The First of our Kind was Caine
Caine
The First Man,
born of Man
Caine
who had slain
his brother and was
cast from mankind
Caine
who was cursed
with eternal life
and with a terrible lust
for Blood
It is said that he wandered alone
in sorrow for many years. In time,
however, his loneliness consumed him
and he made others like himself.
His childer created childer,
and these childer created childer,
until there existed 13 vampiric Clans.
Each of these #### souls
bore the curse of Caine,
but for every generation
they were removed from the first one,
their strength was lessened.
Caine, The First of all Vampires
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From
Fifteen Painted Cards
From A Vampire Tarot
by Neil Gaiman
THE WORLD
"You know the saddest thing?"
she said.
"The saddest thing is
that we're you."
I said nothing.
"In your fantasies,"
she said,
"my people are just like you,
only better. We don't die,
or age, or suffer
from pain or cold or thirst.
We're snappier dressers.
We possess
the wisdom of ages.
And if we crave blood,
well, it is no more than
the way you people crave food,
or affection, or sunlight --
and besides,
it gets us out
of the house,
crypt,
coffin.
Whatever."
"And the truth is?" I asked her...
"We're you," she said.
"We're you, with all your ####-ups
and all the things that make you human --
all your fears
and loneliness
and confusion...
none of that gets better.
"It's like getting famous,
or getting rich.
You're the same person
you were
when you were unknown
or poor.
Only worse.
All the bad things are magnified,
and you don't remember
where the good things are
anymore.
"It's all that.
But
it's more.
We're colder than you are.
Deader.
I miss daylight
and food
and knowing
how it feels to touch someone
and care.
I remember life,
and meeting people
as people
and not just as things
to feed on
or control,
and I remember what it was
to feel something,
anything,
happy
or sad
or anything..."
Then she stopped,
and lowered her head.
"Are you crying?" I asked.
"We don't cry,"
she told me.
Like I said,
the woman was a liar.
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Vampire: The Masquerade
What are we? The #### childer of Caine? The grotesque lords of humanity? The pitiful wretches of eternal ####? We are vampires, and that is enough. I am vampire, and that is far more than enough. I am that which must be feared, worshipped and adored. The world is mine -- now and forever.
No one holds command over me. No man. No god. No prince.
What is a claim of age for ones who are immortal? What is a claim of power for ones who defy death? Call your #### hunt. We shall see whom I drag screaming to #### with me.
The Camarilla existed first and foremost to enforce an edict
-- A Masquerade--
by which to hide.
They erased all evidence of Themselves from sight of the living and slowly
-- over many, many years--
They became as myths to the minds of man.
And thus concealed they have continued to grow in power
And to guide Humanity to suit their whims.
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Factions:
Carmilla
For uncountable centuries,
the clans ruled the nights.
The greatest human kingdoms
were but playthings to these so-called Kindred.
Their power was matched only
by their arrogance --
until
the coming of the
fires of the Inquisition.
Vulnerable for the first time,
seven of these clans united to govern the rest.
They called themselves the Camarilla
The Seven Clans
Brujah
Gangrel
Malkavian
Nosferatu
Toreador
Tremere
Ventrue
The Carmilla force the edicts of the Masquerade upon others, they keep themselves hidden in the shadows. They are the governing Body of the Vampires, ruling from the darkness and enforcing their laws with brutal effectiveness. They are the law when it comes to the Blood and few would go against their whims. They are led by their Prince (can be male or female in which case a Princess), who is chosen as their leader by the elders, or is the vampire powerful or wily enough to seize the title. The Prince's word is law and non can go against it or they will have to face the Sheriff. The Sheriff is the most powerful of the Vampire's and is given holy weapons meant to slay his or her own kind.
The Sabbat
Two clans stand
in open rebellion
to the Masquerade.
Supported by renegade antitribu
from the Camarilla clans,
they are collectively known as the
Sabbat.
They seek freedom from the rules
of the Camarilla, and they
strive to reduce mankind
to the status of cattle.
The centuries long-war
between these two sects has
escalated -- perhaps beyond control.
The anthem of the Sabbat is
total Kindred freedom.
It is this philosophy
that makes them
deadly guerrilla warriors
and a shockingly
disorganized sect.
One Sabbat pack
is seldom aware of
the agenda of
another.
Clans of Sabbat:
Lasombra
Tzimisce
Two clans stand
in open rebellion
to the Masquerade.
Supported by renegade antitribu
from the Camarilla clans,
they are collectively known as the
Sabbat.
They seek freedom from the rules
of the Camarilla, and they
strive to reduce mankind
to the status of cattle.
The centuries long-war
between these two sects has
escalated -- perhaps beyond control.
The anthem of the Sabbat is
total Kindred freedom.
It is this philosophy
that makes them
deadly guerrilla warriors
and a shockingly
disorganized sect.
One Sabbat pack
is seldom aware of
the agenda of
another.
Clans of Sabbat:
Lasombra
Tzimisce
Unlike the Camarilla kindred, they are not bound to the whims of a single sire. Sabbat vampires undergo blood rites that make them fiercely loyal to their sect. Sometimes this rabid devotion is all that keeps them together. They are semi lawless, and they seek to show the true nature of the Vampire to the world.
Independent Clans
serve none but their own ends.
While not part of a common agenda,
each of the independents have unique and devastating abilities
that make them respected --
or feared -- by the other clans.
Independent Clans:
Assamite
Followers of Set
Giovanni
Ravnos
Cathayans
serve none but their own ends.
While not part of a common agenda,
each of the independents have unique and devastating abilities
that make them respected --
or feared -- by the other clans.
Independent Clans:
Assamite
Followers of Set
Giovanni
Ravnos
Cathayans
Each of these 'Clans' is a force to be feared all on their own. None know what they will do or their true strengths. They refuse to be assimilated into any other faction and that makes them unpredictable at best.
Werewolves
If you see one and it's mad, then run. That's basically the best advice one can give when it comes to these creatures. They have formed a brotherhood not unlike that of the Carmilla and they enforce the peace.
Inquisition
The Inquisition, the killer of killers. In the name of god they hunt down all vile creatures of the night. These humans are fearless and are astoundingly good at their job. Once they find the undead they will not stop until it is purified in holy flames.
Mage Clans
The Mage clans have been around for centuries, and the Tremiere and other races of vampires used to actually be some of these auspicious clans. They weild sorcery and magic to a degree that makes them potent even against the undead and creatures of the night. They tend to be reclusive but every now and then some of their order go out to venture the world and learn about recent events.
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Clans:
Each Clan has it's own 'Birthright' an ability that they excel at above all the other Clans, due to the weakening of the blood with each generation, some even have only vestigal amounts of this ability. The blood of Caine has grown thin in his childer as time flows on. Note: that clans can learn the disciplines of other clans, but they will never be a master of it like one of that blood, also they have to find a teacher in those arts.
