Vampire
From Grimmwold
See Also: Vampire Kiss Structure
We are not currently accepting new applications for this race.
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Fictional Presentation
Dreamers arrive in Grimmwold under the graces of Mother Goose and Father Crow... you older players will remember that this is because Father Crow and Mother Goose are bringing Dreamers into Grimmwold to accomplish some great goal.. That seems to involve the destiny of the Kingdom, but no one is sure exactly what it is yet.
This therefore is a huge gift... not everyone who hears of or reads about Grimmwold becomes a dreamer... the dreamers are special. Occasionally, one chosen to be a dreamer squanders this gift by committing suicide. This is an affront to Goose and Crow, a slap in the face of the Great Gods. A slap that comes with a price. Rejection.
When a dreamer (who wishes a vamp character) commits suicide in the Kingdom... they awaken... buried beneath the earth, trapped in a grave... a grave in Grimmwold... when they emerge from this grave they find themselves changed.
They are not a Shade who must form up what substance they have, instead they find themselves in what -appears- to be their own lifeless, but non-decaying, body. They find themselves rejected from the comfort of the Gods. The symbols of the Gods repel or make them ill. The -Bright- sun (as in Noon Day sun) weakens and hurts them. The -Bright- moon (as in the Full moon) weakens and hurts them. (The sun and moon being the greatest of the symbols of the Gods.) They find that although their senses seem sharper, they also grow weak and tired without taking in life in the form of blood.
Most critically, you are IN Grimmwold and can be killed. If you are killed by normal means you will return given an appropriate amount of time, i.e. killed casually in a PvP event... will "rise" again at sunset. Killed by half the shard in a huge ritual in game ... will rise in 2 weeks to a month. You can only be truly killed by having a Stake of Dream Crystal driven into your heart and those are not going to be put in game as items... -Yet-.
~ Johann Tod, Lore Master
Application Guidelines
Over View
- Vampires here within the dream world are unique. To become a vampire, you must first role play with the current vampires for a time period of 1 month, to familiarize yourself with them.
- You may become a vampire only one way. Again, vampires within Grimmwold are unique, and no "siring" takes place. To become a vampire, you must commit suicide within Kingdom. A story must be written describing your suicide, etc and submit your application.
- Once your app is approved and you awake again, for the final time within Grimmwold, your character will hear music drawing you south of Hamlin, to a grave yard, where the ground will "swallow" you up. When this occurs, you will page for your race change. After the change takes place, you will need to be dug up by those who accompany you there.
Details
- Any new player may be a vampire dreamer assuming they satisfy the minimum in game requirements as a human first. (No Otherkin, Shade, Changeling, etc. vampires - the race must be human.)
- Any character change or second character may be vampire dreamer.
- You will HAVE to play a dreamer human alive in game for a AT LEAST a month. During that time you need to make contact with other vampires in game. This means getting in game, role playing with other vampires, learning about them, and the like. Attending vampire events helps you to get acquainted with the rest of the group, as well as get a feel for the race and ask questions you may have. I'd like to see you run at least one vampire event yourself, as well, before you put up your application. However, the other vampires cannot tell you to make your vampire application, and they cannot approve your vampire application. This is done by the vampire leader.(You also must speak with the vampire leader OOC before applying). Then you can suicide in the Kingdom, and post your vampire application. If you do not get the approval of another vampire on your application it wont get approved, and you simply will not wake up in Grimmwold. (Not up for negotiation ~Lara)
- They must be of one of the Cultural Influences as outlined in The Kingdom: English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, German, Nordic, Slavic/Gypsy, French.
- Vampire characters must be between 17 - 80, this means you can't be some 'older' vampire who was asleep.
- Vampire characters must adhere to the physical description limitations as the time of their death follows: Normal hair, skin and eyes and between the height of 4’8” and 6’2” (no exceptions).
- Apply with the normal dreamer application to the Submitted Application Boards for both your initial HUMAN app and then a copy/repost and story tweak for your Vampire app.
Important: OOC
- Daisy is the Loremaster for the vampires.
- Sylyris is the vampire race leader.
- Formation of unsanctioned kisses may face serious in character consequences, up to and including perma-death by seer ran characters.
- All kisses are to be considered guilds and may have their own rules via which they are run, players are expected to know the rules of the kiss they join.
- To be a vampire, you must remain within the Kiss. No vampires are allowed to wander without being a member of the Kiss.
