Clans: Ventrue
Regal, commanding and aristocratic, the Ventrue are the harsh lords of the Danse Macabre. The Ventrue most often come from the closest the modern world comes to feudal nobility: the ranks of professionals, the cream of high society, and the scions of old money or political dynasties. As new professions and new forms of power arise, the Ventrue bring them into the clan. Through whatever means necessary, the Ventrue rise to the top of the undead heap.
Nickname: Lords
Clan Disciplines: The Ventrue master Dominate, the Discipline of mental subjugation. Their strength is not diminished on beasts, as they exert themselves with the power of Animalism over lesser creatures. And as Lords must be fit enough to resist challengers, their undead bodies are gifted with Resilience.
Weakness: Power corrupts, and among the Ventrue, even the thirst for power can corrode an ambitious Kindred's moral bearings. Over time, a Ventrue's mind becomes fragile. Therefore, Ventrue characters are more prone to gaining derangements when they suffer a loss of Humanity.
Ventrue
"Let me be clear. You will accept my offer now or later. You will like it much less later."
The Ventrue offer a very simple boast: They win. They always win.
Other Kindred often despise the Lords, but they seldom dispute the clan's boast. All too often, a Kindred works and schemes to win some prize, only to find that a Ventrue owned it all along. The officers who lead a city's Kindred almost always include several highly placed Ventrue. The Lords acknowledge no defeats, only setbacks. The clan shares a ruthless will to power and the power to enforce its will.
Their favored Disciplines account for some of their success. The Ventrue learn to command the thoughts of other beings almost by instinct. Their mastery of lesser animals harks back to nights of domains in which the Lord was master of beasts as well as men. Although they do not especially cultivate the arts of combat, they often prove remarkably hard to kill. Ventrue regard their supernatural gifts, however, as merely a tool to begin the acquisition of real power -- the power of money, property, corporate stock, political contacts, rank in Kindred society and large numbers of mortals, at every level of society, begging to lick their boots and fulfill their commands.
The Ventrue take the feudal nature of Kindred society very seriously. Every sire tells her childe that some people rule and some are ruled. As Lords, they should strive to place themselves among the rulers. Most Ventrue neonates already believed this before their Embrace. Throughout the clan's history, the Ventrue have sought power in whatever forms mortals offered. Kindred historians say that in ancient Rome the clan Embraced senators and patricians. In the Middle Ages, they brought knights and churchmen into the fold. As commerce became an avenue to power, they cultivated merchant princes, bankers and magnates. When states grew more bureaucratic, the Lords Embraced high-ranking civil servants. The rise of organized crime brought mob bosses and drug kingpins into the clan. At the start of the 21st century, Ventrue elders ponder the merits of Embracing scientists, engineers, and computer wizards. No matter where in society the power lies, the Ventrue vow to exploit it before the other Kindred even know it exists.
Nickname: Lords
Covenant: Many Kindred see the Ventrue as almost synonymous with the Invictus. Indeed, Ventrue tend to rise to leadership positions within that covenant. Almost as many find a place in the Ordo Dracul, acquiring immediate power of a different stripe, which the Lords ultimately turn towards the same ends. They also rise to leadership among the Sanctified, however, and some Ventrue find the power they crave within the Carthians, the Circle of the Crone, or even amid the ranks of the unbound. Some Ventrue neonate hardly bother to hide their intent to use a gang of unaligned Kindred as a stepping-stone to power within another covenant.
Appearance: Ventrue often adopt a conservative, low-key appearance that expresses high status without looking flashy. Young Lords sometimes favor a "preppy" look, the timeless suit-and-tie uniform of business, or (for female Lords) elegant gowns or business skirt-suits, with unobtrusive jewelry. Ventrue elders might keep the styles of long ago, at least in their own havens, and in public they still tend to look decades out of date. Even rebellious young Ventrue wear their metal-studded jackets like a uniform, asserting their dominance. A Lord surrounds himself with other trappings of wealth and success, too, from the big fancy car in the garage to the wine cellar full of vintages he will never again have the opportunity to enjoy.
Havens: If a Ventrue did not possess great wealth before the Embrace, she often becomes rich afterward. Ventrue select their havens to reflect their wealth and power. Many Lords dwell in mansions or actual walled estates. Few would settle for anything less than a classic townhouse or penthouse apartment (with secure curtains, of course).
Clan tradition holds that any Ventrue may claim sanctuary from the sun at any other Lord's haven and not be refused, but few Lords ever invoke this right. No only to proud Lords hate to beg another Kindred's aid; a supplicant henceforth owes a debt of honor to the Ventrue who provided the refuge. Great shame would befall any Ventrue who denied a clanmate or who could not provide a comfortable rest, however, so a prudent Ventrue makes sure his haven can accommodate a guest or two.
Background: The Ventrue most often seek childer among the ranks of professionals or the cream of high society. Some Lords prefer childer from "old money" families or political dynasties, as the closest the modern world comes to feudal nobility. Other Lords prefer self-made leaders such as millionaire entrepreneurs, politicians, military officers, or even crime bosses. As new professions and new forms of power arise, the Ventrue bring them forth into the clan. The rise of the computer industry, for instance, has promoted a wave of tech-sector childer.
Character Creation: Ventrue favor Social Attributes and Skills -- the traits needed for leadership -- though they also value Mental Attributes and Skills such as Politics and Academics. The clan excels at Social Merits such as Resources, Contacts and Status. Most Lords possessed great social influence in life, and they acquire more in undeath.
Favored Attributes: Presence or Resilience
Clan Disciplines: The Ventrue master Dominate, the Discipline of mental subjugation. Their strength is not diminished on beasts, as they exert themselves with the power of Animalism over lesser creatures. And as Lords must be fit enough to resist challengers, their undead bodies are gifted with Resilience.
Weakness: Power corrupts, and among the Ventrue, even the thirst for power can corrode an ambitious Kindred's moral bearings. Over time, some Ventrue grow paranoid, ever more wary of rival's desires (real or imagined) for their own holdings. Others become willing to do whatever it takes to acquire the smallest iota of additional power. Still others turn inward, delude themselves as to their ability and importance, or trouble their minds with other maladies. Ventrue Kindred suffer a -2 penalty to Humanity rolls to avoid acquiring derangements after a failed degeneration roll.
Organization: The Lords track their ties of blood and obligation through an old-boy network that extends across generations, bloodlines, and continents. A respectable Ventrue knows his fellow Lords' ancestors, their broodmates, allies, enemies and Kindred owed and owing favors (though the information might be a century out of date). Two Ventrue often compare lineages and acquaintances when they first meet. Thus do they establish their relationships and status within the clan.
The Ventrue also take clan offices very seriously. Ventrue Whips, Prisci and other clan leaders often try to hold monthly meetings of all clanmates, regardless of covenant. The Lords use these meetings as opportunities to brag, size up the competition, cut deals, and chide clanmates who seem to show insufficient ambition. After all, the Ventrue have a reputation for steel-fisted power to uphold. One does not want other Kindred thinking that any Lord might go soft.
Bloodlines: Much of the clan consists of lineages that claim descent from famous Ventrue of the distant past, such as the great Cassius. These "bloodlines" merely express pride in ancestry: a Cassian Ventrue, for instance, doe not differ greatly from other Lords. Other prestigious lineages include the Licinii, the Beni Murrahim and to Rotgrafen. The comparatively new Malkovian lineage suffers even more debilitating madness than the parent clan.
Concepts: Corporate CEO, crooked cop, gang chief, military officer, old-time ward boss, patron of the arts, political consultant, rave promoter, realtor, society matron, technical wizard.
STEREOTYPES:
Daeva: Our only serious rivals. Watch them as you would a deadly viper.
Gangrel: Stray dogs with sharp teeth. Train them when you can.
Mehket: Acknowledge their wisdom, but be sure they know they have their place.
Nosferatu: What was it Machiavelli said about love and fear?
Lupines: You can no more rule their kingdoms as you can rule a wildfire. Treat them with care -- or avoid them if you want to see another night.
Mages: Do not try to understand their powers. You cannot. Do not use your powers upon them. Their revenge, should you fail, will be terrible. Their fears and desires, however, remain human -- and so you can bend them to your will.
Mortals: Rule them, use them, and feed upon them without pity. They are born to serve and suffer and never know why.
Clans: Daeva
Emotional and sensual, the Daeva cultivate both desire among their prey and physical perfection among themselves. Sexual predators and sensual hedonists alike populate the ranks of the clan. Succubus sires look for some combination of charm, culture, seductiveness, desire to achieve, passion and physical beauty. Many Daeva Embrace mortals to whom they have become attached, but this attachment almost invariably proves false, a mixture of lust and simple hunger. Few relationships are as euphoric as those between a Daeva and a newly Embraced childe, and few grow cold as swiftly.
Nickname: Succubi
Disciplines: Daeva are masters of Majesty, the vampiric Discipline of lust and want. Their blood also favors the inhuman grace and power of the Disciplines of Celerity and Vigor.
Weakness: The Daeva’s cursed blood enslaves them to darker passions. Any time a Daeva has an opportunity to indulge her Vice but does not do so, she loses two points of Willpower.
Daeva
What a silly thing to say, my love. Of course you can't live without me.
Other Kindred envy their beauty and grace, their ability to incite passion in mortals, the ease with which they glide through the masses -- and that envy is almost as potent a draught to the Daeva as blood itself. These Kindred are consummate predators, and they would seem to be the perfect vampires. Alas, most are too dead to enjoy it. Called Succubi by other clans, the Daeva are experts are making their prey come to them, practically offering themselves not merely as food but as play-things. No self-respecting Daeva resorts to attacking transients in alleyways. Rather, these are the Kindred who accompany a smitten young mortal back to her place, leaving her languid and sexually spent by morning (if she's fortunate) or an ex-sanguinated husk (if she's not). Seducers and sensualists, the Daeva could practically charm the unease off a Nosferatu. When the fancy strikes them, they play politics like a finely tuned instrument. Even allies and co-conspirators who know they cannot trust a Succubi find themselves lulled into doing just that, caught up in the Daeva's personal magnetism.
Daeva become Harpies more than Kindred of any other clan, and they wield that power mercilessly. A stinging rebuke from a Daeva Harpy can shred a vampire's reputation faster than a denunciation by the Prince himself. Most Succubi are overtly sensual beings, drawn by beauty and blood in equal measure, but it's an artificial passion. Their ability to feel true attachment to other people atrophies over years of manipulating the love of mortals and the respect of their fellow Kindred, until the Daeva can no longer understand those emotions as anything other than tools to be exploited and motions to imitate. For all their apparent fervor, most Succubi are as dead spiritually as they are physically. They claim to understand desire, but all they truly know is need, and it is this deadening of emotions that causes so many jaded Daeva to become depraved in their efforts to feel again.