Clan Brujah is largely composed of rebels, both with and without causes. Individualistic, outspoken and turbulent, Brujah hold social change near to their undead hearts, and the clan's ranks contain some of the most violent of the Camarilla Kindred. Most other vampires perceive the Brujah as nothing more than punks and miscreants, but the truth of the matter is that genuine passion lies behind their polemics.
Brujah are very driven and passionate about anything they involve themselves with, though they are known to be short tempered and violent, as well as rebels to the way of the Carmilla. They have a hard time keeping the Beast at bay, yet many of them have risen to the rank if Prince, and they do have many philosophers and great minds among their ranks.
Disciplines:
* Potence - Superhuman Strength
* Celerity - Superhuman Speed
* Presence - Superhuman Charisma
Of all vampires, the Gangrel are perhaps closest to their inner nature. These nomadic loners spurn the constraints of society, preferring the comfort of the wilderness. How they avoid the wrath of the werewolves is unknown; perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the Gangrel are themselves shapeshifters. When a mortal speaks of a vampire changing into a wolf or a bat, she is probably speaking of a Gangrel.
The vast majority of Gangrel have left the Carmilla after they were denied aid by the Prince to combat an Antediluvian (the god-like progenitors of the vampire clans) who was bent on their destruction. Now most are rebels and help those Brujah who would stand against the Carmilla.
Disciplines:
• Animalism - Control over the beasts of nature and the Beast within a vampire's soul (note: this does not mean they can control other vampires, merely see what motivates them and they can sometimes awaken the beast inside another.)
• Resilience - Supernatural toughness
• Protean - Shapeshifting
Even other #### fear the Malkavians. The cursed blood of their clan has polluted their minds, with the result that every last Malkavian across the world is incurably insane. What's worse, a Malkavian's madness can take nearly any form, from overpowering homicidal tendencies to near-catatonia. In many cases, there's no way to tell a Malkavian apart from the "sane" members of other clans. Those few whose psychoses are immediately obvious are among the most terrifying vampires to stalk the streets.
According to Malkavian legend, when Malkav was killed, all his childer came to his corpse and drank the blood of their father, thus collectively diablerizing Malkav. He is said to speak inside each and every Malkavian's soul and connects them into one collective consciousness. This "hive mind" is sometimes called "the Cobweb" or "the Malkavian Madness Network", which contains each thought and memory that any Malkavian in the world has ever had (and sometimes is about to have).
The Malkavians possess a rare ability (Discipline) called Dementation, which can alter the way a victim senses reality. It can be used to increase the Malkavian's own oracular ability or to induce insanity in others. Most Malkavians are willing to attempt to educate others of their rare power, but they are often neglected as it is believed among other vampires that the knowledge of Dementation drives the user insane. Originally, this power was the initial province of the Malkavian antitribu, but now can be found in the vast majority of the clan's membership. Some Sabbat Tzimisce elders endeavor to learn Dementation, however, to gain insight in the great ways of the Jyhad if they succeed. Unfortunately, learning Dementation will often turn a non-Malkavian insane themselves.
Disciplines:
* Auspex
* Dementation
* Obfuscate
* Dominate (can take control of the mind of weak willed mortals)
Caine's childer are called "The ####," and no vampires embody this more fully than the wretches of Clan Nosferatu. While other vampires still look human and may travel in mortal society, Nosferatu are twisted and deformed by the curse of vampirism. Other Kindred speak shudderingly of Caine placing a mark upon the entire clan for the monstrous deeds of its Antediluvian founder. As such, Nosferatu find themselves loathed and ostracized by the other Children of Caine, who consider them disgusting and interact with them only when they must.
Frustrated over their monstrous appearance, many Nosferatu will Embrace the very vain and/or very beautiful out of spite. Vampires Embraced in this way are often referred to as Cleopatras, named after the character from Freaks.
Disciplines:
• Animalism (they can grow vicious claws and move as swift as a wolf)
• Obfuscate (clouding the minds of mortals)
• Potence (superhumanly strong)
The Toreador are called many things - "degenerates," "artistes," "poseurs" and "hedonists" being but a few. But any such lumpen categorization does the clan a disservice. Depending on the individual and her mood, Toreador are alternately elegant and flamboyant, brilliant and ludicrous, visionary and dissipated. Perhaps the only truism that can be applied to the clan is its members' aesthetic zeal. Whatever a Toreador does, she does with passion. Whatever a Toreador is, she is with passion.
The Toreador typically have an obsession with anything artistic, exquisite or (superficially) beautiful. They are hedonists and self-indulgent artists. As expectable, the Toreador find the Nosferatu to be especially revolting, and vice versa. Their attraction to beauty is so strong that they have to force themselves not to stop at the sight of an aesthetically appealing work.
It is said that the Toreador are the closest of the Kindred to human sensibilities.
Their Antediluvian founder was believed to be an artist in the first city (Enoch) named Arikel, or possibly Ishtar. At Cain's request she created a beautiful mural which showed the vampires' eternal struggle with the beast and unveiled it before him and one of his childer. In his fury at the depiction, Cain and his childe never saw the final panel which showed how she believed that vampires could live at peace with their beast. Cain destroyed the mural and ordered his childe to drain Arikel dry. As he looked down at the dying artist he cursed her to forever be distracted by beauty and ordered his childe to embrace her. His power was such that his curse lingers in the blood of all Toreador.
Disciplines:
* Auspex - Enhanched Senses
* Celerity - Superhuman Speed
* Presence - Superhuman Charisma
Whether dreaded, mistrusted, feared or reviled, the insular vampires of Clan Tremere are anything but ignored. Those who have heard of the clan's doings are typically suspicious of the Tremere, and with good reason - for the Warlocks are aptly named. Through their own artifice, they have mastered a form of vampiric sorcery, complete with rituals and spells, that is as potent - if not more so - than any other power of the Blood. Paired with the clan's rigid hierarchy and the smoldering ambition so common among Warlocks, this power is an unsettling thing indeed to those who know what the Tremere are capable of doing.
It is told that the Tremere were a large cabal of human alchemists and Mages who attempted to gain the immortality and powers (Disciplines) of the vampires. After gruelling research and many setbacks, their experiments resulted not in immortality and blood-fueled magic, but undeath (the cursed state of existence laid upon all Kindred), and pitiably stunted powers. During the time of their inception, The Dark Ages, they were considered an upstart, and had already made many enemies as a result of their experiments. By the peak of the Renaissance, however through clever alliances and the forging of new, strange powers (even in the eyes of other Kindred), they took a place in the highest council of the Camarilla.
Since they moved from an isolated band of Mages into an acknowledged, mysterious and powerful Clan of Kindred in the space of less than a Thousand years, and since they had created unknowable and powerful new Disciplines (as well as for other, darker reasons), the Tremere are generally mistrusted, and are frequently referred to with the sobriquet, "Usurpers."
