Lamentations of the Vampire Princess pt. 4 - Blood Gifts

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part 1 here for how one turns into a vampire, feeding rules, & a list of traits common to all vampires

part 2 here for newly rise PC vampires , hunger and advancement

part 3 here for metamorphosis table

part 4 here for blood gifts

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Blood Gifts

Ancient and unholy power lay dormant in the vampire’s black blood. With sufficient time, experience, and luck, the secrets of the immortal blood may become clear, and the vampire can learn to command some degree of this power.

Blood gifts are a risky proposition, as they require the vampire to expend its own blood to use them. Each blood gift, when used, costs the vampire in hit points. In return, however, the vampire is given the ability to wield extraordinary supernatural power.

When a vampire advances, there is a chance it may develop a blood gift through metamorphosis. Blood gifts do not have levels, though the effects of some gifts may be increased or prolonged by spending more blood.

Bad Luck

Blood Expenditure: 1d6 + 1 per hour the vampire generates ill fortune; d10 + 1 for enhanced effect (see description)

The most direct application of the vampire wicked will. The vampire whispers bleak desires and points at a single victim, and for a short while the victim’s good luck turns into grave misfortune. While in effect, all of the victim’s rolls are at a -2 penalty and their Armor Class is reduced by 1.

This blood gift can be cast for d10 blood points, which increases the penalty to -4 and reduces Armor Class by 2. If Bless is cast on the victim, the blood gift’s effects will immediately cease.

Become Mist

Blood Expenditure: 1d10 + 1d4 per hour the vampire remains shapeshifted

The vampire rapidly dissipates, layer by layers, skin then flesh then bones, until finally all that remains is a ghostly white mist. As mist, the vampire cannot make physical attacks and its movement is reduced to 1/4 of its normal movement. However, the mist can fly, seep through cracks, and is immune to damage from physical sources. If a mortal passes through the mist, they will experience bitter cold and deep psychic terrors, taking 1d4 damage.

The transformation lasts until the vampire desires to return to its normal shape or until daylight breaks. The vampire will forcibly shift back if it is reduced to zero hit points.

Blood Tentacle

Blood Expenditure: 1d6 per turn; +2 for enhanced appendage (see description)

The vampire shapes its own black blood from an open wound into a thin, tentacle-like appendage approximately ten feet long. The vampire must have an open wound in order for this blood gift to function.

The appendage may hold items and interact with objects at a small distance, but normally does not have fine enough control to wield a weapon, operate machinery, or perform any activities where fine motor control is required. Likewise, the appendage is not strong enough to be used as a weapon itself. However, if the vampire enhances the black tentacle, the appendage may be used to attack and grapple enemies, as well as wield weapons.

The appendage has a number of hit points equal to the vampire’s Constitution bonus and shares Strength and Dexterity scores and Attack Bonuses with the vampire. The vampire may attack with the appendage while performing other actions during combat.

Command Over Beasts

Blood Expenditure: 1d4 + 1 per HD of the beast the vampire is attempting to control

The vampire commands the filth in the beast’s blood, compelling the beast to do the vampire’s bidding. The controlled beast follows the vampire’s every order; these orders may be transmitted telepathically. This unholy command lasts until daylight breaks or the beast is slain.

Swarms of small animals (plague rats, vampire bats, cockroaches, etc.) count as one beast, for purposes of this gift. Monsters whose nature is demonic, magical, or otherwise unnatural are immune to this power. Felines are also immune to this power, as cats despise the undead.

Cursed Object

Blood Expenditure: 1d12 + blood gift expenditure or hit points equal to 2 x the magic-user spell level

The vampire takes any object and places it in a container that completely blocks out light. The vampire buries the container and stored object, and upon the site of burial must commit a blasphemy three times between midnight and three AM. Some examples of sufficient blasphemies: breaking a promise, taboo intercourse, shedding innocent blood, defecating upon a holy idol, etcetera. (The vampire’s player and Referee can probably come to an agreement as to what is or isn’t sufficient).

Once the ritual blaspheming is complete, the vampire may retrieve the object. The object will be cursed with a blood gift or magic-user spell of the vampire’s choice, provided the vampire has access to said blood gift or spell. Anybody who comes into physical contact with the object will be affected by the blood gift or spell. The object is eternally cursed, even if it enters a holy place. However, if Bless is cast upon the object by a cleric of greater experience level than the vampire, the object will no longer be cursed.

The vampire may decide upon creation of the cursed object how many days it takes for the curse to take effect, ranging from zero days to a number of days equal to the number of victims the vampire has turned. Obviously the blood gift or magic-user spell placed on the cursed object must be able to affect a subject.

