Factions

A character's "Faction" is his or her blood status or species.

Standard Factions

A player may freely choose any one of these standard Factions for a character.

Pure-blood

To be able to claim oneself as a pure-blood, one must be able to claim three generations of infusing only pure-blood into the line, introducing no new Muggle blood (including Muggle-born and Squibs). Therefore a witch or wizard born to two pure-blood parents is considered pure-blood. It is possible for a pure-blood and a half-blood to give birth to a pure-blood, but only if the half-blood parent can claim no new Muggle blood for those three generations. Therefore, any wizard with a Muggle, Muggle-born, or Squib parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent is not a pure-blood.

Pure-blood families raise their children almost exclusively in the wizarding world, and tend to have a very limited or skewed view of Muggles and Muggle culture. Many wizarding families pride themselves on their pure-blood status, some going so far as to shun those with Muggle blood in their veins, and label other pure-bloods that associate with Muggles and the Muggle-born as "blood traitors."

Pure-blood characters must be from one of the existing pure-blood families.

RP Notes: It is a common misconception that being pure-blood means being prejudiced against Muggle-born and Muggles. While these prejudices are found primarily among the pure-blood families, it is by no means the dominant outlook. There are many pure-bloods that value equality as much as anyone else.

Half-blood

A half-blood is any witch or wizard with a Muggle parent, grandparent or great-grandparent. See Pure-blood, above, for the details on what constitutes a half-blood versus a pure-blood.

Half-blood wizards' upbringing can vary considerably. Those with an actual Muggle parent will often get a good dose of both worlds, while those born to half-blood wizards usually spend more time in the wizarding world than among Muggles.

All half-breeds (e.g. part-giants, part-Veela) are technically half-bloods.

RP Notes: Half-bloods make up the vast majority of the wizard population. Most grow up in the wizarding world as much as any pure-blood does, and remain relatively ignorant of the Muggle world. Usually only those with an actual Muggle parent have more than a passing familiarity with Muggle ways.

Muggle-born

A witch or wizard born to two Muggle or Squib parents is considered Muggle-born. Muggle-born wizards are looked down upon by certain pure-bloods, being seen as impure and detrimental to the propagation of magical blood. "Mudblood" is an extremely derogatory term used for Muggle-born wizards.

Those who are Muggle-born have the best understanding of Muggle life. While those new to Hogwarts may find the wizarding world confusing, it is easier for children to adapt to the wonders of magic than it would be for an adult. By the time a Muggle-born graduates, they are typically very well integrated into wizard life.

RP Notes: The Muggle-born tend to be the most awestruck by magic, as it was not commonplace for them while growing up. Conversely, they don't find Muggle things terribly fascinating or confounding the way most wizards do.

Squib

A Squib is a non-magical person born to at least one wizard parent. They are essentially "wizard-born Muggles," and while they have no magical ability themselves, they can perceive magical things that are hidden to Muggles. Also, they do pass on the "magical gene" to their descendants, which is where Muggle-born wizards come from. Note that a non-magical child of a Squib is a Muggle, not a Squib (despite carrying the gene).

Squibs exist between worlds; not truly wizards, but able to perceive things that Muggles cannot. In many ways, they are the link between wizardkind and Mugglekind. In many cases, Squibs perform vital rolls in bridging the gap, performing services such as quietly keeping tabs on Muggle-born children, or taking jobs in Muggle institutions (such as hospitals or police departments) to report to the Ministry when something of magical significance comes into Muggle hands.

RP Notes: Squibs tend to live in the cracks of wizarding society, ignored by many, and outright disdained by some. They are under-appreciated, considering the vital roll they fill in serving as a bridge between worlds and maintaining Secrecy.

Muggle

A non-magical person with no wizard parent is a Muggle. These are ordinary humans with no supernatural abilities, and usually no awareness of the wizarding world (though player characters are often the exception to this). They live their daily lives, interacting with machines and technology that baffle the average wizard (and which some wizards tend to think they invented to make up for their lack of magic).

