Spoiler (click to show/hide):
This is mainly for those that were interested and/or in the last one. It's also my apology for it's and my failure in keeping it running. Unlike my last attempt to do this where I started with brand new vampires this one will be starting with more powerful vampires that have reached the ancilla status of vampire society, have branched out of their own away from their sires to gather their own in search of their own power base to set up. because of this, more information about vampire society, their sects and the ranks and titles within them will be available from. Also will be using more of the expanded skills, talents and level up progression system from the P&P rule book as well as its character creation. So a lot more work for me to get this started and for you as players I suppose but I'll be here to help out each and every step of the way of character creation for those unused to it. The core stuff will be posted on here as well as most of the lore I believe you will need in order to get by and act like Ancilla vampires within the setting rather than the fresh fledgling just risen from the kiss. This will also mean you'll be starting out more powerful, the setting will be different, as will the player count and the characters that are acceptable.
To stop wasting of time and reading long lists to find out if this RP is for you I've left this here to give you a better idea beyond the title. This game will be based off the world of Vampire the Masquerade. To those that heard of it and/or liked the games/pen and paper I won't need to explain everything too much to give you an idea into the world, to the rest of you. The game is set in the modern world with gothic punk elements to the setting as vampires/ghosts and other hunters of the night linger. The game starts with all players being Establish vampires that have reached the rank of Ancilla with vampire society.
All players will select a clan and base their CS around that clan, the clans have guidelines certain weaknesses and different abilities open to them. Now while I appreciate artistic flare and unique off the wall ideas for how a character is created if you character is so far out from the norm for their clan to accept i will refuse your character until the reason why I refused is corrected. There are no accidental vampires. When creating a character I will want you in your bio/background to explain who your character was before they were sired as I will need to this to determine if your character is acceptable or not. I'm not asking for an essay one to two paragraphs about your life as a vampire and their accomplishments within vampire society.
There will be more in depth Lore on the world the vampire clans and the vampire sects in there own little spoilers. The lore is to give you an indepth insight into the world, the people in it and how your character would fit in with your chosen clan and which sect you decide to be apart of.
If you wish to return your vampire from that last one as a returning player bear in mind to be an ancilla it would be at least 20 years as a vampire if not longer and after an achievement within the sect to establish yourself fully within the vampire community. So PM me with your idea for how that is possible and your idea about it and we'll talk about it and see if we can make it work together. bare in mind this isn't set centuries in the future so the timeline from your old character will have to be changed but that's something we could discuss together.
This is mainly for those that were interested and/or in the last one. It's also my apology for it's and my failure in keeping it running. Unlike my last attempt to do this where I started with brand new vampires this one will be starting with more powerful vampires that have reached the ancilla status of vampire society, have branched out of their own away from their sires to gather their own in search of their own power base to set up. because of this, more information about vampire society, their sects and the ranks and titles within them will be available from. Also will be using more of the expanded skills, talents and level up progression system from the P&P rule book as well as its character creation. So a lot more work for me to get this started and for you as players I suppose but I'll be here to help out each and every step of the way of character creation for those unused to it. The core stuff will be posted on here as well as most of the lore I believe you will need in order to get by and act like Ancilla vampires within the setting rather than the fresh fledgling just risen from the kiss. This will also mean you'll be starting out more powerful, the setting will be different, as will the player count and the characters that are acceptable.
To stop wasting of time and reading long lists to find out if this RP is for you I've left this here to give you a better idea beyond the title. This game will be based off the world of Vampire the Masquerade. To those that heard of it and/or liked the games/pen and paper I won't need to explain everything too much to give you an idea into the world, to the rest of you. The game is set in the modern world with gothic punk elements to the setting as vampires/ghosts and other hunters of the night linger. The game starts with all players being Establish vampires that have reached the rank of Ancilla with vampire society.
All players will select a clan and base their CS around that clan, the clans have guidelines certain weaknesses and different abilities open to them. Now while I appreciate artistic flare and unique off the wall ideas for how a character is created if you character is so far out from the norm for their clan to accept i will refuse your character until the reason why I refused is corrected. There are no accidental vampires. When creating a character I will want you in your bio/background to explain who your character was before they were sired as I will need to this to determine if your character is acceptable or not. I'm not asking for an essay one to two paragraphs about your life as a vampire and their accomplishments within vampire society.
There will be more in depth Lore on the world the vampire clans and the vampire sects in there own little spoilers. The lore is to give you an indepth insight into the world, the people in it and how your character would fit in with your chosen clan and which sect you decide to be apart of.
If you wish to return your vampire from that last one as a returning player bear in mind to be an ancilla it would be at least 20 years as a vampire if not longer and after an achievement within the sect to establish yourself fully within the vampire community. So PM me with your idea for how that is possible and your idea about it and we'll talk about it and see if we can make it work together. bare in mind this isn't set centuries in the future so the timeline from your old character will have to be changed but that's something we could discuss together.
Leaving the world of those that used to command you, having progressed from fledglings under your sire to neonates that worked to further the goals of others you've finally earned enough to become your own master, Elders and even your sire could still command your respect and fear but now it was your time, your chance to make a place for yourself, to grow and expand but your current home was too crowded, you needed a place to start a new and build your palace of power and dominion
Vampire Sects
The Camarilla
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
The Camarilla holds up the Traditions as the highest authority, with a figure known as the Prince acting as the ultimate authority to both interpret and enforce those laws in each domain. First and foremost, the Camarilla sees its role as maintaining the Masquerade, but in domains with accomplished Kindred, the conflicts between them regularly bring the rest of the Traditions into consideration as well. The Camarilla considers itself a well-heeled Sect of genteel vampires, and the term Kindred originates with it, in the idea that all members of the Camarilla are peers in the same august organization. Of course, the social hierarchy of the Camarilla is an elaborate construct, and vicious interpersonal politics and ancient grudges shape the nightly affairs of the “Ivory Tower.”
The Camarilla holds up the Traditions as the highest authority, with a figure known as the Prince acting as the ultimate authority to both interpret and enforce those laws in each domain. First and foremost, the Camarilla sees its role as maintaining the Masquerade, but in domains with accomplished Kindred, the conflicts between them regularly bring the rest of the Traditions into consideration as well. The Camarilla considers itself a well-heeled Sect of genteel vampires, and the term Kindred originates with it, in the idea that all members of the Camarilla are peers in the same august organization. Of course, the social hierarchy of the Camarilla is an elaborate construct, and vicious interpersonal politics and ancient grudges shape the nightly affairs of the “Ivory Tower.”
The Sabbat
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
The Sabbat holds an apocalyptic outlook, believing that the time for Gehenna is nigh, and the Ancients will soon rise from their graves and devour their errant get. It has little regard for the Traditions other than immediate self-preservation, and its domains are hellish urban warzones where people may well have seen vampire activity but simply chalk it up to the weirdness and horror of the World of Darkness. The Masquerade (or “The Silence of the Blood,” as they call it) is tenuous in Sabbat domains, and much of its poor relationship with the Camarilla owes to its recklessness and short sighted brand of fiery fanaticism. The Sabbat believes that ultimately, vampires must assert their place over the mortal world instead of hiding from it, if they are to survive the fangs of their creators. Part fanatical death worshippers, part millennial doomsday cult, the “Sword of Caine” is neither subtle nor tolerant.
The Sabbat holds an apocalyptic outlook, believing that the time for Gehenna is nigh, and the Ancients will soon rise from their graves and devour their errant get. It has little regard for the Traditions other than immediate self-preservation, and its domains are hellish urban warzones where people may well have seen vampire activity but simply chalk it up to the weirdness and horror of the World of Darkness. The Masquerade (or “The Silence of the Blood,” as they call it) is tenuous in Sabbat domains, and much of its poor relationship with the Camarilla owes to its recklessness and short sighted brand of fiery fanaticism. The Sabbat believes that ultimately, vampires must assert their place over the mortal world instead of hiding from it, if they are to survive the fangs of their creators. Part fanatical death worshippers, part millennial doomsday cult, the “Sword of Caine” is neither subtle nor tolerant.
The Anarchists
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
The Anarch Movement is localized and sporadic, without any real central organization outside the individual cities where it establishes itself. In fact, the Camarilla considers the “Anarchs” under its own purview. The central tenet of the Anarchs is that rule by elders is an outmoded concept, and that Kindred domains should be governed by merit, with a fundamental respect for the individual Kindred. Effectively, the Movement seeks to redistribute the power in domains from the hands of the old elite into a more equitable arrangement. While this may seem modern and reasonable, that’s not how Kindred society works in most domains, and those who already benefit from consolidated power find the idea laughable at best and treasonous at worst. As well, many Anarchs style themselves as revolutionaries, willing to do whatever it takes to strip power from the corrupt old guard who hoard it. These are no utopian domains of happy Kindred-kine relationships. These are petty kingdoms ruled by individual undead lords of whatever territory they can seize.
The Anarch Movement is localized and sporadic, without any real central organization outside the individual cities where it establishes itself. In fact, the Camarilla considers the “Anarchs” under its own purview. The central tenet of the Anarchs is that rule by elders is an outmoded concept, and that Kindred domains should be governed by merit, with a fundamental respect for the individual Kindred. Effectively, the Movement seeks to redistribute the power in domains from the hands of the old elite into a more equitable arrangement. While this may seem modern and reasonable, that’s not how Kindred society works in most domains, and those who already benefit from consolidated power find the idea laughable at best and treasonous at worst. As well, many Anarchs style themselves as revolutionaries, willing to do whatever it takes to strip power from the corrupt old guard who hoard it. These are no utopian domains of happy Kindred-kine relationships. These are petty kingdoms ruled by individual undead lords of whatever territory they can seize.
Vampire Clans
Assamites
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
The childer of Haqim, known as Assamites to the rest of the Kindred, are a silent knife in the dark, an order of bloodthirsty assassins who participate in the secret wars of the undead by operating as killers for hire. Outside the purview of the Sects, the Assamites are true independents and mercenaries, hiring out to whoever can pay their blood-price and ungoverned by the will of Prince or Priscus. By the time a mark realizes that he’s being hunted by an Assamite, it’s often far too late. Needless to say, this makes the Assamites both feared and reviled by many of the other Clans. In truth, the Assamites are more than simple thugs and killers. Theirs is a complex but insular Clan predicated upon the three principles of wisdom, sorcery, and diablerie. Most Assamites that other vampires encounter are members of the warrior caste, however, so Kindred society has painted them all with that brush. For their part, the Assassins have done nothing to stop this misunderstanding, if it helps them acquire contracts and it occludes the true nature of their Clan, the better for them. Long ago, the Assamites were brought to heel by a powerful curse to curb their bloodlust, levied by the Tremere at the behest of the Camarilla. They cannot taste the vitae of vampires without it causing them harm. In their ongoing quest to lower their Generation and bring themselves closer to their holy figure, Haqim (whom some outside scholars claim was of the Second Generation, while others insist he was a judge appointed by the other Antediluvians), the Assamites must refine the blood of Kindred into an alchemical solution. Were it not for this mystical yoke, the Assamites would surely be unchecked on a crusade of unholy diablerie.
Appearance: Older Assamites often come from Middle Eastern and North African cultures, though more and more young Assamites come from a wider demographic. In traditional environments, the Assamites prefer garb appropriate to religious or Clan custom. When in public, however, Assamites wear whatever the locals do, allowing them to fulfil their contracts without anyone noticing anything amiss. An Assamite’s skin grows darker with age (as opposed to other vampires, whose skin gets paler); particularly ancient Assamites are almost ebony in complexion.
