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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Greenfield" data-source="post: 5717181" data-attributes="member: 6669384">The aspect that undead are more powerful because of the lack of direct sunlight is well understood by all at the table.  We take turns as DM, and we've all had opportunity to abuse.As for the hordes of undead taking over cities... My analysis of the spawn rate was presuming a normal world with day and night.  It didn't need the cloud cover to be out of control  The only think that keeps them from spawning like a nuclear chain reaction is that DM's everywhere have realized that the spawn rules are extremely broken.  So we just look the other way and pretend that they aren't.  Hence my "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain" line.  You have to avoid looking behind that curtain, or any world with any undead in it at all is doomed.The "butler" is a role he assumes when there are guests.  Normally he's very much in charge.  This is him being paranoid, when a party of adventurers with three Clerics in it arrives unexpectedly.Maintaining control over 100+ people?  The duration on the control is 12 days, so he needs to spend a moment with perhaps a dozen people each day to refresh his control.  Not even a blip on the radar, in terms of time and effort.  He could do that while feeding.  And since each victim will recover from the blood loss in two days (Con drain is never permanent for Vampires) he's in no danger of killing his flock.Spy on the party?  As I said, he could if he cared to.  He has two available spies, as well as all the household servants, and all he has to do is find a quiet place and concentrate.  Or become a cloud of mist and mix with the incense or cooking smoke, or linger in a fireplace or chimney.He's kept his control light.  While it can be heavy handed, like Golem's obsession in LOTR, I don't see any reason why his orders can't be applied with a light touch.  "Ignore that and go on with your business.", seems like a perfectly valid order, and one that won't necessarily cause the subject to behave with noticeable oddity.  "These aren't the Droids you're looking for.", so to speak.Vampires don't all have to dress in evening wear and say "Goot Evening!" with thick Romanian accents.  As for the moment the Cleric got taken:  The duration of Detect Evil isn't forever.  The Cleric sought out the Vampire, cast the spell right in front of him, then stared at him for 18 seconds (3 rounds).  It was hard to ignore, so of course the Vampire reacted.  If he'd fled, to avoid detection, that would have been an (un)dead giveaway that something was wrong.  If he'd failed to control the Cleric he would have had to try and kill him.  And with the Cleric alone in the household, away from his allies, the Vampire might well have taken him.  In a way, failing that Save probably saved his life.You kinda had to be there to see how it worked out, but nobody at the table even blinked at the way things developed.</blockquote>

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