RP Notes: Playing a Muggle in a game about wizards can be challenging, but fun. Will you make friends with wizards? Will you learn about the magical world? If you do, will you be allowed to retain that knowledge? Secrecy is highly important to the Ministry, and breaches of it are quashed quickly.

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It is even more difficult for a family line with non-human blood to be considered "pure" again.

Restricted Factions

These Factions are available only with staff approval and the expenditure of Cookies.

Actors for Non-Humans

House-elves do not require an Actor. Neither do goblins, though staff is willing to work with a player on some photo manipulation to create a convincing goblin.

The others do still require Actors, but be advised that staff will be particular about the Actors used to represent certain species.

Age limits on images will be lax for part-giant characters of student age, as young part-giants often look older than they actually are.

A galloping male centaur

Centaur

For a more in-depth look at centaurs and their culture, go to centaurs.

Half-horse, half-man, very proud of their way of life, and isolationists to boot — or hoof. Intelligent and civilized enough to qualify as Beings, centaurs have requested that the Ministry of Magic classify them as Beasts to avoid being associated with such creatures as hags and vampires.

RP Notes: Centaurs have some similarities to humans, but they are not simply humans with horse legs. They are fierce and passionate — quick to anger and slow to forgive, but the bonds of loyalty they forge are nearly unbreakable. They value action over promises, and have long memories for both a person's great deeds and their sins. Centaurs are slow to trust those outside of their herd and clan, and generally view humans with suspicion. Centaurs are strongly in tune with nature, and much prefer the open wild to the confined spaces created by humans. Note that centaurs will be restricted from the London section of the grid. There may eventually be some special circumstances that will allow for them to visit the Diagon Alley area, but that would be rare (not that any centaur would even want to be in such an urban environment).

System: Centaur characters' Organization is "Starchasers". Position is the role they play in the herd: Hunter, Warrior, Gatherer, Scout, Healer, Mystic, etc. Rank is a given number of Stars earned for great deeds. Most characters will have 0-10. Veterans will have 10-20. Heroes, 20-40. More than that isn't often seen beyond the greatest of heroes, Chiefs, and Mystics. Centaurs do not require money, so they should not take a Wealth Quirk (meaning they should have a maximum of four Quirks).

The only Wizarding Skills that Centaurs may take are Creature Lore, Divination, Herbology, and Potions. Note that they do not brew potions the way wizards do. Rather, the potions rules are used to represent their herbal medicines. Centaurs can only make potions with the Healing keyword. Centaurs may also take Medicine up to rank 6 (which would represent a skilled centaur shaman; the average centaur should no more than 3 ranks). This is similar to Muggle medicine, but with an holistic focus.

  • Powerful Body: Centaurs are faster and stronger than humans. They receive a +2 bonus to all rolls involving feats of strength and physical stamina, as well as any roll involving running. As a rule, a centaur will always outrun a human in a straight race. Only a human who has trained specifically for running speed has a hope of matching centaur speed.
  • Eyes of Fate: Centaurs have a natural talent for divination, and gain a +2 to all Divination rolls.
  • Healing Hands: Centaurs are skilled healers, and gain a +2 to all Medicine rolls and Potions rolls to make Healing potions.
Ghost.jpg

Ghost

Ghosts are the disembodied spirits of dead wizards. Not all wizards become ghosts upon death — in fact, very few do. Usually, it only occurs with those that fear death, or that have an extraordinarily strong emotional connection to the places they haunt. Becoming a ghost is a matter of choice, but it is the rare ghost that doesn't regret the decision.

RP Notes: How a ghost behaves depends on both their life and their death. Their personalities do not drastically change from how they were in life, though how they died can have an impact on their behaviour. Some ghosts can become morose or bitter over their deaths, and take it out on the living. The worst hauntings are typically angry ghosts that have never come to terms with an unjust death.

Names: Many ghosts are simply known by names they had in life. Though it is not uncommon for a ghost to be given some descriptive epithet. For example, Sir Nicholas became known as "Nearly-Headless Nick" due to the botched nature of his beheading.