Sect: For the most part, the Assamites tend to be independent, letting the Sects hire them to operate on their own terms. That said, some Assamites believe an allegiance with the Camarilla or the Sabbat would allow the entire Clan to stand more strongly.
Haven: Assamites often share communal havens with others of their local cell, remote structures that allow the Assassins to watch the larger domain from a distance. These havens are generally well appointed, but not so lavish that the whole place can’t be moved on short notice. Individual Assamites also tend to keep personal hideouts of a much more humble nature, for when they need a place to lay low.
Background: Those Embraced into Clan Assamite tend to fall into two distinct types: The “provincial” members of the Clan fit whatever their locality is, and can blend seamlessly in with the people around them. The higher-profile “jet-setters” transcend cultures, bolstered by their ability to handle interpersonal and intellectual challenges
Clan Disciplines: Celerity, Obfuscate, Quietus
Clan Weaknesses: Due to the Tremere blood-curse, should an Assamite consume the blood of other Kindred, she suffers one automatic level of unsoakable lethal damage per blood point imbibed. The would-be diablerist gains no benefits (including Generation reduction) if he survives the process. In addition, Assamites must tithe some of the profits from their contracts to their sires or superiors (generally around 10 percent of all such earnings).
The childer of Haqim, known as Assamites to the rest of the Kindred, are a silent knife in the dark, an order of bloodthirsty assassins who participate in the secret wars of the undead by operating as killers for hire. Outside the purview of the Sects, the Assamites are true independents and mercenaries, hiring out to whoever can pay their blood-price and ungoverned by the will of Prince or Priscus. By the time a mark realizes that he’s being hunted by an Assamite, it’s often far too late. Needless to say, this makes the Assamites both feared and reviled by many of the other Clans. In truth, the Assamites are more than simple thugs and killers. Theirs is a complex but insular Clan predicated upon the three principles of wisdom, sorcery, and diablerie. Most Assamites that other vampires encounter are members of the warrior caste, however, so Kindred society has painted them all with that brush. For their part, the Assassins have done nothing to stop this misunderstanding, if it helps them acquire contracts and it occludes the true nature of their Clan, the better for them. Long ago, the Assamites were brought to heel by a powerful curse to curb their bloodlust, levied by the Tremere at the behest of the Camarilla. They cannot taste the vitae of vampires without it causing them harm. In their ongoing quest to lower their Generation and bring themselves closer to their holy figure, Haqim (whom some outside scholars claim was of the Second Generation, while others insist he was a judge appointed by the other Antediluvians), the Assamites must refine the blood of Kindred into an alchemical solution. Were it not for this mystical yoke, the Assamites would surely be unchecked on a crusade of unholy diablerie.
Appearance: Older Assamites often come from Middle Eastern and North African cultures, though more and more young Assamites come from a wider demographic. In traditional environments, the Assamites prefer garb appropriate to religious or Clan custom. When in public, however, Assamites wear whatever the locals do, allowing them to fulfil their contracts without anyone noticing anything amiss. An Assamite’s skin grows darker with age (as opposed to other vampires, whose skin gets paler); particularly ancient Assamites are almost ebony in complexion.
Sect: For the most part, the Assamites tend to be independent, letting the Sects hire them to operate on their own terms. That said, some Assamites believe an allegiance with the Camarilla or the Sabbat would allow the entire Clan to stand more strongly.
Haven: Assamites often share communal havens with others of their local cell, remote structures that allow the Assassins to watch the larger domain from a distance. These havens are generally well appointed, but not so lavish that the whole place can’t be moved on short notice. Individual Assamites also tend to keep personal hideouts of a much more humble nature, for when they need a place to lay low.
Background: Those Embraced into Clan Assamite tend to fall into two distinct types: The “provincial” members of the Clan fit whatever their locality is, and can blend seamlessly in with the people around them. The higher-profile “jet-setters” transcend cultures, bolstered by their ability to handle interpersonal and intellectual challenges
Clan Disciplines: Celerity, Obfuscate, Quietus
Clan Weaknesses: Due to the Tremere blood-curse, should an Assamite consume the blood of other Kindred, she suffers one automatic level of unsoakable lethal damage per blood point imbibed. The would-be diablerist gains no benefits (including Generation reduction) if he survives the process. In addition, Assamites must tithe some of the profits from their contracts to their sires or superiors (generally around 10 percent of all such earnings).
Brujah
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
The legacy of the Brujah is one of halcyon greatness, marred by their fiery natures. Theirs was the glory of ancient Carthage, but Ventrue treachery in ancient Rome brought the dream to an end. Since then, the Brujah have borne a grudge. Tonight, the Brujah are rebels and provocateurs, bat swinging hooligans and agents of change in a society long crippled by stasis. As rebels, it’s in their nature to challenge the status quo — though sometimes, without adequate opposition, they embody the status quo themselves. It works out fine, because there’s always a hot-blooded Brujah waiting in the wings to bring down an uppity Clan mate grown too comfortable in the role of rebel-turned-dictator. More so than any other Clan, the Brujah still feel the flames of the passions that once inspired them as mortals. Clan Brujah loves a cause and is quick to act on a stirring speech, accusation of injustice, or a call to arms. This connection to passion can be a blessing, but inspiration can also yield to the madness and hunger of the Beast. No wise Prince turns his back on the Brujah, and rare is the Brujah who would allow them to be manipulated or pandered to. A Brujah is her own master, first and foremost, and those who would bring her to heel face a terrible task. A Brujah who thinks she’s getting the short end of the stick will tear an enemy to ribbons first and maybe remember to ask questions later, no matter if he’s a Primogen or a mortal authority. Some Kindred historians claim that the Brujah have parlayed their ancient betrayal into a role as agitators against the very order that they help support. Others claim the Brujah have long since submitted to the will of that same order, being little more than loyal opposition rendered impotent. Most Brujah don’t care either way, as long as someone needs a good ass-kicking and they can be the ones to deliver it.
Appearance: Many Brujah affect styles and mannerisms that reflect an attitude of rebellion. Multicoloured hair, shaven heads, spikes, rivets, fetish gear, and t-shirts with bold slogans might appeal to a Brujah. While not every Brujah wears the “uniform,” the Rabble often enjoy adorning themselves in outfits intended to provoke. Some young Brujah prefer mobile devices as their tools of resistance, and can summon a riot at the touch of a screen.
Sect: For all its rebellion, Clan Brujah generally considers itself a member of the Camarilla. Young Rabble sometimes looks to the wildness of the Sabbat, but elders assert that the Ivory Tower provides a fine structure against which to rage.
Haven: Brujah may feel kinship to a city, but they rarely develop such ties to individual locations. Thus, at any given time, a Brujah probably has a half-dozen or more hideouts, safe houses, and flats available. These are often shabby and ill-kept until the Brujah needs them. Brujah havens might also have mortals who follow the Brujah’s ideology or his cult of personality. This works out fine: It never hurts to have a spare vessel in an emergency.
Background: As creatures of passion, Brujah often embrace without really thinking much about it, and their childer tend to be a disparate lot. Sometimes, the Rabble Embrace those who share a similar outlook or enthusiasm for a cause as the prospective sire. Other times, they inflict the Embrace on those of opposite ideology, cursing a rival with vampirism as punishment.
Clan Disciplines: Celerity, Potence, Presence
Clan Weaknesses: The same passions that inspire Brujah to greatness or depravity, left unchecked, can send them into incandescent rages: The difficulties of rolls to resist or guide frenzy are two higher than normal.
The legacy of the Brujah is one of halcyon greatness, marred by their fiery natures. Theirs was the glory of ancient Carthage, but Ventrue treachery in ancient Rome brought the dream to an end. Since then, the Brujah have borne a grudge. Tonight, the Brujah are rebels and provocateurs, bat swinging hooligans and agents of change in a society long crippled by stasis. As rebels, it’s in their nature to challenge the status quo — though sometimes, without adequate opposition, they embody the status quo themselves. It works out fine, because there’s always a hot-blooded Brujah waiting in the wings to bring down an uppity Clan mate grown too comfortable in the role of rebel-turned-dictator. More so than any other Clan, the Brujah still feel the flames of the passions that once inspired them as mortals. Clan Brujah loves a cause and is quick to act on a stirring speech, accusation of injustice, or a call to arms. This connection to passion can be a blessing, but inspiration can also yield to the madness and hunger of the Beast. No wise Prince turns his back on the Brujah, and rare is the Brujah who would allow them to be manipulated or pandered to. A Brujah is her own master, first and foremost, and those who would bring her to heel face a terrible task. A Brujah who thinks she’s getting the short end of the stick will tear an enemy to ribbons first and maybe remember to ask questions later, no matter if he’s a Primogen or a mortal authority. Some Kindred historians claim that the Brujah have parlayed their ancient betrayal into a role as agitators against the very order that they help support. Others claim the Brujah have long since submitted to the will of that same order, being little more than loyal opposition rendered impotent. Most Brujah don’t care either way, as long as someone needs a good ass-kicking and they can be the ones to deliver it.
Appearance: Many Brujah affect styles and mannerisms that reflect an attitude of rebellion. Multicoloured hair, shaven heads, spikes, rivets, fetish gear, and t-shirts with bold slogans might appeal to a Brujah. While not every Brujah wears the “uniform,” the Rabble often enjoy adorning themselves in outfits intended to provoke. Some young Brujah prefer mobile devices as their tools of resistance, and can summon a riot at the touch of a screen.
Sect: For all its rebellion, Clan Brujah generally considers itself a member of the Camarilla. Young Rabble sometimes looks to the wildness of the Sabbat, but elders assert that the Ivory Tower provides a fine structure against which to rage.
Haven: Brujah may feel kinship to a city, but they rarely develop such ties to individual locations. Thus, at any given time, a Brujah probably has a half-dozen or more hideouts, safe houses, and flats available. These are often shabby and ill-kept until the Brujah needs them. Brujah havens might also have mortals who follow the Brujah’s ideology or his cult of personality. This works out fine: It never hurts to have a spare vessel in an emergency.
Background: As creatures of passion, Brujah often embrace without really thinking much about it, and their childer tend to be a disparate lot. Sometimes, the Rabble Embrace those who share a similar outlook or enthusiasm for a cause as the prospective sire. Other times, they inflict the Embrace on those of opposite ideology, cursing a rival with vampirism as punishment.
Clan Disciplines: Celerity, Potence, Presence
Clan Weaknesses: The same passions that inspire Brujah to greatness or depravity, left unchecked, can send them into incandescent rages: The difficulties of rolls to resist or guide frenzy are two higher than normal.
Followers of Set
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
Addiction, debasement, corruption, and desperation strike fear into many Kindred who worry that theirs will become an unlife of ruin, but to the Followers of Set, these and more are the tools of the trade. Pimps, pushers, and priests, the Setites cater to the needs of the desperate, and convert them to a nihilistic cause in doing so. Whether one needs flesh, money, drugs, or dark secrets, the Followers of Set can provide it, and when they do so, they all but guarantee themselves a return visit from those who seek them. The Followers of Set are as much a chthonic religion as they are a Clan, though the faith includes the Clan. Its mythology is complex and convoluted, an impenetrable pantheon of god-monsters. At the apex of this worship stands a syncretism of the Egyptian Lord of the Underworld Set and the Greek hydra Typhon, as much spiritual guardians of secret places as they are the “liberators” of other’s souls. To outsiders, this is all blasphemous religious affectation, but to devout Setites, the cult and cause are real, and their dark lord works his will through them. Needless to say, the politics of desperation and the placation of evil gods place the Serpents on the outside of Kindred society. The Setites are fine with this. The Kindred can often find themselves in need of what the Followers of Set purvey, and the extra “service” of secrecy is one the Setites are happy to provide at a premium. The Setites offer a devil’s deal, but on their own terms. That way, when they collect their due and feed blood and souls into the maw of the Typhonic beast, all of its sacrifices have been given willingly.
