Sinister Stranger



The Sinister Stranger (whose real name is Vlad) is an NPC involved in the Fishing Contest quest. He is obviously a vampyre, yet he is very cagey around the subject, and refuses to admit it. Players must drive him away from his spot using garlic, then use his spot to win the contest. Unlike other Vampyres in RuneScape, Vlad is not dangerous.

Vlad has a number of features that are associated with the modern image of a vampire, including his clothes (a tuxedo with a long black cape and a high collar), prominent canine teeth, deathly white skin, an aversion to garlic, and an east European accent (implied by the in-game spelling of his dialogue; Count Dracula's castle was located in the Carpathian Mountains). He also wears dark glasses. This is a reference to the modern perception of vampires that they are sensitive to sunlight. Some sources regard direct skin exposure to sunlight as being fatal, though this apparently does not apply to Vlad.

According to Vlad, he has taken up Fishing on the advice of his doctor, who told him "to take up a relaxing hobby". Apparently, when he is stressed he tends "to get a little thirsty", implying that he wishes to resist the temptation to suck people's blood. It is unclear whether this is because Vlad feels guilty about attacking innocent people or fearful about the risk of being caught. In either case, players can say to him: "If you get thirsty you should drink something," where upon he will reply: "I think I may do that soon."

It is currently unknown how he managed to cross the River Salve. Knowing how the life span of most Vampyres is very long, he could have passed the River Salve before the Seven Priestly Warriors blessed it.

Trivia

 * Vlad maybe a reference to Vlad III who is supposedly connected to Dracula in the novel by Bram Stoker.
 * The Sinister Stranger, unlike most vampyres, did not receive a graphical update when other vampyres did. The same applies to Ruantun, Dessous, Revenant vampyres and Malak amongst others.