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Amechra
2013-06-07, 02:03 PM
Blood Sprite

She comes to me every night; her beauty is enchanting, let me tell you that.

It's the fact that I feel so woozy after a night with her that has me worried.

A Blood Sprite is the result of a man or a woman so obsessed with youth that they start taking drastic measures to keep themselves young and healthy.

Their souls aren't as lucky.

Becoming a Blood Sprite is as easy as performing a single blood sacrifice and then bathing in the blood.

A Blood Sprite looks like it did before the application of the template; however, as it ages, instead of showing the normal signs of aging, they become steadily more pale, and their hair, lips, irises, and fingernails take on a more reddish hue.

Creating a Blood Sprite

Blood Sprite is an Acquired template that may be applied to any Humanoid creature.

Size and Type: A Blood Sprite's size and type do not change.

Speed: A Blood Sprite's speed does not change.

Special Abilities: A Blood Sprite retains all the Special Abilities of the base creature, and gains the following additional special abilities.


Extract Blood (Su): If a Blood Sprite remains in physical contact with a sleeping humanoid for 8 hours, they may inflict 1 point of Constitution damage as a pint of blood sweats its way out of the victim, and the victim does not heal any ability damage that night. Many Blood Sprites keep containers on hand to retain the blood to use for Bloodbathing.

In addition, whenever a Blood Sprite does so, they may treat their victim as if they had drunk the Blood Sprite's blood (see Vinculum), without the Blood Sprite having to give any of their own blood.

This process is painless and leaves no wounds on the victim; in addition, extracted blood does not clot, and stays fresh indefinitely.

Vinculum (Su): A Blood Sprite's dwindling supply of blood is addictive and tastes sweet. They may, as a move action, cut themselves, taking 1 constitution burn; if they do so, they bleed a few drops of blood, which, if placed in a drink, duplicates the effects of a Charm Person spell cast at CL 1, except that the save DC is 10 + 1/2 the Blood Sprite's HD + their Charisma modifier, and further consumption of their blood resets the duration.

In addition, any creature that is currently subject to Vinculum may be bathed in ten pints of blood; if this is done, that creature gains the Blood Sprite template if eligible, and is under the effects of Vinculum until they go a month without Bloodbathing.

Finally, consuming a Blood Sprite's blood negates the effects of Constitution damage, drain, or burn for the duration of the charm effect; being reduced to 0 Constitution will still kill the victim, but until that point, they are treated as if they were still at their full Constitution score until the effect runs out.

Special Qualities: A Blood Sprite retains all the Special Qualities of the base creature, and gains the following special qualities.


Bloodbathing (Su): Blood has power. Blood has youth in it. As long as a Blood Sprite of at least Middle Age bathes in the blood of a single medium sized humanoid each month (or the equivalent of 10 pints of blood), they take no penalties to their physical ability scores for aging, do not die of old age, do not need to sleep, and double the bonus to Charisma they gain from aging. Obviously, however, not performing the ritual removes all these benefits; they still age, after all, and a Blood Sprite that has exceeded their maximum age will quickly find themselves dead on the ground.

The blood of a Blood Sprite is not suitable for this ritual; in addition, blood used for this ritual is sullied, and is not suitable for reuse.

The requirements of this ritual become more stringent as the Blood Sprite ages; a Blood Sprite of at least Old age must bathe in the blood of two medium sized humanoids each month. A Blood Sprite of at least Venerable age must bathe in the blood of four humanoids per month. A Blood Sprite has an instinctive knowledge of these requirements; not in precise terms, but more in a sense of unease if not enough blood is prepared.

Environment: Any (Usually Urban)

CR Adjustment: +1

Level Adjustment: -

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Thoughts?

Ezra_The_Mad
2013-06-07, 02:33 PM
Hmm. Elizabeth Bathory meets lust-fueled minion empowerment. Cool. Applying this to a noblewoman makes her into the blood-spider in the center of a sanguine web.

Also, sexy!

Amechra
2013-06-07, 03:13 PM
I'm actually thinking of modifying it a bit; I'm thinking of extending the duration of Vinculum and toning down Extract Blood.

As it is, a hypothetical Blood Sprite would just have to, say, frequent 5 whores, and would have a month's supply of blood without much issue.

I was thinking of modifying it so that you can only extract one pint from a person each day, and doing so suppresses their ability to naturally heal ability damage that night.