Appearance: A ghost appears as it did in the last moment of its life. Sometimes this is a gruesome thing, in the case of a wizard that suffered a fatal wound. Ghosts are translucent, appearing as a silvery-grey version of their former living selves. They usually hover in mid-air rather than actually standing on a given surface.

Magic: Ghosts cannot perform magic, but their nature can make it seem as if they possess certain "powers". Ghosts are not bound by gravity, and can fly in any direction. They pass effortlessly through solid objects, though this also means they cannot physically affect the world around them. They do cause some disturbance in air and water when they pass through them (and they can even be moved by air if they don't resist), and cause the temperature to drop. Also, flames will turn blue in their presence. Ghosts are immune to any spell or magical ability that does not specifically state that it can affect ghosts or incorporeal creatures. Ghosts are dead, and there cannot die again, persisting for eternity.

Haunts

Ghosts can be tricky as characters, for one major reason: haunts. Ghosts are bound to a specific site, and it takes a powerful emotional reason for them to leave their haunts. Such emotional compulsions can also lead to the ghost behaving quite irrationally, which is why the Ministry will generally exorcise ghosts that have strayed, returning them to suitable haunting grounds. Don't consider a ghost character unless you are prepared to be trapped in a given location. Hogwarts is an excellent place for a haunting, as it provides many areas to visit, and a lot of potential interaction with students during the school year.

System: Ghosts automatically fail any roll that requires them physically interact with corporeal creatures or objects. Any roll made by a non-ghost to physically or magically affect a ghost automatically fails, unless it is for an ability that is specified to be able to affect ghosts or incorporeal creatures.

Ghosts should have whatever skills they might have had in life. But the sad truth is that they won't be able to use most of them. Those skills can, however, be used for knowledge about the subject at hand. For example, a ghost cannot cast spells, but can still roll Glamers to recall details about a particular charm.

Ghosts are bound to their haunts. Haunts must be a specific structure (e.g. Hogwarts castle) or site (e.g. a graveyard), and it takes a powerful emotional reason to leave their haunts. This can only be done once per month at the most, and requires the expenditure of a Luck Point (and a strong rationale).

Goblin

For a more in-depth look at goblins and their culture, go to goblins.

Goblins are uncommonly clever, especially when dealing with money and finances. They are also master metal-smiths and produce some of the most prized metalwork in the wizarding world. The goblins value system differs greatly from that of humans, most notably in that they consider the creator of an object to be its owner — anyone paying for such an object is merely renting it until the time of their demise — and they hold grudges surrounding ownership and debt for a very long time. Along with humans and house-elves, goblins are one of the various types of Being recognized by the Ministry of Magic.

A male goblin

RP Notes: By human standards, goblins are selfish, greedy creatures. By goblin standards, to be otherwise is foolish and an invitation to ruin. They amass money and goods because such things aid in survival and can advance one's position. This has led to a culture in which the magnitude of wealth and valuables is a measure of one's status and authority. Goblins are far more likely to aid fellow goblins than any other species.

Names: Goblin names tend to have a "rough" sound to them. Many, such as "Eargit" or "Griphook" even sound like they are comprised of English words (but anyone fluent in Gobbledegook could verify that this is mere coincidence). One thing that is true of all goblin names is the use of the letter "g". This sound figures so prominently in Gobbledegook that a name without it would be considered by goblins to be "soft" and ungoblin. Known goblin names include: Ragnuk, Gringott, Urg, Alguff, Brodrig, Ragnok, Bogrod, Gornuk, Nagnok (please do not use these names, as they are canon characters).

Appearance: Goblins tend to be rather ugly by human standards. They are rarely more than four feet tall. Their skin can range from white to pink to yellowish, but they are uniformly pale. Goblins have long, pointy ears that stand straight up or straight back, extending well past their cranium. Their eyes are small and black with no discernible iris, and their hair is typically white regardless of age. Their noses, as with their ears, are typically long and pointy, and their heads appear knobby and bumpy. Goblin hands and feet are disproportionately long for their body, with their fingers being unusually slim and dexterous.