Appearance: Many older Setites hail from the North African and Mediterranean ethnicity native to the Serpents’ historical territory, but they freely embrace from among the mortals of their adopted homes. Some long-standing Setite temples are tied to locations where “Egyptian” Serpents might seem out of place, but where some aspect of serpent mythology is present, as in Mesoamerica or even far-flung Nordic locales, and thus draw their membership from local populations. Red hair is considered a mark of Set’s favour.
Sect: Externally, none of the Sects will have the Followers of Set. Internally, the Setites sometimes describe themselves in terms of both Sect and Clan. They have no real impetus to join either the Camarilla or Sabbat, and their goals are different from those of the Anarchs
Haven: Where their hidden temples stand, the Setites make their havens, either individually or communally. These may be anything from “churches” with never-before-heard-of denominations or they may be outright cults that have to hide their existences. The secretive Serpents sometimes hide individual havens in places where other Kindred don’t often go, such as insular ethnic neighbourhoods, abandoned domains, “the rough part of town,” and so forth. Some Setites also haven in secret mystical places that have value to the Clan, guarding them from outsiders
Background: Prospective childer for the Followers of Set often spend some time involved with a Setite cult, so they’re indoctrinated in the mysteries of the Clan before becoming one of its Kindred. They may come from any cultural origin, though many are outsiders, loners, or otherwise marginalized by society, which is often what led them to the forbidden fruits offered by the cult of Set in the first place.
Clan Disciplines: Obfuscate, Presence, Serpentis
Clan Weaknesses: Given their origins in darkness, the Serpents react negatively to bright light: Add two health levels to damage caused by exposure to sunlight. Setites also lose one die from dice pools for actions taken in bright light (police spotlights, stage lights, flares, etc.)
Addiction, debasement, corruption, and desperation strike fear into many Kindred who worry that theirs will become an unlife of ruin, but to the Followers of Set, these and more are the tools of the trade. Pimps, pushers, and priests, the Setites cater to the needs of the desperate, and convert them to a nihilistic cause in doing so. Whether one needs flesh, money, drugs, or dark secrets, the Followers of Set can provide it, and when they do so, they all but guarantee themselves a return visit from those who seek them. The Followers of Set are as much a chthonic religion as they are a Clan, though the faith includes the Clan. Its mythology is complex and convoluted, an impenetrable pantheon of god-monsters. At the apex of this worship stands a syncretism of the Egyptian Lord of the Underworld Set and the Greek hydra Typhon, as much spiritual guardians of secret places as they are the “liberators” of other’s souls. To outsiders, this is all blasphemous religious affectation, but to devout Setites, the cult and cause are real, and their dark lord works his will through them. Needless to say, the politics of desperation and the placation of evil gods place the Serpents on the outside of Kindred society. The Setites are fine with this. The Kindred can often find themselves in need of what the Followers of Set purvey, and the extra “service” of secrecy is one the Setites are happy to provide at a premium. The Setites offer a devil’s deal, but on their own terms. That way, when they collect their due and feed blood and souls into the maw of the Typhonic beast, all of its sacrifices have been given willingly.
Appearance: Many older Setites hail from the North African and Mediterranean ethnicity native to the Serpents’ historical territory, but they freely embrace from among the mortals of their adopted homes. Some long-standing Setite temples are tied to locations where “Egyptian” Serpents might seem out of place, but where some aspect of serpent mythology is present, as in Mesoamerica or even far-flung Nordic locales, and thus draw their membership from local populations. Red hair is considered a mark of Set’s favour.
Sect: Externally, none of the Sects will have the Followers of Set. Internally, the Setites sometimes describe themselves in terms of both Sect and Clan. They have no real impetus to join either the Camarilla or Sabbat, and their goals are different from those of the Anarchs
Haven: Where their hidden temples stand, the Setites make their havens, either individually or communally. These may be anything from “churches” with never-before-heard-of denominations or they may be outright cults that have to hide their existences. The secretive Serpents sometimes hide individual havens in places where other Kindred don’t often go, such as insular ethnic neighbourhoods, abandoned domains, “the rough part of town,” and so forth. Some Setites also haven in secret mystical places that have value to the Clan, guarding them from outsiders
Background: Prospective childer for the Followers of Set often spend some time involved with a Setite cult, so they’re indoctrinated in the mysteries of the Clan before becoming one of its Kindred. They may come from any cultural origin, though many are outsiders, loners, or otherwise marginalized by society, which is often what led them to the forbidden fruits offered by the cult of Set in the first place.
Clan Disciplines: Obfuscate, Presence, Serpentis
Clan Weaknesses: Given their origins in darkness, the Serpents react negatively to bright light: Add two health levels to damage caused by exposure to sunlight. Setites also lose one die from dice pools for actions taken in bright light (police spotlights, stage lights, flares, etc.)
Gangrel
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
A glint of red eyes in the darkness, the scent of a predator’s musk, a flash of fangs, the sound of flesh tearing: These mark the presence of the Gangrel. More than any other Clan, the Gangrel resemble the beasts associated with the legends of vampires: bats, wolves, and other creatures of darkness. Indeed, the Outlanders may develop the ability to transform themselves into these and other, more primal forms. The Gangrel have other characteristics in common with animals as well. Many shun the elaborate social constructs of both Kindred and kine. A number of them prefer to move alone or as a member of small packs or coteries. Most are tough and, when pressed, ferocious. And when Gangrel succumb to the depredations of the Beast, they are left with some feature redolent of the animal kingdom. As a Clan, the Gangrel are wary and aloof. Most would prefer to spend their nights stalking prey or wilding on the rooftops than minding Princely edicts or lobbying for recognition of domain. Theirs is a tense relationship with vampire society, and Outlanders are among the most frequent to turn Anarch or Autarkis. In some localities, the Gangrel have collectively abandoned membership in any Sect insofar as the Gangrel truly ever do anything collectively. The Jyhad seems less pronounced among the Gangrel than it is among other Clans, and the Outlanders have little regard for the eternal conflict. Differences between Gangrel more often fall along the lines of domain and feeding rights than they do on generational mistrust, and the things that concern young Outlanders are matters that concern Gangrel ancillae and even elders. Still, one would be hard-pressed to consider the relationship among Gangrel of different generations amicable, except in isolated sire-childe situations. The Beast is ever suspicious of those who would take sustenance from it.
Appearance: Personal presentation is often not high on the list of many Gangrel priorities, and a Gangrel’s appearance is often more a matter of circumstance than it is of active decision. The Clan’s weakness can contribute a great deal to their appearance, as does an extended unlife in the places where they make their havens, which are frequently short of modern conveniences
Sect: The Gangrel at least nominally belong to the Camarilla, but the Clan has always had a vocal faction that spurns membership in any Sect. They claim that political games and social structures do nothing for the primal Gangrel.
Haven: Gangrel often lair where they can, taking refuge when the sun threatens to rise. Those who do maintain permanent havens often lean toward the utilitarian: Everything from a cave to a covered alley to an illegal squat may serve as a Gangrel haven, usually with little demarcating them as any sort of personal territory (until it’s too late for the unfortunate interloper).
Background: Gangrel sire childer like they seek prey: after long hunts during which the prospective childe doesn’t even know she’s being followed. Creating a fledgling means sharing limited resources, so each sire childe relationship is unique and significant. Outlanders embrace because they choose an individual, not out of whim or recklessness. Those who earn their attention are hardy, whether physically or emotionally
Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Fortitude, Protean
Clan Weaknesses: Every time a Gangrel frenzies, she acquires a temporary animal characteristic (which may replace an existing temporary one). A patch of fur, a brief torpor after feeding, or skittishness around crowds — all of these may mar an Outlander after frenzy. Characteristics acquired in Gangrel frenzies need not only be physical – they can be behavioral as well. Players should work with the GM to determine what new animal trait is acquired (whether the frenzy involved the fight-or-flight impulse may be relevant). Over time, or in an exceptional situation, a particular animal feature may become permanent, with the next frenzy adding a new feature. A good guideline is to require each frenzy-gained trait to have some effect grounded in system terms (such as the temporary reduction of Social Attribute dots or a permanent loss of Humanity).
A glint of red eyes in the darkness, the scent of a predator’s musk, a flash of fangs, the sound of flesh tearing: These mark the presence of the Gangrel. More than any other Clan, the Gangrel resemble the beasts associated with the legends of vampires: bats, wolves, and other creatures of darkness. Indeed, the Outlanders may develop the ability to transform themselves into these and other, more primal forms. The Gangrel have other characteristics in common with animals as well. Many shun the elaborate social constructs of both Kindred and kine. A number of them prefer to move alone or as a member of small packs or coteries. Most are tough and, when pressed, ferocious. And when Gangrel succumb to the depredations of the Beast, they are left with some feature redolent of the animal kingdom. As a Clan, the Gangrel are wary and aloof. Most would prefer to spend their nights stalking prey or wilding on the rooftops than minding Princely edicts or lobbying for recognition of domain. Theirs is a tense relationship with vampire society, and Outlanders are among the most frequent to turn Anarch or Autarkis. In some localities, the Gangrel have collectively abandoned membership in any Sect insofar as the Gangrel truly ever do anything collectively. The Jyhad seems less pronounced among the Gangrel than it is among other Clans, and the Outlanders have little regard for the eternal conflict. Differences between Gangrel more often fall along the lines of domain and feeding rights than they do on generational mistrust, and the things that concern young Outlanders are matters that concern Gangrel ancillae and even elders. Still, one would be hard-pressed to consider the relationship among Gangrel of different generations amicable, except in isolated sire-childe situations. The Beast is ever suspicious of those who would take sustenance from it.
Appearance: Personal presentation is often not high on the list of many Gangrel priorities, and a Gangrel’s appearance is often more a matter of circumstance than it is of active decision. The Clan’s weakness can contribute a great deal to their appearance, as does an extended unlife in the places where they make their havens, which are frequently short of modern conveniences
Sect: The Gangrel at least nominally belong to the Camarilla, but the Clan has always had a vocal faction that spurns membership in any Sect. They claim that political games and social structures do nothing for the primal Gangrel.
Haven: Gangrel often lair where they can, taking refuge when the sun threatens to rise. Those who do maintain permanent havens often lean toward the utilitarian: Everything from a cave to a covered alley to an illegal squat may serve as a Gangrel haven, usually with little demarcating them as any sort of personal territory (until it’s too late for the unfortunate interloper).
Background: Gangrel sire childer like they seek prey: after long hunts during which the prospective childe doesn’t even know she’s being followed. Creating a fledgling means sharing limited resources, so each sire childe relationship is unique and significant. Outlanders embrace because they choose an individual, not out of whim or recklessness. Those who earn their attention are hardy, whether physically or emotionally
Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Fortitude, Protean
Clan Weaknesses: Every time a Gangrel frenzies, she acquires a temporary animal characteristic (which may replace an existing temporary one). A patch of fur, a brief torpor after feeding, or skittishness around crowds — all of these may mar an Outlander after frenzy. Characteristics acquired in Gangrel frenzies need not only be physical – they can be behavioral as well. Players should work with the GM to determine what new animal trait is acquired (whether the frenzy involved the fight-or-flight impulse may be relevant). Over time, or in an exceptional situation, a particular animal feature may become permanent, with the next frenzy adding a new feature. A good guideline is to require each frenzy-gained trait to have some effect grounded in system terms (such as the temporary reduction of Social Attribute dots or a permanent loss of Humanity).
