Astraeus
2nd clan of vampires sired by The Morning Star
Levels 3-28
Traits
No Undead Blood: Acheron Astraeus cannot drink the blood of other vampires or of the dead unless they are blood kindred to them. Their own blood is poisonous. They will purge any intake of "tainted" blood with a 45% chance of going into torpor.
Heart Beat: these vampires are warm blooded, living creatures, whereby they have a pulse and heart beat, thus heart wounds cause critical blood loss and can result in torpor.
Sephiroth Blood Traits: Astraeus are a type of Sephiroth which ingest and rely upon blood. Blood loss results in sustained stamina loss of -1 per hit and -5 per crit. Stamina fully restored when vampires feed until prey is dead, or if provider is immortal. Stamina restored by +5 when small animals are fed from or when prey is left alive. If health falls to 10 torpor begins to occur and movement is reduced by 50%. When health is at 0 cold torpor occurs and movement is at 0. If health falls to below -50, petrification occurs and vampire can only be revived by being completely submerged in blood for 1 d6 days.
Breath: because Astraeus are living creatures, they also need to breathe, although they can hold their breath for very long periods of time (up to ten minutes per level). When they take shadow, wraith, or vapor form, then they no longer rely on breathing. Because they can hold their breath for so long, or need no breath at all in ether forms, it is widely and inaccurately believed as a myth that they do not need to breathe at all.
Warmth: as living creatures Astraeus have warm bodies, unless they go too long without feeding or have lost blood, in which case their body temperature drops and their flesh grows cold. When chilled they can feel it.
Limited Procreation: the process of becoming Astraeus renders males impotent and females incapable of bearing childred. Only through little known arcane rights of fertility can Astraeus bear live children known as Trueborn. Because trueborn vampires are so feared and so often hunted by other vampires, there are many risks producing them, not least of all is the intelligence and frightfully advanced learning curve of these rapidly maturing offspring.
Inherited Mark: Unique to these vampires is the fact that any progeny they sire, or any child born to them, is born or reborn marked by their sire and acheron. This makes being sired as a progeny by an Astraeus, or Astraeus having children a matter to take very seriously.
Immunities: Primogens and Arch Elders 1-4th gen. who have faced the ordeals of Acheron to attain their immunties are immune to sunlight and fire. Crosses, garlic, silver, wooden stakes, other holy artifacts and holy water have no effect on Astraeus UNLESS they are religious. The primogen vampires of faith are immune to holy attacks either way, and their progeny of faith are resistant. Their immunities weaken by 10% per subsequent gen reborn of their blood line from 2nd gen. on down. Their souls cannot be taken. Their Souls are marked and are taken by The Morning Star as they die. Two of the Living Primogens, Byron and Valis, cannot be decapitated or dismembered. Though these two first born may seem invincible they are not invulnerable, just hard to kill.
Special Advantage: w/Acheron GM only. Some have certain rights of command in Acheron granted by The Morning Star himself, including passage, residence in Arcador, the city of vampires, and the use of power within Acheron.
Vampiric Traits
Siring and Bondage
Progeny: See vampire information.
Blood Thralls: See vampire information.
Blood Follower: When Astraeus drink the blood of others, a connection between the vampire and subject is created which can last anywhere between a week and a month (with crit) each time the vampire feeds from the same subject and leaves them alive. The vampire can always sense and locate the follower who, while linked, will always obey the vampire's commands and wishes unless brutalized by the vampire, which can break the link between vampire and follower.
Slave Bondage: Similair to Blood Thrall but more blood is drained from victim and half a pint of blood imbues the subject as vampire performs 'Rites of Domination' over subject as his blood is consumed (by force, will or domination) by the intended slave. Commands are imbedded in the slave during this rite by vocal designation. Blood Slaves are utterly obediant to their vampiric masters for their will is no longer their own.
Blood Purification: Permits vampire to purify blood so it is not poisonous to those they sire, bond thrall, or to progeny when bonding them.
Blood of Astraeus: poisonous if injected, infects wounds, or consumed, progressive dmg (+10% dmg per turn +1 1st turn, +2 2nd turn, +3 3rd turn etc.) while petrifing anyone infected by this blood when unpurified. When HP at 50% victim turns to stone, dmg continues until HP at 1. Body preserved in stone.
Bond of Sire: Astraeus clan special empathic bond of soul, blood and mind. Sire can sense what their progeny or children are feeling, often acutely, even at great distances, though extreme distance dulls this connection. Sire can also receive thoughts of their progeny and offspring if their mind is open to those thoughts and can pry into the minds of their offspring at will unless their clan children grow powerful enough to block them. This inborn ability can be very aggravating to clan members that are trying to hide things from their sire, but it also acts a beacon which allows a sire to find and defend their progeny quickly if they are captured, afraid, or harmed. A sire can cut themself off from these mental, metaphysical and physical impressions, but, the older and more powerful a sire is, the stronger this empathic ability is. This ability aids a sire in controlling his or her clan, and can also aid in building genuine trust, a necessary device (or vice depending) with such a clan as the Astraeus.
