By Mark Kinney (alberich@iglou.com)
I started on this soon after Hank Driskill's Highlander supplement hit the net, and meant to present this along similar lines, although time considerations forced limitation to a somewhat condensed version, which can be found on the various FTP and web sites that drew from the old vampire-l list.
My first exposure to the dhampir was the anime Vampire Hunter D. I found the concept of a child of a vampire being an exceptional vampire hunter a fascinating idea, but there seemed little room for it in the confines of Vampire:The Masquerade. I found out later that it is part of the Balkan vampire lore, however, and self-styled dhampir have been active in the region as late as the 1980s, and with a little research I found a way that such a creature could be made to exist in that beloved game of ours.
I made a few other fundamental mistakes, though. Fearing an ultra-powered character in a universe that at the time consisted only of Vampires, Garou, the occasional Mummy and, for those who chose to integrate them, the Immortals, I made the dhampir horribly weak for the job they're supposed to be doing. I hope that I haven't gone too far in the opposite direction with these rules, but with the other character types fully defined now, it should be safe. The fact that the World of Darkness is such a diverse entity now should be a balancing factor. I also have tried to improve the motivation of the dhampir character, making it something other than a monstrous bugaboo for storytellers to spring upon their unsuspecting players.
I hope you find these rules useful and enjoyable.
Now that you are of age, you can finally know what you are and why I was forced to leave you so long ago. I write this hoping that I will return, and yet I know I won't, and thus hope that your uncle will take care of you, and that he has been able to deal with the feelings I know will have been racking your soul.
I met your father nearly twenty years ago at an arts festival. I was young and impressionable, and his very presence just seemed to reach out and grab me. We stayed up until almost dawn discussing our interests in what we had seen, and although he was in a rush to leave, we did exchange phone numbers and I was able to get back together with him. After I had been seeing him for several months, I realized I was with child -- you, my son. It was when I went to tell him that I found out his secret.
I hesitate to tell you this, for I fear you will not believe me, but not only is it true, it is imperative that you know. I walked in on him and another...victim, I suppose is the proper word. He looked up at me, the blood still on his chin.
I couldn't think. I just ran. He came after me, and I was only able to get away thanks to a policeman who happened by then. He had to deal with the cop, and that gave me time, for otherwise he would surely have run me down, and who knows what would have happened after that.
Your uncle, my brother Algernon, was the only one who believed my story. He has always dabbled in such things, and helped me to learn what I know about all this through some contacts in what he simply called "The Order", and now I pass it on to you.
You are a dhampir; the offspring of a mortal woman and a vampire father. Most of the Order's research claimed that vampires cannot procreate biologically, but enchantments do exist, whether spells or potions of some sort, that allow the vampire to temporarily become human. It is rare, but occasionally a child can result from a rendezvous during that time. Nature, however, does not ignore the fact that he is still a vampire.
As such, you are able to use their abilities; Algernon says your father was probably of a group of vampires known as the Toreador, and typical of their abilities is quick movement, enhanced senses, and unnatural charisma such as what attracted me to him. Also, if I have not finished the job, you will know your father instinctively if you meet him, as you will know other of the undead if you develop that ability.
All of this is not without a price. These abilities are mostly powered by the blood consumed by the vampire, and it is also so with the dhampir. There are some documented cases where the dhampir was able to use sheer force of will to activate the abilities, but they are rare. I hope that you have not tasted anothers blood; you should have no reason to, but Algernon has showed me that coincidence is nothing to be taken lightly. If so, you will develop a hunger for blood, becoming more like your father in that regard.
You will also notice the dreams you are beginning to have, featuring probably a thin, red-haired man. This man is your father, and not only will your dreams bring you closer to him, you will find yourself drawn to find him. The Order doesn't know why, but apparently it is nature's way of revenge against the dead's rape of the living: in every case on record, the dhampir have risen up to destroy their fathers.
That is why I have left: to spare you that torment, for I am going to try to destroy him myself. If I live and have destroyed him, there will be no need for this letter; if you read it, you know that I have failed, and may be in great danger yourself. If you do go on a hunt of your own, listen to what Algernon tells you; apparently there are those that will help you, but your nature may make you a target yourself. Also, keep in mind that where one vampire is found, you can usually count on there being more.
Farewell, and always remember I loved you.
Eliza Donnely
To create a dhampir character, use the creation rules for Vampire: The Masquesrade, with the following modifications.
This has other effects, however. If a dhampir tastes blood, then the vampire part of its heritage will come to the surface. From that time on, whenever the opportunity to drink presents itself, such a dhampir must make a willpower check to avoid it.
Dhampir blood is considered the same as mortal blood for diablerie purposes; neither the dhampir can gain "generation" off of a vampire, nor can Kindred gain generation from a dhampir.
Ghouling a dhampir has little effect other than granting it longevity and causing the symptoms noted above. They can be blood bound, but not by their father nor any Kindred descended from them.
Botch | General bad feeling, no matter what the situation is. |
1 | Father or father's sire (on up to their fourth generation) is detected if they are around--this is known to the dhampir, even if other qualifications are met as listed below, and take place concurrently. Otherwise, a general bad feeling if Kindred are in the area. |
2 | A general bad feeling if Kindred are in the area. |
3 | As 2, but the closest Kindred to the dhampir is identified exactly. |
4 | All Kindred in the immediate area are identified exactly. |
5 | All Kindred, ghouls, revenants and other dhampir are identified exactly. |
It is left to the storyteller to decide on the "immediate area," although it should be a reasonable distance.
When a dhampir is in physical combat with a vampire, subtract the dhampir's generation number from the vampire's generation number. The resulting number is the number of dice added to all of the dhampir's strikes against the vampire. This amount can never be negative; as long as the vampire is no higher than fourth generation, 1 die is added. The first three generations are immune to this ability. If the vampire in question is the dhampir's father or father's sire, on up to the fourth generation, he is treated as though he were fourteenth generation.
For example, Jared, an eighth-generation dhampir is fighting Axel, a twelfth-generation Brujah. Jared adds 4 dice to all attack rolls against Axel.
Example two: Jared finds his father, an eighth-generation Toreador. In this fight, Jared adds 6 dice to all attack rolls.
Example three: Jared's father's grandsire comes into town to challenge the upstart dhampir. Jared gets 6 additional dice to his attack rolls in this fight as well.
Example four: The Toreador Antediluvian wakes up and comes looking for Jared. Jared gets no bonuses at all, and is probably in trouble.
This bonus is not added to the damage done, although damage done by weapons in a dhampir's hands (other than firearms--this is physical combat, after all) is considered aggravated. It is, however, added to the dhampir's soak roll. These bonuses only apply to combat with vampires.