Kindred - Overview
The Cainites
The Cainites (also called Kindred), are descendants of Caine (the Biblical Cain), cursed with a thirst for blood, vulnerability to sunlight and immortality. They are forever subject to the Beast, their raging animal urges of hunger, fear and rage.
Cainites generally live in cities, which are run feudally by Princes; life in a city is one of constant political manipulation and paranoia, as the powers of the city vie for power, control and food. They are creatures ruled by fear, most importantly the fear of exposure to the Kine, everyday humanity.
Since the Inquisition the majority of the Cainites have lived under the Masquerade, an enforced campaign to hide the existence of their kind from humanity. In modern nights various scientific minded members of the species have classified their kind as Homo Sapiens Sanguineus, Homo Sapientissimus or even Homo Vampiricus. Supernatural Characteristics Vampires are created through the Embrace; during the Embrace, a vampire drains a candidate of all their blood and replaces it with a small amount (generally a single drop) of their own. This causes the corpse to rise as a (very hungry) vampire, usually instantly (though those of the highest generations may appear to lie dead for some time before they awaken). The vampire who initiates the Embrace is the Sire; the new vampire is the Sire's Childe. When a vampire is Embraced, their internal organs wither away, and almost all their body fluids are replaced by blood. The only exception being the stomach, which pulses with the blood that the vampire consumes.[2] Vampires use blood (also called Vitae) for a variety of purposes; blood replaces most bodily fluids, so vampires will cry blood and sweat blood under certain circumstances. Blood is also used to get up and move; every night, vampires expend a certain amount of blood to rise. In addition, vampires can use blood to enhance their physical attributes and use supernatural powers called Disciplines. Blood is used to Embrace, as noted above, and also to create Ghouls. Finally, vampires can use blood to heal damage. Blood is generally replaced by sucking it out of humans. While vampires can feed on other creatures, they do not enjoy the taste of animal blood and older vampires will acquire no sustenance from it (whilst the blood of the supernatural creatures are an entirely different matter). The process of taking blood is euphemistically called the Kiss or feeding. Vampires do not have to completely drain a victim, although frenzying vampires are likely to do so. Vampires can hide the puncture marks of feeding by licking the wounds, making the process fairly subtle. The Feeding process is highly pleasurable (arguably the only pleasure) for vampires, and is also extremely pleasurable for victims. Vessels who are drained regularly can become addicted to the Kiss. Vampires change considerably after the Embrace. Physically, they are incapable of eating food, with most vomiting it up almost instantly (and even those that can keep it down for a while will still have to regurgitate the food later), they have no need for sex as the need to feed replaces all physical and emotional urges, although they can imitate the physical reactions for sex if needed and will even feel pleasure from it, though all such mortal pleasures pale in comparison to the ecstasy of the Kiss.[3]As a result of these processes, the vampire is paler and generally thinner than they were before the Embrace. Certain clans have more extreme physical changes, such as the Nosferatu or the Cappadocians. Once Embraced, vampires are locked into a form of stasis. Apart from wounds (healed with blood), vampires are restored to their condition at the time of Embrace every time they rise up for the night. This physical condition eventually extends to their mindsets - old vampires often find it very hard to learn new things, much like how an older human will often find it difficult to keep up with next generation's innovations and ways of thinking. In addition to the physical changes, vampires experience extreme intellectual and emotional changes. The vampire is now a predator, and has a raging id called the Beast, that may take control of his body (be it through fear, hunger or hatred). Vampires are highly durable against physical threats, except for fire or sunlight. If set ablaze they burn easily, and will burn up almost instantly in sunlight. However, outside of these, vampires are very hard to kill - bullets do not cause much damage, and those who possess the Disciplines of Celerity and Fortitude are extremely hard to hit, let alone damage in combat. That said, shotguns and similar weapons are warily respected or feared; while an individual bullet might not frighten a vampire, it becomes a different issue when the weapon can remove their head entirely with a well-placed shot, or remove limbs in seconds with a never-ending stream of lead. When severely wounded, vampires can pass into a deathlike stasis called Torpor, which allows them to heal more extreme damage. Torpor can last for centuries depending on the circumstances, and as a vampire gets older, Torpor becomes a more attractive option due to social and personal issues often suffered by vampires of significant age or those who cannot cope with the changes in society. Some vampires have been in Torpor for millennia, such as the Antediluvians. Generation Every vampire has a Generation, numbered from 1 (Caine) to 15 in the Canonical games. A vampire is always one generation higher than his Sire, thus farther removed from Caine. Generation has a variety of effects - mental powers do not work on vampires of lower generation, and the lower a generation the more potent a vampire can become. Generation has a variety of gameplay effects, the most important being Blood Pool. The amount of blood a character can store and spend changes radically as their generation decreases, this makes a low-generation character far more potent in combat, especially once they can spend multiple blood points at a time. Generation also affects most mental disciplines - characters generally cannot use mental disciplines on characters of a lower generation. In addition, Characters cannot raise attributes or disciplines above 5 dots unless they are 7th generation or lower. Higher dot disciplines tend to be highly idiosyncratic. Vampires cannot lower their generation except through diablerie, a form of vampiric cannibalism in which the diablerist consumes the soul of his or her victim - which is usually a rare opportunity and a very severe crime. A Diablerie is easily detectable on an aura, and the Camarilla views it as a capital crime. Final Death VTM.jpg Weaknesses Main article: Clan Curse Aside from the particular curses of each clan, the Cainites share a few disadvantages. For instance, vampires must feed on the blood of other beings to survive and heal their wounds (with few notable exceptions, such as the Nagaraja, who must feed on flesh as well). In addition, they universally fear fire, sunlight, decapitation, and the teeth, claws and powers of other supernatural creatures. A wooden stake through the heart will immobilize them. Contrary to popular belief, garlic has no ill effect on vampires at all, save for a very small number with an unusual flaw in their blood. Likewise, the inability to cross running water is a rare weakness and probably psychosomatic. Also, after the embrace every vampire must be wary of the influence of the Beast upon their behavior. The Beast continuously assaults the character, and if the Beast's demands exceed the character's own capacity to control it, it will react in a Frenzy or Rötschreck. Vampires can permanently lose control to the Beast, entering Wassail, a state of permanent Frenzy. In this condition, all humanity is lost and the vampire becomes a mindless killing machine. History Cainite's history begins with a homicidal farmer: Caine of the Biblical story. According to Vampiric mythology (detailed in the Book of Nod), Caine killed his brother Abel and was exiled by God to Nod, East of Eden. Outside of Nod he met Lilith, who taught him the basics of vampiric power. At this time, he was also cursed by God's Angels to be vulnerable to fire, sunlight and the treachery of his descendants. Caine then traveled to Enoch, the First City of the human race. There he embraced its ruler and became the God-King of the city, embracing three childer as the Second