Vampire

boring.quest

Vampire
The Immortal

Intrinsic____	"These abilities are native to you, part of your nature, they have always been with you and always will."
Cursed Hematophagy	While still mostly human in appearance, those with the vampire trait are forced to indulge a particularly parasitic diet. Most food loses the majority of its taste and flavor to a vampire's palette, with the only true sustenance they can obtain being from ingesting the blood of a living creature. They feed with specialized fangs in their mouth, which secrete a euphoric agent in whomever or whatever they are feeding from - to misdirect and distract their prey from the fact they are being drained of their very essence. Blood can be consumed without the use of fangs, through means such as stored vials or bottles, but it is often believed that the fresher the blood, the more sustenance it provides. Every blood type has a unique taste. Just as with mundanes with their food, vampires are known to have preferences to particular blood types over others. While this is not an inherent survival instinct, some blood is more nourishing than others, while some is simply sought after for its exotic nature - such as Wiccan or Werewolf blood. Vampires are repulsed by the taste of fellow vampiric blood, often describing it as being rancid or burning their throat. It is vile, difficult to consume, and often compels the drinker to vomit before they can finish. However, via drinking the blood of an older, more powerful vampire in an act of diablerie, a younger vampire could conceivably grow their own power beyond their current limits. This act is incredibly frowned upon, and diablerists are often outcast or hunted by fellow vampires, as they are deemed a threat to vampire society.
Hemomancy	Hemomancy, also known as blood magic, is an ancient art only capable by those afflicted with the curse of vampirism. Hemomancy encompasses a very particular manipulation of organic matter - specifically blood, sinew, flesh and bone - through an unnatural influence over life force. One of the few known schools of Unholy magic, blood magic is considered to be a more potent form of necromancy, albeit distinct enough to fall under its own title. Blood magic is a very convoluted art that requires years of practice to master. It is worth noting that misuse of blood magic is one of the few things that can permanently harm a vampire, as the physical toll it takes to manipulate life force can leave lasting marks on inexperienced vampires. Fledglings are notorious for overestimating their power, and maiming or - in some cases - killing themselves through overuse. Blood magic is exhausting to perform, and drains a vampire's own essence in order to manipulate the living. Traits and talents that are considered Blood Magic will be labeled as such. Given the flexibility of Blood Magic, it is encouraged to be creative in its usage. The default tree will provide you a general idea of its capabilities, just try to acknowledge that it is NOT as flexible as Wiccan magic by any means. Most of its effects are very temporary. Every Blood Magic skill will have a cooldown. This cooldown is considered the 'safe usage' window of the talent. You may use the blood magic talent again before the cooldown is finished, but doing so will inflict mounting debilitation upon the vampire depending on the level of the skill and the amount it is used in excess. This will be enforced by overseeing admins. Failure to abide by this ruling will result in the grotesque deformation and death of your vampire at worst, or permanent injuries and hinderances that will last for the rest of that vampire's immortal life. Any cast made while you have two or more Blood Magic abilities on cooldown are considered unsafe as well.
Immortal Physiology	By nature of being gifted eternal life, vampires undergo some immediate changes - as well as some that develop over the course of their long, exaggerated lives. Throughout the entirety of their lives and immediately granted to them as they are turned, they are immune to most physical ailments. Any physical disabilities are mended over time, restoring their body to a healthy, peak condition. Illness cannot affect them, and they are spared any and all effects of age. Their body perfectly preserves itself, filtering most mundane poisons, diseases and chemical imbalances with ease. While they can still be rendered ill or disabled through magical means, they are physically immortal when it comes to the mundane. In addition to this, vampires possess superior speed, stamina and strength to the mundane, which only grows more potent as they age. The older the vampire and the more well-fed they are, the more powerful they are. Although their bloodline provides them some ability to rejuvenate and repair themselves, they are only 'durable' in the sense that they can only be killed through specific means. A vampire can still be shot to collapse, or torn apart, or otherwise disabled temporarily in the same way most mundanes can. Unless a vampire's heart is destroyed, however, they will eventually manifest again. Their body will repair itself around the heart over a period of time appropriate for the damage sustained. This could take YEARS.