Giovanni
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
Achieving prominence during the Venetian Renaissance, the Giovanni family built their fortune on the rise of the middle class and the ready profit of banking and Mediterranean trade (and the criminal enterprise that came with it). However, with the family’s rise came hubris, as its paterfamilias sought ever more power, and with that hubris, horror. With his earthly power at its apex, Augustus Giovanni turned to the arts of controlling the dead, and in doing so, gained the Embrace from a forgotten Antediluvian. With a conclave of conspirators, the Giovanni plunged a now-forgotten Clan into oblivion and built their own legacy on its corpse. Since those first nights, the Giovanni have accepted no limits on their ambitions, despite opposition from Kindred outside their Clan and a well-deserved reputation as “Devil Kindred.” They studied forbidden arts, becoming formidable in the nigrimancy that allowed them power over the spirits of the departed, and degeneracy followed in the wake of unclean ritual. To this night, the Giovanni are known for the insular nature of their Clan and the incestuous practices by which they populate it. A few outside families and factions fall under Giovanni auspices, but the vast majority of the Clan comes from the debased mortal family. The family remains successful despite all of their ghastly peccadilloes, and has amassed a vast wealth through crime, politics, and the secrets of the dead that keeps them in their position of degraded opulence. In public view, the Giovanni make a great show of humility and respect. Part of this gentility is a habit of centuries, still in place from when the other Clans hunted the usurping Necromancers (and to preserve their hard won neutrality from the conflict between the Camarilla and the Sabbat). Another part of it is the velvet glove hiding the iron fist of their nature, remarkable for forcing ghosts, minds, and bodies alike to bow to their needs. To hear the Giovanni tell it, Princes and Archbishops alike owe those favours, and anyone with something to offer may earn their patronage. For the most part, the Giovanni participate little in the Jyhad, pursuing their own agenda of cultivating wealth and building a foundation of power in the lands beyond the veil of death. Outsiders rarely comprehend the goals of the Necromancers, but only the most trusted of the Giovanni know that the Clan wants to plunge the world into a state where the dead and the living commingle. And with their mastery of Necromancy, the Giovanni would be positioned to rule it all.
Appearance: Outwardly, Giovanni dress with subtlety and taste. Much of the Clan comes from the original mortal family, and have not only olive Italian complexions, but some amount of inherited family features. Those outside the immediate family often appear “of a type,” and in the traditional garb of their regional family branch.
Haven: The family wealth of the Giovanni is evident in their havens, which may take the form of villas or lavish estates. The Necromancers often have valuables invested in their havens as well, such as galleries of fine art or displays of jewelry. Many Giovanni also maintain secondary havens, where they may have elaborate necromantic crypts or just flats where they can lie low if necessary.
Background: Giovanni of the main family branch have usually spent some amount of time as a ghoul in a practice known as the Proxy Kiss. During this time, the Kindred-to-be learns about the treacherous and jealous reality of the vampire family. She learns ambition and an unhealthy dose of duplicity, in addition to the family history and customs. Giovanni rarely see much of the outside world on their own terms during the Proxy Kiss period, and often become insular and alienated, while at the same time eager to stand out among the other family ghouls.
Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Necromancy, Potence
Clan Weaknesses: The Kiss of a Giovanni vampire causes excruciating pain in mortal vessels who receive it. If the Giovanni isn’t careful, her vessel may die of shock and agony before being wholly exsanguinated. When a Giovanni feeds upon a mortal, she does twice as much damage as the Kiss of another vampire would inflict. For example, if a Giovanni takes one point of blood from a mortal vessel, that victim would suffer two health levels of damage. As a result, they tend to use blood banks and other means of feeding that don’t fight as much.
Achieving prominence during the Venetian Renaissance, the Giovanni family built their fortune on the rise of the middle class and the ready profit of banking and Mediterranean trade (and the criminal enterprise that came with it). However, with the family’s rise came hubris, as its paterfamilias sought ever more power, and with that hubris, horror. With his earthly power at its apex, Augustus Giovanni turned to the arts of controlling the dead, and in doing so, gained the Embrace from a forgotten Antediluvian. With a conclave of conspirators, the Giovanni plunged a now-forgotten Clan into oblivion and built their own legacy on its corpse. Since those first nights, the Giovanni have accepted no limits on their ambitions, despite opposition from Kindred outside their Clan and a well-deserved reputation as “Devil Kindred.” They studied forbidden arts, becoming formidable in the nigrimancy that allowed them power over the spirits of the departed, and degeneracy followed in the wake of unclean ritual. To this night, the Giovanni are known for the insular nature of their Clan and the incestuous practices by which they populate it. A few outside families and factions fall under Giovanni auspices, but the vast majority of the Clan comes from the debased mortal family. The family remains successful despite all of their ghastly peccadilloes, and has amassed a vast wealth through crime, politics, and the secrets of the dead that keeps them in their position of degraded opulence. In public view, the Giovanni make a great show of humility and respect. Part of this gentility is a habit of centuries, still in place from when the other Clans hunted the usurping Necromancers (and to preserve their hard won neutrality from the conflict between the Camarilla and the Sabbat). Another part of it is the velvet glove hiding the iron fist of their nature, remarkable for forcing ghosts, minds, and bodies alike to bow to their needs. To hear the Giovanni tell it, Princes and Archbishops alike owe those favours, and anyone with something to offer may earn their patronage. For the most part, the Giovanni participate little in the Jyhad, pursuing their own agenda of cultivating wealth and building a foundation of power in the lands beyond the veil of death. Outsiders rarely comprehend the goals of the Necromancers, but only the most trusted of the Giovanni know that the Clan wants to plunge the world into a state where the dead and the living commingle. And with their mastery of Necromancy, the Giovanni would be positioned to rule it all.
Appearance: Outwardly, Giovanni dress with subtlety and taste. Much of the Clan comes from the original mortal family, and have not only olive Italian complexions, but some amount of inherited family features. Those outside the immediate family often appear “of a type,” and in the traditional garb of their regional family branch.
Haven: The family wealth of the Giovanni is evident in their havens, which may take the form of villas or lavish estates. The Necromancers often have valuables invested in their havens as well, such as galleries of fine art or displays of jewelry. Many Giovanni also maintain secondary havens, where they may have elaborate necromantic crypts or just flats where they can lie low if necessary.
Background: Giovanni of the main family branch have usually spent some amount of time as a ghoul in a practice known as the Proxy Kiss. During this time, the Kindred-to-be learns about the treacherous and jealous reality of the vampire family. She learns ambition and an unhealthy dose of duplicity, in addition to the family history and customs. Giovanni rarely see much of the outside world on their own terms during the Proxy Kiss period, and often become insular and alienated, while at the same time eager to stand out among the other family ghouls.
Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Necromancy, Potence
Clan Weaknesses: The Kiss of a Giovanni vampire causes excruciating pain in mortal vessels who receive it. If the Giovanni isn’t careful, her vessel may die of shock and agony before being wholly exsanguinated. When a Giovanni feeds upon a mortal, she does twice as much damage as the Kiss of another vampire would inflict. For example, if a Giovanni takes one point of blood from a mortal vessel, that victim would suffer two health levels of damage. As a result, they tend to use blood banks and other means of feeding that don’t fight as much.
Lasombra
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
To the mind of a Lasombra, it is better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven. Fear, frenzy, and the power to determine whether another lives or dies: these are at the root of the power that the Lasombra hold dear. Whereas other vampires try vainly to hold the Beast at bay or give themselves wholly to it, the Lasombra beat the Beast into submission, invoking it when it suits them but leaving it trapped inside when they wish to govern themselves. It is with these predilections that the Lasombra style themselves“dark nobility,” an aristocracy of the night that chose the supremacy of the Cainites over veneration of the Masquerade. Their regard for such ideas as redemption and salvation are cynical at best, and much of the pomp that shaped the Clan’s pre-Sabbat outlook remains only with a sense of blackest irony or open mockery. The grandeur and rituals of the Church and aristocracy remain dear to the Lasombra, however, and the Clan was instrumental not only in establishing many of the rituals of the Sabbat, but in the institutions that keep it from descending into chaos each night. Whether they see themselves as God’s instruments or as outcasts from His creation, the Lasombra believe they have a duty (whether to Sect, Clan, pack, or even just themselves), and obligation to their responsibilities gives them a wicked sense of purpose. Even a Lasombra shovelhead may consider them self a cut above the rest; a surprising number of Lasombra mass Embraces survive, perhaps owing to the intervention of their sires. While the night belongs to all Kindred, the Lasombra are truly born to darkness, to the degree that their very Clan name reveals their tie to shadow. Theirs is the Discipline of Obtenebration, and it allows them to wield the stuff of shadow and darkness, and even reach beyond the darkness of the physical world into the abyss that lies beyond.
Appearance: The Lasombra are frequently attractive. Whether through the Spanish, Italian, and Moorish stock associated with the Clan, or due to more cosmopolitan modern backgrounds, the Keepers cut a striking figure. Their dress is often conservative or religious, drawing on years of ceremony and faithful ritual. Rare is the Lasombra who cannot at least manipulate shadows to affect a dramatic entrance or enigmatic pose.
Sect: The Sabbat would be very different without the influence of the Lasombra, and they remain its most prominent Clan. Young Lasombra often make auspicious starts as Sabbat Ducti or Priests, leading their fellows by charging into the fray or demonstrating mastery of the Beast.
Haven: The obligation of their leadership leads many young Lasombra to maintain communal havens with other members of their pack. Wealthier Keepers and those who predate the Sect often maintain their own havens, whether sinister penthouse suites or sprawling Old World villas.
Background: Prospective sires of Clan Lasombra seek both erudition and ambition in their potential childer. As such, many Lasombra come from professional backgrounds, and display outgoing and even aggressive personalities. Merit in their sires’ eyes takes fledgling Lasombra far, and the Keepers do not hesitate to cull their ranks of flawed, lazy, or boorish childer.
Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Obtenebration, Potence
Clan Weaknesses: Lasombra vampires cast no reflections. Whether in a mirror, in a body of water, on a polished surface, or in the rear-view of a taxicab, the image of the Keeper does not reflect.
To the mind of a Lasombra, it is better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven. Fear, frenzy, and the power to determine whether another lives or dies: these are at the root of the power that the Lasombra hold dear. Whereas other vampires try vainly to hold the Beast at bay or give themselves wholly to it, the Lasombra beat the Beast into submission, invoking it when it suits them but leaving it trapped inside when they wish to govern themselves. It is with these predilections that the Lasombra style themselves“dark nobility,” an aristocracy of the night that chose the supremacy of the Cainites over veneration of the Masquerade. Their regard for such ideas as redemption and salvation are cynical at best, and much of the pomp that shaped the Clan’s pre-Sabbat outlook remains only with a sense of blackest irony or open mockery. The grandeur and rituals of the Church and aristocracy remain dear to the Lasombra, however, and the Clan was instrumental not only in establishing many of the rituals of the Sabbat, but in the institutions that keep it from descending into chaos each night. Whether they see themselves as God’s instruments or as outcasts from His creation, the Lasombra believe they have a duty (whether to Sect, Clan, pack, or even just themselves), and obligation to their responsibilities gives them a wicked sense of purpose. Even a Lasombra shovelhead may consider them self a cut above the rest; a surprising number of Lasombra mass Embraces survive, perhaps owing to the intervention of their sires. While the night belongs to all Kindred, the Lasombra are truly born to darkness, to the degree that their very Clan name reveals their tie to shadow. Theirs is the Discipline of Obtenebration, and it allows them to wield the stuff of shadow and darkness, and even reach beyond the darkness of the physical world into the abyss that lies beyond.