Generation. These three childer in turn embraced the thirteen Antediluvians, the founders of the clans. Some time after this, the Antediluvians rebelled against the Second Generation, after which the Great Flood covered Enoch in water. The Antediluvians survived for 40 days under water, devouring their own, until the floods receded. Some time after the flood, the Antediluvians build the Second City, which they rule over as Gods, until Caine returns to pass judgement on them. Caine curses each of the Clans, then leaves. The Antediluvians spread across the world at this time, travelling to various places and embracing further descendants. Eventually, they sink into Torpor. Vampires fear Gehenna, the time that the Antediluvians will rise from Torpor and devour their descendants, then Caine will return in judgement. The Camarilla claims Gehenna is a fraud, and that there are no Antediluvians. In contrast, the Sabbat is strongly Noddist and sees defeating the Antediluvians as their entire purpose. Organization Nominally, every vampire is Embraced into a Clan, which is a line of vampires tracing their ancestry back to a common Antediluvian. Each Clan has specific strengths and weaknesses, as well as their own distinct history. A vampire without a Clan is Caitiff, generally a second-class citizen in vampiric society. Most vampires belong to one of two major sects: the Camarilla and the Sabbat. The Camarilla consists of those clans who are dedicated to preserving the Masquerade and (generally) their Humanity. The Sabbat are dedicated to the coming Gehenna and the superiority of the vampire species over humanity. It should be noted that the distinction is not between Good Vampires and Bad Vampires as much as between Bad Vampires and Worse Vampires (which is which depends largely on who you ask). The Camarilla and Sabbat are violent enemies. In addition to these two Sects, several lesser divisions exist. Vampires who reject both Sects in favor of more indepedence are grouped into a loose community called Anarch. Several Clans are loyal primarily to their Clans, and are independent of the major Sects. In addition, there is a group of mysterious elder vampires, the Inconnu, who eschew all politics in favor of their own projects. However, not every Kindred belongs to a Sect, nor swears fealty to a Clan, Prince, Bishop, or other such entity - these Autarkis often lead solitary unlives not unlike hermits or outcasts. While they are still globalized, most vampires are generally confined to one city (which is ruled in a feudal fashion). At the apex of the power structure is the Prince, who is generally served by a council of Primogen, the prince controls access to feeding grounds which he allocates as fiefs. There are additional city offices, notably the Harpies and Sheriff; later editions of VTM introduce the Scourge, as well as other, more specialized minor offices. Sabbat cities use a slightly different structure. Cities are generally ruled by a Archbishop, who is supported by a number of Bishops. Below this level are the various packs who make up the bulk of Sabbat society; these packs are led by Ducti. In addition to these offices, however, the Sects impose their own additional offices. Princes report to the Camarilla, whose most visible officers are the Archons, roving agents of the Justicars, who are the highest public Camarilla official. Each clan provides one Justicar, who controls his own stable of Archons. Justicars are roving troubleshooters, each one generally focusing on one major project at a time - such as conducting a war to take over a city. The Sabbat has a complex internal structure which includes both Templars and an internal Inquisition as well as a mini-sect called the Black Hand. CLANS There are a total of thirteen major clans. Camarilla Clans Here is a list of the seven clans who were part of the Camarilla. With V5 new & strange bedfellows begin to change the Ivory Tower. Banu Haqim: Formerly known as Assasmites, The Children of Haqim are a cult of assassins located in the mountain fortress of Alamut in the middle east. Descended from Caine's judge, the Assamites accept assassination contracts against vampires while fulfilling their clan's own (more obscure) goals. The Assamites are practically a sect unto themselves, with three castes, each of which has its own weakness. Their clan joined the Camarilla after the Second Inquisition started. Malkavian: The Malkavians are a clan of Vampires with their ranks filled with those perceived to be mentally ill, afflicted with a strange madness which varies between individuals. This doesn't mean that they aren't also insightful and highly intelligent, but they are controlled by their own variant of madness from the moment of their Embrace, some showing signs of previous traumas from their life as Kine. Nosferatu: Nosferatu are hideously deformed by their Embrace and every Nosferatu is horrifyingly ugly. Eschewing other Vampires, they live in sewers and generally keep to themselves. Nosferatu are information brokers par excellence. Since the Gangrel left the Camarilla, the Nosferatu have shown that they are physically capable as enforcers and assassins in their place, cementing their place as invaluable. While they most are apart of a Camarilla on the whole, they put clan over sect, protecting non-Camarilla Nosferatu from threats that'd expose them and vice versa. Toreador: The Toreador are obsessed with art and beauty, and are the clan that spends the most time around humanity. Toreador tend to get lost in art, becoming enraptured by beautiful things. This love of beautiful things sometimes is their downfall as they become obsessive of their desired beauty including in some fatal cases, the sun itself. Tremere: The Tremere are a Hermetic order (originally from Ars Magica) who turned themselves into vampires to preserve their magic. It didn't quite work out as planned. Since the 11th century, the Tremere have risen from outcasts to one of the pillars of Camarilla society. Tremere are the most powerful practitioners of the Discipline of Thaumaturgy, but are also tightly bound to their highly organized and incredibly paranoid clan. Only the original house of Tremere remains loyal to the Camarilla with three other major houses appearing through out the world. Ventrue: The Clan Of Kings. The Ventrue are the leaders of the Camarilla. They are businessmen, aristocrats, monarchs, captains of industry, crime leaders and tend to occupy any other position where control, social status and power are required. They are the clan from whom the majority of Princes come and since the Second Inquisition and call to the middle east, their Anarch counterparts make up a number of Barons. Ventrue are careful to whom they Embrace and who they feed from: every Ventrue feeds exclusively from a specific type of prey. Lasombra: The former leaders of the Sabbat, the Lasombra slew their own Antediluvian during the Anarch Revolt and then led the Sabbat against the nascent Camarilla. The Lasombra are elegant, powerful, cruel and predatory espousers of a social darwinist approach towards control and leadership. The Lasombra are also masters of shadow, able to manipulate darkness in bizarre fashions; this power has a cost, however, as Lasombra cast no reflections. In the mid 2010s they sought accord with the Camarilla and joined their ranks. Sabbat Clans The Sabbat was once composed of many different clans and bloodlines. While all the Camarilla clans certainly have an antitribu representation within the Sabbat, the term also applies to factions within three independent clans which have joined the sect. Since the beginning of the Second Inquistion there have been changes leaving in charge the sole clan of: Tzimisce: The Tzimisce hail from Eastern Europe, and are the former absolute masters of their nightmare domains. The Tzimisce are the least human vampires in VtM, casually cruel and more than a little mad, and possessing the most potent shapeshifting powers of any Vampire. Tzimisce can shift not only their shape, but mold flesh and bone like it was clay. The Tzimisce crave stability - they cannot find peace at night without some of their grave earth. Anarch Movement The Anarch revolts, while not always looked kindly upon gave birth to the movement that now is the mainstream of Kindred life, since the Camarilla retreated from the kindred's public more after the beginning of the Second Inquisiton. They welcome