Category:Vrykolaka Vampire

This section contains canon info from officially published sources

The vrykolaka vampire is a particularly disgusting and degenerate vampiric strain marked by the ravages of disease. (Although the vrykolaka vampire suffers from any physical marks left by the disease, a vyrkolaka is otherwise immune to the disease's other effects, acting as a Typhoid Mary to spread contagion.) Beyond disfigurement inflicted by the disease it bears, the vyrkolaka's body is visibly deformed by its transition to undeath, the vampire's body resembling that of a decaying corpse with green glowing eyes. A vyrkolaka has claws but no fangs, instead draining blood with an unnaturally long, prehensile, barbed tongue.^[1]

Vrykolaka vampires are known to be encountered in the following domains: Barovia^[2], Richemulot^[3], and Valachan^[4].

Special Abilities of the Vyrkolaka Vampire

The vyrkolka is a font of disease, infecting victims with claw attacks or blood drain. In addition, a vyrkolka's gaze causes its victims to fall into fevered slumber. A vyrkolaka vampire summons monstrous vermin using the Children of the Night special ability. The vrykolaka cannot assume the form of a wolf or mist but can instead turn into a single dire rat or swarm of normal rats. When reduced to zero hit points in normal combat, a vyrkolaka assumes the latter form rather than mist.^[1]

Vulnerabilities

The vrykolaka has the same vulnerabilities to sunlight and running water as standard vampires. The vrykolaka is also repulsed by anise in addition to garlic and holy symbols. Rather than a wood stake to the heart, the vyrkolaka is incapacitated (though not permanently destroyed) by an iron spike to the skull. A Remove Disease spell targeted upon the vampire can severely weaken it.^[1]

References

Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue

		Denizens of Darkness
		Denizens of Darkness - p153
		Denizens of Darkness - pp149, 153-156, 164
		Denizens of Darkness - pp149, 153-156
		Vampire, Vrykolaka