Living-Spawn (Template) Sometimes a vampire must create a Living-Spawn, a half dead servant to do his bidding during the day.

This new slave is neither living or dead, but somewhere in-between. They are more powerful than the "blood addicted" servants, but less controlled than a normal vampire spawn. These new living spawn must face some of a vampire's weakness without the major benefits of being truly undead. Most are hopelessly addicted to their new master and few manage to survive far from their creator's side. To create a Living-Spawn, the vampire must use an Energy Drain (Su) on the victim on three consecutive nights. However this energy drain is normally done in secret and rarely initiated in combat. The vampire will usually seduce the victim or initiate other friendly bodily contact during these meetings. During each interaction a small portion of the victim's soul is removed and replaced by the ambient negative energy of the undead. On the third night, the vampire seals the victim's fate by feeding them some of his blood, damning their soul, but not truly killing them. Few vampires know how to complete this dark ritual or conceal an Energy Drain attack in casual physical contact. Thus, the Living Spawn are normally only created by the most ancient and powerful vampire lords. It also requires a high level victim, one that is capable of surviving all three Energy Drain attacks without dyeing. If the victim is healed from the level drain or is unwilling to consume the vampire's blood on the third visit, the ritual is broken. Creating a Living Spawn Living-Spawn is a template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid of 7th level or higher (hereafter referred to as the base creature). A Living-Spawn uses all the base creatures statistics and special abilities except as noted here. Size and Type: The base creatures size, type and subtypes remain the same. Armor Class: Natural armor improves by +4. Attack: has a singel natural attack with claws or a bite, but not both (chosen at creation). Damage: Claws deal 1d6 + Str, Bite deals 1d4 + 1 Str

Special Attacks: The Living-Spawn retains all of the special attacks of the base creature, and gains the following: Charm (Sp): A Living-Spawn, with a Charisma of 11 or better, can cast the spell charm person, spider climb, or summon natures ally III once per day, plus once more per 5 HD. The LivingSpawn must choose which one of these three spells they can cast upon creation. Once the spell is chosen, it cannot be changed. The spell is cast as if by a sorcerer of a level equal to the Living-Spawns HD. Life Drain (Su): Living-Spawn can siphon off a small amount of life energy from a living target. On a successful touch attack, the victim must make a Fortitude Save or receive one negative level and the Living-Spawn gains +5 temp Hp. The Living-Spawn can only use this attack once per target per day. (Fort DC of 10 + Living-Spawns HD + Living-Spawns Cha mod) Special Qualities: The Living-Spawn retains any special qualities not due to a character class and gains the following: Darkvision (Ex): Living-Spawns can see in darkness up to a range of 60 ft., or the base creatures range, whichever is better. Damage Reduction (Ex): Living-Spawns have DR 5/silver. Detect Undead (Sp): a Living-Spawn can detect undead as if the spell were cast by a cleric of its HD, he can cast this spell at will. Fast Healing (Ex): Living-Spawns have fast healing 1. Long-lived (Ex): Living-Spawns live twice as long as normal members of their species. Multiply the numbers in the age categories found in the PHB by 10 to find when the creature enters middle age, old, and venerable if needed. If they die before their natural life span ends, there is a 75% chance they will arise as a Vampire Spawn. Resistances (Ex): Living-Spawns have cold resistance 5. Weaknesses: A Living-Spawn has certain weaknesses due to their half-dead nature. Inherent Curse: The Living-Spawn inherits one of the following weaknesses from their vampire sire. Each Living-Spawn inherits a different curse and it must be chosen upon creation. Vulnerable to Water: A Living Spawn with this curse is immobilized by running water. If immersed in running water they must succeed at Fortitude save DC 25 or become physically paralyzed for 1d6 rounds. Even if they succeed on the save, they take a -10 on all swim checks. (Characters with a swim speed cannot have this curse)

Sunlight Weakness:

A Living Spawn with this curse is unable to comfortably function in the sunlight.

Infernal Nature:

A Living Spawn with this curse Harmed by divine spells and cure spells. Detected as evil, regardless of nature, doesn't show up in mirrors Bound by Rules: A Living Spawn with this curse Can not enter private residencies without permission, repelled by garlic, bound stronger to vampire Undead Appearance: A Living Spawn with this curse Maddness: A Living Spawn with this curse Mental Slave: All Living-Spawn are uniquely bonded to their vampire masters through an empathic link. The Vampire may empathically summon or communicate to the Living-Spawn at a distance of up to 10 miles. The vampire may also use any mind controlling powers or spells through this empathic link. This link is identical to the link between a caster and his familiar and also allows the Living-Spawn to detect the location of his master within range. The Living-Spawn may attempt to resist his master, but at an added +4 DC. Inhuman Hunger: Living-Spawn desires the life energy of the living. Saves: A Living-Spawn gets a +4 racial bonus to save against disease, poison, sleep, stunning, and paralysis. It gets a +2 racial bonus versus all mind-affecting abilities and a +4 racial bonus versus any necromantic effect such as energy drain or any special ability of an undead creature. Abilities: Modify from the base creature as follows: Str +4, Dex +2, Con +2, and Cha +2. Skills: Living-Spawns are calculating and subtle. They get a +2 racial bonus to Bluff, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. Further, a Living-Spawn gets a +4 racial bonus to Climb and any Animal Empathy check with any rat, bat, or wolf. Feats: All Living-Spawns receive Toughness as a bonus feat. Environment: any large city that a powerful vampire lives/visits Challenge Rating: Base creatures CR +1 Alignment: Tends toward evil Level Adjustment: +2