|
|
-
"The
flame of the logs has died to the hidden glow of the
coals.
You ask me to tell you about the Vampyre furre, or
Vampfurre.
Very well. Come closer, bring that cushion and sit
beside
me. Ah, young one. So many questions!
-
You
ask me why they live in such dreary places. Where
the walls
are so cold, there is more fear than beauty. That is
where
the powers of darkness are strongest. Where it is
dreary and
bleak and cold, that is where the Evil Ways of the
Dark
Primes may be accomplished.
-
The
sun is the Dragon's eye; that gaze destroys a
Vampfurre.
Colors, love, and beauty, all these will weaken a
true
Vampfurre. They shun Syndira's color, sneer at
Jujinka's
love, and cringe at Danival's `beauty.' These things
will
sway the balance in the favor of good, keeping the
Dark
Primes at bay..."
|
The
Origin of Vampyre Furres
The following is common knowledge throughout Kasuria. Drakorians
and Olde World furres may learn it through IC interaction but must begin
the game without this knowledge.
Bleakness, hatred, and ugliness, as decided by
the common Furre, all these make evil stronger. The garden's
bright
flowers, the tavern's good cheer, the chapel's sweeping
architecture,
all these are anathema to evil. Most of all, no thing
consecrated with a
Vinca in plain sight can be entered by a Vampfurre. (There are
other such
symbols, and one of them is the magically empowered Unholy Sign
that is
inscribed upon the door of the place where Mirmoggin is
imprisoned: the
Vault of Dread.)
|
|
Long
ago, thirteen followers of the Dark Prime Mirmoggin
sought to
set him free. They were wizards, dark priests and
priestesses,
kings, queens, emperors and empresses. They called
themselves
the Coven. The magicks required enormous blood
sacrifices: they
filled a room chin deep in the blood of furres, and by
floating
in this while it was still warm, and chanting, they came
to
dream of the Vault of Dread. Their chanting would have
shattered
the Unholy Sigil had it not attracted the attention of
Aristaya,
the Prime whose domain is Dreams. She could not approach
the
Unholy Sigil herself, so she awakened Beekin, the
smallest of
all the Primes.
|
It is
Beekin's power to whisper in the ears of all, no matter how far
away
they are. She told Beekin to alert the Dark Primes. And so the
Little
Dragon did. The Dark Primes were very surprised, then enraged.
They sent
Suffrith, Lady of Disasters, to deal with the mortals.
She came
in the form of a beautiful lady furre, a pure white fox, with
milky
sharp teeth and sparkling ruby eyes. To stop them from setting
Mirmoggin
free, she inflicted the Hunger upon them: the overpowering
craving for
blood. Then, as they began to drink the blood in which they were
swimming, she tore slowly tore out a piece of each of their
souls.
Mirmoggin
himself heard their screams. With power that he had been
hoarding since
before the invention of time itself, he bestowed strange
abilities upon
his followers. He ordered them never to reveal their true nature
to any
not in their power, and this order he laid upon them in the form
of a
Geas: a supernatural compulsion. All true Vampfurres, to this
day,
desire to keep their true nature secret.
The following information on this page is *not* ICly known to
your character unless they are a Vampfurre of Generation 3, 4 or 5, or
have acquired a Vampire Lore skill during play.
To be eligible to learn information about Vampfurres and acquire Vampire
Lore skill, you must a) have a Player Character teacher who knows the
information, b) buy the Skill for 3 experience points, and c) be Cool 3.
The natural IC consequence of exhibiting knowledge of Vampfurre habits,
abilities, weaknesses, etc. is being hunted for it and, most likely,
killed.
Lacunas
At the
moment of their change, all Vampfurres feel the pain of the
tearing-out
of a portion of their souls, and the ecstasy of newfound power.
Their
aura is marked by at least one black spot, their Lacuna. This
makes them
incapable of some normal furre feeling. The feeling will be, at
best, a
faint faint memory, and they can never again regain what they
have lost.
Some say that the Primes can grant that which makes them whole,
but the
oldest texts say that only the scent of the Dragon Him/Herself
can do
this. It is no light matter.
There are
thirteen Lacunas, each named for the first Furre to bear it.
Each is
associated with a Dark Prime. It is really only Vampfurre
Hunters who
speak in terms of Lacunas: the Vampfurres themselves have a
tendency to
deny the Lacunas even exist. But those who are granted the
ability to
see Auras (via a Mage spell or by True Sight (3 Point
Advantage!!!))
will see the Lacuna as a very dark hole, a very large obvious
blight of
the aura. (There *are* other ways by which one can acquire a
Lacuna, so
it is not proof of Vampfurric nature.)
- At Cool 2 or
3, a Lacuna
can be bought-off for 15 experience points. As a rule of
thumb, it
takes at least 90 real-life days to play through a plot
explaining
how the Lacuna is overcome, before the furre is free of
it.
- At Cool 1 or
below,
take a Lacuna if you want your character to feel
"authentic" to Furcadia but you're by no means
bound to
play it out in any way, and you can ditch it if you don't
like it.
