Category:Vampire

This section contains canon info from officially published sources

The vampire is an evil and terrible undead spoken of in virtually all cultures, with tales alluding to vampiric depredations reaching across the Land of Mists and beyond.^[1] Vampires are especially known and feared in Barovia, the Demiplane of Dread's first and perhaps most quintessential domain, so much that dread of the vampire is all but vital to Barovian cultural identity. The Balok word for vampire is vrolok. In Luktar, the word for vampire is voishlacka.^[2]

Although the origins of vampirism are shrouded in mystery, Count Strahd von Zarovich, the Land of Mist's first darklord, is thought to be that land's first vampire. Vampire kind also bears recognition as the first sort of creature hunted by Dr. Rudolph van Richten, the esteemed monster hunter and writer of the various Van Richten's Guides, including Van Richten's Guide to Vampires (Item).^[3]

Canon Information

This section contains canon info from officially published sources

Vampires are undead that feed on the living^[4][5]. Vampires predominantly feed on blood, though a few varities feed on other nutrients from living creatures, such as other bodily fluids.^[6][7] Others may ingest body organs^[7], such as hearts or brains. A rare few vampires may feed on more recondite and less tangible qualities^[7], such as memories^[6][7], mental faculties, or life energy.^[6]

Regardless of what they feast upon, vampires gain sustenance only through taking it from living creatures. Vampires generally prefer to sup upon humanoid blood, though sustenance from animal or other creature types in times of emergency may be possible. In such cases, such blood is disgusting and substandard to the vampire and only provide a fraction of the nutrients of humanoid blood.^[8] Vampires must feed least once per day, or else begin to quickly suffer from starvation, resulting in continuous weakening leading to the assumption of a feral states.^[7]

With the exception of elven vampires^[9], vampires are mostly nocturnal creatures, for sunlight is deleterious, even quickly fatal, to the vast majority of vampires. During the day, most vampires must sleep in their coffins. As intelligent and canny creatures, many have dominated mortal thralls, controlled lesser undead, or persuaded other minions to guard their diurnal slumbers.

Although vampires retain most knowledge of what they knew while alive, but the onset of immortality and changes in psychology typically slow advancement in any character classes to a crawl.^[10][11] However, a vampire's powers greatly increases as it grows older and reaches greater Vampire Age Categories. Such age categories vary at the weakest fledgling vampire to the greatest Patriarch vampire.^[12][13]

Special Powers and Weaknesses of the Vampire

Beyond the abilities and immunities available to all undead, vampires possess special abilities and weaknesses peculiar to their own kind. Special abilities common to most vampires include some variety of shapechanging and the to call minor beasts of the night, usually animals, to serve as temporary minions and even sacrificial lambs if need be. Powers and weaknesses will vary by vampiric strain (See the "Standard Vampire" and "Vampiric Strain" sections, below), and vampiric bloodlines or even individual vampires may show their own salient abilities and weaknesses. In the case of individual salient abilities or weaknesses, such traits usually connect to some aspects of the vampire's own mindset and mannerisms.

As powerful undead, vampires are effectively immortal unless slain by starvation or external causes such as violence. Even then, it can be incredibly difficult to put down a vampire for good, as they are immune or at least resistant to most normal weapons and some forms of energy. They also heal wounds from most sources very rapidly. When a vampire sustains enough damage to "slay" it, the undead typically assumes an insubstantial state (usually by assuming gaseous form) to retreat to its coffin to fully heal. There are several specific exceptions, the common ones being sunlight or immersion in running water. (Creatures typically inhabiting the water do not have the latter vulnerability.) Western vampires of the common strain can be slain by a wooden stake through the heart, though further steps must be taken to permanently destroy them.

Vampiric Strains

Several strains of vampirism exist with the Demiplane of Dread with powers and abilities different from the so-called typical vampire, each strain with its own unique special abilities and weaknesses. Some are slight variations on the norm, such as the Nosferatu vampire, whereas others depart more strongly, such as the repulsive and brutish Vrykolaka vampire. Some are specific to non-human humanoid races, such as the dwarven vampire, elven vampire, halfling vampire, or gnomish vampire. (This is not to say all members of those races follow those specific vampiric strains, but that those strains are unique to those races.)

It should be stated that the standard vampire is the most commonly seen strain in Western culture domains. For Eastern cultures, the Chiang-shi may be more common.

The "Standard Vampire"

The "typical" vampire^[14] can be said to manifest several common powers. They are as follows:

• can spider climb up walls
• can summon wolves, rats, and bats to serve it using the Children of the Night special ability
• can assume a gaseous form or transform into a wolf or bat
• drains two levels of life energy with a hit of a slam or other natural weapon
• regenerates wounds quickly
• assumes gaseous form upon death and must seek out its coffin
• Immunity or DR to nonmagical weapons
• Enhanced Ability Scores, both physical and mental

A standard vampire has the following vulnerabilities and weaknesses

• Fatally vulnerable to sunlight or running water
• Held at bay or repulsed by garlic, mirrors, or a strongly presented holy symbols
• May be incapacitated by a wood stake through the heart.
• May not enter a private building or structure without being invited
• Leaves no shadow or reflection in a mirror

Within the Land of Mists

Vampires can be encountered in many domains, including Barovia^[15], Cavitius^[16], Darkon^[17], Invidia^[18], Kislova^[19], Richemulot^[20] Valachan^[21][22]. Vampires of any vampiric strain can be encountered in Necropolis^[23]. As undead, they may be encountered in Mordent^[24][25], Sithicus^[26][27], and Sanguinia^[28]

Vampire Age Category

Vampire Lore

Text

• Van Richten's Guide to Vampires (Item)
• Interview with a Vampire

References

Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue

		Ravenloft Third Edition Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium I Van Richten's Guide to Vampires
		Ravenloft Third Edition - p176 Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium I - pp23,55,88 Van Richten's Guide to Vampires - cover,throughout House of Strahd - p57 Ravenloft I6 - p29
		Ravenloft Third Edition - pp176-182 Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium I- Section, The First: Vampires Van Richten's Guide to Vampires - throughout Monsterous Compendium I & II - pp53 Monsterous Compendium I - "Vampire"
		Ravenloft Third Edition - pp176-182 Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium I - Section, The First: Vampires Van Richten's Guide to Vampires - throughout