Dhampir: Children of the Undead

What is a Dhampir?

A dhampir is the child of a 15th generation vampire and a mortal. The word "dhampir" originates from gypsy folklore.

Gypsies believed there were types of vampires called Mules. The Mule, although dead men, aren't the corpses of their prior bodies. Instead they wander around in new bodies that are exact duplicates. The Mule, although they don't drink blood, would occasionally reappear to their tribe and ask for their wives.

The resulting offspring were given reserved names. The Gypsies of Novopazarski Zandzak and Stari Ras called these children Vampijerovic and would name them Lampijerovic. The Orthodox Gypsies of Kosovo-Metohija called them Vampiric (little vampire) and would name the boys Vampir and the girls Vampirera.

The Moslem Gypsies believed that a woman should not resist the sexual assault of a vampire. She may scream but everyone else had to sit still and allow it to continue. The children of such attacks were called a Dhampir and believed to have the power to see vampires and destroy them. Others could see vampires by having the Dhampir hand his shirt to them and looking through the sleeve while the Dhampir is hunting the vampire.

While a Dhampir is not technically a ghoul, much of the creation and rules follows the ghoul system for making revenants. The most important differences between dhampirs and revenants are cultural. Revenants grow up in a freakish, monstrous subculture of vampires and ghouls. Only quite unusual circumstances could lead to a revenant growing up among normal, contemporary humans. A dhampir probably spent most of her time among normal humans. She might not even know about her supernatural heritage. Learning about the secret World of Darkness may come as a bit of a shock.

All dhampirs are young, without exception. The thin-blooded themselves have appeared only within the last 20 years. (So no dhampir should begin the game with an age of over 20)

Character Creation

[ 6/4/3 -11/7/4 - 18f ]

Blood Pool

Dhampirs make their own weak vitae. They have 10 blood points of vitae, which they regenerate at a rate of 1 blood point per day. (A dhampir can also drink vampiric vitae to regain expended blood points more quickly, or to replace some of its own blood points with more potent vitae. A dhampir who has at least one blood point of true vampiric vitae in his veins is also technically a ghoul. A dhampir does not gain any extra powers from being a ghoul, except for the potential to learn higher-level Discipline powers.)

Dhampirs cannot make blood bonds, create ghouls or sire vampires with this vitae.

Dhampir Frenzy

Dhampirs are born with a Beast, much like vampires are, but much of the stimulus that would provoke it are different for a living being. Possible provocations and difficulties are as follows:

Provocation	Difficulty
Verbally harassed or threatened, taunted	3
Drunkeness or use of narcotics	3
Beaten, struck, or knocked down	4
Loved one endangered	4
Private Humiliation	4
Public Humiliation	5
Total Public Humiliation	6
Gunshot, knifewound, lethal damage	6
Crushing rejection of a loved one	6

Dhampir-Ghouls

Dhampirs can be ghouled just like other mortals. They may gain some benefits, like the ability to raise a discipline over level one. Also vampiric vitae can be used to supplement the dhampir's own storage. Domitors may not even be aware of their ghoul's supernatural origins, there is nothing in the blood or in the aura to suggest that a dhampir is anything but a mortal.

Dhampir Merits and Flaws (from "Time of Thin Blood")

Perceive Vampires (2/5 pt. Supernatural Merit)

A dhampir with this Merit can always recognize a vampire for what it is. This Merit comes at two power levels.

For two points, the dhampir can automatically recognize a vampire desptie makeup, Merits such as Blush-of-Health or Thaumaturgical rituals that let a vampire mimic certain aspects of live. Obfuscate works only partialy. The dhampir cannot see an "invisible" vampire, but knows that one lurks nearby. A dhampire sees the false image created by Mask of a Thousand Faces, but still knows that the person is really a vampire.

For five points, the dhampir automatically sees through any attmpt at disguise. Even the mightiest Obfuscate power from a Methuselah doesn't work: the vampire remains visible to the dhampir, its undead neature clearly recongized.

The legends also say that a dhampir can briefly let other people see "invisible" vampires too, by looking though the dhampir's shirt-sleeve or by some other simple charm. Balkan dhampirs warn, however, that mere mortals may suffer a nervous breakdown, three years of malaria or some other calamity from the shock of seeing the undead plainly. If the dhampirs can share their gift (Storyteller's option whether to allow this), raise the Merit's cost by two freebie points.

(The curse aspect of the legends is obviously false. After all, mortals see Masquerading vampires all the time. Admittedly, seeing a Nosferatu when you weren't mentally prepared for it could put you off your feed for days)

Fragile Bones (5 pt. physical flaw)

Some legends say that dhampirs have thin and brittle bones. Because of this, they do not live very long. Presumably, these dhampirs do not take up vampire hunting. For a dhampir with this flaw, bashing damage is treated as lethal damage.

Readings: Letter to Darren