Vivamort
By Ian Thomson
Acknowledgements:
Cults of Terror (Chaosium, 1981)
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Note! This is a fan contribution. The information may be
contradicted by official material.
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Vivamort was once a guard over the terrible secret of Death, but betrayed
his trust when he helped Eurmal to steal it. When the sun came to Hell, Vivamort
was burned and had to flee, hurt and disfigured, to the now darkened surface.
Soon the Devil attacked and wounded him, and Vivamort could not heal himself
so faced not only death but annihilation from the Chaos wound. Since he wished
above all to preserve himself, he begged for help from Chaos and made evil
pacts. The Devil granted him a hollow existence, cut off from Universal Unity
and cast apart from both life and death.
From this point onwards Vivamort needed to drain the life from other beings
in order to maintain his own existence. He took up the cause of Chaos, roaring
through the Darkness, using his demonic powers to rip energy from the harried
gods (some of whom he destroyed utterly). Vivamort has many enemies who have
cursed him for his treachery, and since the Dawn of Time has been hated and
feared by most, and embraced by few. These arrogant few are vain and fearful
enough to desire to maintain their existence at any cost.
Vampires operate temples staffed by humans or other mortals. From amongst
these followers their most trusted servants may be allowed to become Lay
Members within the Cult. Powerful (and deranged) individuals also occasionally
seek out vampires, or approach Vivamort directly through evil and dangerous
rituals. Those who come directly to Vivamort join the Cult as vampires.
Lay Members are brought into the Cult through horrifying ceremonies, and
it greatly increases the chances of their acceptance if a friend or family
member is brought along as sacrifice. These people become bonded servants
of a specific vampire sponsor who has power over them until and unless they
become a vampire themselves. To be a full worshipper of Vivamort is to be
a vampire, and the ceremony to become one of these undead is conducted through
the Cult. It involves the Lay Member undergoing a very real death and rebirth.
Those sorcerers who turn to Chaos and are successful in gaining Vivamort's
'favor' without the help of the Cult, undergo this horrific transformation
on their own terms.
The only society of vampires which exists does so through the Cult of Vivamort.
Even so this is a very loose organisation. Most vampires are insanely arrogant
and loathe all life. They even loathe other vampires, fearing them as rivals
for the meagre resources available. Normally a shrine to Vivamort is run
by a group of only 3-7 vampires. Any more than this and intense rivalries
result in the risk of vampire killing vampire. Since this is in direct
contravention of the rule of Vivamort, usually one or more of the vampires
will simply be expelled by the others, thus ending the problem. Even so,
vampires tend not to exist for long periods. A full 90% are exterminated
in the first few years due to inexperience, and 90% of the remainder within
the next 10 years. Those few that survive this time may eventually become
immensely powerful.
There is really no typical Vivamort shrine organisation. Some vampires prefer
to remain completely hidden, some live as associates of other chaos creatures
such as broo or scorpion folk. Others still might live as Lords of Terror
over a local population of mortals. Very rarely vampires might be organised
enough to run aspects of the local criminal underworld. Only in places where
Chaos is widespread do true Temples to Vivamort arise, and then the oldest
vampires sometimes form alliances. Such alliances sometimes allow many vampires
to gather in relative harmony, although it takes a very strong leader to
keep them under control.
