Subject:      Bela Lugosi Style Vampire as a Bygone for Mage
From:         blake1001@technologist.com
Date:         1998/02/20
Message-ID:   <6cl87u$8bj$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com>
Newsgroups:   alt.games.whitewolf.mage


As a Bygone, this Vampire is a Thaumavore.  However, it can extract
Quintessence from its victims' blood, so it is not dependent on
Nodes or Mages for its existence in physical reality.  The Vampire
needs about 1 Quintessence per week to maintain it's unlife, in
civilized areas, this can increase to 1/day, while very superstitous
or appropriate surroundings (Transylvanian Castles) reduce it to
1/month.  In addition, the Vampire uses up extra Quintessence when
it has accumulated Paradox; each day it when it sleeps it loses one
extra Quintessence which cancels one accumulated Paradox.


Vampire Bygone

Attributes: Strength 5 (Inhuman), Dexterity 3, Stamina 5 (Inhuman),
Charisma 2, Manipulation 5 (Compelling), Appearance 4 (Fascinating),
Perception 3, Intelligence 4 (Experienced), Wit 5 (Cunning)

Abilities: Alertness 3, Awareness 3, Brawl 4 (Grab &amp; Bite) Dodge 2,
Intuition 3, Intimidation 4 (Gaze), Subterfuge 4 (Urbane), Etiquette 4
(Old Fasioned), Melee 4 (Sword &amp; Shield), Stealth 4 (Silent as Death),
Culture 3, Enigmas 4 (Wisdom of the Ages), Linguistics 4 (Old Forms),
Occult 5 (Ancient Secrets), History 4 (Personal Experience)

Backgrounds:  Followers, Resources, Avatar, Destiny

Willpower: 10

Arete: 5

Quintessence: 10

Paradox: 0

Health Levels: OK,OK,OK,OK,OK,-1,-2,Becomes Mist

Image:  The Vampire is a tall, pale, imposing, nobleman.  There
is something fascinating, exotic, almost hypnotic about him.  He
exudes power and confidence, yet great restraint and patience, as
well.  When he does lose his temper he is as ferocious as any
wild beast.

Weaknesses:

- Repelled by crosses, holy water, etc, cannot walk on
consecrated ground, cannot recite from the scriptures.
- Cannot cross running water (natural streams &amp; rivers),
though he can be transported over such in his coffin.
- Sleeps, helpless, in his coffin (which must contain earth
from his grave) during the day (during which time his soul
is tormented in Hell).
- Cannot enter a dwelling unless invited (but only needs
to be invited once).
- Cannot consume normal food or drink.
- Casts no reflection.
- Repelled by garlic or wolvesbane.
- Takes Agg damage from fire.
- Takes Agg damage from (direct) sunlight as if engulfed in flame.

Powers:

- Recovers any non-Agg damage upon awakening each night
(Agg damage is also healed but uses 1 Quint/HL)
- Can only be permanently slain by fire, sunlight, a stake
through the heart followed by decapitation, or the consecration
of all his coffins and the earth they contain.
- Will: the Vampire has a remarkably developed Will, he can
Countermagick any direct effect without using up his Arete pool.
- Curse: anyone drained of blood by the Vampire is cursed to rise
as a Vampire within three nights.  Such Vampires are little more
than beasts (Mental and Social Attributes of 1, no skills or
knowledges, only powers are 'Scent the Life' and 'Drink the Life'
below).  If the Vampire drains a willing victim over three nights,
it becomes a fully sentient, fully powered Vampire, like himself.


Effects:

Drink the Life:  Prime 5, Life 4
  This effect allows the Vampire to obtain the Quintessence he needs
to maintain his mockery of life by drinking the blood of the living.
  [The effect costs no quint to use, the Vampire must succeed in a
STR + Brawl contest to grab and bite a resisting victim.  Each success
on the Vampire's Arete drains 1 HL (Aggrevated) from the victim, and
gives the Vampire 1 Quintessence.]
  F/X - doesn't draw Paradox (oddly enough)

Hypnotism (Willforce):  Mind 4
  The Vampire's dread gaze can overwhelm the will of nearly any Mortal.
The Vampire can command the Hypnotized victim to perform nearly any
act, can plant post-hypnotic suggestions, and alter memories.  Multiple
uses can leave the victim insane, or a 'broken' puppet of the Vampire,
or both.  The victim has no memory of what occurs while she is Hypnotized.
  [Costs one Quint, and requires an Arete roll, Diff 7.  If it works,
instead of normal Resistance, the victim and the Vampire make contested
Willpower rolls each time a new command is given.  The Vampire's difficulty
is always 6, the victim's varies based on the command, from 8 for simple
commands she might be tempted to obey anyway, to 4 for unspeakable acts.]
  F/X - Coincidental.

Reveal the Beast Within:  Life/Matter 3
  The Vampire is not really a human being anymore.  If he chooses, he
can abandon his human form for one that more accurately represents his
inner nature - a blood-drinking bat or predatory wolf.
  [Costs one Quint, and requires an Arete roll, Diff 7, 8 with witnesses,
only one success is required, and there are no penalties for assuming
the animal form (it is 'natural' to the Vampire).  As a bat, the Vampire
loses two OK HLs but, has +2 DEX, can fly at twice his normal running
speed, and has a -2 on his dodge and stealth difficulties.
As a Wolf, he has enhanced (-2 diff) senses of smell and hearing,
can run at twice normal speed, bite for STR+1 Agg damage (but not use
'Drink the Life,' above), and has +1 STR, +1 DEX, and +3 STA.]
  F/X - Vulgar.

Blush of Life:  Prime/Life/Mind 2
   Though the Vampire is a creature of the night, he can move about
during the day, though it is not his natural time, and his powers are
weak...
   [Costs one Quint per scene, no Arete roll required.  The Vampire
appears completely human, and, in fact, takes damage as if he were
human for the duration of the effect (though he will still vanish
into mist if taken below Incapacitated) and can be affected by Life
Magick, as well.  This effect temporarily suspends the Vampire's
vulnerability to sunlight (though it is still unpleasant to him).
While using this effect, no other Vampiric power can be called on,
and the Vampire's STR and STA are both reduced to two.]
   F/X - Coincidental.  There's no such thing as Vampires.

Scent the Life:  Life/Prime 1
   The Vampire can smell blood in even the tiniest amounts, and has
the predator's instinct to track his prey once scented.  He can also
tell much about any person whose blood he tastes.
   [Costs no quint to use.  The Vampire roll PER + Awareness (difficulty
4 to note the presence of fresh blood, 6 to track or identify a specific
victim, or 8 to infer the magickal powers of a victim).]
   F/X - Coincidental.
=================================================================


  " 
  900: PRINT "This Digital Web Sector interfaces with Consensual Reality
thru GeoCities." 
  901: PRINT "Move one step closer to Virtual Ascension by getting your own
Free Home Page ."   
  990: PRINT "All writing in this site (excepting Trademarks of White Wolf
Game Studios) is Copyrighted, 94, 97 by Tony Vargas" 
  999: END OF FILE