Special Conversion Thread: Moldvay's Undead
- Thread starter Shade
- Start date
- Status
Shade
Monster Junkie
VRYKOLAKAS
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-10
ARMOR CLASS: (none given)
MOVE: 12”
HIT DICE: 7
% IN LAIR: 25%
TREASURE TYPE: E
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Energy drain (see text)
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Average
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: M
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
GREAT VRYKOLAKAS
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: - 2
MOVE: 12”
HIT DICE: 13
% IN LAIR: 10%
TREASURE TYPE: G
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-20
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Energy drain (see text)
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +1 or better weapon to hit
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 30%
INTELLIGENCE: Average
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: M
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
The vampire in Greek folklore is called the vrykolakas. Both the vrykolakas and the vampire are animated corpses that prey upon the living, but the vrykolakas differs from the vampire in a number of details.
A vrykolakas has a weird, distinctive look. The 17th-century writer Leo Allatius gives an eyewitness account of the exumation of a man believed to be a vrykolakas: .On top of the bones of other men there was found lying a corpse perfectly whole; it was unusually tall of stature; clothes it had none, time or moisture having caused them to perish. The skin was distended, hard, and livid, and so swollen everywhere that the body had no flat surfaces but was round like a full sack. The face was covered with hair dark and curly; on the head there was little hair, as also on the rest of the body, which appeared smooth all over. The arms, by reason of the swelling of the corpse, were stretched out on each side like the arms of a cross. The hands were open, the eyelids closed, the mouth gaping, and the teeth white.
“Such bodies do not, like those of other dead men, suffer decomposition after burial, nor turn to dust, but having, as it appears, a skin of extreme toughness become swollen and distended all over, so that the joints can scarcely be bent; the skin becomes stretched like the parchment of a drum, and when struck gives out the same sound.”
The vrykolakas is not self-animated. Instead, an evil spirit enters the body, causing it to move about. The vrykolakas would thus be the result of a bizarre kind of demonic possession, all the more terrible because the dead person has no mind to actively resist the takeover. The vrykolakas is most active at night, but only because devils and demons prefer darkness, not because the monster itself is in any way allergic to sunlight. If it so wishes, the vrykolakas can terrorize its victims in the daytime. In fact, a Greek proverb advises people to “beware of the noontime vampire.”
This monster delights in inflicting random violence and spreading panic. The vrykolakas does not so much feed off the blood of the living as it does their terror and fright. One common practice of the vrykolakas is to seat itself upon a sleeping victim and, by its enormous weight and horrific presence, cause an agonizing sense of oppression. A victim who dies from this oppression will himself become a vrykolakas.
In a short time, the original vrykolakas can gather a large and dangerous train of followers. Furthermore, as time goes on, the vrykolakas becomes more and more audacious and bloodthirsty, so that it is able to completely devastate whole villages. According to legend, if the vrykolakas in not annihilated within 80 days of its first appearance, it will become a merciless and invincible dealer of death. The mere sight of the vrykolakas in this state could cause death.
Among the many legends of the vrykolakas are some curious ones. One says that when the vrykolakas first returns from the dead, it goes to its native village at night, knocking at doors and calling for one person of the household. If that person answers, he will die the next day. But a vrykolakas never calls twice, and so the inhabitants of the island of Chios (from which this legend springs) always wait for a second call at night before answering. Even as late as 1910, according to John Lawson (author of Modern Greek Folklore and Ancient Greek Religion), the island of Santorini was notorious for its vampires (i.e., vrykolakas). “To send vampires to Santorini” was an expression synonymous with sending “owls to Athens” or “coals to Newcastle”. (American equivalents might be sending “cars to Detroit” or “movies to Hollywood.”) The present day island of Santorini was known in ancient times as Thera. About 1,600 years ago, the island of Thera blew apart in a volcanic explosion believed to have been more devastating than even Krakatoa or Mount St. Helens. The resultant tidal waves and heavy fall of ash helped destroy the Minoan civilization and might possibly be the historical basis of the Atlantis myths. Making Santorini the “Isle of the Undead” may reflect some folk memory of that ancient disaster. Areas in a fantasy universe in which huge numbers of people were slain or died all at once might also form breeding grounds for immense numbers of undead.
There are two ways to destroy a vrykolakas. One method is to exorcise the evil spirit which animates the monster. If the exorcism is successful, the corpse immediately begins to decay, rapidly decomposing in a single round until only bones are left. The second method is to dig up the monster’s grave and burn the corpse. Presumably, the evil spirit is only in the corpse while it is animated. By finding the grave and exhuming the body, it is possible to catch the evil spirit unaware, before it has a chance to repossess the body.