So a Middle-Aged Blood Sprite could get their blood safely from one person (just take a break every other night, and they wouldn't degrade.)

An Old Blood Sprite would have to get their blood from two people; one person isn't going to have 20 con to burn each month.

And a Venerable Blood Sprite... well, they will have to murder someone sooner or later. Meaning that they are easier to find. Unless they are clever, and get others to perform the ritual, and have them donate blood to their friend every so often (after all, an Adult Blood Sprite can get around 30 pints of blood a month; they don't need it themselves, not yet, and can afford to donate to a friend.)

Oh, and just as a clarification (or really, a fun note): The effects of Bloodbathing go away if you don't meet your quota; this means that you lose a variable amount of Charisma, take massive penalties to your physical ability scores, and potentially die from old age.

You can potentially give up the slaughter and the bloodbathing... at least until you would pass your maximum age. After that point, you kinda have to continue to murder or die. Unless you were smart, and started banking when you received the ritual.

Actually, I'm going to do a quick calculation of my considered revision: assuming a Human 15 years old becomes a Blood Sprite, and stocks up blood cautiously...

Over the 20 years until they hit Middle Age, they get their filthy mitts on 7200 pints of blood. Once they hit Middle-Age, they need to start using blood to get benefits, so for the 18 years between Middle age and Old age, they are only getting 20 pints a month, for 4320 more pints...

We're at 11,520 pints. In the stretch of Old Age before you get to Venerable, you are getting 10 pints a month, for 17 years, for a nice total of 2040 pints, for 13,560 pints in total. Each month spent active when Venerable is -10 pints.

This means that you get 113 extra years of life before your stores of blood run out, which means that you are going to be traipsing around at 183... And then you'll have to start killing people. Or find another, younger Blood Sprite, and take their stores.

This, of course, assumes that you are being really, really efficient about who you take naps with, and have a rotation system of some sort.

As a counterpoint, under the current system, our friend the Blood Sprite has an essentially infinite lifespan, and never has to commit a murder.

I'm also thinking of adding something to Vinculum to allows you to convert other people into Blood Sprites.

Deaxsa
2013-06-07, 03:39 PM
1. awesome
2. what is constitution burn? (why not just make it damage? and if it's immune to ability damage, nothing happens to it?)
3. you ought to make the abilities so that the blood sprite has the OPTION to use them (or not, if you want to be mean). i mean, there has to be people the blood sprite wants to sleep with without draining their blood/(damaging/burning their)con.

also, give it LA, and make it based on Age category. IE:

young: LA +1 (minor benefits, no cost)
Middle-aged: LA+1(minor benefits, no cost)
Old: LA+1 (medium benefits, bit risky to keep those benefits)
Venerable: LA +1 (medium benefits, bit risky to keep those benefits)

(okay, maybe just make it LA+1)

finally, i think you should make it such that blood bathing makes the bather appear as though they were any age category younger than their current age, up to young (ie, can't turn into a child)

Amechra
2013-06-07, 03:53 PM
I already have a 'may' in there.

Only humanoids can take the template or be targeted by the template abilities.

If you look up near the top, you don't show any visual signs of age; you just pale and get a red cast to your features. Since you can't get this template after Adult, and adult starts at 15 for humans...

Ability Burn in in the SRD; it is essentially Ability Damage that can only be healed naturally. I'm thinking of converting more of the abilities to deal with Con Burn instead of Con Damage.

Deaxsa
2013-06-07, 04:30 PM
I already have a 'may' in there.

Only humanoids can take the template or be targeted by the template abilities.

If you look up near the top, you don't show any visual signs of age; you just pale and get a red cast to your features. Since you can't get this template after Adult, and adult starts at 15 for humans...

Ability Burn in in the SRD; it is essentially Ability Damage that can only be healed naturally. I'm thinking of converting more of the abilities to deal with Con Burn instead of Con Damage.

ok, so i see that my post was mostly redundant lol
on the other hand... what makes these abilities special in that magic cannot help them heal? why are they super cool and snazzy?

Amechra
2013-06-07, 05:14 PM
I'll probably not switch Extract Blood to Ability Burn.

However, the idea behind inflicting Ability Burn to yourself is to make it actually a mechanical cost; Ability Damage is so easy to fix in the long run, that it really just becomes unbalancing.

Because having a technically unlimited amount of 150 gp magic item, which you can sell, is a pretty nice deal?