Appearance: The Lasombra are frequently attractive. Whether through the Spanish, Italian, and Moorish stock associated with the Clan, or due to more cosmopolitan modern backgrounds, the Keepers cut a striking figure. Their dress is often conservative or religious, drawing on years of ceremony and faithful ritual. Rare is the Lasombra who cannot at least manipulate shadows to affect a dramatic entrance or enigmatic pose.
Sect: The Sabbat would be very different without the influence of the Lasombra, and they remain its most prominent Clan. Young Lasombra often make auspicious starts as Sabbat Ducti or Priests, leading their fellows by charging into the fray or demonstrating mastery of the Beast.
Haven: The obligation of their leadership leads many young Lasombra to maintain communal havens with other members of their pack. Wealthier Keepers and those who predate the Sect often maintain their own havens, whether sinister penthouse suites or sprawling Old World villas.
Background: Prospective sires of Clan Lasombra seek both erudition and ambition in their potential childer. As such, many Lasombra come from professional backgrounds, and display outgoing and even aggressive personalities. Merit in their sires’ eyes takes fledgling Lasombra far, and the Keepers do not hesitate to cull their ranks of flawed, lazy, or boorish childer.
Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Obtenebration, Potence
Clan Weaknesses: Lasombra vampires cast no reflections. Whether in a mirror, in a body of water, on a polished surface, or in the rear-view of a taxicab, the image of the Keeper does not reflect.
Malkavian
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
Clan Malkavian is twice damned: once by the curse of being Kindred, and again by the turmoil that disturbs their hearts and minds. Upon the Embrace, every Malkavian is afflicted with an insurmountable insanity that fractures her outlook for every night thereafter, making her unlife one of madness. Some consider this a form of oracular insight, while others simply consider them dangerous. Make no mistake: Malkavian insanity is a painful, alienating phenomenon, but it occasionally provides the Lunatics with bursts of insight or heretofore unknown perspective. Madness for the Malkavians may take the form of any clinical form of insanity, or it may be a hyper acuity of senses others don’t know they have; a supernatural puppeteer pulling the Malkavian’s strings, or a sense that the Malkavian is somehow ahead of evolutionary schedule. A Malkavian may believe herself to be an idea given physical form or an avatar of some concept the World of Darkness has yet to encounter. She may be a nonstop ravening psychopath, or may be a mostly lucid individual sometimes rendered catatonic by fear of an impending cosmic cataclysm. Their precarious stability makes it hard for other Kindred (or, indeed, any vessels with whom they may meet) to interact with Malkavians. The Clan sometimes indulges in elaborate, terrifying, and dangerous “pranks” which do little to endear them to other vampires. These incidents are nominally meant to educate the target, but the lesson can often be lost between the vampire’s scramble for safety and the inability to parse the Malkavian’s inner logic. Common pranks might be to replace a vain Toreador’s haven door with a guillotine or to redistribute a Brujah elder’s wealth while he’s at Elysium, or it might take the form of giving a hunter the location where the Nosferatu gather. Kindred both dread and resent the word “prank” almost as much as they do the Lunatics themselves.
Appearance: While Malkavians can come from any culture, the madness following the Embrace tends to lead them to extremes of self-presentation. Malkavians may appear dishevelled, injured, or simply dirty. They could still be wearing the same clothes from the night of their Embrace or they may have stolen clothes from a Laundromat or a department store during a fit of confusion or fugue. Of course, Malkavians are just as likely to be meticulous and exacting in their appearance, trying obsessively to appear as normal as possible.
Sect: In their moments of lucidity, the Malkavians offer their unorthodox perspectives and Devil’s advocacy to the Camarilla, offering their visions and unique insights to cut through the webs of deceit. Princes and Primogen tolerate the Lunatics to varying degrees, but the Clan as a whole has always been a supporter of the Ivory Tower.
Haven: Consistency is rare among Malkavians. Quite simply, they establish havens where they think to, where they can, and where they can recall. A significant number of Malkavians have literally no home, spending each night where exhaustion or the sun’s rays leave them. Others may permanently have the presidential suite in a posh hotel, a squat in the Barrens, the dispensary at a county jail, or a broom closet in a historical landmark.
Background: Malkavians Embrace with all the caprice one would assume from them. Lunatic childer come from all economic and cultural strata, though most have some sort of hard-luck story or black secret behind them that caused their sire to take note. Truly damaged Malkavians who are unaware of the meanings of their actions may not even be aware that they have sired childer, which makes for very difficult entry into Kindred society for these castoffs, many of whom end up among the Caitiff.
Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Dementation, Obfuscate
Clan Weaknesses: All members of Clan Malkavian suffer from a permanent, incurable derangement. They may acquire and recover from other derangements, and may spend Willpower to ameliorate the effects of the derangement for a scene, but they can never recover from their original derangement(*and this is why)
Clan Malkavian is twice damned: once by the curse of being Kindred, and again by the turmoil that disturbs their hearts and minds. Upon the Embrace, every Malkavian is afflicted with an insurmountable insanity that fractures her outlook for every night thereafter, making her unlife one of madness. Some consider this a form of oracular insight, while others simply consider them dangerous. Make no mistake: Malkavian insanity is a painful, alienating phenomenon, but it occasionally provides the Lunatics with bursts of insight or heretofore unknown perspective. Madness for the Malkavians may take the form of any clinical form of insanity, or it may be a hyper acuity of senses others don’t know they have; a supernatural puppeteer pulling the Malkavian’s strings, or a sense that the Malkavian is somehow ahead of evolutionary schedule. A Malkavian may believe herself to be an idea given physical form or an avatar of some concept the World of Darkness has yet to encounter. She may be a nonstop ravening psychopath, or may be a mostly lucid individual sometimes rendered catatonic by fear of an impending cosmic cataclysm. Their precarious stability makes it hard for other Kindred (or, indeed, any vessels with whom they may meet) to interact with Malkavians. The Clan sometimes indulges in elaborate, terrifying, and dangerous “pranks” which do little to endear them to other vampires. These incidents are nominally meant to educate the target, but the lesson can often be lost between the vampire’s scramble for safety and the inability to parse the Malkavian’s inner logic. Common pranks might be to replace a vain Toreador’s haven door with a guillotine or to redistribute a Brujah elder’s wealth while he’s at Elysium, or it might take the form of giving a hunter the location where the Nosferatu gather. Kindred both dread and resent the word “prank” almost as much as they do the Lunatics themselves.
Appearance: While Malkavians can come from any culture, the madness following the Embrace tends to lead them to extremes of self-presentation. Malkavians may appear dishevelled, injured, or simply dirty. They could still be wearing the same clothes from the night of their Embrace or they may have stolen clothes from a Laundromat or a department store during a fit of confusion or fugue. Of course, Malkavians are just as likely to be meticulous and exacting in their appearance, trying obsessively to appear as normal as possible.
Sect: In their moments of lucidity, the Malkavians offer their unorthodox perspectives and Devil’s advocacy to the Camarilla, offering their visions and unique insights to cut through the webs of deceit. Princes and Primogen tolerate the Lunatics to varying degrees, but the Clan as a whole has always been a supporter of the Ivory Tower.
Haven: Consistency is rare among Malkavians. Quite simply, they establish havens where they think to, where they can, and where they can recall. A significant number of Malkavians have literally no home, spending each night where exhaustion or the sun’s rays leave them. Others may permanently have the presidential suite in a posh hotel, a squat in the Barrens, the dispensary at a county jail, or a broom closet in a historical landmark.
Background: Malkavians Embrace with all the caprice one would assume from them. Lunatic childer come from all economic and cultural strata, though most have some sort of hard-luck story or black secret behind them that caused their sire to take note. Truly damaged Malkavians who are unaware of the meanings of their actions may not even be aware that they have sired childer, which makes for very difficult entry into Kindred society for these castoffs, many of whom end up among the Caitiff.
Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Dementation, Obfuscate
Clan Weaknesses: All members of Clan Malkavian suffer from a permanent, incurable derangement. They may acquire and recover from other derangements, and may spend Willpower to ameliorate the effects of the derangement for a scene, but they can never recover from their original derangement(*and this is why)
Nosferatu
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Those who doubt that the Embrace is a curse need look no further than the Nosferatu. Twisted by the mark of Caine, members of Clan Nosferatu are warped by the Embrace into hideous monsters. As such, they skulk and keep to the shadows, and they often rouse the ire and mockery of other Kindred for their nightmarish appearances. Still others are so terrified or revolted by the Nosferatu that these warped Kindred have little social interaction at all. To their credit, the Nosferatu come to possess many of the whispered secrets of their reluctant fellows. The Sewer Rats enjoy a grudging respect as the information- brokers of the Kindred, given their supernatural acumen at stealth and the fact that many Kindred would rather ignore them than acknowledge them. Savvy Nosferatu exploit this for all it’s worth, turning the hypocrisy of other vampires to their own profit. On the whole, the Nosferatu condition is lonely and alienating. How they react to the Curse of Caine varies with their outlook and mental stamina, but it’s hard to be an object of utter revulsion and not let it shape one’s disposition toward one’s “Kindred” in some way. Some of the Sewer Rats are cruel, as blighted on the inside as they are on the outside, while others are tragic, wretched creatures who have been cursed with eternal outsider status through no choice of their own. A few of the Sewer Rats even position themselves as prophets or avatars of the Damned, physically embodying the haunting riddle, “A Beast I am, lest a Beast I become.”
Appearance: Physical horror is the lot of the Nosferatu, and their unsettling deformations are countless. No two Nosferatu share the exact same malformation, and the Clan is a freakshow of snarled limbs, fanged protrusions, hellish countenances, serpentine spines, ruined faces, spasmodic appendages, and even features not usually seen on the mortal stock from which the Nosferatu are drawn. The Sewer Rats often hide these disfigurements under shapeless robes and rags, but some exult in the discomfort their presence causes, and don’t bother disguising them. They may even emphasize them.
Sect: Clan Nosferatu belongs at least nominally to the Camarilla, though many of its members become Autarkis or support the Anarchs rather than navigating the Ivory Tower’s vicious social labyrinth. Some even contend that the Nosferatu need the Camarilla, because without them they have no buyers in their economy of secrets.
Haven: Nosferatu Kindred often make their havens far from the scorn and spite of other vampires. Whether they construct warrens in the sewers suggested by their nickname or they sculpt a sprawling nightmare-nest in the spire of a condemned church, Sewer Rats value secrecy and distance from rivals in their havens. Nosferatu of humbler means may well squat in an abandoned tenement or a disused alley. So long as it’s away from other Kindred, it’s a good haven.
Background: The Sewer Rats mostly fit into one of two categories. Some Nosferatu Embrace the damaged, flawed, outcast, or vile, feeling some degree of kinship with them. Other Embrace spitefully, dragging the beautiful or privileged into an immortal hell of disfigurement and monstrosity.
Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Obfuscate, Potence
Weaknesses: All Nosferatu have an Appearance score of zero, and they may never improve it. Cross it off the character sheet. Dice pools that use the Appearance Trait are inherently difficult for these hideous Kindred.