Daeva move through the circles of society in which their lustful nature best serves them, whether among high or low culture. Drawn to beauty and congregations of mortals, they often frequent theatres, galleries, trendy clubs, whiskey dives, drug dens, brothels, and everything in between. Personal preference aside, the Succubi are found through all strata of society. Their seductive natures allow these vampires to find willing vessels no matter where they go, and this ability has enabled them to thrive, to become arguably one of the most numerous clans. No single social class has room for them all, so newcomers and losers of political and social games often find themselves dwelling among the poor and unwashed -- or at least in the middle classes, which, since their blood is as red as any other, means basically the same thing to most Succubi. Few Kindred are as desperate as a Daeva trying to claw his way into his own niche. Wise Kindred know better than to take advantage of a Daeva in such a position, for dear he'll one night achieve the position and privilege he seeks. The Succubi never forget a slight.
Nickname: Succubi (male Daeva are sometimes called Incubi, but the clan itself is referred to by the more common female sobriquet)
Covenant: The majority of these Kindred are found within the Invictus. They are well suited to the political game, and here they can surround themselves with lessers, becoming even more jaded and inhuman as they grow older. Most Daeva are too self-centered to feel the religious calling of the Lancea Sanctum, but those few exceptions who are able to channel their sensual drive into matters of faith often obtain positions of prominence, making the clan seem more numerous in the Lancea Sanctum than it really is. Few Daeva bother with the Carthians. Why fight for an egalitarian society when the current system favors the Daeva? The Ordo Dracul covenant is home to a small number of devoted Daeva, and it would have more if the rigors of the covenant's policies didn't make being a hedonist among its rank less than rewarding. The Circle of the Crone has few Daeva for much the same reason as the Lancea Sanctum, and those who do join often do so more out of a debased and jaded sense of rebellion against societal mores than any real belief in the Pagans' teachings. A surprising number of Succubi fall in among the unaligned, convinced, in their own self-perceived superiority, that they have no needs for the laws and restrictions of society. Appearance: Daeva often Embrace out of infatuation -- or at least going through the motions of passion -- and they rarely choose to involve themselves with unattractive mortals. Thus, most Daeva are surpassingly beautiful. The clan is also highly in tune with trends and fashions, the better to prowl among and attract prey.
Havens: Daeva havens vary, but they're almost universally comforting.... in a subtly alarming way that suggests in artificial appeal to whatever vessels a Kindred favors. Most are convenient to social or political centers. The specific aesthetics vary, but most are intended to impress any compatriots, allies or victims who might be invited in. Penthouses and condominiums are particularly popular. Most Daeva don't bother to keep up appearances if they don't think they'll bring prey home, meaning that some havens are sloppy or cluttered with unsettling reminders of previous vessels' presence.
Background: With a growing number of exceptions, Daeva Embrace from the ranks of society's elite. Succubus sires look for some combination of charm, culture, seductiveness, desire to achieve, passion, and physical beauty. Many Daeva Embrace mortal with whom they have become attached, but this attachment almost invariably proves false, a mixture of lust and simple hunger. Few relationships are as euphoric as those between a Daeva and a newly Embraced childe, and few grow cold as swiftly.
Character Creation: Social Attributes and Skills are of primary concern, particularly those that aid in making good first impressions, in persuading and in seducing. Social Merits are equally common, representing the character's connections to both mortal and Kindred society. Given that most Daeva feed almost exclusively through manipulation and betrayal, a high starting Humanity score is a good idea, since it's likely to fall precipitously.
Favored Attributes: Dexterity or Manipulation
Clan Disciplines: Daeva are masters of Majesty, the vampiric Discipline of lust and want. Their blood also favors the inhuman grace and power of the Disciplines of Celerity and Vigor.
Weakness: Perhaps out of some deep longing for the true passions they lost after the Embrace, the Daeva have difficulty steeling themselves against the hedonism they allow themselves as members of the Damned. The Daeva’s cursed blood enslaves them to darker passions. Any time a Daeva has an opportunity to indulge her Vice but does not do so, she loses two points of Willpower (as opposed to gaining one by partaking in its pleasures).
Organization: Status among the Daeva is entirely a social issue, and many young ones resemble squabbling cliques more so than undying creatures of the night. Not even elder Daeva are strangers to petty vendettas and long-nursed grudges. While a Succubus is likely to join with one of her own in the face of an outside threat, they compete with one another as much as they do with other Kindred, if not more so. The Daeva therefore have no true formal structure. Those who dominate in the Danse Macabre's social and political scene are dominant among the clan as well.
Bloodlines: Duchagne (an aristocratic but degenerate European bloodline that seems to have the ability to directly manipulate the senses and sensations of others), Toreador (a branch of the clan that has recognized its loss of passion and tries to re-create it by inspiring mortals either to creative pursuits or extreme emotions; they invariably grow bored and move on, leaving their former wards desolate), Xiao.
Concepts: Bored socialite, club hopper, club owner, cult leader, cultured serial killer, full-time Harpy, jaded vampire who gets off on being a creature of the night (a fairly melodramatic attitude found only on the very young before the weight of the Requiem fully settles on them), Kindred politico, local covenant spokesperson, patron of the arts, professional "escort"
STEREOTYPES:
Gangrel: They are beasts, to be sure, but their animal bodies contain a terrible ferocity.
Mehket: They confine themselves to the shadows, but out of comfort or fear?
Nosferatu: They wear on the outside what all Kindred are within.
Ventrue: Which is the greater curse to bear, weakness of mind or the responsibilities of keeping one's fellows?
Lupines: No, thank you. The Gangrel are quite feral enough.
Mages: The idea of a mortal with that sort of power is .... fascinating. Surely they wouldn't mind conversing for just a bit.
Mortals: Such simple creatures. I'm grateful not to be one any longer. Still ... I do wish I could remember just a bit more clearly what it felt like.
Clans: Mekhet
Secretive and wise, the Mekhet are masters of all things hidden. They hunt from the shadows, preying secretly on victims and unlocking secrets that no one should know. The only common thread linking Mekhet is an affinity for the night itself or some metaphorical darkness, such as a pained soul or a thirst for knowledge. Mekhet are tutored intensely by their sires so that they understand the nature of the clan and its duties. Some prefer to let their progeny discover the Kindred world on their own, but not even these sires stray so far that they can’t watch a protégé’s progress.
Nickname: Shadows
Clan Disciplines: Mekhet master Auspex, the Discipline of preternatural perception, gaining insights that make them particularly dangerous to Kindred. While they reveal others secrets, the Mekhet keep their own, and they have an affinity for Obfuscate, the Discipline of concealment. Finally, they move with the blinding speed of Celerity, as quick as they are deadly.
Weakness: As creatures of darkness, the Mekhet suffer certain banes of vampiric existence more acutely than their fellow Kindred do. Whenever Mekhet suffer damage from sunlight or fire, they take an additional point of aggravated damage from that source.
Mekhet
"Sure, I can find that out for you. But you better make it worth my while.. I'm sure he'd love to know you were asking about him.."
Vampires have always been creatures of the night by design, but none more so than the dwellers in darkness who compose Clan Mehket. Darkness is the hallmark of this lineage, and its members surround themselves with it like a corpse wears a shroud. The hallmarks of the clan are stealth and wisdom, so it is entirely fitting that they are associated with darkness -- the better to hide them and the source of the knowledge they exhume.
Clan Mehket compromises one of the most cosmopolitan memberships among the great families of the Kindred. Although they compose a clan born of darkness, these Shadows interpret the darkness in many ways. Some of the clan's members are masters of the night, using their gifts and undead powers to make a place for themselves within the aristocracy of the Damned. Others are literal skulkers in the shadows, ready to plant a stake in a rival's heart or steal the wealth from a rival's haven. Still others are poets or painters, heirs to a darkness of a more personal nature. Yet more Mehket are diviners of secrets, questing after information itself forgotten and thus regulated to the darkness of memory. Clan Mehket runs the gamut from filth-streaked murders to enlightened philosopher-Princes and everything in between.
While the clan certainly has coarse members, the Mehket are, by and large, marked by a certain degree of finesse with whatever aspect of tenebrous unlife they choose to pursue. A Mehket bodyguard, for example, is unlikely to be a brawling brute, but more likely to know an ornate fighting style. A Mehket infiltrator is gracious or invisible, not a sloppy vandal. A sage or scholar might have such supernatural acumen that his abilities are downright oracular instead of merely archival. Mehket Kindred very much consider themselves paragons of the vampiric state, so whatever they do, they devote themselves to it and refine their capacity almost to the point of second nature.
Nickname: Shadows
Covenant: A great many Mehket fall in with the Carthians or the Lancea Sanctum, both of which have strong traditions of politics and sorcery to which the Shadows can lend their talents. The same can be said of the Circle of the Crone, which typically draws in Mehket by virtue of its underlying message of redemption and meaning in the unlives of the Damned. Less philosophical and more viscerally impassioned Shadows are often drawn to the ranks of the unaligned, whose ideology of freedom (or anonymity...) is an easy fir for the wild at heart. This is not to say that the clan is weak within the Invictus, though. Invictus Shadows are simply quieter about their covenant affiliation than their boastful brothers, or at least more reserved about the reasons for their affiliation, which typically coincide with those of the Carthians or Lancea Sanctum. More than a few Mehket find themselves among the Ordo Dracul, as the study of its esoteric principles often coincides with artifact-finding expeditions or secrets to be gleaned from other Dragons.
Appearance: Of all the clans, the Mehket are perhaps the least uniform in the way they appear to others. Some play the clan archetype to the hilt, dressing in black clothing and adopting styles that allow them to blend into the scenery. Others choose from popular mortal styles and fashions, attempting to blend in with the crowd by evading individual notice. The practice is particularly common among Mehket who associate with one particular subculture, thereby becoming an iconic, through rarely outstanding, example of that group's tastes.
Havens: Of all the clans, the Mehket are typically the most polarized by their preferences and proximity to the mortal world. In large cities, where their numbers are strong, many take flats in the downtown core, or at least within short distance of various hot spots or the Rack (The best parts of the city in which to feed, including nightclubs and other loud, crowded places). Older or more withdrawn Shadows are often preoccupied with security, and many elect to dwell in large homes on the outskirts of populated areas. Such Kindred often keep dogs and other servitors, made strong by the cursed Vitae of their masters. A few paranoid Shadows even take havens underground, where they cohabitate (or compete) with Nosferatu for shelter from the sun.
Background: Prospective Mehket can come from just about any walk of mortal life. The only common thread linking potential candidates is an affinity for the night itself or some metaphorical darkness, such as a pained soul or a thirst for knowledge. Many Mehket are tutored heavily by their sires post-Embrace, in order that they understand the nature of the clan and its duties. A Mehket sire who leaves a new childe to the misinformation of other Kindred is a rarity indeed. Some prefer to let their progeny discover the Kindred world on their own, but not even these sires stray so far that they can't watch a protégé’s progress.
