Races of Ravnica: Vampires

Vampires

A bulbous, bald orzhov pontiff counts his daily tithe by candlelight in his luxurious suite. He is startled by the sound of his balcony door suddenly flying open. A shadowy figure floats outside a Syndicate pontiff's balcony, staring at him. The pontiff stares blankly at the figure for a moment, before blinking a few seconds later. "What was that noise? Wait, when did my candle go out?" he ponders, unable to remember his dealings with a mind drinker looking for information.

The vampires of Ravnica are wholly unique. They are nearly always high ranking officials in the guilds they represent. They are naturally magical and powerful, easily controlling mortals and finding thralls to feast on when needed.

These beings all have pale skin, but vary in appearance further depending on their subrace.

Tithe Drinkers

Tithe drinkers are the classic vampire; they gather servants and drink blood. Tithe drinkers were once human and underwent a magical ritual to give up their life in exchange for eternal undeath with vampirism.

This ritual is a mystery to most, but the Orzhov Syndicate is willing to perform in exchange for decades of service or equal financial value. This leads most tithe drinkers to be a part of the Syndicate and is where their title comes from.

Tithe drinkers are not exclusively found within the church. Some flee the Syndicate or underwent the process in a different way. These vampires may seek membership in House Dimir alongside their mind drinker cousins, remain guildless, or seek out hedonistic pleasure within the Cult of Rakdos.

Mind Drinkers

Mind drinkers were sired by the Parun of House Dimir: Szadek, Lord of Secrets. This variation of vampires can drink blood for sustenance, but older mind drinkers feed of the minds and age of the living.

This brood of vampire grows physic powers as they age. Their powers lend themselves well to espionage and mental manipulation. A powerful mind drinker can be identified by its constant flight, never allowing its feet to touch the ground. Young mind drinkers are used as pawns for older vampires. They can't feast on the minds of others yet, and are forced to acquire blood to sustain themselves.

Mind drinkers are eternally indebted to House Dimir, and outside a few exceptional circumstances, belong to Dimir for eternity.

Guildless Vampires

Guildless vampires are rare. Without societal protection of a guild, they are persecuted (rightfully) for their need to feed.

Survivors are typically either paranoid to a fault or have worked out some kind of method to obtain blood outside of murder. They might work with guidless gangs to secure blood they need in exchange for access to their powerful magic.

Vampire Characters

A vampire can make an excellent rogue, bard, or cleric. They lend themselves to parties who are okay with the violence they require to survive.

Some vampire characters may resent their transformation now, though, and have found a sustainable source of blood outside needing to hunt. These vampires can make excellent adventurers, as violence comes with the job.

Tithe Drinkers

Below are optional background variants to choose from when creating a tithe drinker.

d6	Personality Traits
1	I grow bored quickly in death, and seek out unusual thrills to satiate my need for entertainment.
2	The living are adorable. Loyal ones are well groomed pets and hostile ones are lunch.
3	My ambition outraces my patience. I know I have eternity, but I can't wait that long to rise to the top.
4	Ancient rituals and false deities don't scare me. I am as "unholy" as those who persecute my kind.
5	I spend the hours I used to spend sleeping reading romance novels.
6	Immortality has proven to be a curse. I resent my status, and hide my condition out of shame.

d6	Bonds
1	The Syndicate is my home.
2	I keep in touch by letter to the family I had in life.
3	Late at night, I relax in the old market square I used to work in.
4	I pay for all the needs of my child who believes I died anonymously.
5	Animals have always been my friends. I care for bats in one of the Orzhov Basilicas .
6	Thrills are fascinating creatures. I try to keep on with me for amusement and study.

d6	Ideals
1	Eternity. I shall live on forever in death at any cost.
2	Superiority. My condition makes me better than the living.
3	Information. Knowledge gives influence, and with influence, true power.
4	Hunger. I was an obese glutton in life. While I can't gain weight, I drink in excess.
5	Loyalty. The Syndicate gave me eternal life, and so I am eternally grateful.
6	Wealth. My reach and position continues to pilfer the coins from the unworthy and place them where they belong.

d6	Flaws
1	I underestimate mortals.
2	Crushing guilt drives me to fast.
3	When angered, I'm quick to flash my fangs and attract unnecessary attention.
4	My words are easily bought for blood.
5	My vanity is my weakness. Compliment my complexion and we'll be fast friends.
6	I refuse to respect creatures worth less than me.

d4	Quirks
1	I don't really like the taste of blood, but literally can't taste anything else.
2	Thumps and loud music shake my chest, reminding me of the feeling my heart used to make.
3	My overbite occasionally pokes holes in my lower lip.
4	I can't drink blood out of body; I need it sipped from gold goblet. It shows class.

d6	Guild Contacts
1	I regularly feed with the a descendant of the ghost council.
2	An influential spectral banker and I split our livestock; I get the blood, they get the soul and corpse.
3	The pontiff who performed my ritual works to ensure vampires maintain their positions in Orzhov.
4	I am in love with a mortal and saving to buy their freedom.
5	I compete with another vampire for promotion within the Syndicate.
6	An Orzhov angel has taken interest in my affairs.

d4	Non-guild Contacts
1	I exchange information over drinks with a dimir mind drinker.
2	I occasionally perform with a rakdos troupe in exchange for exotic humanoid blood.
3	I accidentally and unknowingly sired a guildless human into vampirism. I don't know how to replicate it.
4	I've made an unlikely ally with a Gruul ogre who entertains me with his stupid humor.