Those who doubt that the Embrace is a curse need look no further than the Nosferatu. Twisted by the mark of Caine, members of Clan Nosferatu are warped by the Embrace into hideous monsters. As such, they skulk and keep to the shadows, and they often rouse the ire and mockery of other Kindred for their nightmarish appearances. Still others are so terrified or revolted by the Nosferatu that these warped Kindred have little social interaction at all. To their credit, the Nosferatu come to possess many of the whispered secrets of their reluctant fellows. The Sewer Rats enjoy a grudging respect as the information- brokers of the Kindred, given their supernatural acumen at stealth and the fact that many Kindred would rather ignore them than acknowledge them. Savvy Nosferatu exploit this for all it’s worth, turning the hypocrisy of other vampires to their own profit. On the whole, the Nosferatu condition is lonely and alienating. How they react to the Curse of Caine varies with their outlook and mental stamina, but it’s hard to be an object of utter revulsion and not let it shape one’s disposition toward one’s “Kindred” in some way. Some of the Sewer Rats are cruel, as blighted on the inside as they are on the outside, while others are tragic, wretched creatures who have been cursed with eternal outsider status through no choice of their own. A few of the Sewer Rats even position themselves as prophets or avatars of the Damned, physically embodying the haunting riddle, “A Beast I am, lest a Beast I become.”
Appearance: Physical horror is the lot of the Nosferatu, and their unsettling deformations are countless. No two Nosferatu share the exact same malformation, and the Clan is a freakshow of snarled limbs, fanged protrusions, hellish countenances, serpentine spines, ruined faces, spasmodic appendages, and even features not usually seen on the mortal stock from which the Nosferatu are drawn. The Sewer Rats often hide these disfigurements under shapeless robes and rags, but some exult in the discomfort their presence causes, and don’t bother disguising them. They may even emphasize them.
Sect: Clan Nosferatu belongs at least nominally to the Camarilla, though many of its members become Autarkis or support the Anarchs rather than navigating the Ivory Tower’s vicious social labyrinth. Some even contend that the Nosferatu need the Camarilla, because without them they have no buyers in their economy of secrets.
Haven: Nosferatu Kindred often make their havens far from the scorn and spite of other vampires. Whether they construct warrens in the sewers suggested by their nickname or they sculpt a sprawling nightmare-nest in the spire of a condemned church, Sewer Rats value secrecy and distance from rivals in their havens. Nosferatu of humbler means may well squat in an abandoned tenement or a disused alley. So long as it’s away from other Kindred, it’s a good haven.
Background: The Sewer Rats mostly fit into one of two categories. Some Nosferatu Embrace the damaged, flawed, outcast, or vile, feeling some degree of kinship with them. Other Embrace spitefully, dragging the beautiful or privileged into an immortal hell of disfigurement and monstrosity.
Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Obfuscate, Potence
Weaknesses: All Nosferatu have an Appearance score of zero, and they may never improve it. Cross it off the character sheet. Dice pools that use the Appearance Trait are inherently difficult for these hideous Kindred.
Ravnos
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
The Ravnos move like the rumours that surround them. They are the thief in the night, the raksha chased by the wind, the nightmare-dream too fearful to be real. Whether associated with the Romani folk of Europe or the grave-robbing ghûl of Western Asia, Kindred society burdens the Ravnos with prejudices of foulness, uncleanliness, and wickedness. With reputations like these, the Ravnos are considered outsiders even among those Kindred who do not ally themselves with Sects. Many young Ravnos tend toward nomadic unlives, moving from one domain to the next or hiding on the fringes of established territories where they can escape if local Kindred sentiment turns against them. This exacerbates their reputations as transients, gypsies, and vagrant scourges, but Ravnos vampires adapt well, thriving in their marginalized role. In fact, many choose to make themselves into the ravening terrors that other Kindred believe them to be. The more enlightened among the Ravnos follow a Clan ideology inspired by the cycle of reincarnation espoused by many Indian faiths. Among some young and unprincipled members of the Clan, however, this philosophy becomes a penchant for capriciousness or an excuse for chaos. It is these latter Kindred who give so many Ravnos a bad name, but even the devout seem bizarre to many vampires. The Ravnos practice a unique Discipline known as Chimerstry that convinces their enemies that they see things that do not exist. Chimerstry does much to convince Kindred that the Ravnos trade in lies and misdirection, but it can also prove to be a Deceiver’s
Appearance: Young Ravnos often come from Eastern European Romani stock, with a relative paucity of “non-gypsy” gadje in the ranks. What few elders of the Clan may remain are presumed to come from Indian or Middle Eastern origins. Given that the Clan is widely spread and holds no traditional central domain, no consistent look can be said to be predominant, and any mendicant Kindred might be of Ravnos origin.
Sect: Clan Ravnos often has a difficult time heeding the rigorous order of many Camarilla cities, and has no inherent love for the violence of the Sabbat. Thus, the Deceivers find themselves independent for lack of a more suitable option.
Haven: Many Ravnos take to the road instead of establishing permanent havens, dwelling temporarily among itinerant communities, at roadside rest stops, or even in vehicles. When a Deceiver does put down roots in a domain, his permanent haven is often away from high-profile Kindred territories. Havens in ethnic ghettos, industrial outskirts, and isolated geography are safest and most easily cultivated for the Ravnos.
Background: The Ravnos are scattered and suspicious, and those childer who don’t have the tendency toward self-sufficiency don’t last long. In many cases, a Ravnos will either never sire, or sire for companionship or safety, with little concern for how well a childe will fare as a vampire. Ravnos rarely seek out childer actively, instead drawing from those whose paths they cross on any given night. As such, the hardluck drifter reputation tends to follow the Deceivers
Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Chimerstry, Fortitude
Weaknesses: A turbulent history makes the Ravnos slaves to their vices. Each Ravnos has a penchant for some sort of vice — lying, cruelty, or theft, for example. When presented with the opportunity to engage in that vice, the Ravnos must indulge it unless her player succeeds
on a Self-Control or Instincts roll
The Ravnos move like the rumours that surround them. They are the thief in the night, the raksha chased by the wind, the nightmare-dream too fearful to be real. Whether associated with the Romani folk of Europe or the grave-robbing ghûl of Western Asia, Kindred society burdens the Ravnos with prejudices of foulness, uncleanliness, and wickedness. With reputations like these, the Ravnos are considered outsiders even among those Kindred who do not ally themselves with Sects. Many young Ravnos tend toward nomadic unlives, moving from one domain to the next or hiding on the fringes of established territories where they can escape if local Kindred sentiment turns against them. This exacerbates their reputations as transients, gypsies, and vagrant scourges, but Ravnos vampires adapt well, thriving in their marginalized role. In fact, many choose to make themselves into the ravening terrors that other Kindred believe them to be. The more enlightened among the Ravnos follow a Clan ideology inspired by the cycle of reincarnation espoused by many Indian faiths. Among some young and unprincipled members of the Clan, however, this philosophy becomes a penchant for capriciousness or an excuse for chaos. It is these latter Kindred who give so many Ravnos a bad name, but even the devout seem bizarre to many vampires. The Ravnos practice a unique Discipline known as Chimerstry that convinces their enemies that they see things that do not exist. Chimerstry does much to convince Kindred that the Ravnos trade in lies and misdirection, but it can also prove to be a Deceiver’s
Appearance: Young Ravnos often come from Eastern European Romani stock, with a relative paucity of “non-gypsy” gadje in the ranks. What few elders of the Clan may remain are presumed to come from Indian or Middle Eastern origins. Given that the Clan is widely spread and holds no traditional central domain, no consistent look can be said to be predominant, and any mendicant Kindred might be of Ravnos origin.
Sect: Clan Ravnos often has a difficult time heeding the rigorous order of many Camarilla cities, and has no inherent love for the violence of the Sabbat. Thus, the Deceivers find themselves independent for lack of a more suitable option.
Haven: Many Ravnos take to the road instead of establishing permanent havens, dwelling temporarily among itinerant communities, at roadside rest stops, or even in vehicles. When a Deceiver does put down roots in a domain, his permanent haven is often away from high-profile Kindred territories. Havens in ethnic ghettos, industrial outskirts, and isolated geography are safest and most easily cultivated for the Ravnos.
Background: The Ravnos are scattered and suspicious, and those childer who don’t have the tendency toward self-sufficiency don’t last long. In many cases, a Ravnos will either never sire, or sire for companionship or safety, with little concern for how well a childe will fare as a vampire. Ravnos rarely seek out childer actively, instead drawing from those whose paths they cross on any given night. As such, the hardluck drifter reputation tends to follow the Deceivers
Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Chimerstry, Fortitude
Weaknesses: A turbulent history makes the Ravnos slaves to their vices. Each Ravnos has a penchant for some sort of vice — lying, cruelty, or theft, for example. When presented with the opportunity to engage in that vice, the Ravnos must indulge it unless her player succeeds
on a Self-Control or Instincts roll
Toreador
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
From the Toreador perspective, when the sun fades, darkness gives rise to an eternal and wondrous world. Everything is fraught with wonder and terror, low politics and sensual glories, the profound and the profane, and an undeniable undercurrent of the sanguinary. These Kindred are the Toreador, and they spend unlives ensconced in pleasure. Of course, for vampires of this disposition, it’s easy to become jaded and bitter. More than the other Clans, Toreador often succumb to ennui, or fight the eventual boredom of unchanging immortality by playing at rivalries. An excess of stimulation turns them into slaves to the sensations they seek. The most debased Toreador can become true monsters, sinking to unimaginable levels of depravity in order to feel anything at all. The Kindred of Clan Toreador often involve themselves greatly in the world of mortals. They have any number of reasons, whether enjoying proximity to the blush of life, cultivating veritable cults of doting followers, or influencing and following the trends that their own kind simultaneously mock and venerate. To hear the Toreador tell it, they are the Muses of a desperate mortal world, inspiring through their beauty or patronage. Toreador culture is a mixture of sybarites, dilettantes, and visionaries. Some Toreador, with echoes of mortal passion, Embrace lovers or “project” progeny who seem to fly in the face of every Toreador custom. These either don’t last long or rise to great prominence as subversives and individualists. Ideas, trends, and “the next great thing” spread through the Clan, and other Kindred often look to the Toreador to guide them. The Degenerates know this, and many become Harpies, Princes, and other key figures in vampiric society.
Appearance: Almost to the last, they are attractive in some way, whether the traditional beauty of a runway model or the dangerous allure of something more predatory. The Degenerates augment their physical beauty with a sense of personal style, which may take the form of expensive couture, avant-garde street wear, or classical fashions designed to emphasize their appealing qualities. This isn’t to say that ugly Toreador don’t exist. Indeed, those gifted with less physical beauty often go that much further with their choice of accouterments.
Sect: The Camarilla would not have survived in the nights following the Anarch Revolt without substantial participation from the Toreador, and they remain among its most ardent supporters.
Haven: The Degenerates spare no expense in appointing their havens in luxury, often with many original works of art. It is a point of pride among Toreador to have an unconventional (and thus memorable) haven with modern comforts; thus, many have striking lofts and penthouses, while the bolder among them renovate or repurpose everything from abandoned aquariums or deconsecrated churches to rooftop gardens or converted warehouse-galleries in fashion-forward neighborhoods. Share a communal haven? How déclassé.
Background: Many Toreador hail from high-society or “bohemian” backgrounds. Indeed, many are themselves artists or influential among local art scenes or other subcultures. Actors, singers, musicians, sculptors, poets, playwrights, authors, and creative folk of any stripe may well find a home in the Clan, as do those who serve as patrons to (or travel in the entourages of) those artistic types.
Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Celerity, Presence
Weaknesses: When a Toreador experiences something truly remarkable — a person, an object of art, a lovely sunrise — the player must make a Self-Control or Instincts roll. Failure means that the Kindred finds herself enthralled by the experience. The dazzled Toreador cannot act for the duration of the scene aside from commenting on or continuing their involvement with whatever has captured their attention. If the experience no longer affects her (whether by moving, being destroyed, or whatever is appropriate to the situation), the captivation ends. Enraptured Toreador may not even defend themselves if attacked, though being wounded allows them to make another Self-Control or Instincts roll.
From the Toreador perspective, when the sun fades, darkness gives rise to an eternal and wondrous world. Everything is fraught with wonder and terror, low politics and sensual glories, the profound and the profane, and an undeniable undercurrent of the sanguinary. These Kindred are the Toreador, and they spend unlives ensconced in pleasure. Of course, for vampires of this disposition, it’s easy to become jaded and bitter. More than the other Clans, Toreador often succumb to ennui, or fight the eventual boredom of unchanging immortality by playing at rivalries. An excess of stimulation turns them into slaves to the sensations they seek. The most debased Toreador can become true monsters, sinking to unimaginable levels of depravity in order to feel anything at all. The Kindred of Clan Toreador often involve themselves greatly in the world of mortals. They have any number of reasons, whether enjoying proximity to the blush of life, cultivating veritable cults of doting followers, or influencing and following the trends that their own kind simultaneously mock and venerate. To hear the Toreador tell it, they are the Muses of a desperate mortal world, inspiring through their beauty or patronage. Toreador culture is a mixture of sybarites, dilettantes, and visionaries. Some Toreador, with echoes of mortal passion, Embrace lovers or “project” progeny who seem to fly in the face of every Toreador custom. These either don’t last long or rise to great prominence as subversives and individualists. Ideas, trends, and “the next great thing” spread through the Clan, and other Kindred often look to the Toreador to guide them. The Degenerates know this, and many become Harpies, Princes, and other key figures in vampiric society.
Appearance: Almost to the last, they are attractive in some way, whether the traditional beauty of a runway model or the dangerous allure of something more predatory. The Degenerates augment their physical beauty with a sense of personal style, which may take the form of expensive couture, avant-garde street wear, or classical fashions designed to emphasize their appealing qualities. This isn’t to say that ugly Toreador don’t exist. Indeed, those gifted with less physical beauty often go that much further with their choice of accouterments.
Sect: The Camarilla would not have survived in the nights following the Anarch Revolt without substantial participation from the Toreador, and they remain among its most ardent supporters.
Haven: The Degenerates spare no expense in appointing their havens in luxury, often with many original works of art. It is a point of pride among Toreador to have an unconventional (and thus memorable) haven with modern comforts; thus, many have striking lofts and penthouses, while the bolder among them renovate or repurpose everything from abandoned aquariums or deconsecrated churches to rooftop gardens or converted warehouse-galleries in fashion-forward neighborhoods. Share a communal haven? How déclassé.
Background: Many Toreador hail from high-society or “bohemian” backgrounds. Indeed, many are themselves artists or influential among local art scenes or other subcultures. Actors, singers, musicians, sculptors, poets, playwrights, authors, and creative folk of any stripe may well find a home in the Clan, as do those who serve as patrons to (or travel in the entourages of) those artistic types.
Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Celerity, Presence
Weaknesses: When a Toreador experiences something truly remarkable — a person, an object of art, a lovely sunrise — the player must make a Self-Control or Instincts roll. Failure means that the Kindred finds herself enthralled by the experience. The dazzled Toreador cannot act for the duration of the scene aside from commenting on or continuing their involvement with whatever has captured their attention. If the experience no longer affects her (whether by moving, being destroyed, or whatever is appropriate to the situation), the captivation ends. Enraptured Toreador may not even defend themselves if attacked, though being wounded allows them to make another Self-Control or Instincts roll.
Tremere
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
In nights long lost to the passage of time, the Tremere existed, though they were something else. Those early Tremere then made a bargain — or wrought a spell, or any number of other harrowing methods attributed to the Clan — that changed them from what they had been into the vampires they are tonight. Some claim they stole the Curse of Caine from a torpid Antediluvian, or that they concocted the flawed immortality of the Kindred from the stolen vitae of other vampires. Such mysterious origins, which some describe as treacherous or even blasphemous, haunt the Tremere, as the other Clans look upon them with mistrust and suspicion. The history and, indeed, the modern legacy of the Tremere is one marked by Clan war, centuries-old grudges, and the stain of unwholesome mysteries long left unsolved. Tonight, Clan Tremere is a Clan shaped by its practice of blood sorcery. A flexible Discipline, Thaumaturgy is heavily entrenched within the Tremere, and they maintain cultic havens known as chantries to study its uses and share secrets among each other. To the Tremere, blood is both sustenance and the source of mystical power; they gather in their witch houses to further their understanding of the vitae that is such a focal point of their unlives. Beyond the practice of Thaumaturgy itself, the Warlocks are known for their close-knit hierarchy. They hail from the Old World, with an established power base in Vienna to which all members of the Clan answer to some degree. Although they may be one of the youngest Clans in the terms with which deathless creatures like vampires measure time they are as adept at the Jyhad as any Kindred. Beset by enemies who call them usurpers and backed by allies who may or may not defend the alliances they force, the Tremere have evolved to be self-sufficient. Indeed, many who eye them warily think they possess too great an edge, with their flexible Discipline and protective Clan and chantry structure, and move against them both secretly and overtly.
Appearance: Tremere often have two distinct presentations: a traditional and severe public aspect and a much more eldritch mien better suited to wielding their blood sorceries. When out in public or at Kindred events, the Tremere favor conservative suits and dresses and muted tones. When in their chantries or convening with others of their Clan, they often prefer robes decorated with subtle occult symbols or garb with various folds and pockets for their bizarre ritual ingredients.
Sect: Clan Tremere considers itself one of the pillars of the Camarilla. It is rumored that they once performed a ritual that all but eradicated those of the Clan not loyal to the Ivory Tower (and thus the Tremere’s pyramidal hierarchy).
Haven: Many Tremere rely on a central chantry the Clan maintains in cities where it has a notable presence. More solitary Warlocks develop private havens, with all of the trappings one might expect from an occult scholar, from libraries to alchemical laboratories to moonlit balcony observatories and even more sinister oubliettes where vivisected “research subjects” bleed according to experimental Tremere-controlled stimuli.
Background: The Tremere draw from a fairly narrow pool of potential acolytes. Those who have an awareness of the supernatural, who are driven to succeed, who seek answers that elude less inquisitive individuals, yet who also have the discipline to heed the edicts of the hierarchy make good Tremere. This isn’t to say that individualists don’t have room in the Clan; rather, those who go their own way may well find themselves leading a chantry — or greeting the sun if their interests don’t align with those of the pyramid.
Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Dominate, Thaumaturgy
Weaknesses: Tremere dependency on blood is even more pronounced than that of other Kindred. It takes only two draughts of another vampire’s blood for a Tremere to become blood bound instead of the normal three — the first drink counts as if the Tremere had taken two drinks.. The elders of the Clan are well aware of this, and seek to impart loyalty to the Clan by forcing all neonate Warlocks to drink of the (transubstantiation) blood of the seven Tremere elders soon after their Embrace.
In nights long lost to the passage of time, the Tremere existed, though they were something else. Those early Tremere then made a bargain — or wrought a spell, or any number of other harrowing methods attributed to the Clan — that changed them from what they had been into the vampires they are tonight. Some claim they stole the Curse of Caine from a torpid Antediluvian, or that they concocted the flawed immortality of the Kindred from the stolen vitae of other vampires. Such mysterious origins, which some describe as treacherous or even blasphemous, haunt the Tremere, as the other Clans look upon them with mistrust and suspicion. The history and, indeed, the modern legacy of the Tremere is one marked by Clan war, centuries-old grudges, and the stain of unwholesome mysteries long left unsolved. Tonight, Clan Tremere is a Clan shaped by its practice of blood sorcery. A flexible Discipline, Thaumaturgy is heavily entrenched within the Tremere, and they maintain cultic havens known as chantries to study its uses and share secrets among each other. To the Tremere, blood is both sustenance and the source of mystical power; they gather in their witch houses to further their understanding of the vitae that is such a focal point of their unlives. Beyond the practice of Thaumaturgy itself, the Warlocks are known for their close-knit hierarchy. They hail from the Old World, with an established power base in Vienna to which all members of the Clan answer to some degree. Although they may be one of the youngest Clans in the terms with which deathless creatures like vampires measure time they are as adept at the Jyhad as any Kindred. Beset by enemies who call them usurpers and backed by allies who may or may not defend the alliances they force, the Tremere have evolved to be self-sufficient. Indeed, many who eye them warily think they possess too great an edge, with their flexible Discipline and protective Clan and chantry structure, and move against them both secretly and overtly.
Appearance: Tremere often have two distinct presentations: a traditional and severe public aspect and a much more eldritch mien better suited to wielding their blood sorceries. When out in public or at Kindred events, the Tremere favor conservative suits and dresses and muted tones. When in their chantries or convening with others of their Clan, they often prefer robes decorated with subtle occult symbols or garb with various folds and pockets for their bizarre ritual ingredients.
Sect: Clan Tremere considers itself one of the pillars of the Camarilla. It is rumored that they once performed a ritual that all but eradicated those of the Clan not loyal to the Ivory Tower (and thus the Tremere’s pyramidal hierarchy).
Haven: Many Tremere rely on a central chantry the Clan maintains in cities where it has a notable presence. More solitary Warlocks develop private havens, with all of the trappings one might expect from an occult scholar, from libraries to alchemical laboratories to moonlit balcony observatories and even more sinister oubliettes where vivisected “research subjects” bleed according to experimental Tremere-controlled stimuli.
Background: The Tremere draw from a fairly narrow pool of potential acolytes. Those who have an awareness of the supernatural, who are driven to succeed, who seek answers that elude less inquisitive individuals, yet who also have the discipline to heed the edicts of the hierarchy make good Tremere. This isn’t to say that individualists don’t have room in the Clan; rather, those who go their own way may well find themselves leading a chantry — or greeting the sun if their interests don’t align with those of the pyramid.
Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Dominate, Thaumaturgy
Weaknesses: Tremere dependency on blood is even more pronounced than that of other Kindred. It takes only two draughts of another vampire’s blood for a Tremere to become blood bound instead of the normal three — the first drink counts as if the Tremere had taken two drinks.. The elders of the Clan are well aware of this, and seek to impart loyalty to the Clan by forcing all neonate Warlocks to drink of the (transubstantiation) blood of the seven Tremere elders soon after their Embrace.
Tzimisce
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
A blood moon casts a crimson light over the land beyond the forest and something fearsome howls its agony into the night. The Tzimisce call these lands their ancestral home. Since time out of mind the Fiends have been masters and lords of the domains of much of Eastern Europe. But theirs is a proud, selfish Clan for which tradition goes only so far despite their aristocratic origins. In fact, the Clan claims to have destroyed its Antediluvian, and in the wake of that momentous event, helped establish the foundations of the Sabbat. Tzimisce practice a strange Discipline known as Vicissitude that allows them to twist the skin and bone of their victims. In many cases, they refine their fleshly arts by practicing upon themselves, but they just as frequently use it upon their lackeys and retainers, turning their boyars and szlachta into monstrous thralls. Vicissitude itself is a much misunderstood Discipline, and debates over its origins occasionally plunge the Clan into vicious partisan rivalries. Clan Tzimisce is a Clan of extremes, and long, cold nights spent in remote castles have turned the Fiends’ perspectives both greatly inward and outward. Mystics of the Clan study a philosophy of metamorphosis, seeking to discover what lies beyond the state of vampirism. An alien attitude of spiritual secularism characterizes many Tzimisce. Young members of the Clan often find themselves detached from the historical role of the Fiends as terrifying landed lords, and throw themselves wholly into a cause of their own choice, whether as Sabbat zealots, flesh crafted horrors, or transcendental koldun sorcerers.