Character Creation: Most Shadows prize those traits that best assist them in furthering their passion or their cause. Violent or politically motivated Mehket typically favor Physical and Social attributes and Skills, to improve their dealing with others and to allow them to strike from their namesake. Scholarly or philosophical clan members tend to acquire as many dots worth of Mental traits as they can. For many Shadow players, the process of assigning new traits is like being a kid in a candy store -- just about everything looks good, but you don't have a whole lot to spend. The best solution is to keep your characters personality in mind when deciding what to take.
Favored Attributes: Intelligence or Wits
Clan Disciplines: Mekhet master Auspex, the Discipline of preternatural perception, gaining insights that make them particularly dangerous to Kindred. While they reveal others secrets, the Mekhet keep their own, and they have an affinity for Obfuscate, the Discipline of concealment. Finally, they move with the blinding speed of Celerity, as quick as they are deadly.
Weakness: As creatures of darkness, the Mekhet suffer certain banes of vampiric existence more acutely than their fellow Kindred do. Whenever Mekhet suffer damage from sunlight or fire, they take an additional point of aggravated damage from that source. Just as a shadow cannot exist without light, so too does light banish shadow. Example: Loki catches the telltale smell of smoke and realizes that the hotel where he's visiting the Mehket Priscus is on fire. He dashes out the door into the burning hallway. Normally, this would cause three points of damage, but Loki's Mehket susceptibility to flame increases it to four. Loki sprints down the hall, hoping the whole building isn't an inferno....
Organization: While Mehket is not the most tightly organized of clans, it does have some structure. The majority of it falls in line with the clan's various bloodlines, which are generally more independent than those of other clans. Nonetheless, some clanwide structure does exist. In addition to the Primogen of any Mehket-heavy city, the Shadows often give more deference to a Priscus in clan affairs than do members of other clans, particularly if a Priscus has earned a reputation for wisdom.
Bloodlines: Agonistes (Mediterranean historians and philosophers who seek to record and retain knowledge Kindred lose over time and in torpor); Mnemosyne (reverent vampires who possess the ability to share memories and experiences through blood ties); the Morbus lineage of European origin that suffers the Requiem with tainted Vitae; Norvegi (an inbred, degenerate cult of spies and theives); Sangiovanni (Venetian necromancers who maintain a tight family structure that Embraces exclusively from its own mortal stock).
Concepts: Antiquities scholar, assassin, Casanova, diplomat, enforcer, fence, ghetto Harpy, pilgrim, policeman, power behind the praxis, seer.
STEREOTYPES:
Daeva: They thoughtlessly despoil what they once were, and shamelessly mock what they've become.
Gangrel: Noble in their own way, but sadly disconnected from their roots.
Nosferatu: Brothers in the darkness -- but beware sibling rivalries.
Ventrue: Great company until events conspire to put one of you in an elevated position, at which point they quickly grow intolerable.
Lupines: I suspect there is more to them then the savagery we witness from afar.
Mages: Some secrets the Kindred should not know, yet the mages wield them with such grace.
Mortals: See them for what they are: the source of our sustenance and the bane of our existence.
Clans: Gangrel
Primal and savage, the Gangrel hunt in the untamed places and show no mercy. Gangrel can come from nearly any former life, but all Savages possess a strong survival instinct. Gangrel loathe personal weakness and admire those whose greatest strengths are those of the self – self-awareness, self-confidence and self-reliance.
Nickname: Savages
Disciplines: Masters of the vampiric Discipline of Protean, Gangrel let their bestial nature affect their very shape, becoming wolves, bats or the very mist on the night air. Their blood also grants them an aptitude with their bestial brethren (in the form of the Discipline of Animalism), and the supernatural toughness of Resilience.
Weakness: The Gangrel's blood curses them with a potent bestial instinct that sometimes makes it difficult for them to think clearly. Gangrel suffer a loss of the 10-again rule with regard to dice pools based on Intelligence and Wits Attributes.
Gangrel
"Go tell this Prince of yours that this is my domain, if you've got the guts."
While vampires give mortals a reason to be afraid of the dark, there exist things that give even vampires reason to fear -- creatures like the Gangrel, the predators among the predators, the most savage of beasts. Perhaps the only clan whose mere mention almost always elicits a chilled shudder or a reverent nod, the Gangrel are, in many ways, the "noble savages" of the vampiric race. Upon their Embrace (and sometimes before), the Gangrel seek to sever their ties with everything pertaining to their mortal lives. Many prefer the counsel of animals and other beasts, and some eschew contact with the mortal world entirely. While many retain and even value their Humanity, they do so within the bounds and context of their newfound existence, and not as an attempt to hold onto what's been lost, for no other option is practical to a clan whose very soul is so intimately intertwined with its Beast. While others delude themselves about what the Embrace "truly means," the Gangrel know what they've become, so they strive to make peace with it. On the whole, they spend more time in communion with their bestial side than other vampires do, and though such activity more than accounts for their nickname and reputation, few would disagree that the Gangrel truly benefit from their introspection.
Their special bond with the Beast seems to give many Gangrel a unique insight into the Kindred condition, and some of the wisest vampires to be found in all the world hail from this clan. Whereas other Kindred try to become scholars or philosophers, collecting endless data and positing on the theoretical, the Gangrel are its yogis and medicine men, its bodhisattvas and whirling dervishes. The unequivocal and irreplaceable benefit of first-hand experience flows through them, supplanting the theoretical with the practical, and making the Gangrel widely respected among those who recognize the primeval nature of the Kindred soul. This insight makes the clan invaluable, but also makes it dangerous, and some would just as soon silence the Gangrel as hear their frank wisdom.
Nickname: Savages
Covenant: Many Gangrel are largely unconcerned with matters of Kindred politics, but that's not to say they don't have their own views. Perhaps surprisingly, a significant percentage of the clan is active in the Circle of the Crone, which provides spiritually-minded Gangrel with a ready-made forum for their rituals and beliefs, and a great many of the Circle's leaders hail from the clans ranks. Some of the more proactive Gangrel find the Carthian mindset appealing, and a number of highly motivated Savages have taken up the cause in recent years. A few Gangrel fall in with the Lancea Sanctum and the Invictus, due to the nature of each covenant's beliefs. Those who are active in the latter group usually work for important elders are among the most frightening and relentless Kindred anyone would not (ever) want to meet. Likewise, the Ordo Dracul sees few Gangrel, though so who join do so not to learn the blood magic of the covenant but to pursue mysteries of their origin without the hauteur of the Lancea Sanctum. A great many Gangrel also find their place among the independent and unaligned Kindred, whose lack of structure and love of freedom are attractive to Savages who prefer that elders of other clans keep their politics to themselves.
Appearance: The archetypal Savage is rarely concerned with his appearance, though most recognize the need to both blend in and put potential prey at ease. As a rule, Gangrel prefer function over form, and rarely are caught clad in anything that restricts movement to any great degree. Due to their clan weakness, they must always be wary of just how bestial they appear to others, and some especially old (or angry) Gangrel typically learn some amount of Obfuscate to avoid potentially dangerous situations.
Havens: One of the clan's greatest strengths is its deft maneuverability, a good portion of which stems from its Discipline of Protean, which allows the Gangrel to take rest in any natural soil. Sleeping in the ground does, of course, have its drawbacks, and even the most feral Savages comes to appreciate having an actual place to hang his heat after a while. A number of the more urbane (or at least urban) Gangrel therefore elect to take traditional havens, though their restless spirits and mistrust of other Kindred tends to keep them moving.
Background: Potential Gangrel can come from nearly any former life, but few Savages would choose a mortal who did not possess a strong survival instinct. Beyond this, most are quite particular about those they sire. Gangrel loathe personal weakness and those who are soft of body or mind (especially given their weakness), particularly those with a paper-thin or disconnected sense of being. Clan members most admire those whose greatest strengths are the strengths of the self -- self-awareness, self-confidence, and self-reliance. While its not unheard of for a Gangrel to Embrace someone who lacks these qualities (usually as a cruel test to see whether the Embrace will sufficiently toughen the person up), most Gangrel hold to their standards, as not doing so is often more effort than it is worth.
Character Creation: Gangrel are very honest with themselves about what is and is not their forte, and they seek to improve those things to which they are especially or innately suited. Many Gangrel come off seeming hyper-specialized, their players having devoted significant dots to those Attributes and Skills in which they are focused. This rule is a very general one, however, and numerous exceptions apply. Due to temperament, the aptly named Savages are rarely very strong in the Social department (though entire bloodlines of sociable Gangrel probably exist somewhere), preferring instead to hone body and reinforce the mind. An even mix of Physical and Mental skills is always good, erring toward the Physical side.
Favored Attributes: Composure or Stamina
Disciplines: Masters of the vampiric Discipline of Protean, Gangrel let their bestial nature affect their very shape, becoming wolves, bats or the very mist on the night air. Their blood also grants them an aptitude with their bestial brethren (in the form of the Discipline of Animalism), and the supernatural toughness of Resilience.
Weakness: As befits their sobriquet, the Gangrel are more closely tied to their Beasts than are other Kindred. The more they feel the call of the Beast, the more bestial they become, and the more their minds become those of less principled animals. With regards to dice pools based on Intelligence and Wits Attributes, the 10-again rule does not apply. Additionally, any 1's that come up on a roll subtract from successes. (The latter part of the weakness does not affect dramatic-failure rules.) This weakness does not apply to dice pools involving perception or reaction to surprise, or to the Resolve Attribute. Example: The Gangrel Unholy is chasing Loki, who manages to elude her, but not before he drops a mystical artifact he stole from one of her other old enemies in the Ordo Dracul. The Unholy has a chance to figure out what the artifact is, her player rolling a dice pool of Intelligence + Occult (seven dice). The dice come up 10, 8, 7, 7, 6, 3, and 1. Normally the player would roll the 10 again, but not in this case, as this dice pool involves the Unholy's Intelligence Attribute. Furthermore, the 1 rolled cancels out one of their players two successes, leaving only one. The Unholy knows that this is an item of mystic significance, but she has no inkling as to what it does or what might activate it.
Organization: The Gangrel are perhaps the least organized of the clans. They have no hierarchy per se and are largely disinterested in either clan structure or intra-clan activity for its own sake. The only nod they give to such matters comes in the form of an event called a Gather. These meetings serve a twofold purpose. First, as an opportunity for Gangrel to unite and update one another on the events of the intervening time. Second, as a forum for official intra-clan dispute resolution. Before this practice began, ferocious Savages visited their rage upon one another at will and without process, and the clan as a whole suffered. Thus began the practice of settling disputes at gatherings of the clan before a Priscus or Primogen, where any conflict (or combat, if necessary) could be moderated and monitored by the peers of both Savages. As a result of this practice, the clan has grown more cooperative over time, leading to markedly fewer intra-clan kills. The majority of such disputes now stop short of Final Death.