| Entry Requirements: |
Must be of the lineage of Grandfather Mortal. There are no other requirements
than to be favoured by a vampire or powerful enough to wrench the gift of
undeath directly from Vivamort. |
| Mental Abilities: |
Lie, Mythology of Vivamort, Read Grimoire, Read/Write Darktongue. |
| Physical Abilities: |
Hide in Cover, Move Quietly. |
| Grimoires: |
The Book of Vivamort [Vanus Credo] (Ecstatic Communion, Heal Servant,
Hide from Magic, Pass Unseen, Repel Spirit, Resist Theist Magic)
The Book of Unlife (Ceremonial: Bind Ghoul*, Create Ghost, Create
Skeleton, Create Zombie, Raise Ghoul)
The Book of Foul Minions (Call/Command Night Spirit, Command Ghoul*,
Command Ghost*, Command Skeleton, Command Vampire*, Command Zombie, Summon
Rat Pack)
(*works only on beings raised by the caster)
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| Secret: |
Create Vampire (Ritual Magic. Normally reserved for Lay Members
who are being transformed, but occasionally cult enemies are enthralled and
made into vampires, as a terrible retribution. No vampire can create more
than one other of his kind per season). |
| Worshippers: |
Followers of Vivamort include terrified local populations who wish only
to appease the vampires, but such folk are seen as cattle by the vampires
and rarely does one of their number rise to become a Lay Member accepted
as significantly useful by the vampires. The mortal Lay Members who are
recognised are usually seeking the powers available through the Cult to its
favored Servants, and may also hope to be granted the gift of undeath as
a reward for their faithful service. |
| Other Side: |
The Cult of Vivamort has no 'other side', although it knows rituals that
will take worshippers into the Darkness and the Underworld, both of which
regions impose no penalties on cultists who travel within them. |
| Other Connections: |
Vampires maintain a connection with the Cult of Malia, since Malia sheltered
Vivamort in the Godtime. Vivamort has no other close associations, but his
followers may ally with other chaos cultists from time to time. |
| Disadvantages: |
Followers of Vivamort are hated and feared by all mortals. Over time
vampires run the risk of losing the last vestiges of their humanity and
their already fragile grip on sanity. Thus the very thing they
wished to preserve disappears forever. |
Notes on Servants
Those mortals who are chosen to join the Cult as recognised Lay Members
are 'blessed' with the kiss of death, and are known as Servants of the Vampires.
A vampire may support one bonded servant only when it first achieves
its undead status. For each full ten years it survives its undeath, it is
able to support an additional servant. The Acceptance ritual enslaves
each Lay Member to a specific vampire sponsor and links the two together.
Each of the three ceremonies ends with the Lay Member ingesting a drop of
blood from a wound the vampire inflicts on itself, and the individual is
now tainted with Chaos. Acceptance into the Cult of Vivamort automatically
excommunicates the person from any non-Chaos, Darkness or Disorder Rune Cults.
There are three levels of Acceptance:
- At the first degree the Servant gains the abilities: Leap 3w, Resist Disease
and Poison 16, Run Fast 18, and Strong 18. These are magical abilities and
cannot ever be increased save through becoming a Servant of a higher level.
If the vampire is slain, the first degree Servant immediately becomes Hurt.
This effect may be resisted at any level as if it were a magical effect of
3w. All magical skills and bonuses are lost immediately upon the death of
the vampire.
- At the second degree the mortal has each of these new abilities increased
by 2 points. They also now benefit from a reduced rate of aging, and take
only two thirds calculated AP loss from any combat involving non-magical
weapons. At this level each Servant is immune to vampiric 'Enthralment',
save by their own sponsor, and can now see in darkness as if they were a
cat. If the vampire is slain, the second degree Servant immediately becomes
Injured. If this is resisted, the Lay Member becomes Hurt instead.
- At the third degree these abilities are increased by 2 further points, and
from now on the Servant ages only imperceptibly. They take only one third
calculated AP loss from any combat involving non-magical weapons. A third
degree servant also gains the static ability 'Resist Mind/Emotion Magic'
at 17. If the vampire sponsor is slain, the third degree servant begins Dying.
(If this is resisted they become Injured instead.) If the vampire is Injured
the servant becomes Hurt, although a resistance success negates this.
Within a group of servants, those of the second degree are most common. Third
degree Servants are rare, as such an individual is so trusted by his sponsor
as to be effectively undergoing a probationary period before attempting the
ritual that will turn them into a vampire.
Notes on Vampires
On becoming a vampire the being is automatically excommunicated from any
previous non-chaotic cult. The individual ceases to be alive and may now
be affected by undead-focussed powers. The new vampire gains the abilities:
Leap 9w, Move Silently 19, Run Fast 5w, and Strong 5w. These replace any
inferior previous abilities, but if the ability is already held at a higher
level then add 2 to it. These abilities increase by 1 point for every 20
years the vampire survives its undeath. Vampires have pale skins and are
as cold as corpses to the touch, but otherwise might pass as human, especially
if they have not been undead for more than a decade or so. After this most
vampires become pallid and cadaverous.