Magic: Goblin smiths possess some secrets of binding magic into their metalwork, though this is a long and carefully guarded process. They can, conceivably, learn to perform magic like a wizard, but wizarding law prohibits goblins from possessing wands.

System:

  • Clever: Goblins are incredibly intelligent and wily. Goblins gains +2 to any roll involving reasoning, calculation, memory, or quick-thinking.
  • Heartless: Goblins are immune to any attempt by non-goblins to sway them to compassion.
  • Greedy: Goblins are inherently greedy and selfish creatures, and will never consider the welfare of a non-goblin over themselves. As such, they suffer a -3 penalty to resist attempts to bribe them, as long as the bribe is something of significant value (e.g. a very sizable sum of money, a goblin-forged treasure, etc.).

House-elf

House-elves are typically bound to serve wizarding families, and are loyal to the point of sacrificing their own lives for their masters. Being extremely powerful magic users, house-elves do not require a wand to cast magic, but will only do so while performing their duties as outlined by their masters. The catch, likely due to a long-forgotten contract of ancient magic, is that house-elves are essentially slaves. They are bound to serve a given wizard family, and are compelled to obey any order given to them by members of that family. Failure to obey is psychologically agonizing, and they will generally inflict self-injury to punish themselves for their transgression.

Dobby the house-elf

Unhappy elves are very clever in their interpretation of the orders they are given and must be given very explicit instructions if a witch or wizard wants to get the expected results. A house-elf can be freed from bondage only if the elf's master gives him or her an article of clothing (it must be handed or thrown directly to the elf, even if done without the intent of freeing him or her). House-elves are classified as Beings by the Ministry of Magic.

RP Notes: It is a very rare house-elf that doesn't wish to be bound to a house in servitude. House-elves gain fulfillment from being useful and pleasing their masters. There is nothing they enjoy so well as a good hard day's work. In fact, an elf that is well-treated would consider an offer of clothing (and therefore freedom) an insult, as if suggesting that they have performed poorly. Even ill-treated elves tend to find the notion of freedom terrifying, as an abusive home is considered preferable to being disconnected. Most free elves live a miserable existence, bound to nothing, depressed over their uselessness.

Names: House-elf names typically have a "diminutive" sound to them, often ending in a "-y" sound. Known house-elf names include: Dobby, Winky, Kreacher, Hokey, Hooky (please do not use these names, as they are canon characters).

Appearance: Like goblins, house-elves tend to be ugly by human standards. House-elves rarely top 3 feet and have thin, gangly bodies. Their arms and legs are stick-like and slightly long in proportion with their bodies. Their eyes are very big, wide and expressive; varying in color as much as those of humans. Noses tend to be long and pointy with a great variation the angle from elf to elf. Their ears are large and bat-like, and typically flop downwards at the point but have the capacity for limited movement, reflecting their emotions.

Magic: House-elves possess a variety of magical powers, comparable to (if not more powerful than) wizards.

System: House-elves can perform their magic freely without the need for a wand or incantation (suffering no penalty for casting non-verbally or wandlessly). They do require a hand gesture of some kind, meaning that a house-elf with its hands bound cannot perform magic. The only Wizarding Skill house-elves need is Charms (in fact, they are required to take it). This skill allows them to use the spells mentioned below only (even spells that normally use other Wizarding Skills). House-elves cannot learn any other spells.

Aside from Charms, the only other Wizarding Skills a house-elf may take are Creature Lore and Herbology, as these are entirely knowledge-based and do not involve actual use of magic.

All house-elves that are still servants must have Wealth: Destitute. A free house-elf might have a higher Wealth, though it's unlikely they'll ever achieve higher than Poor.