In the statistics given here for the vrykolakas are two separate columns. The first, termed “Vrykolakas”. is for the monster from its initial appearance and for the first 80 days of its existence. The second column, termed “Great Vrykolakas” is for the monster after 80 days have passed. Sleep, charm, and hold spells do not affect these creatures, nor do poison or paralysis. A vrykolakas also has a special kind of attack. Each turn, anyone whom the vrykolakas touches must make a saving throw vs. spells (specifically against fear, with wisdom bonuses applicable). If the save fails, the victim loses an energy level as the vrykolakas feeds off his fear. The vrykolakas can also attack physically for 1-10 hp damage per strike. A cleric has the same chance to turn a vrykolakas as he does a mummy. In addition, the exorcise spell can force the evil spirit to leave the vrykolakas, rendering the creature harmless and inert. After 80 days, the vrykolakas gains enough power to become a great vrykolakas. The great vrokolakas has a better armor class and more hit points than an ordinary vrykolakas. It has two attacks per round, each of which does 2-20 hp damage. It also attacks by fear, but the power works on anyone who gazes at the great vrykolakas (in addition to anyone it touches). The fear power drains two levels if the save is unsuccessful. A great vrykolakas has a 30% resistance to all magic (except the exorcise spell).
The great vrykolakas is usually accompanied by 1-6 ordinary vrykolakas under its control. For purposes of turning it away, consider the great vrykolakas to be in the “special” category. If the great vrykolakas can be turned away, or the exorcism spell succeeds against it, the ordinary vrykolakas are also rendered harmless and “dead” again.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine # 126 (1987)
Vrykolakas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-10
ARMOR CLASS: (none given)
MOVE: 12”
HIT DICE: 7
% IN LAIR: 25%
TREASURE TYPE: E
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Energy drain (see text)
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Average
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: M
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
GREAT VRYKOLAKAS
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: - 2
MOVE: 12”
HIT DICE: 13
% IN LAIR: 10%
TREASURE TYPE: G
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-20
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Energy drain (see text)
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +1 or better weapon to hit
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 30%
INTELLIGENCE: Average
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: M
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
The vampire in Greek folklore is called the vrykolakas. Both the vrykolakas and the vampire are animated corpses that prey upon the living, but the vrykolakas differs from the vampire in a number of details.
A vrykolakas has a weird, distinctive look. The 17th-century writer Leo Allatius gives an eyewitness account of the exumation of a man believed to be a vrykolakas: .On top of the bones of other men there was found lying a corpse perfectly whole; it was unusually tall of stature; clothes it had none, time or moisture having caused them to perish. The skin was distended, hard, and livid, and so swollen everywhere that the body had no flat surfaces but was round like a full sack. The face was covered with hair dark and curly; on the head there was little hair, as also on the rest of the body, which appeared smooth all over. The arms, by reason of the swelling of the corpse, were stretched out on each side like the arms of a cross. The hands were open, the eyelids closed, the mouth gaping, and the teeth white.
“Such bodies do not, like those of other dead men, suffer decomposition after burial, nor turn to dust, but having, as it appears, a skin of extreme toughness become swollen and distended all over, so that the joints can scarcely be bent; the skin becomes stretched like the parchment of a drum, and when struck gives out the same sound.”
The vrykolakas is not self-animated. Instead, an evil spirit enters the body, causing it to move about. The vrykolakas would thus be the result of a bizarre kind of demonic possession, all the more terrible because the dead person has no mind to actively resist the takeover. The vrykolakas is most active at night, but only because devils and demons prefer darkness, not because the monster itself is in any way allergic to sunlight. If it so wishes, the vrykolakas can terrorize its victims in the daytime. In fact, a Greek proverb advises people to “beware of the noontime vampire.”
This monster delights in inflicting random violence and spreading panic. The vrykolakas does not so much feed off the blood of the living as it does their terror and fright. One common practice of the vrykolakas is to seat itself upon a sleeping victim and, by its enormous weight and horrific presence, cause an agonizing sense of oppression. A victim who dies from this oppression will himself become a vrykolakas.
In a short time, the original vrykolakas can gather a large and dangerous train of followers. Furthermore, as time goes on, the vrykolakas becomes more and more audacious and bloodthirsty, so that it is able to completely devastate whole villages. According to legend, if the vrykolakas in not annihilated within 80 days of its first appearance, it will become a merciless and invincible dealer of death. The mere sight of the vrykolakas in this state could cause death.