Enthralment. All vampires have the ability to Enthral a descendent
of Grandfather Mortal. This power begins at a skill of 16, and increases
by 1 point for every ten years the vampire survives its undeath. The vampire
must gaze into the eyes of the target and uses this power as if they were
an attacking spirit. At a marginal or minor victory, the vampire is able
to control the victim's slow movements by remaining in eye contact and
concentrating on the victim. At a major victory the vampire may also leave
the victim magically unable to move whilst the vampire remains in the vicinity,
and may attempt to Enthral other victims. At a complete victory the vampire
may do any of the above, plus may cause any single victim to act under his
full mental command.
Drain Essence. All vampires may drain life force energy through touch
from a living being that is descended from Grandfather Mortal. This innate
ability begins at 17 and increases by one point for every ten years that
the vampire survives its undeath. Only a magical or magically aided skill
may resist this ability, which attacks as a Simple Contest. It directly attacks
the victim's Strong (use default if no 'Strong' skill listed). A Marginal
Victory drains 1 point, a Minor Victory drains 2 points, and so on. Note
that unless the victim has some way of damaging the vampire, the vampire
will not lose AP as a result of failing to Drain Essence. Half of any points
drained by the vampire (round down) are counted towards the total required
by the vampire to resist the Curse of Blood (see below), making it less effective
than direct feeding.
Drain Feat. On a Complete or Major Victory
with the 'Drain Essence' ability, a vampire may chose to automatically
take one Feat from the victim instead of the points of life force. The
Feat is gained at the victim's normal ability and becomes the property
of the vampire. The victim (presuming they survive) may not use this Feat
again until they have been to a Shrine or Temple of their deity and been
ritually cleansed (and purchased the Feat again at starting value
in the normal way). The vampire may store as many Feats as it
has decades of undead existence,
and may use them at will. If the Feat fails
on use it is still lost to the vampire.
Immunity to Mundane Damage. A vampire cannot be harmed by mundane
means - weapons and fists will simply bounce off them. Enhancing a weapon
of any kind with magic overcomes this protection. Iron and Silver Weapons
also damage a vampire normally. Vampires are also immune to disease and poison.
Resist Mind/Emotion Magic. All vampires have an innate ability to
resist magic targeted at their minds or emotions. This begins at 17 and increases
by 1 point for every 10 years that the vampire survives its undeath. Any
such magic which does succeed has only half the calculated effect, if such
a reduction of the effect is possible.
See in Darkness. This ability works automatically in any non-magical
Darkness. However, if the Darkness has been generated as a magical attack
against the vampire they must use this ability to see through it. The skill
begins at 16 and rises by 1 point for every ten years the vampire survives
its undeath.
Become Mist*. The vampire can change to mist, taking one full round,
and can move at normal speed. It can still be affected by magic in this form,
but can easily float above the range of combat or pass through small cracks
to safety. If a vampire is reduced to 0AP, it turns automatically to mist
and seeks to escape to its coffin. This skill begins at 1w, and increases
by 1 point for every 10 years that the vampire survives its undeath.
Disabling a Vampire. Cutting the head from a vampire disables it,
and only very old vampires are powerful enough to reattach their own head
without help. A vampire's brain is vulnerable, and if struck severely will
terminate the vampire. The same is true of the heart, which can be perforated
by a Death or Life Rune cultist wielding a wooden stake. To assuredly kill
a vampire, stake it or cut off the head to incapacitate, preferably both.
Then burn it completely. If a vampire is staked and its body left intact,
it can be recovered, and will rise again if the impaling instrument is removed.
Chaos Features. All who become vampires by any means gain a random
Vampiric Chaos Ability from the list below. All of these abilities begin
as skills of 1w, and increase by 1 point for every 10 years the vampire survives
its undeath. Vampires within the Cult of Vivamort may also perform Quests
to gain additional features, although these are extremely dangerous and take
years of preparation. On average an extremely resourceful vampire might have
an additional Chaos Ability for every twenty years it has survived its undeath.
