The Collars of Dragomir

Description: Each collar is a thin metal bar that wraps around the wearer’s neck and hooks together in the back. The collars magically adjust to fit the wearer’s neck comfortably.

History: Dragomir was once a feared vampire king who mercilessly ruled a country whose name is long forgotten. Legend has it that he liked to tinker and experiment on his people transforming them into mindless puppets or frightening freaks. Some of the more terrible abominations are said to have originally been Dragomir’s creations. Dragomir left a number of artifacts but none are as insidiously evil as his collars. He created them for his most trusted servants and they bestow the wearer with an unnatural beauty but at a terrible price. Eight collars are known to exist. Three are under the watchful eye of Erathis monks who have hidden them away in undisclosed secret locations. The whereabouts of the other five collars are unknown. It is rumored that if all of the collars are brought together, they can be used to resurrect Dragomir. Each collar is unique and has its own powers but all share certain traits of the vampiric curse.

Collar of Dragomir:

Once placed around the neck, the collar gradually makes the wearer more and more beautiful. It grants an initial +2 bonus to Charisma. However, once a month the wearer will grow the fangs of a vampire and be overcome with an unquenchable thirst for blood. The wearer gains the vampire bite ability for 24 hours. They must make a Wisdom save every hour (DC 10 +1 for each hour that passes) or they will lose control and attack the first victim they find. The wearer must drain the victim dry by reducing its hit points to zero before the collar is satiated and the hunger ends. For each month the wearer successfully kills using the bite attack, they will gain an additional +1 bonus to Charisma (Maximum 22). However, for each month the wearer fails to kill with the bite attack, they will suffer a -1 penalty to Wisdom (minimum 5) and Constitution (minimum 0 and death). If a person dies while wearing the collar, they rise again as a vampire.

An interesting side-effect happens the longer someone wears a collar of Dragomir. While the wearer grows more beautiful to others, they will become increasingly more hideous to themselves. When the wearer looks in a mirror, they will see their reflection with a -2 penalty to Charisma (minimum 2) for each victim they have killed with the vampire bite. More than one collar can be worn at one time. The general abilities and penalties don’t stack but the wearer gains the unique abilities of each collar.

A collar can’t be removed unless the wearer voluntarily removes it or the wearer loses his or her head. Vampires naturally respect the collars and will not attack anyone who wears one unless provoked. The collars have no effect when worn by vampires and are merely treated as pretty pieces of jewelry. Originally, the collars compelled the wearers to obey and serve Dragomir but he’s been dead and gone for many years.

Removing the collar is dangerous as it will dig into the wearer’s neck with sharp barbs if threatened. Forcibly removing the collar will result in beheading the wearer. Removing the collar requires an opposed Strength check and the wearer has advantage to their roll. A successful removal is treated as if the attacker rolled a natural 20 with a vorpal weapon. If a wearer voluntarily removes the collar, their good looks will be stripped from them and their Charisma score will become an 8 or their initial Charisma score, whichever is lower. In addition, they will receive the mark of the vampire condition.

Mark of the Vampire Condition: An individual with this condition has a supernatural mark that identifies the person as a traitor to the vampire race. The individual suffers a disadvantage against all saving throws against vampire abilities and spells. Vampires receive an advantage on all attacks against the individual and will treat the cursed individual as hostile. The mark remains until the subject dies or is turned into a vampire. A Greater Restoration or Wish spell can remove the mark.

In addition to the above qualities, individual collars come with their own unique abilities.

Damnation – A gold collar, Damnation is the path of misfortune. The wearer may cast the cantrip Acid Splash and gains the ability to cast spells. The collar gives the wearer the vampire weakness of sunlight sensitivity.

Desolation – A rose gold collar, Desolation is the herald of ruin. The wearer may cast the cantrip Eldritch Blast and gains the ability to cast spells. The collar changes the wearer’s eyes to a dull red.

Devastation – A black iron collar, Devastation is the harbinger of fear. The wearer may cast True Strike as a cantrip and gains the ability to cast spells. The collar makes the wearer terrifying to small animals. The wearer suffers a disadvantage to the Animal Handling skill. Wild animals of CR 1 or less who see the collar will flee the wearer as if affected by a 3^rd-Level Fear spell (Save DC 15).

Exploitation – A silver collar, Exploitation is the blade of pain. The wearer may cast Thaumaturgy as a cantrip and gains the ability to cast spells. The collar makes the wearer’s hair the color of frost.

Immolation – A blue steel collar, Immolation is the beacon of slaughter. The wearer may cast fire bolt as a cantrip and gains the ability to cast spells. The collar makes the wearer’s skin unnaturally pale and cold.

Infection – A reddish copper collar, Infection is the taint of destruction. The wearer may cast Poison Spray as a cantrip and gains the ability to cast spells. The collar turns the wearer’s nails into sharp talons that can do 1d2 slashing damage.

Provocation – A yellow brass collar, Provocation is the sign of war. The wearer may cast Vicious Mockery as a cantrip and gains the ability to cast spells. The collar gives the wearer the vampire weakness of forbiddance.

Seduction – A white gold collar, Seduction is the voice of trouble. The wearer may cast Friends as a cantrip and gains the ability to cast spells. The collar makes the wearer’s lips a deep blood red.

Destroying the Collars: All eight collars must be found and brought together at night and bathed in the fresh blood of an innocent who is dedicated to a good deity. This will destroy the collars and resurrect Dragomir.