- As of 6/5/09- Vampires may now belong to any town they choose, but their loyalty always remains firstly to the kiss. ***Vampires wishing to live beyond Hamelin do so at their own risk, meaning if you are discovered as a vampire in another town, you take the chance of being thrown from town, losing your home or shop ON YOUR OWN. There will be no bitching about such happenings oocly, so please think long and hard before doing so***
- Any extreme outlandish behavior, arrogance, etc will not be tolerated. There is a social norm for vampires, a way they behave. This does not mean you cannot be "original" but there are things you simply do not do as a vampire. Such as gallivanting around saying things like "Oh you foolish mortal" . If this behavior continues, a permanent death is a possibility.
- Basically, what the above statement means: If you WANT to play your vampire as one that doesn't remain fairly subtle about the fact that they ARE a vampire, be prepared for possible IC conflict, possible PvP, 'vampire hunters', and the like. Eventual permadeath of your char IS a possibility if IC events become too out of hand, and put the Kiss in danger. As stated above, no OOC bitching will be tolerated if this is a justly-earned event,
Vampire Traits
Vampires in Grimmwold have special traits that set them apart from the other undead. Some of the traits make them stonger, some make them weaker. Some vampires will have more powerful strengths than others. These as you will see are tied to skills. It is important to state EXPLICITY that this is a cooperative community, and additionally we expect you to put your money where your mouth is. Do not RP skills that you don't have an appropriate corresponding game mech skill to back up.
You are required to play both the strengths and the weaknesses in your character.
(Please note: Old native vampires may have many more powers and perhaps more weakness then the newly dead. So dont be shocked if an NPC native vampire is a lot scarier.)
Vampire Physiology
Though once human, a vampire is not a human, and thus has a different physiology. As far as physical things go, they cast no reflection in mirrors and cast no shadow since they are cursed by the deities. Physically, they feel as cold as a corpse. The coldness felt by others is dependent upon the vampire’s mood, and how recently they have fed. When they are happier, they are less cold and when they are angry they feel colder. Also, they feel colder the longer it has been since they have fed. They vampire always feels the same temperature to itself, however, and no flame can warm them. Vampires no longer possess a beating heart, therefore the only blood they do have comes from feeding. The blood they gain from feeding may give their cheeks a faint flush and cause them to feel warmer, but it is not enough to allow them to 'bleed' like a normal human. In addition, they are highly flammable, and even being close to fire, no matter how small, can cause smoldering or even combustion over prolonged enough periods of exposure.
Since vampires feed on the blood of the living, their digestive process no longer works like when they were human and thus eating or drinking things they would have will cause them to become nauseous and throw it up. The more they consume in a period of time, the faster they will have to vomit. Their movement is much more fluid and graceful than many other races. They can also move very quickly, so fast it would seem like a blur to most eyes. Vampires also make no sound when they walk. They also tend to have long nails that are near unbreakable and sharp enough to slice though flesh.
One note of special concern is vampires and sunlight. Vampires by nature are nocturnal, so sunlight causes discomfort to their skin. During the daylight they are weaker and more susceptible to injuries. Any extra strength gained from blood drinking does not apply during daylight hours. Vampires also have sharper senses of smell and sound and, they can see in darkness better than in light. (OOC Note: This does not mean you cannot ever RP during In-Game Daytime. Several of the vampire players are on differing schedules or time zones, and it's impossible to tell everyone to ONLY play strictly at night. There are the above caveats you should adher to during the day, you do have weaknesses, but you're not forbidden to play/RP in daylight.)
Vampires have some mental abilities inherent to their kind. To begin with, vampires can sense one another at close range (approximately one game screen). They will be able to spot another of their kind due to this trait. Vampires also have the power to affect the minds of others, especially humans. By focusing their eyes on the eyes of another being, they can hypnotize them into a compliant stupor (peacemaking). In some vampires, this hypnotism can even control the actions of the person they hypnotize. Some, but not all vampires, are even telepathic to the point of speaking into a living beings’ mind (spirit speak).
Vampires also have an effect on animals. In some animals, their presence alone causes fear. Some vampires will be more fearful to animals than others (discordance). While in darker animals, some vampires can exert control over them (animal taming).
When it comes to time, Vampires are immortal and thus few time on a much longer timeline. Much like the difference between time for a plant and an animal or, even think of it like a fly and human. To us the few days of life to a fly seem so short yet, to them their life seems just as long as ours from their own perspective without any comparison. Therefore, something a human may wish to complete in a day may take weeks for a vampire because they do naught feel the need to be rushed.
Vampire Strengths
- Vampires can move inhumanly fast and with unnatural fluidity and grace.
