Vampire
The blood hunters have long since been in the ruling class amongst the undead, and merging into inter-planar politics they have kept their position of power. Within the major galactic politics their most powerful rulers generally lead houses for Shetou, the drow empire far more willing to co-operate with these masters of the dead then the Alnae who refuse to relinquish the amount of power a vampiric aristocrat can demand.
Vampires have many different species (referred to as bloodlines culturally) that have evolved in far different ways over the centuries. There is no one rule that all of the bloodlines are subject to, each species has its own advantages and disadvantages over their living cousins. The only consistency amongst them is they can all have elongated fangs and can -though may not need to- safely ingest the blood of other humanoids. Though the effects of consuming blood changes from one species to the next.
Vampire procreation is not the norm of most Necrosi races, or most races in general. The most outstanding feature is that different bloodlines can actually have different methods and rituals of procreation. Commonly, most bloodlines grant the vampiric transformation onto other humanoid species by allowing the recipient to drink a somewhat large quantity of their blood. The transformations process is different between bloodlines, some can be very smooth and bring the new vampire into a state of ecstasy throughout while others induce terrible pain.
Listed below are some of the major known bloodlines and their traits. (Click the portrait for additional story information). Further down is an elaboration of the power and weaknesses. Drow, elves, humans, and gnolls can be vampires, the other races are immune to the transformation. Though once they become a vampire only the vampiric racials apply.
Däjer 25xp
The Däjers are haunted by a rabid bloodlust that pushes them ever closer to insanity. They are always a blade's edge from falling into a feral existence, but this curse comes with great power. As a result they are intensely feared and hated.
Starting health: 14
Base Speed: 7m
Powers:
Blood Hunter (40 ft)
Blood Rage
Swift Fang
Swift Shadow
Wall Cimber (Crawl)
Bleeding Heart
Burn in the Sun
Rushing Water
Silver Scorn
Weak to fire
Däjer also have these unique bonuses:
Däjer: +2 Fitness, +2 Dexterity, -2 willpower, -2 intelligence
Bloodclaw: Däjer claws are supernatural, they can tear through even steel. They count as brawling weapons without penalties for untrained with a profile of 1d8, AP 2
Däjer Howl: The vampire lets loose a haunting howl when it enters blood rage. Everyone within 60 feet (friend or foe) who is capable of hearing must make will save against the vampire's intimidate skill. Those who fail suffer -1 to all rolls for the blood rage.
Pack hunting: Däjer will not attack each other during blood rage.
Desoir 35 xp
The Desoir bloodline is a tightly bound family, almost all members of this bloodline know each other and operate in the higher echelons of society. The Desoirs are effective thinkers, philosophers, schemers, and conversationalists. They control one of the most powerful economic forces in the Sol System.
Starting health: 8
Base Speed: 6m
Powers:
Blood Hunter (15 ft)
Red Mist
Seductive Tongue
Bleeding Heart
Burn in the Sun
Weak to cold
Desoirs also have these unique bonuses:
+2 Intelligence, +2 Diplomacy and Deception
Gaze of Desoir: The target must make an opposed will save against the vampire or be stunned for 2 rounds. Out of combat this stun can be maintained as long as the Desoir gazes upon their victim (does not need eye contact but must be direct line of sight).
Sangui De'Rex 120xp
One of the, if not the, oldest surviving bloodlines in the known era. Their name literally means "Sons of the Blood King", so thick is their vampire blood that they command the legendary power of the De'Rex unique beast form.
Starting health: 14
Base Speed: 6m
Powers:
Blood Hunter (40 feet)
Red Mist
Regenerate
Swift
Shadow
Wall Climber
(walk)
Bleeding Heart
Bleed in the Sun
Silver Scorn
Weak to Fire
Sangui De'Rex also have these unique bonuses:
+2 to all attributes, +4 to intimidate skill
Beast of Sangui De'Rex: This bloodline has the unique power of a blood beast form that has ascended to the height of vampirism embodied. This form can only be used out of sunlight (or similar radiation) and when not touched by silver. While in this form the vampire has +8 Fitness, +8 dexterity, +6 Melee fighting, and flying (20m speed). They gain claws that count as a melee weapons without penalty and deal 1d8 damage. In this form they are considered to have the weakness "Burn in the sun" instead of "bleed in the sun". This can be used for one hour per day.
Wings: Sangui De'rex have retractable wings that grant them flight. While these wings are out they have -2 to all attributes. It takes an action to retract or extend them from the body.
Sivataur 40xp
The Sivataurs are the most prominent predators of the vampire bloodlines, and that reputation is not limited to their food. To this era they retain a sense of tribal tradition and style, alienating them from the more modern bloodlines.
Starting health: 12
Base Speed: 8m
Powers:
Blood Hunter (20 meters)
Child of the Night
Regenerate
Swift Fang
Swift
Shadow
Wall Climber
(crawl)
Bleeding Heart
Bleed in the Sun
Silver Scorn
Weak to Cold
Weak to Fire
Sivataurs also have these unique bonuses:
+2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 Survival (Nature), +2 Intimidate
Sivataur Warrior: Sivataur vampires are infamous for their ferocity in combat. They do not suffer any penalties to their rolls from wound rolls and cannot be stunned.
Big Game Hunter: Sivataur's have +2 to attack, damage, and defense rolls per size class larger their opponent is then them.