Steward
2013-06-07, 05:33 PM
I think Ability Burn is indeed better for a cost.

As for the creature, I'm imagining a neutral noble -- or a lazy one, who just doesn't want to around hunting people down -- instituting a "blood tax" on his subjects. Every month or so, they have to supply with him a living sacrifice (if he's mean) or the equivalent amount of blood (if he's trying to be kind). If he's smart, the blood tax will be more than he needs at the time, and he'll keep it stored somewhere safe (preferably guarded by magic, in a place where it can't be accidentally contaminated, like an extradimensional space).

He'll have to treat his people like cattle though, taking care to maintain adequate population levels (including tight controls on emigration), making sure that he doesn't milk someone too often, etc.

Amechra
2013-06-07, 07:41 PM
That's a good one.

If I add in a way to make someone else a Blood Sprite, he can hire "tax collectors", turn them into Blood Sprites, and have them extract blood. I'll be doing a quick rewrite of some things about the template (cleanups, mostly) later, so...

If he sets it up properly, he can live indefinitely.

Steward
2013-06-07, 08:28 PM
Do they have to get the blood out using their powers? I'm concerned that having more Blood Sprites running around means that you will eventually have more competition and you will need to expand your farm severalfold to eventually accommodate them.

Safest way for me would be to do it like a real-world blood donation, with ordinary humanoid agents in charge. I'm not even sure I should tell them what I'm doing with it, to be honest. Maybe make it a religious observance -- something to appease a blood god of some kind.

Amechra
2013-06-07, 08:37 PM
Well, there is an advantage to using Blood Sprites; namely, the blood they extract never clots.

Also, there aren't any rules already written out for mundane blood extraction; I could write some sort of Heal check out, though.

eftexar
2013-06-07, 11:04 PM
I noticed there isn't any LA. No love for evil PCs? Anyway this would be really fun for a BBEG. Impressed with your stuff as always.

Garryl
2013-06-08, 01:06 AM
Is there anything stopping a Blood Sprite from bathing in his or her own blood?

8 hours of rest restores 1 damage to each ability score. Someone using the Heal skill can double that. Lesser Restoration can heal ability damage 1d4 at a time. Shaping Strongheart Vest or binding Naberius can completely negate the Con damage from Extra Blood. A smart Blood Sprites with a little magic can easily sustain him or herself with a single willing accomplice.

Debihuman
2013-06-08, 04:23 AM
Ability Burn
This is a special form of ability damage that cannot be magically or psionically healed. It is caused by the use of certain psionic feats and powers. It returns only through natural healing.

Since this template doesn't require psionic feats and powers, it shouldn't cause ability burn. That a blood spirite's blood negates burn is immaterial.


Finally, consuming a Blood Sprite's blood negates the effects of Constitution damage, drain, or burn for the duration of the charm effect; being reduced to 0 Constitution will still kill the victim, but they are treated as if they were still at their full Constitution score until the effect runs out.

If you treat a dead victim as if it had a Con score, it wouldn't be dead.

One last thing: what happens if the blood sprite misses a month of bloodbathing? You should spell out the consequences.

Debby

LordErebus12
2013-06-08, 04:29 AM
Since this template doesn't require psionic feats and powers, it shouldn't cause ability burn. That a blood spirite's blood negates burn is immaterial.



If you treat a dead victim as if it had a Con score, it wouldn't be dead.

Debby

Definitely, since you're not psionically doing anything.

Amechra
2013-06-08, 10:06 AM
Um... Ability Burn doesn't require you to do anything psionic? It just says that there because it was introduced in the Expanded Psionics Handbook.

I inflict it on the Blood Sprite purely for "balance" reasons (never cost things in single points of ability damage; that's just begging for 1-level dips in Binder.)

Also, I phrased Vinculum badly; it should say "Finally, consuming a Blood Sprite's blood negates the effects of Constitution damage, drain, or burn for the duration of the charm effect; being reduced to 0 Constitution will still kill the victim, but until that point, they are treated as if they were still at their full Constitution score until the effect runs out. "

Additionally, I don't really have to spell out what happens if you skip a month; the way it's worded, namely by going "if you do X, then A, B, C, and D happen", directly correlates to those things not happening if you skip.

Basically, the only consequence to not bloodbathing is you lose the whole "immunity to the negative effects of aging, double charisma bonus from aging, and no need to sleep".