Bloodlines: Anavashra (mysterious ritualists who claim domains in India and Bangladesh); Anubi (Egyptian cultists who have feuded long with the Lancea Sanctum); Bruja (a rogue biker gang that slakes its thirsts at will and terrorizes Baja Mexico and Southern California); Matasuntha (a bloodline of warriors descended from an ancient warlord of the Huns); Taifa (sociable and sophisticated, these Middle Eastern Gangrel are known for their political savvy and social aptitude).
Concept: Archeologists, bodyguard, bumpkin, circuit rider, guru, mercenary, nomad, shaman, survivalist, urban predator, zookeeper.
STEREOTYPES:
Daeva: Primp and preen all you want, but you're more like us than you imagine.
Mehket: Fine. Stay hidden.
Nosferatu: Proof that not all Kindred are created equal; some are way more fucking scary than others.
Ventrue: I'll piss blood on their boots and wear their skins as a trophy.
Lupines: Next time you think you're the shit, I'll show you one of these and we'll settle the matter for good.
Mages: Under that mask of power lies a human face, warm and flush with blood.
Mortals: They move in flocks, so never forget what they are to us wolves.
Clans: Nosferatu
Stealthy and disturbing, the Nosferatu wield fear itself like a hunter’s blade. Their very presence unnerves people, whether by physical ugliness, foul stench or nebulous personal malignance. Nosferatu come from society’s castoffs, such as the homeless, the mentally ill and criminals. Haunts tend to be self-reliant individuals who actually manage their new condition.
Nickname: Haunts
Clan Disciplines: Nosferatu are masters of Nightmare, the vampiric Discipline of terror and phobia.
Their weakness tends to make them rely on Obfuscate to counter their appearances when necessary. Their bodies are also able to utilize Vigor, a blood-granted supernatural strength.
Weakness: Nosferatu are cursed to be social pariahs, and their very presence is uncomfortable for others. This manifests in a myriad of ways, ranging from clear physical deformity to an indefinable aura of menace, passing through such things as a charnel odor or the undeniable manner of a predator. With regard to dice pools based on Presence or Manipulation Attributes in social situations, the 10-again rule does not apply.
Nosferatu
"... Wow, you haven't flinched for almost two whole minutes. I must get prettier when you want something."
Not all curses were created equal, and even the Damned have their outcasts. These are the Nosferatu, the most overtly disturbing of the undead. Only sometimes able to pass as human, the Haunts are horribly warped by the Embrace, either physically or.... otherwise. They dwell in shadows other vampires would not dare. Even other undead fear the Nosferatu, for their unsettling seemings are constant reminders that those Kindred who look mortal are not. They grudgingly respect the Nosferatu as well. These blighted creatures have incredible powers of stealth, terrifying strength, and they embody the monstrous destructive force that every one of the Damned can muster if pushed too far. If they had their druthers, most other clans would prefer never to associate with the Nosferatu at all, yet Haunts' inarguable talents and brute force make them too dangerous to ignore. So other Kindred offer them a tense hospitality, hide their unease behind wary diplomacies and pray that the Nosferatu leave as soon as possible.
Many Nosferatu conceal their loneliness and resentment behind masks of indifference. They scoff in turn at those who recoil from them, belittling pretty vampires with soirees and silly political games, all the while seething at their exclusion. This isolation has fostered strong familial bonds among the Nosferatu. To those outside their ranks, they put up a unified front, creating the impression of a single extended network. The truth, of course, is that Nosferatu squabble and compete with one another as much as members of any other clan -- but when faced with an outside threats, they close ranks.
The Nosferatu's inability to blend in with society forces them to dwell apart, often congregating in places others shun. Some find sanctuary in the sewers, using the influence with mortal government and construction, as well as their own substantial strength, to expand simple maintenance tunnels and sluiceways into vast underground warrens. Others lurk in cemeteries, sharing aboveground crypts with sedentary occupants. Still others prefer abandoned homes, often giving rise to neighborhood urban legends of haunted houses, or exists in the basements and boiler rooms of modern office buildings. Tradition holds that any Nosferatu is welcome in any warren until she provides her brethren reason to expel her. The Haunts might not all get along, but they recognize their common bond -- not that they have any choice, since it follows their aspect like a miasma.
Feared by and therefore ostracized by society, Nosferatu become as alien as their demeanor. Others choose the opposite path, becoming surprisingly cultured, well mannered and well spoken to compensate for their unnerving seeming. The latter are the Haunts most frequently found playing politics with other Kindred. The Nosferatu are also known as purveyors of information. Not only do their supernatural powers make them foes to be reckoned with, but many elder Nosferatu are keepers of ancient lore, rivaling anything preserved by the Ventrue or Mehket. Sophisticated Haunts trade knowledge the way other Kindred trade favors, and if a Nosferatu doesn't know something, he can probably scare someone who does into telling him. It is this trade in terror, more than anything else, that makes the Nosferatu valuable -- and too dangerous -- to ignore. After all, one never knows what the horrid Haunts tell one's enemies, or how many of them wait in ambush.
Nickname: Haunts
Covenant: The Nosferatu are everywhere. The Invictus nervously welcome them as enforcers, informants, and soldiers. Those Nosferatu who obtain power in the First Estate tend to extremes; becoming relatively benevolent rulers, remembering what is was like to be downtrodden, or attempting to make up for the anguish they suffered by heaping it on others. Haunts who seek to understand why God has done this to them, and those penitents who feel that they must atone for whatever sins drew the curse upon them, find themselves in the ranks of the Lancea Sanctum. Haunts often find a place among the Ordo Dracul, where their disturbing bearing has little immediate effect on their achievements in the covenant (and might even aid them, as it discourages casual social calls). The Carthians appeal to those who are concerned with constructing a society in which everyone, no matter how unsettling, has a voice. Those Nosferatu who truly suffer beneath the weight of their curse often find the redemptive teachings of the Circle of the Crone far to tempting to resist. Even the unbound attract those who accept their terrifying nature and who want to tear down the system that quakes at their passing -- or those who just want to get away.
Appearance: No two Nosferatu have exactly the same air, though troubling characteristics often follow patterns with "families." Discolored leathery skin, gaping maws, rubbery skin, misshapen heads, odors like grave earth, bulging eyes, queasy stares and personal habits, gnarled hands, ineffable feelings of dread, sagging flesh -- all these and more are the hallmarks of the clan. Not every Haunt is physically deformed. Indeed, many are not, instead discomforting those who look upon them with indescribable unease. The darkness and filth in which many Nosferatu dwell makes their foul miens (and fouler odors) even worse.
Havens: Most Nosferatu dwell in places far from mortals, such as abandoned warehouses, graveyards, basements and of course the ever-popular sewers and subways tunnels. That said, some few Nosferatu choose to flout tradition and take their havens in penthouses, fantastic manors -- anyplace where they can enjoy the luxuries of wealth yet still count on substantial privacy.
Background: Nosferatu normally choose progeny from among society’s castoffs, such as the homeless, the mentally ill, and criminals. Many Nosferatu Embrace out of spite, using the curse to punish vanity, cruelty, or other such "sins." Assuming a sire wants a childe to survive -- which isn't always the case -- Haunts tend to choose self-reliant individuals who might actually be able to manage their new condition. Few Nosferatu Embrace out of love or affection, though even this is not unheard of. Rare but heartbreaking are the tales of a Nosferatu determined to "gift" his love with the Requiem, only to find himself the object of his beloved's loathing when she learns what's been done to her.
Character Creation: Physical and Mental Attributes are more useful to most Haunts than Social. Nosferatu frequently make use of Skills such as Stealth and Survival. It is unwise to begin with too high a Blood Potency; until a Nosferatu has obtained some experience in the Requiem, he might be forced to rely on animal blood. Although Nosferatu aren't social creatures, certain Social Merits such as Contacts can be useful for gaining information from inaccessible areas.
Favored Attributes: Composure or Strength.
Clan Disciplines: Nosferatu are masters of Nightmare, the vampiric Discipline of terror and phobia. Their weakness tends to make them rely on Obfuscate to counter their appearances when necessary. Their bodies are also able to utilize Vigor, a blood-granted supernatural strength.
Weakness: All Nosferatu are repulsive or at the very least uncomfortable to be around. The cause need not be a physical deformity. A palpable aura of menace, a channel odor or the undeniable manner of a predator is just as compelling as a twisted body. With regard to dice pools based on Presence or Manipulation Attributes in social situations, the 10-again rule does not apply. Additionally, any 1's that come up on a roll are subtracted from successes. (This latter part of the weakness does not affect dramatic-failure rules.) This weakness does not apply to dice pools that involve the Intimidation Skill, or to the Composure Attribute. Example: The Nosferatu Scratch attempts to smooth-talk his way past a ghoul standing guard at a nightclub door. Scratch has a Presence of 4 and a Persuasion of 2 -- his player rolls six dice and comes up with 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. The net result is two successes: The 1 cancels the 8, the 9 is counted, and the 10 isn't rolled again.
Organization: The Nosferatu have little formal organization, but as stated previously they do tend to band together in the face of outside threats. The clan is almost tribal, with differing "families" of Nosferatu often sticking together or warring against one another. Clan hierarchy, such as it is, is usually determined by a combination of seniority and actual merit.
Bloodlines: Acteius; Baddacelli; Noctuku (violent cannibals who dwell near rural areas and who prefer to feed on other Kindred); Yagnatia (a Russian family that claims unbroken lineage from both ancient nobility and witches); Burakumin (an Asian lineage that might possess necromantic powers, but information on Asian vampires is regrettably scarce even by Kindred standards).
Concepts: Bogeymen, circus freak, crude sadist, guardian angel, leg-breaker, parvenu, petty thief, rat king, reclusive eccentric, snitch, sycophantic servant.
STEREOTYPES:
Daeva: Got themselves fooled into thinking they can fuck the pain away.
Gangrel: Just pat 'em on the head, pretend you're grateful, and whatever you do, don't call 'em on their idiocy. You may be a creep, but your face looks better on the front of your head than hanging from some animal's claws.
Mehket: Moths are drawn to the flame just like shadows. Do shadows burn, too?
Ventrue: They want to play king of the mountain? Fine. Haven't seen one yet willing to come over here and enforce his "rule."
Lupines: Scarier than THIS? I sure fucking hope not.
Mages: They know something.... I'm just not sure I want to know what it is.
Mortals: Yeah, it sucks having to hide from your food. Yeah, you could take any mortal out without thinking about it. When you can take our a few thousand of 'em, then come talk to me. Until then, keep your fucking head down.