Checks Boosted: Intelligence and Willpower.
Charm by Gaze: Success dependent on whether intended victim meets their gaze when they apply this power, and whether the vampire's willpower and ppower in this combined can overcome the will of the one subject to this power.
Form Shift:
Animal Form: +2 called large predatory forms which can also manifest as half animal forms. Valis Clan also has bat form with partial shift.
Vaporous Form: Chilling mist with dread presence
Shadow Form: Shadowy Form that drains life and chills on contact
Swarm of Bats or Rats: HP divided by 40, or 20 = Number of bats or rats. Rodents have 40, or 20 HP each. Each rodent has +10 d6 attack. Valis Clan bats have Acid Saliva. Acid resists Immunities and Neutralizing 80% and does aggressive acid damage for +1 turn per success. If even one rat or bat survives an attack, the vampire can shift back into another form with remaining HP of; number of bats or rats x 20 or 40 = HP. Bats or rats also cause combined Distraction of +3 d6 each, vs. Focus (constitution), and have +3 flight save vs.death or capture.
Senses of the Beast: Preturnatural: Hearing, Sense of Smell, Vision, Night Vision, Taste or alertness. All start at +5 and improve by +1 per five levels.
Vampiric Prowess: Supernatural;
Strength: +5, and +1 per level.
Stamina: +5, +2 per level, Dexterity: +3
Stealth: +5
Regeneration: Level 30, +1 per level.
Fortitude: +20.
Supernatural Haste: see inborn powers.
Devour Life: (Valis clan only) drain -1 stamina per 5 levels, and -1 called level
Perception: +10, (rare occurance, GM approval only) vampire is sired with empathic, oracular, and extra-sensory abilities at loss of some other supernatural ability or inborn power.
Vampiric Temple (VT)
1-[1-3] Fangs: +1 damage per 100 years of age with max damage of +5.
2-[4-6] Claws: +2 damage per 100 years of age with max damage of +8, or +15 with large claws and hands and huge vampire form.
3-[7-9] Wings: If Winged; Massive, bat-like wings, vary in color from black, grey, brown to white if vampire is albino, retractable, can shield from attacks but ability to fly is compromised if wings are badly damaged. Flight must be learned and perfected. Flight Level = Vampiric Temple Level. Wing Fortitude is 50% of fortitude.
3-[7-9] Improved Prowess: +2 Fort, Strength and Regen, take with or without wings.
4-[10-12] Partial Shifts: Fangs, Claws, Wings, half animal form, and Height.
5-[13-15] Animal Form: Immortal, large predator - Cannot speak in animal shift.
6-[16-18] Bestial Vampiric Form: Stature and muscular increase in complete shift of Fangs, Half Animal form, Height, Claws, while Fortitude and Strength: +6, and Stamina is enhanced x 2 with tough flesh, and quicker regeneration +6. Height up to +3 feet, with +1 HB range bonus per foot height increase.
7-[19-21] Vampiric Menace: Shadows spread around vampire and presence emits an aura of terror in full form shift. Level = # d6 +7 vs. Constitution.
8-[22-24] Physical Majesty: Vampire can use vampiric temple with supernatural haste in combat combinations for +1 HB or AR per ace, or haste winged flight. All physical checks increased by +8, Stamina enhanced by x 2 + 10.
9-[25-27] Arcane Prowess: Vampire can imbue their claws and fangs with their blood to inflict its poison effect on a victim, and have great command of presence, their inborn gifts of haste are at the highest level, their strength phenominal with +2 d6 bonus on all PA or MA rolls and all other gains of majesty.
10-[28-30] Godly Presence: Vampire can enhance in height and increase presence dramatically, their shadow spreading to eclipse an area up to 50 yards in perimeter, while their presence radiates their chosen state of mind so potently that the will and mind of those who fall under their shadow crumbles, -10 d6+10 to Subject's Willpower and Constitution.
Inborn Powers
Telepathy: Inborn powers
Presence: Inborn powers
Vampiric Haste: Inborn powers
Domination: +2 d6 - 1st-4th gens only, inborn powers. Valis clan only all gens above 4.
Phantasmancy: full path, innate.
Arcane Paths: Any but Light and Wizardry
1st gens - 6 paths, all 5 inborn powers
True Borns - 5 paths, 4 inborn powers
2nd-3rd gens - 4 paths, 3 inborn powers
4th-5th gens - 3 paths, 2 inborn powers
6th + gens - 2 paths, 1 inborn power
Information
Astraeus (ah-strA-yUs) of Acheron: This race of Vampire was engendered by The Morning Star, who created 4 First Born Astraeus out of Romania, Scotland, Egypt and one from the Shadowlands in Morashtar. They were engendered from Humans who made a pact with the devil for Immortality. The Astraeus of Acheron are marked and possessed by The Morning Star as first born minions of Lucifer. Here are the first born in order of their creation.