Disciplines:
• Auspex
• Dominate
• Thaumaturgy (magic of the blood, they are masters of magical arts)
The Kindred of Clan Ventrue have a reputation for being honorable, genteel and of impeccable taste. From time out of mind, Ventrue has been the clan of leadership, enforcing the ancient traditions and seeking to shape the destiny of the Kindred. In nights of old, Ventrue were chosen from nobles, merchant princes or other wielders of power. In modern times the clan recruits from wealthy "old money" families, ruthless corporate climbers, and politicians. Whatever their origin, Ventrue vampires preserve stability and maintain order for the Camarilla. Other Kindred often mistake this for arrogance or avarice, but to the Ventrue, their shepherd's role is more burden than honor.
n comparison to the other vampiric clans, the Ventrue are considered to be especially particular about whose blood they drink. In fact, any given Ventrue can only drink blood from a specific kind of mortal, or from mortals under a specific sort of circumstance. Some may only prey upon a given ethnicity, while others can only feed from humans of a certain occupation or even religion. Some Ventrue can only find nourishment from blood that carries a more rarified quality such as anger, fear or innocence. Regardless of the sort of blood the Ventrue requires, other blood is regurgitated or simply cannot be swallowed. They may feed from other Kindred with no such restriction. Ventrue prefer to view this flaw as a matter of refined tastes. Of course, with the power (both supernatural and temporal) most Ventrue possess, few go hungry.
Disciplines:
• Dominate
• Fortitude
• Presence
The Lasombra clan has fallen from grace - and its members enjoy it. Simultaneously graceful and predatory, the Lasombra guide - and, when necessary, whip - the Sabbat into an implacable force. Turning their backs upon the humans they once were, Lasombra give themselves wholly over to the dark majesty of the Embrace. Murder, frenzy, predation: Why fear these things, many Lasombra ask, if one is meant to be a vampire? In contrast to the Tzimisce, though, Lasombra generally seek not to reject all things mortal, but to shape them for their own pleasure.
The Lasombra clan's unique discipline is Obtenebration, which allows them to manipulate shadows and even the unformed substance of the primordial void, known as the Abyss. The effects they can create range from causing flittering shadows which have actual substance, transforming their own bodies into an expression of darkness and emptiness, and even the ability to temporarily submerge a small area of the immediate environment into the Abyss itself.
The clan's extremely rare antitribu are affiliated with the Camarilla. Those Lasombra antitribu who do exist amongst the Camarilla are among its staunchest aupporters and include a number of the eldest known Lasombra.
Some Lasombra share with their clan founder's affinity for the ocean, often staring at the ocean or taking long sea voyages. Many Lasombra antitribu even live at sea, as pirates along waterways historically dominated by Spanish, Italian, or Portuguese colonialism and trade.
Disciplines:
• Obtenebration
• Fortitude
• Presence
If Clan Lasombra is the heart of the Sabbat, Clan Tzimisce is the soul. Even other vampires grow uneasy around these flesh-crafting Kindred, and the clan's nickname of "Fiends" was given to it in nights past by horrified Kindred of other lines. The Tzimisce's signature Discipline of Vicissitude is the subject of particular dread; tales speak of crippling disfigurements inflicted on a whim, of ghastly "experiments" and tortures refined beyond human - or vampiric - comprehension or endurance.
The Tzimisce are known for their body altering technique, called Vicissitude or, less formally, "fleshcrafting". Tzimisce can supernaturally alter the bodies of living and undead organisms, even to the point of melting them. For this clan, body alteration is an art and a philosophy. In the modern ages, most Tzimisce are transhumanists, posthumanists and social Darwinists. Sooner or later, many Tzimisce become totally lost in this cold and utterly inhuman way of thinking, often losing all contact with the concepts of mercy, compassion, or moral value.
The Tzimisce seek physical and spiritual purification and perfection, though their interpretations of these concepts are often alien or incomprehensible to humans and sometimes even to other vampires. They often "fleshcraft" themselves into forms they believe to be beautiful and/or terrifying. The most common "path of enlightenment" for a Tzimisce is called the "Path of Metamorphosis", and is a replacement for their lost humanity. Tzimisce with this path only have one goal with their whole existence: to become so powerful that the whole world becomes part of themselves — Azhi Dahaka, when the world becomes a part of yourself, a sort of inverted Nirvana.
Disciplines:
• Fleshcraft
• Fortitude
• Thaumaturgy (magic of the blood, they are masters of magical arts)
From the desert wastes of the East come the Assamites, and they bring with them a miasma of terror. The Assamites are known throughout vampire society as a clan of murderous assassins, working for whoever can pay their price. The price they charge for their work is the vitae of other Kindred; for the Assamites, diablerie is the greatest sacrament.
The Assamite clan Discipline is Quietus, which alters the internal chemistry and alchemical balance of the vitae (or blood) of the practitioner or his/her victims. The Discipline was developed as a tool for carrying out the Clan's purpose as judges and police to their fellow Cainites during the age of the First City of Enoch. The effects range from the novice ability to use one's blood as a potent poison, to causing an entire Cainite bloodline to "weep" blood.
Another trait which differentiates the Assamites from the other original Clans is that they were never cursed by Caine, the first vampire. Despite this, they were still subject to two powerful curses from other sources. The first such curse originated with the Baali bloodline during the Assamite Clan's attempted destruction of that family. The results of this curse was that the entire warrior caste of the Assamite Clan became afflicted with a tremendous blood-lust for the vitae of other vampires, even to the extent of addiction after only one taste of such another Cainite's blood. The second curse occurred around the time of the Anarch Revolt, at the hands of the Tremere. This curse, intended as a punishment for the clan's addiction to vampire blood as a result of the first curse, caused the entire Assamite Clan to have a severe allergic reaction to vitae from any other Cainite clan. Only the Assamites that joined the Sabbat and thus became antitribu and a few disobedient loners who refused to succumb to the curse were spared this fate. Recently, however, the Assamites have managed to shrug free of the Tremere curse due to the awakening of one of their most ancient and powerful methuselahs, named Ur-Shulgi, and have resumed feeding on other vampires. This caused a great many elder Assamite Antitribu to rejoin the original clan, leading to a leadership crisis in the Sabbat's Black Hand subsect.
Unlike the other lines of vampires, who become paler as they age, Assamites grow darker - their eldest members being the shade of obsidian. There is one notable exception to this; Al Ashrad, former Amr of the clan, has pure white skin and no one has been able or willing to explain this.
Disciplines:
• Celerity
• Potence
• Quietus
The Followers of Set, more commonly referred to as "Setites," are mistrusted perhaps more than any other clan. Their ties with the archetypal Serpent of myth are well-known, and bolstered by their disturbing powers. They are custodians of knowledge that, according to their claims, predates even the First City. When they enter a city, the Cainite power structure almost inevitably erodes. But most unnerving of all, they share a dark and powerful faith as a clan - a faith that the blood of gods pulses in their cold veins.
Even when compared to other vampires, the Settites are especially pained by sunlight having it deal more damage to them faster than for any other kind of vampire. Only their antitribu, the Serpents of the light, escape this fault. According to in-game lore, Set was cast from his family to become a vampire by Ra for his hand in killing Osiris and Ra's hate is what causes the sunlight to burn Set and all his children more than all other kindred.