all clans with a very hands-off leader ship made up of mainly two clans: Brujah: Originally warrior-philosophers, the Brujah are now petty rebels, roughnecks and political activists. The Brujah are powerful combatants and charismatic speakers, but are more prone to succumbing to frenzy. A notable number lead the Anarch movement but there are still those who cling to the Camarilla or are independent. The Ministry: Formerly known as Followers of Set or Setites, Descendants of the Egyptian God Set, the original Setites were a Gnostic cult dedicated to overthrowing the rule of the tyrant gods who oppress all creatures. Though in the Mid 2010s they re-branded into the Ministry, making it about religion of self with Set being said to exist inside each of his followers. They are still seen as creatures of Darkness, and light does even more damage to them. Independent Clans Giovanni: The Giovanni are a clan of Venetian businessmen and necromancers who entered the scene in the 15th century; originally an offset of the more sedate Cappadocians, Augustus Giovanni diablerized his sire and purged the clan of all Cappadocians. Since that time, the Giovanni have become a very rich, powerful and incestuously twisted family with tentacles throughout the world. The Giovanni do not feed lightly - Feeding is a nightmare for their Vessels, causing excess damage and intense pain as oppose to the erotic ecstasy of the Kiss. At the begining of the second inquisiton they were nearly slaughtered and forced to retreat to their homelands. Ravnos: The Ravnos are Vampires from the Indian subcontinent, where they are engaged in a genocidal war with India's Cathayans. The first Ravnos seen in the west were Gypsies and were generally assumed to be charlatans and rogues (which isn't that far off, since many Ravnos are charlatans and rogues however, the Ravnos adhere to a complex philosophy of enlightenment through destroying Maya. Each Ravnos has a vice, from gambling to plagiarism. During the week of nightmares, they were nearly wiped out by their own Antediluvian. The few that remain stay hidden, even from other Kindred. Gangrel: The Gangrel are nomadic vampires and the only ones who regularly travel outside of cities. The Gangrel are also shape-shifters with the Discipline of Protean, which has left them with a tendency to acquire animal features as they frenzy. Since the late 1990s, they've become largely independent though a number have joined the Anarchs and very few remained within the Camarilla's circles. Ashirra main article: Ashirra The "Ashirra", from the Arabic word for "brethren", is the sect under which Islamic vampires declare their faith in Allah and which rules over Arabia and the northern parts of Africa since the Dark Ages. Members of the Ashirra believe that redemption for the Kindred was among the promises of their prophet Muhammad made, if they chose to follow Allah. Among the members of the Ashirra are the following clans: Banu Haqim (Assamites) al-Amin (Salubri) Bay't Majnoon (Malkavians) Bay't Mujrim (Ravnos) Bay't Mushakis (Brujah) Bay't Mutasharid (Nosferatu) el Hijazi (Ventrue) Qabilat al-Khayal (Lasombra) Qabilat al-Mawt (Cappadocian) Ray'een al-Fen (Toreador) Wah'Sheen (Gangrel) Laibon main article: Laibon The term "Laibon" is the name African Cainites give to themselves. These vampires have a rich culture of their own, and they divide themselves in many Legacies - which derive from the traditional clans and bloodlines. They are: Akunanse Followers of Set Guruhi Ishtarri Kinyonyi Nagloper Osebo Shango Xi Dundu Mla Watu Nkulu Zao Bonsam Impundulu Ramanga Dead Clans Clans that are believed to be extinct. Salubri: The Clan of Saulot, discoverer of Golconda. The Salubri were a clan of healers and demon-fighters. After the Tremere became vampires, the Founder Tremere sought out Saulot and diablerized him, they then launched a campaign against the clan, branding them as demon-worshippers and soul-stealers. There are only a few Salubri today. Cappadocians: The original Clan of Death, the Cappadocians were a monastic order of vampires who studied death, the soul and the Embrace. They were destroyed by Augustus Giovanni in a coup d'etat. The Cappadocians were noted for their corpselike appearance, even more so than most Vampires. Bloodlines And Antitribu In addition to the thirteen clans, there are a variety of bloodlines, who are offshoots or mutations of existing clans. These bloodlines are generally small and normally politically impotent. Examples include the Daughters of Cacophony, Kiasyd and Samedi. The Sabbat has two major clans, but in addition, members of the Camarilla clans have joined the Sabbat since there was a Sabbat (actually, technically before there was a Sabbat). These clans are called antitribu and usually differ slightly from their parent clans, either in terms of disciplines or weaknesses. Clanless In the World of Darkness, there is an increasing number of "clanless"—vampires who were abandoned by their sires immediately following the Embrace and who are ignorant of their clan status; a vampire cannot choose to become clanless. They are called Caitiff by the Camarilla, and regarded as a sign of the Masquerade spiralling out of control, therefore gaining little respect from their elders. The Sabbat, on the other hand, gladly embraces the clanless (which they call Panders) into the sect. The more superstitious see the growing numbers of these vampires as an omen of the coming Gehenna, the Final Nights of prophecy when all children of Caine will be destroyed. Culture Vampires observe a set of customs that exists somewhere between being coded into their undead natures and a social contract that’s ratified every night among the courts of the Damned. Not every vampire affords the idea of the Traditions the respect they deserve — the Sabbat in particular make bold claims about the flaws of the Traditions and the weak wills of those who hide behind them — but in practice, most vampires observe the Traditions to some extent. This is most true of the Masquerade, for as bold as the Sabbat or Anarchs may be, even they don’t have the concentrated might to stand against a world of mortals who learn the secret that the undead walk among them. Interpreting and enforcing the Traditions is the privilege and responsibility of the Cainite rulers. In some domains, particularly those of non-Camarilla Sects, both the titles and the Traditions themselves may vary, but the core principle is found everywhere: that an undead authority makes the rules and woe to any who feel that they don’t have to heed them. Morality Vampire espouses a virtue system which has changed in the various editions. The core of the system is three humane virtues: Conscience, Self-Control and Courage, rated from one to five. In addition to these virtues, all vampires have a Humanity score, rated from one to ten. Humanity is ultimately a measure of how much control a vampire has over the Beast; the lower the Humanity, the more a vampire is controlled by his appetites. The default humanity for human beings is around 7. Vampires lose humanity by committing sins; whenever a vampire does something that violates his morality, the player rolls a degeneration check. Losing the roll costs the character a point of humanity, while winning the roll maintains the morality. It should be noted that by winning, the character feels guilt - he realizes he's done something wrong. Conversely, losing means that the character is more comfortable with that sin, be it stealing a book or killing a friend. What qualifies as a sin depends on the character's morality score; as a character's humanity rises, the opportunities to degenerate become more common. In general, humanity is inimical to being a vampire - as a blood-drinking nocturnal marauder, the character must engage in a variety of socially deviant behavior. As a result, most characters drop humanity until they reach a stable, if low, level. Low humanity has gameplay effects; a character cannot roll more dice on a social roll involving people than his humanity score. The remainder drop all the way to zero, Wassail, storyteller control and a violent death. Humanity is not the only moral path available. The Sabbat and independent clans espouse Paths of Enlightenment, which outline alien and rigid moralities strongly divorced from the human norm. These are descended from the Dark Ages Roads, but are generally not practiced by Camarilla vampires.
