Modern Vampire Gaming Update 5/10

[kidterminal]

A couple of modern vampire movies that I find inspiring are "Innocent Blood" & "Vamp" starring Grace Jones. Lots of Ideas there I think.

I vaguely remember "Vamp" its pretty bad isn't it? But very 80's if I recall correctly. I don't believe I know "Innocent Blood". What good ideas does it have?

I am using the Hammer Dracula films as inspiration as well; Vampires crawling up sheer walls, turning into bats & wolves and regenerating from a few drops of blood.

Rob

[Digitarii]

This sounds very interesting. :-*I'm curious what direction your rules will develop into and how they will work.
One thing I've noticed is an absence of a human element.I think a secret society of Vampire hunters that are trying to overthrow the conspiracy & Bloods.
Divide the humans into two camps:
Pragmatists-This group understands that the conspiracy and the bloods are to be wiped out or at least reduced in power,but that the ancients are not a threat to humanity as a whole and would make a natural ally together.
Fanatics-Well.......all vampires must die frame of mind.

Cheers
Christopher

You should really check out Monster Hunters International by Larry Correia. If that doesn't give you ideas for a human faction, something is just wrong.

[kidterminal]

Here are some size comparison pictures of the miniatures I've collected for the game. I tend to be a little picky about this sort of thing but I'm very pleased with the results.


From left to right, West Wind, Reaper, 80's GW, West Wind, West Wind.


From left to right, West Wind, GW, Reaper, Shadowforge, Hasselfree, West Wind.

I haven't added any of the Heresy figures in this line-up because they are on back order and I haven't received them yet.

I'm sorry for the down and dirty picture quality, I need to redo them with a proper photography set up. I promise to do that with the next set of pictures.

Rob

[kidterminal]

I've been hard at work, albeit slowly, on the rules for my modern vampire game. I've chosen to for go the modern vampire virus or curse concept commonly found in current vampire literature. Instead I've chosen to return to the more classical vampire as demonic spirit theme found in 18th century literature. Below you'll find a basic outline of vampire powers of darkness and some hunter faith powers. I'll need to add at least twice as many as I'm listing here. Each power will require the player to expend an AP (Action Point) and Darkness Point/Faith Point to active. Some powers will be automatic, i.e. they require 0 Action Points to active them. As you can see I've incorporated a number Gothic elements not found in the current crop of modern vampire films. I hope to give the game a unique flavor. I invite any and all comments & suggestions. I'm happy to receive criticism as well, but might not have revealed enough system information yet for informative critiques. I hope you forum members will have enough information to do just that in the coming weeks.

Light and Shadow will play a large roll in the game. Light will be represented on the board by templates, which will show the radius of streetlights and flashlights.

Vampiric Nature

Vampires are spirits of darkness who have consumed the soul of a recently deceased person and re-inhabited the corpse. These spirits come from the darkness, a realm of endless howling night thought to be Hell by the religious or an other dimension by the scientific minded. These creatures yearn to walk the Earth and live a corporeal existence. They are severely allergic to garlic, silver and sunlight. They can also be  destroyed by fire or through an exorcism . 

Powers of Darkness
Danger Sense: This power uses the vampires supernatural speed to doge and weave out of the path of incoming projectiles. 

Call the Vermin: The vampire uses the power of darkness to force rats from their holes and rush a target model. The target model must make a successful Evade Roll or lose all of its Action Points. Its too busy stomping and kicking frenzied rats. This power also forces a mortal target to make a Terror Check.
 
Change into a Bat: This power allows a vampire to transform into a bat. Vampires are difficult to shoot or strike in hand to hand combat while in bat form.

Crushing Blows: The vampire channels the power of darkness into its hands so it can deal devastating bone crushing blows.

Freeze the Blood: With this power an vampire can drain the vitality of a  mortal with a look.

Mesmerize: A vampire can beat down a mortals will, forcing him/her to submit to their destruction a meekly as a lamb.

Mist: Vampires can not turn themselves in a mist, they can however travel inside could of mist, which obscures them. Opponents targeting a vampire using this power have their Ranged Attack Dice reduced by 2.

Regenerate: Vampires can use the powers of darkness to repair damage to their physical bodies. They can exchange Darkness Points for Health Points on a one for one bases All vampires gain this power for free.

Talons of Darkness: A vampire can use the power of darkness to form their fingers into viscous talons. The vampire can use these talons for one turn.

Terrorize: A vampire can force a mortal make a Terror Check by giving them a glimpse of the darkness which lies beyond this world.

Sense Violence: This power allows a vampire to sense violent thoughts directed at them and it helps them avoid and ambush.

Walk the Shadows: This power allows a vampire to teleport from place to place on the board provided the vampire both begins and ends it's move in the shadows.

Who's the Master: Vampires use this power to sap an other vampire's will. If the vampire is successful the target vampire is force to rout. The routed vampire may attempt a recovery roll next turn as per the recovery rules.
Vampire Equipment
Other
Plasma Bag (The Vampire Conspiracy uses these bags as emergency food. One bag restores one level of health. Only available for the Vampire Conspiracy.)

Hunters come in two varieties; spiritual and techno. I'm basing the techno hunters largely on the “Blade” films, the graphic novel “30 days of Night” and the novel “Vampire$” by John Steakley. All of these hunters, even blade use equipment to over come their vampire foes. The spiritual hunters make use of superstition and their innate faith in “good” to defeat the vampires. Think of every in carnation of Van Helsing in and Dracula film you care to name. I'm also thinking of the character of John Constantine in the movie “Constantine” and the “Hellbazer” comic series. I don't want to add an organized church faction. The church is paralyzed by fear and indifference like all other major mortal institutions.
 
Faith Powers
Defiant Will: This power allows a hunter to defy a power of darkness which affects the mortal mind like Mesmerize or Terrorize. 

Exorcise: A supernatural hunter can use the rite of exorcism to destroy (kill) an immobilize or out of action  vampire.

Fire of Righteousness: A supernatural hunter can use their faith to burn a vampire in hand to hand combat with a sacred object.

Lucky: With this power the hunter can avoid deadly blow by using Faith Points to reduce the damage he/she receives on a one for one bases.

Hold the Monster at Bay: A supernatural hunter can stop a vampire in its tracks and even force it back with a sacred object like a cross.

Sense Evil: This power allows a hunter to sense violent thoughts directed at them and it helps them avoid and ambush.

Hunter Equipment 
Weapons
Molotov Cocktails
Silver bullets
UV lights
Sliver bladed knife

Other
Flashlights (Improve the accuracy of ranged attacks and awareness rolls. They also impede the use of the vampire power Walk the Shadows.)
Road Flares (Creates a permeate circle of light on the board, which improves the accuracy of ranged attacks and awareness rolls. They also impede the use of the vampire power Walk the Shadows.)
Sacred Objects (Use in Spiritual Faith powers.)
Stimulants ( Grants a temporary Action Point boost.)

Rob