This one is very much a work in progress, posting now way, way in advance of this becoming part of an article for the Piazza issue after next. The origin of Vrykolakas in myth sort of sits between werewolf and vampire, although how they originate is rather unlike either. So where I'm putting these critters is rather between the two, and its impossible to ignore the assorted horror-movie lore and fictional animosity between vampires and werewolves, which inevitably leads us to the near universality of hybrids of the two in a certain sort of fiction.
I need to go back through the lycanthrope types and decide whether I just want to chuck some out and leave a smaller number, and maybe adapt some of the other lycanthrope abilities.
Vrykolakas*
by Cab DavidsonFrom the Diary of Averyx
It is well understood that lycanthropes and vampires have an historic animosity. To many, even among the immortals, this seems quite strange. Both after all are creatures of the night, with lycanthropes craving the flesh of creatures and vampires preying upon their souls, one might imagine that a synergistic relationship may be possible. The truth is, however, very far from that. The two can never come to terms, they will never be allies. And the reason is surprising.
Old Lord Lycan was a wily soul, and I will admit that I have a grudging admiration for what he achieved. He was the wizard, tucked away in the wilds of Alphatia, who isolated the infectious agent that created vampires from their own blood. He didn't quiete know what he had, but he did work out that no matter how much filtering and separation he carried out there was something he could extract from vampires that would, if applied to another dying individual, create a new vampire. In our terms, he ruled out every other form of living thing that could cause illness and was left with an extract containing what we know to be the virus Orthohepadhavirus sanguinum. He couldn't manipulate it directly, but he could work various magics upon it to see what happened. I hope you'll understand if I don't tell you precisely what he did with this material, because I do think that some of the most dangerous forms of knowledge should be earned through hard work. But the result of his work was quite magnificent.
Lycan managed to break the metaphysical link that the vampirism virus had to limbo. The result was remarkable - free of this, what started out as a slow growing virus that required the victim actually be killed such that it could fully express symptoms became a far more voracious pathogen. In his experiments, Lycan managed to infect not only the creatures we recognise as lycanthropes now but dozens of other species. He had in effect created not only a new kind of creature, but he had an adaptable means of creating new forms on the fly. Lycan was undoubtedly a genius.
Sadly, (in a way thats reminiscent of what happened with both Thaneg and Gargantua) rivalries with other wizards vying to be the greatest of the era eventually did for poor old Thaneg. Which is a shame, it would have been fascinating to see what he might have achieved if he had ever joined the ranks of the immortals. Perhaps I should go to one of the outer planes of my knowledge and oversee that work recommencing...
Anyway, the reason for animosity between vampires and lycanthropes is all based on what Lycan created. The lycanthropy inflicting forms of the virus can infect vampires very easily, just as easily as they may infect any moral. And that virus is, short of the use of a wish, deadly to vampires. In fact there are no known examples of vampires recovering from this. The lycanthropes virus overwhelms the original form of the virus and the vampire cannot survive this. Whereas if a vampire bests a lycanthrope and kills it a creature of such unimaginable evil is created that it is shunned even by most followers of entropy. The vrykolakas, as such abominations are known, are rare and reviled by all.