In addition to this Vampires do not need to breath, can only be poisoned by supernatural means, will not be inconvenienced by cold or heat unless facing extremes, do not get tired, are not impacted by the Bleeding Condition, are not bothered by their mayor organs being damaged (with the exception of the heart) and will not fall unconscious unless entering Torpor. Vampires cannot heal as normal living creatures do and can only restore health with the use of the Reknit Undead Flesh power which is universally available to all vampires.
General number of blood points per creature:
Cainites generally live in cities, which are run feudally by Princes; life in a city is one of constant political manipulation and paranoia, as the powers of the city vie for power, control and food. They are creatures ruled by fear, most importantly the fear of exposure to the Kine, everyday humanity.
Since the Inquisition the majority of the Cainites have lived under the Masquerade, an enforced campaign to hide the existence of their kind from humanity. In modern nights various scientific minded members of the species have classified their kind as Homo Sapiens Sanguineus, Homo Sapientissimus or even Homo Vampiricus. Supernatural Characteristics Vampires are created through the Embrace; during the Embrace, a vampire drains a candidate of all their blood and replaces it with a small amount (generally a single drop) of their own. This causes the corpse to rise as a (very hungry) vampire, usually instantly (though those of the highest generations may appear to lie dead for some time before they awaken). The vampire who initiates the Embrace is the Sire; the new vampire is the Sire's Childe. When a vampire is Embraced, their internal organs wither away, and almost all their body fluids are replaced by blood. The only exception being the stomach, which pulses with the blood that the vampire consumes.[2] Vampires use blood (also called Vitae) for a variety of purposes; blood replaces most bodily fluids, so vampires will cry blood and sweat blood under certain circumstances. Blood is also used to get up and move; every night, vampires expend a certain amount of blood to rise. In addition, vampires can use blood to enhance their physical attributes and use supernatural powers called Disciplines. Blood is used to Embrace, as noted above, and also to create Ghouls. Finally, vampires can use blood to heal damage. Blood is generally replaced by sucking it out of humans. While vampires can feed on other creatures, they do not enjoy the taste of animal blood and older vampires will acquire no sustenance from it (whilst the blood of the supernatural creatures are an entirely different matter). The process of taking blood is euphemistically called the Kiss or feeding. Vampires do not have to completely drain a victim, although frenzying vampires are likely to do so. Vampires can hide the puncture marks of feeding by licking the wounds, making the process fairly subtle. The Feeding process is highly pleasurable (arguably the only pleasure) for vampires, and is also extremely pleasurable for victims. Vessels who are drained regularly can become addicted to the Kiss. Vampires change considerably after the Embrace. Physically, they are incapable of eating food, with most vomiting it up almost instantly (and even those that can keep it down for a while will still have to regurgitate the food later), they have no need for sex as the need to feed replaces all physical and emotional urges, although they can imitate the physical reactions for sex if needed and will even feel pleasure from it, though all such mortal pleasures pale in comparison to the ecstasy of the Kiss.[3]As a result of these processes, the vampire is paler and generally thinner than they were before the Embrace. Certain clans have more extreme physical changes, such as the Nosferatu or the Cappadocians. Once Embraced, vampires are locked into a form of stasis. Apart from wounds (healed with blood), vampires are restored to their condition at the time of Embrace every time they rise up for the night. This physical condition eventually extends to their mindsets - old vampires often find it very hard to learn new things, much like how an older human will often find it difficult to keep up with next generation's innovations and ways of thinking. In addition to the physical changes, vampires experience extreme intellectual and emotional changes. The vampire is now a predator, and has a raging id called the Beast, that may take control of his body (be it through fear, hunger or hatred). Vampires are highly durable against physical threats, except for fire or sunlight. If set ablaze they burn easily, and will burn up almost instantly in sunlight. However, outside of these, vampires are very hard to kill - bullets do not cause much damage, and those who possess the Disciplines of Celerity and Fortitude are extremely hard to hit, let alone damage in combat. That said, shotguns and similar weapons are warily respected or feared; while an individual bullet might not frighten a vampire, it becomes a different issue when the weapon can remove their head entirely with a well-placed shot, or remove limbs in seconds with a never-ending stream of lead. When severely wounded, vampires can pass into a deathlike stasis called Torpor, which allows them to heal more extreme damage. Torpor can last for centuries depending on the circumstances, and as a vampire gets older, Torpor becomes a more attractive option due to social and personal issues often suffered by vampires of significant age or those who cannot cope with the changes in society. Some vampires have been in Torpor for millennia, such as the Antediluvians. Generation Every vampire has a Generation, numbered from 1 (Caine) to 15 in the Canonical games. A vampire is always one generation higher than his Sire, thus farther removed from Caine. Generation has a variety of effects - mental powers do not work on vampires of lower generation, and the lower a generation the more potent a vampire can become. Generation has a variety of gameplay effects, the most important being Blood Pool. The amount of blood a character can store and spend changes radically as their generation decreases, this makes a low-generation character far more potent in combat, especially once they can spend multiple blood points at a time. Generation also affects most mental disciplines - characters generally cannot use mental disciplines on characters of a lower generation. In addition, Characters cannot raise attributes or disciplines above 5 dots unless they are 7th generation or lower. Higher dot disciplines tend to be highly idiosyncratic. Vampires cannot lower their generation except through diablerie, a form of vampiric cannibalism in which the diablerist consumes the soul of his or her victim - which is usually a rare opportunity and a very severe crime. A Diablerie is easily detectable on an aura, and the Camarilla views it as a capital crime. Final Death VTM.jpg Weaknesses Main article: Clan Curse Aside from the particular curses of each clan, the Cainites share a few disadvantages. For instance, vampires must feed on the blood of other beings to survive and heal their wounds (with few notable exceptions, such as the Nagaraja, who must feed on flesh as well). In addition, they universally fear fire, sunlight, decapitation, and the teeth, claws and powers of other supernatural creatures. A wooden stake through the heart will immobilize them. Contrary to