Jander Sunstar Vampire/Nosferatu?

[Zilfer]

Just got done reading Vampire of the Mists and enjoyed it very much. I wanted to know how most people classified him. I did a search and it seemed to show up that most people put him as a Nosferatu and not an "Elven Vampire" the one that looks ugly and scarred.

I figured there was three possible options.

Elven "Elven Vampire"
Elven Vampire
Nosferatu

So which do you consider him or use? If he was a Nosferatu then Sunlight wouldn't destory him. (kind of want that for my campaign that i'm using him in so it's not obvious when he only comes out at night)

Also just a general Vampire question. Is it DIRECT sunlight that kills them? Meaning if it's a misty or foggy or cloudy day they could theoretically go out to play?

I know Jander at least from the book's standpoint must have the 'light sleeping' ability some vampire's develope so that they can wake up during the time they sleep.

[Lost Heretic]

You should portray Jander however you want to fit the needs of your game - if you want him to be immune to sunlight after the events of Vampire of the Mists, go for it.

That said, he does have an official write up here: Children of the Night: Vampires (DriveThruRPG)

[Zilfer]

Heh, I knew that kind of response was forthcoming. I was just wondering outside opinions since I already know mine and I will play how I feel I want to play it. xD Thus far I’ve avoided making the decision and made him come out on the deck of a ship twice at night. Now if he’s a Nosferatu I was looking in the book Light doesn’t hurt them much except taking away vampire powers until they rest 8 hours. (I’m going to assume 4 for an elf since that’s the generic difference between elf and human character)

I also have his write up in Champions of Darkness. So I’ve used that stats thus far, but I was wondering if that was just based off the generic Vampire stats for being a vampire? Which makes sense since he’d be under those rules while in Faerun.

If anyone out there’s used him before I’d also be curious as to hear how they used him. always open for new ideas.

[Matthew L. Martin]

Either 2E nosferatu, or 3E vampire without energy drain. In both cases, add the 'plant-killing touch' of the elven vampire.

The 3E nosferatu was redesigned to be closer to the Byronic vampire, since the 'standard' D&D vampire finally acquired blood drinking in 3E. (It would take them another edition to get rid of the level-eating slapfighter element.) Jander's ChoD stats are a mess to the point that I'd suggest just ignoring them.

[Zilfer]

I was seeing that. It gave him energy drain which in the book he never really did…. Though I’ve always pictured Energy as an off/on switch in emotion as to whether they wanted to or not. It’s something to start with however.

Guess I’ll probably need to look at the stat blocks for Vampire and what salient powers he could possibly have for a Eminet vampire. (however that’s spelt)

[Hamiclar]

accoring to Children of the night Vampires he's classed as a Elven Nosferatu on pg6. He drains const

[Hamiclar]

He's refrenced in Champions of Darkness as a Elven Eminent vampire also.

[Zilfer]

I guess I’ll break down and get the Children of the night just so i can see if there's any additional things on him in there.

I'm not sure what his goal should be right now. (I've seen discussions on his alignment in the past I highly doubt it's CE) I figured he could be a helpful guide for some of the creatures I’ll be introducing into the campaign, and showing that not all vampires are the same.

[Hamiclar]

His goal should be the same he had in The Vampire of the mists. He never got revenge for Anna and being Ravenloft it will always throw that in is face. The dreams/visions could have gotten worse over time since and could have manifested into something else especially with all the creatures he could have encountered which may have stole his memory or with his time in the land of the mists he could have shared his story which may have turned into story or ballad by a bard and being that knowledge is power it may have lead to others seeing him as monster and go about researching ways to find him. Depending on the timeframe of your campaign he will have learned a great deal about the land of the mists also which could be shared if he seen as friend.

Strahd also is still going to have that grudge against him and who being that he may also may have kept tabs on him and possibly send hire others to hunt him down.

[Zilfer]

His goal should be the same he had in The Vampire of the mists. He never got revenge for Anna and being Ravenloft it will always throw that in is face. The dreams/visions could have gotten worse over time since and could have manifested into something else especially with all the creatures he could have encountered which may have stole his memory or with his time in the land of the mists he could have shared his story which may have turned into story or ballad by a bard and being that knowledge is power it may have lead to others seeing him as monster and go about researching ways to find him. Depending on the timeframe of your campaign he will have learned a great deal about the land of the mists also which could be shared if he seen as friend.

Strahd also is still going to have that grudge against him and who being that he may also may have kept tabs on him and possibly send hire others to hunt him down.

See I don't think he'd have hallucinations like that any more because of the end of Vampire of the Mists. He realized all those hallucinations where the mists trying to manipulate him, because the real Anna wouldn't have him do the things it was trying to get him to do.

I also ran across a humorous idea of him meeting Tara Kolyana was it? The current reincarnation of Tatyana which they said history might repeat itself. Definitely gave me food for thought.

I'm sure there's no love loss between him and Strahd ever since that event, though would Strahd even know he's alive because he disappeared for about 200 years? Irony if he did become Strahd's enemy he couldn't use the idea that Jander taught him. "To outlive your enemy."

