Alkatar/Vampire

***!!!NOT INTENDED AS A PLAYER RACE DURING CHARACTER CREATION!!!***

## The Curse's Nature

The catalyst for the creation of vampires occurred long, long ago, when the angel Ansephal was exiled from Mount Celestia by the god Annalyon for treason. As Ansephal slowly descended into chaos and darkness, influenced by the corrupting Abyss, she became fixated with getting her vengeance against the Heavens and in particularly Annalyon, her former mentor and god. Her retaliation had to be something that would create a permanent scar in what Annalyon holds dearest; the mortals he so lovingly protects. After she became a goddess, she had the means to exact her revenge. With a little help from the Demon Lord Barathor, she created a curse that would turn the favored mortal race of Annalyon, the Lenavi, into dangerous, bloodthirsty and corrupt creatures of darkness that would spread corruption to the living. When she unleashed it upon the world, the curse did just those things. Many Lenavi were inflicted with the curse and by the time Annalyon noticed it was far too late. These cursed creatures of darkness became known as Alkatar among the Lenavi (meaning ''the damned''), and later as Vampires among the other races.

These vampires are monstrous undead, and their cursed powers allow them to create undead spawns to serve them in their immortal existence. The curse also turns their skin white, gray or purple; makes it feel cold, and enables them to drain concentrated magical energy from the blood of other living humanoids. The curse forces them to have the need to feed on blood of other living humanoids or it bodes ill for their health to the point of death if they do not feed for a long time.

While their nature gives alkatars numerous powerful traits like their various dark powers and the ability to polymorph into a hound and mist, it also curses them with other traits besides their blood thirst, like sunlight sensitivity that can evolve into sunlight hypersensitivity that makes them burn in sunlight, and weakness to fire and silver. To twist the knife even more, Ansephal added another aspect to the curse; she made the alkatars extremely weak to Annalyon's Sunbloom, a flower and herb that is blessed by Annalyon and is considered sacred in Lenavi culture. If they ever come into contact with the plant they will get burned and get weakened both physically and mentally by a lot. Humanoids that alkatars kill with their cursed gifts rise as undead in their service, but these vampires spawns burn in direct sunlight from the start unlike their alkatar masters. Alkatars can turn someone else into one of their kind with a special ritual, but their part undead nature prevents them from having children. This is another cruel twist of Ansephal’s curse in order to ensure that her creations will continue to corrupt and turn others into vampires; after all every race wants to ensure their survival and legacy.

## Alkatar/Vampire Traits

**When you become an Alkatar you add all of the following traits to the racial traits you already have unless specified otherwise. An ability score can exceed 20 this way.**

**Ability Score Increase.** Your Strength score increases by 2, your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.

**Age.** Vampires are effectively immortal and can live forever as long as they aren't destroyed. The first of their kind remain seemingly young as if they stopped aging above thirty years, and humanoids that turn retain their age's appearance they had when they turned, for the entirety of their existence.

**Dual Nature.** Your creature type changes to both Monstrosity and Undead.

**Alignment.** Vampires have an innate tendency towards evil as they were specifically created to corrupt life. Thus, a newly turned vampire is overtaken by the change and its alignment changes to evil. However, vampires do have a potential to overcome their evil nature through great effort and personal sacrifice. While keeping that in mind it’s also important to note that their immortality, superior abilities over other races and the continuous hunt for blood can lead a vampire to view other races as cattle and insignificant which may also be a vital factor that further roots the vampire into evil.

**Racial Adjustments.** When you become an alkatar you lose any weaknesses, resistances or immunities to any kind of damage or condition you already had due to your racial traits. These traits are replaced with the *Vampiric Resistance*, *Vampiric Immunity* and *Weaknesses* traits. Also, alkatars need sleep so if you had any racial trait that exempted you from sleep like the Trance trait that elves have you lose it; the same goes for eating. Furthermore, you cannot learn any racial feats of your previous race once the change to an alkatar is complete.

**Size.** You are the same size you were before becoming an alkatar.

**Speed.** Your base walking speed becomes 40 feet if it isn’t already.

**Superior Darkvision.** You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions if you don’t already. You can see in dim light within 120 ft. of you instead of 60ft., as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

**Unnatural Superiority.** Your unnatural life and heritage give you a useful edge when it comes to certain functions of your body and as a result, you don't need to breathe. While you need to eat, you can survive up to a number of days without food equal to 3 + double your Constitution modifier. You also have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed and you can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

**Sunlight Sensitivity.** You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.

**Vampiric Resistance.** You have resistance to necrotic damage.

**Vampiric Immunity.** You are immune to diseases, poison damage, and to the poisoned condition.

**Weaknesses.** You take double damage from silver weapons and from fire damage. If you touch silver ore or anything made from silver you feel it burn like a hot stockpot. You also take 20 acid damage, and gain vulnerability to all damage as well as having disadvantage to all saving throws for 8 hours if you come into contact with Annalyon's Sunbloom, a common flower and herb blessed by the god of light that is also used in some food recipes. If the contact with the flower is prolonged, you take 20 acid damage at the start of each of you turns, for as long as the flower or its components touch you. If you eat the flower, either raw or cooked, you will take 20 acid damage each turn until you have digested it. Furthermore, if a piercing weapon made from silver is driven into your heart while you are unconscious (e.g. while being asleep), you die instantly.