popular belief, garlic has no ill effect on vampires at all, save for a very small number with an unusual flaw in their blood. Likewise, the inability to cross running water is a rare weakness and probably psychosomatic. Also, after the embrace every vampire must be wary of the influence of the Beast upon their behavior. The Beast continuously assaults the character, and if the Beast's demands exceed the character's own capacity to control it, it will react in a Frenzy or Rötschreck. Vampires can permanently lose control to the Beast, entering Wassail, a state of permanent Frenzy. In this condition, all humanity is lost and the vampire becomes a mindless killing machine. History Cainite's history begins with a homicidal farmer: Caine of the Biblical story. According to Vampiric mythology (detailed in the Book of Nod), Caine killed his brother Abel and was exiled by God to Nod, East of Eden. Outside of Nod he met Lilith, who taught him the basics of vampiric power. At this time, he was also cursed by God's Angels to be vulnerable to fire, sunlight and the treachery of his descendants. Caine then traveled to Enoch, the First City of the human race. There he embraced its ruler and became the God-King of the city, embracing three childer as the Second Generation. These three childer in turn embraced the thirteen Antediluvians, the founders of the clans. Some time after this, the Antediluvians rebelled against the Second Generation, after which the Great Flood covered Enoch in water. The Antediluvians survived for 40 days under water, devouring their own, until the floods receded. Some time after the flood, the Antediluvians build the Second City, which they rule over as Gods, until Caine returns to pass judgement on them. Caine curses each of the Clans, then leaves. The Antediluvians spread across the world at this time, travelling to various places and embracing further descendants. Eventually, they sink into Torpor. Vampires fear Gehenna, the time that the Antediluvians will rise from Torpor and devour their descendants, then Caine will return in judgement. The Camarilla claims Gehenna is a fraud, and that there are no Antediluvians. In contrast, the Sabbat is strongly Noddist and sees defeating the Antediluvians as their entire purpose. Organization Nominally, every vampire is Embraced into a Clan, which is a line of vampires tracing their ancestry back to a common Antediluvian. Each Clan has specific strengths and weaknesses, as well as their own distinct history. A vampire without a Clan is Caitiff, generally a second-class citizen in vampiric society. Most vampires belong to one of two major sects: the Camarilla and the Sabbat. The Camarilla consists of those clans who are dedicated to preserving the Masquerade and (generally) their Humanity. The Sabbat are dedicated to the coming Gehenna and the superiority of the vampire species over humanity. It should be noted that the distinction is not between Good Vampires and Bad Vampires as much as between Bad Vampires and Worse Vampires (which is which depends largely on who you ask). The Camarilla and Sabbat are violent enemies. In addition to these two Sects, several lesser divisions exist. Vampires who reject both Sects in favor of more indepedence are grouped into a loose community called Anarch. Several Clans are loyal primarily to their Clans, and are independent of the major Sects. In addition, there is a group of mysterious elder vampires, the Inconnu, who eschew all politics in favor of their own projects. However, not every Kindred belongs to a Sect, nor swears fealty to a Clan, Prince, Bishop, or other such entity - these Autarkis often lead solitary unlives not unlike hermits or outcasts. While they are still globalized, most vampires are generally confined to one city (which is ruled in a feudal fashion). At the apex of the power structure is the Prince, who is generally served by a council of Primogen, the prince controls access to feeding grounds which he allocates as fiefs. There are additional city offices, notably the Harpies and Sheriff; later editions of VTM introduce the Scourge, as well as other, more specialized minor offices. Sabbat cities use a slightly different structure. Cities are generally ruled by a Archbishop, who is supported by a number of Bishops. Below this level are the various packs who make up the bulk of Sabbat society; these packs are led by Ducti. In addition to these offices, however, the Sects impose their own additional offices. Princes report to the Camarilla, whose most visible officers are the Archons, roving agents of the Justicars, who are the highest public Camarilla official. Each clan provides one Justicar, who controls his own stable of Archons. Justicars are roving troubleshooters, each one generally focusing on one major project at a time - such as conducting a war to take over a city. The Sabbat has a complex internal structure which includes both Templars and an internal Inquisition as well as a mini-sect called the Black Hand. CLANS There are a total of thirteen major clans. Camarilla Clans Here is a list of the seven clans who were part of the Camarilla. With V5 new & strange bedfellows begin to change the Ivory Tower. Banu Haqim: Formerly known as Assasmites, The Children of Haqim are a cult of assassins located in the mountain fortress of Alamut in the middle east. Descended from Caine's judge, the Assamites accept assassination contracts against vampires while fulfilling their clan's own (more obscure) goals. The Assamites are practically a sect unto themselves, with three castes, each of which has its own weakness. Their clan joined the Camarilla after the Second Inquisition started. Malkavian: The Malkavians are a clan of Vampires with their ranks filled with those perceived to be mentally ill, afflicted with a strange madness which varies between individuals. This doesn't mean that they aren't also insightful and highly intelligent, but they are controlled by their own variant of madness from the moment of their Embrace, some showing signs of previous traumas from their life as Kine. Nosferatu: Nosferatu are hideously deformed by their Embrace and every Nosferatu is horrifyingly ugly. Eschewing other Vampires, they live in sewers and generally keep to themselves. Nosferatu are information brokers par excellence. Since the Gangrel left the Camarilla, the Nosferatu have shown that they are physically capable as enforcers and assassins in their place, cementing their place as invaluable. While they most are apart of a Camarilla on the whole, they put clan over sect, protecting non-Camarilla Nosferatu from threats that'd expose them and vice versa. Toreador: The Toreador are obsessed with art and beauty, and are the clan that spends the most time around humanity. Toreador tend to get lost in art, becoming enraptured by beautiful things. This love of beautiful things sometimes is their downfall as they become obsessive of their desired beauty including in some fatal cases, the sun itself. Tremere: The Tremere are a Hermetic order (originally from Ars Magica) who turned themselves into vampires to preserve their magic. It didn't quite work out as planned. Since the 11th century, the Tremere have risen from outcasts to one of the pillars of Camarilla society. Tremere are the most powerful practitioners of the Discipline of Thaumaturgy, but are also tightly bound to their highly organized and incredibly paranoid clan. Only the original house of Tremere remains loyal to the Camarilla with