Really, would you have me explicitly state what happens when a buff spell runs out? Would I have to write out "when the duration of Haste runs out, you lose the benefits of Haste"?

tL;dR: Ability Burn should not just be Psionic's toy (and really, we're homebrewing here; if it makes you better, insert something something something placebo effect of blood causing latent powers to manifest.)

Note to self: Blood Sprites need a note in Bloodbathing that states that they can't use their own blood.

Thank you all for feedback!

Debihuman
2013-06-08, 11:24 AM
Um... Ability Burn doesn't require you to do anything psionic? It just says that there because it was introduced in the Expanded Psionics Handbook.

Burn ability can only be caused by something psionic. How does the blood sprite's blood cause ability burn if the base Humanoid doesn't have psionics. That should have been a prerequisite for this Template or it should be gained as part of the Template.


I inflict it on the Blood Sprite purely for "balance" reasons (never cost things in single points of ability damage; that's just begging for 1-level dips in Binder.)

Well that was as clear as mud. I have no idea what you just said. Why wasn't some of that in the creature's fluff? All that was needed is for you to say that a blood sprite's blood gains the ability to cause or heal Constitution burn as defined below.


Also, I phrased Vinculum badly; it should say "Finally, consuming a Blood Sprite's blood negates the effects of Constitution damage, drain, or burn for the duration of the charm effect; being reduced to 0 Constitution will still kill the victim, but until that point, they are treated as if they were still at their full Constitution score until the effect runs out. "

Better but still badly phrased. "Finally, consuming a blood sprite's blood temporarily negates all Constitution damage, damage and drain for one hour (the duration of the charm person spell); a creature whose Constitution is 0 or less at the end of that time is still dead."


Additionally, I don't really have to spell out what happens if you skip a month; the way it's worded, namely by going "if you do X, then A, B, C, and D happen", directly correlates to those things not happening if you skip.

I should have been clearer. How long does it take to start aging again. Is it an immediate effect? I know what it loses, it isn't clear HOW it loses them? Also, with immortality, do you mean that they don't die from natural causes but can be slain normally through magical or physical means (see here: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/divineRanksAndPowers.htm#immortality)


Thank you all for feedback!

You're welcome.

Debby

Amechra
2013-06-08, 12:32 PM
The thing about the ability burn is that I am ignoring that line of fluff. I am using it as a mechanical balance point, after all.

As to why I don't say "they take a point of ability damage, which may only be healed through natural healing"? Because there is already a thing that mechanically does what I want. And all that stands in my way is a silly little bit of fluff.

Now, it would be different if it said "you must have at least 1 power point to inflict ability burn", or something to that effect. As it is, there is no mechanical necessity that you have psionics at all, except for a fragment of a sentence which does not actually state any requirements for being able to deal ability burn.

Heck, the phrasing of your quoted passage isn't even exclusive! If it said "it is only caused" instead of "it is caused", then I would agree that you have a point. However...

To put it simply, if I told you "fire damage is caused by being hit by a torch", and then showed you the Fireball spell, would you tell me that it can't deal fire damage because fire damage is exclusive to torches?

It wasn't in the fluff because that was just me suggesting a refluff of something that you could use if you cared to. As it is, I am only having it be Constitution Burn because you can bind Naberius (that's what I meant by 1st level Binder; Naberius grants you the ability to heal 1 point of ability damage per round. Yeah.)

Damn. I misremembered Charm Person as 1 day/level. I need to change that around (it is supposed to keep them happy and willing to let you keep cuddling with them.)

Oh, now I get where you were coming from with Bloodbathing. I'll change it around so "if, by the end of a month, the requirements are not met, all of the myriad penalties prevented by this ability immediately return at the end of the last day."

Also, they aren't immortal; they can still starve or die of thirst. They can also still die from poison and disease. This is intentional; can't have awesomely paranoid evil counts and countessas if they aren't afraid of poison in their soup!

"Jeeves, I think I tasted something off in the soup today; please, bring the cook responsible to me.

I think I need a bath."

Debihuman
2013-06-08, 05:24 PM
To put it simply, if I told you "fire damage is caused by being hit by a torch", and then showed you the Fireball spell, would you tell me that it can't deal fire damage because fire damage is exclusive to torches?

But what you are saying is the ability burn is caused by something that doesn't have the ability to cause ability burn in the first place. It is rather like saying a the fire damage is caused by an ice cube. Normal creatures that aren't psionic cannot cause ability burn. Only psionic creatures can do so. So either the template is granting the blood spite's blood to cause ability burn damage or you are being disingenuous.


