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) | ||
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:*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)= | ||
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:*Older = more powerful; new vamps are "mooks" | :*Older = more powerful; new vamps are "mooks" | ||
*Contagion: Turning requires ingestion of vampire blood | *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 | *Sleep: Tends to return to the grave to sleep during the day, but not always | ||
*Telltales: | *Telltales: | ||
| − | :*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapetum_lucidum#Eyeshine Eyeshine]; "Demon face" (when attacking, agitated) | + | :*[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 | :*No reflection, and doesn't appear on film | ||
:*Prefers the cold | :*Prefers the cold | ||
:*Invitation required for entry into private residence; not required for public places | :*Invitation required for entry into private residence; not required for public places | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
*Weaknesses: | *Weaknesses: | ||
:*Vulnerable to silver, sunlight, "Good"/"Holy", and will generally avoid them | :*Vulnerable to silver, sunlight, "Good"/"Holy", and will generally avoid them | ||
:*Irritated by garlic (like tear-gas/ammonia) | :*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=== | ||
| Line 47: | Line 51: | ||
"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." | ||
*Nature: | *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. | :*Extremely fast, strong, tough, agile, and flexible. Normal weapons/bullets are not very effective, if at all. | ||
:*Can sometimes survive beheading | :*Can sometimes survive beheading | ||
| Line 52: | Line 57: | ||
*Sleep: Sleep is really just a "standby" condition; they are fully aware when "sleeping" | *Sleep: Sleep is really just a "standby" condition; they are fully aware when "sleeping" | ||
*Telltales: | *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). | + | :*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. | :*Invitation granted considered a "permanent precedent" unless ownership changes or magically revoked. Loopholes exist; a "welcome mat" is invitation enough. | ||
:*Avoids Holy Ground™ | :*Avoids Holy Ground™ | ||
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| − | |||
| − | |||
*Weaknesses: | *Weaknesses: | ||
:*Irritated by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allicin allicin] (chemical found in garlic) (like tear-gas/ammonia) | :*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 | :*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 | :*Holy or silver attacks are harder for them to heal, can interfere with powers | ||
| − | :*Stakes-to-the-heart can immobilize/stun ( | + | :*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=== | ===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