**Regeneration**: You regain 10 hit points at the start of your turn if you have at least 1 hit point and you aren't in sunlight. If you take fire damage, take damage from silver weapons, or if you come into contact with Annalyon’s Sunbloom, this trait doesn't function at the start of your next turn. When you reach 10th level the amount of hit points you regain increases to 20.

**Bite.** You have a second set of teeth, fangs really, that are hidden inside your gums. Whenever you want, you can draw them out or back inside your gums. You can use your many fangs to drain blood from humanoids. You fangs are a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. On a hit, you deal 1d4 piercing damage + your Strength or Dexterity modifier. If you want to drink blood from a victim you have bitten, you need to stay attached to the target as a reaction immediately after the damage is dealt. While attached, you can use a bonus action to cause the target to lose Hit Points equal to 1d4 + half your level due to blood loss (this counts as necrotic damage). You detach by spending 5 or more feet of your movement, if you talk, if you make an attack roll or if the victim moves for at least 5 feet. If the target you bite is willing, you need not make an attack roll but you still roll for damage. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the hit points it lost due to blood loss, and you regain hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.

**Blood Thirst.** As a vampire you need to feed on the blood of a living humanoid creature or from one who is dead for no more than a day. Specially preserved blood can also be drunk. In order to stay healthy you need to feed properly, meaning that you have to drink an amount of 1 litre of blood during each day of the week. If you don't, the following will apply:

\*If you haven’t fed properly for two days you become blood-starved and begin clearly hearing the heartbeats of every humanoid that is 15 ft. around you. Your eyes become bloodshot and your veins in various parts of your body become protruded. Furthermore, your passive perception and perception checks suffer a -5 penalty, and you also suffer one level of exhaustion.

\*If three days pass and you still haven’t fed properly, you suffer another level of exhaustion and you become hypersensitive to sunlight meaning that you take 20 radiant damage when you start your turn in sunlight. You stop being hypersensitive to sunlight after you have fed properly.

\*If five days pass and you still haven’t fed properly, you suffer another level of exhaustion and you go berserk. While berserk, you must use your action each round to attack the humanoid nearest to you using your Bite trait. You are berserk until you have managed to regain a total amount of 15 hit points from draining blood from a humanoid or humanoids using your Bite trait. This is temporary however; you will still be blood-starved after that, and if you don't feed properly in the next hour you will go berserk again.

\*If ten days pass and you still haven’t fed properly, the radiant damage you take from sunlight is increased to 40 and you suffer another level of exhaustion. You’ll need to regain a total amount of 15 hit points + your Constitution modifier + half your level to stop being berserk.

\*If fifteen days have passed and you still haven’t fed properly you suffer another two levels of exhaustion, resulting to your death.

If you feed properly, all the levels of exhaustion that you got due to your blood thirst are removed. The levels of exhaustion that you suffer due to this trait can only be removed by meeting the criteria described above.

**Shapechanger.** If you aren’t in direct sunlight, you can use your action to polymorph into a dark, mangy hound that is Medium in size, or into a Medium sized cloud of mist, or back into your true form. If you are exposed to sunlight while being in hound or mist form you immediately turn back to your true form.

While in hound form, you can't speak, and and you can’t use any item that would normally require a hand to use. Also, you can only use your Bite trait as your attack action. Its damage is 2d6 piercing + your Strength or Dexterity modifier instead, and is magical. Furthermore, the damage a victim takes due to blood loss is increased to 1d8 + half your level. You can’t use your class abilities, you can’t cast spells, and you can’t use your Vampire’s Seduction trait while in this form. Your ability scores, saving throws and skills remain unchanged. Anything you are wearing transforms with you, but nothing you are carrying does. You revert to your true form if you die. When you reach 10th level you can make two attacks with your Bite trait whenever you take an attack action instead of one while in hound form.

While in mist form you can't take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. You are weightless, have a flying speed of 30 feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature's space and stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, the mist can also do so without squeezing, but it can't pass through water. You also have advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution Saving Throws. Furthermore, you are immune to all nonmagical damage and resistant to all magical damage, except damage from silver weapons and fire which you are vulnerable to, as well as the damage you take from sunlight in the case you aren't properly fed.

You can use this trait a number of times per long rest equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1).

**Vampire’s Seduction.** As an action, you can target one humanoid that you can see within 30 feet. If the target can see you, they must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, or be charmed. The DC for the save is equal to 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Charisma modifier. A creature you are fighting has advantage on this saving throw. The charmed target regards you as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn't under your direct control, they take your requests or actions in the most favorable way they can and are a willing target for your Bite trait. Each time you or one of your companions do anything harmful to the target (except when you use your Bite trait on it), the target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts for 24 hours. The effect also ends if you drop to 0 Hit Points, if you are on a different plane of existence than the target, or if you take a bonus action to end the effect. After the effect ends on the target, it has no memory of anything that happened when it was charmed and also does not automatically know that it was charmed by you. It can, of course, make its own assumptions and can perhaps come to the conclusion that you have something to do with its memory loss or the wounds you left on it. You can only have one creature charmed this way at a time and you can use this trait a number of times per long or short rest equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).

