Vampires: Cooked For All Time?

[Wheggi]

So Chainsaw, you've never run S2, S4, D3 or (IIRC) C1? Wow.

- Wheggi

[Chainsaw]

So Chainsaw, you've never run S2, S4, D3 or (IIRC) C1? Wow.

- Wheggi

No.. heh! I wouldn't be opposed to playing in a game with vampires or even running a published adventure with them (as a one-off), I'm just saying that when I'm designing adventures for my own campaigns, I can't recall ever using a vampire.

[AxeMental]

Q; "Why do I believe this? Because frankly the character of Dracula as presented in the film does not exist in the novel at all. He is nothing but a loveless and ugly predator in the novel not a single ounce of ambiguity is described. He is completely alien to beauty there is no stretching available to make this into a romantic character."

Well, as a monster type in 1E, I agree with you. they are still CE and thus not capable of "romantic character".

[geneweigel]

I can have them come out described as rotten fleshed and putrid (as they should be) but as soon as I say the magic word "vampire" the description that I gave them now must be telling them some mysterious information about the vampire's state. "How could that happen to a vampire?" etc.

This is the problem. Gone are the notions of a hypnotic rotten corpse replaced by a sexy hicky maker.

[grodog]

No.. heh! I wouldn't be opposed to playing in a game with vampires or even running a published adventure with them (as a one-off), I'm just saying that when I'm designing adventures for my own campaigns, I can't recall ever using a vampire.

I'm pretty sure I placed a vampire as the main bad guy in my one of my first homebrew adventures: a 1 1/2 level dungeon entitled V1 Vanquish the Foes!

[Geoffrey]

I'm thoroughly agreeing with Gene. Here's how I come down:

Universal and Hammer film vampires are cool.
Bram Stoker's Dracula is even better.
1922's Nosferatu is best of all.

Other "vampires" need not apply.

[Vlospiress]

Vampires can be useful because they are suitable to be the head monster in a ruined castle dungeon setting, it's the minions that are the trouble makers and can cause the damage while the vampire is the sinister presence well guarded in the depths.
Because the vampire was once a human, it's the history of the place which is interesting and the players are not even sure if it is a vampire or something else running the whole scheme, they scare the willies out of me anyway!

[Chainsaw]

I'm pretty sure I placed a vampire as the main bad guy in my one of my first homebrew adventures: a 1 1/2 level dungeon entitled V1 Vanquish the Foes!

That's because you're hardcore, Allan!

I suppose my perception of them in D&D was probably poisoned by 2E Ravenloft imagery (Count Strahd), which was everywhere when I started playing. Suppose I need try to start over, heh. In fact, I love their characterization in the first few chapters of Bram's book - at the creepy castle. Once they turn into dashing ladies' men strolling about town, though, I start to lose interest.

[AxeMental]

I can have them come out described as rotten fleshed and putrid (as they should be) but as soon as I say the magic word "vampire" the description that I gave them now must be telling them some mysterious information about the vampire's state. "How could that happen to a vampire?" etc.

This is the problem. Gone are the notions of a hypnotic rotten corpse replaced by a sexy hicky maker.

I prefer the not so obvious rotten corpse, but rotten none the less (at least in movies/TV) for instance, the vampire depicted in the pilot Night Stalker looked like he had rotten flesh, perhaps hidden with some makeup, and of course the vampire from Salem's Lot.



I like the earliest vampire depictions as well above mentioned. Christopher Lee I will say was a horribly boring vampire (Hammer has some better guys playing vampires, Lee is wasted in this role compared to something like Devil Rides out or Horror Express) but he does make a good template for the way vampires act in 1E. Bottom line, if your portraying the vampire with "personality" in your game your probably off your mark as DM.
"alien" was a good way to put it Gene.

[Ghul]

Relevant to this topic, in 2009 I wrote an article called Vampirism Revamped at the Lord of the Green Dragons blogspot. I touched on some of the same concerns Gene brings up.