-
Kuyorra,
The False Glory (Taglinn Tigh):
A lack
of regard for the right to live free from fear makes this
a subtle
evil. The furre takes pleasure in bullying others. They
will make
their lair into as frightening a place as they *can*. The
furre
lives in constant fear for their own existence.
-
Nuava,
The Unseen Hand (Tallus):
The furre has an inability to understand the concept of
personal
possessions of others, but wants to own things. This may
manifest
itself as kleptomania. Stealing from individuals brings a
kind of
thrill that stealing from the community (for example,
shoplifting
or bank robbery) does not yield.
-
Tauthmyarr,
The Nihilism (Greydark):
The furre has an irrational urge to destroy. It can be as
small as
throwing a plate to the ground, or they can be driven to
destroy
buildings, burn down forests, etc. There is nothing
breakable that
is unbroken, in the lair of one afflicted by Tauthmyarr's
Lacuna.
-
Ghislok,
The Loneliness (Drossifer):
The furre is incapable of normal emotional bonding with
others.
They are incapable of love, romantic or otherwise. They
can not
trust or love others. They will occasionally feel
possessive of
others (so long as they are useful and cooperative), but
the
slightest sign of independence is perceived as betrayal.
Yet the
furre is cursed to crave company and possibly romantic
companionship.
-
Svinlok,
The Emptiness (Suffrith):
The furre lacks the ability to derive gratification from
normal
sensory stimulation. Food, art, sex, and so forth, bring
no
pleasure. The furre can only find unusual physical
stimulation
pleasurable, such as beating their head against a wall,
taking
euphoric drugs, getting drunk, or even something bizarre
like
staring into a candle flame.
-
Sharok,
The Fury (Telcodar):
This Lacuna is the furre's utter lack of self-control.
They act
upon impulse, attacking at the slightest provocation. All
their
wrath is magnified a thousand times stronger. Those with
Sharok's
Lacuna usually live alone.
-
Kriorn,
The Blindness (Peristane):
Other people are seen as inferiors, to be used and
enslaved, or
superiors, because they can hurt and destroy the furre.
This is an
inability to treat others as equals. The furre is not
content to
limit this to opinions; they must go out and make others
their
thralls, or else live in torment, feeling that *they* are
no
better than slaves.
-
Gozmeron,
The Cruelty (Lokira):
Very simply, the furre wants to cause others pain,
physical and
emotional both. The sight of another in torment brings
pleasure.
This is like an addiction: if the furre has not done so,
they will
be at a minus to all their abilities, and they will be
quite
irritable.
-
Shatugar,
The Untrust (Chatengo):
The furre has no sense of obligation. Furthermore, they
are
compelled to break any promise they make, and openly mock
any
promise made unto them. Smells that are foul to normal
furres
actually smell *good* to those with this Lacuna, and
normally
delicious smells are repulsive. The furre has no honor,
and enjoys
breaking local taboos and generally being a deviant.
-
Aburralon,
The Weeping (Nareeth):
The sight of others happy is painful to the furre. They
can not
drive the awareness that all things come to an end, from
their
minds. Their own happiness is shortlived, followed by an
even
greater backlash of depression.
-
Heng,
The Inimicality (Erigon):
Life is intrinsically hateful. The furre enjoys the
feeling of
power gained from ending a life. The sight of dying brings
a joy
that other emotions cannot match. This furre lacks the
ability to
value any existence other than their own.
-
Willathar,
The Double Tongue (Dyarr):
A compulsion to lie, and a lack of regard for accuracy or
truth.
Being a compulsive liar will not give one a Lacuna. In
compulsive
lying, the liar often doesn't remember having told the
lie. With
the Lacuna, the liar is very aware of the lie, and
remembers it.
With the Lacuna of Double Tongue, the furre feels
gratification,
almost like physical pleasure, when they lie.
-
Tamanannu,
The Flesh Hunger (Mirmoggin):
This is an addiction, not merely to blood, as is standard
with
Vampfurres, but also to fresh furre flesh. They require a
pound of
flesh at least, per week.
Generation
Information
The Coven, those
thirteen original Vampfurres, are the First Generation. (Their
IC life
and times were prehistoric.) Their Vampfurric Progeny, the
Second
Generation, settled in towns (not unlike those of the
"Biblical" era). Characters of higher generation are
weaker
and younger than those of lower generation. Characters with no
character
sheet are automatically Generation 7 or
higher/weaker.
7th Generation Vampfurres
are generally less than 200 years old. They are a new
phenomenon: they
lack the Voices of the Damned abilities. This has alienated many
of them
from Generations 2-5, who often hold the "puling
babes" in
contempt.
Most Vampfurres leave no
successors. It only takes one foolish slip to alert those who
hate and
destroy the Undead. Most fledgeling Vampfurres don't even last a
year
past their Embrace. A few manage to produce 1 surviving Progeny.
A very
rare few will manage 2 or even 3. If you did buy the
"Generation" advantage in Character Generation, you
must buy
the "Progeny" Advantage with experience points before
your
character can ICly Embrace another.)
Vampfurres in one's
lineage are referred to as one's Progenitors. At the 10th
Generation,
Mirmoggin's "Dark Gift" can no longer be passed on.
10th
Generation Vampfurres are "sterile". It is worth
noting that
neither Wyrmmes nor Bugges can be Vampyres or Minions.