  • Binding Magic: A house-elf can produce a form of binding magic similar to an Incarceration Jinx, but without physical ropes.
  • Countermagic: House-elves are able to interfere with ongoing magical effects in the manner of a Lesser General Counter-Spell.
  • Domestic Magic: House-elves can perform all domestic spells (those taught in the Domestics Club at Hogwarts).
  • Levitation: House-elves can levitate objects through the air like a Levitation Charm.
  • Loyalty: House-elves using magic directly in service to their masters (i.e. obeying a direct order or protecting a master) gain a +3 bonus to their rolls.
  • Knockback: House-elves produce a powerful Knockback Jinx.
  • Teleportation: House-elves can pop from place to place in a manner very similar to a wizard's Apparition (thought it is not Apparition), and they can even bring others with them, like Side-Along Apparition. House-elves are unconstrained by anti-Apparition magic, and never risk splinching. This requires no roll, but destinations are limited to places the house-elf has been before, or that are within the elf's direct line of sight.

House-elves also suffer some serious drawbacks:

  • Negation: Any lasting magical effects created by a house-elf can be negated if the elf is rendered unconscious.
  • Servitude: Any roll, magical or otherwise, made in defiance or to the detriment of a house-elf's master suffers a -5 penalty. Whether successful or not, the elf will feel compelled to punish itself, usually by way of self-inflicted pain.
A male half-giant

Part-giant

Lore Threshold: Wizard Lore 3

Part-giants (generally called "half-giants," whether or not their heritage is literally half giant) are considered to be very tall by humans and quite short by giants. Being the offspring of a human wizard or witch and a giant, part-giants carry magical blood and are able to perform magic. Because of their size they tend to be slightly stronger and more resilient than full humans. Part-giants are treated like any other witch or wizard by the Ministry of Magic but they can face discrimination within the wizarding community at large, especially from members of certain pure-blood families.

RP Notes: Part-giants behave much as full-blooded humans do. They tend to be fairly simple beings. Some chafe against the disdain leveled against them for being half-breeds.

Names: Part-giant names are the same sort of names one would expect to find among normal human wizards.

Appearance: Part-giants are usually somewhere between 8 and 10 feet tall. Their build tends towards the stocky and wide, with females being slightly smaller than males, but still proportionally wider than a human female. Part-giants are not necessarily ugly, but it would be rare to hear one described as "beautiful." Even the most attractive part-giant might be best described as "striking" or "ruggedly handsome." The stronger their giant heritage, the more they deviate from human standards of attractiveness. The skin, hair, and eye coloration for part-giants can vary as much as for humans.

Magic: Being of wizard heritage, part-giants can cast magic like any other wizard. They are also highly resistant to most harmful spells.

System: Those with giant blood possess a number of advantages, and some drawbacks.

  • Superhuman Strength: Part-giants receive a +6 bonus to all rolls to apply physical strength (including damage from unarmed, melee, or thrown attacks).
  • Superhuman Toughness: Part-giants receive a +6 bonus to all rolls to avoid injury (including spell casting rolls against spells with physical effects).
  • Intimidating Presence: Part-giants gain +2 to rolls to intimidate or overawe.
  • Social Difficulties: Part-giants suffers a -2 penalty to all rolls to charm or persuade.
A female part-vampire

Part-vampire

Lore Threshold: Wizard Lore 6

When a pregnant human woman is bitten by a vampire, the unborn child sometimes becomes a part-vampire. Likewise, the descendants of a part-vampire are considered part-vampires for two generations. Part-vampires possess only some of the powers of a vampire, but fewer of their weaknesses. Strictly speaking, part-vampires are not the Living Dead, and as such they can be born wizards (and therefore use magic). Though generally considered half-breeds, it is possible for a pure-blood wizard to also be a part-vampire, if the result of a pregnant mother being bitten. Regardless of origin, part-vampires are very rare.

Whether part-vampires are considered Dark creatures is a matter of debate, but information on them can be found in Defence Against the Dark Arts texts, as well as Auror handbooks. Unlike vampires, they cannot be legally hunted. Part-vampires can drink blood without any ill effects, but they do require more substantial food for their nutrients. That said, they tend to prefer their steaks (and stakes) extremely rare.

Though they have none of the weaknesses of a vampire, they universally despise garlic, and their skin sunburns easily.

RP Notes: Part-vampires are much like normal humans. But many buy into the image they have, and revel in dark and macabre things.

