Zhentarim.

He had awakened in the catacombs beneath

Past and Present the city just as the Manshoon Wars began, only to discover

T
he Night Masks have been a part of Westgate’s that prior to his revival he had been abducted and drained
history since 1353 DR, when the first Faceless by the vampire Orlak, the self-proclaimed Night King who
assembled a band of assassins, thieves, and laired beneath Westgate. The clone’s first act upon rising
enforcers to gain control of the city’s fractious underworld. was to hunt down and destroy his creator, taking the title
Following their master’s directives, the guild members for his own and adopting the name Orbakh. Ensconcing
quickly extinguished or absorbed all the criminal himself in his late predecessor’s underground lair, Orbakh
organizations that opposed them. The consolidated contemplated his goals and plans for the future. But as he
organization began competing with the merchant houses pondered his situation, emerging from the undercity only

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for control of the city’s illegal activities. The merchant to hunt and feed, he found his actions influenced by a
houses struck back, and the resulting conflict became a surprising manipulator.
semi-secret street war that lasted nearly two decades Among the treasures he “inherited” from his slain
before the Night Masks gained the upper hand. creator was the Maguscepter and a pair of powerful magic

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The thieves’ guild suffered a near-fatal setback in 1368 items: the Argraal of Orlak and the Flying Fangs of the Night
DR when the Harpers and their allies managed to King.
eventually unmask the Faceless (the second to hold the After a period of observation in the city, he decided his
title) and significantly disrupt his group’s operations. first act would be to claim leadership of the Night Masks
Unwilling to admit defeat, the Faceless attempted to and revitalize the guild. He and his Court would be the
proclaim himself King of Westgate, but was slain shortly secret rulers of the organization, reshaping it to suit their
thereafter. own ends.
In 1369 DR a new Faceless arose to quell these internal In 1384 DR, Gedrin a young member of the Night Masks
conflicts and restore the Night Masks to their previous had a vision in which the gods Helm and Tyr fought, with

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strength. It has always been the custom that the general
membership of the guild does not know the true identity of
the Faceless, though some holders of the title have been
less secretive than others. Each new Faceless must prove
Tyr slaying Helm. After he died, Helm's essence melded
with Tyr's and Tyr's sight returned. When Gedrin woke
from his vision, he held Helm's sword, Vindicator. Later,
Gedrin had another vision in which Tyr was killed by the
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himself capable of leadership through actions rather than demon lord Orcus and Tyr's essence flowed into Torm's,
words. The individual who rose to claim the title when the making Torm the Threefold God. Gedrin became a religious
guild faced its darkest hour encountered few obstacles on zealot and recruited crusaders from among the Night
his path to becoming the new Faceless. The guild was in a Masks, forming the Eye of Justice. The church was
near-total state of disarray following the death of its last instrumental in driving the Night Masks from Westgate in
leader, and was hungry for new leadership - particularly 1391 DR. The Fire Knives thieves guild also purged the city
when that leadership was demonstrated in the face of of vampires. Orbakh escaped to his lair outside the city
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adversity. Some limited dissent in the ranks provided the walls, the haunted Castle of Stormwatch.
aspirant to the Faceless title the opportunity to show his Today, after years of hiding and slowing rebuilding of the
mettle. Those who objected to his ascension, or sought it organization, the Night Masks are growing back to their
for themselves, were murdered in spectacularly gruesome past strength. Orbakh is still the Faceless and still rules
fashion, often inside what they had supposed were their from Stormwatch, but the new Night Masks are now a
well-guarded private quarters. group totally composed by vampires. Orbakh lives in the
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The Faceless chose not to reveal to his new minions that castle with an horde of vampire spawns at his command.
he was a vampire. He had used the abilities granted by his The Night Masks are now an assassins' guild, operating
undead condition to obtain information about dissenters in every city of the Faerûn in scattered cells. Every cell is
and rivals and then kill them (being able to take on gaseous led by a free willed vampire, a powerful Duke under the
form is a very effective means of entering otherwise authority of the Faceless. The Night Masks' Counts are
impenetrable areas, and the ability to summon the vampire lieutenants and elite agents who receive their
creatures of the night to do one’s bidding makes for a novel assignments directly from the Dukes. The most numerous
form of execution). But even if the guild had somehow agents of the organization are vampire spawns. They
learned the truth about the Faceless’s nature, there was no receive the simplest assignments beyond the notice of the
way the members could know that he was no ordinary elite Counts.
vampire. He was also one of the few surviving stasis clones Orbakh wants the Night Masks to keep incognito, but he
of the infamous Manshoon, erstwhile leader of the is working towards the establishment of a vampire empire.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Vampires of the Night Masks 3
 Lineages
If you don't keep any of those elements or you choose
Vampire this lineage at character creation, you gain proficiency in