- The ability to fade into shadows (Hiding skill)
- Hypnotism (Peacemaking skill)
- Vampires can gain strength from drinking blood but only temporarily. (Focus)
- Vampires can gain power from drinking blood but only temporarily. (Meditation)
- Ultra-sonic hearing and bat-like sonar (Detect Hidden)
- Wounds heal faster than a living person (Healing skill)
- The ability to control darker animals such as wolves, bats and rats (animal taming)
- The ability to turn into a bat and travel to other locations (using the recall-like abilities for classes, e.g. Rogue, Huntsman)
- The ability to turn into a mist(stealth)
Vampire Weaknesses
- Vampires are highly flammable, and even being close to fire, no matter how small, can cause smoldering or even combustion over prolonged enough periods of exposure.
- Vampires are blinded by sunlight by the noon day sun (11:00 AM to 1:00 PM shard time). The full moon also causes blindness. Light from candles and lanterns does not cause blindness. (see ultra-sonic hearing strength)
- In addition to blindness, the sun(at any time) and full moon weaken a vampire and cause extreme discomfort to the skin. They have no ability to use their powers in daylight.
- Vampire powers do not work during the day.
- Vampires need to rest in a coffin to regain strength and energy from blood drinking. Without this rest in a coma-like state they will weaken and become insane.
- A vampire may not cross running water whilst fleeing.
- Garlic can act as a ward against vampires.
- A vampire can not pass the threshold of a person's home unless invited in. After that the vampire may enter freely as he/she choses.
- If a vampire sees a fisherman’s net hanging or a rope with knots he/she –must- untie them.
- If seeds are scattered on the ground or in his coffin, a vampire must count all of them.
- Some animals, particularly horses and cats, can sense vampires and are afraid of them.
- Only a stake made of dream crystals can permanently kill/destroy a vampire
- A wooden stake through the heart will incapacitate a vampire until the stake is removed.
- Beheading a vampire will also incapacitate a vampire until the head is reattached and the vampire has had proper healing time (see injuries below)
- Holy relics in the hands of true believers act as a ward to vampires. Holy places, such as churches will cause extreme discomfort to a vampire and, vampires can not be Priests/Priestess since they are damned.
Vampire Death
Permanent Death
Vampires can only be totally destroyed by a Dream Crystal Stake. These are not currently IG for players, though may be implemented by seers.
Injuries
Most of the time if a vampire is 'killed' they are actually just reforming in their grave and will 'rise' again at sunset. This requires being buried or returning to their coffin and some 'down time'. The amount of time it takes for injuries to heal and a vampire to 'rise' is directly related to the severity of the injury, how 'cool' the attack was, and how many other players are involved.
Vampires MUST rest in a coffin to recover from sever injuries. Feeding can help to lessen the recovery time, within reason. Remember, this healing time is down time.. time where your character is unplayable as they are laying in a grave trying to piece themselves together. If you don't want to be stuck waiting, be careful!
Example Recovery Times:
Thru normal magical healing like everyone else - Minor injuries, Small slash wounds,
1 Full Day - A severed limb IF it has been reattached and sewn into place
Days - Growing back a severed limb, Someone comes along and knocks your character out and chops them into tiny bits
1 Week or more - Healing a severed head that has been reattached.
1 Month minimum - Regrowing a severed head or an entire town gathers with pitchforks and torches to search out the vampire in an epic hunt, resulting in the vampire's body being strewn into tiny pieces and buried at the four corners of the land.
"Now, a good and fair vamp rper MIGHT rp that a KO to death (3rd death), DOES make "kill" them, especially in a PVP event (fight) that requires them not to return to the scene of the crime for 24 hours, that would be -fair-, but in a hunt ... no one is gonna play that, as most consider a hunt ooc. Im saying a FAIR rper MIGHT rp it that way in a situation such as a pvp event where they have started trouble and need to stay away from the situation -anyway- but i wouldn't expect anyone to do that on a hunt" - Lara
Incapacitation
A wooden stake through the heart, or beheading, will paralyze a vampire until the stake is removed or the head is reattached.
As part of the KISS, it is your responsibility to help free any other KISS members who you know to be incapacitated. To know of such a thing and ignore it is to betray your KISS.
Please note: Vampires are a PVP race. This means an character with approved IG knowledge of vampires may incapacitate a vampire WITHOUT consent from the player. The attacker may keep the vampire incapacitated for 2 days without consent. After 2 days, the incapacitation MUST to be agreed upon OOCly as part of mutual plot between hunter and vampire. Anyone keeping a vampire incapacitated for more than 2 days without OOC permission is greifing which falls under DO NOT DO category of Grimm's rules of conduct.
Questions and Answers
- Suicide the only answer? Yes, suicide is the only answer, the only way you may wake in Grimmwold as a vampire.
- But I’ve not been playing my character like that? If you are a native approved vampire, you and I will work out how the changes come. If you are not an approved vampire, sorry but, that’s not my problem *smiles*, feel free to follow the lead of the other approved vamps.