[geneweigel]

I cycle through the "what happened to vampires" schtick every few years or so and they keep coming out with more and more damage.

I think my current hatred is my sister going on and on about TRUE BLOOD...

"You would like it because thats your thing... VAMPIRES and monsters..."

"I just told you I watched the entire first season it was horrible. This is exactly what I was..."

"THEN....You've got to see the next season with the mermaids who go nuts they're not "mermaids" its something that sounds like that.."

"Maenaeds?"

"See?!?!? You've got to watch it..."

I've had this "dialogue" ten times with her.

Then the kids are telling me that the teen vampires are vegetarians. Wow! What a concept. Whoever came up with that I would like to beat to death with a pen.

I go nuts on vampires every year before Halloween for the last 25 years. Its the age old tradition of Gene screaming. Illiterates!!! Illiterates!!!

Seriously, back to THE GAME.

I think Stoker's take is the most value because there is no romance they're eating babies left and right and this is really the foe that:

1) Has a default great dungeon
2) Can get around (carefully)
3) As a demon encased in dead flesh has all kinds of potential

You just have to divorce post-Stoker barnacles:

1) Lost loves
2) Fancy clothing (why not wear armor? They're paying for it!!!)
3) Fighting the desire to eat babies

[geneweigel]

Six years ago, I wrote this new take on vampires on a forum for a dungeon collaboration but you know how these collaborations work, I don't think anything happened with it. Anyway, I'm reposting it here because its my copyright anyway and I haven't been notified if thats being revived:

2: CORRIDOR.

This dank passageway has a rusted sconce.

3: SHADOW TOMB/FLY HORROR

All shadows (monsters) in the crypt complex emanate from this area. A stone coffin is centered in the middle of this room. There are rusted sconces on each wall. The nameless epitaph on the coffin reads:

HE SERVED HIS MASTER TIL THE END
NOW INTERRED WITHOUT A FRIEND
TAKE HIM DOWN WHERE THE ERLMEN GO
TO ETERNAL SHADOW, FAR BELOW

In the presence of a light source, within 10 rounds a shadow (monster) will be generated from the coffin. Removing the lid will fill the room with horseflies which will seem to disperse but really disappear in 24 hours. The coffin contains a staked skeleton of a mistaken vampire. Removing the skeleton will immediately send the flies swarming on to it. The mass of flies will give the skeleton a vague humanoid shape and then it will attack.

FLY HORROR: AC: 7 MV: 12" HD: 4+4 h.p. 27 #AT: 2;D 2-5/2-5 SD Regeneration

There is nothing of value in the coffin.

4. CORRIDOR.

This corridor has an iron-shod door to the north.

________________________________________________________

NEW MONSTER

FLY HORROR

FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 12"
HIT DICE: 4+4
% IN LAIR: 100
TREASURE TYPE: E
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-5/2-5
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSE: Regeneration
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Average
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: M
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P.VALUE:
III/130 + 5/hp

These strange undead are found in crypts and subterranean places almost always in association with a vampire.

The remains of lowly servants of undead masters, their skeletal remains return to damned unlife draped in a fly swarm of their little victims when exhumed.

They regenerate in 10 rounds unless burned or turned (as a wight).

They resemble a shambling humanoid-shaped swarm of flies.

[jgbrowning]

HE SERVED HIS MASTER TIL THE END
NOW INTERRED WITHOUT A FRIEND
TAKE HIM DOWN WHERE THE ERLMEN GO
TO ETERNAL SHADOW, FAR BELOW

This is a lot less scary when sung to the B52's song "Good Stuff"

Take me down where the love honey flows
Kiss you nice, nibble your toes
Take me down where the good stuff grows
Love you nice, tickle your nose



joe b.

[geneweigel]

There is this old cemetary by the house in the Catskills its very remote and all the inscriptions have these creepy rhymes that sound just like that however this is little "AULDE D&DISH". They are morbid sounding though.