three other major houses appearing through out the world. Ventrue: The Clan Of Kings. The Ventrue are the leaders of the Camarilla. They are businessmen, aristocrats, monarchs, captains of industry, crime leaders and tend to occupy any other position where control, social status and power are required. They are the clan from whom the majority of Princes come and since the Second Inquisition and call to the middle east, their Anarch counterparts make up a number of Barons. Ventrue are careful to whom they Embrace and who they feed from: every Ventrue feeds exclusively from a specific type of prey. Lasombra: The former leaders of the Sabbat, the Lasombra slew their own Antediluvian during the Anarch Revolt and then led the Sabbat against the nascent Camarilla. The Lasombra are elegant, powerful, cruel and predatory espousers of a social darwinist approach towards control and leadership. The Lasombra are also masters of shadow, able to manipulate darkness in bizarre fashions; this power has a cost, however, as Lasombra cast no reflections. In the mid 2010s they sought accord with the Camarilla and joined their ranks. Sabbat Clans The Sabbat was once composed of many different clans and bloodlines. While all the Camarilla clans certainly have an antitribu representation within the Sabbat, the term also applies to factions within three independent clans which have joined the sect. Since the beginning of the Second Inquistion there have been changes leaving in charge the sole clan of: Tzimisce: The Tzimisce hail from Eastern Europe, and are the former absolute masters of their nightmare domains. The Tzimisce are the least human vampires in VtM, casually cruel and more than a little mad, and possessing the most potent shapeshifting powers of any Vampire. Tzimisce can shift not only their shape, but mold flesh and bone like it was clay. The Tzimisce crave stability - they cannot find peace at night without some of their grave earth. Anarch Movement The Anarch revolts, while not always looked kindly upon gave birth to the movement that now is the mainstream of Kindred life, since the Camarilla retreated from the kindred's public more after the beginning of the Second Inquisiton. They welcome all clans with a very hands-off leader ship made up of mainly two clans: Brujah: Originally warrior-philosophers, the Brujah are now petty rebels, roughnecks and political activists. The Brujah are powerful combatants and charismatic speakers, but are more prone to succumbing to frenzy. A notable number lead the Anarch movement but there are still those who cling to the Camarilla or are independent. The Ministry: Formerly known as Followers of Set or Setites, Descendants of the Egyptian God Set, the original Setites were a Gnostic cult dedicated to overthrowing the rule of the tyrant gods who oppress all creatures. Though in the Mid 2010s they re-branded into the Ministry, making it about religion of self with Set being said to exist inside each of his followers. They are still seen as creatures of Darkness, and light does even more damage to them. Independent Clans Giovanni: The Giovanni are a clan of Venetian businessmen and necromancers who entered the scene in the 15th century; originally an offset of the more sedate Cappadocians, Augustus Giovanni diablerized his sire and purged the clan of all Cappadocians. Since that time, the Giovanni have become a very rich, powerful and incestuously twisted family with tentacles throughout the world. The Giovanni do not feed lightly - Feeding is a nightmare for their Vessels, causing excess damage and intense pain as oppose to the erotic ecstasy of the Kiss. At the begining of the second inquisiton they were nearly slaughtered and forced to retreat to their homelands. Ravnos: The Ravnos are Vampires from the Indian subcontinent, where they are engaged in a genocidal war with India's Cathayans. The first Ravnos seen in the west were Gypsies and were generally assumed to be charlatans and rogues (which isn't that far off, since many Ravnos are charlatans and rogues however, the Ravnos adhere to a complex philosophy of enlightenment through destroying Maya. Each Ravnos has a vice, from gambling to plagiarism. During the week of nightmares, they were nearly wiped out by their own Antediluvian. The few that remain stay hidden, even from other Kindred. Gangrel: The Gangrel are nomadic vampires and the only ones who regularly travel outside of cities. The Gangrel are also shape-shifters with the Discipline of Protean, which has left them with a tendency to acquire animal features as they frenzy. Since the late 1990s, they've become largely independent though a number have joined the Anarchs and very few remained within the Camarilla's circles. Ashirra main article: Ashirra The "Ashirra", from the Arabic word for "brethren", is the sect under which Islamic vampires declare their faith in Allah and which rules over Arabia and the northern parts of Africa since the Dark Ages. Members of the Ashirra believe that redemption for the Kindred was among the promises of their prophet Muhammad made, if they chose to follow Allah. Among the members of the Ashirra are the following clans: Banu Haqim (Assamites) al-Amin (Salubri) Bay't Majnoon (Malkavians) Bay't Mujrim (Ravnos) Bay't Mushakis (Brujah) Bay't Mutasharid (Nosferatu) el Hijazi (Ventrue) Qabilat al-Khayal (Lasombra) Qabilat al-Mawt (Cappadocian) Ray'een al-Fen (Toreador) Wah'Sheen (Gangrel) Laibon main article: Laibon The term "Laibon" is the name African Cainites give to themselves. These vampires have a rich culture of their own, and they divide themselves in many Legacies - which derive from the traditional clans and bloodlines. They are: Akunanse Followers of Set Guruhi Ishtarri Kinyonyi Nagloper Osebo Shango Xi Dundu Mla Watu Nkulu Zao Bonsam Impundulu Ramanga Dead Clans Clans that are believed to be extinct. Salubri: The Clan of Saulot, discoverer of Golconda. The Salubri were a clan of healers and demon-fighters. After the Tremere became vampires, the Founder Tremere sought out Saulot and diablerized him, they then launched a campaign against the clan, branding them as demon-worshippers and soul-stealers. There are only a few Salubri today. Cappadocians: The original Clan of Death, the Cappadocians were a monastic order of vampires who studied death, the soul and the Embrace. They were destroyed by Augustus Giovanni in a coup d'etat. The Cappadocians were noted for their corpselike appearance, even more so than most Vampires. Bloodlines And Antitribu In addition to the thirteen clans, there are a variety of bloodlines, who are offshoots or mutations of existing clans. These bloodlines are generally small and normally politically impotent. Examples include the Daughters of Cacophony, Kiasyd and Samedi. The Sabbat has two major clans, but in addition, members of the Camarilla clans have joined the Sabbat since there was a Sabbat (actually, technically before there was a Sabbat). These clans are called antitribu and usually differ slightly from their parent clans, either in terms of disciplines or weaknesses. Clanless In the World of Darkness, there is an increasing number of "clanless"—vampires who were abandoned by their sires immediately following the Embrace and who are ignorant of their clan status; a vampire cannot choose to become clanless. They are called Caitiff by the Camarilla, and regarded as a sign of the Masquerade spiralling out of control, therefore gaining little respect from their elders. The Sabbat, on