- Cold/Fire thing? Vampires are cold but no fire will warm them. They feel cold to themselves and to others who touch them. They can feel warmth from the living, though. (stays the same) They vampire always feels the same temperature to itself, however, and no flame can warm them. In addition, they are highly flammable, and even being close to fire, no matter how small, can cause smoldering or even combustion over prolonged enough periods of exposure. (stays)
- Just to double check, I'm taking it that Vamps are now form now as opposed to essence given form? Correct.
- What do we look like? Humans.
- How do we become this race? You will HAVE to play a dreamer human alive in game for a while, AT LEAST a month. During that time you need to make contact with other vampires in game. The race leader needs to be spoken to IC as well as OOC. Then you can suicide in the Kingdom, and post your vampire application. If you do not get the approval of another vampire on your application it won't get approved, and you simply will not wake up in Grimmwold. Please see, "How to Become a Vampire" for a more in depth description.
- Ok, do other stakes have an effect on vamps? Yes. They will hold the vampire immobile, however, only a specific stake may kill them.
- Will churches and holy relics be harmful? Yes ... but only in the hands of ACTUAL believers. Temples and churches are dedicated holy ground to the Gods, they are of the Gods outside the hands of an individual believer.
- What do vampires do when a conflict arises that could hurt another vampire? IE: A leader of town X is a vampire and must put a fellow vampire on trial? They would handle it as the vampire leader told them to handle it, based on what ever decision he/she felt was to the advantage of the kiss.
- What happened to the previous kiss? There is no other kiss comprised of dreamer vampires. Any other kisses in Grimmwold are comprised of native vampires only.
- Is there any information on the first kiss we can put here, or on the vampires before us? There are no other dreamer vampires before this kiss. Any others that MIGHT have been dreamer vampires from 2-300 centuries ago are now accounted natives as are all the dreamers of the prior era's that stayed in Grimmwold.
- Vampire History Involveing Ulster, Trelach, Vincent and the Fishhook: Unknown, we will need to ask Trelach or Vincent.
- Does Oberon relate to the vampires? He is the God of the Etherians and Changelines and has nothing to do with the vampires at all in anyway. For all that Oberon might be evil, he is about life -not- death or undeath.
- How does Lisandrea fit into the history section? She doesn't, she was Lara's trial character and isn't part of this fiction, disregard her.
- How old in terms of the time line does the native vampire legacy go? Is it four hundred? It is at least more then a thousand years old, as Trelach is the first KNOWN native vampire in Grimmwold. That is not to say there were not more before him, but no one knows about them. (Please Note: Trelach is no longer a vampire.)
- Are the gypsyis tied INTO the vamps? The Szgany gypsies are traditionally accounted henchlings of the vampires in Ravenshold.
- So where does the Old Man fit? Scion, Thridda? No and No, but no further information is available at this time to the players.
- What is the history of Ravenshold and Hamelin? Ravenshold is believed to have been built around the time of the fall of Hamelin by the Old Man.
Vampires and Metagaming
""How do we, as dreamers, find out about vampires?"" This is simple.
- If you have GM Literary Research or GM Occultism (which are Role-play Hobbies visable via .look), you are exempt from this rule. Having one of those hobbies to GM means your character has learned the knowledge they are role-playing with. The vampire kiss has agreed to respect this.
- If you are involved in an ongoing, mutually enjoyable, conflict with the vampires at this time please contact the vampire leader specifically and make arrangements to continue the RP. I suspect she will post a list up of those non-vamps who have been cleared to RP out this "secret knowledge".
For the most part, we allow players to role-play that they have learned information in game that is not directly learned from other players. NPCs can be considered to talk to player characters and pass on knowledge. Libraries are considered to contain books that have information and so on.
HOWEVER, it is unfair when knowledge gained in this is used AGAINST another player. Its NOT okay to just say "Well I read a book", or "Well Bob the Tailor told me", or "My grandmother told me stories" when that information is used against another player. For almost everything else its a perfectly fine cover, but in cases like this, its not enough. You can't just "pull a rabbit out of your hat", there must be effort on your CHARACTERS part to learn the information, and there must be a way to COMMUNICATE that effort to the other player characters. For those of you wishing to RP out learning about vampires, here are some examples that would be considered fair:
- A series of role-play posts explaining how your character is going about learning. Quality and Quantity make a difference.
- Actually spending time in game going to libraries and role-playing what you are doing. Speaking to others and asking questions about them. Making an ingame book from what you've learned from your role-play.
- Training up the Hobby Skill for Literary Research or Occultism
As Per Lara's Forum Post Vampire Lore and Non Vamp Metagaming.
And to make this PERFECTLY CLEAR.... Just because you have read this page, does not mean you know about the vampires within the game.