In the year 915, the
Coven established a secret underground citadel at Modesty, in
Desdemond
(Kasuria). Here, protected by enchantments to cause the place's
existence to slip from the minds of all non- Vampfurres, exists
the
fabled Library of Puru-Shottem. It is here that scribes still
keep
records of Vampfurre lineages. They use the archaic and obsolete
prefix
"Ek'" (ekazaad, "protected by") in their
Longnames.
Automatic
Vampyre Disadvantages
(Mandatory at
Cool 2
and above)
(Ah, you
didn't think that simply being inhuman
was enough, did you?)
-
Confused by the Vinca Sigil
(Cannot be "bought off")
Upon sighting it, the Vampfurre can approach no closer,
and must stare
at it, endlessly tracing its lines. [NOTE: In online
Furcadia, this
occurs should a Vampfurre come upon a Vinca placed as a
full tile on
the ground by the gamemaster(s). IC, placing a Vinca
sigil is an NPC
ritual requiring one Mage from each Elemental College and
one mage of
the College of Essence. The ritual lasts a period of five
days and nights.
Once it is placed, the sigil glows slightly and does not
fade.
A Vinca Sigil can only be disrupted and destroyed with
the ritual sacrifice, of an innocent adult sentient, to a
Dark Prime.
This ritual spell is known only to NPC Masters of the
School of Dark Bindings,
and it takes six hours to cast it. Vinca Sigils are not
portable,
and they give the surrounding area a +1 to its
Alignment.]
-
Phobia of crowds
(Can be bought off with 10 experience points) A young
Vampfurre can
only tolerate the presence of up to 5 others within sight.
The sight
of a mob causes irrational fear. (While in the presence
of more than
5 people, the furre must perform all rolls for use of
ability at a
-4 penalty. If playing without dice, this Disadvantage
simply reduces the
vampire to a state of bumbling incompetence.)
-
Upsetting to Animals.
(Cannot be bought off.) Cannot ride
Ostrixes or Raptors; they will bristle and scream at the
sight of
this character.
-
Severely burned by Sunlight
(Cannot be bought off.) Exposure of
fifteen seconds is enough to send the Vampfurre unto true
death.
-
Paralyzed by Day During daylight hour
(can be bought off for 5 experience points)
the character is paralyzed, trapped with eyes closed in a
state of
unconscious terror resembling a coma. Begins at sunrise,
and ends
at sunset. Vampfurres do *not* sleep. No rest for the
wicked,
indeed.
-
Any 1 Lacuna (player's choice)
(can be bought off for 15 experience points)
Regardless of the Vampyre's willpower, they cannot go
against
their Lacuna. This part of them is forever destroyed, and
to try
to conceal or overcome it is simply not possible. They can
not be
talked out of their irrational state, and must either go
to great
lengths to rationalize it unto themselves or angrily
attack that
which is causes them to question it.
Automatic
Vampfurre Advantages
(Mandatory
at Cool
2 or above)
-
Longlived (*) Will not die of disease;
will age extremely slowly. If you can find a willing
player-character furre who is an Alchemist who knows the
Anagathica potion, then you may appear to be very young.
Otherwise, Vampyres do show signs of aging, eventually, it
is just
very, very, very, slow.
Slow metabolism (*) Will not die of suffocation.
Vampfurres do need to breathe, but much much less than a
normal furre.
Without oxygen, they turn bluish and can last an hour, but
after that,
they pass out until once again exposed to air. Thus, a
Vampfurre who
is buried alive will be unconscious indefinitely, and can
be revived.
-
Heal from Death (*) If reduced to
negative hit points, the vampfurre is still not dead, but
will not
heal without fresh blood. If their body is beheaded or
cremated,
they face True Death, however.
-
Voices of the Damned (*) Each true
Vampfurre traces their origins back to one of the thirteen
Lineages. These are mystical vocal sounds that can only be
made by
Vampfurres, that only Vampfurres can hear. Vampfurres of
higher
than 6th Generation can neither hear nor produce
Voices!
Greeting
Rattle-
Upon hearing this, each Vampfurre present must answer in kind to the
best of their ability. (They do not get a choice.)
Warning
Hiss- This conveys
the Vampfurre's Generation, (how many Vampfurres it took to pass the
Embrace to that Vampfurre). Because Low Generation is an Advantage that
must be bought with experience points outside of the three paid to be a
Vampfurre in the first place, all characters not officially registered
within their Continuity default to being Generation 7 or higher.
Threat
Growl- More serious
than a Warning Hiss. All Vampfurres of weaker (higher) Generation will
back away instinctively (thus losing one round of action) unless they
are allies. Mortals present will feel a physical chill and be
frightened and confused (also losing one round of action). Unlike
Vampfurres, the mortals will not know the source. This cannot be
"targetted" at an individual; it's "broadcast" to the area. As usual,
Demifane of all varieties are immune.
