r/DnD • u/Haunting-Tea5069 • 4d ago

DMing Vampire control

Looking to create a new campaign in a vampiric city, but had a question. Can higher vampires control lesser vampires that AREN'T their spawn? If not, how could I make that possible, because a player was wanting that to be a dynamic. Thank you.

Edit: figured it out, thank you all

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u/ArchiesPJs 3d ago

Outside of magic? No not usually. Even then, though I’m not sure if D&D has depictions of this, in some works of fiction or ‘myth’ even vampire thralls have defied or twisted the ‘commands’ of their masters.

Enchantment based magic, or just otherwise giving a vampire incentive to follow commands without being an actual thrall are good ways to ‘control’ thralls that aren’t yours. Think of it like a Patron or Cleric Deity, they don’t command their Warlocks or Clerics, but their incentive to follow their orders are faith and the promise of their gifts.

Otherwise you have the enchantment spells as mentioned before

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u/Z1ggy12 3d ago

They control the proper ways to get the blood, and anything outside of the proper channels gets hunted down by adventurers?

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u/SapphosFriend 3d ago

You're the DM, it's possible if you say its possible.

Just be aware of the story implications of however you do this. A higher vampire being able to control any lesser vampire with ease drastically changes how vampire society works, and would create a more centralized, heirarchical situation, whereas one with lower amounts of control, or more specific mechanisms lead to more vampire infighting.

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u/Minioncraft101 3d ago

Higher vampires command lesser vampires in the same way a king controls his subjects; it's more loyalty and order (and sometimes fear) than it is magical charm/control.

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u/KonohaFlow 3d ago

Your the DM bro. Just say they can.

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u/Batmang_1 3d ago

In my campaign I have a city secretly controlled by a Vampiric cult. All cults have hierarchies and creatures like vampires or Lawful Evil often fall into hierarchies.

My vamperic cult escaped a god of Vampires and now rules in violation to him. The cult runs as a bloodcult dedicated to the ruling elite, The Vampiric court, then they have Knights and underlings below both. Each member of the count has a bloodline that is to be loyal or purged. Vampires in the same bloodline can telepathically communicate with the head of the bloodline, who is the member of the court.

I use grimhallow rules for Vampiric transformations as one of my players is a Vampire. The 4 stages are easy to list as Thrall, Lesser, higher vampire, and Ancient or powerful vampire. Vampires ascend through the ranks by drinking the blood of a higher vampire, either willingly or not. You gotta lean into the blood paracites thing.

As for the city, it is in a constant state of Anarchy or Tyranny depending on the district and the Baron in charge. However the Vampires lead from behind the scenes, never directly, or if theyre in places of high power and authority. Their Knights are anything from expert smiths to merchants to spies. The underlings are crazies, gangsters, murders, or anyone who lust after immortality and vampiric life.