Encounter with a good aligned vampire, what do you do?

[FiddleSticks96]

My very first post!

Okay, down to business.

I'm currently DMing a 3.5e D&D campaign. This is a mid level campaign right now (lvls 10-17ish). There are 3 players (all good aligned), a Barbarian, Cleric, and Paladin...well Ex-Paladin. The Paladin lost his Paladin status for doing something very NOT Lawful Good. The PCs are currently on a quest bestowed on the Paladin to prove himself worthy of an atonement spell. The details of what he did and the quest itself are irrelevant to this thread.

---What happened last session---

The PCs are currently in the Ethereal Plane with an Astral Deva, the Paladin's spiritual guide for his quest. During their travels, they were attacked by a Malebranch and a handful of Merregons. They were sent to kill the Astral Deva before the Paladin can be redeemed (they are agents of the Devil trying to corrupt the Paladin in case you were wondering). During the fight, a vampire traveling the Ethereal Plane joined the fray and helped the party finish off the Devils.

When the vampire showed up, she was already brutally injured, but thankfully, she was able to just start lobbing spells at the Devils (shes a Wizard). Being a good aligned party, with a Cleric and Paladin (close enough) no less (not to mention the Astral Deva), they aren't normally supposed to associate with a vampire. It doesn't take long for the party to figure out that the vampire was ambushed by a group consisting Paladins and Clerics while heading back to her lair. She barely managed to escape by fleeing to the Ethereal Plane with a Plane Shift spell. Not waiting around to see if they'd be able to follow her, she continued to flee. Turns out they were able to pursue her, and shes been running from them for nearly 4 days. She was nearby when the party was attacked and decided to help them out.

Now, as all D&Ders know, vampires are "always" evil (snore). This vampire happens to be good (Neutral Good in fact). A Detect Evil spell does NOT register her as Evil, and a Detect Good spell registers her as Good. A Discern Lies spell also tells the Cleric that she has been telling the truth about why she was running. When asked by the party, the Astral Deva announced, "Oddly, I sense that she has an good, albeit naive, heart."

Things were complicated when the Barbarian, despite the vampire's warnings not to get too close to her since she hasn't feed in days and might lose control, got too close. Just as she warned, she lost control and gave into her hunger for blood. She attacked the Barbarian in a frenzy, but was subdued by the party. Despite her apology for losing it, the party is understandably ever more cautious of her. She was clearly afraid of the party to begin with, especially the Astral Deva. Now she is even more afraid of what they might do to her.

The players will decide what they will do with her in the next session.

---End Session---

That was a really boring story I'm sure so I'll get to the point.

The vampire is clearly good aligned, and in her current state, she is pretty much helpless (few spells left, badly wounded, half-starved). She DID help the party out, but she also attacked the Barbarian. She is also a vampire, and undead, a mockery of life. She is at the mercy of the players. Since we're on the theme of right and wrong, I'm anxiously awaiting to see how they will react.

Now, my question is, what would YOU do?

 

[Heathen72]

we're on the theme of right and wrong, I'm anxiously awaiting to see how they will react.

Now, my question is, what would YOU do?

Hmm. Good question. Is she hot?

Sorry. You know - good vampiress and all - I had to ask.

I'd like to know how she ended up 'not evil' for a start. That would inform a lot of my other responses.

I wouldn't want to destroy her, but given there is lots of weird demon stuff going on, and who know's what is what, I wouldn't want to just let her go, either.

 

[Stormonu]

To me, it would depend on how she answers two questions (backed up with detect lies):

1) Is she opposed to no longer being a vampire?

2) Has she been sustaining herself on the blood of sentients?

If she answers yes to either, she's toast. If it's no to both, I'd either let her go or offer to assist her to be "cured" of her current curse, possibly questing with her.

 

[Thunderfoot]

Stake that glittering witch!!!!

Sparkle or no, she is a blood sucking parasite - ticks, fleas and leeches are neutral, oh well.


Remember folks, the only Good vampire is a DEAD vampire.

 

[FiddleSticks96]

Hmm. Good question. Is she hot?

