Characters: Red Court Infected
While Red Court vampires are automatically too monstrous and alien to work out as PCs, that’s not the case with those infected, but not yet turned…
Red Court Infected
Red Court vampires — nasty bat-things that live inside an apparently human (and typically gorgeous) flesh-mask, drool addictive narcotic venom, and feed on blood — are able to infect humans, putting them on a potentially inevitable path towards becoming a full-on vampire. These infected individuals possess some of the same capabilities as the monsters that bit them-at least at a junior-level capacity.
HARRY: When the victim is someone you love, it rips your heart right out. I should know.
But these empowered victims haven’t turned-they haven’t given up their humanity-yet. Not until they kill, though that often comes fast, as nigh-uncontrollable hunger for blood grips them. Still, it’s only nigh-uncontrollable — with the right amount of discipline, with careful choices about what sorts of situations they get into, these victims can hold out, at least for a time.
If they’re particularly lucky they may find their way to the Order of St. Giles — a secret organization bent on destroying the Red Court, particularly in South America. The Order has devised an extra means of controlling Red Court urges through the use of a magical tattoo process, normally invisible but flaring red when the hunger begins to take hold. It’s not a guarantee of control, but it can help.
It’s worth noting that characters of this type without the Tattoos of St. Giles will find themselves without their powers — and on the cusp of turning once and for all — in very short order. On the other hand, the Order can be very demanding of its members, and it doesn’t give the Tattoos away lightly.
Musts: A red court infected victim must have a high concept aspect that addresses the character’s infected status (e.g., ONCE BITTEN, TWICE RED or INFECTED INSURGENT). This aspect may be compelled to inflict watered-down versions of the Red Court’s weaknesses on the character-she will experience aversion to holy objects and sunlight, and when exercising her powers may even be damaged by them.
Further, the infected character must take the following abilities:
- Addictive Saliva
- Blood Drinker
- Feeding Dependency (which will affect all abilities listed below)
- At least one of: Inhuman Strength, Inhuman Toughness, Inhuman Speed
If at any point the character kills another human and drinks its blood, she must immediately “upgrade” the character to a full Red Court Vampire. This invariably results in turning the character into an NPC, and an evil one at that.
Options: Optional abilities beyond those noted above include:
- Tattoos of St. Giles
- Cloak of Shadows
Tune in in two weeks to learn the ways of the sorcerer.
I don’t get it, why would characters of this type be WITHOUT their powers if they don’t have the tatoos? The character type is AWESOME, though.
@Giles Hash — They’ll end up without their powers because their powers will all get shorted out by a lack of feeding on someone hard enough to kill them.
Hm, just a thought but if a lycanthrope got infected, would the animal spirit strengthen them and make it easier to resist the urge to feed, or would it make it harder? And what would happen if they did turn full vampire?
@Jack It would likely lead to npc status and if not would probably end up being weaker, because it would likely have weaknesses from both traits like weakness to certain objects, and then having to wait around for a full moon to unleash all of its power. you could argue here or there but me thinks it wouldn’t work out in the end.
This class is another perfect in between… i can see a ton of uses for it thou the threat of turning npc do to a craving could end up destroying a team effort right in the midst of an epic battle…
@Anthony has it right about the lycanthrope/infected hybrid (and there might be an argument happening in their skull between the red court monster within and the rage spirit that wants to take the wheel and drive) … but it’s a KILLER NPC villain idea.
Hm, that makes sense. Oh well, I was looking forward to role-playing that internal struggle ^_^ Maybe a White-court with a deadly disease that means almost constant reliance on the Hunger to stay alive… Oh man, I can’t WAIT for this game to come out!!!
If you want to see why having a full blown vampire and werewolf (and for sheer joy chuck in a bit of a mage too) take a look into Samuel Haight, a NPC from White Wolf first ed. and ask, do you really one one in your game
@Chris
Well, a Lycanthrope isn’t actually a werewolf, but I see where your going. I was more interested in the psychological aspects of the character though. My group focuses more on the role-playing than the “numbers” of the game (Our GM is known to let us off easy in encounters with tressiorackans), so Fate works really well.
Not a 100% how the system works but you could make the infected suffer from Lunacy (full moon makes them you more aggressive risk taking and reverse is true at the new moon) give them checks to resist aggressive / show boaty things at full moon, give them penalties to do such things round the new moon?
Part of this preview concerns me.
Why are Red Court vampires unfit for use as PCs?
I think it has something to do with them being innately malevolent bat-things that think of nothing but eating the living.
That’s a theory.
Nah it would be great to play a red court vamp.. just drool on the other PCs a bit and then you are in charge!
I don’t really see any of the courts being that playable in a mixed game…. Which makes me wonder if we are gonna get any Jade Court info.
*Goes into the corner to shudder at the memories of Samuel Haight*
And that would be why they’re unfit for PCs.
Like all I’ve seen of this RPG, it looks good so far.
The way I see it, the only Vampire Court you could play would be the White Court, as shown by Thomas they can (although are unlikely) to work with others.
The Black Court, from what I’ve seen in the books, are generally evil.
The Red Court, and generally evil, and who’d want to be a bat-thing?
The Jade Court, we (unless anyone is an expert) know little about, having heard about them in all of a few lines in the book.
Anyway, just my thourghts on that discussion.
Personally i’m planning on playing a Magic User anyway.
And White Court vampires are innately malevolent sexual predators who think of nothing but eating the life force of the living.
Cue Thomas.
I fail to see the roadblock here.
Just something to think about.
@Sam, take it up with Jim Butcher, then. He’s made it clear that Red Courters that have gone past the simply “infected” stage are beyond help.
@Sam
not to mension that the red court vamp that turns you has some innate ability to control them… like when harry’s ex girlfriend was compelled to go up the stairs to meet with that redcourt dutchess, just let it go bro…
I don’t think this is prohibition against playing red court. It would just be a special case. No one is beyond hope.
I think most would say “your character has become an irredeemable monster from the Nevernever that eats people – time for a new character”.
But if a GM says it is possible (but not necessarily easy) to overcome that hurdle in *their* game, then good luck to all involved. Just don’t expect many people to agree with that point of view.
what’s the cloak of shadows?
I dont see the problem at all of playing an unredeemable monster – if thats the story the group want to play about the monsters. It should be an option in a toolbox game like this.
@Kjetil Kverndokken, if a GM is okay with people playing characters with more powers than a starting character can afford to buy, it’s possible. Okay? Let’s put this line of thinking to rest, with that.
@AperfectAlchemy, Cloak of Shadows lets a character melt into the shadows with greater effectiveness.