Regal, commanding and aristocratic, the Ventrue are the harsh lords of the Danse Macabre. The Ventrue most often come from the closest the modern world comes to feudal nobility: the ranks of professionals, the cream of high society, and the scions of old money or political dynasties. As new professions and new forms of power arise, the Ventrue bring them into the clan. Through whatever means necessary, the Ventrue rise to the top of the undead heap.
Nickname: Lords
Clan Disciplines: The Ventrue master Dominate, the Discipline of mental subjugation. Their strength is not diminished on beasts, as they exert themselves with the power of Animalism over lesser creatures. And as Lords must be fit enough to resist challengers, their undead bodies are gifted with Resilience.
Weakness: Power corrupts, and among the Ventrue, even the thirst for power can corrode an ambitious Kindred's moral bearings. Over time, a Ventrue's mind becomes fragile. Therefore, Ventrue characters are more prone to gaining derangements when they suffer a loss of Humanity.
Ventrue
"Let me be clear. You will accept my offer now or later. You will like it much less later."
The Ventrue offer a very simple boast: They win. They always win.
Other Kindred often despise the Lords, but they seldom dispute the clan's boast. All too often, a Kindred works and schemes to win some prize, only to find that a Ventrue owned it all along. The officers who lead a city's Kindred almost always include several highly placed Ventrue. The Lords acknowledge no defeats, only setbacks. The clan shares a ruthless will to power and the power to enforce its will.
Their favored Disciplines account for some of their success. The Ventrue learn to command the thoughts of other beings almost by instinct. Their mastery of lesser animals harks back to nights of domains in which the Lord was master of beasts as well as men. Although they do not especially cultivate the arts of combat, they often prove remarkably hard to kill. Ventrue regard their supernatural gifts, however, as merely a tool to begin the acquisition of real power -- the power of money, property, corporate stock, political contacts, rank in Kindred society and large numbers of mortals, at every level of society, begging to lick their boots and fulfill their commands.
The Ventrue take the feudal nature of Kindred society very seriously. Every sire tells her childe that some people rule and some are ruled. As Lords, they should strive to place themselves among the rulers. Most Ventrue neonates already believed this before their Embrace. Throughout the clan's history, the Ventrue have sought power in whatever forms mortals offered. Kindred historians say that in ancient Rome the clan Embraced senators and patricians. In the Middle Ages, they brought knights and churchmen into the fold. As commerce became an avenue to power, they cultivated merchant princes, bankers and magnates. When states grew more bureaucratic, the Lords Embraced high-ranking civil servants. The rise of organized crime brought mob bosses and drug kingpins into the clan. At the start of the 21st century, Ventrue elders ponder the merits of Embracing scientists, engineers, and computer wizards. No matter where in society the power lies, the Ventrue vow to exploit it before the other Kindred even know it exists.
Nickname: Lords
Covenant: Many Kindred see the Ventrue as almost synonymous with the Invictus. Indeed, Ventrue tend to rise to leadership positions within that covenant. Almost as many find a place in the Ordo Dracul, acquiring immediate power of a different stripe, which the Lords ultimately turn towards the same ends. They also rise to leadership among the Sanctified, however, and some Ventrue find the power they crave within the Carthians, the Circle of the Crone, or even amid the ranks of the unbound. Some Ventrue neonate hardly bother to hide their intent to use a gang of unaligned Kindred as a stepping-stone to power within another covenant.
Appearance: Ventrue often adopt a conservative, low-key appearance that expresses high status without looking flashy. Young Lords sometimes favor a "preppy" look, the timeless suit-and-tie uniform of business, or (for female Lords) elegant gowns or business skirt-suits, with unobtrusive jewelry. Ventrue elders might keep the styles of long ago, at least in their own havens, and in public they still tend to look decades out of date. Even rebellious young Ventrue wear their metal-studded jackets like a uniform, asserting their dominance. A Lord surrounds himself with other trappings of wealth and success, too, from the big fancy car in the garage to the wine cellar full of vintages he will never again have the opportunity to enjoy.
Havens: If a Ventrue did not possess great wealth before the Embrace, she often becomes rich afterward. Ventrue select their havens to reflect their wealth and power. Many Lords dwell in mansions or actual walled estates. Few would settle for anything less than a classic townhouse or penthouse apartment (with secure curtains, of course).
Clan tradition holds that any Ventrue may claim sanctuary from the sun at any other Lord's haven and not be refused, but few Lords ever invoke this right. No only to proud Lords hate to beg another Kindred's aid; a supplicant henceforth owes a debt of honor to the Ventrue who provided the refuge. Great shame would befall any Ventrue who denied a clanmate or who could not provide a comfortable rest, however, so a prudent Ventrue makes sure his haven can accommodate a guest or two.
Background: The Ventrue most often seek childer among the ranks of professionals or the cream of high society. Some Lords prefer childer from "old money" families or political dynasties, as the closest the modern world comes to feudal nobility. Other Lords prefer self-made leaders such as millionaire entrepreneurs, politicians, military officers, or even crime bosses. As new professions and new forms of power arise, the Ventrue bring them forth into the clan. The rise of the computer industry, for instance, has promoted a wave of tech-sector childer.
Character Creation: Ventrue favor Social Attributes and Skills -- the traits needed for leadership -- though they also value Mental Attributes and Skills such as Politics and Academics. The clan excels at Social Merits such as Resources, Contacts and Status. Most Lords possessed great social influence in life, and they acquire more in undeath.
Favored Attributes: Presence or Resilience
Clan Disciplines: The Ventrue master Dominate, the Discipline of mental subjugation. Their strength is not diminished on beasts, as they exert themselves with the power of Animalism over lesser creatures. And as Lords must be fit enough to resist challengers, their undead bodies are gifted with Resilience.
Weakness: Power corrupts, and among the Ventrue, even the thirst for power can corrode an ambitious Kindred's moral bearings. Over time, some Ventrue grow paranoid, ever more wary of rival's desires (real or imagined) for their own holdings. Others become willing to do whatever it takes to acquire the smallest iota of additional power. Still others turn inward, delude themselves as to their ability and importance, or trouble their minds with other maladies. Ventrue Kindred suffer a -2 penalty to Humanity rolls to avoid acquiring derangements after a failed degeneration roll.
Organization: The Lords track their ties of blood and obligation through an old-boy network that extends across generations, bloodlines, and continents. A respectable Ventrue knows his fellow Lords' ancestors, their broodmates, allies, enemies and Kindred owed and owing favors (though the information might be a century out of date). Two Ventrue often compare lineages and acquaintances when they first meet. Thus do they establish their relationships and status within the clan.
The Ventrue also take clan offices very seriously. Ventrue Whips, Prisci and other clan leaders often try to hold monthly meetings of all clanmates, regardless of covenant. The Lords use these meetings as opportunities to brag, size up the competition, cut deals, and chide clanmates who seem to show insufficient ambition. After all, the Ventrue have a reputation for steel-fisted power to uphold. One does not want other Kindred thinking that any Lord might go soft.
Bloodlines: Much of the clan consists of lineages that claim descent from famous Ventrue of the distant past, such as the great Cassius. These "bloodlines" merely express pride in ancestry: a Cassian Ventrue, for instance, doe not differ greatly from other Lords. Other prestigious lineages include the Licinii, the Beni Murrahim and to Rotgrafen. The comparatively new Malkovian lineage suffers even more debilitating madness than the parent clan.
Concepts: Corporate CEO, crooked cop, gang chief, military officer, old-time ward boss, patron of the arts, political consultant, rave promoter, realtor, society matron, technical wizard.
STEREOTYPES:
Daeva: Our only serious rivals. Watch them as you would a deadly viper.
Gangrel: Stray dogs with sharp teeth. Train them when you can.
Mehket: Acknowledge their wisdom, but be sure they know they have their place.
Nosferatu: What was it Machiavelli said about love and fear?
Lupines: You can no more rule their kingdoms as you can rule a wildfire. Treat them with care -- or avoid them if you want to see another night.
Mages: Do not try to understand their powers. You cannot. Do not use your powers upon them. Their revenge, should you fail, will be terrible. Their fears and desires, however, remain human -- and so you can bend them to your will.
Mortals: Rule them, use them, and feed upon them without pity. They are born to serve and suffer and never know why.
Clans: Daeva
Emotional and sensual, the Daeva cultivate both desire among their prey and physical perfection among themselves. Sexual predators and sensual hedonists alike populate the ranks of the clan. Succubus sires look for some combination of charm, culture, seductiveness, desire to achieve, passion and physical beauty. Many Daeva Embrace mortals to whom they have become attached, but this attachment almost invariably proves false, a mixture of lust and simple hunger. Few relationships are as euphoric as those between a Daeva and a newly Embraced childe, and few grow cold as swiftly.
Nickname: Succubi
Disciplines: Daeva are masters of Majesty, the vampiric Discipline of lust and want. Their blood also favors the inhuman grace and power of the Disciplines of Celerity and Vigor.
Weakness: The Daeva’s cursed blood enslaves them to darker passions. Any time a Daeva has an opportunity to indulge her Vice but does not do so, she loses two points of Willpower.
Daeva
What a silly thing to say, my love. Of course you can't live without me.
Other Kindred envy their beauty and grace, their ability to incite passion in mortals, the ease with which they glide through the masses -- and that envy is almost as potent a draught to the Daeva as blood itself. These Kindred are consummate predators, and they would seem to be the perfect vampires. Alas, most are too dead to enjoy it. Called Succubi by other clans, the Daeva are experts are making their prey come to them, practically offering themselves not merely as food but as play-things. No self-respecting Daeva resorts to attacking transients in alleyways. Rather, these are the Kindred who accompany a smitten young mortal back to her place, leaving her languid and sexually spent by morning (if she's fortunate) or an ex-sanguinated husk (if she's not). Seducers and sensualists, the Daeva could practically charm the unease off a Nosferatu. When the fancy strikes them, they play politics like a finely tuned instrument. Even allies and co-conspirators who know they cannot trust a Succubi find themselves lulled into doing just that, caught up in the Daeva's personal magnetism.
Daeva become Harpies more than Kindred of any other clan, and they wield that power mercilessly. A stinging rebuke from a Daeva Harpy can shred a vampire's reputation faster than a denunciation by the Prince himself. Most Succubi are overtly sensual beings, drawn by beauty and blood in equal measure, but it's an artificial passion. Their ability to feel true attachment to other people atrophies over years of manipulating the love of mortals and the respect of their fellow Kindred, until the Daeva can no longer understand those emotions as anything other than tools to be exploited and motions to imitate. For all their apparent fervor, most Succubi are as dead spiritually as they are physically. They claim to understand desire, but all they truly know is need, and it is this deadening of emotions that causes so many jaded Daeva to become depraved in their efforts to feel again.