The Settites are known as keepers of secrets, particularly those of a magical nature. Indeed, the Followers of set tend to know anything anyone needs to know or can find it for them- for a price. Many vampires warn each other to never trust a Settite, and they are right to as Followers of Set do not follow the Path of Humanity like most other vampires, instead they have their own Path of Enlightenment which exalts amongst other things the corruption of others. Many who are snared by the Followers of Set do not realize the danger until it's too late and either they are forced to join the Followers of Set, are dangerously indebted to them, or worse. In the Followers of Set Handbook it is revealed that the Settites were responsible for the Inquisition, which was a turning point in the fictional history of the World of Darkness.
The Disciplines of the Followers of Set are...
* Obfuscate - the ability of becoming invisible
* Presence - an ability used to draw attention to oneself
* Serpentis - a strange collection of abilities drawn vaguely from Typhonic lore with things such as being able to turn into a giant snake.
The Giovanni are respectful, genteel and well-mannered. Affluent beyond imagination, Clan Giovanni traces its roots back to before the Renaissance, to a family of merchant princes. The clan still maintains its original home in Venice, in a thousand-year-old loggia just outside the heart of the city. No other clan makes such a spectacle of humility and propriety as does the Giovanni. And no other clan hides its blasphemous secrets as well.
Most of the Giovanni are related to one another by birth in addition to their shared vampiric lineage; a number of their families are incestuous and necromancer. Unlike the bite of other vampires in the World of Darkness (whose bites induce a stupefying pleasure), the bite of a Giovanni (the so-called "Giovanni Kiss") is extremely painful. Many Giovanni prefer biting corpses (instead of humans).
There are very few Kindred who operate outside the Giovanni family, due to the insular nature of the clan, and the family structure. While members of the Ventrue and Lasombra clans spend up to 10 years evaluating and testing potential embraces, and the Tremere have a rigid apprenticeship where ghouls serve as acolytes for many ranks, the Giovanni embrace strictly within Family lines. Candidates are bred into the Clan and taught from the time that they can speak that the Family is everything. The most promising members of the generation are ghouled. Only those who show enough promise as a ghoul are embraced.
Potential Giovanni have many opportunities to betray the Family long before they're even ghouled. Those who show signs of disloyalty are simply never embraced. Furthermore, even after the embrace, the traffic in wraiths and unwilling spirits is significant enough that should a Giovanni betray the Family, one of the wraiths they've been abusing would use the excuse to inform on them.
Disciplines:
• Presence
• Auspex
• Obfuscate
If ever a clan was renowned for a wickedly black sense of humor, the Ravnos would be that clan. These Cainites are deceivers of the first order, weaving illusion and lies into elaborate schemes to part the foolish from whatever it is the Ravnos might fancy - be it wealth, blood or even their victims' freedom. Like Mephistopheles or Old Scratch, the Ravnos ply their devil's deals with whomever they choose, be it human or Kindred, and woe to those who wind up unable to pay the hidden costs.
Disciplines:
Animalism: The ability to communicate with animals and the feral nature of humans.
Fortitude: Superhuman resilience and resistance to physical harm.
Chimerstry: This is a unique Discipline practiced only by the Ravnos. This power allows them to manipulate "Maya", or the lie of the world, creating illusions that are incredibly realistic and able to deceive all five senses.
The Mage clans have been around for centuries, and the Tremiere and other races of vampires used to actually be some of these auspicious clans. They weild sorcery and magic to a degree that makes them potent even against the undead and creatures of the night. They tend to be reclusive but every now and then some of their order go out to venture the world and learn about recent events.
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Clans:
Each Clan has it's own 'Birthright' an ability that they excel at above all the other Clans, due to the weakening of the blood with each generation, some even have only vestigal amounts of this ability. The blood of Caine has grown thin in his childer as time flows on. Note: that clans can learn the disciplines of other clans, but they will never be a master of it like one of that blood, also they have to find a teacher in those arts.
Clan Brujah is largely composed of rebels, both with and without causes. Individualistic, outspoken and turbulent, Brujah hold social change near to their undead hearts, and the clan's ranks contain some of the most violent of the Camarilla Kindred. Most other vampires perceive the Brujah as nothing more than punks and miscreants, but the truth of the matter is that genuine passion lies behind their polemics.
Brujah are very driven and passionate about anything they involve themselves with, though they are known to be short tempered and violent, as well as rebels to the way of the Carmilla. They have a hard time keeping the Beast at bay, yet many of them have risen to the rank if Prince, and they do have many philosophers and great minds among their ranks.
Disciplines:
* Potence - Superhuman Strength
* Celerity - Superhuman Speed
* Presence - Superhuman Charisma
Of all vampires, the Gangrel are perhaps closest to their inner nature. These nomadic loners spurn the constraints of society, preferring the comfort of the wilderness. How they avoid the wrath of the werewolves is unknown; perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the Gangrel are themselves shapeshifters. When a mortal speaks of a vampire changing into a wolf or a bat, she is probably speaking of a Gangrel.
The vast majority of Gangrel have left the Carmilla after they were denied aid by the Prince to combat an Antediluvian (the god-like progenitors of the vampire clans) who was bent on their destruction. Now most are rebels and help those Brujah who would stand against the Carmilla.
Disciplines:
• Animalism - Control over the beasts of nature and the Beast within a vampire's soul (note: this does not mean they can control other vampires, merely see what motivates them and they can sometimes awaken the beast inside another.)
• Resilience - Supernatural toughness
• Protean - Shapeshifting
Even other #### fear the Malkavians. The cursed blood of their clan has polluted their minds, with the result that every last Malkavian across the world is incurably insane. What's worse, a Malkavian's madness can take nearly any form, from overpowering homicidal tendencies to near-catatonia. In many cases, there's no way to tell a Malkavian apart from the "sane" members of other clans. Those few whose psychoses are immediately obvious are among the most terrifying vampires to stalk the streets.
According to Malkavian legend, when Malkav was killed, all his childer came to his corpse and drank the blood of their father, thus collectively diablerizing Malkav. He is said to speak inside each and every Malkavian's soul and connects them into one collective consciousness. This "hive mind" is sometimes called "the Cobweb" or "the Malkavian Madness Network", which contains each thought and memory that any Malkavian in the world has ever had (and sometimes is about to have).
The Malkavians possess a rare ability (Discipline) called Dementation, which can alter the way a victim senses reality. It can be used to increase the Malkavian's own oracular ability or to induce insanity in others. Most Malkavians are willing to attempt to educate others of their rare power, but they are often neglected as it is believed among other vampires that the knowledge of Dementation drives the user insane. Originally, this power was the initial province of the Malkavian antitribu, but now can be found in the vast majority of the clan's membership. Some Sabbat Tzimisce elders endeavor to learn Dementation, however, to gain insight in the great ways of the Jyhad if they succeed. Unfortunately, learning Dementation will often turn a non-Malkavian insane themselves.