**Flight in the Night.** Alkatars can fly through the air like their Lenavi counterparts. Once per long or short rest, as an action, you can tap on your dark heritage and manifest a set of shadows on your back that are reminiscent of black-feathered wings. These shadows give you a flying speed equal to your walking speed for 1 hour. Should the duration of your flight end midair, you instantly fall. You can’t use this trait while in direct sunlight.

**Dark Shroud.** Once you reach 3rd Level, you can cast the spell *Darkness* once per long rest and you can see inside this specific magical darkness that you created. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell. You can’t use this trait while in direct sunlight.

**Life Siphon.** Once you reach 5th Level you also learn to corrupt and drain the life force of other creatures. As an action you can force a creature within 60 ft. of you that you can see to make a Constitution Saving Throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier). On a failure, it takes necrotic damage equal to 1d12 + your Constitution modifier or half as much in a success. Also on a failure, its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, while you regain hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. Once you reach 10th level the necrotic damage you deal increases to 2d12 + your Constitution modifier. You can use this trait once per long or short rest. You can’t use this trait while in direct sunlight.

**Crimson Nightmare.** At 11th level you have become a force to be reckoned with as your blood draining abilities reach their apex. As an action you can radiate a crippling necrotic aura in a 10-foot radius around you, and force all other creatures within range to make a Constitution Saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier). On a failure, a creature takes 20 + 4d12 necrotic damage or half as much on a success. The necrotic aura causes them to bleed from every orifice on their face. A creature’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken on a failure. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. A creature dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. If there were humanoids inside the range of this effect, you can use your reaction the instant they bleed to make their blood flow towards you, which you then absorb and regain hit points equal to the damage the humanoids took no matter if they succeeded or failed in the saving throw. While you are berserk due to blood thirst you can use this trait instead of attacking using your Bite trait. If you are blood-starved while drinking blood this way, you lose two levels of exhaustion you had before due to blood thirst and you also stop being berserk. This ability can be used once per long rest and can’t be used while in direct sunlight.

## Other facts

### Creating Vampire Spawns

Vampire Spawns are undead humanoids that are spawned when a humanoid is killed by the cursed life-draining abilities of a vampire. A humanoid that is killed by the blood loss effects of the Bite trait, from the Life Siphon trait, or from the Crimson Nightmare trait of an Alkatar, rises the following night as a Vampire Spawn under the Alkatar's control. The spawn is drawn to its master after rising and is forced to do the bidding of its master and to carry out tasks its master commands to the best of its ability. Only if a Vampire Spawn is on a different Plane of Existence from its master, if its master is dead, or if the master relinquishes control over a spawn can the spawn be free.

### Vampiric Mist

Vampires and Vampire Spawns that are destroyed disintegrate into mist. However, Ansephal’s curse is not willing to let go even in final death. When a vampire or a vampire spawn dies, the bodies disintegrate into mist. After that happens, there is a 50% chance that the mist won’t scatter in the air but concentrate in a spot and darken thus creating a Vampiric Mist. If this occurs, the soul of the vampire or vampire spawn becomes trapped inside the mist. However, the transformation into an undead mist strips it of its intelligence and personality. Thus, only an unholy, insatiable thirst for blood remains. The monster uses the same stat block it has in page 246 of the Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes with some differences. They have 45 Hit Points and a flying speed of 40. They have damage vulnerabilities against fire and against silvered weapons and they don’t have the Forbiddance trait. They also have the Life Siphon trait.

### Becoming an Alkatar

Only a mortal humanoid that has flesh and blood can become an Alkatar. They have to get bitten by one and then the vampire’s cursed blood must be applied into their wound. Afterwards, for the next hour, they will start vomiting and shivering as their mortal body will try enduring the supernatural curse that tries to enter it and alter its nature. During that hour, the mortal must succeed on three Constitution saving throws (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier). If two out of three saving throws are a failure, then the mortal rolls saving throws with disadvantage during the next hour. After this hour of suffering these above effects, the body will begin to change, matching the physicality and attributes of the vampire bit by bit. During the next hour, the mortal must make another Constitution saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier). On a success the mortal is reduced to 0 Hit Points and falls unconscious but stable. They will wake up after 24 hours, after which the transformation to a vampire will be complete. On a failure the mortal has a 60% chance to die. If the mortal doesn’t die they are reduced to 0 Hit Points and they fall unconscious but stable. They will wake up after 24 hours, after which the transformation to a vampire will be complete. If this process is done under direct sunlight, the mortal fails the first three saving throws automatically, and the chance for death is increased to 90%. If a mortal dies during this process they cannot be brought back to life by any means except from True Resurrection or Wish spells. Once the change to an alkatar is complete only Wish can change a person back, and even then the wish will only work during the first year of the change; after that even Wish will not work.