Sorry. You know - good vampiress and all - I had to ask.

I'd like to know how she ended up 'not evil' for a start. That would inform a lot of my other responses.

Lol! Charisma 19. Sunny personality (pun intended). I suppose in terms of physical attractiveness she's higher up on the scale. +4 bonus to Charisma and all that. Of course, she's still a walking corpse, and she has a deathly pallor. That might turn a few people off.

She did not become a vampire by choice (most people don't). She was actually turned by her father. Her father was also turned against his will and forced to turn his whole family (spawn don't really have a choice).

She eventually broke free of the head vampire's control and fled. He still exists. Good quest for later on. Kill the evil vampire from the past.

Of course, the players do not know this, so they can't use that information to influence their decision.

P.S.

I'm adding this to the reply because I realized I didn't actually answer your question. She struggled for years against her nature, nearly going mad in the process. Eventually, she locked herself in a specially prepared room (haven't figured out the exact details on what magic was involved. Definitely a long lasting Magic Circle against Evil turned inward, and probably incense and other stuff like that) and meditated nonstop for about a two weeks. She never once left that room in the meantime, not even to feed. She managed to cease control over herself and suppress her savage instincts.

I did this this way to reinforce the idea that strong will and determination can allow an individual to control their own instincts. If there can be good aligned illithid, why can't there be good aligned vampires?

To me, it would depend on how she answers two questions (backed up with detect lies):

1) Is she opposed to no longer being a vampire?

2) Has she been sustaining herself on the blood of sentients?

If she answers yes to either, she's toast. If it's no to both, I'd either let her go or offer to assist her to be "cured" of her current curse, possibly questing with her.

Answer 1: Yes. Her former controller still exists. She doesn't know how long it will take to take him down. So until he is gone, she can't risk limiting her time with a mortal lifespawn. She has grown to enjoy being a vampire. She does not intend to find a cure after she finally takes out her former controller.

Answer 1: No and Yes. She is holed up a good distance from any large community. She sustains herself mostly on animals. She will only feed on people, preferably an evil aligned person, if there isn't anything else to feed on. The only time she ever killed a good aligned person was when she was a vampire spawn, and therefore was being controlled by another being.

It is not necessary to kill someone to feed on them. Since vampires don't technically have to take blood in lethal amounts.

Stake that glittering witch!!!!

Sparkle or no, she is a blood sucking parasite - ticks, fleas and leeches are neutral, oh well.

Aww, but what about the moral dilemma?

 

[SuperJebba]

I would not kill the vampire. I definitely would be extremely cautious around her, but I would not kill her.

Though in my group, it would be a moot point. I happen to love the Twilight novels and my group mocks me mercilessly for it. They would without question kill the vampire and then probably kill me for trying to save it.

 

[korjik]

Geas. If you kill an innocent in a hunger frenzy, go watch a dawn.

Assuming that would be fatal. If it isnt, then stake the DM

If she is trying to be good, then all I want is some insurance that she wont kill due to her hunger. Even then, my geas idea is a bit harsh. Adventurers occasionally wack an innocent and get away with it, so I guess I couldnt really hold that against her.

The only sticking point I would have is why was she jumped in the first place? If it was just cause she was a vamp, then she is ok, but if she killed someone she shouldnt have, I would prolly demand she surrender to face justice. Mind you, I dont count anything she did as a thrall against her.

If it turns out she is what she seems, and she really does want to hunt down her ex-master, then I would abandon the atonement quest and help her kill her ex-master, with the intention that afterwards, she would live where she could be watched by my church, to make sure she dosent go bad. My figuring is that an atonement quest is at its heart a selfish act, and helping a stranger destroy an evil is not. This also assumes that my church is relatively understanding, and wouldnt just destroy her cause she is a blood sucking abomination.

PS: If the barbarian is so intent on getting close, he can at least provide a snack occasionaly

 

[FiddleSticks96]

I would not kill the vampire. I definitely would be extremely cautious around her, but I would not kill her.

Though in my group, it would be a moot point. I happen to love the Twilight novels and my group mocks me mercilessly for it. They would without question kill the vampire and then probably kill me for trying to save it.