Disciplines:
* Auspex
* Dementation
* Obfuscate
* Dominate (can take control of the mind of weak willed mortals)
Caine's childer are called "The ####," and no vampires embody this more fully than the wretches of Clan Nosferatu. While other vampires still look human and may travel in mortal society, Nosferatu are twisted and deformed by the curse of vampirism. Other Kindred speak shudderingly of Caine placing a mark upon the entire clan for the monstrous deeds of its Antediluvian founder. As such, Nosferatu find themselves loathed and ostracized by the other Children of Caine, who consider them disgusting and interact with them only when they must.
Frustrated over their monstrous appearance, many Nosferatu will Embrace the very vain and/or very beautiful out of spite. Vampires Embraced in this way are often referred to as Cleopatras, named after the character from Freaks.
Disciplines:
• Animalism (they can grow vicious claws and move as swift as a wolf)
• Obfuscate (clouding the minds of mortals)
• Potence (superhumanly strong)
The Toreador are called many things - "degenerates," "artistes," "poseurs" and "hedonists" being but a few. But any such lumpen categorization does the clan a disservice. Depending on the individual and her mood, Toreador are alternately elegant and flamboyant, brilliant and ludicrous, visionary and dissipated. Perhaps the only truism that can be applied to the clan is its members' aesthetic zeal. Whatever a Toreador does, she does with passion. Whatever a Toreador is, she is with passion.
The Toreador typically have an obsession with anything artistic, exquisite or (superficially) beautiful. They are hedonists and self-indulgent artists. As expectable, the Toreador find the Nosferatu to be especially revolting, and vice versa. Their attraction to beauty is so strong that they have to force themselves not to stop at the sight of an aesthetically appealing work.
It is said that the Toreador are the closest of the Kindred to human sensibilities.
Their Antediluvian founder was believed to be an artist in the first city (Enoch) named Arikel, or possibly Ishtar. At Cain's request she created a beautiful mural which showed the vampires' eternal struggle with the beast and unveiled it before him and one of his childer. In his fury at the depiction, Cain and his childe never saw the final panel which showed how she believed that vampires could live at peace with their beast. Cain destroyed the mural and ordered his childe to drain Arikel dry. As he looked down at the dying artist he cursed her to forever be distracted by beauty and ordered his childe to embrace her. His power was such that his curse lingers in the blood of all Toreador.
Disciplines:
* Auspex - Enhanched Senses
* Celerity - Superhuman Speed
* Presence - Superhuman Charisma
Whether dreaded, mistrusted, feared or reviled, the insular vampires of Clan Tremere are anything but ignored. Those who have heard of the clan's doings are typically suspicious of the Tremere, and with good reason - for the Warlocks are aptly named. Through their own artifice, they have mastered a form of vampiric sorcery, complete with rituals and spells, that is as potent - if not more so - than any other power of the Blood. Paired with the clan's rigid hierarchy and the smoldering ambition so common among Warlocks, this power is an unsettling thing indeed to those who know what the Tremere are capable of doing.
It is told that the Tremere were a large cabal of human alchemists and Mages who attempted to gain the immortality and powers (Disciplines) of the vampires. After gruelling research and many setbacks, their experiments resulted not in immortality and blood-fueled magic, but undeath (the cursed state of existence laid upon all Kindred), and pitiably stunted powers. During the time of their inception, The Dark Ages, they were considered an upstart, and had already made many enemies as a result of their experiments. By the peak of the Renaissance, however through clever alliances and the forging of new, strange powers (even in the eyes of other Kindred), they took a place in the highest council of the Camarilla.
Since they moved from an isolated band of Mages into an acknowledged, mysterious and powerful Clan of Kindred in the space of less than a Thousand years, and since they had created unknowable and powerful new Disciplines (as well as for other, darker reasons), the Tremere are generally mistrusted, and are frequently referred to with the sobriquet, "Usurpers."
Disciplines:
• Auspex
• Dominate
• Thaumaturgy (magic of the blood, they are masters of magical arts)
The Kindred of Clan Ventrue have a reputation for being honorable, genteel and of impeccable taste. From time out of mind, Ventrue has been the clan of leadership, enforcing the ancient traditions and seeking to shape the destiny of the Kindred. In nights of old, Ventrue were chosen from nobles, merchant princes or other wielders of power. In modern times the clan recruits from wealthy "old money" families, ruthless corporate climbers, and politicians. Whatever their origin, Ventrue vampires preserve stability and maintain order for the Camarilla. Other Kindred often mistake this for arrogance or avarice, but to the Ventrue, their shepherd's role is more burden than honor.
n comparison to the other vampiric clans, the Ventrue are considered to be especially particular about whose blood they drink. In fact, any given Ventrue can only drink blood from a specific kind of mortal, or from mortals under a specific sort of circumstance. Some may only prey upon a given ethnicity, while others can only feed from humans of a certain occupation or even religion. Some Ventrue can only find nourishment from blood that carries a more rarified quality such as anger, fear or innocence. Regardless of the sort of blood the Ventrue requires, other blood is regurgitated or simply cannot be swallowed. They may feed from other Kindred with no such restriction. Ventrue prefer to view this flaw as a matter of refined tastes. Of course, with the power (both supernatural and temporal) most Ventrue possess, few go hungry.
Disciplines:
• Dominate
• Fortitude
• Presence
The Lasombra clan has fallen from grace - and its members enjoy it. Simultaneously graceful and predatory, the Lasombra guide - and, when necessary, whip - the Sabbat into an implacable force. Turning their backs upon the humans they once were, Lasombra give themselves wholly over to the dark majesty of the Embrace. Murder, frenzy, predation: Why fear these things, many Lasombra ask, if one is meant to be a vampire? In contrast to the Tzimisce, though, Lasombra generally seek not to reject all things mortal, but to shape them for their own pleasure.
The Lasombra clan's unique discipline is Obtenebration, which allows them to manipulate shadows and even the unformed substance of the primordial void, known as the Abyss. The effects they can create range from causing flittering shadows which have actual substance, transforming their own bodies into an expression of darkness and emptiness, and even the ability to temporarily submerge a small area of the immediate environment into the Abyss itself.
The clan's extremely rare antitribu are affiliated with the Camarilla. Those Lasombra antitribu who do exist amongst the Camarilla are among its staunchest aupporters and include a number of the eldest known Lasombra.
Some Lasombra share with their clan founder's affinity for the ocean, often staring at the ocean or taking long sea voyages. Many Lasombra antitribu even live at sea, as pirates along waterways historically dominated by Spanish, Italian, or Portuguese colonialism and trade.
Disciplines:
• Obtenebration
• Fortitude
• Presence
If Clan Lasombra is the heart of the Sabbat, Clan Tzimisce is the soul. Even other vampires grow uneasy around these flesh-crafting Kindred, and the clan's nickname of "Fiends" was given to it in nights past by horrified Kindred of other lines. The Tzimisce's signature Discipline of Vicissitude is the subject of particular dread; tales speak of crippling disfigurements inflicted on a whim, of ghastly "experiments" and tortures refined beyond human - or vampiric - comprehension or endurance.
