Vampire Thrall

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Vampire Thrall (Heavy Role; CR 9)

Vampires are one of the great nations of Undeath. Vampires are Emptied Undead, meaning they have been cored out of life. Unlike most of the Emptied, they do not noticeably decay, although during battle their disgusting nature is amply evident in the mess they leave behind. Vampires are the greatest representatives of the Corrupting Undead, those undead who seek the preservation and continuation of life, so that they may corrupt it into ever more Undeath. As a result, the motivations of Vampires are more complex than the Destroying Undead or the Eaters.

Vampires like people. They like the trappings of civilization, they like the happy whirl of social life, they enjoy the company of others, both undead and living alike. Vampires want to make more Vampires, it is an erotic part of their existence that they would be greatly diminished by losing.

Vampires get along well with most other Undead, even though relations often involve the Vampires using their domination abilities or simply persuading the other Undead to be patient. It is not unusual for Vampires to be encountered with powerful Skeletons, Wights, Death Knights, Liches, and other mighty Undead, even including the Lost Ones, who make terrifying allies indeed.

On top of this, Vampires are unique among Undeath in that they create living allies, their Vampiric Thralls. The existence of Vampiric Thralls makes finding a Vampire nest immeasurably more difficult, because Vampire Thralls are alive. Thralls are mortals who admire and envy the Vampires for their abilities, and whom the Vampires have fed their blood to. Vampire Blood can create new Vampires, or, in lesser doses, a living human becomes addicted to it, as if it were strong drink, or some horrifyingly strong opiate.

Vampire thralls are the first rank of Vampire culture, the eternally obedient and awfully empowered servants whom the Vampires use to interact with the daytime world. Their regular small doses of vampire blood keep thralls in a constant state of ecstatic empowerment, nearly immune to pain and injury, utterly and fanatically loyal to their dark masters, and nearly impossible to put down cleanly.

Most thralls are willing, but not all. it is not unheard of for Vampires to punish their living foes by attacking their loved ones, and in especially cruel cases, turning them into thralls.

Such a fate is to be avoided. Vampires must be rooted out everywhere they are discovered, without pause or hesitation.

GENERAL

CR 9 Hit Dice 14

XP 12,800 (Heavy Role included)

NE Medium Humanoid

Init +4; Senses Keen Scent, Perception +16

DEFENSE

AC 28, touch 18, flat-footed 22 (+5 armor, +6 dex, +5 natural, +2 deflection)

hp 320 (Heavy Role included)

Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +10

Aura: -

SR: - 19

Special Defenses: DR 10/Good

Immunities: -

Weaknesses: -

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft., Types_of_Movement#Greater_Climb Greater_Climb 30 ft

Space / Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.

Single Melee Wrenching Grasp +16 (2d8+18/x2) + Staggering Blow (See below)

Full Melee 2 x Wrenching Grasp +16 (2d8+18/x2) + Staggering Blow (See below); 2x claws +16 (2d6+1/x2)

Ranged None, but see Droning Voice and Horrible Pounce

Special Attacks Droning Voice, Staggering Blow, Stuporous Gaze, Horrible Pounce

Action Points 1 (Heavy Role included)

STATISTICS

Str 43, Dex 16, Con 23, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 15

Base Atk +9; CMB +15; CMD 25

Feats <pick one or two thematically relevant feats; avoid complicated ones.>

Skills Diplomacy +14, Knowledge (Local) +14, Bluff +14, Intimidate +14

Languages Common, Stilth, up to two other languages based upon campaign location

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Staggering Blow (Su)

Once per round, as a swift action, a Vampiric Thrall may lash out with a savage backhanded blow on a target within reach. This is treated as a melee touch attack with a +11 to-hit. If the Thrall hits, the victim takes 2d6+1 points of bludgeoning damage and is Pushed up to three squares, where they fall [Prone].

Horrible Pounce (Su)

Thralls are supernaturally strong and quick, and can move in flickering bursts of speed that have to be seen to be believed. Once per round, as a standard action, the Thrall may Slide up to three squares and at the end of the Slide make two Wrenching Grasp attacks upon an unfortunate victim within their reach. As forced movement, this does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Droning Voice (Su, Stance)

A Vampire Thrall may begin speaking about the glories of Vampires, waxing rhapsodic over their dead lords and the wonders they bestow. At least, that's how the Thrall imagines it. In reality, they begin speaking in a dreadful monotone, their madness flowing out with their voices to affect all non-vampires (thralls included) within thirty feet of their square. Droning Voice is a stance, and requires a swift action to initiate and a swift action each round to maintain, and may be broken by knocking the Thrall Prone or causing it to lose any action, just like any stance. Droning Voice may be used out of combat, in which case it can be maintained for up to a minute at a time, as all stances. Droning Voice is a sonic-based effect.

Non-vampires within the area of effect of Droning Voice must make a Will save against a DC 19. If they fail this save, they are fascinated as the bard ability. Even worse, Vampires and Thralls within the area of effect of Droning Voice are heartened by the declarations of the maddened thrall, and gain +1 to to-hit, damage, and saves, and may re-roll any save they fail while in the area of effect. The results of the re-roll must be taken, even if they are worse than the first result.

Stuporous Gaze (Su)

Once per encounter, as a swift action, a Vampire Thrall may direct their dull-eyed gaze worshipfully upon any vampire in their line of sight. That vampire is heartened by the faithful presence of its brain-fried vassal, removes any conditions it may be suffering from, and may take an immediate standard action usable as an interrupt.

TREASURE

sell value of approximately 4,000 gp

COMBAT TACTICS

<describe typical actions taken during combat here>