Psionic Maladies
Ability Burn
This is a special form of ability damage that cannot be magically or psionically healed. It is caused by the use of certain psionic feats and powers. It returns only through natural healing.

So, no it doesn't just happen "naturally". It is caused by the use of certain psionic feats and powers. Since your blood sprite Template doesn't grant any psionic feats or powers only those Humanoids who already have those psionic feats and powers would be able to cause ability burn.


It wasn't in the fluff because that was just me suggesting a refluff of something that you could use if you cared to. As it is, I am only having it be Constitution Burn because you can bind Naberius (that's what I meant by 1st level Binder; Naberius grants you the ability to heal 1 point of ability damage per round. Yeah.)

You don't need Con burn to bind Naberius and he doesn't grant the ability to heal burn either.


Damn. I misremembered Charm Person as 1 day/level. I need to change that around (it is supposed to keep them happy and willing to let you keep cuddling with them.) That's easy to do.


Oh, now I get where you were coming from with Bloodbathing. I'll change it around so "if, by the end of a month, the requirements are not met, all of the myriad penalties prevented by this ability immediately return at the end of the last day." okay, that sounds better.


Also, they aren't immortal; they can still starve or die of thirst. They can also still die from poison and disease. This is intentional; can't have awesomely paranoid evil counts and countessas if they aren't afraid of poison in their soup!

It looks like you already edited it :-)

Debby

Amechra
2013-06-08, 08:58 PM
Heh. We are talking past each-other.

My reason for not using Constitution Damage is because it is too easily healed by Naberius. Therefor, I went for Constitution Burn, because Naberius can't do anything about that.

Also, look real hard at what you posted. That statement is not exclusive, it is inclusive. It does not have any wording that states that nothing other than the included examples can produce ability burn.

And can you please not say that I'm being disingenuous? I'm not; whether or not I use Ability Burn or Damage is a metagame concern.

Besides, may I reiterate that the statement itself is inclusive and not exclusive?

eftexar
2013-06-08, 09:04 PM
I'm going to have to agree with Amechra. Besides it seems kind of pointless to create a new mechanic when one already exists.

Also I kind of wish the template would include undead in who it can be applied to. Obviously undead likely don't age to begin with, but some of the other abilities are kind of fitting. The Vampire is just one good example.

[edit]: Also, I thought specific trumped general. Even if ability burn was normally exclusive, to psionics, wouldn't this use of it follow that rule?

Debihuman
2013-06-09, 05:45 AM
While I do not buy your premise that ability burn should be caused by non-psionic sources, it is easy enough to adjudicate that only psionic PCs can suffer from ability burn. For now, I'll concede your point. However, you still should cite to Expanded Psionics Handbook pg. 67 to steer players to the source material.

I've taken the liberty to edit your text as follows:

Extract Blood (Su): If a blood sprite remains in physical contact with a sleeping humanoid for 8 hours, it may inflict 1 point of Constitution damage as a pint of blood sweats its way out of the victim, and the the victim does not heal any ability damage that night. Many blood sprites keep containers on hand to retain the blood to use for Bloodbathing (see below).

In addition, whenever a blood sprite extracts a container of blood from its victim, the victim is treated as having drunk blood sprite's blood (see Vinculum), without the blood sprite having to donate its own blood.

This process is painless and leaves no wounds on the victim. Last of all, extracted blood does not clot.


Vinculum (Su): A Blood Sprite's dwindling supply of blood is addictive and tastes sweet. They may, as a move action, cut themselves, dealing 1 constitution burn; if they do so, they bleed a few drops of blood, which, if placed in a drink, duplicates the effects of a charm person spell cast at CL 1, except that the save DC is 10 + 1/2 the Blood Sprite's HD + their Charisma modifier, and further consumption of their blood extends the duration by the amount rolled.

What die should be rolled? In order to adjudicate how long the duration of the spell is extended, I presume it is equal how much you rolled on a d20 and that number is used to add hours to the spell. The mechanic needs to be spelled out better. Of course, if you feel that a d20 is too much, feel free to amend it as you see fit. I took the liberty of proofreading and editing your text as follows.