Y
ou are an undead lord of the night. You became an two skills of your choice.
immortal creature, created willingly by another Darkvision. You have a superior vision in conditions of
vampire. You are a free willed undead, different dim light or darkness. You can see at 60 ft. in dim light as if
from the enslaved vampire spawns. Perhaps your creator it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light.
was destroyed or something in your creation process went You can’t distinguish colours in the dark, just shades of

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wrong. You are free to stalk the night and find your own gray.
path as an unchanging vampire. Deathless Nature. You don't need to breathe or eat. You
need to drink blood to sustain your unlife. You must drink
Undead Legacy blood once per night or you gain a level of exhaustion. You

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Vampires come from different humanoid races. The need to drink a pint of fresh blood from an humanoid or
process of their creation involve the willing action of two pints from any other kind of living creature.
another vampire. Born vampires are unheard of. Vampires Regeneration. At 5th level, you regain 5 hit points at the
are pallid versions of their previous self. Their appearance start of your turn if you have at least 1 hit point and you
is varied as varied can be their origins. Every vampire are not in sunlight or running water. If you take radiant
craves for blood, their only source of sustenance. damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn't func-
tion at the start of your next turn.
Condemned or Blessed Spider Climb. You have a climbing speed equal to your
walking speed. In addition, at 3rd level, you can move up,
Some vampires feel condemned for all the things they have

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lost in the transformation. Others revel in their newfound
powers. What to do with their undead existence, that's a
decision every vampire must take alone.
down, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along
ceilings, while leaving your hands free.
Undead Fortitude. You have resistance to necrotic dam-
age. At 5th level you gain also resistance to bludgeoning,
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piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks.
Vampire Traits Vampiric Bite. Your fanged bite is a natural weapon,
Your undead nature gives you advantages and weaknesses
which counts as a simple melee weapon with which you
that distinguish you as a child of the night.
are proficient. You add your Constitution modifier, instead
Ability Score Increase. Increase one ability score by 2 and
of your Strength modifier, to the attack and damage rolls
increase a different one by 1, or increase three different
when you attack with this bite. It deals 1d6 piercing dam-
ability scores by 1. If you are replacing your race with this
age plus 1d6 necrotic damage on a hit. While you are miss-
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lineage, replace any Ability Score Increase you previously

ing half or more of your hit points, you have advantage on
had with this.
attack rolls you make with this bite.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and
When you attack with this bite and hit a creature that is-
one other language that you and your DM agree is appro-
n’t a Construct or an Undead, you regain hit points equal to
priate for the character. If you are replacing your race with
the necrotic damage dealt by the bite.
this lineage, you retain any languages you had and gain no
Vampiric Claws. You gain claws as natural weapons,
new languages.
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which counts as a simple melee weapon with which you

Creature Type. You are an Undead.
are proficient. It deals 1d4 slashing damage.
Age. Vampires are created by other vampires. They re-
Forbiddance. You can't enter a residence without an invit-
main identical in appearance as they were at the moment
ation from one of the occupants.
of their transformation. Vampires can live forever if they
Harmed by Running Water. You take 10 acid damage
are not killed.
when you end your turn in running water.
Size. You are Medium or Small. If you are replacing your
Stake to the Heart. You are destroyed if a piercing
race with this lineage, you retain the size you had.
weapon made of wood is driven into your heart while you
Speed. Your walking speed is 35 feet.
are incapacitated in your resting place.
Ancestral Legacy. If you replace a race with this lineage,
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. You take 10 radiant damage
you can keep the following elements of that race: any skill
when you start your turn in sunlight. While in sunlight,
proficiencies you gained from it and any climbing, flying,
you have disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
or swimming speed you gained from it.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Vampires of the Night Masks 4
 or damage from holy water, this trait doesn't func-
Feats •
tion at the start of your next turn.
You now take 20 acid damage from running water
Bat Form and 20 radiant damage from sunlight.
Prerequisite: Vampire
You can assume the form of a bat. Mist Form
• Increase your Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum Prerequisite: Vampire, Bat Form
of 20. You’ve learned the secret to assume mist form and become
• If you are not in sun light or running water, you impervious to attacks.

