By: H. Ryan Clark

Here are some "thumb-nail" rules for making those tragically mistreated lap dogs of the vampires. Bound by the Vitae of the undead and their own addiction to the power it gives, these poor souls labor through both day and night to serve their aloof and merciless masters. This is a pastich'e of rules presented in White Wolf’s sourcebook; Ghouls: Fatal Addiction, a highly suggested source to use with these rules.

* Blood Aid Multipower [see Vampire Abilities] (cost: 40pts)

* Bloodpool END Reserve [END equal to Body x2] (cost: 4pts)

* Life Support: Immune to Aging and Disease (cost: 6pts)

*Vampire Disciplines are 2x Total Cost for Ghouls to purchase.

* Psychological Limitation: Must Obey Vampire Master (Common, Total) [-20pts]

* Kindred Status: Ghoul [-5pts]

* "The Consuming Blood": Physical Limitation: Every point of Bloodpool END used below the amount in the Reserve equal to the Ghoul’s Body causes 2 points of Body damage. [-10pts]

(Example: Suzie the Ghoul is froced to protect her mistress’s honor and needs to boost her Strength. Suzie’s Blood END is at 10 and her Body rating is 10. She uses 2 points of Bloodpool to boost her Str by 1D6, but she takes 4 points damage because her Bloodpool rating fell 2 points below her Body rating. Suzie better hope she doesn’t get hurt in this fight.)

Character Creation: Ghouls are built with Competent Normal guidelines, but treated as Skilled Normals for puposes of point allocation. Ghouls have a 50pt Base and a disadvantage maximum of 85pts (the Ghoul disadvantages do not count against her disadvantage max). Ghouls can spend no more than 65pts on attributes and skills. The other 70pts are spent paying for the Ghoul’s Abilities and one level of Potence.

As an option, a Player Character may start with the Heroic guidelines, although they allocate their points as a Competent Normal. These Ghouls begin with a 75pt Base and a disadvantage max of 110pts. No less than 90pts must be set aside for the Ghoul’s abilities and one level of Potence and Fortitude or two levels of either.

Animals may also become Ghouls when Blood Bound. Animals are usually built with a 50pt Base, but in this case their Base cost is increased to 75pts to compensate for their new abilities. Ghoul animals do not suffer from Kindred Status and will not use their own blood to power the Blood Aid Multipower. Therefore; they only suffer from the Psy Lim of servitude.

Szlachta: These "guardian ghouls" are seen so often in Sabbat war parties they deserve special mention. Through their Tzimisce masters Viccissitude they've gained one or more of the following abilities:

Bone Armor: +1 rPD/ +1 rED Armor; Con Roll vs.Agg. Damage(-1/2) [Max: up to ten levels] cost: 2pts/ Lvl

Fangs: 1/2D6 HKA (1D6+1 w/ Str); 0 END (+1/2).......................................................……..... cost: 15pts

Claws: 1/2D6 HKA (1D6+1 w/ Str); 0 END (+1/2) ...........................................………............ cost: 15pts

Spines: 1/2D6 RKA; Damage Shield (+1/2), Persistent (+1), Always On (-1/2), Act. 14- (-1/2) cost: 13pts

Any of these require the ghoul to take the Monstrous Appearance disadvantage (-25pts). To further simulate Szlachta buy up its Strength, Body, Constitution and Stun. Reduce its Intelligence and Ego.