Bram Stoker's Vampires

[Dagredhel]

This thread is for anyone interested in modeling a vampire variant that is as true as we can make it to the creatures described in Dracula.

My opening thoughts:

1. Vampires in the novel (obviously) don't have Energy Drain, and while Dracula gets his hands dirty disposing of Renfield, he does it while grappling (taking that -4 to attack to do lethal damage?), so I'd argue no Slam Attack, either.

2. Spider Climb: Dracula climbs down the wall of his castle headfirst, certainly. But I would attribute this feat to his enormous strength and unflagging stamina--- and to the plentiful hand and footholds the weather-worn structure affords. It may be nitpicking, but I think a Climb speed would model the ability better.

3. Gaseous Form: Both Lucy and Dracula's brides make use of this power, so it would have to be standard for spawn. The brides appear capable of mesmerizing an opponent while in this form, the effect on Jonathan Harker something like a Hold Person spell. I'm not sure they can use the ability at will, anywhere, however. To gain entrance or egress from their resting place or lair, sure, which in the case of the brides might include the entire castle. But is this one of the abilities that is limited to places where the vampire has power, like his haunts, or the abode of his victim, into which he has been invited? The vampire probably can't use the power during the day. I guess my question is whether a vampire could use it at night, in the middle of a field, say, in order to avoid an encounter, or whether its use is more circumscribed. On the other hand, Dracula fades to mist when attacked by a knife-wielding sailor. The question is whether the entire vessel is his temporary 'lair' at the time.

4. Alternate Form: Dracula definitely uses the shape of a bat, and another that is described as a large wild dog but might be a wolf. But (I think?) he is limited to changing shape at certain times of the day (dawn, twilight, noon) and in certain places, either his lairs, the abode of his victim, or 'unholy' places like the grave of the suicide. Any thoughts on this? In terms of game mechanics, I'd lean towards applying adjustments (as with were-creatures) to the vampire's ability scores rather than giving him the standard for the animal type, rather than the ability to assume the form of the dire version of the animal.

5. Summoning: I think Van Helsing describes this ability to summon and command lesser creatures, rats and insects, if I remember correctly. While Dracula is able to sort of demand submission of wolves, they don't seem to react to him very well--- he can make an individual dog or wolf cower when in cliose proximity, or make a pack scatter with a sweeping gesture and words, but they complain of his presence when he is near. He also speaks words to his carriage horses to soothe them--- a spell, or Handle Animal check?

Anyway, more thoughts to come--- Ihave to get ready for work now!

I look forward to your ideas--- please share!

 

[Mordane76]

I'd say that Spider Climb is much better -- have you ever attempted to climb head first down something? Unless he's actually digging his curled fingers and toes into the stone, it's nearly impossible to do this without having a means to stick to the walls.

As for the Gaseous form ability -- overall, I'd simply say it's a difference between lesser spawn and Dracula. The lesser spawn have their abilities limited to areas they "control." Dracula, on the other hand, is much more powerful -- I'd say as long as he has 'regular' recuperative contact with his sacred earth, his powers remain, limited during the day, of course.

 

[Thomas Hobbes]

The obvious thing is sunlight. I believe that the protagonists are talking to someone who describes a man- clearly Dracula, I thought, but I might be wrong- appearing in broad daylight. Not much is said about this, but I think the gist of it was Dracula had fed so much, and grown so powerful, that he could operate even in sunlight.

Perhaps in sunlight you have level checks to use any special abilities and take enhancement penalties to stats. Some things may be forbidden altogether. You can overcome this (use the special ability once, or supress penalties for some minutes) with a level check (1d20+hd or levels, that sort of thing) or charisma check. The check starts out rediculously high, but if you've fed recently you get bonuses.

 

[Mordane76]

The obvious thing is sunlight. I believe that the protagonists are talking to someone who describes a man- clearly Dracula, I thought, but I might be wrong- appearing in broad daylight. Not much is said about this, but I think the gist of it was Dracula had fed so much, and grown so powerful, that he could operate even in sunlight.

Perhaps in sunlight you have level checks to use any special abilities and take enhancement penalties to stats. Some things may be forbidden altogether. You can overcome this (use the special ability once, or supress penalties for some minutes) with a level check (1d20+hd or levels, that sort of thing) or charisma check. The check starts out rediculously high, but if you've fed recently you get bonuses.

Unless I was mistaken, vampires in Bram Stoker (and in some other Eastern European vampire myths) were not destroyed by sunlight. In the novel, Dracula is simply weaker during the day, but he is still incredibly strong (just even more so during the night). In some vampire lore, vampires actually operated from noon to midnight -- the daylight vulnerability isn't a necessity in all vampire myths. However, the ability to use even a fraction of their power during daylight hours without harm makes them a fair deal more powerful than standard D&D vampires.

