Hidden Lore (Vampires)

Still WIP

Refer to Monster Hunters 3: The Enemy pp. 8-12, though many of the particulars will differ in this campaign.

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