| D20 |
Vampiric Chaos Abilities |
| 1 |
Become Bat* (The vampire may transform into a large bat at will,
taking one round to change each way. The bat is capable of all the basic
abilities of a bat, but contains the consciousness of the vampire, and will
be avoided by other true creatures of the species.) |
| 2 |
Become Giant Spider* (See 'Become Bat', however the spider may
climb and cling proportionately as if it was a normal small spider.) |
| 3 |
Become Wolf* (See 'Become Bat'.) |
| 4 |
Become Shadow* (The vampire's form becomes as dark and insubstantial
as a shadow, but unlike the Mist form, the Shadow Form cannot move at anything
faster than a slow stroll. Thus it is useful only for ambush or observation.) |
| 5 |
Resist Air (With this ability the vampire resists the dispersal
of its mist form by spirits of the air.) |
| 6 |
Resist Death (With this ability the vampire may augment its Enthral
to resist subjugation by a Death Rune wielded by a Death Cultist.) |
| 7 |
Resist Earth (This rare vampire is able to exist without requiring
a specific coffin or grave dirt, but must still rest comatose for 8 hours
each day or suffer the normal effects.) |
| 8 |
Resist Silver (A new innate ability which resists damage from
silver.) |
| 9 |
Resist the Sun (This ability simply means that this vampire can
Drain Essence, Enthral, or turn into an animal whilst exposed to sunlight.
It also allows the vampire to resist damage from fire. They also cast a shadow
and form a reflection.) |
| 10 |
Resist Water (This ability resists damage from running water.) |
| 11 |
Spiderwalk (The vampire may automatically walk or run on any solid
surface as if it was regular ground.) |
| 12 |
Fake Life (The vampire may ingest food and drink in an apparently
normal manner, has a normal skin pallor, appears to breathe, and even casts
a shadow and a reflection. This is not like Disguise, as in this case the
vampire retains its original appearance.) |
| 13 |
One is Many (The vampire can create illusory copies of himself
- one for each degree of success against default resistance, starting with
Marginal Victory. These images rotate around each other making it difficult
to locate and attack the vampire. ) |
| 14 |
Death Flight (The vampire can slowly raise themselves into the
air and float at walking speed at up to 10 times their own height, across
any distance over which they can maintain concentration.) |
| 15 |
Invisibility* (Whilst invisible the vampire cannot cast any other
magic or use any special abilities except turning to mist.) |
| 16 |
Defile the Earth (The vampire may sink into the ground up to once
per day, using it as if it were a coffin. The vampire remains undetectable
even to earth spirits, but may not travel more than a few meters through
the ground if it is necessary to emerge at a different location.) |
| 17 |
Resist Iron (This ability starts at 16 and blocks damage from
Iron.) |
| 18 |
Instant Wakefulness (The vampire has no penalties when coming
out of torpor.) |
| 19 |
Faster than the Eye (The vampire may pass across any distance
up to 100 meters or so faster than the human eye can see. Each success removes
3 from the skill for that day, but once the vampire has rested for 8 hours
the skill is restored at full.) |
| 20 |
Disguise (The vampire can project an image of a normal human about
itself. This disguise appears very real, and each vampire with this ability
has but one disguise they may adopt, and cannot change this once it has been
chosen.) |
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* vampire in insubstantial or animal form cannot cast magic or use
any other special abilities, although its innate defences still function. |
| Vampiric Flaws |
| The Curse of Stagnation - Only sorcery and those skills listed
as being specially associated with vampires may be increased after the individual
has become one of the undead. All other skills and abilities retained remain
as they were immediately prior to death. This is the result of the vampire's
refusal to accept the effects of Time, and also accounts for the slow progression
in their abilities which are able to increase. |
| The Curse of Blood - Vampires must drink the blood of living sentient
beings in order to retain their existence. Such beings must be descendants
of Grandfather Mortal, and may not be Chaotic. Normally a vampire Enthralls
a victim and drains their Strong ability (use the default if no ability listed).
The vampire must drain 5 points each day in order to survive, although it
can drain up to 35 at one sitting, which will last it for a week. Vampires
may use this stored vitality to heal themselves: 1 point for a Hurt, 6 points
for an Injury, and 9 points to alter them from the 'Dying' state to the 'Injured'
state. If this takes them to 5 or less points, they automatically turn to
mist and return to their coffin where they will remain until the next sunset.
