Blood Kiss (Rune Sword):

It had been a tough fight. Even though a Wampyre, fighting half a dozen vampires was never easy especially when one appeared to have been a master vampire. Now, the vampires lay all around her with wooden stakes through their hearts. Technically they were not dead. She would need to burn the bodies after removing their heads or they might come back.

Several years ago, a vampire had tried to turn her into a vampire but had failed. Instead she was transformed into a half vampire called a Wampyre. She had many of their abilities but lacked some of their most glaring weaknesses such as sun would burn hit but was nowhere near as deadly to her as it was to a vampire. The transformation had made her completely immune to a vampire's mind control abilities. As a result, few were as deadly vampire hunters as a Wampyre.

If the vampire had not been so indiscriminate, she might never had learned of their existence. Generally, she left alone vampires that did not leave corpses left all over the city. Those that just sipped a bit, she did not concern herself with too much. After all, she herself needed blood to survive, just not as much as a full vampire. These vampires though had killed hundreds and had ruled the night. They had not even bothered to hide the corpses. Several of the key city leaders had been their blood bonded minion.

No more however. Still, it might be wise for Wayna to get out of the city before the sun rose. In order to get out in time, she would need to dispose of the bodies quickly. She was about to start disposing of the bodies when she saw a blood red sword in the hand of one of the vampires. Strange in other ways, the blade had wicked curves along the length before coming to a sharp stabbing point. The corpse appeared to be the one she suspected of being a master vampire.

The sword seemed to draw her in. She grasped the handle of the sword to pick it up. Suddenly there was pain and she could see that there were many tiny spikes that suddenly extended deep into her palm. There was blood dripping from her hand. The pain lasted for moments however and was completely gone. It felt extremely light weight, more like that of a short sword than that of a Bastard Sword. There was a personality in the blade that in many ways seemed to mirror her own. The blade was alive in a very real sense. How a personality so close to her own was carried by a vampires who acted like this she could understand.

Like many rune weapons, the origin of this weapon is not clear. There are many stories told about the sword but almost impossible to know what is real and what is fantasy. It is believed by most scholars to be extremely ancient, thousands or more years old. There is a tale told that it was wielded by the first master vampire although most scholars doubt it. For some reason, the blade's memories are fragmentary and hart to piece anything coherent together from them. It appears to have been in a torpor for long periods of time in its life. It has been carried by both Vampires, mostly master but a few powerful secondary vampires as well, and Wampyres. Some of the Wampyres were dedicated Vampire Hunters.

Unlike most rune weapons, Blood Kiss actually does not have much of a personality. Instead seems to take on the personality of the possessor once it bounds with them. Part of the reason why the memories are so disjointed is because it takes on the memories of the wielder from before they bond with the weapon. The blade will only bond with Vampires and Wampyres. The personality becomes something of a feedback loop. For example, when bonded to a vampire who is indiscriminate, they will tend to become even more indiscriminate. In other cases, when bounded to a Wampyre who hunts vampires, it will strongly support their hunting as well.

Like a vampire, the sword effectively needs to "Feed" on blood every few days. It does not have to be much in theory, just a few drops but needs to be from a sentient creature. Usually this will be human but not always. Cannot feed on the blood of vampires although can be used against other vampires. Being that both Vampires and Wampyres need to feed as well, this is usually not much of a problem. Still, if it does not get a chance to feed, it will start pushing its possessor to feed it blood eventually getting frantic. If it does not feed, it will get more and more lethargic until go into a torpor. It will remain in this state until it has fed again. When it does, it will wake up immediately. Unlike a true vampire, it will not go insane. In such a torpor, the weapon can theoretically remain sleeping for hundreds or even thousands of years. Often this will happen if the vampire possessing the blade gets killed and the weapon is lost for a time.

In appearance, Blood Kiss is blood red normally although when it has not fed for a while, the blade fades to a darker red. The sword is a hand and a half blade which can be used in either one hand or two. It has tiny runes running down the blade and handle. The blade of the sword is a wavy "Kris" type blade and comes to a sharp point for stabbing. Even though a fairly large weapon, it is extremely well balanced and can be wielded as if a much smaller blade.

The handle of the sword has many tiny spikes which extend and any person who tries to wield the blade will find them cutting deep into their hand. Anybody except for a Vampire or Wampyre will find that the pain makes the blade very hard to wield, virtually impossible for a mortal. Some have tried to wrap the handle in leather but the spikes penetrate the leather like paper. Even though it will cut into the hand of a creatures of the night as well, it does not hurt them after the first initial bonding and in fact assists in their regeneration.