the other hand, gladly embraces the clanless (which they call Panders) into the sect. The more superstitious see the growing numbers of these vampires as an omen of the coming Gehenna, the Final Nights of prophecy when all children of Caine will be destroyed. Culture Vampires observe a set of customs that exists somewhere between being coded into their undead natures and a social contract that’s ratified every night among the courts of the Damned. Not every vampire affords the idea of the Traditions the respect they deserve — the Sabbat in particular make bold claims about the flaws of the Traditions and the weak wills of those who hide behind them — but in practice, most vampires observe the Traditions to some extent. This is most true of the Masquerade, for as bold as the Sabbat or Anarchs may be, even they don’t have the concentrated might to stand against a world of mortals who learn the secret that the undead walk among them. Interpreting and enforcing the Traditions is the privilege and responsibility of the Cainite rulers. In some domains, particularly those of non-Camarilla Sects, both the titles and the Traditions themselves may vary, but the core principle is found everywhere: that an undead authority makes the rules and woe to any who feel that they don’t have to heed them. Morality Vampire espouses a virtue system which has changed in the various editions. The core of the system is three humane virtues: Conscience, Self-Control and Courage, rated from one to five. In addition to these virtues, all vampires have a Humanity score, rated from one to ten. Humanity is ultimately a measure of how much control a vampire has over the Beast; the lower the Humanity, the more a vampire is controlled by his appetites. The default humanity for human beings is around 7. Vampires lose humanity by committing sins; whenever a vampire does something that violates his morality, the player rolls a degeneration check. Losing the roll costs the character a point of humanity, while winning the roll maintains the morality. It should be noted that by winning, the character feels guilt - he realizes he's done something wrong. Conversely, losing means that the character is more comfortable with that sin, be it stealing a book or killing a friend. What qualifies as a sin depends on the character's morality score; as a character's humanity rises, the opportunities to degenerate become more common. In general, humanity is inimical to being a vampire - as a blood-drinking nocturnal marauder, the character must engage in a variety of socially deviant behavior. As a result, most characters drop humanity until they reach a stable, if low, level. Low humanity has gameplay effects; a character cannot roll more dice on a social roll involving people than his humanity score. The remainder drop all the way to zero, Wassail, storyteller control and a violent death. Humanity is not the only moral path available. The Sabbat and independent clans espouse Paths of Enlightenment, which outline alien and rigid moralities strongly divorced from the human norm. These are descended from the Dark Ages Roads, but are generally not practiced by Camarilla vampires.
Kindred - Special Rules
decrease depending on the actions of the Kindred. For each dot of Hunger a Kindred possess he must substitute a black dice for a red one for all of his rolls with the exception of Special Attributes, Willpower or Humanity. A Kindred must test to see if his Hunger increases under the following circumstances:- He is performing a Rouse Check.
- He is exposed to the Scent of blood. Note richer or larger quantities of Blood may result in several Hunger tests.
- He had voluntarily or involuntarily parted with some of his own blood.
- He is under a supernatural influence
Rousing the Blood - special test
Rousing the blood forces the kindred to potentially use up some of their precious vitae to perform unique actions, activate their disciplines or reign in their inner beast. Each Rouse check demands a red dice be rolled. If a failure or skull is rolled then the Vampires hunger increases by 1. If a success or critical success is rolled than nothing happens. Rouse checks are usually made under the following circumstances:- The kindred must perform a single Rouse check every sunset before waking up.
- The kindred must perform a Rouse check whenever activating any of their special abilities or disciplines if so advised.
Blood Drunk - special condition
A Kindred can sometimes overindulge themselves on vitae and enter a state referred to as Blood Drunk. This state only occurs if a Kindred starts to feed when he has no real need for it. It only affects those kindred who feed after reaching 0 Hunger. To begin with a Kindred must pass a Willpower test of a 5. If the test is passed nothing happens. If the test is failed than for the rest of the evening the Kindred will automatically increase their Hunger by 1 for every Skull result on a red dice on any of his tests. While Blood Drunk however the Kindred counts as having Blush of Life constantly active for free. The effects of Blood Drunk usually last for the rest of the night or until the storyteller deems it appropriate to end.Undead Resilience - special innate ability
Vampires are undead creatures and reduce any damage done to them by 1 level of severity (to a minimum of Superficial) unless they are being damaged by a bane or specifically advised otherwise by the Storyteller.In addition to this Vampires do not need to breath, can only be poisoned by supernatural means, will not be inconvenienced by cold or heat unless facing extremes, do not get tired, are not impacted by the Bleeding Condition, are not bothered by their mayor organs being damaged (with the exception of the heart) and will not fall unconscious unless entering Torpor. Vampires cannot heal as normal living creatures do and can only restore health with the use of the Reknit Undead Flesh power which is universally available to all vampires.
Torpor - special condition
Depending on the situation a vampire can enter a state referred to as Torpor. While in Torpor a vampire is completely unaware of his surroundings, is unable to move or defend himself. Once he enters Torpor a vampire can only be awakened by the blood from a Kindred with a higher blood potency level than himself. A vampire can enter torpor due to one of the following situations:- The kindred voluntarily enters torpor through a process of deep mediation (only available to those of blood potency of 5 or higher).
- A kindred who is staked through the heart will enter torpor and cannot be reawakened as per normal unless the stake is removed first.
- A kindred who has reached Hunger 5 but was unable to satisfy his Hunger until Sunrise will enter torpor.
- A kindred who has had his last hit box market by Aggravated damage will enter torpor.
Vampiric Banes - special innate banes
Vampires have a number of banes which affect them in different ways. These are:- The Bane of Sunlight: Any vampire exposed to direct sunlight will suffer 1 point of Lethal damage per dot in Blood Potency. A Vampire damaged by sunlight must pass a Willpower test (5) or Rötschreck Frenzy.
- The Bane of Fire: Any damage done to a vampire by fire will always be treated as 1 severity level higher than normal. A Vampire damaged by fire must pass a Willpower test (3) or Rötschreck Frenzy.
- The Bane of Animals: Animals instinctively sense a vampire's predatory nature and are at best wary of them or at worst outright aggressive.
