Hide in plain sight; or, thoughts on a vampire build

[Douglas Muir 406]

One of the major NPCs IMC is a vampire. She's a half-elf who's an arcane spellcaster, and she's the madame of the city's second most expensive brothel. She's been there for years, hiding in plain sight. Up until now I haven't needed to add more details, but the PCs are going to interact with her now so I should probably, er, flesh her out.

-- She's a 13th level caster. I'm thinking either illusionist or enchantress. Not sure what the opposition schools would be.

-- She has a single servant, a human woman who is fanatically devoted to her. The servant is something like a Rog 5 / Wiz 3. Among other uses, the servant can crank up her Disguise to some crazy high level (Hat of Disguise, maxed ranks, Alter Self) and make brief appearances in daylight disguised as her mistress.

-- Most of the time she gets blood from clients, after rendering them unconscious through some combination of drugs and magic. Once in a great while, her chaotic nature asserts herself, and she'll go hunting in a poor neighborhood of the city (first changing her appearance, going invisible, and so forth). She generally disposes of the bodies, but enough bloodless corpses have turned up over the years that the city authorities know there's a vampire out there somewhere.

-- Nobody but the servant has any idea what she is. It's known that she's a spellcaster (and a paid-up member of the Wizards Guild), but she never publicly casts any spell above 4th level. Her girls are afraid of her, but she's careful to conceal her nature around them, and they're unlikely to have spotted anything about her. She uses Detect Thoughts and the like regularly on her staff, so anyone who develops suspicions doesn't last very long.

-- She's ferociously territorial... which is where the PCs come in. I'm playing a modified version of CotCT, and we're in Seven Days right now (APL 5 at the moment). She's going to be the one who sends the PCs to the alley to fight the vampire spawn; she's aware that another vampire has come to town, and she wants him taken down hard.

So: what would be a strong, plausible build for this character? I'm not anticipating that the PCs that the PCs will encounter her as an opponent any time soon (since she's CR 14, they'd better not), but she could be an occasional patron and source of information.

Thoughts?

Doug M.

[Douglas Muir 406]

Welp, the PCs met her and don't suspect a thing.

Still trying to put together what her likely spells and loot would be, just in case. Suggestions welcome!

Doug M.

[El_Bandito]

If i had to suggest something for personality perhaps the Count of Skingrad from oblivion. Cant remember his name. Is a vampire secretly and task the main character to hunt some feral vamps in the country side.

[karkon]

I would like to suggest a diviner. It gives her several benefits. First she always know when she is being scried upon. That will let her pose as innocent when being scried it also lets her prep for any attempts at scry and die. Second she can scry on people, especially ones she has met in her business. As an expensive brothel she probably gets some influential customers.

Finally, if the PCs ever attack her then she gets to act in the surprise round.

[Douglas Muir 406]

karkon wrote:

I would like to suggest a diviner. It gives her several benefits...

Now that is some excellent advice! Exactly the sort of thing I was looking for.

But -- unfortunately, the campaign already has two major NPC diviners. A third one might be a bit much.

Other thoughts?

Doug M.

[Benicio Del Espada]

Yeah, that's enough diviners, I think. She could have a crystal ball or something like that, and she'd still be easily on top of what others are up to. Enchantment would be good to use on her victims (or anyone suspicious of her), or maybe make her a sorcerer with undead or some other cool bloodline.

At her level, she could teleport to some far away places when she wants some blood, and no one would know to trace it to her. The next town over might be going nuts looking for the vampire in their midst, unaware that it just teleports in from time to time and lives 100 miles away.

She would most likely play up the "concerned citizen" shtick just to keep up appearances. She would certainly do that to keep out the competition and also conceal her true identity. If (when) it is discovered that she is actually a vampire, the whole town will be in disbelief.

Fun character!

[karkon]

Then conjurer would be a good option. At her level she can teleport away without an attack of opportunity. She will be able to conjure minions who will last for a long time. It also gives her some good crowd control.

If she takes the teleportation subschool then she gets another form of teleport which can buy her the time to get off some more spells. Opposition of illusion and necromancy.

Use arcane bond so that if the party surprises you she can have at least one spell to use for special circumstances.