Valis Urik (An Morendor)
Ementis (eh-men-tEs), Samad (eternal) (undead line of Astraeus, Egypt)
Fiodah Corca, Byron Decasey (Scotland)
Constantin (cahn-stan-tEn), Dinu (dEnU) (feathered wings) (Romania)
Second Gen out of the Morning Star
Those sired out of Lucifer's vampire form as Astraeus
Marcus Octavian Sirrilius, Seth (Rome)
About the Ementis and Zombie Line
The Ementis line of Astraeus differ from others in that they are true undead, or zombie-vampires, as a result of Ementis almost being lost to the Morning Star by dying during the siring process. Zombie vampire progeny result from other Astraeus lines when a progeny truly dies during the siring process, called curse of the undying dead. The Ementis line, and those Astraeus reborn as zombie-vampires vary from other Astraeus in these ways;
Scent of Death: this line has a faint odor of death about them. It is not distinct, but to animals and those with supernatural olfactory. Animals fear these vampires because of their scent, but can come to trust them with careful training and gentling.
Corpse Body: this line looks dead, as dead as the duration of their transition. If they were dead for two weeks, they look like a two week old corpse, if they were dead three weeks, they look like a three week old corpse. If their body was well cared for while dead, they will look cleaner and smell cleaner, but look no less dead. Think Corpse Bride here. They do not breathe, have no heart beat, and are cold as the dead, meaning their body is room temperature.
Limitless Health: (limitless HP) these vampires cannot be wounded by normal means inasmuch as they are already dead. Only by dismembering them can they be slowed down or crippled, and only by beheading them can they be killed. "It's only a flesh wound!" One could say that they are the Green Knight.
Auto-Regeneration: as with zombies; Lost limbs and extremeties regenerate rapidly, in 1 d6 turns for extremeties (hands and feet) in 1 d6 days for limbs (arms and legs). Flesh, organ and eye damage from cuts, punctures, burns and acid also regenerate rapidly (3 turns to full regeneration).
No Wings: this line has no wings unless their subrace has wings, or unless one of their animal forms has wings, at what time they can learn to morph into the type of wings their animal form has.
Survival Instinct: +2 save vs. beheading, natural instinct to dodge beheading blows.
Innate Path: Dead Realms Magic, because this is the realm progeny of near fall into, they gain an innate understanding of this path, level gains for innate path at 50% cost. This path counts as one of their arcane paths.
Pain Tolerance: this line feels very little pain. They still feel some pain, because they are semi-alive, but it is very dull.
No Pulse: these vampires have no pulse, no heart beat, and as such they cannot feel much physically, nor can they feel much physical or sexual pleasure, because not only are the nerve endings dulled, but without a pulse, sexual organs are unresponsive.
No Offspring: this line cannot have offspring, not even with fertliity practices. They can only ever procreate by siring others and cursing those they sire to their fate.
Zombie Line: this line can only sire other undead progeny, whether Ementis or other undead Astraeus of near death. Progeny of this line remain in a death-like state when sired for 2-4 weeks, and have a 75% survival rate. Those who die, if not resurrected, may become a dead realms creature (as called -- see spirits, undead, wraiths, liches, demons, and zombies, look for dead realms variations, or improvise your own dead realms being).
NOTE: not all Astraeus who almost die during the siring process become zombie-vampires.
About Astraeus
The mark Astraeus are born with is the 'Clan Astraeus Seal' a mark of clan and Acheron, meaning they are born marked by the clan Primogen, and by Acheron, thus Lucifer can command their will even in opposition to their sire's will if he pleases, thereby going over a clan primogen's head. The mark of Acheron does bring souls to Acheron upon death but does not protect a soul quite like the mark of souls does. Those marked by Acheron's seal CAN be overuled BY Acheron itself and an overlord CAN sire someone marked by Acheron if Acheron allows it. But because Astraeus are BORN marked BY their primogen, they cannot be marked or over-sired by any other else it is the Morning Star himself.
Astraeus blood is probably some of the most powerful blood known to Morashtar and Acheron, its genetic properties, its siring properties, its bonding and enslaving properties, its poison, and its metamorphic properties. Whatever Astraeus evolve into over the years, at their base they are forever Astraeus... be they an Astraeus Vampire, Astraeus Devil, Astraeus Sephiroth, Astraeus Demigod, Astraeus Pheonix, Astraeus Deity ... they are still Astraeus and their vampiric, mental, blood, mark and seal attributes apply.
ALL Astraeus, whether born or sired, are extremely perceptive, and can be sensed and to a great extent, controlled by their sire if he or she so chooses. All Astraeus likewise have a 'blood sense' of other Astraeus. They can smell and perceive other Astraeus and with enough experience, can tell how closely related others are to them and what line they are from. Astraeus within a clan can also sense what a clan member, especially a sire, progeny, offspring or sibling, is feeling ... whether pain, joy, sorrow or euphoria. With enough practice they can control when to feel or block these shared sensations.