Wierding
Howl- No matter where
they are, your Progenitor and all of your Progeny have an instant sense
of where you are, and should try to come to your aid ynstantly. Note
that if you move or are moved, they will still only have a sense of
where you *were*, not where you *are.*
Bleeding, Drinking Blood and Being Drunk From
Vampfurres need blood-- a LOT of it. The typical Vampfurre feeds for at
least a cup full, enough to make the typical furre dizzy and even pass
out. They tend to be serial killers. They tend to be slavers who keep
captives in some secret underground hideout. Throughout the known
world, they are not heroic, they are the villains, favored by the Dark
Primes for their ruthless cruelty and violence. They are hated
worldwide, and with very good reason: There has never been a case of a
Vampfurre who used their powers for good.The only Vampfurres with
a chance to be different are those characters run by players.
The craving for blood afflicts the Vampfurrre much like a heroin
addiction. It will override their good sense, their respect for others,
their love or affection for others, and their willpower. The normal
furre wouldn't dream of giving this "gift" to anyone they liked, not any
more than they would wish a heroin addiction on them. In the world of
the Dragonlands, a Vampfurre is far more likely to transform their enemy
than their lover!
When the Vampfurre is hungry, they will do anything to get blood. If
they get hungry enough, they will run around like a rabid animal at
night, incapable of using weapons, killing the first large creature
they see in order to gorge on its blood. That's going to be an
ostrix or a furre-- more likely a furre because the ostrix can sense the
Vampfurre coming, can wake up and, given provocation, will kick a furre
across the room.
Biting a sleeping victim wakes them up. Victims usually struggle, and
most Vampfurres do not possess super speed, super strength, etc. Make
no mistake-- the existence of a Vampfurre is normally a brutal affair,
with large doses of violence and lies.
Blood Mechanics
Every mortal Furre or Wyrmme is assumed to have six units of blood.
Blood refreshes at a rate of one per RL week. They can lose up to one
unit a week and still be fine.
If they lose a second blood unit, they pass out and may die. If they
survive, they are very weak when they wake up, and can't walk or perform
strenuous activity for three RL days.
If a mortal ever loses a third unit of blood, they die. If the mortal
takes a Wound when they have lost two units of blood, they also die.
Feeding on Blood
In the official world of the Dragonlands, drinking blood is exactly
that. One furre bleeds, and the other furre drinks it. The fangs of a
Vampyre Furre have hollow tubes in them and small holes near the tips.
If the Vampfurre is trying to be careful, then on a roll of 13 or less
on 2d10, they do more than just break the skin; they sink in and leave
real damage (1 Wound). Those with Vampire Lore skill can tell this bite
apart from other kinds of bites.
The Reservoir
Every Vampfurre has a kind of reservoir for blood that holds up to five
units of blood. These tick away at a rate of one per two RL week. If
that ever gets to a mere 1 unit, the Vampfurre abandons all reason to
drink blood.
"The Abyss"
Should their Reservoir ever get to 0, a strange thing happens. First,
the Vampfurre goes unconscious. Then, they have an incoherent vision of
a vast and frightening realm. The Vampfurre's mind is strangely calm
and unaffected by hunger at this time, and they have all their normal
memories. In the vision, a frightening apparition appears to them (it's
different for different Vampfurres), and offers them continued
existence, in exchange for an oath of fealty to a Dark Prime. That
price is one random Lacuna (random die roll, performed by a Gamemaster.
The Vampfurre cannot get the same one twice, so if it is one they
already possess, roll again until it is a new one.).
If the Vampfurre agrees to the Lacuna, they instantly awaken, completely
healed, with six units of blood. They do not remember what they saw in
the Abyss, except that it was a frightening place, ruled over by a
terrifying and powerful being. Mostly they are left with a distinct
mood or feeling, like waking froom a nightmare. They do remember that
they pledged loyalty to a Dark Prime, but can only discern which one
when they discover their new Lacuna.
If the Vampfurre refuses, however, then they meet true death. Their
Essence is dissolved forever; they do not go on to an afterlife of any
kind.
Voluntary Bleeding
Most furres could injure themselves to draw a few droplets of blood to
sign their name, but fewer can take a knife and cut their arm or hand to
fill a glass. If someone does this, they are left with a Wound and they
give up one unit of Blood. Cutting yourself is DANGEROUS.
Now they must make a check to staunch the bleeding. If they do not have
the Medicine/First Aid skill, they must roll under 13 on 2d10. If they
fail, they lose a second unit of Blood. They can try again to stop the
bleeding after that. If they lose a third unit of Blood, they die.
If they or someone helping them has Medical skill, the roll is 17 or
less. Magical healing succeeds on a roll of 18 or less. The bleeding
is stopped but neither Medical skill nor Magical healing restores the
lost units of blood.
Optional
Vampfurre-Only
Advantages
|
These
aren't included in the Vampfurres package
automatically, but
a
Vampfurre can purchse them *separately*, for
additional
points.
*
Generation 2 (NPC ONLY) >These are Vampfurres created by the
original Coven members. All of the Coven would know
this furre by
name. At any given time, there will only be 2 for
each
of the 13 Coven members. They typically
have 1-2 Progeny (who possess the Advantage
`Generation 3')
and 5-15 Minions. This character probably received
instruction
(in skills, in combat, or in an Evil Way) from their
Progenitor.
This character would be between the ages of 5000 and
6000.
