Count Dracula

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Count Dracula A figure of inestimable evil, shrouded in shadow, plotting ambitious designs and toying with the humans at his whim like a grandmaster looming over the chessboard. Yet, when the situation demands, when confronted in his lair or simply when it is time to feed, he bares his moon-white fangs and calls upon his preternatural strength to make him the most feared predator in all the world. Count Dracula first appeared in Dracula (Bram Stoker, 1897) and is available for free on-line at Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext95/dracu13.txt. A PORTRAIT Certainly Count Dracula represents among the most unique collection of abilities among all the villains of the literary realms. He is gifted with a suite of supernatural powers that would make a comic book hero weep: superhuman strength, nigh invulnerability, a hypnotic gaze, shapeshifting, wallcrawling, weather manipulation, control over creatures of the night, knowledge of the “black arts”, and more. In many ways, Dracula is the first supervillain. But more than just a collection of his powers, Dracula represents the ultimate antagonist. He is irredeemably evil, note-perfect in his planning, and immortal, with the confidence and patience such a condition affords.

As is typical, the best description of the character—his “marked physiognomy”—comes from the author himself:

His face was a strong, a very strong, aquiline, with high bridge of the thin nose and peculiarly arched nostrils; with lofty domed forehead, and hair growing scantily round the temples, but profusely elsewhere. His eyebrows were very massive, almost meeting over the nose, and with bushy hair that seemed to curl in its own profusion. The mouth, so far as I could see it under the heavy moustache, was fixed and rather cruel looking, with peculiarly sharp white teeth; these protruded over the lips, whose remarkable ruddiness showed astonishing vitality in a man of his years. For the rest, his ears were pale and at the tops extremely pointed; the chin was broad and strong, and the cheeks firm though thin. The general effect was one of extraordinary pallor. Hitherto I had noticed the backs of his hands as they lay on his knees in the firelight, and they had seemed rather white and fine. But seeing them now close to me, I could not but notice that they were rather coarse, broad, with squat fingers. Strange to say, there were hairs in the centre of the palm. The nails were long and fine, and cut to a sharp point. As the Count leaned over me and his hands touched me, I could not repress a shudder. It may have been that his breath was rank, but a horrible feeling of nausea came over me, which, do what I would, I could not conceal. The Count, evidently noticing it, drew back. And with a grim sort of smile, which showed more than he had yet done his protruberant teeth, sat himself down again on his own side of the fireplace. We were both silent for a while, and as I looked towards the window I saw the first dim streak of the coming dawn. There seemed a strange stillness over everything. But as I listened, I heard as if from down below in the valley the howling of many wolves. The Count's eyes gleamed, and he said. "Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!"

-Dracula, Chapter 2, “Jonathan Harker’s Journal Continued”

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Count Dracula The Count ordinarily dresses in aristocratic finery that suits his station. He is charming beyond his hypnotic gaze and always maintains the proper air of politeness ... except when angered or threatened. On those occasions, he reveals a ruthless, vicious streak that borders on bloodlust. Mercy to those subject to such outbursts.

But Dracula is not without his vulnerabilities. That which gives him his wondrous powers—his vampirism—also holds the key to his defeat. Like his powers, his vulnerabilities have been the subject of much discussion and, on occasion, exageration. This much is true: He is greatly weakened in the presence of daylight (though it does not kill him outright as some have claimed). Garlic and religious objects (such as crucifixes) can hold him at bay. And, ultimately, he can only be killed by decapitation or a stake through the heart. COUNT DRACULA (Dracula, Bram Stoker, 1897) Attributes: Strength 22 (+6), Dexterity 20 (+5), Constitution 20 (+5), Intelligence 22 (+6),

Wisdom 20 (+5), Charisma 22 (+6) Skills: Athletics +6, Carouse +4, Combat +12, Contortion +6, Deception +4 (Bluff +8), Empathy

+4 (Assess Emotions +6), Etiquette +8, Grapple +8, Knowledge Dark Arts +12, Perception +6, Persuasion +8 (Intimidate +8), Stealth +10

Advantages: Aura of Fear, Combat Quickness, Contact (R.M. Renfield), Darkvision, Defense Awareness, Defense Damage Reduction (-5), Forego Necessities, Hypnotic Gaze (+5 bonus, duration +20 rounds), Ignore Damage, Natural Armor (invulnerability, x5), Natural Weapon (bite, +6 dmg mod), Regeneration (10 hps per hour), Shapeshifting (animal, duration 40 rounds), Weapon Proficiency (all martial and firearms)

Combat: hit points 50, Natural Armor –10 damage modifier, bite +6 damage modifier Plot Points: 3 VAMPIRISM Narrators should tailor rules for vampirism to suit their campaign’s specific needs. A simple method would be to say that any character brought below zero hit points by the Count’s bite must make an opposed Constitution check, failure indicating that the character rises as a vampire under his control. More intricate systems can be created to serve as a foundation for an extended adventure or even an entire campaign. NEW ADVANTAGES The following are new supernatural advantages possessed by Count Dracula. Dracula possesses other abilities not referenced in the statblock above. They are generally broader, more related to overarching plot concerns and less to individual or combat encounters. You should adjudicate these abilities as necessary to advance the plot.

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Count Dracula Hypnotic Gaze Cost: 4 Prerequisite: Charisma 20+ Benefit: You are able to force others to do your bidding. Up to three times per adventure, you may

attempt to hypnotize another character by staring into their eyes. Make an opposed Charisma check. If successful, you gain limited control over the beliefs and actions of the target for a number of rounds equal to the spread. The extent of the control is otherwise determined by the spread.

Multiple: (1) Gain a +2 bonus on your Charisma check when using this advantage; (2) the duration increases by a number of rounds equal to your Charisma; or (3) gain an additional three uses per adventure.

Shapeshifting Cost: 4 Prerequisite: None Benefit: Choose a class of alternate forms: human, animal, incorporeal, or inanimate object. Up to

three times per adventure, you may shift into another form within that class. You may keep this form for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution score.

Multiple: (1) Choose another class of forms; (2) the duration increases by a number of rounds equal to your Constitution score; or (3) gain three additional uses per adventure.

ADVENTURE SEEDS Orange and Black ... And Red: Following the defeat of Dracula, Van Helsing extracts the Count’s prominent fangs as a trophy, having them fashioned into cufflinks. Months later, he travels to America to lecture at Princeton University. The presence of the fangs stirs a long-defunct death cult from their slumber, and soon the sleepy Ivy League campus is swarming with vampires, including the entire Princeton Glee Club.

A Dish Best Served Cold: Harker, Van Helsing, and the others defeat Dracula but fail to perform the necessary rituals to ensure his destruction. He eventually revives, gathers his strength, and plots his revenge—against the whole of Europe. Recognizing the need to increase his power to meet his goal, the Count ventures into the Book Without End to enlist aid, returning with an unspeakable army at his command.

Dracula art generously provided by:

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