Liber Vampyr

Vampire Hunters in the World
What do I think of them? I think they’re fools. They
do not understand the blood, the gift, the fact that we are
its chosen people. They simply see a creature they do not
understand, and their primitive minds, in their terror and awe
of us, determine that the only way to deal with us is to destroy
us. Unfortunately for them, their fear is justified. Still, it is
especially amusing to drain them dry and then force them
to arise as spawn. The look of self-loathing after their first
feeding is one of those simple things in life that brings such
unprecedented joy.
~Illiana Solomon
Most people see vampire hunters as heroes, lone
warriors who take it upon themselves to do battle with
malevolent supernatural forces that the average peasant can
hardly understand, but which can still kill him. To a town
where bodies with puncture wounds in the neck have begun
turning up, there is no man so welcome as the vampire
hunter, who carries on his shoulders the hopes and fears of
all the people in the community which are depending on him
to keep them safe from the terrors of the night.
Organizations
Most vampire hunters work alone, or else with a
diverse adventuring company, and do not work exclusively
on cases involving vampires. After all, there are a number
of other things lurking in dark places besides vampires.
Typically, then, vampire hunter organizations are few and far
between, and those that do exist are more like courtesies or
fraternal orders than actual functional organizations.
A vampire hunter brotherhood might have a handful
of meeting halls where vampire hunters can find cheap
lodging, find others of their profession, and perhaps peruse
a small library of vampire-related lore. Here, too, a vampire
hunter might be able to track rumors about local vampire
infestations, or find a like-minded companion to help him
with a particularly troublesome vampire.
Vampire Hunter Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (local) or
Knowledge (religion) can research vampire hunters to learn
more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read
or paraphrase the following, including the information from
lower DCs.
DC 10: Vampire hunters are specialist warriors who excel in
killing vampires.
DC 15: Vampire hunters are well-versed in vampire habits,
and are adept at seeing through their disguises. They also
know how best to exploit a vampire’s weaknesses.
DC 20: Powerful vampire hunters are capable of holding
undead of any sort at bay, and can even send them running
away with a display of power.
DC 30: Characters who achieve this level of success can learn
important details about a specific notable vampire hunter,
the areas where he operates, and the kinds of activities he
undertakes.
Vampire Hunters in the Game
A vampire hunter can make a great ally for the PCs,
helping them in their battle against a vampire. Alternatively,
a vampire hunter might hire the player characters to aid him
in a battle against a powerful vampire he is uncertain he can
defeat on his own. A vampire hunter can also be an excellent
source of information on vampires for player characters less
familiar with vampire myths. He could also be used to explain
to players the presence of alternate vampires presented in this
book, giving them at least a basic understanding of creatures
like revenants and nosferatu. Finally, a vampire hunter would
make an excellent rival for a group of adventurers, either
trying to slay the vampire first and so claim the reward for its
death, or else trying to slay a vampire that the PCs need to
capture alive, most likely because it has information the party
needs.
NPC Reactions
Most folks view vampire hunters as heroes and
celebrities, and romanticize them as wandering swordsmen,
traveling alone from town to town slaying vampires and
protecting the land from their foul clutches. While this is
often not entirely un-true, many people can be a bit blind to a
vampire hunter’s faults, especially before the vampire is dealt
with and the hunter comes to collect his fee. Some believe
that vampire hunters are simply charlatans, putting on a
show to scare people into believing that a vampire is preying
on the town and then miraculously showing up to deal with
the nonexistent beast and claim his exorbitant fee. This
viewpoint isn’t entirely unfair, as some charlatans do pose as
vampire hunters and do precisely that, but it is a mistake to
assume that all vampire hunters are fakes.
Image © Can Stock Photo Inc. / AlienCat
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