Vampires are very complex in Arcanist Gear, in making a vampire character you have two options. The first option is to make one of a known bloodline, the advantages include being associated with an established bloodline which provides not only their strengths but recognition of their status and relations with the family line. This also makes creation very simple. The other option is to custom create your own bloodline, to do this there are a series of possibilities granted by the creation details listed below.
When making a new bloodline you must balance out the costs of powers with that of the weaknesses (you may have more weaknesses then powers if you choose to). You cannot use additional character creation xp in this process as it must even out with your weaknesses, though having more weakness xp then power will allow you to spend those points on normal character creation. Vampires must take bleed or burn in the sun. Custom bloodlines cost 20xp +5xp per power (regardless of weaknesses or balance between powers and weaknesses). Remember that many abilities mention exposure to sunlight or similar radiation, while protective armor and clothing can be worn to avoid exposure during daylight, bullet holes in armor expose them to it. It is considered if they take a hit that deals any damage to them, their protective clothing has been breached and they are now exposed.
Custom bloodlines start with 10 health and 6m Base Speed.
Powers
Blood Hunter (15xp for 10 meters. +5xp for each additional meter afterwards)
Allows the vampire to detect the blood of the living through even the thickest of walls via means no one truly understands. This detection is not blocked by anti magic or anti-scrying implements.
Blood Rage (15xp)
This state is a voluntary active ability that can be used twice per day. Once entered the vampire cannot control himself for 5 rounds and will proceed to melee attack the closest target available (friend or foe). While in this state the vampire has +4 Strength, +4 melee skill, +2 meter movement speed, +4DR, and cannot take defensive actions. During this rage the vampire will lose all survival instinct and will gladly walk through fire, sunlight, or a meat grinder to get to their prey. Every attack they land causes them to recover 1d4 health and will gain up to 6 temporary health over their maximum.
Child of the Night (25xp)
This trait confers a +2 bonus to all athletic skill rolls when the vampire is unexposed to sunlight (or similar radiation). It confers a +1 to attribute rolls.
Red Mist (30xp)
The very rare power found in only very special bloodlines allows a vampire to turn into a cloud of blood red mist, in this state they can only be damaged by area of effect abilities though have no damage reduction or defense actions. The mist moves at their normal base speed but using it to squeeze through anything thinner then 6 inches of space takes a whole round. While in mist form the vampire may not attack, cast spells, or interact with objects. They can simply move around as a cloud of mist. They may attempt to flood a target's lungs and drown them if their nose or mouth is exposed, this can be either blocked, dodged, or repulsed but the vampire does not have to roll to attack.
Regenerate(40xp)
The vampire can regenerate its injuries with alarming speed. Recovering 1d4 health every round.
Vampires with regenerate cannot have cybernetic attachments, but with a day wounds off the wound chart will heal themselves.
Seductive Tongue (15xp)
The vampire retains an aristocratic grace in conversation, gaining +3 to social rolls if they can make direct eye contact (video contact is not direct).
Swift Fang (25xp)
These vampires are capable of immense speed in combat, their strikes are a whirlwind of invisible movements. Swift fang grants a vampire an additional attack each round during an attack action if they are engaged in melee combat.
Swift Shadow (20xp)
So quick is the movement of a vampire that it can cover the ground to its prey in seconds, this confers +4m to base movement speed as long as they are not exposed to sunlight or similar radiation.
Wall Climber (20xp)
The vampire can move up walls as if they were flat ground and cling there as long as need be. There are two wall climber powers, the first is (Crawl). Crawling allows the vampire to use their nails and supernatural abilities to scale walls up to 70 degrees toward them. (Walk) Reduces the movement speed of the vampire by 3m but is so supernaturally based that they can even walk upside down on ceilings.
Weaknesses
Bleeding Heart (25xp)
The vampires heart is a crucial weakpoint, if it is pierced or crushed the vampire takes 2x the damage rolled to them. In combat, a critical against a vampire is considered to be blow to the heart, effectively all criticals do double damage against bleeding heart vampires. If the vampire also has silver-scorn and their heart is hit by silver they are instead instantly killed. Called shots to the heart suffer the penalty as normal, but if a roll would have successfully hit otherwise they take a normal attack as it hits them in the torso.
Bleed in the sun (5xp)
In the sunlight instead of burning up instantly the vampire simply loses all vampiric powers. This means they lose their stat bonuses as well as their powers until night should fall or they get indoors. Fully protective clothing will also count.
Burn in the sun (20xp)
Many species of vampire simply burn up and turn to ash once they touch sunlight. Individual bloodlines suffer from a different severity in these cases but most will simply burn to ash if they remain in the sun for longer then five seconds. If there is a slim line of light coming through a crack in the wall, they can pass through or dart across broad daylight as long as they reach the shadows quickly enough. Effectively this is one round, so they can move their base speed through sunlight as long as they end in shadows. Though thanks to the modern age, most of these vampires can simply wear sun-protective clothing, but a tear in those suits could be disastrous.
Silver-scorn (15xp)
The touch of this precious metal for some reason burns the skin of the vampire.
Any contact with the metal deals 1d4 damage to the vampire. If hit by a silver weapon (or bullet) they instead take 2d4+2 damage on top of any damage the weapon does. If they are in constant contact with silver they suffer -4 to all rolls.
Weak to cold (10xp)
The vampire's undead body produces no heat, thus in the cold it could experience some difficulties. These vampires take double damage from cold based effects.
Weak to fire (10xp)
Vampire is weak to fire and takes double damage from any flame-based source.
Stats