Mind Drinkers

Below are optional background variants to choose from when creating a mind drinker.

d6	Personality Traits
1	I grow bored quickly in death, and seek out unusual thrills to satiate my need for entertainment.
2	Quiet contemplation is the best way to travel. My companions don't often to agree to my dismay.
3	My ambition outraces my patience. I know I have eternity, but I can't wait that long to rise to the top.
4	Ancient rituals and false deities don't scare me. I am as "unholy" as those who persecute my kind.
5	My minds is my temple; I spend downtime doing mental exercises and puzzles to keep it sharp.
6	I am a walking dictionary, and am quick to point out inaccuracies in companions statements.

d6	Bonds
1	House Dimir has my undying allegiance.
2	I care for a birds nest near the deadbridge gorge.
3	I keep in touch by letter to the family I had in life.
4	Late at night, I relax in the university I used to work in.
5	My disguises fool most common folk. A loxodon who discerned it has become a close friend and companion to intellectually spar with.
6	I'm the reigning trivia night champion at a tavern in precinct six.

d6	Ideals
1	Eternity. I shall live on forever in death at any cost.
2	Superiority. My condition makes me better than the living.
3	Information. Knowledge gives influence, and with influence, true power.
4	Secrets. Some information was not meant for mortal minds. I keep it from them for the betterment of all.
5	Structure. My job is to shape the foundation of this world and make it fit to my grand design.
6	Thirst. I can't stop seeking information. It is my addiction.

d6	Flaws
1	I underestimate mortals.
2	Crushing guilt drives me to fast.
3	When angered, I'm quick to flash my fangs and attract unnecessary attention.
4	I assume my memories are infallible.
5	My sanguine cravings get worse if I haven't age fed.
6	I'm bad at timing my flight magic duration.

d4	Quirks
1	I don't really like the taste of blood, but literally can't taste anything else.
2	Dark and brooding don't go far enough in describing my demeanor.
3	Whenever I land after being airborne, I stumble for a few minutes. Being grounded is uncomfortable.
4	The rattling racket caused by others thoughts batter my mind constantly. To me, some people can think too loud.

d6	Guild Contacts
1	Whenever I complete a task for the House, I find my next objective in the mind of my next meal.
2	I was one of Szadek's thralls and work with one of my siblings.
3	An agent disguised as a professor at Prism University passes me messages and students to siphon youth from.
4	A shapechanger and myself have worked together to put me in two places at once before. I owe him a favor for it.
5	I bonded with a goblin I was going to eat. He is my eyes on the inside of the League now.
6	Cryptic psychic visions pass through my mind. They alert me to small details to observe for a powerful agent above my status and feed me clues on Boros secrets.

d4	Non-guild Contacts
1	I exchange information over drinks with a tithe drinker.
2	A corrupt conclave evangel trades bodies for secrets that secure the lie they are living.
3	I own an Azorius senator who I caught seeking out a way to become a mind drinker.
4	A golgari gorgon and I get some laughs terrifying commoners who are out too late at night.

Vampire Traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Age. Vampires can live indefinitely, but many are destroyed doing dangerous work for their guilds or from being hunted by organizations against undeath such as the Boros Legion.

Alignment. Vampires range from lawful to chaotic, but are almost always evil. The need to consume blood leads to evil actions to sustain themselves.

Size. Your size remains the same as it was when you were human. Your size is medium.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Undead. Your creature type is undead. You don't sleep, eat, or breathe.

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you 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.

Sanguine Thirst. For each day you go without consuming at least one quart of fresh humanoid blood, you gain a level of exhaustion, and can't reduce your exhaustion during a long rest until you drink one quart of blood. (The average medium humanoid dies if they lose two or more quarts of blood)

Fangs. Your fangs cause devastating damage to the living. You have proficiency with your bite, which deals 1d6 piercing damage.

Languages. You speak Common and Infernal.

Vampire Subraces

The vampires of Ravnica are split between the two subraces, Tithe Drinkers and Mind Drinkers.

Tithe Drinkers

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2.

Persuasive Magic. You know the friends cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast suggestion. When you reach 5th level, you can cast vampiric touch. Once you cast a spell of 1st level or higher with this trait, you can't cast it again until you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Flush. If you have no levels of exhaustion, creatures must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Medicine) check to discern you aren't alive upon investigation.

Mind Drinkers

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increase by 2.

Physic Magic. You know the message cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast levitate. When you reach 5th level, you can cast fly. Once you cast a spell of 1st level or higher with this trait, you can't cast it again until you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Age Feeding. You siphon the age from an unconscious humanoid to sustain yourself. Whenever you take a short or long rest, you can spend the an hour performing a ritual on an unconscious humanoid you touch. If you complete the hour long ritual, the creature ages 2d10 years.

Once you perform this ritual, you don't suffer levels of exhaustion from your Sanguine Thirst trait for 1 week.