenzy/berserk," when hungry
- Sleep: Tends to return to the grave to sleep during the day, but not always
- Telltales:
- Eyeshine; "Demon face" (when attacking, agitated; Ref: Buffy, Lost Boys, Dusk Till Dawn, etc.)
- No reflection, and doesn't appear on film
- Prefers the cold
- Invitation required for entry into private residence; not required for public places
- Weaknesses:
- Vulnerable to silver, sunlight, "Good"/"Holy", and will generally avoid them
- Irritated by garlic (like tear-gas/ammonia)
- Destruction: Vampires don't all "go out" the same way when killed
- Support:
- Familiars (Bug-Eaters, Renfields, etc.): Some humans serve by choice, and are not mind-controlled, usually for the promise of eternal-life (and are just evil assholes)
Rudimentary Taxonomy
- Alternate names (versions?): Upir/Upiór, Strigoi
- There are different "varieties," and "stages" of development
- Commonly Eastern-European
Slightly Obscure/Trained (Skill 10-13)
Roll: Hidden Lore (Vampires)+0; Occultism-4. Note: has direct/second-hand-direct experience.
"You aim for the head or the heart. Anything else, it's your ass."
- Nature:
- Essentially an "animated corpse" that can make itself look "alive"
- Extremely fast, strong, tough, agile, and flexible. Normal weapons/bullets are not very effective, if at all.
- Can sometimes survive beheading
- Contagion:
- Sleep: Sleep is really just a "standby" condition; they are fully aware when "sleeping"
- Telltales:
- Doesn't appear in mirrors, and cannot be "directly" recorded on any video/audio medium, physical or electronic (blur/smear/distortion may be recorded). Difficult to track down, as a result.
- Invitation granted considered a "permanent precedent" unless ownership changes or magically revoked. Loopholes exist; a "welcome mat" is invitation enough.
- Avoids Holy Ground™
- Weaknesses:
- Irritated by allicin (chemical found in garlic) (like tear-gas/ammonia)
- Damaged (burned) on contact with holy water, holy symbols, sunlight; not "repelled/cowed" but will avoid contact
- Holy or silver attacks are harder for them to heal, can interfere with powers
- Stakes-to-the-heart don't kill, but can immobilize/stun (and may lead to death)
- Destruction: When killed, vampires may leave a normal(ish) corpse, or turn to dust/ash, or explode, or possibly other means
- Support:
- Blood-Bond: Humans can be fed vampire blood to gain enhancements, mentally-enslaved (often driven mad)
Basic Taxonomy
- Most-common examples originate around the Carpathian Basin area of SE Europe (Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, etc.), and often speak those languages
- Recognized/commonly-encountered "clans"
- "Levels": Juvies (sometimes "feral") < Minions < Masters < Primes < Elders
- Secret hierarchy/organization, rulership in place; "The Society"
Related
- "Secret" organizations dedicated to hunting or tracking vampires (etc) exist
Obscure/Expert (Skill 14-17)
Roll: Hidden Lore (Vampires)-4; Occultism-10
"You see the valets over there? They're vampires. So's the doorman…and the whore on the corner." "How can you tell?" "By the way they move. The way they smell."
- TBD In-game
Advanced Taxonomy
- TBD In-game
Highly Obscure/Authority (Skill 18+)
Roll: Hidden Lore (Vampires)-8; Occultism NA
- TBD In-Game