Sly Cooper Fan-Character Collab: Baron von Dracul

ARTIST'S NOTE: This is a character concept of a friend, ~Night-Shade X, the same person who helped me narrow down the design of Hugo Boohm. He tossed the idea to me, we hammered it out together, and now I'm putting up my take on what the character looks like, along with a profile. I hope that helps!


Baron Vladmir von Dracul:

Species: Vampire Bat

Nationality: Transylvanian

Likes: Refined hobbies, beautiful women, warriors with integrity.

Dislikes: Rudeness, extreme religious fervor, sore losers.

Unique Features: His eyes glow a faint, eerie red in the darkness, and leave a glowing after-trail whenever he employs his superhuman speed. Other visible traits of his vampirism include the classic fangs, claws that can extend into fearsome talons, and the ability to adjust the pitch of his voice so that it sounds either rich and hypnotic, or booming and fierce. Finally, his appearance is dependent on his intake of blood—if deprived for extended periods of time, he appears as a gaunt, skeletal figure; when able to feed when needed, the Baron appears to be in his physical prime. Regardless of his apparent age, however, Dracul’s breath remains quite foul, carrying the odor of both the grave and of blood.

Appearance:

Tall and sleek, this cultured nobleman dresses accordingly—dark slacks, a white silk shirt, and a crimson waistcoat with a double-row of golden buttons comprise Baron von Dracul’s usual ensemble. In addition to this, his wings resemble a cape when folded together, and he often employs them in such a fashion to lend a further air of nobility to his appearance. Rounding out his cultured appearance is a monocle, though whether or not he actually needs it is open to debate.

Personality:

Cultured and aristocratic, Baron von Dracul often greets others with affable good cheer and politeness, albeit in a grandiose and theatrical fashion. His background as nobility means that he has an appreciation for fine art and music, with a preference for subjects which date back to classical antiquity—more modern tastes (like rock music) tend to make him wince in disgust. This fascination with the arts has rubbed off on the vampire lord; he has shown himself to be quite the virtuoso at playing the organ. To top it all off, Baron Von Dracul often shows respect for those he deems as having proved themselves to surpass “the rank and file cattle of most mortals,” even if these people are his enemies—to such worthy foes, he will offer a sporting chance in battle, or the chance to depart entirely. He is also quite charismatic, able to ingratiate himself with those he’s just met—and around women, this often takes on a charming undertone.

However, one must never forget that Baron von Dracul is not only an ancient vampire, but that he was, in life, one of the most bloodthirsty warlords of the 15th century—should his wrath be incurred, the baron will drop his charismatic demeanor and exhibit a vengeful wrath that makes him appear almost demonic. When such an anger is roused, Dracul will be much more likely to exhibit the bestial aspects of his vampiric powers—lifting and hurling objects ten times the weight of a grown man, lashing out with elongated claws, displaying a feral savagery in his attacks, and eschewing artful dodging and magic in favor of racing for his opponent heedless of injury, counting on his healing factor to protect him.

his inner darkness also displays itself in the form of a mocking cruelty he displays towards those he deems as massive fools in some fashion or another—particularly if they happen to be his enemies. At such times, he will use his hypnotic powers to try and read their minds, confronting them with all of the mistakes they’ve made in life as he moves in for the kill. However, there is no release for such victims—he will impart his curse through a vicious bite, transforming the unfortunate victim into a half-vampire thrall bound to his will…one who, unless their condition is treated, will ultimately be turned into a true vampire servant of the dark lord.

Fighting Style/Weapons:

When he was alive, Vladmir von Dracul was a mighty soldier and military strategist. This is reflected in his proficiency as a master swordsman—favoring a 16th-century cavalry saber, he fights with a mixture of elegant poise as he analyzes his opponent’s style, then turns to fierce strikes as he tries to land a blow. His vampiric nature also grants him preternatural speed and strength; it is rumored that he’s capable of dodging bullets and tearing a car apart with his bare claws.

However, as a vampire lord, Baron von Dracul has far more at his command than mere feats of strength—he is also adept in the ways of black magic. Among his more frequently-displayed powers are the ability to hypnotize victims by making eye contact, the power to transform into an inky black mist to slip through narrow cracks, and the ability to produce bursts of searing hellfire to hurl at foes from a distance. Furthermore, the nature of Dracul’s vampiric feeding allows him two ways of using his victims—by drinking them dry, he can raise their corpses as mindless undead thralls who will serve him without complaint; though their lack of intelligence means they’re incapable of complex tasks without direct supervision. Secondly, he can force them to drink some of his blood in return, imparting his curse—though initially still alive, said victim will begin taking on more and more vampiric traits, until they’re eventually transformed into a complete nightwalker, a twisted reflection of their former self and bound to Baron von Dracul’s sinister will.

However, as with all vampires, Baron von Dracul’s preternatural powers do not come without cost. First and foremost, he is vulnerable to sunlight—while it doesn’t burn him to ash, as per the popular belief, exposure to the light of day robs Dracul of his vampiric powers. This leaves him only marginally stronger and faster than an ordinary mortal, and unable to draw upon his black magic. In addition, the vampire lord is fiercely allergic to garlic, and sacred relics wielded by those with faith—or holy water—can repel him temporarily.

Bio:

There is legend of a powerful figure from the 19th century, though his legend is said to go even further back than that, all the way to the 16th century. Anyone with at least a passing knowledge of horror stories knows the tale—a powerful vampire who travelled from his homeland of Transylvania to England, intent on spreading his dominion across the world. However, his ambition was thwarted by the bold efforts of a band of brave men and the woman who had been bitten by the count, who chased him back to his keep and slew him at great risk to their own lives. That was the story of a vampire known as Dracula, lord of Transylvania. Perhaps the most famous vampire story ever told.

However, few know the truth. The famous novel might have been fiction, but it was based on fact—there was, in truth, a powerful vampire lord; he had indeed come to England with a thirst for conquest and blood; and a group of intrepid souls form different walks of life did band together to stop him. However, the reality deviates from the myth in a few key details…for one thing, one of the members of Helsing’s vampire-hunting band was the gentleman thief, Thaddeus Winslow Cooper, who took part in the hunt in search of the vampire’s treasure—and to save the lovely Mina Harker from said vampire’s dark clutches.

The most prominent difference, however, was that the vampire, Baron von Dracul, was not slain.

At least, not for good—though the stake of Van Helsing and the rapier of Thaddeus Winslow were driven through his undead heart, faithful servants of the vampire lord were able to procure his remains and took them to their final refuge—the ruins of a cathedral in Amiens, France. There, they enacted profane rituals that would restore Baron von Dracul’s cursed spirit and body, preparing him for a second resurrection. Before they could finish their preparations, however, they were wiped out by a group of sacred soldiers who had gotten wind of the cult’s activities. And so Dracul’s crypt remained buried, hidden in a sacred chamber with a portion of his once-vast fortune and lost to the mists of time.

Until now. In a desperate bid to reclaim his lost power, the master criminal Le Paradox broke into the crypt with a group of hired thugs, seeking the treasure rumored to have been buried there. An altercation with his own men led to the re-awakening of the vampire lord, who slaughtered the thugs to replenish his former strength. Enlisting the terrified Cyrille as his lackey, Baron von Dracul seeks to reclaim his lost empire, and cast a shadow of terror upon the modern world once more.