Names: Part-vampire names are the same sort of names one would expect to find among normal human wizards.

Appearance: Part-vampires look just like normal humans, save for their elongated canines and unnaturally pale skin. Many have a penchant for dark clothing.

Magic: Being of wizard heritage, part-vampires can cast magic like any other wizard. They also inherit lesser forms of some of a vampire's supernatural powers. They have fangs (not quite as long and sharp as a vampire's), though they do not actually require human blood. They are resistant to poison, disease, and magic. They are stronger than the average human, and have sharper senses. Though not immortal, they are very long-lived, with some part-vampires reaching up to 300 years old.

System: Part-vampire powers are not as potent as their Living Dead kin. But unlike vampires, part-vampires can still be wizards.

  • Superhuman Strength: Part-vampires gain a +1 bonus to all rolls to apply physical strength (including damage from unarmed, melee, or thrown attacks).
  • Magic Resistance: Part-vampires are naturally resistant to magic, and gain a +2 bonus to any roll to resist a spell or magical ability.
  • Enhanced Senses: Part-vampires have superhuman senses of hearing and smell, gaining +2 to all sound- and scent-based Awareness rolls. In addition, they have excellent night vision, and can see twice as far as the average human in dim conditions.
  • Vampiric Constitution: Though not Living Dead, part-vampires are highly resistant poison and disease, gaining +6 to any roll to resist their effects.
  • Fast Healing: Part-vampires heal injuries twice as fast as the average human.

Veela

True Veela are not available as a playable Faction, but they are out there. Veela are nymph-like Beings, originally from Slavic regions (despite OOC misconceptions that they are found mainly in France), but in modern times they appear all over the world. They are extraordinarily beautiful in their natural forms — but when angry, they can become harpy-like creatures, with cruel-beaked bird heads and long scaly wings, that can throw balls of flame from their hands. But this side of Veela is rarely seen. Their appearance, dance, and voices can entrance male Beings of just about any species (though they tend to prefer humans). As there are no male Veela, they reproduce by mating with other Beings. Usually, the offspring takes no traits from the male's seed, and is born another true Veela. Such is the nature of Veela magic. But there is another, more powerful magic that can override this: Love. When a Veela falls in love, the father's traits are passed on, and any child born of that union will only be part-Veela.

Part-Veela

Lore Threshold: Wizard Lore 4

Extremely attractive and graceful, part-Veela are the descendants of a male wizard and a Veela (which are all female). Like part-giants, part-Veela carry magical blood and are capable of performing magic. They also inherit the Veela's exceptional beauty and their ability to supernaturally entrance members of the opposite gender. Part-Veela are treated like any other witch or wizard by the Ministry of Magic and, being indistinguishable from a normal human, they rarely suffer from the same discrimination as other half-breeds unless their heritage somehow becomes publicly known.

RP Notes: Part-Veela tend to be affected some by their heritage, and are prone to volatile emotions. They don't feel things in half-measure. When they love, they love with burning passion. When they hate, they hate with furious fire. When they are loyal, they would die — or kill — for those they feel close to.

Names: Part-Veela names are the same sort of names one would expect to find among normal human wizards.

Appearance: Due to their Veela heritage, part-Veela are always extremely beautiful, turning heads wherever they go. They can otherwise possess any traits seen in normal humans.

Magic: Being of wizard heritage, part-Veela can cast magic like any other wizard. Their Veela heritage also grants them the supernatural ability to entrance the opposite gender (or anyone attracted to them, really).

System: When actively making use of their beauty and charms, part-Veela gain a +4 bonus to rolls to persuade or distract humans and part-humans. If dancing (after a successful Presence + Dancing roll), this bonus increases to +6.