The Tzimisce are known for their body altering technique, called Vicissitude or, less formally, "fleshcrafting". Tzimisce can supernaturally alter the bodies of living and undead organisms, even to the point of melting them. For this clan, body alteration is an art and a philosophy. In the modern ages, most Tzimisce are transhumanists, posthumanists and social Darwinists. Sooner or later, many Tzimisce become totally lost in this cold and utterly inhuman way of thinking, often losing all contact with the concepts of mercy, compassion, or moral value.
The Tzimisce seek physical and spiritual purification and perfection, though their interpretations of these concepts are often alien or incomprehensible to humans and sometimes even to other vampires. They often "fleshcraft" themselves into forms they believe to be beautiful and/or terrifying. The most common "path of enlightenment" for a Tzimisce is called the "Path of Metamorphosis", and is a replacement for their lost humanity. Tzimisce with this path only have one goal with their whole existence: to become so powerful that the whole world becomes part of themselves — Azhi Dahaka, when the world becomes a part of yourself, a sort of inverted Nirvana.
Disciplines:
• Fleshcraft
• Fortitude
• Thaumaturgy (magic of the blood, they are masters of magical arts)
From the desert wastes of the East come the Assamites, and they bring with them a miasma of terror. The Assamites are known throughout vampire society as a clan of murderous assassins, working for whoever can pay their price. The price they charge for their work is the vitae of other Kindred; for the Assamites, diablerie is the greatest sacrament.
The Assamite clan Discipline is Quietus, which alters the internal chemistry and alchemical balance of the vitae (or blood) of the practitioner or his/her victims. The Discipline was developed as a tool for carrying out the Clan's purpose as judges and police to their fellow Cainites during the age of the First City of Enoch. The effects range from the novice ability to use one's blood as a potent poison, to causing an entire Cainite bloodline to "weep" blood.
Another trait which differentiates the Assamites from the other original Clans is that they were never cursed by Caine, the first vampire. Despite this, they were still subject to two powerful curses from other sources. The first such curse originated with the Baali bloodline during the Assamite Clan's attempted destruction of that family. The results of this curse was that the entire warrior caste of the Assamite Clan became afflicted with a tremendous blood-lust for the vitae of other vampires, even to the extent of addiction after only one taste of such another Cainite's blood. The second curse occurred around the time of the Anarch Revolt, at the hands of the Tremere. This curse, intended as a punishment for the clan's addiction to vampire blood as a result of the first curse, caused the entire Assamite Clan to have a severe allergic reaction to vitae from any other Cainite clan. Only the Assamites that joined the Sabbat and thus became antitribu and a few disobedient loners who refused to succumb to the curse were spared this fate. Recently, however, the Assamites have managed to shrug free of the Tremere curse due to the awakening of one of their most ancient and powerful methuselahs, named Ur-Shulgi, and have resumed feeding on other vampires. This caused a great many elder Assamite Antitribu to rejoin the original clan, leading to a leadership crisis in the Sabbat's Black Hand subsect.
Unlike the other lines of vampires, who become paler as they age, Assamites grow darker - their eldest members being the shade of obsidian. There is one notable exception to this; Al Ashrad, former Amr of the clan, has pure white skin and no one has been able or willing to explain this.
Disciplines:
• Celerity
• Potence
• Quietus
The Followers of Set, more commonly referred to as "Setites," are mistrusted perhaps more than any other clan. Their ties with the archetypal Serpent of myth are well-known, and bolstered by their disturbing powers. They are custodians of knowledge that, according to their claims, predates even the First City. When they enter a city, the Cainite power structure almost inevitably erodes. But most unnerving of all, they share a dark and powerful faith as a clan - a faith that the blood of gods pulses in their cold veins.
Even when compared to other vampires, the Settites are especially pained by sunlight having it deal more damage to them faster than for any other kind of vampire. Only their antitribu, the Serpents of the light, escape this fault. According to in-game lore, Set was cast from his family to become a vampire by Ra for his hand in killing Osiris and Ra's hate is what causes the sunlight to burn Set and all his children more than all other kindred.
The Settites are known as keepers of secrets, particularly those of a magical nature. Indeed, the Followers of set tend to know anything anyone needs to know or can find it for them- for a price. Many vampires warn each other to never trust a Settite, and they are right to as Followers of Set do not follow the Path of Humanity like most other vampires, instead they have their own Path of Enlightenment which exalts amongst other things the corruption of others. Many who are snared by the Followers of Set do not realize the danger until it's too late and either they are forced to join the Followers of Set, are dangerously indebted to them, or worse. In the Followers of Set Handbook it is revealed that the Settites were responsible for the Inquisition, which was a turning point in the fictional history of the World of Darkness.
The Disciplines of the Followers of Set are...
* Obfuscate - the ability of becoming invisible
* Presence - an ability used to draw attention to oneself
* Serpentis - a strange collection of abilities drawn vaguely from Typhonic lore with things such as being able to turn into a giant snake.
The Giovanni are respectful, genteel and well-mannered. Affluent beyond imagination, Clan Giovanni traces its roots back to before the Renaissance, to a family of merchant princes. The clan still maintains its original home in Venice, in a thousand-year-old loggia just outside the heart of the city. No other clan makes such a spectacle of humility and propriety as does the Giovanni. And no other clan hides its blasphemous secrets as well.
Most of the Giovanni are related to one another by birth in addition to their shared vampiric lineage; a number of their families are incestuous and necromancer. Unlike the bite of other vampires in the World of Darkness (whose bites induce a stupefying pleasure), the bite of a Giovanni (the so-called "Giovanni Kiss") is extremely painful. Many Giovanni prefer biting corpses (instead of humans).
There are very few Kindred who operate outside the Giovanni family, due to the insular nature of the clan, and the family structure. While members of the Ventrue and Lasombra clans spend up to 10 years evaluating and testing potential embraces, and the Tremere have a rigid apprenticeship where ghouls serve as acolytes for many ranks, the Giovanni embrace strictly within Family lines. Candidates are bred into the Clan and taught from the time that they can speak that the Family is everything. The most promising members of the generation are ghouled. Only those who show enough promise as a ghoul are embraced.
Potential Giovanni have many opportunities to betray the Family long before they're even ghouled. Those who show signs of disloyalty are simply never embraced. Furthermore, even after the embrace, the traffic in wraiths and unwilling spirits is significant enough that should a Giovanni betray the Family, one of the wraiths they've been abusing would use the excuse to inform on them.
Disciplines:
• Presence
• Auspex
• Obfuscate
If ever a clan was renowned for a wickedly black sense of humor, the Ravnos would be that clan. These Cainites are deceivers of the first order, weaving illusion and lies into elaborate schemes to part the foolish from whatever it is the Ravnos might fancy - be it wealth, blood or even their victims' freedom. Like Mephistopheles or Old Scratch, the Ravnos ply their devil's deals with whomever they choose, be it human or Kindred, and woe to those who wind up unable to pay the hidden costs.