Vinculum (Su): A blood sprite's dwindling supply of blood is addictive and tastes sweet. As a move action, a blood sprite may cut itself, dealing 1 point of Constitution burn (see Expanded Psionics Handbook page 67) and causing the blood sprite to bleed a few drops of blood. If the drops of blood are placed in a drink, it duplicates the effects of a charm person spell cast at CL 1, except that the save DC is 10 + 1/2 the blood sprite's HD + its Charisma modifier. Any further consumption of a blood sprite's blood extends the duration of the charm person effect for 1d20 hours.

Any creature that is currently subject to Vinculum that bathes in 10 pints of blood (the equivalent of a Medium Humanoid) gains the Blood Sprite Template, if eligible. It remains under the effects of Vinculum until it goes a month without Bloodbathing.

Finally, consuming a blood sprite's blood negates the effects of Constitution damage, drain, or burn for the duration of the charm person effect; being reduced to 0 Constitution will still kill the victim, but until that point, the victim is treated as if it were still at its full Constitution score until the effect runs out.

While I was at I figured I'd clean up Bloodbathing as well. Feel free to amend as you see fit.

Bloodbathing (Su): Blood has power. Blood has youth in it. As long as a blood sprite of at least Middle Age bathes in the blood of a single medium sized humanoid each month (or the equivalent of 10 pints of blood), it takes no penalties to its physical ability scores for aging, does not die of old age, does not need to sleep, and gains double the bonus to Charisma it would normally gain from aging. Obviously, however, not performing the ritual removes all these benefits; the blood sprite still ages, after all, and a blood sprite that has exceeded its maximum age will quickly find itself dead on the ground.

The blood of a blood sprite is not suitable for this ritual; in addition, blood used for this ritual is sullied, and is not suitable for reuse.

The requirements of this ritual become more stringent as the Blood Sprite ages; a blood sprite of at least old age must bathe in the blood of two Medium-sized humanoids each month. A blood sprite of at least venerable age must bathe in the blood of four Medium-sized humanoids per month. A blood sprite has an instinctive knowledge of these requirements; not in precise terms, but more in a sense of unease if not enough blood is prepared.

I hope this works for you.

Debby

Amechra
2013-06-09, 10:54 AM
I'll have to read through the revisions.

And the "by the amount rolled" is left over from the original version of Vinculum, where it worked like an Elixir of Love (basically Charm Person with a 1d3 hour duration.)

Amechra
2013-10-28, 03:48 AM
Alright, I fixed up the original template, because I just thought up the following:


The Fivefold Transcendental Rituals

The ritual that makes a Blood Sprite is not the furthest extent that bloodbathing can go; knowledge of the following five rituals is suppressed by most major Good religions, but are rare enough that it sometimes is easier for them to be independently discovered.

And sometimes they are; from a few records, these rituals are carried in the blood of every sentient being, just begging to be let out...

The Quickening of the Blood (The First Ritual)
This first ritual requires that the Blood Sprite be at least of Middle Age; it is quite simple, merely requiring that they bring their monthly blood bath to a full boil before bathing in it.

They take no damage from being submerged in the boiling blood, and instead gain several benefits.

They gain a +2 Profane bonus to Dexterity, Constitution, and Wisdom, as the blood still in their veins begins boiling in response, sharpening their reflexes, and their senses. They also gain a +10' bonus to their base land speed as their limbs begin to quicken, as well as DR 10/Magic and Slashing and take 2 less points of Constitution damage or drain from any source, as their blood strongly resists anything that would redirect its flow.

As their bodies take in this newfound power, weaknesses also creep in; they gain two Taboos at Full strength.

The Profanation of the Blood (The Second Ritual)
This second ritual requires that the Blood Sprite be at least of Old Age, and have already completed the Quickening of the Blood; it requires that the blood for their monthly bath is "blessed" with the same methods as Unholy Water is subject to.

They gain a +2 Profane bonus to Strength, Intelligence, and Charisma, as their blood becomes shot through with profane strength. In addition, their natural armor bonus increases by 1 (treat creatures without NA as having NA +0), reduce all Constitution damage and drain by a further 2 points, and gain Fast Healing 1, as their blood actively begins pulling their bodies back together.

Their Fast Healing only applies when they have more than 0 HP; however, they gain the benefits of the Diehard feat, even if they don't qualify for it.

The profanation of their blood brings both weakness and strength; they gain an additional Taboo at Full strength, but also weaken one of their Taboos to Weakened strength.