Among the many legends of the vrykolakas are some curious ones. One says that when the vrykolakas first returns from the dead, it goes to its native village at night, knocking at doors and calling for one person of the household. If that person answers, he will die the next day. But a vrykolakas never calls twice, and so the inhabitants of the island of Chios (from which this legend springs) always wait for a second call at night before answering. Even as late as 1910, according to John Lawson (author of Modern Greek Folklore and Ancient Greek Religion), the island of Santorini was notorious for its vampires (i.e., vrykolakas). “To send vampires to Santorini” was an expression synonymous with sending “owls to Athens” or “coals to Newcastle”. (American equivalents might be sending “cars to Detroit” or “movies to Hollywood.”) The present day island of Santorini was known in ancient times as Thera. About 1,600 years ago, the island of Thera blew apart in a volcanic explosion believed to have been more devastating than even Krakatoa or Mount St. Helens. The resultant tidal waves and heavy fall of ash helped destroy the Minoan civilization and might possibly be the historical basis of the Atlantis myths. Making Santorini the “Isle of the Undead” may reflect some folk memory of that ancient disaster. Areas in a fantasy universe in which huge numbers of people were slain or died all at once might also form breeding grounds for immense numbers of undead.
There are two ways to destroy a vrykolakas. One method is to exorcise the evil spirit which animates the monster. If the exorcism is successful, the corpse immediately begins to decay, rapidly decomposing in a single round until only bones are left. The second method is to dig up the monster’s grave and burn the corpse. Presumably, the evil spirit is only in the corpse while it is animated. By finding the grave and exhuming the body, it is possible to catch the evil spirit unaware, before it has a chance to repossess the body.
In the statistics given here for the vrykolakas are two separate columns. The first, termed “Vrykolakas”. is for the monster from its initial appearance and for the first 80 days of its existence. The second column, termed “Great Vrykolakas” is for the monster after 80 days have passed. Sleep, charm, and hold spells do not affect these creatures, nor do poison or paralysis. A vrykolakas also has a special kind of attack. Each turn, anyone whom the vrykolakas touches must make a saving throw vs. spells (specifically against fear, with wisdom bonuses applicable). If the save fails, the victim loses an energy level as the vrykolakas feeds off his fear. The vrykolakas can also attack physically for 1-10 hp damage per strike. A cleric has the same chance to turn a vrykolakas as he does a mummy. In addition, the exorcise spell can force the evil spirit to leave the vrykolakas, rendering the creature harmless and inert. After 80 days, the vrykolakas gains enough power to become a great vrykolakas. The great vrokolakas has a better armor class and more hit points than an ordinary vrykolakas. It has two attacks per round, each of which does 2-20 hp damage. It also attacks by fear, but the power works on anyone who gazes at the great vrykolakas (in addition to anyone it touches). The fear power drains two levels if the save is unsuccessful. A great vrykolakas has a 30% resistance to all magic (except the exorcise spell).
The great vrykolakas is usually accompanied by 1-6 ordinary vrykolakas under its control. For purposes of turning it away, consider the great vrykolakas to be in the “special” category. If the great vrykolakas can be turned away, or the exorcism spell succeeds against it, the ordinary vrykolakas are also rendered harmless and “dead” again.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine # 126 (1987)
Vrykolakas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
demiurge1138
Inventor of Super-Toast
Oh man! Negative level gaze! Deals two negative levels at a time! The greats are seriously nasty!
This'll be fun...
This'll be fun...
Shade
Monster Junkie
It sure will!
Here's the 1e vampire for comparison...
VAMPIRE
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-4
ARMORCLASS: I
MOVE: 12”/18“
HIT DICE: 8 + 3
% IN LAIR: 25%
TREASURE TYPE: F
NO. OF ATTACKS: I
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 5- 10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Energy drain
SPECIAL DEFENSES: + 1 or better weapon to hit
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: M
PSIONICABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Here's the 1e vampire for comparison...
VAMPIRE
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-4
ARMORCLASS: I
MOVE: 12”/18“
HIT DICE: 8 + 3
% IN LAIR: 25%
TREASURE TYPE: F
NO. OF ATTACKS: I
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 5- 10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Energy drain
SPECIAL DEFENSES: + 1 or better weapon to hit
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: M
PSIONICABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
demiurge1138
Inventor of Super-Toast
Outsiders might be good for a twist, certainly.
Cleon
Legend
I'm divided on that. We could just make them Undead (extraplanar) like Bodak or Devourers.
If we do go for Outsider, we'll obviously want to give them grave touched or a similar special quality.
Oh, and from what I remember of vrykolakos myth, these undead fiends were unable to cross running water like standard vampires. Also, some of them became so powerful they would reform to torment the living even if the corpse was burnt and exorcised - in such cases, the vrykolakos were shipped to an unpopulated island, were they could be seen roaming the shores wailing for victims in broad daylight!
Shade
Monster Junkie
- Status
Similar Threads
