Author Topic: How would you handle this vampire curse?  (Read 1459 times)

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Offline Druss_the_Legend

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How would you handle this vampire curse?
« on: March 03, 2017, 12:35:46 PM »
I am seeking some plot suggestions for my campaign. I have a player character who acquired a cursed sword. It is a magical rapier that is turning him into a vampire.

He is rather motivated to rid himself of the curse at a temple in the city where they are adventuring. Not so fast! The temple has been ransacked, the acolytes murdered and the head cleric abducted by an evil cult.

There is a high priestess in the city but she is under heavy guard with the threat of assassination or abduction but the evil cult. The cult is planning to kidnap her and use her in a dark ritual as a sacrifice to their evil god.

ok so back to the sword. it is a magical +20 Rapier called Soul Reaper. At first it was thought that the sword gave the wielder night vision (which it does) but then it was discovered that the night vision is actually a biproduct of the vampire curse.

I was thinking of making the cursed rapier an intelligent weapon. It might be the ancient weapon of a vampire lord or the soul of the vampire lord could be trapped inside the weapon itself. Seems a bit more interesting than just a cursed sword right?

The plot twist of a vampire imprisoned in the sword raises some interesting possibilities/questions...
* who is the vampire trapped in the sword?
* who trapped him in the sword?
* who was the previous owner of the sword?
* are the evil cult searching for the sword?
* how can the soul of the vampire be destroyed? can the sword be destroyed? how?
* are there other similar swords?
* is the intelligent sword using the pc for some other purpose?






Offline Cory Magel

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Re: How would you handle this vampire curse?
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2017, 11:04:17 PM »
Holy warrior kills a powerful vampire with a holy sword that the vampire manages to possess somehow and either drives the holy warrior to 'the dark side' or the holy warrior rid himself of the sword as a result.

The evil cult is trying to retrieve the sword in order to restore the vampire to flesh and bone and this is the overall plan of the sword/vampire itself.

The sword could be destroyed by some kind of powerful holy magic, but it might be a better plan to actually let the evil cult restore the vampire, allowing the sword to be 'saved' and kill the vampire separately.
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Offline Druss_the_Legend

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Re: How would you handle this vampire curse?
« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2017, 03:35:52 AM »
Holy warrior kills a powerful vampire with a holy sword that the vampire manages to possess somehow and either drives the holy warrior to 'the dark side' or the holy warrior rid himself of the sword as a result.

The evil cult is trying to retrieve the sword in order to restore the vampire to flesh and bone and this is the overall plan of the sword/vampire itself.

The sword could be destroyed by some kind of powerful holy magic, but it might be a better plan to actually let the evil cult restore the vampire, allowing the sword to be 'saved' and kill the vampire separately.

im totally on board with the corrupted paladin idea ;)

Offline Druss_the_Legend

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Re: How would you handle this vampire curse?
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2017, 10:24:49 AM »
ok, I have a new player joining the campaign. Now up to 5 player characters! Started at two, 3 yrs ago. The new player character will be a cleric. A very timely addition as the party is in desperate need of a healer and a way to deal with curses and undead.

Offline gog

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Re: How would you handle this vampire curse?
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2017, 04:59:01 AM »
I'd be inclined to have the sword and the thing in it be opposed to the evil cult, and actually trying to stop them - but having it's own evil scheme going.

Thus the players can be offered help by the sword to deal with the cult, but then there is a cost to the help. Also can they double cross the sword in the end?

Puts them in a dilemma about which evil is the bigger threat, and they have to work out what it's worth to stop the cult.

Offline Mordrig

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Re: How would you handle this vampire curse?
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2017, 01:41:52 PM »
I'd be inclined to have the sword and the thing in it be opposed to the evil cult, and actually trying to stop them - but having it's own evil scheme going.

Thus the players can be offered help by the sword to deal with the cult, but then there is a cost to the help. Also can they double cross the sword in the end?

Puts them in a dilemma about which evil is the bigger threat, and they have to work out what it's worth to stop the cult.

Excellent idea, evil works for itself.  The sword is indeed an evil entity trapped in the blade.  It is intelligent, and bestows powers on those wielding it.  On the other hand it will be slowly corrupting the person in possession of the blade.  Make a RR every day vs a level 25 attack, give the player a stat total using their Me, Re, and Pr, reduce it by their Em (they feel for the sword).  Each RR failure reduces this total by the amount failed.  They hit zero they are a slave to the blade and will not willingly part from it or allow harm to come ti the blade.  They hit a negative total equal to where they started they give up their soul for the soul trapped in the blade.

The evil cult is an enemy of the sword though.  They are at cross purposes, the cult and the sword may cooperate occasionally because their own dark plans may coincide for some purposes (that good temple is a thorn in the side of both of them) but ultimately neither one wants the other to be there.

Offline Druss_the_Legend

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Re: How would you handle this vampire curse?
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2017, 02:51:32 PM »
I'd be inclined to have the sword and the thing in it be opposed to the evil cult, and actually trying to stop them - but having it's own evil scheme going.

Thus the players can be offered help by the sword to deal with the cult, but then there is a cost to the help. Also can they double cross the sword in the end?

Puts them in a dilemma about which evil is the bigger threat, and they have to work out what it's worth to stop the cult.

Excellent idea, evil works for itself.  The sword is indeed an evil entity trapped in the blade.  It is intelligent, and bestows powers on those wielding it.  On the other hand it will be slowly corrupting the person in possession of the blade.  Make a RR every day vs a level 25 attack, give the player a stat total using their Me, Re, and Pr, reduce it by their Em (they feel for the sword).  Each RR failure reduces this total by the amount failed.  They hit zero they are a slave to the blade and will not willingly part from it or allow harm to come ti the blade.  They hit a negative total equal to where they started they give up their soul for the soul trapped in the blade.

The evil cult is an enemy of the sword though.  They are at cross purposes, the cult and the sword may cooperate occasionally because their own dark plans may coincide for some purposes (that good temple is a thorn in the side of both of them) but ultimately neither one wants the other to be there.

great ideas! thanks

Offline Gauds00

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Re: How would you handle this vampire curse?
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2017, 05:21:43 AM »
A vampire seduces a powerful alchemist, with the intention of getting her to craft a powerful item (maybe a +20 rapier) the alchemist, deeply in love with the vampire, cant ignore what he really is and betrays him by trapping him in the pommel of the sword. She still has her love, but the blood flow stops. Destroying the pommel, that would require a powerful alchemist again to dismantle would rid the curse and the pc keeps the sword. If the pc attempts to destroy the pommel it could release the vampiric spirit.