How this ability affects others on an emotional level depends largely on the ages of the part-Veela and the subject:

  • When the part-Veela is young (up to age 13), this ability can affect anyone, and causes the part-Veela child to be seen as irresistably adorable, even triggering paternal or maternal instincts in older subjects.
  • At age 14, the part-Veela's entrancement becomes more romantic, but still somewhat immature, like a kind of "puppy love". The ability begins to affect only those that would be romantically attracted to the part-Veela's sex. Typically this also means that their ability becomes ineffective on others of age 13 or younger.
  • At age 16, the attraction created by entrancement is more mature, often stimulating sexual desire in others of age 16 or older. Subjects of age 14-15 are affected as if the part-Veela were age 14-15 (see above). As above, this affects only those that would be attracted to the part-Veela's sex in the first place.

There is one more consideration when it comes to how a subject is affected by a part-Veela's entrancement: love. Love is a powerful magic, and those who are truly in love with another person can become highly resistant to Veela allure. Use the following as guidelines to determine appropriate bonuses for characters who are in love:

  • Crushes, "puppy love", and the like are sweet and wonderful, but not true love. These provide no protection.
  • Being in a romantic relationship grants the subject a +1 bonus to resist entrancement. Increase the bonus to +2 after six months in the relationship, or to a maximum of +3 after a year.
  • A loving marriage (or equivalent commitment) grants the subject a +4 bonus to resist entrancement. Increase this bonus by +1 for every five years of marriage.
A male vampire

Vampire

Vampires are Dark creatures that subsist on human blood (they can consume other food, but gain no nourishment from it). A vampire is created when a human is killed by a vampire's bite. The corpse will rise as as new vampire (hence their classification as Living Dead), with all of the memories of their former life, but a newly inhuman state of mind. Most vampires know better than to kill their victims. Not only does it tend to upset the wizard authorities, but it creates panic, scaring off the food, and creates competition in the form of a new vampire.

Though disliked by most members of the wizarding community, the Ministry of Magic has classified vampires as Beings, and as such they do have rights. They cannot be freely hunted, though vampire hunters do exist. To do it legally, a hunter must be licensed through the R.C.M.C. (a fact that causes some friction with the Auror Office). But even then, only vampires that have become a danger to other Beings may be hunted. Generally, vampires try to police their own, as they don't want to give the wizards a reason to try to wipe them all out. Details on interacting with vampires can be found in the book Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-Humans.

Vampires have an aversion to garlic, and can be kept at bay by its presence. They are vulnerable to fire, and sunlight will burn them. A vampire has a variety of supernatural abilities, but they do not retain their ability to use magic if they were formerly a Wizard.

RP Notes: Vampires can have varied personalities, but the one thing they all have in common is the hunger for blood. It can drive them to inhuman behavior, though as a vampire gets older, they usually learn how to keep this lust in check. Speaking of lust, they don't have any in the normal sense. Vampire have no libido or sex drive whatsoever…which is probably for the best, since they are putrid walking corpses.

Vampires Are Not Sexy

It is a very modern notion to think of vampires as alluring, sensual creatures. But these vampires are a more traditional kind of monster. While they can entrance their victims, this is in no way a sexual experience. These vampires are not romantic figures, they are literally walking corpses. They are cold to the touch, have a mild but discomforting odor, and would very much like to put holes in your body and drink from them. This isn't to say vampires cannot be civilized — many are quite personable, and simply wish to co-exist with wizarding society in peace. But they are not looking for dark, forbidden romance. Indeed, they don't even have a libido. Their bodies just don't produce those urges anymore.

Names: Vampires names can seem perfectly normal, like "Brian" or "Herbert." But many vampires adopt more fanciful names, often with a blood theme, such as: Amarillo Lestoat, Blodwyn Bludd, Carmilla Sanguina, Sanguin (please do not use these names, as they are canon characters).

Appearance: Vampires look similar to humans, but can be easily distinguished by their deathly pale skin, unusual gauntness, bloodshot eyes, and fangs. They aren't pretty — they look like embalmed corpses. They also have a mild, but ever-present smell of death about them.

Magic: The supernatural powers of a vampire are many. Despite lacking wizardry, they can be quite formidable foes, even to wizards. Aside from their sharp fangs, they are dangerous in many other ways. They are physically quite strong, and resistant to magic. As Living Dead, they are immune to disease and poisons. Their senses are highly sensitive, and they can see perfectly in near-darkness. They are immortal, and unless killed, will live forever, unaging. Vampires can place a being into a hypnotic state, making them highly susceptible to suggestion and even memory loss (this is often a favourite method of feeding). They can also listen to the thoughts of others, similar to Legilimency. They can transform into a bat, and some powerful vampires even learn to become a gaseous mist.