Blood Kiss can only be used by a Vampire or Wampyre. When in the hands of a normal, the sword is not much more than a normal sword even if they can get around the pain. When a Vampire or Wampyre first puts the blade in their hands, the handle piercing the hand will hurt but the pain fades almost immediately. Whenever the sword strikes an opponent, half of whatever damage the blade does to the victim is transferred to the wielder. This blood also sustains the possessor as if they drank it themselves if it is from a sentient being - cannot "feed" from another Vampire or Wampyre. The regeneration is in addition to creature of the night's normal regeneration. In addition, the possessor will find that they are faster with the sword than they were without the blade. Interesting is that a Vampire possessing the blade becomes immune to all forms of vampire mind control. Even the master vampire who created the possessor.

Attributes:

Characteristics:

Like all Rune Weapons it is completely indestructible
Links to a Vampire or Wampyre instantly - Effectively a Blood Bond. Takes on the personality of the possessor as well. Can sense each other presences within 4 miles.
Gives wielder +1 on all saving throws
Can be used to parry energy blasts at -6
Can be used by Vampires and Wampyres of any alignment - Most Vampires are of evil alignment and always show up as supernatural evil.

Weapon Bonuses:

Due to superior craftsmanship, equal to Dwarven quality, and enchantments has +2 to Strike, +3 to Parry, and +4 on Initiative.

Weapon Damage:

6D6+6 per strike, inflicts S.D.C. in S.D.C. Worlds and inflicts M.D.C. in M.D.C. Worlds. (Plus strength bonus if applicable)

Special Abilities (Only Vampires and Wampyres):

Vampiric Regeneration: Whenever the weapon inflicts damage, the wielder (Vampires and Wampyres) will regenerate damage to themselves. Half of any damage inflicted by the weapon will be transferred to the wielder of the sword. It seems to do this by actually taking in the blood of the victim and pumping it into the wielder of the blade. In addition, as long as the blade feeds on the blood of sentient creatures, the wielder does not have to feed directly because they are feeding through the blade.
Speed Doubler: Doubles the wielder's natural speed attribute, gives +2 on initiative (Added into weapon bonuses), and adds one extra attack per melee. In addition, the sword is extremely lightweight (Even though the length of a Bastard Sword) and can be handled like a short sword. It can be used one handed and even with another weapon with paired weapons.
Immune to Vampire "Mind Control": The possessor of the blade will be immune to the control from other vampires. This even includes mind control from the Master Vampires who created the Vampire and all Vampire Intelligence. In effect, the Vampire becomes completely independent. Also gives +5 to all other forms of mind control.

Unusual Characteristics:

Must Feed on Blood: The blade must feed on the blood of a sentient being every few days although it only needs to be a few drops. Usually not too much of a problem because the possessor usually needs to feed as well. If over four days, the blade will push its possessor extremely hard to feed the blade. If the blade does not feed in over a week, it will begin to become lethargic. If it does not feed after three more weeks, it will go into a torpor.
Handle Spikes: The sword handle has spikes which extend when a person grasps the handle. They will draw blood. Wrapping the handle in leather or wearing leather gloves will not protect the hand of the wielder. If used by anybody other than a Vampire or Wampyre, the sword will drain one S.D.C. or Hit Point per melee round. They will also have -4 to strike and parry with the weapon. Attempts to disarm the wielder will have a +4 bonus. If wielded by a Vampire or Wampyre, there is a -2 penalty to disarm because of the spikes.

[ Baalgor Wastelands TM, Barraduk TM, Caer Itom TM, Caer Kurgas TM, Charun the Cruel TM, Church of Light and Dark TM, Cirga TM, Dragonwright TM, Eastern Territories TM, Floenry TM, Great Northern Wilderness TM, Heim TM, Hoknar TM, House Elial TM, House Kaze TM, Kighfalton TM, Kirgi TM, Kisenite TM, Kormath TM, Kym-nark-mar TM, Land of the South Winds TM, Lemaria TM, Lista TM, Llorn TM, Lopan TM, Lopnel TM, Mantus TM, M.D.C. TM, Mega-Damage TM, Odguard TM, Old Kingdom TM, Ophid’s Grasslands TM, Panath TM, Phi TM, Ratling TM, Rifter TM, Rurga TM, S.D.C. TM, Styphon TM, Tark TM, Timiro Kingdom TM, Utu TM, Vald-Tegor TM, Vequerrel Woodlands TM, Western Empire TM, Wolfen TM, Yin-Sloth Jungles TM, Yin-Sloth Periphery TM, and Zandragal TM are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

[ Beyond the Supernatural®, Heroes Unlimited®, Nightbane®, Ninjas & Superspies®, Palladium Fantasy®, and Rifts® are registered trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Return