Generation 2 Vampfurres are built with 8 Hobbies, 7
Apprentice\
skills, 6 JourneyFurre skills, 4 Professional skills
which *must* be NON-COMBAT abilities, and two
Professional skills
that are, one a melee weapon/style and the other,
missile.
*
Generation 3 (This character is normally an NPC and
remains
"offstage" of the Continuity, but at the GM's option,
a
Vampfurre of this level may be introduced as a plot
device,
under shared player and GM control. It is usually
present
as an "antagonist", a "bad guy", thus, it MUST be Cool
3.
In exchange for special consideration, this character
is, from the OOC standpoint, assumed destroyable.)
: Character
is the Progeny of the Progeny of the Coven. This
Advantage automatically includes "license"
for 1
Progeny (who must buy the Advantage Generation 4) and
1
Minion. Only one member of the Coven, the lineage's
Progenitor, is likely to know this character by
name.
Upon learning their Progenitor, they might be granted
a
measure of respect from the Coven. At GM's
option, their
Progeny can be NPC's (See NPC rules below). This
character should be between the ages of 4000 and
4999. To help reflect their age, they
receive 7
Hobbies, 6 Apprentice skills, 5
JourneyFurre skills,
3 Professional skills, all of which *must* be
NON-COMBAT
abilities, and 2 Professional skills which may be
combat
abilities.
*
Generation 4 (-2 Points):
During their existence, this character has probably
only
spoken to one member of the Coven, most likely their
own
Progenitor. They may have had some teaching from
various
members of the 2nd Generation. This Advantage
automatically incluces "license" for 1
Progeny (who
must buy the Advantage Generation 5). At your
option,
this Progeny can be an NPC. Your character should be
between
the ages of 2000 and 3999. To help reflect your
age, you
receive 6 Hobbies, 5 Apprentice skills, 4
JourneyFurre
skill, and 2 Professional Skills, which *must*
be
NON-COMBAT abilities.
*
Generation 5 (-1 Point):
Your Progeny will still possess the Voices of the
Damned
abilities. (They must purchase the Advantage
Generation
6.) This Advantage automatically includes 1
Minion. Your
Progeny may not be NPC's. Your character should
be
between the ages of 1000 and 1999. To help
reflect this,
you receive 5 Hobbies, 4 Apprentice skills, 3
Journeyfurre skills, and 1 1 Professional skill,
all of
which *must* be NON-COMBAT abilities, and 1
Professional
Skill which may be a combat ability.
*
Generation 6 (Free upon completing official character
generation!):
Your Progeny may not be NPC's. Your character
can be up
to 999 years old. Like Generations 1-5, you are
capable
of Voices of the Damned abilities. You receive 4
Hobbies, 3 Apprentice skills, 2 JourneyFurre
skills, 1
Professional skills, all of which *must* be
NON-COMBAT
abilities.
*
Regeneration (-1 Point: Vampfurres Only. May be
bought
with 5 experience points later): This
is the ability to regrow a limb or sensory organ,
which the
various forms of Healing cannot do.
Normally, if a
Vampfurre loses a limb or sensory organ such as
an eye,
it will *not* grow back. The
ability is not instantaneous: For each pound of
flesh
and bone that is missing, it requires 1 real-life week
of
healing.
*
Minion
(-1 Per Minion: Vampfurres Only.): A
Minion is a servitor, like Dracula's
Renfield.
Minions who share their master's taste for flesh
are
referred to as "Ghouls", but not all Minions
have
this craving. This Advantage allows the player to
invent an
NPC (see Progeny rules below for regulations on
NPC's).
A player-character Minion gained during Roleplay
is
free. To become a Minion, a furre drinks a cup
of their
Regnant's blood on three separate nights. The
Minion is
Enthralled by the Vampfurre, will follow an order as
long as
it does not obviously endanger their own life.
Player-Character Minions may acquire a Lacuna in
exchange for
an Evil Way, but their power remains only as long as
they keep
drinking a cup of their Regnant's Blood once each
month.
Note that keeping a Minion alive is time-consuming and
the typical Vampfurre can not spare this much
blood.
Minions
live beyond normal lifespan so long as they keep
drinking
Vampfurre blood there are even Hunter Minions, who use
their
Evil Ways to prey upon Vampfurres the way Vampfurres
prey upon
mortals! (This can be bought with experience
points)
*
Progeny
(-1 Per Player Character Progeny:
Vampfurres of Generation 6 or lower Only) This
is for
Progeny beyond those automatically awarded as part of
a Lower
Generation Advantage. NOTE: If you are
Embraced
ICly, your character sheet must be done all over
again. Progeny pay only 1 points for being
a
Vampfurre *PLUS* the cost of being one
Generation higher
than their Sire.
|
The Evil Ways (Vampyre Furre Powers)
These powers are learned in strange rituals, originally
granted by the Dark Primes. A Vampfurre gets one Evil Way free.
Additional Evil Ways may be bought with EITHER 10 Experience Points OR
an additional Lacuna. Learning a new Evil Way requires a Player
Character teacher who already possesses that Evil Way. Evil Ways do not
work upon Demifane.
*Poppytongue
This gives the Vampfurre the ability to numb an area by licking
it.
If this is done, a bite to that region is painless. This
ability can
be used to bring a day's relief from pain of an injury. By
spending
a unit of blood, the Vampfurre can also lick one Wound away.
This
does not erase the evidence- there will be smooth whitish scars
amidst the fur.
*Mindslip
The Vampfurre is not remembered by those they have met, unless a
specific ritual is performed. The ritual requires a drop of the
Vampfurre's blood to be smeared on the eyelids of both of the
rememberer's eyelids. The Vampfurre will also be remembered if
the
victim is reminded by something at a time that they see Furre
blood. (In
a modern setting: Photography, and other mechanical means will
record
the Vampfurre just as normal. When the spell is broken, the
victim is
very aware that something wierd had happened.
*The Long Sleep
The Vampfurre feeds a generous spoonful of their blood to a
mortal victim.
When the victim next sleeps, they seem to die in their sleep.
After four
hours, their eyes open and they are dimly aware of their
surroundings
but they are paralyzed. After eight hours they will be back to
normal--
and in need of air. If they are in a buried coffin, they have
ten minutes
of breathing before they suffocate to death.
*Ghostpaw
At will, the
Vampfurre can walk or run leaving neither prints nor scent. They
can
pick items up and leave neither prints nor scent. This power is
thwarted
by moving across live green plants: their scent will remain, and
leaves
will be bent, crushed, or broken.
*Addictive Venom
The fangs of this Vampfurre are mystically enhanced so that
their
saliva carries an addictive substance. When they bite their
victim,
the initial pain is followed by euphoric pleasure so long as the
vampire's fangs are still in their flesh. The victim is not
aware of
anything except that pleasure, and will forget everything that
happened
up to an hour before being bitten. The bite requires the same
die roll
to avoid causing real damage as usual, and there will be two
fangmarks
afterwards.
*Demonwings
In about five minutes,
the furre grows a set of batlike wings on their back. They can
carry
their own weight, though not fast, while in flight. They move as
fast as a running
Ostrix in flight. It also takes about five minutes to banish the
wings.
This takes just a little concentration, and if this is
interrupted by
the presence of combat (or similar distraction), the process of
growing
or ungrowing the wings must begin again.
*Soulsear The Vampfurre drinks a cup of
the victim's blood, and the victim temporarily acquires the
Lacuna of the
Vampfurre's choice for three nights. After this, they return to
normal,
as if nothing was amiss. Only one Lacuna can be inflicted at a
time, but
this can be done repeatedly, and even from a distance.
*Mistform
NPC ONLY!
This does not permit the Vampfurre to pass through cracks,
rather, it ONLY makes
them immune to injury from blades, bludgeons, missile weapons,
and
falling damage. Being Mistform does not let the vampfurre
occupy the
same space as walls/furniture/etc.
The Vampfurre appears to be a colorless fog version of
themself. A Vampfurre can assume or recover
from Mistform in five minutes, during which time, they must
concentrate
a bit. If this is interrupted by the presence of combat or
similar
altercation, they must begin again. While in Mistform, they can
only
be harmed by a mystical artifact.
(NOTE: Mystical Artifacts are not acquired during Character
Generation, but are
part of the Continuity and are given out by GM-run NPCs.)
The effectiveness of mystically enhanced weapons can only be
enforced
if the Vampfurre and attacker are OOCly members of the same
Guild. Clarification: not *all* magical
etc. weapons work on a Vampfurre in Mistform, but those that are
THE
relics or artifacts of their Continuity *do* work, especially if
they
are consecrated to "Good".)
We Just
Say No... The following are powers inappropriate to the
Dragonlands
Continuity.
Shift_Planes(*) This power implies the existence of other
worlds
but the Dragonlands is very much a "closed" continuity.
Players are not allowed to invent other dimensions, or to claim
a connection
between the worlds of Furcadia and any other place.
Teleportation (*)
This power has been found to cause major trouble by seriously
violating the fairness of a multiplayer online game of this
power level. *
Wingless_Flight (*) This power is inappropriate to the
Dragonlands because it feels like
Superheroes.
Invisibility (*) Real-life privacy is far to sensitive to
justify its use IC.
Bodiless (*) This power includes all phenomena
such as being soul locked in a tiny amulet or being a ghost.
Turning into
misty (possessed by some Vampfurres) is the closest
thing.
Super-high Tech (*) That means androids, cyborgs,
supercomputers, FTL space ships, and so on.
Prime/DarkPrime (*) This category includes anything like
a
"god". Prime and Dark Prime characters appear
briefly, out and about
on Furcadia as staff-controlled NPCs. We ask that you not claim
to
be a Prime or Dark Prime out on the main maps because it's
confusing.
However, in a Continuity within a Dream, you are welcome to do
so. :)
Half PrimeThroughout early canon Dragonlands history,
there
were instances of the Primes having children with mortal furres.
The
children are invariably a result of mystical visitation such as,
having a vision of Dahlsea and then eating a magical cake that
appeared.
There are also Half Primes of Dark Prime origin, where the Dark
Prime
impersonated a mortal. Like Generation 2 and 1 Vampfurres, the
Half Primes
considered too powerful to be player characters. They may be
brought
on for brief appearances as GM-controlled NPC
characters.
Quarter Prime (*) This is an obsolete term, as the
Quarter Prime
concept was dropped from the canon in 2002. It has been
replaced by Psions,
whose strange abilities are the result of the blood of the
Primes
introduced long ago, before the Dragon forbade interference into
Mortal affairs.
FACTION: The Covenant
Vampfurres take pride in having been selected for immortality. However,
they are not necessarily proud of their original Progenitor, and they
consider the identity of their Lineage personal, or secret. Most
members of a lineage share the same Lacuna, so, having one's lineage
known is a liability.
The Coven, and their traditional epithets, are as follows:
Kuyorra the Terrifying, Nuava the Taker, Tauthmyarr the Destroyer,
Ghislok the Alone, Svinlok the Hollow, Sharok the Unbound, Kriorn the
Master, Gozmeron the Cruel, Shatugar the Betrayer, Aburralon the
Sorrowful, Heng the Enemy, Willathry the Cunning, Tamanannu the Eater of
Flesh
All Vampfurres capable of Voices of the Damned (Generation 5 or less)
are eligible for membership in "The Covenant". Vampfurre conduct is
overseen by this organization. Its rules (which are also referred to as
"The Covenant") are said to have been created by the original Coven.
[OOC PLOT-DEVICE RULE: For the sake of preserving the Continuity,
Covenant Vampfurres may not teach the special Evil Ways to Vampfurres
who have not officially committed to joining the Covenant.]
Here are the rules of The Covenant:
1. "We protect the secrets of all Vampfurres." Each time a Vampfurres
is captured, there is a significant chance that the captors torture the
captive into revealing all they know about Vampfurres. Any
mortal, other than a Minion, who learns of vampires must be
killed. This rule normally needs no enforcement because
Vampfurres so seldom break it. Vampfurres gaining legitimate power such
as becoming mayor of a village is forbidden, because it risks exposure.
Vampfurres face deadly and potent opposition by Mages and Demifane, and
severe prejudice from mortals. If a Vampfurre is revealed for what they
are, don't just expect angry mobs with pitchforks and torches- also
expect a noble to send an experienced cadre of Mages well-equipped to
track and destroy the Undead!
2. "Mortal rulers do not rule us. We are responsible only unto others
of the Covenant." The Covenant is not bent on ruling the mortal world.
However, it does want to rule all other Vampfurres, as a matter of
self-preservation.
3. "Mortal laws do not bind us. We encourage mortals to follow them
because it is convenient." The Lacunae make it very unlikely that a
Vampfurre will ever lead a normal life. Leading a band of thugs or
otherwise organizing crime is punishable by execution because it leads
to the use of mortals as weapons against other Vampfurres. Leading a
band of Vampfurres is acceptable.
4. "Mortal ways degrade us; we do not follow them." The Covenant does
not promote or act to enforce biologically-related mortal customs such
birthdays, marriage, inheritance by children, etc. If a Vampfurre is
destroyed, his/her estates and/or effects become the property of his/her
Progenitor. Traditionally, Progenitors divide this up amongst the
deceased's Vampfurre Progeny, but not always.
5. "The property of one Vampfurre is not to be harmed by another."
Elder Vampfurres concern themselves with regulating and recording
Territories. Everything within a Vampfurre's Territory except for other
Vampfurres is considered their property. That includes game, livestock,
mortal furres, and their own Progeny. Vampfurres do not normally slay
mortals out of hand because Mages and Psions possess abilities to locate
bodies of victims, to view a murder-scene with clairvoyance, to track a
murderer, and so forth. Some Vampfurres interfere in mortal lives on
the grounds that these are their rightful property but in the Covenant,
secrecy is always considered the most important rule.
6. "Progeny must be made known to the Covenant, and taught these rules."
A member of the Covenant can call on assistance from the Covenant to
keep control of their own Progeny.
Politics Within the Coven
There really isn't much infighting and intrigue. The Covenant is based
on keeping the peace by keeping out of each other's fur. There are too
many enemies for the Covenant to be plagued with dissent from within.
Those Vampfurres who broke with the Covenant did not last long.
Ultimately, their attitude is that survival of Vampfurres always
justifies the means, no matter how horrific they may seem to outsiders.
Punishment is meted out with medieval insensitivity and harshness. A
Vampfurre caught breaking a Covenant rule seldom gets a trial and often
gets a death sentence. Because of this, there are many Vampfurres who
choose to have nothing to do with the Covenant. So long as they keep
quiet and hidden, the Covenant leaves them alone.
The Covenant is ruled by the Council, ancient Vampfurres who each
maintain a household of Vampfurre guards, assassins, spies, mages,
soldiers, messengers, and entertainers. As well as being frighteningly
competent, the Coven's Council are longtime friends with one another.
SPECIAL EVIL WAY: "*Safe Haven"
This rare Evil Way is only available or known to members of the
Covenant. For an investment of 3 experience points (may be from either
the Vampfurre doing the ritual or from the owner of the Haven), an area
can be inscribed with the Unholy Sign. This gives the location an
Alignment (-2 to all Light characters, -1 to all neutrals, and 0 to all
Dark characters), and prevents the humiliating paralysis of Day Terror
for all within.
SPECIAL EVIL WAY: "*Primal Youth"
The blood of this Vampfurre restores youth to the aged mortal, making
them seem to be age 21. By drinking one unit of this Vampfurre's blood,
the mortal is changed. After the drink, they will age normally again.
FACTION: The Redeemers
Originating in ancient Grreece in the Olde World, the "Order of
Redeemers" is a very ancient group. It's more of a philosophy or cult
than an organization, with no headquarters or central leadership. Their
symbol is an owl with its legs chained to the ground, which they
sometimes get as a hidden tattoo. The Redeemers do not talk about their
Order's strange Ways, so even other Vampfurres would not know about
them.
The Redeemers believe that whether an action should be considered 'good'
or 'evil' is solely dependent on the good and the evil that it does to
people. Theft hurts their ability to survive by hindering their ability
to cooperate, so theft is 'evil'. Murder is even worse, and is
considered the theft of someone else's life.
Preying upon mortals is viewed as natural as mosquito bites or kiwis
eating worms. The Lacunae, however, are hateful, and they work hard to
overcome them. The goal of the Redeemer is to be somebody that society
would deem worthy of a long life, and to use one's powers responsibly,
for a common good that includes both mortals and Vampfurres.
The Redeemers and the Covenant have never gotten along. The Redeemers
believe far too strongly in a right to self-determination for all
sentient beings, a right to accuracy, and a right to live in peace
without fear. The Covenant hates the Redeemers for their practice of
betraying other Vampfurres who do not live in harmony with mortals.
SPECIAL WAY: Heavenly Silence Rumored to have come from Patrilius
instead of from a Dark Prime, this ritual can only be acquired by being
taught by a Redeemer (and paying 10 Experience Points). This frees
Vampfurres from their obligation to respond to the Voices of the Damned.
It also makes them immune to the Threat Growl.
SPECIAL WAY: Stone of Grace Bizarre as it sounds, when a Redeemer
feels they have lived long enough, they can seek out a Vampfurre with
this ability, and have their Essence transferred into a stone. True
Sight will show this as an unusual aura around it. This ability is said
to have been a gift from Ahroth. The stone must weigh about twenty
pounds. Once transferred, their Essence is locked there forever.
"Becoming one with a Stone of Grace" is like entering a pleasant and
dreamless sleep. This is known because it is possible to communicate
with these ex-Vampfurres. There is a Redeemer legend that someday,
should the mortal world be destroyed, the spirits bound in the Stones of
Grace will be set free to do good in the next world. If the stone is
shattered, however, the Essence is irrevocably lost. (This ritual can
only be acquired by being taught by a Redeemer (and paying 10 Experience
Points). Stones of Grace may be kept in places of peace, such as
shrines or the cellar of an abbey, or an obscure mountain cave. Some
are annointed and cared for with superstitious respect. Others find
their way into quite mundane situations-- buried in some farmer's field,
or locked in a trunk in an attic.
SPECIAL WAY: Stonewhispering Said to be a gift from the Prime
Beekin, this is the Way needed to converse with a Stone of Grace. The
Essence of a Vampfurre will be awakened from its reverie and can speak
(for up to half an hour a day) with the Stonewhisperer. (This ritual
can only be acquired by being taught by a Redeemer (and paying 10
Experience Points).
SPECIAL WAY: Lucid Nightmares "In your sleep, you are not just
the dreamer, you are the dream as well. To triumph here is to gain
power over yourself." Although they can not escape the Day Terror's
nightmares, members of the Redeemers learn another trick: to retain
consciousness while dreaming. They walk amidst their worst fears,
calling up fresh images at will as well. The Redeemer's nights are
still a trial, but they often awaken with a sense of having somehow
conquered their dark natures. After mastering this Way, the Vampfurre
is no longer subject to loss of control at one blood unit.
(This ritual can only be acquired by being taught by a Redeemer (and
paying 5 Experience Points).
[OOC PLOT-DEVICE RULE: For the sake of preserving the Continuity,
Redeemer Vampfurres may not teach their special Ways to Vampfurres who
have not officially committed to joining the Redeemers.]
It's
generally acceptable to invent Non-played characters (NPC's) to
fit your
character's background as long as they are completely ordinary
Furres.
For example, you can't invent an NPC Mage to heal you of wounds
you
received. Doing so is unfair to player characters of that kind
of
character.
In
Roleplaying (as opposed to Persona Play), once you begin playing
the
character, the NPC's don't show up as characters unless you
purchased
them with Advantage Points. NPC's are not permitted to fight for
you.
Don't generate characters for them, as this would violate the
rule that
your alts may not interact. NPC Progeny exist
"offstage",
purely for background and ongoing story purposes. They are
considered Cool
1.
NPC
Progeny therefore do not have character sheets. They may have
Disadvantages, but the only Advantages they ever possess
are"Vampfurre" and being one generation higher than
your
character. If it becomes absolutely necessary to know what their
statistics are like, they are Average (10). If you want you can
"flesh them out" and give them some background by
giving them
skills. They may take 1 JourneyFurre skill and 1 Professional
skill
which are combat-related, plus those skills they receive for
their
Generation.
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