 

[gravyboat]

I vaguely recall when Dracula was making his desperate race back home to Castle Dracula at the end of the book. Why did he remain in his box of earth on the back of the gypsy cart? He knew he was being pursued. Is it because he would have more power to confront his persuers in his own castle and land, or because he is weaker in sunlight? Bram Stoker's Dracula definitely has a strong connection to his home turf for power.

 

[Dagredhel]

I'd say that Spider Climb is much better -- have you ever attempted to climb head first down something? Unless he's actually digging his curled fingers and toes into the stone, it's nearly impossible to do this without having a means to stick to the walls.

First off, let me say for the record that in several recent vampire movies, I've seen vampires crawl seeming weightlessly across the walls and ceilings--- and it looked really, REALLY cool. It's just not the mental picture I have of Dracula from the novel. And I have climbed face-first down a 45 degree slope. It requires some strength, but more stamina, and a vampire with +6 Str and no Con score has a good bit of the first and an unlimited supply of the later.

As for the Gaseous form ability -- overall, I'd simply say it's a difference between lesser spawn and Dracula. The lesser spawn have their abilities limited to areas they "control." Dracula, on the other hand, is much more powerful -- I'd say as long as he has 'regular' recuperative contact with his sacred earth, his powers remain, limited during the day, of course.

Towards the end of the novel, Van Helsing talks specifically about Dracula's form-changing powers being restricted to certain times of the day and places of power. Dracula's 'brides' turn to mist, and mesmerize, but they don't display his other powers: wolf or bat shape, calling 'lesser creatures', drawing fog around one's self, control of the weather, etc.

 

[Dagredhel]

The obvious thing is sunlight. I believe that the protagonists are talking to someone who describes a man- clearly Dracula, I thought, but I might be wrong- appearing in broad daylight. Not much is said about this, but I think the gist of it was Dracula had fed so much, and grown so powerful, that he could operate even in sunlight.

Perhaps in sunlight you have level checks to use any special abilities and take enhancement penalties to stats. Some things may be forbidden altogether. You can overcome this (use the special ability once, or supress penalties for some minutes) with a level check (1d20+hd or levels, that sort of thing) or charisma check. The check starts out rediculously high, but if you've fed recently you get bonuses.

Yes, Dracula walks abroad by day. I just saw "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", and I really appreciated the fact that the Mina Harker character walked in daylight--- the bursting into flames thing is soooo cliche.

For Stoker's vampire, the stricture seems to be that the vampire rest immobile in its lair during certain hours. Dracula takes his leave of Harker from 's crow through the morning hours. Lucy seeks her tomb at sunrise, and stalks at night. But Dracula at least appears able to operate during his normal 'sleep' period when required.

I'm leaning towards a (very tough/nearly impossible?) Will save or Con check for a fledgling Vamp to ward off the lure of seeking rest in his grave. Another check would be required to rise before sunset. And I think it would suffice if the vampire's choices were to 'go to bed' either between dawn and noon, or noon and sunset, taking penalties (to mental attributes instead of physical one's?) for 'staying awake' any longer than that.

 

[Dagredhel]

's crow

Okay, that is just plain silly. The word means rooster, for chrissakes!

 

[Dagredhel]

Unless I was mistaken, vampires in Bram Stoker (and in some other Eastern European vampire myths) were not destroyed by sunlight. In the novel, Dracula is simply weaker during the day, but he is still incredibly strong (just even more so during the night). In some vampire lore, vampires actually operated from noon to midnight -- the daylight vulnerability isn't a necessity in all vampire myths. However, the ability to use even a fraction of their power during daylight hours without harm makes them a fair deal more powerful than standard D&D vampires.

Yes! Not only did we read the same novel, but we're onthe same page, metaphorically speaking .

Aside from limitations on his shapeshifting, I'm not sure Dracula is further weakened during the day, however.

 

[Dagredhel]

I vaguely recall when Dracula was making his desperate race back home to Castle Dracula at the end of the book. Why did he remain in his box of earth on the back of the gypsy cart? He knew he was being pursued. Is it because he would have more power to confront his persuers in his own castle and land, or because he is weaker in sunlight? Bram Stoker's Dracula definitely has a strong connection to his home turf for power.

Van Helsing explains that Dracula is apparently unsure of his own limitations. He believes that when Dracula unloads crates of his grave soil and then transports them himself, it is a first, a trial and test of his ability to do so. The reason that Dracula travels in his box of earth may have something to do with crossing water as he travels, or the lack of opportunity to feed, or aversion to sunlight. Or it may simply be a matter of timing, if Dracula were 'sleeping' between noon and sunset, or of discretion, if rising from his earthen bed would have spooked his teamsters unnecessarily.