If you push a vampire through a still lake, it's also running water.
To me running water refers to flowing river or stream as opposed to standing water the likes of lake and ponds.
Really, any body of water large enough to feature on a map is unlikely to simply be "standing"; in addition to tidal conditions, any lasting natural body of water needs a source feeding into it or it will eventually drain/evaporate away. Lakes in particular tend to be very clearly active on the surface.
I don't think these distinctions has do to with feeding but flowing nature. Is the body of water running or standing? In that sense rivers and stream are running waters and lake and ponds standing water.
I don't think these distinctions has do to with feeding but flowing nature. Is the body of water running or standing? In that sense rivers and stream are running waters and lake and ponds standing water.
Ponds maybe but any substantial lake should usually have currents of some kind from incoming and outgoing rivers, streams etc.?
The folklore reason why vampires can't cross running water is that running water is considered to be "pure", and as impure creatures vampires cannot cross it, so unless a lake is contaminated somehow they probably couldn't cross it in folklore.
Of course in D&D we don't really have much in the way of a lore reason for the running water thing, we just have the mechanics which don't actually prevent the vampire crossing the water, they just can't regenerate or shapechange if they end their turn in it. Vampires are usually fast/mobile enough that they shouldn't have to, unless they decided to wade through the river Chionthar for some reason, so the body of water only matters if the players can somehow force the vampire into it, and then keep it there for its entire turn.
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Seas don't just ebb and flow with the tide; there's currents throughout and the water itself constantly swells and surges. Besides, plenty of lakes and seas have water flowing in and out of them as well, unless they're entirely landlocked (and even then there can still be water flowing through the ground).
Just because you can't research well doesn't mean it isn't lore. The only baby here is the one whining. Vampires are said to be unable to walk on consecrated ground, such that of churches or temples, or cross running water.
Translated from Burkhardt, Dagmar (1966). "Vampirglaube und Vampirsage auf dem Balkan". Beiträge zur Südosteuropa-Forschung: Anlässlich des I. Internationalen Balkanologenkongresses in Sofia 26. VIII.-1. IX. 1966 (in German). Munich: Rudolf Trofenik
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To me running water refers to flowing river or stream as opposed to standing water the likes of lake and ponds.
Really, any body of water large enough to feature on a map is unlikely to simply be "standing"; in addition to tidal conditions, any lasting natural body of water needs a source feeding into it or it will eventually drain/evaporate away. Lakes in particular tend to be very clearly active on the surface.
I don't think these distinctions has do to with feeding but flowing nature. Is the body of water running or standing? In that sense rivers and stream are running waters and lake and ponds standing water.
Ponds maybe but any substantial lake should usually have currents of some kind from incoming and outgoing rivers, streams etc.?
The folklore reason why vampires can't cross running water is that running water is considered to be "pure", and as impure creatures vampires cannot cross it, so unless a lake is contaminated somehow they probably couldn't cross it in folklore.
Of course in D&D we don't really have much in the way of a lore reason for the running water thing, we just have the mechanics which don't actually prevent the vampire crossing the water, they just can't regenerate or shapechange if they end their turn in it. Vampires are usually fast/mobile enough that they shouldn't have to, unless they decided to wade through the river Chionthar for some reason, so the body of water only matters if the players can somehow force the vampire into it, and then keep it there for its entire turn.
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
If you ready an action to push a vampire into a water elemental as it passes by it's running water too!
ok so the sea is not still but it also isn't running water. It flows in and out. While a river's water will lead to somewhere because its running.
Seas don't just ebb and flow with the tide; there's currents throughout and the water itself constantly swells and surges. Besides, plenty of lakes and seas have water flowing in and out of them as well, unless they're entirely landlocked (and even then there can still be water flowing through the ground).
Just because you can't research well doesn't mean it isn't lore. The only baby here is the one whining.
Vampires are said to be unable to walk on consecrated ground, such that of churches or temples, or cross running water.
Translated from
Burkhardt, Dagmar (1966). "Vampirglaube und Vampirsage auf dem Balkan". Beiträge zur Südosteuropa-Forschung: Anlässlich des I. Internationalen Balkanologenkongresses in Sofia 26. VIII.-1. IX. 1966 (in German). Munich: Rudolf Trofenik