STONES of PHILLY

If your plan is to become part of the undead there are plenty of ways to do this. Lichdom is popular with spell casters, or maybe you want to seal yourself away in a mummy’s tomb. To return at some point and reign over a new empire. You could always become a mindless zombie, but no that’s no fun. A strong Oath breaker Paladin likes yourself. You’re looking to become a vampire. Don’t be fooled by its alluring properties, vampirism is a curse. 

Although powerful and immortal you will hunger for the life you lost, finding it in the blood of mortal victims. You’ll feel whole again that brief moment you kill and drink fresh blood. Vampires lose their souls becoming the undead and start obsessing over certain creatures or objects. Some surround themselves with luxury, ruling over kingdoms of mortals who exist as food for the vampire. Some stalk those they loved in life, their past feelings morphed into a terrible obsession. The concept is similar to the races of Aarakocra names, Kobold names, and Goliath names.

Frustrated that they will never feel this love again. Sunlight burns a vampire. They cannot stand bright lights either. There are other such rumors as they can enter a home or building unless invited, this is especially true on the hallowed ground or ina church. Your prey might hide from you in a good-aligned deity’s temple. Preventing you from following them. They have an inability to cross running water, causing them great pain if they attempt to. 

Another rumor is they must count small objects, such as seeds thrown on the ground. Vampires cast no shadows, nor have reflections in mirrors. Holy symbols and humanoids who have large amounts of faith in what that holy symbol represents can repel a vampire. The will of the one holding the holy symbol contested by the vampire’s will. A faithless individual will not stand a chance. Garlic can also keep a vampire at bay, as they cannot tolerate the strong odor. Finally, if a wooden stake is ever placed in the heart of a vampire it becomes paralyzed, and cannot act until the stake is removed. Leaving one very vulnerable to other forms of attack, such as beheading or sunlight. 

If this doesn’t scare you away, you will have to seek out a Vampire Lord to become a true vampire. They can change you into a vampire spawn, a somewhat mindless servant of the Vampire Lord. This isn’t ideal as you are but a pawn in his court, no free will of your own. You’ll thirst and feel the agony of being undead but be unable to act independently. To really become a master of the night you’ll need the vampire lord to change you completely by drinking some of their blood. This dark ritual in the unholy name of Orcusmust takes place between sunset and sunrise. The sharing of blood transfers the vampire curse to you completely and allows you to rise the next day as a Vampire Lord. 

You’ll retain most of your memories, but you’ll be soulless, evil, and undead. Choose your burial location wisely, as you’ll be tied to it for eternity. A connection forms between the vampire and the coffin, crypt, or gravesite. They must return to these areas and rest thereby day. You can change this location by moving your coffin or a significant amount of grave dirt to another location. Not resting properly weakens you until you are able to return and sleep a few days to gather your strength back. Vampires are shape changers. 

Dark magic courses through their bodies. Turning into a bat, a wolf, or a cloud of mist, which is perfect for spying on others, a sinister party attempting to thwart your plans. You’ll also have control over creatures of the night. Summoning bats, wolves, or rats to aid you in combat. As a Vampire Lord, you’ll of course be able to share your curse with others, creating vampire spawn to serve you in undeath. Vampires also have a dominating gaze. They can charm humanoids with a simple look. 

Your victims may be able to resist this gaze, but those that fail are willing to follow your instructions to the letter. Vampires can climb sheer surfaces at ease, appearing to be under the spider climb spell. This is a magical trait of the vampire though, and not something that can be dispelled. Finally, if you aren’t evil you will be. Good and Neutral alignments shift to evolution waking up as a vampire. The most famous and the first vampire is StrahdVon Zarovich. Lord Strahd made a pact with dark powers, dark evil, and unknown powers. He was cursed and when shot with arrows the curse did not allow him to die. He became a vampire, the first vampire. Strahd is difficult to find, and even more difficult to bargain with. 

He’d rather devour or torment you than pass on his curse of vampirism. In the Forgotten Realms, Modoc SeLanmere was the self-proclaimed first and utmost powerful vampire king of Toril. He had an army of vampires and became known as the White Prince or the Pale Knight. He built the Keep of the Pale Night and lived there with his vampire servants. His goal was to attack Baldur’s Gate and transform the population into Zombies for his army. Eight adventurers battled Modoc and he was killed. 

A lesson that vampirism is powerful, but those who seek to destroy evil will come for you. Perhaps live a quiet vampire life, unless they desire to rule a castle or city becomes too much. If and when you take a castle, keep, or forest, the land will start to change from your unnatural presence. The population of bats, wolves, and rats will increase in the region. Plants within 500 feet of your lair wither, becoming twisted and thorny. Shadows move about by themselves and become long and gaunt. 

Fog will linger and take eerie forms such as snakes or grasping claws. There are other types of vampires, created through magic and dark rituals. Corpse vampires, vampire muses, and spirit vampires. As well as Psychic Vampires that drain your wisdom, or moonbase vampires that are vulnerable to the light of the full moon. Be careful the vampire you seek out to change you, you’ll become the type of vampire they are. Few vampires are willing to relinquish control over their spawn. I’m sure with enough gold, or rare treasure you can convince a vampire lord to bring you into the fold.