Disciplines:
Animalism: The ability to communicate with animals and the feral nature of humans.
Fortitude: Superhuman resilience and resistance to physical harm.
Chimerstry: This is a unique Discipline practiced only by the Ravnos. This power allows them to manipulate "Maya", or the lie of the world, creating illusions that are incredibly realistic and able to deceive all five senses.
He steps into the boiling night. Tokyo neon shines on Spanish leather. Whith a smirk he eyes the gaudy skyscape and chuckles at the reedy streetsong whine. The little monkeys had done a marvelous job of copying everything that was tacky and soulless in the West.
Prime feeding ground.
His mind's eye dancing with samurai flicks, the Ventrue crosses Naka Meguro Street. Tiny people in bright colors make way for the stranger. Non posses any threat. Behind this man lies the weight of centuries, a Cainite's strength and the power of a clan.
So easy.
A whistling song cuts through his reverie. And his neck.
The pavement leaps up to meet the Cainite's gaze, then becomes a blur of near and far, street and sky, until a bit of trash brings the panorama to a halt.
From a distance, he hears his body spasm and fall.
A flash. A sizzle behind him. The smell of cooking meat. Across the street, he feels a hot blade dice him into quarters.
One final sizzle and his heart dies. Five hundred years die with it.
No one notices.
"Konnichi-wa, gaijin," says a young man's voice. "Welcome to my home."
While living,
Be a dead man,
Be thoroughly dead-
And behave as you like,
And all's well.
-Zen Master Bunan
Be a dead man,
Be thoroughly dead-
And behave as you like,
And all's well.
-Zen Master Bunan
The enigmatic Vampires of Asia are nothing like the western Vampires, they have strange powers and even their fledglings can destroy an ancient. They traffic with demons, and spirits, being granted powers unknown and familiars that are devestating. No one knows their numbers but they are a force to be feared. Until recently they had been content to rule Asia, now it appears they are spreading out to other places as well...
For centuries, the exotic realm of Asia has defied the Kindred's incursions. Those few Children of Caine dwelling in Asia whisper of the monstrous Cathayans - the shadowy vampires native to the East. For too long, the Cathayans have lain like sleeping dragons, allowing the Kindred a facade of omnipotence. Now, though, the new Age is at hand; Yin-daggers tremble in the talons of the Resplendent Cranes, and the Devil-Tigers howl for souls in the dark.
Like Kindred, Kuei-jin gain access to various supernatural arts through heir transformation. Some of these arts date back to the days of the Wan Xian, when the vampires’ precursors used them to battle the forces of the Yama Kings. Other abilities manifested after the scattering and the karmic curse. In any event, Kuei-jin practice a repertoire of mystical crafts every bit as extensive as the Kindred’s. In many ways, these Disciplines superficially resemble ones practiced by Kindred; many allow the evocation of similar, though not identical, effects. However, the powers of Kuei-jin are rooted in an understanding of their condition, not merely an acceptance of it. For Kuei-jin, advancement in Disciplines entails arduous training, meditation, repetitive katas, the chanting of sutras and communion with spirit entities.
Although Kuei-jin are not so quick to master their powers as are Kindred, Cathayans’ centuries of study pay off in increased versatility. Kuei-jin are not, of course, limited by bloodline-borne predilections. Indeed, the Disciplines they learn are the most noteworthy expressions of Chi and soul mastery. Other Disciplines, taught by wu, courts and even individual masters, are practiced throughout the Middle Kingdom. The Serpent-borne gaki of Japan, in particular, are rumored to practice various arts exclusively their own. Unlike Kindred Disciplines, a specific Kuei-jin “kata” might permit a variety of related effects to be produced.
Generally, in battle, use the normal force to engage; use the
extraordinary to win.
— Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Note: Although their users refer to them by remarkably
similar terms (“Discipline,” “arts,” etc.), Kuei-jin “Disciplines” and
Kindred “Disciplines” are not the same. Kindred derive their
powers from the Blood of Caine, while Kuei-jin gain their powers
from mastery of Chi and the dual soul. Kindred may never learn
Kuei-jin Disciplines, and Kuei-jin may never learn Kindred
Disciplines. (How the traitor Zao-lat did so remains a mystery, but
one that obviously proved unhealthy to him.)
TYPES OF DISCIPLINES
Kuei-jin group their Disciplines into several categories.
The most widely known are Chi Arts, Soul Arts, Demon Arts
and Shintai Arts. Shintai Arts allow vampires to study and
practice the movement of Chi through their bodies — the five
shintai (“god body”) forms are transformative arts based on the
Kuei-jin elemental system of Blood (Water), Bone (Metal),
Jade (Earth), Flesh (Wood), and Ghost-flame (Fire). Chi Arts
allow Kuei-jin to evoke internal and ambient Chi for various
purposes. Soul Arts allow Kuei-jin to channel and master their
Hun and P’o souls. Finally, Demon Arts are special powers
unique to the Kuei-jin’s dark side of the soul.
CHI ARTS
These Disciplines allow a Kuei-jin to evoke mystical effects through redirection of his Chi (or, in some cases, others’ Chi or the ambient Chi in the environment). Most Chi Arts allow the channeling of Chi (Yin or Yang) into various tangible effects or augmentations. Kuei-jin commonly study four Chi Arts: Equilibrium (balancing and imbalancing Chi in their own bodies), Tapestry (manipulating ambient Chi), Yin Prana (manipulation
of internal Yin), and Yang Prana (manipulation of internal Yang). Many Kuei-jin scholars consider the Shintai Disciplines of Bone and Flesh to be Chi Arts of Yin and Yang, respectively. Kuei-jin using Chi Arts create mystical “eddies” and other disruptions in the Mirror Lands. Particularly
potent uses of Chi might cause reverberations that affect the spirit world for days or even leave long-lasting “tracks” marking the vampire’s presence in the area. It should be noted that most Kindred Disciplines are
considered extremely “unnatural” by Kuei-jin. Kindred call on their Blood gracelessly and recklessly, with little concern for what they are trying to do; as such, Kindred warp and bend Chi flows wherever they practice their arts. Although there are no mechanical effects as such, Kindred Disciplines produce ripples and rents in the Middle Kingdom’s ambient Chi, and these
disruptions are uncomfortable and disturbing to spirits and sensitive Kuei-jin alike. As far as many Kuei-jin are concerned, unrestrained use of Kindred Disciplines speeds up the Great Cycle’s deterioration, which
is yet another reason these impudent foreigners should be ousted from the Middle Kingdom — or destroyed outright — as soon as possible.
EQUILIBRIUM
The Discipline of Equilibrium allows the vampire to regulate
and redirect the flow of Chi in her body. Masters of
Equilibrium commonly concern themselves with maintaining
proper Chi balance in their systems; conversely, though, Equilibrium
can be used to create grotesque Chi imbalances in
individuals who displease the user. Most abilities require a
touch, and this Discipline may not affect ghosts and spirits
unless the vampire has other Disciplines enabling her to touch
such beings.