Lesser______	"Your potential has started to show, but even these are merely tricks compared to what you will become."
Blood Bolt	(Blood Magic) [Cooldown: 1 turn] Plainly put, you conjure a bolt of blood magic that you can shape as you wish. This bolt is made of your own unholy blood, which you can then harden in the air and hurl at your opposition. In doing so, you may choose to make it blunt damage or piercing, but you must decide as you shape the bolt - not after it is thrown or hits. The bolt deals 3 damage of the chosen type, inflicting either a moderate wound befitting the damage type - and grips the blood of whatever it penetrates and yanks them back to the edge of /whisper range - up to the end of talk range, depending on the target's size and weight. A target that is significantly larger and stronger than the vampire is unlikely to move as much, while one smaller may move further. In events, this is admin discretion - in PvP, play nice, play fair. Mundanes are ALWAYS knocked back up to talk range.
Feral Influence	Some vampires prefer to lean into more primal aspects of their nature. This comes with some ups and downs, though vampires who seek physical prowess often care little for the downsides. You can move up to yell range in combat as if it were a normal action, so long as you do so on all-fours. You cannot move on all fours, then stand up and use an item - but you can move on all fours, and claw someone for an attack for example. You have claws that you cannot be rid of. Elongated fingers, which make blending into society more difficult. All attacks rendered with these claws will cause bleeding, draining the target's health by 1 point every turn. As you grow hungry, you become more and more gaunt, with glowing eyes and tighter-pulled skin. While most vampires suffer similarly, you specifically suffer far more noticeably, far faster. Your need to feed is drastically increased. You can move up any wall or along any ceiling, and difficult terrain does not impede you. While climbing walls or ceilings however, you are reduced to moving at talk-speed. Feral-influenced vampires often become more and more inhuman as they age, with long almost saber-like fangs, and very long claws, as such feral vampires often stay on the outskirts of society or only hunt at night.
Improved Feeding	Some vampires have learned how to harness the very essence of the blood they drink to fuel themselves in unique ways. Vampires who specialize in feeding specifically can take the power of a victim through their blood. With the Improved Feeding trait, vampires gain powerful boons when they feed upon the blood of those with unique traits. These buffs can only be gained through direct feeding and cannot be through bottles or vials or other methods of storing blood. These buffs last until the end of your first combat while under their effects or 24 hours, whichever comes first. A specialist's blood will provide the vampire the ability to roll any % based rolls (combat or otherwise) with an additional 20% success rate. This can apply to a maximum of 5 out of combat rolls, or until the end of the first combat under its effects. An alchemist's blood will provide the vampire the ability to cleanse their blood and bolster their body against negative effects. The vampire may choose to completely cleanse a debuff, up to two times - both in or out of combat. Debuffs cleansed this way are considered ignored, and multiple debuffs can be cleansed at once. For example, if you have three debuffs when you cleanse, you cleanse all three. A theologist's blood will provide the vampire resistance to any and all holy or consecrated weapons/grounds. Any injury caused by these weapons is considered one severity lower for the duration of the buff. (Until the end of your first combat with it, or 24 hours out of combat) A werewolf's blood will provide the vampire with increased physical power, causing all wounds they inflict with melee to be considered one severity higher. A wiccan's blood will provide the vampire the ability to safely cast Blood Magic one turn faster and extend the duration of all Blood Magic by one turn as well.
Mist Form	(Blood Magic) [Duration: 2 turns] [Cooldown: 5 turns] Vampires practiced in the art of hemomancy may choose to dissolve their body into a fine red mist, over which they exert extreme control. While in this misty form, the vampire is impervious to any and all sources of physical damage - though can still be hit by some magics, can float and maneuver through the air at their leisure, have decreased movement speed (half of their usual), and can fit through a gap of any size. The mist can be captured, but only if by a perfectly sealed container. If the vampire attempts to pass through a gap or a tunnel that they otherwise could not fit through, and the duration of their mist ends, their body is forcefully shoved out of the gap onto the side that it is closest to, and they are stunned (incapable of acting) for a single turn. Anything that is not a vampire that chooses to stand in the mist, will be incapable of breathing and begin suffocating immediately. Suffocating in this way deals 4 damage for each turn it occurs, doubling on subsequent turns. In addition to this, they are blinded and deafened. The vampire can choose to end the mist early on their turn, and if they do so while on top of an enemy, the enemy - is stunned for a single turn. This cannot be done the same turn they activate the mist, nor on a turn they have moved the mist. The enemy must have willingly entered the mist, or ended their turn in the mist through some other means for this to occur. The mist is about the height of the vampire and equal width. So if the vampire is six feet tall, the mist is six feet by six feet. If the vampire is five feet tall, the mist is five by five. So on.
Shadow Meld	The shadows adore their masters, willing to shroud them from view whenever they wish. Vampires with the ability to Shadow Meld can become effectively invisible, so long as they do not draw attention to themselves. This is considered true invisibility, meaning that so long as it is active - you are not perceived. While invisible in this way, you cannot move faster than alt-walk speed out of combat, and have a movement speed equal to Talk range in combat - regardless of movement speed bonuses. If you move further than talk range in combat, you are revealed. Shadow Meld lasts indefinitely outside of combat so long as you remain at alt-walk speed. In combat, it lasts up to three turns. A Shadow Melded vampire is not considered to be in combat unless the occupants of said combat are in some way aware of the vampire's presence. Any aggressive or harmful action will end Shadow Meld. Any item interaction in combat will also end Shadow Meld. You are also revealed if you do something inexplicable while invisible, such as make a heavy object look like it is levitating, move something immovable, or block a passageway and get bumped into. This ability only works in dimly lit or dark areas, and if a light is shined directly on you with reasonable intent you are revealed. Shadow Meld Pac3s should not be fully invisible, to allow players to OOCly see the vampire - even if they cannot ICly.

Superior____	"True power takes shape, these are far more potent than the ones that have come before."
Change Shape	A technique practiced by vampires of old, the ability to change one's shape is a powerful tool of deception and subterfuge. With this, vampires are capable of changing their form into a number of wild animals, becoming indistinguishable (save for those with a sense for the supernatural) from said animal. While they can technically assume the form of almost anything, a vampire may only know how to change into FOUR forms. You may apply for custom forms, but below are the default four. Bats have the power of flight and echolocation, allowing them to see incredibly well during the night while also having a smaller body and the ability to fly. This is exceptional for hunting prey while undetected, and vampires can even feed while in this form. Bats can move at yell range unimpeded in all directions. Wolves have thick hides that protect from harm and are considerably faster than a vampire otherwise would be. Wolves also have sharper teeth and claws, and the ability to leap great distances to pounce on prey or clear large gaps. All melee attacks inflicted by wolves are severe lacerations, and cause a bleed for 1 point of damage every turn to the victim, and can leap up to yell range at any target. All physical damage taken is considered one severity less - unless rendered by consecrated weaponry. Rats - or swarms of them - are exceptionally good at fitting through very tiny places, and are incredibly difficult to get rid of. If a vampire is in a swarm of rats, they are considered to still be functional and alive so long as a single rat in the swarm lives. Rats can overwhelm and unsettle prey by clambering up them or swarming them with dozens of sharp bites and tearing claws. Rats are very maneuverable and hard to detect, in almost every environment. All damage done by rats is considered superficial, and rats can move up to yell range unimpeded. All damage taken is considered one severity greater, but the chance to hit is decreased. Swarms of bugs are similar to the mist form in that they are largely impervious to damage. The only way to harm a vampire in its bug-swarm form is to swat the bugs as a whole with something that has a large surface area. Swarms of bugs are similar to rats in that they can enter small, enclosed spaces without much detection. While bugs can bite they are not very good at doing much other than minimal, minor damage at best. Like bats, bugs can fly. Unlike rats, a vampire cannot turn into a singular bug, but only a swarm. Bug swarms are also incredibly squishy, meaning that if they ARE hit, it's usually pretty quick to get a vampire out of it. Bug swarms cannot deal damage, but also can only take damage in very specific circumstances. If over half the swarm is killed, the vampire cannot remain in bug form. These shape changes are not on a time limit, however they take an uninterrupted turn in combat to achieve - meaning if you are struck on the turn you attempt to change, you will be stopped. The vampire can also use this to change their facial features and minor aspects of their body structure, though it cannot be used to resemble someone who is still alive, and there is always a feature (unique to every vampire) that they cannot change. Usually it's eye color, hair color, or height.
Flesh Weapon	(Blood Magic) [Duration: 3 turns] [Cooldown: 6 turns] Vampires can often use their own body as a weapon, or conduit for weapons. Using blood magic, the vampire can turn a part of their body into a weapon. While the vampire has fine control over what they want to do in this regard, the easiest example would be turning an arm into a club or blade. While a flesh weapon is melded, the vampire's limb from which this weapon is spawned, gains increased strength and durability. Depending on the use of this skill, the vampire can choose to increase an attribute of their choice, as this skill is very flexible. They imbue a limb - a singular limb, though they can use two or more if they overexert themselves to do so - with increased performance and shape it into a weapon of their choice. Some more examples of weapons that could be melded from flesh and bone include: a crossbow that shoots bolts of blood or bone from the forearm, a long great blade forged out of the arm, a large hammer, forged from the joining of both arms, a spear formed out of the vampire's skull, hooked scythe blade formed out of one of the vampire's legs. The list goes on. The vampire's creativity and willingness to morph themselves is really the only limit here. This weapon serves as a conduit for blood magic and can cast very minor blood magic spells from it - such as blood bolt, or other similar weak, low-powered spells without a cooldown for the duration. This is largely only relevant for the creation of ranged weapons, as most often - melee weapons made from this skill are better used in melee. It requires a full turn of action to meld a weapon. A vampire cannot meld and attack with the flesh weapon in the same turn. Like other duration-based blood magic, the cooldown for flesh weapon does not begin until the duration concludes.
Heart Strike	(Blood Magic) [Cooldown: 3 turns] Fueling their body with blood magic, the vampire becomes a blur of unholy energy, dashing in a straight line in any targeted direction up to yell range. While in this dash, the vampire is immune to all forms of damage - meaning they could theoretically dash over an area of effect without taking damage, but it cannot be used reactionarily to dodge or otherwise nullify oncoming damage from a projectile or strike. If the vampire passes through any living target, they steal life essence from them in doing so. For each target hit by a singular dash, the cooldown of all blood magic skills - including this one - are reduced by 1. In addition, the vampire is healed a small amount for each target hit, closing minor wounds for 1 target, more serious wounds for 2, and all wounds for 3. Wounds healed this way are considered treated, unless superficial - in which case they are removed. The targets hit have the wind knocked out of them, and have their next action hindered, on top of taking an immediate Severe Laceration (4 damage). Once a target has been hit by this, they no longer provide cooldown reduction or healing to the vampire for the rest of combat if hit again - but the damage still occurs.

Pinnacle____

"The ultimate display of what you are capable and an example of true power."

Finis Omnium Rerum

(Blood Magic) [Duration: 3 turns] [Cooldown: 10 turns] Achieving the peak of blood magic manipulation and the control over the life essence of both themselves and those around them, the vampire begins to channel one of the most potent blood magics known to man. When the vampire begins to channel Finis Omnium Rerum, they spill blood from themselves that seeps out up to /scream range around them. Their verticality does not matter for the sake of this radius, as the blood will spread to the maximum distance along the ground regardless. It spreads around corners, through doors, under walls - anywhere it can reach. Whilst they channel in this way, they gain heightened physical resistance - reducing all damage taken by two severities unless it is rendered by consecrated weaponry. If the vampire sustains over half their current hit points in damage, the channel ends and the spell is not cast. Following the turn this is initialized, any who remained within the circle - either by choice, inability to leave, or by accident - feel the blood beneath them gripping them into place. Nobody within the circle can move out of the circle at this point, and have their ability to move halved while inside. During this time, their blood and life essence begins to leak from their pores, being dragged to the vampire at the heart of the circle, who is entirely stationary and cannot move. This blood drain is an unmitigable 2 HP damage drain on the victims for every turn it is channeled, and the vampire is healed for 1 HP for every target drained every turn. The more blood that is absorbed this way, the stronger the vampire's spell becomes. The agony of being in the circle is immense for anyone other than the casting vampire. Most mundanes will collapse to their knees from the pain after only one turn in the ring. At any point during the 2 turn duration of this channel, the vampire can choose to finish casting the spell. As they channel this, they well a mighty orb of all the stolen essence and their own used essence - which grows larger depending on how long the ability is channeled, as well as how many people are still stuck in the ring. The damage formula is a flat 5 damage + (2 for every person in the circle x Turns Channeled). So for example, 2 people in circle, 2 turn channel, 5+4, 9 true damage. When the vampire chooses to cast the spell, they may choose to cast it in one of two ways. The first is to dispel the magic across the entirety of the thirty foot radius circle, hitting everything and everyone inside with an incredibly potent blood magic explosion, which often maims everyone hit in some way shape or form. The damage is increased based on the amount of essence absorbed and the duration of the channel. The power scales based off of the skill points of the victims from which the vampire absorbed essence. The damage of this is considerably lower than the alternative, as it is spread evenly across the entire circle as opposed to concentrated. If the damage does not split evenly, round up. So if dividing 9 by 2, both players take 5. The second option for the vampire's cast is to expel the stolen power in a beam of blood. This beam is relatively narrow, but can hit multiple people if they are in a straight line from the vampire. This beam deals an incredible amount of damage, somewhere in the neighborhood of instant dismemberment to instant death depending on charge time and the amount of blood absorbed. This damage decreases for each target after the first, but the concentrated beam of unholy energy is enough to melt flesh and bone entirely, tearing a hole through whatever it connects with. That single target takes all the damage, and if they are killed outright - the excess damage will carry on to the next person in line with the beam, until no damage remains. Wounds rendered by this ability cannot be healed by mortal means. They cannot be treated. They will not repair without magical intervention, or vampiric aid. This is the peak of blood magic, and to see it cast in real time is often to concede oneself to death. Think of this skill as a DPS check. At any point, the vampire can cast the skill - but in order to get maximum damage and value out of it, they need to absorb quite a bit of blood, meaning they need to channel it for a long time. The vampire cannot move during this channel whatsoever, though they can speak and can be struck. They are resistant to damage as mentioned before, unless hit with consecrated silver, which will nullify their increased defenses. If a vampire poorly positions themselves while casting this spell, they can theoretically be staked. Likewise, recasting this spell during the cooldown period will most certainly end in the vampire's death.

Superior Lifeform

Most vampires who live long enough to achieve their physical peak are regarded as lords or ladies. Vampires who reach this point often have little regard for whatever shreds of humanity they still clung to in the past. Their skin has reached an inhuman pallor, and they are notorious rulers of the night. Vampires who take this trait are often physically larger than the average human, though their body structure may vary from lanky to bulky. They are considered vastly above the peak of mundane capabilities, and can move with blinding speed and strike with a wildly powerful strength. They now possess the ability to levitate up to yell range - though they cannot go higher than yell reaches from the ground, they can move unimpeded within that sphere. Their fangs are borderline unbreakable and can penetrate ANY armor or hide. No matter how thick, no matter how enchanted, no matter what it is - barring consecrated material. Vampires who have achieved this level of prowess can perform a series of dashes so long as they are on the ground, which are so fast that they are imperceptible to even most supernatural gazes. These dashes can be used up to four times in a combat scene, AT ANY TIME, even if it is not the vampire's turn. They can be used to dodge ANY attack, they can be used in succession, and they can be used however the vampire deems fit. After using these four dashes, the vampire cannot use them again for 24 hours, or until their next combat scene without the dashes completes - whichever comes first. Vampires at this level can overpower most other supernatural entities of less strength than them. This is about as powerful physically as a vampire can ever be, and is considered the peak of what a vampire can achieve in their immortal life. These vampires struggle very hard to blend into human society, but often due to their power, they control or influence other vampires to do their bidding for them, often bringing them offerings and feeding them like servants. Vampires who take this trait cannot conceal their vampiric eyes, their veins are black, and they often are very pale with skin pulled taut to their form. They exude an unsettling aura, which cannot be ignored even by those who are most steeled against such things. This is about the closest anyone can be to becoming as powerful - physically - as the first vampire.