Vrykolakas*
| Stat | Rat | Wolf | Boar |
| AC: | 3(2) | 1(2) | 0(2) |
| HD: | 6**** | 7**** | 7+1**** |
| Movement: | 120’(40’) | 180’(60’) | 150’(50’) |
| Attacks: | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Damage: | 2d4+ED | 2d8+ED | 2d10+ED |
| No. Appearing: | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Save As: | F12 | F14 | F16 |
| Morale: | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Treasure Type: | F | F | F |
| Intelligence: | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Alignment: | Chaotic | Chaotic | Chaotic |
| XP Value: | 975 | 2050 | 2450 |
| Stat | Tiger | Bear | Bat |
| AC: | -1(2) | -2(2) | 0(2) |
| HD: | 8**** | 9**** | 6+3**** |
| Movement: | 150’(50’) | 120’(40’) | 60’(20’) |
| Flying: | 180’(60’) | ||
| Attacks: | 2/1 | 2/1 | 1 |
| Damage: | 2d6/2d6/3d6+ED | 2d8/2d8/3d8+ED | 2d4+ED |
| No. Appearing: | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Save As: | F16 | F18 | F14 |
| Morale: | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Treasure Type: | F | F | F |
| Intelligence: | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Alignment: | Chaotic | Chaotic | Chaotic |
| XP Value: | 2850 | 3700 | 1550 |
| Stat | Fox | Shark | Seal |
| AC: | 2(2) | 0(2) | 1(2) |
| HD: | 6+2**** | 7**** | 8+2**** |
| Movement: | 180’(60’) | 60’(20’) | |
| Swimming: | 180’(60’) | 180’(60’) | |
| Attacks: | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Damage: | 2d6+ED | 4d6+ED | 4d6+ED |
| Number Appearing: | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Save As: | F15 | F14 | F17 |
| Morale: | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Treasure Type: | F | F | F |
| Intelligence: | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Alignment: | Chaotic | Chaotic | Chaotic |
| XP Value: | 1550 | 2050 | 3275 |
| Stat | Devil Swine |
| AC: | -1(2) |
| HD: | 12**** |
| Movement: | 180’(60’) |
| Attacks: | 1 |
| Damage: | 2d12+ED |
| No. Appearing: | 1 |
| Save As: | F24 |
| Morale: | 11 |
| Treasure Type: | F |
| Intelligence: | 11 |
| Alignment: | Chaotic |
| XP Value: | 4750 |
Vrykolakas are the rare and universally shunned lycanthropes infected with vampirism. Indeed they are so hated both by lycanthropes and vampires, and the possibility of their creation so reviled, that the mere chance of making one is sufficient to create near legendary enmity between lycanthropes and vampires.
They crave the flesh of intelligent prey above all things, relishing the internal organs, especially the livers, of such creatures. Creatures killed by vrykolakas do not return as undead, nor do those who are damaged by them contract lycanthropy, but their presence and touch is poison to all of those around them. Anyone consuming food or drink within 120’ of a vrykolakas, including a potion, must make a saving throw vs. poison or die in 2d6 turns.
To create a vrykolakas a vampire must slay a lycanthrope by energy drain. The victim will rise from the dead up to a month after slain, on the first night of the next full moon, as a free-willed undead with no allegiance to its slayer. It retains the knowledge and shape changing abilities of its were-form, and can also, at will, transform into a gaseous form. In animal form they are more potent than a typical lycanthrope, and in addition to causing more physical damage each blow also inflicts a single level of energy drain.
A vryolakas also retains all knowledge and abilities (except for divine abilities such as druidic or clerical spellcasting) in their human form. They become as resistant as vampires, having an armour class of 2, and can, again, strike a foe for a single level of energy drain with their fist or with a weapon.
In either animal or human form, a vrykolakas may use a charm gaze attack to affect a single target, once per round. They are immune to sleep, charm, hold¸ all mind affecting magic, magical cold, and they cannot be polymorphed. In either human or animal form they may only be struck my magical weapons, and they are turned by clerics as if vampires. Once damaged, a vrykolakas regenerates at a tremendous rate, at 5hp per round, and like a vampire when reduced to 0hp they revert to gaseous form and return to their lairs. They do not require coffins, but must have a haven that is shielded from sunlight (which causes them 3hp damage per round of exposure, damage that cannot be regenerated until the next full moon). Typically they retain several such havens, hidden either in caves, ruins or in the case of sharks and seals among reefs and shipwrecks. They are repulsed neither by garlic nor Wolfsbane, but cannot approach an openly presented holy symbol or enter any hallowed ground, nor can they enter an intelligent creatures home uninvited. A vrykolakas can be killed by driving a wooden stake through their heart or by decapitation.
They cannot summon animals of their own type as a lycanthrope or of other types as if vampires, being shunned by all other living creatures. They can however exploit their unnatural status by howling up to once every 6 rounds. All creatures hearing this howl within 120’ must make a saving throw vs. spells or flee in fear for 1d6 turns.
Vrykolakas can be turned as if vampires, but their lycanthropic nature protects them from being destroyed by a clerics turn ability. If a high level cleric would turn a vyrolakas, that result is commuted to a turn rather than destroy.