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| The Curse of Death - An Initiate or Devotee of a Death Cult such
as Humakt, or Ty Kora Tek may present a Death Rune towards a vampire, and
attempt to overcome its 'Enthral' ability with their 'Devoted to..' (at
+3) or Initiated to..' (at -3). If they succeed, the vampire cannot use its
Enthral against them, cannot change form, and is also susceptible to any
mundane damage they mete out against it. |
| The Curse of Fire - The Sun forced Vivamort from Hell, and cursed
him. Because of Yelm's enmity to Vivamort, fire of any type damages vampires
normally. Vampires cannot heal themselves of this damage except by 'sleeping'
in their coffins. Vampires may walk abroad in daylight, and many of the newer
vampires may pass for living beings if they take care. However, under the
light of the sun they are not able to Drain Essence, Enthral, or turn into
an animal. Vampires also cast no reflection or shadow. |
| The Curse of Water - All the waters of the world took up the vow
of the River Styx against Vivamort. No vampire may cross running water except
by bridge, boat, on the back of another etc. If they are forced to or tricked
into doing so, they take damage as if passing through a wall of fire. Immersion
in running water kills a vampire, although vampires may cross, or live in,
swamps and marshes with impunity. A single drop of Styx water will annihilate
a vampire. |
| The Curse of Air - Beings of air (such as air elementals or storm
daimones) can disperse the mist form of a vampire. The vampire cannot reform
again for a number of hours equal to half of the elemental's Strong rating. |
| The Curse of Earth - Each vampire must have a coffin and a quantity
of its grave dirt to sleep on. (Smart vampires have 2 or even 3 such coffins
at different hidden locations.) Each vampire must spend at least 8 hours
of each day comatose in its coffin to appease Death. For each hour less than
this spent in the coffin it loses 1 point each from 3 random abilities. These
may only be regenerated by spending extra time in the coffin later. Consequently
a vampire will slowly decay and collapse over the days following the destruction
of its coffin. A vampire is also vulnerable if surprised within its coffin,
and may fail to notice intruders altogether, since its reactions are sluggish
(as if Injured) when coming out of torpor. |
Sample New Vampire
Significant Abilities: Become Mist 1w, Close Combat 19, Drain Essence
17, Enthral 16, Leap 9w, Move Silently 19, Resist Mind/Emotion Magic 17,
Resist Silver 1w, Run Fast 5w, See in Darkness 16, Strong 5w (Plus previous
Occupational Skills.)
Grimoires: Book of Vivamort 12 (Resist Theist Magic), Book of Foul
Minions 12 (Call/Command Night Spirit).
Sample 'Mature' Vampire
Significant Abilities: Become Mist 7w, Close Combat 19, Drain Essence
3w, Enthral 2w, Fake Life 4w, Faster then the Eye 2w, Leap 15w, Move Silently
5w, Resist Mind/Emotion Magic 3w, Resist the Sun 7w, Run Fast 11w, See in
Darkness 2w, Strong 11w (Plus previous Occupational Skills.)
Grimoires: Book of Vivamort 4w, Book of Unlife 15, Book of Foul Minions
1w.
Reynfald of Tarsh (Sample Human Servant of the Second Degree)
Significant Abilities: Act Subservient 3w, Convince by Whining 18,
Debate 15, Hear Acutely 7w, Hide in Cover 17, Leap 5w, Mythology of Irrippi
Ontor 17, Mythology of the Seven Mothers 14, Mythology of Vivamort 12,
Proselytize 15, Quote Scripture 17, Read/Write New Pelorian 14, Read/Write
Tarshite 16, Resist Poison/Disease 18, Run Fast 20, Scimitar and Shield Fighting
16, Sedenyic Philosophy 12, Sneak About 19, Speak New Pelorian 13, Speak
Tarshite 16, Strong 20.
Bringolf the Traitor (Sample Human Servant of the Third Degree)
Significant Abilities: Blunt Instrument Attack 6w, Boast 14, Climbing
6w, Hear Acutely 18, Hide in Cover 5w, Intimidating Glare 4w, Leap 7w, Loom
Menacingly 5w, Mythology of Vivamort 10, Resist Disease/Poison 20, Resist
Mind/Emotion Magic 17, Run Fast 2w, Speak Heortling 16, Spear and Shield
Fighting 9w, Strong 2w, Sword and Shield Fighting 4w.
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