While the initial cost of the blood gift is d12 hit points, there is an additional cost equal to the blood expenditure of the blood gift is placed on the object, or a number of hit points equal to 2 x the spell’s level. (For example, placing a level three magic-user spell on a cursed object will cost a total d12 + 6 hp).

Corpse Blood Cauldron

Blood Expenditure: 1d6 for a small body, 1d8 for a medium body (humans are roughly this size), or 1d10 for a large body

The vampire rapidly boils the blood of the dead, causing the heated blood to burst forth from the body, carrying bone shrapnel with it. All standing within proximity of the body (including the vampire, if it is nearby) must save vs. breath weapon or take 1d4, 2d4, or 3d4 damage depending on the size and bone composition of the body. If the body is carrying a disease, there is a 1 in 10 chance that those in the nearby vicinity will contract the disease. This gift is not effective when used on the corpses of creatures that possess an exoskeleton, such as arthropods--it will merely cook the body inside its shell.

Dicks to Snakes

Blood Expenditure: 1d8 + 1 per number of dicks turned to snakes

The vampire imagines the victim’s penis and wills the flesh to turn against itself. If the victim fails a save vs. magic, their penis rapidly transforms into a vicious, biting serpent. The serpent will attempt to bite the victim and will do so repeatedly unless restrained. One in four of these dick snakes will possess paralytic venom that will render a victim immobile for at least an hour.

The victim’s dick remains a snake until daybreak or if bathed in holy water, or until the vampire tires of this prank and ends the spell. If the dick snake is slain, the penis is lost forever.

Dick Snakes: HD 1, AC 12, HP 5, 1 bite attack for d6 damage and, if poisonous, victim must save vs. paralysis or become paralyzed for an hour

Hypnosis

Blood Expenditure: 1d10 + 1 per HD of the person the vampire is attempting to hypnotize

The vampire stares into the eyes of its human victim and speaks. The victim must save vs. magic or become hypnotized by the vampire. If the victim fails the save, the vampire telepathically worms its way into the victim’s mind. The vampire must issue its commands verbally, and the victim will not take actions that could be construed as directly suicidal (getting them to jump off a bridge, no; take up smoking, yes). The victim can attempt to save again once per hour.

The spell ends at daybreak or if the vampire decides to end it. The hypnosis will forcibly end if the vampire is reduced to zero hit points or killed.

If the vampire has successfully hypnotized the victim within the past week, the victim is at a -2 penalty when attempting to resist hypnosis. If the vampire has fed from this victim within the past week, the victim is at a -2 penalty when attempting to resist. These penalties may stack. If the vampire continues to visit and successfully hypnotize the same individual on at least a weekly basis over the course of a month, any penalty to resistance doubles. If this pattern continues and three months have passed, the victim will no longer be able to resist the vampire at all.

Lycanthropy

Blood Expenditure: 1d6 + 1 per hour the vampire remains shapeshifted

The vampire’s black blood seeps from the pores and becomes thick fur, and the undead’s skin and bones stretch and pull until the vampire’s form is that of a large wolf. The transformation is exceedingly painful and takes a full minute, or ten rounds, to complete. As a wolf, the vampire’s mind remains intact, though its sense of smell is even stronger, and so the smell of blood becomes even more tempting. The vampire can only communicate telepathically as a wolf, as wolves lack the proper vocal cords to speak as men do.

The transformation lasts until the vampire desires to return to its normal shape or until daylight breaks. The vampire will forcibly shapeshift back if it is reduced to zero hit points.

Misery

Blood Expenditure: 1d10 + 1 per hour the vampire projects their aura of misery

The vampire projects an aura of misery within a 50’ radius. All who enter this zone of despair will become afflicted by hateful whispers spoken in their own inner voice(s). The whispers prey upon sensitive memories and forge self-hatred into thoughts of self-harm and suicide.

For every hour spent within an aura of misery, a victim must save vs. magic or commit harm upon themself. The save gets a +2 bonus for the first hour, +1 for the second, none for the third, and finally begins slipping into penalties for the fourth and even hour after (-1 hour four, -2 hour five, -3 hour six, and so on).

The blood gift lasts until the vampire willingly ends its projection of terror or is knocked unconscious or slain, and it cannot be cast while the sun is out. The victim receives a +1 bonus to their save if in a brightly-lit room and an additional +1 bonus if they are surrounded by loved ones (though quantity does not matter; the bonus is always 1).

~*~*~*~

part 1 here for how one turns into a vampire, feeding rules, & a list of traits common to all vampires

part 2 here for newly rise PC vampires , hunger and advancement

part 3 here for metamorphosis table

part 4 here for blood gifts

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