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can use your action to polymorph into a Tiny bat, • Increase your Constitution score by 1, to a maxim-
or back into your true form. While in bat form, you um of 20.
can't speak, your walking speed is 5 feet, and you
have a flying speed of 30 feet. Your statistics, other • If you are not in sun light or running water, you

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than your size and speed, are unchanged. Anything can use your action to polymorph into a Medium
you are wearing transforms with you, but nothing cloud of mist, or back into your true form. While
you are carrying does. You revert to your true form in mist form, you can't take any actions, speak, or
if you die. You can use this feature twice. You re- manipulate objects. You are weightless, have a fly-
gain expended uses when you finish a short or ing speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can enter a
long rest. hostile creature's space and stop there. In addition,
if air can pass through a space, you can do so
without squeezing, and you can't pass through wa-
Death's Caress
ter. You have advantage on Strength, Dexterity,
Prerequisite: Vampire, Bat Form or Vampiric Charm
Your bite becomes more lethal.

•
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Increase your Strength score by 1, to a maximum
of 20.
and Constitution saving throws, and you are im-
mune to all nonmagical damage, except the dam-
age you take from sunlight. You revert to your true
form if you die. You can use this feature twice. You
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regain expended uses when you finish a short or
• Your bite now deals 1d6 piercing damage plus 3d6 long rest.
necrotic damage on a hit.
Vampiric Charm
Children of the Night Prerequisite: Vampire
Prerequisite: Vampire, Vampiric Charm
Your natural charm as a vampire becomes supernatural.
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You can call the children of the night to your side.

• Increase your Charisma score by 1, to a maximum
• You magically call 6 swarms of bats or rats, of 20.
provided that the sun isn't up. While outdoors, you
• You gain the ability to cast charm person. Once you
can call 6 wolves instead. The called creatures ar-
cast the spell with this trait, you can’t cast that
rive in 1d4 rounds, acting as your allies and obey-
spell with it again until you finish a long rest;
ing your spoken commands. The beasts remain for
however, you can cast the spell using any spell
1 hour, until you die, or until you dismiss them as a
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slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence,

bonus action. Once you use this trait, you can’t use
Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability
it again until you finish a long rest.
for the spell you cast with this trait (choose the
ability when you create your character).
Improved Regeneration
Prerequisite: Vampire, Mist Form Vampiric Fortitude
Your regeneration becomes more powerful. The severity of Prerequisite: Vampire, Improved Regeneration
some of your weaknesses worsen.
Your develop the physical fortitude of a lord of the night.
• You regain 10 hit points at the start of your turn if Your body becomes more powerful, agile and resilient.
you have at least 1 hit point and you are not in sun-
• Increase your Strength, Dexteity, and Consitution
light or running water. If you take radiant damage
score by 1 each, to a maximum of 20.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Vampires of the Night Masks 5
 The Night Masks
T
he Night Masks changed over time. From a thieves'
guild settled in Westgate, they have become an
international assassins' organization, with bases
scattered all over Faerûn. Every cell of the Night Masks, led
by a Duke, has the precise purpose to build a local power
base from the future Empire of the Night, where vampires
will rule over mortals. The Faceless may count on his
agents to reach this goal, unique vampires of great power.

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He will stop at nothing to realize this ambition.

The Faceless

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The notorious Manshoon is responsible for a great many
crimes and atrocities, but perhaps none may prove so
dangerous for Faerûn as the creation of his stasis clones.
The prototypical Manshoon personality remains largely
intact in this clone, but it has been made even darker as a
result of the clone’s unholy transformation into a vampire.
Like his progenitor, Orbakh has made power the focus of
his existence. Where the power comes from is largely a
matter of circumstance, and in the Night King’s case it

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comes from his rulership of the thieves’ guild. But he must
always have more, and to this end he intends to create a
great kingdom of vampires and fill it with hapless mortal
slaves. He must always be the dominant individual in his
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environment, and he strives to secure his place at the apex
of any power structure he employs.
Hence, Orbakh believes that all other beings are
necessarily divided into two categories: those that are
demonstrably inferior, and those that have been elevated
beyond their worth. He cannot hide his contempt for
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others. In all his dealings and interactions, his natural

condescension is plainly visible, even though he glosses it
over with a veneer of charm. He cannot tolerate rivals. He
goes out of his way to crush them as quickly as possible,
hoping that by doing so he is providing an example to any
others who avow themselves his enemies. Only three years
a vampire, Orbakh has not yet acquired the long-term
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perspective and patience that comes to most powerful

undead creatures as the centuries pass them by. He is still
prone to fits of impatience, emotionalism, and self-
indulgent cruelty. In his supreme confidence, he cannot
imagine that his plan to build a kingdom in which
vampires are the dominant force might not succeed. His
mind cannot admit even the slightest possibility of failure.
Tall and well muscled, Orbakh cuts an imposing figure in
his custom black armour chased with gold enamel. His
state of undeath has given its customary pallor to his face,
but few other than his Dukes see his features because he
habitually wears a helm to conceal his face.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Vampires of the Night Masks 6