Blood's Glorious Tides (The Third Ritual)
This third ritual requires that the Blood Sprite be at least of Venerable Age, and that they have completed the Profanation of the Blood; it requires that they drown themselves in blood on a Full Moon. They will awaken one hour later, with no memory of what happens in between.

The bonuses to ability scores from the First ritual increase to +4, their DR increases by 5, and their base land speed increases by a further 10', as their blood ebbs and flows under the direction of their senses. Also, the amount of Constitution Damage and Drain that they take is further reduced by 2, and they gain 50% Fortification, as their blood becomes ever-more reluctant to leave their body.

At this point, bloodstains start appearing on treasured possessions of the Blood Sprite; beloved shirts and robes have stains bloom along their hem, and spots appear in books.

The restrictions brought into their internal logic further bloom; they gain another Taboo at Full strength, but reduce one of their Taboos.

A Maiden Weeps Blood (The Fourth Ritual)
This Fourth ritual requires that the Blood Sprite be past their maximum age, and that they have completed Blood's Glorious Tides. At this point, they must slit their own throat and bleed out, bathing in their blood as it drains out. Once a pint of blood flow from the wound, the angry wound draws itself shut without a scar, and they have taken one more step towards their perfection.

The bonuses to ability scores from the second ritual are increased to +4, and their natural armor bonus is increased by 1. Their Fast Healing increases to 3, they gain total fortification, and the amount of Constitution Damage or Drain they take is further reduced by 2. Finally, their Fast Healing never stops working while they are alive, meaning that their Fast Healing applies as long as they have not yet died.

Their maddened minds warp even further; they gain an additional Taboo at full Strength, and reduce one of their Taboos.

At this point, the bloodstains begin to become finer, spelling out blasphemous words and sketching out obscene images. Also, their tears have converted to very thin blood, giving them a bloodshot appearance.

Bleeding Forever After (The Final Ritual)
The Fifth Ritual is simple, and can take place at any point after A Maiden Weeps Blood is completed. The Blood Sprite must crucify themselves, and slit open their wrists, throat, and crotch, and allow themselves to bleed out completely. This will not kill them. Nothing much will, not anymore.

After completing this ritual, the bonuses to ability scores from the other rituals increase to +6, their base land speed increases by another 10', their DR increases by 5, and they gain a complete immunity to Constitution Damage, Drain, and penalties.

In addition, their Fast Healing increases to 5, and functions even after they die, bringing them back to life once it has restored them above -9 HP. For the purposes of this almighty healing, any effect that kills them other than damage sets their HP to -10.

The cuts made as part of this ritual are permanently open (though painless), and will eternally seep blood; however, no other wound that they receive will ever bleed, ever again.

They have reached the finality of their wretched journey; they gain their final Full-strength Taboo, but either reduce one of their Taboos twice, or reduce two of their Taboos.

Taboos
Taboos are something that a Blood Sprite has to contend with once they have performed the First Ritual. They are an alteration of both their mentality and their physical nature, forcing them to follow certain restrictions.

All taboos come in two strengths; Full and Weakened. If a Taboo is reduced, it changes to Weakened if it was Full, and is removed entirely if it was Weakened. Any effect that reduces a Taboo may instead reduce the amount of blood that they need to bathe in each month as if they were one age category younger, to a minimum of Middle Age.

If a Taboo is broken, the Blood Sprite loses the benefits of the above 5 rituals, and takes the full ability score penalties of their age, for as long as they are in the situation that breaks their Taboo, and 24 hours thereafter. If the Taboo is Weakened, this duration ends as soon as they are out of the situation that breaks their Taboo.

A list of common Taboos is supplied below; feel free to create any additional Taboos that might be appropriate for your campaign.

Cannot enter or stay in direct sunlight.
Cannot enter or stay in running water; Blood Sprites with a Swim speed cannot select this Taboo.
Cannot enter or stay in a home or other building without the express permission of someone with the authority to give that permission; this does not apply to public structures.
Cannot enter or stay on holy ground.
Cannot approach within 5' of someone brandishing a holy symbol; brandishing a holy symbol takes a Standard action.
Cannot look at themselves in a mirror.
Cannot allow any area that they frequent to stay disorganized.
Cannot refuse hospitality.


Happy Halloween, folks.

Mithril Leaf
2013-10-29, 01:08 AM
Seems like having a few dozen binder followers that you sleep in a big pile with is a good idea, just keep a nice big vat under the (waterproof) bed.