Daeva move through the circles of society in which their lustful nature best serves them, whether among high or low culture. Drawn to beauty and congregations of mortals, they often frequent theatres, galleries, trendy clubs, whiskey dives, drug dens, brothels, and everything in between. Personal preference aside, the Succubi are found through all strata of society. Their seductive natures allow these vampires to find willing vessels no matter where they go, and this ability has enabled them to thrive, to become arguably one of the most numerous clans. No single social class has room for them all, so newcomers and losers of political and social games often find themselves dwelling among the poor and unwashed -- or at least in the middle classes, which, since their blood is as red as any other, means basically the same thing to most Succubi. Few Kindred are as desperate as a Daeva trying to claw his way into his own niche. Wise Kindred know better than to take advantage of a Daeva in such a position, for dear he'll one night achieve the position and privilege he seeks. The Succubi never forget a slight.
Nickname: Succubi (male Daeva are sometimes called Incubi, but the clan itself is referred to by the more common female sobriquet)
Covenant: The majority of these Kindred are found within the Invictus. They are well suited to the political game, and here they can surround themselves with lessers, becoming even more jaded and inhuman as they grow older. Most Daeva are too self-centered to feel the religious calling of the Lancea Sanctum, but those few exceptions who are able to channel their sensual drive into matters of faith often obtain positions of prominence, making the clan seem more numerous in the Lancea Sanctum than it really is. Few Daeva bother with the Carthians. Why fight for an egalitarian society when the current system favors the Daeva? The Ordo Dracul covenant is home to a small number of devoted Daeva, and it would have more if the rigors of the covenant's policies didn't make being a hedonist among its rank less than rewarding. The Circle of the Crone has few Daeva for much the same reason as the Lancea Sanctum, and those who do join often do so more out of a debased and jaded sense of rebellion against societal mores than any real belief in the Pagans' teachings. A surprising number of Succubi fall in among the unaligned, convinced, in their own self-perceived superiority, that they have no needs for the laws and restrictions of society. Appearance: Daeva often Embrace out of infatuation -- or at least going through the motions of passion -- and they rarely choose to involve themselves with unattractive mortals. Thus, most Daeva are surpassingly beautiful. The clan is also highly in tune with trends and fashions, the better to prowl among and attract prey.
Havens: Daeva havens vary, but they're almost universally comforting.... in a subtly alarming way that suggests in artificial appeal to whatever vessels a Kindred favors. Most are convenient to social or political centers. The specific aesthetics vary, but most are intended to impress any compatriots, allies or victims who might be invited in. Penthouses and condominiums are particularly popular. Most Daeva don't bother to keep up appearances if they don't think they'll bring prey home, meaning that some havens are sloppy or cluttered with unsettling reminders of previous vessels' presence.
Background: With a growing number of exceptions, Daeva Embrace from the ranks of society's elite. Succubus sires look for some combination of charm, culture, seductiveness, desire to achieve, passion, and physical beauty. Many Daeva Embrace mortal with whom they have become attached, but this attachment almost invariably proves false, a mixture of lust and simple hunger. Few relationships are as euphoric as those between a Daeva and a newly Embraced childe, and few grow cold as swiftly.
Character Creation: Social Attributes and Skills are of primary concern, particularly those that aid in making good first impressions, in persuading and in seducing. Social Merits are equally common, representing the character's connections to both mortal and Kindred society. Given that most Daeva feed almost exclusively through manipulation and betrayal, a high starting Humanity score is a good idea, since it's likely to fall precipitously.
Favored Attributes: Dexterity or Manipulation
Clan Disciplines: Daeva are masters of Majesty, the vampiric Discipline of lust and want. Their blood also favors the inhuman grace and power of the Disciplines of Celerity and Vigor.
Weakness: Perhaps out of some deep longing for the true passions they lost after the Embrace, the Daeva have difficulty steeling themselves against the hedonism they allow themselves as members of the Damned. The Daeva’s cursed blood enslaves them to darker passions. Any time a Daeva has an opportunity to indulge her Vice but does not do so, she loses two points of Willpower (as opposed to gaining one by partaking in its pleasures).
Organization: Status among the Daeva is entirely a social issue, and many young ones resemble squabbling cliques more so than undying creatures of the night. Not even elder Daeva are strangers to petty vendettas and long-nursed grudges. While a Succubus is likely to join with one of her own in the face of an outside threat, they compete with one another as much as they do with other Kindred, if not more so. The Daeva therefore have no true formal structure. Those who dominate in the Danse Macabre's social and political scene are dominant among the clan as well.
Bloodlines: Duchagne (an aristocratic but degenerate European bloodline that seems to have the ability to directly manipulate the senses and sensations of others), Toreador (a branch of the clan that has recognized its loss of passion and tries to re-create it by inspiring mortals either to creative pursuits or extreme emotions; they invariably grow bored and move on, leaving their former wards desolate), Xiao.
Concepts: Bored socialite, club hopper, club owner, cult leader, cultured serial killer, full-time Harpy, jaded vampire who gets off on being a creature of the night (a fairly melodramatic attitude found only on the very young before the weight of the Requiem fully settles on them), Kindred politico, local covenant spokesperson, patron of the arts, professional "escort"
STEREOTYPES:
Gangrel: They are beasts, to be sure, but their animal bodies contain a terrible ferocity.
Mehket: They confine themselves to the shadows, but out of comfort or fear?
Nosferatu: They wear on the outside what all Kindred are within.
Ventrue: Which is the greater curse to bear, weakness of mind or the responsibilities of keeping one's fellows?
Lupines: No, thank you. The Gangrel are quite feral enough.
Mages: The idea of a mortal with that sort of power is .... fascinating. Surely they wouldn't mind conversing for just a bit.
Mortals: Such simple creatures. I'm grateful not to be one any longer. Still ... I do wish I could remember just a bit more clearly what it felt like.
Clans: Mekhet
Secretive and wise, the Mekhet are masters of all things hidden. They hunt from the shadows, preying secretly on victims and unlocking secrets that no one should know. The only common thread linking Mekhet is an affinity for the night itself or some metaphorical darkness, such as a pained soul or a thirst for knowledge. Mekhet are tutored intensely by their sires so that they understand the nature of the clan and its duties. Some prefer to let their progeny discover the Kindred world on their own, but not even these sires stray so far that they can’t watch a protégé’s progress.
Nickname: Shadows
Clan Disciplines: Mekhet master Auspex, the Discipline of preternatural perception, gaining insights that make them particularly dangerous to Kindred. While they reveal others secrets, the Mekhet keep their own, and they have an affinity for Obfuscate, the Discipline of concealment. Finally, they move with the blinding speed of Celerity, as quick as they are deadly.
Weakness: As creatures of darkness, the Mekhet suffer certain banes of vampiric existence more acutely than their fellow Kindred do. Whenever Mekhet suffer damage from sunlight or fire, they take an additional point of aggravated damage from that source.
Mekhet
"Sure, I can find that out for you. But you better make it worth my while.. I'm sure he'd love to know you were asking about him.."
Vampires have always been creatures of the night by design, but none more so than the dwellers in darkness who compose Clan Mehket. Darkness is the hallmark of this lineage, and its members surround themselves with it like a corpse wears a shroud. The hallmarks of the clan are stealth and wisdom, so it is entirely fitting that they are associated with darkness -- the better to hide them and the source of the knowledge they exhume.
Clan Mehket compromises one of the most cosmopolitan memberships among the great families of the Kindred. Although they compose a clan born of darkness, these Shadows interpret the darkness in many ways. Some of the clan's members are masters of the night, using their gifts and undead powers to make a place for themselves within the aristocracy of the Damned. Others are literal skulkers in the shadows, ready to plant a stake in a rival's heart or steal the wealth from a rival's haven. Still others are poets or painters, heirs to a darkness of a more personal nature. Yet more Mehket are diviners of secrets, questing after information itself forgotten and thus regulated to the darkness of memory. Clan Mehket runs the gamut from filth-streaked murders to enlightened philosopher-Princes and everything in between.
While the clan certainly has coarse members, the Mehket are, by and large, marked by a certain degree of finesse with whatever aspect of tenebrous unlife they choose to pursue. A Mehket bodyguard, for example, is unlikely to be a brawling brute, but more likely to know an ornate fighting style. A Mehket infiltrator is gracious or invisible, not a sloppy vandal. A sage or scholar might have such supernatural acumen that his abilities are downright oracular instead of merely archival. Mehket Kindred very much consider themselves paragons of the vampiric state, so whatever they do, they devote themselves to it and refine their capacity almost to the point of second nature.
Nickname: Shadows
Covenant: A great many Mehket fall in with the Carthians or the Lancea Sanctum, both of which have strong traditions of politics and sorcery to which the Shadows can lend their talents. The same can be said of the Circle of the Crone, which typically draws in Mehket by virtue of its underlying message of redemption and meaning in the unlives of the Damned. Less philosophical and more viscerally impassioned Shadows are often drawn to the ranks of the unaligned, whose ideology of freedom (or anonymity...) is an easy fir for the wild at heart. This is not to say that the clan is weak within the Invictus, though. Invictus Shadows are simply quieter about their covenant affiliation than their boastful brothers, or at least more reserved about the reasons for their affiliation, which typically coincide with those of the Carthians or Lancea Sanctum. More than a few Mehket find themselves among the Ordo Dracul, as the study of its esoteric principles often coincides with artifact-finding expeditions or secrets to be gleaned from other Dragons.
Appearance: Of all the clans, the Mehket are perhaps the least uniform in the way they appear to others. Some play the clan archetype to the hilt, dressing in black clothing and adopting styles that allow them to blend into the scenery. Others choose from popular mortal styles and fashions, attempting to blend in with the crowd by evading individual notice. The practice is particularly common among Mehket who associate with one particular subculture, thereby becoming an iconic, through rarely outstanding, example of that group's tastes.
Havens: Of all the clans, the Mehket are typically the most polarized by their preferences and proximity to the mortal world. In large cities, where their numbers are strong, many take flats in the downtown core, or at least within short distance of various hot spots or the Rack (The best parts of the city in which to feed, including nightclubs and other loud, crowded places). Older or more withdrawn Shadows are often preoccupied with security, and many elect to dwell in large homes on the outskirts of populated areas. Such Kindred often keep dogs and other servitors, made strong by the cursed Vitae of their masters. A few paranoid Shadows even take havens underground, where they cohabitate (or compete) with Nosferatu for shelter from the sun.
Background: Prospective Mehket can come from just about any walk of mortal life. The only common thread linking potential candidates is an affinity for the night itself or some metaphorical darkness, such as a pained soul or a thirst for knowledge. Many Mehket are tutored heavily by their sires post-Embrace, in order that they understand the nature of the clan and its duties. A Mehket sire who leaves a new childe to the misinformation of other Kindred is a rarity indeed. Some prefer to let their progeny discover the Kindred world on their own, but not even these sires stray so far that they can't watch a protégé’s progress.
