Vampire Lord Affliction

Vampire Lord Affliction

This is an affliction that alters a character integrally, causing them a grievous weakness to sunlight. Sunlight deals the Adept Vampire Lord a 1d4 damage die for each round spent exposed to it. Each level of mastery increases the damage dealt by sunlight by a die step, from 1d4 to 1d6 at adept, to 1d8 at master, and 1d10 at the Archmage level. Godbound with this Affliction are unaffected by sunlight, unless they choose to use it, in which case they gain 1 Dominion at the end of the session in which they are affected by this weakness.

The tradeoff comes in the form of spell-like gifts, which are instantly deployable, and as many abilities may be used as the practitioner has Hit Die or levels before they must rest for at least an hour. The healing gained by the practitioner requires that they Commit Effort once during the start of their night, otherwise it provides them no benefit. Each subsequent use continues to heal the practitioner thereafter.

Vampiric thralls created persist until destroyed. If released, they shed 4 HD of their own power, to a minimum of 1. The Vampire Lord may possess only as many thralls as their character level or total HD. Enslaved Vampires are lethargic and often hungry. Their thoughts are sluggish, but their loyalty is unshakeable.

Fledgeling: The fledgeling vampire Lord is newly turned, yet adapts readily to the ways of the night. They can always see in darkness as well as they had been able to see in light, they may track creatures with blood by scent under normal conditions. They may improve their natural melee attack die to 1d4, benefiting from unholy might, for a scene, absorb a single HD of health from a willing mortal human as an action (turning it into HP, if they possess that), and as a natural ability they may treat themselves as having a fact pertaining to stealth or unnatural might for a scene.

Neophyte: The neophyte's scene-long temporary fact repertoire gains two new domains, and this level of affliction allows them to treat themselves as having a fact pertaining to charming predators or enticing mortals for a scene. They may enthrall a normal human with more than 1 HD for a scene with eye contact, and they may summon a mundane wolf, or bat, and give them simple orders for a scene. Their blood absorption increases to 2 points per use, and they may empower their natural attacks to deal a 1d6 damage die.

Master: The master vampire may now create vampiric thralls with a night-long ritual from an ordinary mortal. They are gifted the powers and potency of a Neophyte Vampire, and possess 4 HD. See Godbound Pg. 162 for examples of how to allocate stats for these thralls. The vampire may now enthrall a mortal for a day with eye-contact, they may empower their natural melee attacks to deal 1d8 damage for a scene, and they may choose to summon a pack of wolves or a swarm of bats (Verminous Swarm). As a continual benefit, they may move up walls and along ceilings at half-speed. When they drink blood, they may absorb up to 3 HD per use of the ability.

Sovereign: The sovereign is an ancient and potent monster who has consumed the life of thousands. Their vampiric thralls gain the benefits of a Master Vampire, although they cannot create further thralls until they are released, and possess 8 HD each. The Sovereign Vampire may enthrall a normal mortal of no more than 2 HD with no more than their voice for a week. Their natural melee weapons may be empowered to deal 1d10 damage for a scene, and they permanently gain all of the benefits of their temporary fact-repetoire as a bonus of this level of Affliction. When they drink blood from mortals, they may absorb up to 4 HD at a time, per use of the ability. As a further benefit, they may transform themselves into a normal wolf or bat, retaining their usual combat statistics as normal.