Appearance: Given their ability to manipulate their physical appearance with Vicissitude, Tzimisce look however they want, and they often want to provoke or frighten. Some prefer extreme modifications and experimentation with their bodies that leave them looking only vaguely humanoid. Others seek to redefine and even transcend the limits of their forms, rebuilding themselves in the images of angels, monsters, nightmares , and things even less recognizable.
Haven: Young Tzimisce are often Sabbat Priests or Ducti ,and prefer to maintain communal havens with their packs. They encourage the pack to live in fearsome locations, such as beneath a hospital or morgue, or in the dank recesses of a mausoleum. Elders of the Clan sometimes have ancestral holdings in the Old World, and the image of the vampire on the craggy mountain in a crumbling castle owes much to Tzimisce lords. Rarely are these ancient holdings kept to any modern standards of comfort, but their lords are strangely hospitable to invited guests (and terribly intolerant of uninvited bores).
Background: Elder Tzimisce, particularly those of the still-landed nobility in hoary old domains, may have family lines from which they Embrace, or they may restrict their occasional siring to the terrified villages suffering in thrall beneath their estates. New World and younger Tzimisce aren’t as discriminating and are more practical. Indeed, many Tzimisce fledglings are little more than shock troops, Embraced and warped to the limits of their frames to cause revulsion and revel in bloodshed until put down.
Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Vicissitude
Weaknesses: The Tzimisce are inextricably tied to their domains of origin, and must rest in the proximity of at least two handfuls of “native soil” — earth from a place important to her as a mortal, such as the soil from her birthplace or the graveyard where she underwent her Embrace. Each night spent without this physical connection to her land limits all of the Tzimisce’s dice pools to one-half, cumulatively, until she has only a single die in her pool. The penalty remains until she rests for a full day amid her earth once more.
A blood moon casts a crimson light over the land beyond the forest and something fearsome howls its agony into the night. The Tzimisce call these lands their ancestral home. Since time out of mind the Fiends have been masters and lords of the domains of much of Eastern Europe. But theirs is a proud, selfish Clan for which tradition goes only so far despite their aristocratic origins. In fact, the Clan claims to have destroyed its Antediluvian, and in the wake of that momentous event, helped establish the foundations of the Sabbat. Tzimisce practice a strange Discipline known as Vicissitude that allows them to twist the skin and bone of their victims. In many cases, they refine their fleshly arts by practicing upon themselves, but they just as frequently use it upon their lackeys and retainers, turning their boyars and szlachta into monstrous thralls. Vicissitude itself is a much misunderstood Discipline, and debates over its origins occasionally plunge the Clan into vicious partisan rivalries. Clan Tzimisce is a Clan of extremes, and long, cold nights spent in remote castles have turned the Fiends’ perspectives both greatly inward and outward. Mystics of the Clan study a philosophy of metamorphosis, seeking to discover what lies beyond the state of vampirism. An alien attitude of spiritual secularism characterizes many Tzimisce. Young members of the Clan often find themselves detached from the historical role of the Fiends as terrifying landed lords, and throw themselves wholly into a cause of their own choice, whether as Sabbat zealots, flesh crafted horrors, or transcendental koldun sorcerers.
Appearance: Given their ability to manipulate their physical appearance with Vicissitude, Tzimisce look however they want, and they often want to provoke or frighten. Some prefer extreme modifications and experimentation with their bodies that leave them looking only vaguely humanoid. Others seek to redefine and even transcend the limits of their forms, rebuilding themselves in the images of angels, monsters, nightmares , and things even less recognizable.
Haven: Young Tzimisce are often Sabbat Priests or Ducti ,and prefer to maintain communal havens with their packs. They encourage the pack to live in fearsome locations, such as beneath a hospital or morgue, or in the dank recesses of a mausoleum. Elders of the Clan sometimes have ancestral holdings in the Old World, and the image of the vampire on the craggy mountain in a crumbling castle owes much to Tzimisce lords. Rarely are these ancient holdings kept to any modern standards of comfort, but their lords are strangely hospitable to invited guests (and terribly intolerant of uninvited bores).
Background: Elder Tzimisce, particularly those of the still-landed nobility in hoary old domains, may have family lines from which they Embrace, or they may restrict their occasional siring to the terrified villages suffering in thrall beneath their estates. New World and younger Tzimisce aren’t as discriminating and are more practical. Indeed, many Tzimisce fledglings are little more than shock troops, Embraced and warped to the limits of their frames to cause revulsion and revel in bloodshed until put down.
Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Vicissitude
Weaknesses: The Tzimisce are inextricably tied to their domains of origin, and must rest in the proximity of at least two handfuls of “native soil” — earth from a place important to her as a mortal, such as the soil from her birthplace or the graveyard where she underwent her Embrace. Each night spent without this physical connection to her land limits all of the Tzimisce’s dice pools to one-half, cumulatively, until she has only a single die in her pool. The penalty remains until she rests for a full day amid her earth once more.
Ventrue
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
Throughout history, while the other Clans have skulked about their petty intrigues, the Ventrue have curried favour with Caesar, whispered into the ear of Charlemagne, bankrolled the Age of Exploration, and even swayed policy in the Holy See. Theirs is a legacy of ruler ship, from Ventrue fledglings starting their climb to the top to the mightiest elders whose influence spans the world. Long have they played kingmaker in the shadows in the mortal world, and long have they been the Clan of Kings among the Kindred. Other Clans, of course, find all this insufferably pompous at best, punishably tedious at worst. Someone has to lead, surely, but why does it always have to be some long-winded, self-aggrandizing Ventrue? The Blue Bloods try to bear the criticism of their lessers with a sense of noblesse oblige ever heavy hangs that head that wears the crown but even the most munificent of Kindred leaders occasionally succumbs to tyranny and bloody rage. Tonight, the Ventrue are a synthesis of the modern and the ancient, often in stark contrast within the Clan and among one another. Theirs is money of old, from the vaults of Croesus, but their young manipulate stock markets and influence currencies. Elders may command armies or even whole governments, while neonates conjure their assets from a website or Smartphone app. But for all their wealth, their distinguished history, and their status among the Damned, each and every Ventrue must still seek that one resource that makes Kindred society egalitarian: precious blood.
Appearance: The Ventrue favor conservative clothing and reserved presentation, unless they’re making a point about power or money. Ventrue Princes may well wear a circlet or carry a scepter as symbols of office, while young Blue Bloods display their own achievement via suits, ties, dresses, and accessories that are easily overlooked singularly but add up to a stunning total effect. If a Ventrue has so much as a hair out of place, it’s because he spent all night running down the Society of Leopold and demanding the Sabbat menace retreat.
Sect: To hear the Ventrue tell it, the very idea of the Camarilla originated with them. Every other Clan realized what an invaluable proposition it was and flocked to their banner.
Haven: A Ventrue’s haven displays both her great power and distinguished tastes. Opulent, grandiose, even baroque — these may all apply to Ventrue havens. They shun the gaudy displays of other Kindred, and their style tends less to the avant-garde than it does to the classical and traditional. To the Blue Bloods, a well-maintained haven is an extension of oneself, and for someone to see it in less than flawless state implies weakness, distraction, or even madness.
Background: Anyone who has “made something of herself” may attract the attention of the Ventrue, who judge their childer based on their prominence and success even before they start to groom them for the Embrace. Socialites, moneyed family, corporate wunderkinds, military leaders, and even untested newcomers who show great promise are keenly valued among the Blue Bloods.
Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Fortitude, Presence
Weaknesses: The Ventrue have rarefied tastes, and they find only one specific type of mortal blood palatable and vital for them. When a player creates a Ventrue character, he should decide with the GM what specific type of blood suits the character, and this choice is permanent. Blood of other types (even animals) simply offers the vampire no blood pool increase, no matter how much he consumes — he simply vomits it back up. This refined palate may be very narrow or very broad — say, the blood of younger sisters, or virgins, Vampiric blood is exempt from this restriction.
Throughout history, while the other Clans have skulked about their petty intrigues, the Ventrue have curried favour with Caesar, whispered into the ear of Charlemagne, bankrolled the Age of Exploration, and even swayed policy in the Holy See. Theirs is a legacy of ruler ship, from Ventrue fledglings starting their climb to the top to the mightiest elders whose influence spans the world. Long have they played kingmaker in the shadows in the mortal world, and long have they been the Clan of Kings among the Kindred. Other Clans, of course, find all this insufferably pompous at best, punishably tedious at worst. Someone has to lead, surely, but why does it always have to be some long-winded, self-aggrandizing Ventrue? The Blue Bloods try to bear the criticism of their lessers with a sense of noblesse oblige ever heavy hangs that head that wears the crown but even the most munificent of Kindred leaders occasionally succumbs to tyranny and bloody rage. Tonight, the Ventrue are a synthesis of the modern and the ancient, often in stark contrast within the Clan and among one another. Theirs is money of old, from the vaults of Croesus, but their young manipulate stock markets and influence currencies. Elders may command armies or even whole governments, while neonates conjure their assets from a website or Smartphone app. But for all their wealth, their distinguished history, and their status among the Damned, each and every Ventrue must still seek that one resource that makes Kindred society egalitarian: precious blood.
Appearance: The Ventrue favor conservative clothing and reserved presentation, unless they’re making a point about power or money. Ventrue Princes may well wear a circlet or carry a scepter as symbols of office, while young Blue Bloods display their own achievement via suits, ties, dresses, and accessories that are easily overlooked singularly but add up to a stunning total effect. If a Ventrue has so much as a hair out of place, it’s because he spent all night running down the Society of Leopold and demanding the Sabbat menace retreat.
Sect: To hear the Ventrue tell it, the very idea of the Camarilla originated with them. Every other Clan realized what an invaluable proposition it was and flocked to their banner.
Haven: A Ventrue’s haven displays both her great power and distinguished tastes. Opulent, grandiose, even baroque — these may all apply to Ventrue havens. They shun the gaudy displays of other Kindred, and their style tends less to the avant-garde than it does to the classical and traditional. To the Blue Bloods, a well-maintained haven is an extension of oneself, and for someone to see it in less than flawless state implies weakness, distraction, or even madness.
Background: Anyone who has “made something of herself” may attract the attention of the Ventrue, who judge their childer based on their prominence and success even before they start to groom them for the Embrace. Socialites, moneyed family, corporate wunderkinds, military leaders, and even untested newcomers who show great promise are keenly valued among the Blue Bloods.
Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Fortitude, Presence
Weaknesses: The Ventrue have rarefied tastes, and they find only one specific type of mortal blood palatable and vital for them. When a player creates a Ventrue character, he should decide with the GM what specific type of blood suits the character, and this choice is permanent. Blood of other types (even animals) simply offers the vampire no blood pool increase, no matter how much he consumes — he simply vomits it back up. This refined palate may be very narrow or very broad — say, the blood of younger sisters, or virgins, Vampiric blood is exempt from this restriction.