System: Vampires have a variety of supernatural powers, as well as two special Background Skills necessary to use them: Entrancement and Mind Reading.

  • Superhuman Strength: Vampires gain a +2 bonus to all rolls to apply physical strength (including damage from unarmed, melee, or thrown attacks) and to rolls to avoid injury (except injury caused by fire).
  • Magic Resistance: Vampires are naturally resistant to magic, and gain a +4 bonus to any roll to resist a spell or magical ability. This resistance does not apply against Light spells, such as the Sunbeam Spell and the Patronus Charm.
  • Enhanced Senses: Vampires have superhuman senses of hearing and smell, gaining +4 to all sound- and scent-based Awareness rolls. In addition, they can see perfectly in even the dimmest light, suffering no penalties to see in anything but pitch darkness.
  • Living Dead: As animated corpses, vampires are not susceptible to the effects of disease or poison. They are also immune to the Killing Curse (as there is nothing to kill).
  • Immortal: Vampires do not age after they are turned. Unless killed, they will live forever.
  • Regeneration: A vampire can regenerate nearly any wound dealt to it. Minor injuries are healed at the end of the current scene. Maiming (including severed limbs) or life-threatening injuries can be healed by resting until the following sundown. The only exceptions to this advanced healing are burns, decapitation, or a wooden stake through the heart.
  • Entrancing Gaze: A vampire that looks into another sentient being's eyes can place them into a hypnotic trance. The vampire rolls Presence + Entrancement against the victim's Mind + Presence. If successful, the victim is affected as if by the Imperius Curse. Usually a vampire will merely use this ability to feed, releasing the victim afterward. Upon release, the vampire may make another Opposed Roll (Presence + Entrancement vs Mind + Presence) to cause the victim to forget, as if with a Memory Charm.
  • Mind Reading: Similar to a legilimens, but not as powerful, a vampire can probe the surface thoughts and emotional state of a sentient being. Roll Mind + Mind Reading versus the target's Mind + Presence.
  • Bat Form: A vampire can metamorphose into the shape of a bat at will, gaining all of the natural abilities of a bat (use the Animagus Transformation rules).
  • Mist Form: Truly powerful vampires can learn how to transform into a ghostly mist, allowing them to pass through the tiniest cracks, and move at tremendous speed. A vampire in mist form cannot speak, attack or use its other powers. But it can perceive the world around it, and most attacks and spells pass harmlessly through its gaseous body. Only sunlight can harm a vampire in mist form, and a Patronus can repel it. (This power requires a special Mist Form Quirk at a cost of 200 Cookies.)

Vampires also have a number of special weaknesses.

  • Garlic Aversion: Garlic is repugnant to vampires. The smell of it makes them gag and retch, and its very presence makes their skin crawl. A vampire must succeed at a Mind + Presence -2 roll to remain in the vicinity of garlic.
  • Fire: Though resistant to most forms of injury, fire presents the same problems for vampires as it does for any other creature.
  • Staking: One of the few ways to kill a vampire is a drive a wooden stake or shaft through its heart. This is harder than it sounds, as one must penetrate the rib cage, and pierce all the way to the center of the vampire's heart. This is best done to a bound or otherwise helpless vampire. Attempting to stake the heart in the heat of combat inflicts a -6 penalty, on top of the vampire's best efforts to avoid such a fate.
  • Decapitation: A vampire's head is the only part of its body that it cannot regenerate. Removing a vampire's head will kill it.
  • Sunlight: The greatest bane to vampires is the sun. Direct sunlight burns like red-hot iron held against their skin. Even indirect sunlight is painful, and will eventually cause a vampire to smolder and burn. No vampire can willingly remain in sunlight. Every instinct they have takes over and forces them to flee the hateful light.
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