Nothing wrong with being cautious. That's just self-preservation telling you to be careful.

I'm not a fan of twilight. I do not agree with twilight vampires; however, I agree with originality. She definitely gets points for that, and I don't see what everyone's deal is with Twilight. If you don't like it then don't watch it. You don't have to go off on a rant about how you don't like it.

Geas. If you kill an innocent in a hunger frenzy, go watch a dawn.

Assuming that would be fatal. If it isnt, then stake the DM

The only sticking point I would have is why was she jumped in the first place?

My figuring is that an atonement quest is at its heart a selfish act, and helping a stranger destroy an evil is not. This also assumes that my church is relatively understanding, and wouldnt just destroy her cause she is a blood sucking abomination.

PS: If the barbarian is so intent on getting close, he can at least provide a snack occasionaly

Cool. Well, undead have strong urges to feed when they're hungry. REALLY strong when they are injured and haven't fed for days.

She didn't do anything really. Just minding her own business. She's been laired up there for a few decades now. Thought she had finally found a nice, quiet, secluded place to study her magic. About 7 years ago, some druids moved into the forest her tower is in. Eventually they started to figure out what she really was. One of them was spying on her for a several days. He was trying to find proof so they can justify attacking her. He caught her feeding on an animal (caught red handed no?), in the excitement he messed up and she figured out what that squirrel really was...a druid. They both panicked and ending up attacking each other. He got away with no permanent injuries, but she was still too much for him to handle. Since he was one the more powerful druids there, and he was ineffectual...albeit, while on his own...the druids decided to enlist some help. Enter the Clerics/Paladins.

Hunting down her ex-master would be a fun arc to write up, but you have to admit, the Paladin regaining his Paladin powers would greatly help in that quest no?

 

[airwalkrr]

A good vampire huh? Well there are ways to cure that. Resurrection will return to life a creature that was formerly undead. So destroy her and resurrect her. Or just stop at step 1.

I'm reminded of the story of the frog and the scorpion. The scorpion and the frog both wanted to get across the river. The scorpion asked the frog to carry her on his back. The frog knew this was foolish, and said no. But the scorpion answered that if she were to sting the frog while crossing the river, they would both die and certainly the scorpion didn't want to die. Well the frog saw the logic in that and let the scorpion crawl on his back to cross the river. Halfway across the river the frog felt the sting of a scorpion on his back. As he felt the poison coursing through his veins he asked the scorpion why she had condemned them both to death. The scorpion replied, "I'm a scorpion. I can't deny my nature."

Its in the nature of a vampire to drink blood of innocent creatures that never did them any harm. That is why the monster manual entry says ALWAYS evil. Unless you can come up with a vampire that doesn't do that, then it has to be evil. Otherwise it isn't a vampire.

If you like the idea of "good undead," I suggest you use the deathless template. Maybe she isn't a vampire at all, but a vampire who transformed herself to some other kind of deathless creature by the ritual she performed.

 

[JustKim]

The details of what he did and the quest itself are irrelevant to this thread.

It may be irrelevant to the thread, but it sets a precedent for your paladin player not agreeing with what you see as lawful good behavior, doesn't it?

Here your paladin is partaking in a quest to atone himself, and as part of the quest you dangle a moral dilemma in front of him with this sympathetic but traditionally evil creature. Well, I say sympathetic because it sounds like you want the party to feel sympathy for her, not because she actually sounds sympathetic. She's fleeing from divine agents, that's not indicative of goodness, pretty standard for evil vampires. A sunny person doesn't really come off as being very repentant about feeding on the innocent. She attacked a party member. That's like the worst thing an NPC can do.

So ask yourself, is it likely the paladin will anticipate that killing the vampire is part of his atonement? It seems like a foregone conclusion to me, but hey, I don't know your players.

It's not going to help you at all to get a popular opinion poll on what other people might do, but to answer your question, I'd roll with the vampire stuff. It sounds like a fun idea. But, let me tell you from experience you've probably gone about it in the wrong way. Don't be surprised if your vampire's last meal is stake.