Character Creation: Most Shadows prize those traits that best assist them in furthering their passion or their cause. Violent or politically motivated Mehket typically favor Physical and Social attributes and Skills, to improve their dealing with others and to allow them to strike from their namesake. Scholarly or philosophical clan members tend to acquire as many dots worth of Mental traits as they can. For many Shadow players, the process of assigning new traits is like being a kid in a candy store -- just about everything looks good, but you don't have a whole lot to spend. The best solution is to keep your characters personality in mind when deciding what to take.
Favored Attributes: Intelligence or Wits
Clan Disciplines: Mekhet master Auspex, the Discipline of preternatural perception, gaining insights that make them particularly dangerous to Kindred. While they reveal others secrets, the Mekhet keep their own, and they have an affinity for Obfuscate, the Discipline of concealment. Finally, they move with the blinding speed of Celerity, as quick as they are deadly.
Weakness: As creatures of darkness, the Mekhet suffer certain banes of vampiric existence more acutely than their fellow Kindred do. Whenever Mekhet suffer damage from sunlight or fire, they take an additional point of aggravated damage from that source. Just as a shadow cannot exist without light, so too does light banish shadow. Example: Loki catches the telltale smell of smoke and realizes that the hotel where he's visiting the Mehket Priscus is on fire. He dashes out the door into the burning hallway. Normally, this would cause three points of damage, but Loki's Mehket susceptibility to flame increases it to four. Loki sprints down the hall, hoping the whole building isn't an inferno....
Organization: While Mehket is not the most tightly organized of clans, it does have some structure. The majority of it falls in line with the clan's various bloodlines, which are generally more independent than those of other clans. Nonetheless, some clanwide structure does exist. In addition to the Primogen of any Mehket-heavy city, the Shadows often give more deference to a Priscus in clan affairs than do members of other clans, particularly if a Priscus has earned a reputation for wisdom.
Bloodlines: Agonistes (Mediterranean historians and philosophers who seek to record and retain knowledge Kindred lose over time and in torpor); Mnemosyne (reverent vampires who possess the ability to share memories and experiences through blood ties); the Morbus lineage of European origin that suffers the Requiem with tainted Vitae; Norvegi (an inbred, degenerate cult of spies and theives); Sangiovanni (Venetian necromancers who maintain a tight family structure that Embraces exclusively from its own mortal stock).
Concepts: Antiquities scholar, assassin, Casanova, diplomat, enforcer, fence, ghetto Harpy, pilgrim, policeman, power behind the praxis, seer.
STEREOTYPES:
Daeva: They thoughtlessly despoil what they once were, and shamelessly mock what they've become.
Gangrel: Noble in their own way, but sadly disconnected from their roots.
Nosferatu: Brothers in the darkness -- but beware sibling rivalries.
Ventrue: Great company until events conspire to put one of you in an elevated position, at which point they quickly grow intolerable.
Lupines: I suspect there is more to them then the savagery we witness from afar.
Mages: Some secrets the Kindred should not know, yet the mages wield them with such grace.
Mortals: See them for what they are: the source of our sustenance and the bane of our existence.
Clans: Gangrel
Primal and savage, the Gangrel hunt in the untamed places and show no mercy. Gangrel can come from nearly any former life, but all Savages possess a strong survival instinct. Gangrel loathe personal weakness and admire those whose greatest strengths are those of the self – self-awareness, self-confidence and self-reliance.
Nickname: Savages
Disciplines: Masters of the vampiric Discipline of Protean, Gangrel let their bestial nature affect their very shape, becoming wolves, bats or the very mist on the night air. Their blood also grants them an aptitude with their bestial brethren (in the form of the Discipline of Animalism), and the supernatural toughness of Resilience.
Weakness: The Gangrel's blood curses them with a potent bestial instinct that sometimes makes it difficult for them to think clearly. Gangrel suffer a loss of the 10-again rule with regard to dice pools based on Intelligence and Wits Attributes.
Gangrel
"Go tell this Prince of yours that this is my domain, if you've got the guts."
While vampires give mortals a reason to be afraid of the dark, there exist things that give even vampires reason to fear -- creatures like the Gangrel, the predators among the predators, the most savage of beasts. Perhaps the only clan whose mere mention almost always elicits a chilled shudder or a reverent nod, the Gangrel are, in many ways, the "noble savages" of the vampiric race. Upon their Embrace (and sometimes before), the Gangrel seek to sever their ties with everything pertaining to their mortal lives. Many prefer the counsel of animals and other beasts, and some eschew contact with the mortal world entirely. While many retain and even value their Humanity, they do so within the bounds and context of their newfound existence, and not as an attempt to hold onto what's been lost, for no other option is practical to a clan whose very soul is so intimately intertwined with its Beast. While others delude themselves about what the Embrace "truly means," the Gangrel know what they've become, so they strive to make peace with it. On the whole, they spend more time in communion with their bestial side than other vampires do, and though such activity more than accounts for their nickname and reputation, few would disagree that the Gangrel truly benefit from their introspection.
Their special bond with the Beast seems to give many Gangrel a unique insight into the Kindred condition, and some of the wisest vampires to be found in all the world hail from this clan. Whereas other Kindred try to become scholars or philosophers, collecting endless data and positing on the theoretical, the Gangrel are its yogis and medicine men, its bodhisattvas and whirling dervishes. The unequivocal and irreplaceable benefit of first-hand experience flows through them, supplanting the theoretical with the practical, and making the Gangrel widely respected among those who recognize the primeval nature of the Kindred soul. This insight makes the clan invaluable, but also makes it dangerous, and some would just as soon silence the Gangrel as hear their frank wisdom.
Nickname: Savages
Covenant: Many Gangrel are largely unconcerned with matters of Kindred politics, but that's not to say they don't have their own views. Perhaps surprisingly, a significant percentage of the clan is active in the Circle of the Crone, which provides spiritually-minded Gangrel with a ready-made forum for their rituals and beliefs, and a great many of the Circle's leaders hail from the clans ranks. Some of the more proactive Gangrel find the Carthian mindset appealing, and a number of highly motivated Savages have taken up the cause in recent years. A few Gangrel fall in with the Lancea Sanctum and the Invictus, due to the nature of each covenant's beliefs. Those who are active in the latter group usually work for important elders are among the most frightening and relentless Kindred anyone would not (ever) want to meet. Likewise, the Ordo Dracul sees few Gangrel, though so who join do so not to learn the blood magic of the covenant but to pursue mysteries of their origin without the hauteur of the Lancea Sanctum. A great many Gangrel also find their place among the independent and unaligned Kindred, whose lack of structure and love of freedom are attractive to Savages who prefer that elders of other clans keep their politics to themselves.
Appearance: The archetypal Savage is rarely concerned with his appearance, though most recognize the need to both blend in and put potential prey at ease. As a rule, Gangrel prefer function over form, and rarely are caught clad in anything that restricts movement to any great degree. Due to their clan weakness, they must always be wary of just how bestial they appear to others, and some especially old (or angry) Gangrel typically learn some amount of Obfuscate to avoid potentially dangerous situations.
Havens: One of the clan's greatest strengths is its deft maneuverability, a good portion of which stems from its Discipline of Protean, which allows the Gangrel to take rest in any natural soil. Sleeping in the ground does, of course, have its drawbacks, and even the most feral Savages comes to appreciate having an actual place to hang his heat after a while. A number of the more urbane (or at least urban) Gangrel therefore elect to take traditional havens, though their restless spirits and mistrust of other Kindred tends to keep them moving.
Background: Potential Gangrel can come from nearly any former life, but few Savages would choose a mortal who did not possess a strong survival instinct. Beyond this, most are quite particular about those they sire. Gangrel loathe personal weakness and those who are soft of body or mind (especially given their weakness), particularly those with a paper-thin or disconnected sense of being. Clan members most admire those whose greatest strengths are the strengths of the self -- self-awareness, self-confidence, and self-reliance. While its not unheard of for a Gangrel to Embrace someone who lacks these qualities (usually as a cruel test to see whether the Embrace will sufficiently toughen the person up), most Gangrel hold to their standards, as not doing so is often more effort than it is worth.
Character Creation: Gangrel are very honest with themselves about what is and is not their forte, and they seek to improve those things to which they are especially or innately suited. Many Gangrel come off seeming hyper-specialized, their players having devoted significant dots to those Attributes and Skills in which they are focused. This rule is a very general one, however, and numerous exceptions apply. Due to temperament, the aptly named Savages are rarely very strong in the Social department (though entire bloodlines of sociable Gangrel probably exist somewhere), preferring instead to hone body and reinforce the mind. An even mix of Physical and Mental skills is always good, erring toward the Physical side.
Favored Attributes: Composure or Stamina
Disciplines: Masters of the vampiric Discipline of Protean, Gangrel let their bestial nature affect their very shape, becoming wolves, bats or the very mist on the night air. Their blood also grants them an aptitude with their bestial brethren (in the form of the Discipline of Animalism), and the supernatural toughness of Resilience.
Weakness: As befits their sobriquet, the Gangrel are more closely tied to their Beasts than are other Kindred. The more they feel the call of the Beast, the more bestial they become, and the more their minds become those of less principled animals. With regards to dice pools based on Intelligence and Wits Attributes, the 10-again rule does not apply. Additionally, any 1's that come up on a roll subtract from successes. (The latter part of the weakness does not affect dramatic-failure rules.) This weakness does not apply to dice pools involving perception or reaction to surprise, or to the Resolve Attribute. Example: The Gangrel Unholy is chasing Loki, who manages to elude her, but not before he drops a mystical artifact he stole from one of her other old enemies in the Ordo Dracul. The Unholy has a chance to figure out what the artifact is, her player rolling a dice pool of Intelligence + Occult (seven dice). The dice come up 10, 8, 7, 7, 6, 3, and 1. Normally the player would roll the 10 again, but not in this case, as this dice pool involves the Unholy's Intelligence Attribute. Furthermore, the 1 rolled cancels out one of their players two successes, leaving only one. The Unholy knows that this is an item of mystic significance, but she has no inkling as to what it does or what might activate it.
Organization: The Gangrel are perhaps the least organized of the clans. They have no hierarchy per se and are largely disinterested in either clan structure or intra-clan activity for its own sake. The only nod they give to such matters comes in the form of an event called a Gather. These meetings serve a twofold purpose. First, as an opportunity for Gangrel to unite and update one another on the events of the intervening time. Second, as a forum for official intra-clan dispute resolution. Before this practice began, ferocious Savages visited their rage upon one another at will and without process, and the clan as a whole suffered. Thus began the practice of settling disputes at gatherings of the clan before a Priscus or Primogen, where any conflict (or combat, if necessary) could be moderated and monitored by the peers of both Savages. As a result of this practice, the clan has grown more cooperative over time, leading to markedly fewer intra-clan kills. The majority of such disputes now stop short of Final Death.
