Dhampir

The half-living children of vampires and human mothers, dhampirs are born into a world that rejects them. Stigma and suspicion follow them regardless of whether the truth of a dhampir child’s nature is known. This mistrust either forces a dhampir to develop a disarming wit and charm, or to embrace bitterness and keep others at arm’s length through guile or outright intimidation. Few dhampirs find solace with their undead forebears. As living creatures, even tainted ones, the reality of living with an evil, blood-sucking monster seldom appeals even as they struggle with their own urges or hungers. Dhampirs struggle to find acceptance both within society and within themselves.

DHAMPIR TRAITS

Your dhampir character has certain characteristics derived from your undead ancestry.

• Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.

• Age. Dhampirs reach maturity at the same age as humans, but their lifespans are much longer. They can live up to 750 years before death finally claims them.

• Alignment. Most dhampirs are neutral, but some are driven toward evil by the bitterness and suspicion their parentage thrusts upon them. A few turn toward good in defiance of their nature.

• Size. Dhampirs are about as tall as humans but are slighter of build. Your size is Medium.

• Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision. Thanks to your undead ancestry, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

• Dark Thirst. You can bite as an unarmed strike against an incapacitated creature or one you have grappled. Your bite deals 1 point of piercing damage, and if the creature has blood and isn’t a construct or undead, you can feed from it as part of the attack. Your feeding deals necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1), and if your target takes damage you can roll one hit die and regain that much hp + your Constitution modifier. You can expend a number of hit dice with this trait equal to your Constitution modifier per long rest (minimum of 1).

• Predatory Charm. As an action, you can magically beguile the mind of a creature that you can see within 30 feet. For 1 hour, you have advantage on Charisma checks made against the target. If you or any of your allies attack or damage the target, this effect ends. When the effect ends, the target feels repulsed by you and becomes hostile toward you until the next dawn, during which time it becomes immune to this effect. A hostile creature won’t necessarily attack outright, but it won’t deal with you in any way and might actively try to hinder you. You can use this trait once, and regain the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest. A creature immune to being charmed is immune to your predatory charm.

• Undead Resistance. You have advantage on saving throws against disease, and you have resistance against necrotic damage.

• Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common

Lithe and Graceful

Dhampirs appear much like humans at first glance. Adults stand between 5 and 6 feet tall but are more slender on average than humans; males weigh around 160 pounds. Female dhampirs are only slightly shorter but are a fair bit leaner, weighing around 120 pounds. Their skin and hair color runs the vast spectrum of tones available to humans, though they tend to be slightly pale. Their flawless features are tinged with some unnamable exotic quality. Despite the fear and uncertainty that follow them, the half-dead possess a seductive appearance. Listeners find themselves unconsciously giving weight to a dhampir’s words and are drawn to his or her presence. Dhampirs glide through life with a seemingly effortless grace that belies their struggle.

Blood Ties

For most dhampirs, family is all they have. Immediate kin might be the only source of solace for a dhampir raised by a mortal family. Driven away by the unconscious or superstitious derision of their peers, families containing a dhampir can easily become clannish and reclusive. They learn to keep the world at a distance to protect themselves and their loved ones. Dhampirs who grow up in this situation commonly strike out on their own after reaching maturity, both out of a need to find connection to the greater world and to spare their family the burden of their presence. Conversely, some dhampirs are born into bloodlines that deliberately cultivate their tainted nature. A true vampire patron, usually the one who originally began the line, oversees these bloodlines. Such a bloodline holds its lineage in the highest regard. There is no doubt among its members that theirs is a superior stock and upbringing, and that greatness is their due. The majority of outright evil dhampirs arise from cultivated bloodlines. They quickly become true monsters, seeing the fear of the living world as envy of their station.

Cultural Masks

Particularly close-knit or cosmopolitan communities can easily tolerate a dhampir in their midst, but that has more to do with adherence to tradition or relative anonymity than true acceptance. Larger cities include dhampirs sprinkled among the population as the half-dead blend in and find their niche, relying on their innate charm. Dhampir don’t relate easily to humans but find a natural kinship with other half-breed races, particularly the fiendish tieflings. They, along with half-orcs and half-elves, know all too well what it’s like to live between two worlds, never truly fitting in to either.

Candles in the Dark

Dhampirs constantly struggle with their nature. They suffer from a troubled upbringing and intrinsic corruption that gnaws at civilized thoughts and behavior. The truth of their heritage weighs on them. Many experience disturbing urges to consume blood or to control others. They shun the light and find safety and comfort in darkness. Enticed and repulsed by mortals at the same time, this constant struggle is at the core of a dhampir’s existence. Many dhampirs use this struggle as fuel to action. Good dhampirs are horrified by their own corrupted existence and dedicate themselves to living in opposition to it. They become priests who venerate gods of light, or they vow to destroy all undead who perpetuate their misery. Others are broken by their turmoil. They lash out at the world in a rage of bloodlust and hatred. Many evil dhampirs turn to worship of demons and other gods of darkness and pain, seeking to conquer and subjugate their mortal peers.