INTERNAL ALCHEMY
Some Kuei-jin powers manifest as clouds, sprays,
flame gouts or other projectile forms.
• MASTER FLOW
Vampires with Equilibrium quickly master the basic processes
of regulating Chi flows in their bodies. This allows them greater control over their chi flow and gives them more power to use their abilities. It also gives them the ability to see Chi flows in others. Note: Must have Equilibrium
•• ADJUST BALANCE
By touching a victim, the vampire may adjust the Chi
levels in that victim’s body. A target may be overwhelmed with
Yin or Yang, or an imbalanced being may be restored to health.
A mortal or Kindred attuned to Yang becomes feverish and
manic.
A mortal or Kindred attuned to Yin becomes lethargic and
melancholy. For the remainder of the night, the victim is
overwhelmed by negative, possibly even suicidal, thoughts.
A mortal restored to a state of Balance enjoys greatly
improved physical and mental health. Most normal ailments
and infections are cured (though truly debilitating sicknesses
such as cancer and AIDS are beyond the scope of this power);
this power’s effects last for one month. Note: must have Master Flow first
.
••• SHIFT THE BALANCE
With this power, a vampire may regulate the levels of Chi
in her own body. She may attune herself to Yin or Yang and
become a conductor for positive or negative energy.
•••• CHI INTERRUPT
A vampire at this level of power may interrupt the flow of
Chi through another being. This interruption causes spasms
and, if the Chi points are hit properly, total paralysis. Note: must have shift the balance first.
••••• CHI MASTERY
This power is one of the most feared Kuei-jin arts, for with
it, a vampire becomes master of the Chi in others’ bodies. With
a touch, a vampire can bleed the Chi from a victim or can
corrupt the Chi flow, rendering the victim defiled.
With this power a Kuei-jin can drain the powers of others even the blood powers of Kindred, or turn a Ghoul back into a human, or they can flood the body with Chi which causes it to rot and decay from the inside out. This can be cured by equilibrium or the use of it from a vampire with it’s knowledge. It is also a power that can only be mastered by ancients and highly skilled Kuei-jin. Note: must have all other chi skills first.
· Permeate
The disciple of the Blood Shintai first learns to manipulate gross quantities of blood within his body. The vampire may diffuse blood through his body, thereby swelling up in the manner of a puff adder; alternatively, he may concentrate his essence into his center, thereby appearing to shrivel. A vampire with sufficient control over his blood flow can squeeze through narrow cracks in the manner of an invertebrate, though such a process is arduous and time-consuming.
·· Blood Atemi
By touching another creature, the vampire may move the blood in that being's body. This ability can cause all manner of detrimental effects, particularly to mortals.
If the vampire touches the victim's body, he causes the circulatory system to go haywire. Nausea and dizziness result, as blood rushes to and from the victim's head, stomach and inner ears.
If the vampire touches a limb, he may choose to numb the limb or to induce spasm. Numbing a limb produces a "pins and needles" effect.
Alternatively (if rarely), a vampire may use this power to facilitate healing in a human or animal.
WereWolves
The keepers of the Night, the chosen of the Moon. Werewolves are monsterous creatures but have a purpose in life. They are not the beastial figures portrayed in movies but more like guardians, chosen to keep Vampires in check from destroying the world. They are mighty warriors and many are even scholars and philosophers. In general they are non combative and peaceful, but once they let the Beast out from within they are a force of nature itself destroying everything in their path. Very few can stand up to the wrath of a werewolf unless it is very young. They watch from the shadows ever vigilant.
Werewolves are superhumanly strong, swift, and can take a whole lot of damage. Basically an amped up version of a vampire, since they were made to kill them. Though once they let out their inner beast they tend to go very feral unless they are old enough to control their bloodlust.
Inquisition
The bastion of Humanity, these are warriors set on destroying all that is 'evil' they are filled with Zeal and their Inquisitors can get a confession of sins out of anyone or thing through their methods. The holy Knights Templar are the warrior arm of the Inquisition and can even stand toe to toe with ancient vampires with their faith and zeal protecting them. They are warriors to be feared especially in the modern age with their silver guns and holy water.
The 'powers' of the Inquisition is their vast amount of faith. They are fearless and will stand up to any creature of the night. Their warriors are trained from birth, making them deadly even against the supernatural beings they hunt.
Mage Clans
As long as there has been magic there have been those that have harnessed it. There are many different clans, all answering to the Master Clan, one for each school and the head clan is a master of all. They are dangerous and deadly foes, but tend to keep to themselves.
Their power is magic, it flows in their blood and they use it over all forms of combat. There are many different schools of magic and one clan for each. The Master Clan is legend outside of their tight knight community being of a level of power that few mortals or immortals can imagine.
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Setting:
As long as there has been magic there have been those that have harnessed it. There are many different clans, all answering to the Master Clan, one for each school and the head clan is a master of all. They are dangerous and deadly foes, but tend to keep to themselves.
Their power is magic, it flows in their blood and they use it over all forms of combat. There are many different schools of magic and one clan for each. The Master Clan is legend outside of their tight knight community being of a level of power that few mortals or immortals can imagine.
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Setting:
The setting for this RP is the city of Los Angeles. I've always had a fondness for the city of Lost Angels and I thought it would be a fitting setting for this battle of darkness and possible light. For what are Vampires but those fallen from grace, those who the light has forsaken, basically lost angels^^
There is a stronghold for each clan here, as well as major strong holds for the factions. Each has a foothold in the city as they vie for power.
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Story:
There is war brewing, the Final Night approaches as the Book of Nod foretold. The Eastern Vampires have begun to encroach upon the Western shores, and Caine has once more awakened to seek the destruction of all life. The Carmilla faces inner decent and The Sabbat continues it's warlike ways. All the forces seem to be gathering in Lose Angeles for this conflict to reach it's climax. Caine has vanished for now, but when will he re-appear? Can anyone stop this supposed First Vampire?
We are but 'human' and must follow our destiny, even if we are more than we once were we are less at the same time. The Wheel of Time churns, and we are stuck in it's spokes. Can we change fate? Can we survive this bloody conflict or even avoid it? The choices are yours, fulfill your destiny in the shadows. Walk this dark and dismal path that even angels fear to tread. Welcome brothers and sisters, to this endless night, we shall never see another dawn again....
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Character Profile
Available races:
Vampire: any of the vampiric races
Werewolf: one of the guardians of the night
Human: either a normal human or a member of the Inquisition, yes you can become a vampire or werewolf later on through RP.
Character Profile:
Name:
Age:
Height/Weight:
Appearance:
Alignment: (good/evil/neutral)
Race:
Powers: (any special abilities, note: only Gangrel's can assume the form of a wolf or bat, most others have lost touch with this part of their heritage.)
Equipment:
Weapons:
Background:
