Vrykolakas

Height: Varies

Weight: Varies

Environment: Any

Population: Anomaly

Base Features (9 FP)

Entropal Servitor (32 FP): Vrykolakas are manifestations of the Great Wolf’s influence, an undying blight upon reality that seeks to consume and destroy all. In their natural form, they are penumbral wolves, featureless lupin distortions born of entropy and hunger. They are immune to Damage Conditions affecting the physical body.

Undeath (5 FP): Vrykolakas are not living creatures, and are immune to many of the weaknesses of life. They do not need to sleep, but can meditate for an hour to gain the effects of a full rest. They are not affected by toxins, pathogens or other things that wouldn’t logically harm a corpse. Likewise, they are immune to Features that would rely on sexual arousal or similar biological reactions.

Beyond Creation’s Light (4 FP): Vrykolakas are beyond reality, alien to that which is eternally lost to them. Their thoughts, memories or emotions cannot be perceived by other creatures. Their mind is treated as non-existent for the purposes of mind reading effects. They cannot have Damage Conditions affecting their mind. They are immune to mental tampering.

Famed Wolf (3 FP): A Vrykolakas may take on a lupin form in addition to their humanoid one. As three actions, they can distort their body into the shape of a wolf. While in wolf form, they increase the results of Kick Ass Checks to contribute to the Combat Kick Ass of their side by 2, cannot speak or easily communicate and reduce all Smart Ass based Checks by 1.

As an action, they can make minor changes to either of their forms. In natural form, they may alter their appearance to gain any lupin traits. In wolf form, they may alter their size up to their maximum size and down to 60 lb. Their wolf form has a maximum weight of 60 lb. For each 6 total FP they possess, this weight doubles.

After first taking wolf form, all hair will become red in all their forms. This is a permanent physical change to the body, and has no mechanical effects. If they change bodies, this change will occur again after first taking wolf form.

For 3 additional FP, they develop the ability to hybridize their forms to the point they can communicate in wolf form.

Ghoulish (2 FP): If a Vrykolakas eats a substantial portion of a creature that hasn’t been cooked or prepared in a similar way, they may remove from themselves one Damage Condition only affecting their inhabited corpse per Bad Ass of the creature consumed. If the creature recovers from any damage they inflict in this process, they may later consume it again for the same benefits.

Possession (2 FP): Despite being disembodied manifestations, Vrykolakas can inhabit discarded flesh as their own.

As twelve actions while touching an empty corpse, they can possess the corpse. While possessing a corpse, they have the same Height, Weight, Speed and methods of communication the corpse had in life. In addition, the Game Master may allow any of the corpse’s Features they rule as sufficiently physical to be used.

While inhabiting a corpse, they can suffer Damage Conditions affecting the physical body, although these Damage Conditions remain with the corpse if they are expelled. Their inhabited bodies, being dead, do not heal through natural, biological, processes.

As three actions, a Vrykolakas can leave a corpse voluntarily. This Feature partially negates Entropal Servitor, Mute and Intangible.

Wolf’s Blight (2 FP): Vrykolakas carry with them the influence of the Great Wolf, its nature drawing all life closer to death. They can spread this influence like a disease, corrupting a creature with a touch.

They can give the Wolf’s Blight Damage Condition during combat. This is only possible if their Combat Kick Ass is greater than the Combat Bad Ass of the target’s side and there is a reasonable way to injure the target with their inhabited corpse directly.

A creature with the Wolf’s Blight Damage Condition must make an Immune Check (1d12 + Bad Ass) every full rest. The DC is based on their (6 + Kick Ass). If the creature succeeds, it is unaffected.

If it fails, its functional Bad Ass is reduced by 1, until it loses Wolf’s Blight. If it rolls 6 higher than needed to pass the Immune Check, it loses Wolf’s Blight.

Any creature with Wolf’s Blight whose functional Bad Ass reaches zero loses Wolf’s Blight and is affected by Spiritual Plague, as if given the Death Damage Condition by the Vrykolakas directly.

Great Wolf’s Sight (1 FP): As an action, a Vrykolakas can ignite or extinguish the eyes of their inhabited corpse. When ignited, their eyes glow a vibrant red, akin to the light of a blood moon. This glow increases the Check of any creature attempting to spot them by 1d4.

When ignited, they can use their eyes to see beyond the material world. They may make a Sight Check (1d12 + Smart Ass) to attempt to see non-physical aspects of reality.

In addition, when their eyes are ignited, they can see in any level of darkness as if it were fully illuminated. Neither of these benefits function through eye coverings, even those that allow through light such as glasses.

After first igniting the eyes of a specific corpse, that corpses eyes will become a colorless grey once extinguished. This is a permanent physical change to the body, and has no mechanical effects. Outside of a corpse, their eyes are always ignited.

For 1 additional FP, the results of their Sight Checks are increased by 1. This extra cost can be paid repeatedly, increasing Sight Checks by 1 each time.

Spiritual Regeneration (1 FP): Whenever a Vrykolakas finishes a full rest, they can remove one Damage Condition only affecting their inhabited corpse, not including Death. Whether a given Damage Condition can be removed or altered is at Game Master discretion.

Conceived By The Bleakest Womb (0 FP): Despite being dead, the corrupted nature of a Vrykolakas can replace the role of a living body’s ability to reproduce. They can sire or bear offspring, depending on current body, with a living creature. Children born from such a union are alive, but corrupted.

Such offspring are born with the Misanthropy Feature, and will return to life three full rests after death with all Features of the Vrykolakas clan. They can be affected by effects that rely on sexual arousal.

Entropal Apotheosis (0 FP): When a creature would gain the Vrykolakas clan due to in game events, but it either lack sufficient available FP or chooses not to invest it, it may subconsciously choose to sacrifice its existing Features to gain sufficient FP. If the creature has insufficient total FP for the clan, including if it refuses to sacrifice Features, it dies rather than gain the Vrykolakas clan.

The creature is consumed by the influence of the Great Wolf and cannot be returned to life by normal methods. A creature that possesses (or gains after being consumed) the Unworldly Nature Feature may reform in the Bleak. The player determines what decisions a character’s subconscious makes.

Pain Immunity (0 FP): Vrykolakas cannot feel physical pain.

Spiritual Plague (0 FP): When a Vrykolakas gives a creature the Death Damage Condition, the creature loses Death and returns to life three full rests later with all base Features of the Vrykolakas clan.

The new Vrykolakas takes on a degree of personality traits from them, as if they were new instincts. This makes the new Vrykolakas more inclined to agree and work with them, but it has free will.

Timeless (0 FP): Vrykolakas do not age no matter how much time passes.

Unworldly Nature (0 FP): Vrykolakas do not exist within any reality, but can be drawn into any reality because of it. Even when they have no presence within a reality, they can be manifest through the use of the Great Wolf’s influence.

This can happen as a byproduct of large accumulations of the Great Wolf’s influence, growing to the point the Vrykolakas can manifest.

Alternatively, the influence of the Great Wolf can be manipulated to deliberately call a Vrykolakas into reality. The method used to achieve this varies, and is mostly up to Game Master discretion.

This Feature allows them to return after being burned from existence by Creation’s Light, even if at a lower level.

Lesser Running Water (-2 FP): While outside a corpse, a Vrykolakas cannot cross running water at all.

Lesser Threshold (-2 FP): A Vrykolakas outside a corpse cannot cross a threshold without permission. Thresholds exist on the edge of a place seen as a sanctuary from the outside world by one or more creatures (such as a home or church).

If one of the people who sees the place as a sanctuary invites them in, the threshold no longer has any effect on them. They can always sense the exact location of a threshold and whether or not it still affects them.

Wooden Stake (-2 FP): If staked through the heart of their inhabited corpse, the Vrykolakas gains the Dormant Damage Condition. Dormant has the effects of the Unconscious Damage Condition, but is only removed if the stake is removed. The difficulty in driving a stake through their heart is at Game Master discretion.

Mute (-3 FP): Due to not having a physical body, Vrykolakas have no way to communicate with other creatures.

Dead (-6 FP): Vrykolakas function as if dead, lacking many of the protections a living creature has to mystical interference. Any effect that can capture or similarly affect the soul of a creature with or that gains the Death Damage Condition treats them as if they have or are gaining the Death Damage Condition.

This allows a creature with a Feature that can capture the soul of a creature that dies within a certain range to capture them as soon as it comes within range.

Having their soul captured gives them the Trapped Soul Damage Condition. A creature with Trapped Soul cannot take move actions or any other action that requires a physical body.

Lesser Cleansing Dawn (-6 FP): If outside a corpse, a Vrykolakas cannot take any action until outside of sunlight, including taking move actions to leave the sunlight.

Note: Daylight qualifies as sunlight, even if the local light source is not named the Sun.

Misanthropy (-6 FP): Born of entropy and animated by the influence of that which prays on realities, Vrykolakas have destruction at the center of their beings. Whenever they give a creature the Death Damage Condition, they gain a number of Murder Points (MP) equal to the creature’s Smart Ass.

Each full rest, they loose 1 MP. When they have zero MP, they completely lose interest in all goals or behavior other than regaining their MP. This results in a massacre performed to the best of their ability, with no regard for alleys or practicality.

If the Game Master rules that the player is failing to follow this behavior, the Game Master takes control of the character until this has been corrected. Taking control is advised unless the player is confident they can play out such an action. Creatures immune to mental tampering cannot have this Feature.

Note: It is recommended to start off a Vrykolakas with MP at the start of the game. The amount is up to the Game Master, but at least 6 MP is suggested.

Sabbath (-6 FP): Restricted by a higher power that finds it funny, a Vrykolakas cannot function for a single day every seven days. During this long forgotten holiday, they gain the Dormant Damage Condition. Dormant has the effects of the Unconscious Damage Condition, but is removed after the day ends.

Intangible (-10 FP): Vrykolakas cannot touch or effect physical matter, damage creatures or use Features that would require them to have a physical body. They are still unable to pass through solid objects, even if they cannot apply force to such objects.

Optional Features

Might Of The Great Wolf (12 FP): Some Vrykolakas become directly blessed by the Great Wolf, empowered within the reality they blight. Their Kick Ass, Bad Ass and Smart Ass increases by +1. This cannot raise an Ability Score over 12.

Vampiric (4 FP): A Vrykolakas can steal the life of those who still have it and make it their own. During combat or when a creature does not or cannot resist, they can drink the blood of a creature with blood or a similar fluid. If they do, they may remove one Damage Condition from themselves and give the creature the Drained Damage Condition.

Drained reduces functional Kick Ass and functional Bad Ass by 1, reducing all dependent factors accordingly. Drained is removed after a full rest.

If a creature’s functional Bad Ass is reduced to zero by Drained, it gains the Unconscious Damage Condition. Whether a given Damage Condition can be removed or altered is at Game Master discretion.

Death Magic (2 FP): The Vrykolakas can spend MP to perform impossible feats. To do so, they define what they want to happen. The Game Master determines the DC and MP cost. They pay the MP cost and make a Casting Check (1d12 + Smart Ass). If the check succeeds, the feat happens. Even if it fails, they still lose the MP. This is treated as a Magic Feature.

Note: If the Vrykolakas lacks the Misanthropy Feature, they still gain a number of MP equal to the creature’s Smart Ass whenever they kill a creature and cannot have more than 10 per Smart Ass MP at a time. However, they do not lose MP over time.