Bloodlines: Anavashra (mysterious ritualists who claim domains in India and Bangladesh); Anubi (Egyptian cultists who have feuded long with the Lancea Sanctum); Bruja (a rogue biker gang that slakes its thirsts at will and terrorizes Baja Mexico and Southern California); Matasuntha (a bloodline of warriors descended from an ancient warlord of the Huns); Taifa (sociable and sophisticated, these Middle Eastern Gangrel are known for their political savvy and social aptitude).
Concept: Archeologists, bodyguard, bumpkin, circuit rider, guru, mercenary, nomad, shaman, survivalist, urban predator, zookeeper.
STEREOTYPES:
Daeva: Primp and preen all you want, but you're more like us than you imagine.
Mehket: Fine. Stay hidden.
Nosferatu: Proof that not all Kindred are created equal; some are way more fucking scary than others.
Ventrue: I'll piss blood on their boots and wear their skins as a trophy.
Lupines: Next time you think you're the shit, I'll show you one of these and we'll settle the matter for good.
Mages: Under that mask of power lies a human face, warm and flush with blood.
Mortals: They move in flocks, so never forget what they are to us wolves.
Clans: Nosferatu
Stealthy and disturbing, the Nosferatu wield fear itself like a hunter’s blade. Their very presence unnerves people, whether by physical ugliness, foul stench or nebulous personal malignance. Nosferatu come from society’s castoffs, such as the homeless, the mentally ill and criminals. Haunts tend to be self-reliant individuals who actually manage their new condition.
Nickname: Haunts
Clan Disciplines: Nosferatu are masters of Nightmare, the vampiric Discipline of terror and phobia.
Their weakness tends to make them rely on Obfuscate to counter their appearances when necessary. Their bodies are also able to utilize Vigor, a blood-granted supernatural strength.
Weakness: Nosferatu are cursed to be social pariahs, and their very presence is uncomfortable for others. This manifests in a myriad of ways, ranging from clear physical deformity to an indefinable aura of menace, passing through such things as a charnel odor or the undeniable manner of a predator. With regard to dice pools based on Presence or Manipulation Attributes in social situations, the 10-again rule does not apply.
Nosferatu
"... Wow, you haven't flinched for almost two whole minutes. I must get prettier when you want something."
Not all curses were created equal, and even the Damned have their outcasts. These are the Nosferatu, the most overtly disturbing of the undead. Only sometimes able to pass as human, the Haunts are horribly warped by the Embrace, either physically or.... otherwise. They dwell in shadows other vampires would not dare. Even other undead fear the Nosferatu, for their unsettling seemings are constant reminders that those Kindred who look mortal are not. They grudgingly respect the Nosferatu as well. These blighted creatures have incredible powers of stealth, terrifying strength, and they embody the monstrous destructive force that every one of the Damned can muster if pushed too far. If they had their druthers, most other clans would prefer never to associate with the Nosferatu at all, yet Haunts' inarguable talents and brute force make them too dangerous to ignore. So other Kindred offer them a tense hospitality, hide their unease behind wary diplomacies and pray that the Nosferatu leave as soon as possible.
Many Nosferatu conceal their loneliness and resentment behind masks of indifference. They scoff in turn at those who recoil from them, belittling pretty vampires with soirees and silly political games, all the while seething at their exclusion. This isolation has fostered strong familial bonds among the Nosferatu. To those outside their ranks, they put up a unified front, creating the impression of a single extended network. The truth, of course, is that Nosferatu squabble and compete with one another as much as members of any other clan -- but when faced with an outside threats, they close ranks.
The Nosferatu's inability to blend in with society forces them to dwell apart, often congregating in places others shun. Some find sanctuary in the sewers, using the influence with mortal government and construction, as well as their own substantial strength, to expand simple maintenance tunnels and sluiceways into vast underground warrens. Others lurk in cemeteries, sharing aboveground crypts with sedentary occupants. Still others prefer abandoned homes, often giving rise to neighborhood urban legends of haunted houses, or exists in the basements and boiler rooms of modern office buildings. Tradition holds that any Nosferatu is welcome in any warren until she provides her brethren reason to expel her. The Haunts might not all get along, but they recognize their common bond -- not that they have any choice, since it follows their aspect like a miasma.
Feared by and therefore ostracized by society, Nosferatu become as alien as their demeanor. Others choose the opposite path, becoming surprisingly cultured, well mannered and well spoken to compensate for their unnerving seeming. The latter are the Haunts most frequently found playing politics with other Kindred. The Nosferatu are also known as purveyors of information. Not only do their supernatural powers make them foes to be reckoned with, but many elder Nosferatu are keepers of ancient lore, rivaling anything preserved by the Ventrue or Mehket. Sophisticated Haunts trade knowledge the way other Kindred trade favors, and if a Nosferatu doesn't know something, he can probably scare someone who does into telling him. It is this trade in terror, more than anything else, that makes the Nosferatu valuable -- and too dangerous -- to ignore. After all, one never knows what the horrid Haunts tell one's enemies, or how many of them wait in ambush.
Nickname: Haunts
Covenant: The Nosferatu are everywhere. The Invictus nervously welcome them as enforcers, informants, and soldiers. Those Nosferatu who obtain power in the First Estate tend to extremes; becoming relatively benevolent rulers, remembering what is was like to be downtrodden, or attempting to make up for the anguish they suffered by heaping it on others. Haunts who seek to understand why God has done this to them, and those penitents who feel that they must atone for whatever sins drew the curse upon them, find themselves in the ranks of the Lancea Sanctum. Haunts often find a place among the Ordo Dracul, where their disturbing bearing has little immediate effect on their achievements in the covenant (and might even aid them, as it discourages casual social calls). The Carthians appeal to those who are concerned with constructing a society in which everyone, no matter how unsettling, has a voice. Those Nosferatu who truly suffer beneath the weight of their curse often find the redemptive teachings of the Circle of the Crone far to tempting to resist. Even the unbound attract those who accept their terrifying nature and who want to tear down the system that quakes at their passing -- or those who just want to get away.
Appearance: No two Nosferatu have exactly the same air, though troubling characteristics often follow patterns with "families." Discolored leathery skin, gaping maws, rubbery skin, misshapen heads, odors like grave earth, bulging eyes, queasy stares and personal habits, gnarled hands, ineffable feelings of dread, sagging flesh -- all these and more are the hallmarks of the clan. Not every Haunt is physically deformed. Indeed, many are not, instead discomforting those who look upon them with indescribable unease. The darkness and filth in which many Nosferatu dwell makes their foul miens (and fouler odors) even worse.
Havens: Most Nosferatu dwell in places far from mortals, such as abandoned warehouses, graveyards, basements and of course the ever-popular sewers and subways tunnels. That said, some few Nosferatu choose to flout tradition and take their havens in penthouses, fantastic manors -- anyplace where they can enjoy the luxuries of wealth yet still count on substantial privacy.
Background: Nosferatu normally choose progeny from among society’s castoffs, such as the homeless, the mentally ill, and criminals. Many Nosferatu Embrace out of spite, using the curse to punish vanity, cruelty, or other such "sins." Assuming a sire wants a childe to survive -- which isn't always the case -- Haunts tend to choose self-reliant individuals who might actually be able to manage their new condition. Few Nosferatu Embrace out of love or affection, though even this is not unheard of. Rare but heartbreaking are the tales of a Nosferatu determined to "gift" his love with the Requiem, only to find himself the object of his beloved's loathing when she learns what's been done to her.
Character Creation: Physical and Mental Attributes are more useful to most Haunts than Social. Nosferatu frequently make use of Skills such as Stealth and Survival. It is unwise to begin with too high a Blood Potency; until a Nosferatu has obtained some experience in the Requiem, he might be forced to rely on animal blood. Although Nosferatu aren't social creatures, certain Social Merits such as Contacts can be useful for gaining information from inaccessible areas.
Favored Attributes: Composure or Strength.
Clan Disciplines: Nosferatu are masters of Nightmare, the vampiric Discipline of terror and phobia. Their weakness tends to make them rely on Obfuscate to counter their appearances when necessary. Their bodies are also able to utilize Vigor, a blood-granted supernatural strength.
Weakness: All Nosferatu are repulsive or at the very least uncomfortable to be around. The cause need not be a physical deformity. A palpable aura of menace, a channel odor or the undeniable manner of a predator is just as compelling as a twisted body. With regard to dice pools based on Presence or Manipulation Attributes in social situations, the 10-again rule does not apply. Additionally, any 1's that come up on a roll are subtracted from successes. (This latter part of the weakness does not affect dramatic-failure rules.) This weakness does not apply to dice pools that involve the Intimidation Skill, or to the Composure Attribute. Example: The Nosferatu Scratch attempts to smooth-talk his way past a ghoul standing guard at a nightclub door. Scratch has a Presence of 4 and a Persuasion of 2 -- his player rolls six dice and comes up with 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. The net result is two successes: The 1 cancels the 8, the 9 is counted, and the 10 isn't rolled again.
Organization: The Nosferatu have little formal organization, but as stated previously they do tend to band together in the face of outside threats. The clan is almost tribal, with differing "families" of Nosferatu often sticking together or warring against one another. Clan hierarchy, such as it is, is usually determined by a combination of seniority and actual merit.
Bloodlines: Acteius; Baddacelli; Noctuku (violent cannibals who dwell near rural areas and who prefer to feed on other Kindred); Yagnatia (a Russian family that claims unbroken lineage from both ancient nobility and witches); Burakumin (an Asian lineage that might possess necromantic powers, but information on Asian vampires is regrettably scarce even by Kindred standards).
Concepts: Bogeymen, circus freak, crude sadist, guardian angel, leg-breaker, parvenu, petty thief, rat king, reclusive eccentric, snitch, sycophantic servant.
STEREOTYPES:
Daeva: Got themselves fooled into thinking they can fuck the pain away.
Gangrel: Just pat 'em on the head, pretend you're grateful, and whatever you do, don't call 'em on their idiocy. You may be a creep, but your face looks better on the front of your head than hanging from some animal's claws.
Mehket: Moths are drawn to the flame just like shadows. Do shadows burn, too?
Ventrue: They want to play king of the mountain? Fine. Haven't seen one yet willing to come over here and enforce his "rule."
Lupines: Scarier than THIS? I sure fucking hope not.
Mages: They know something.... I'm just not sure I want to know what it is.
Mortals: Yeah, it sucks having to hide from your food. Yeah, you could take any mortal out without thinking about it. When you can take our a few thousand of 'em, then come talk to me. Until then, keep your fucking head down.
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