Also my 'timeframe' is a bundled up miss-match of time periods. I want to run the Evil Eye but i'm sure it's not that far back in the actual time frame. I keep thinking it's somewhere in 755 is the number that keeps popping in my head but I have no set date. I also don't have any current way to track the progression of time through the campaign. xD Be cool to have a calender of that tho.

[Hamiclar]

Looking at his background more, Jander's time in the mists has lead him to understand it more and in being so see those which are lost to darkness. He would see that temptation of Strahd's persuit of Anna/Tatyanna and his thwarting of this repeat could be win against the dark powers. The champions of darkness hints that he fights against those who are lost to the darkness as a way to fight the dark powers.

The knowledge of the dark powers may also draw those who study the ways of the mists. Jander which being released and accoring to champions of the darkness, he was released 200 years ago about 643 the era that released him was Scourge and Expansion. The times following would interesting in his wisdom of time of The Dead Man's Campaigns and the grand conjunction. He may have travelled the lands during the ages and learned much.

Now I was thinking of this what would happen if there two reincarnations of Tatyanna. I was thinking of possibly as Irena House Strahd and The Expedition to Castle Ravenloft and Tara as npc in expedition of castle Ravenloft or House of Strahd. If the charectors for instance play the GC campaign, they could work in meeting her Irena possibly during the GC at the same time as Jander and group may also have met Irena I for instance in my self made adventure Return Of The Ba’al Verzi which the group assassinates Duke Gundar. I was going to introduce her Irena as child about 12 years old and the group would return 5 years later about 740. The group meets Tara after they return after the Grand Conjunction.


The group may have met Tara and may have met her in Hazlan and her silent protector Jander. In the idea I had, when the party returned after the final module Roots of Evil they may would meet her Tara and possibly throw a kidnap scene of her Tara being taking back to Borovia. The party may have encountered the other Irena possibly in a prior adventure. If you use the most recent redo of Adventure Ravenloft, the Expedition to Castle Ravenloft the current condition of Strahd could be portrayed as the descent into maddness option after his brief release and experience from the land of mists to Material plain.

Being that Strahd has spies in neigboring lands Tara could be brought to his attention by her exploits as well as her personal strength in dealing with creatures of darkness which may have been Strahd's spies. Her previous experiences brought on by her dreams of the wedding, could her to end the darkness in Borovia. As the group ventures to Borovia they could also meet Ireena again at 17 possilby a few years younger of Tara. Borovia the failure would have hurt, but the expansion into Gundarak and the acquisioncities

The begining of House of Strahd for instance starts on the Border of Borovia and you could tie in her kidnapping. What if the there where two identical one in Barovia the other in Hazlan. Tara was raised by her parents but Irena which was a NPC in the house of Strahd was an orphan found at the site of castle Ravenloft as infant.

[Garudos Celestar]

It's also worth noting what Jander did with his time as a vampire in the Realms, as it's likely that he would (attempt to) engage in similar hobbies while in Ravenloft. Specifically, check out Christie Golden's short story "Blood Sport" (originally published in Realms in Infamy, then again in The Best of the Realms, Book I). Ideas to use...

1) Jander loves gardening. Perhaps he has taken an interest in attempting to cultivate bloodroses, or in the works of Abelhous Nicholsi.
2) Teaching peasants how to read. I'm sure Drakov, Othmar, and von Kharkov (among others) would be thrilled to have him starting a literacy program under their noses. Speaking of von Kharkov... Jander vs. Lady Adeline. Yummy.
3) Escaping wanna-be van Richten's who don't believe that a vampire can still bear a shred of humanity. The entire plotline of "Blood Sport" could theoretically be lifted into a Ravenloft campaign and run with only minor changes (depending on whether the PCs will take the role of Shark or oppose her).

[Zilfer]

Interesting! Actually now that you mention it I had totally about the split of the her soul and I already introduced Irena she's actually one of the more prevailent NPC's because the group started through the original I6 which got us interested so I decided to keep using familiar NPC's.

If I use Tara it'd be the other half of her soul possibly! xD

Thanks for bringing that too my attention as well. I'll have to think on it.

[Hamiclar]

Good ideas on his spead on good but what struck me as a land he visited was Sithicus i could imagine his heart break of seeing the elves of this land and how devadent they let their cities become to what he remembers from his land of Evermeet.

I was thinking of using the NPC especially Ireena and her brother Ismark which may be influenced by his brief meeting of the group previosly and could have learned how to use to sword as noble should and protect those under his rule. I could imagine why he at the bar drinking possibly at his depression of the village plight at the begining of the Expedition of Castle Ravenloft during the parties enry into the village of Borovia.

[Zilfer]

Yeah, in my game "Ismack" (I've been saying his name wrong the whole time, so that's what his name is officially to the group now) had his father die and he became the burgomaster, who's scared that Strahd may take an interest in Ireena again. (they beat the module defeating strahd but again wanted to play longer so I had them wake up and Ireena was back at the house with Ismack who was confused when they said they "defeated strahd" since he had visited this morning. (Irony this is before I found out that Strahd had a contingency spell and they wouldn't have killed him anyways xD)

Hmmm Van Richten hunting him, that'd be an interesting one for sure. Might have to steal that one as well and see how it plays out.