- The Bane of Wine & Bread: Vampires cannot consume human food and if they attempt to do so must pass progressively more difficult Stamina + Survival rolls to see if they throw it up. If they do throw is up they automatically increase their Hunger by 1.
- The Bane of the Wyrm: Vampires are marked by the Wyrm. This can be sensed by other supernatural creatures with the capacity to do so. For all intense and purposes all Vampires are treated as being Level 1 Wyrm Corruption.
- The Bane of Adam: Vampires look drained and have an unhealthy complexion. Although easily disregarded by most mortals, anyone privy to their secrets will be able to pick out Vampires from a crowd. In addition, Vampires do not heal as mortals do and unless using their vampiric abilities will never heal passively.
- The Bane of Eve: Vampires are cold to the touch and cannot use touch screen based electronic devices as their bodies have no innate electrical impulses to be able to interact with such devices.
Feeding - special action
Vampires feed to sustain themselves. A vampire can feed from a number of different vessels depending on his Blood Potency level. Generally the higher a blood potency level is the less and less vessels a vampire can feed from different sources. In general a blood potency 1 vampire can feed from:- Corpse Blood (deceased for more than 15 minutes and no longer than 5 hours)
- Bagged Blood
- Animal Blood
- Mortals - Humans
- Ghouls
- Thinbloods
- Other Kindred (Blood Potency 1-5)
- Other Kindred (Blood Potency 6-10)
- Adult humans - 5 Blood Points
- Human child - 3 Blood Points
- Infant - 1 Blood Point
- Barn animal (cow, horse, ox) - 20 Blood Points
- Rat - 1 Blood Point
- Dog - 3 Blood Points
- Garou - 10 Blood Points
- Changeling - 5 Blood Points
- Mage - 5 Blood Points
- Blood Bag - 1 Blood Point
- Adult human corpse - 3 Blood Points (depends on the method and time of death)
- Other Kindred - 1 Blood Point + 1 for each unmarked Hunger box
Feeding from rich sources of Blood
Corpse Blood, Bagged Blood, Animal Blood, Mortals - Humans and Ghouls are considered to be general sources of feeding and so for each Turn the Vampire spends feeding they slake 1 Point of Hunger. Thin Bloods and other Kindred have a richer form of blood and so they slake more points of Hunger per Turn than normal (up to the Storyteller to determine). unforeseenResonance - special advantage
Whenever a vampire feeds he takes in a portion of the essence of the target he feed from. While it is ultimately up to the story teller to describe how that bonus can be applied provided bellow are a few quick references. Note that the resonance rule will only come into effect if the vampire feeds from a target following his preferred feeding method.- Fitness trainer, jogger, health nut – add +1 to athletics
- Boxer, martial artist, street thug – add +1 to brawl
- Carpenter, blacksmith, builder – add +1 to craft
- Bus driver, street racer, Uber driver – add +1 to drive
- Cop, soldier, hunter – add +1 to firearms
- Pickpocket, magician, thief – add +1 to Larceny
- Swordsman, medieval enthusiast, samurai – add +1 to melee
- Camouflage instructor, ninja, spy – add +1 to stealth
- Hobo, scout, outdoorsmen – add +1 to survival
- Farmer, dog breeder, stable hand – add +1 to animal ken
- Councillor, psychiatrist, youth worker – add +1 to empathy
- Social studies teacher, political advisor, social mover – add +1 to insight
- Thug, bully, torturer – add +1 to intimidation
- Sergeant, captain, mob boss – add +1 to leadership
- Pole dancer, painter, singer – add +1 to expression
- Salesperson, negotiator, merchant – add +1 to persuasion
- Homeless, street urchin, drug dealer – add +1 to streetwise
- Lawyer, telemarketer, fraudster – add +1 to subterfuge
- Student, teacher, tutor – add +1 to academics
- Lifeguard, patrol officer, guard, – add +1 to awareness
- Banker, CEO, accountant – add +1 to finance
- Detective, investigator, forensic specialist – add +1 to investigation
- Doctor, vet, nurse – add +1 to medicine
- Cultist, warlock, occult fan – add +1 to occult
- Politician, president, diplomat – add +1 to politics
- Researcher, field expert, lab technician – add +1 to research
- Engineer, Software designer, Mechanic – add +1 to technology
- Animal, corpse, or blood bag – no bonuses
- Other Supernatural Creatures - up to the Storyteller to determine
Basic Kindred powers/disciplines
Unless stated otherwise all Kindred possess the following powers - disciplines. A Kindred can always maintain X amount of Disciplines at any one time where X is equal to his current Blood Potency level. Disciplines which are categorized as upgrades do not count towards this number.Blush of Life
Using the power, he has over his own blood, the Vampire forces his heart to pump and send vitae through his body. This creates an illusion of a healthy pallor and the Vampire becomes less pale, his skin is now warm to the touch, he imitates breathing and he can use devices like touch screens as his body now generates the electrical impulses required for their normal operation.- Type: Power
- Tag: Physical
- Range & Targets: Targets only the Vampire himself.
- Cost: 1 Rouse Check + 1 Action
- Conditions: Must not be at Hunger 4.
- Risk: This power is meant to make Vampires blend in more easily. To an onlooker the Vampire’s skin changes from pale to more lifelike and they become warm to the touch.
- Test: None.
- Resistance Roll: None.
- Duration: 1 Scene.
Reknit Undead Flesh
Vampires do not have natural healing abilities, due to this a Vampire must focus the power over his vitae into healing bruised and damaged flesh, reknitting broken bones and more. health box- Type: Power
- Tag: Physical
- Range & Targets: Targets only the Vampire himself.
- Cost: 1 Rouse Check + 2 Actions
- Conditions: Must not be at Hunger 4.
- Risk: To an onlooker the Vampire’s flesh heals with supernatural speed. If the Vampire is healing broken bone than snaps of bone and tendon can also be heard.
- Test: If the Vampire fails his rouse check he only heals half as much damage as he normally would (rounding up).
- Resistance Roll: None.
- Duration: Damage is permanently healed.
Blood Surge
The Vampire focuses the power of the blood to temporarily enhance his abilities. Gain a number of Bonus Points for a roll as advised by your Blood Potency table.- Type: Reflexive
- Tag: Physical
- Range & Targets: Targets only the Vampire himself.
- Cost: 1 Rouse Check
- Conditions: Must not be at Hunger 4.
- Risk: This power is very hard to spot for those who do not use it themselves. It manifests as a temporary increase in the user’s capabilities, easily dismissed as simply misjudging someone initially.
- Test: None
- Resistance Roll: None.
- Duration: 1 Test.
Create Ghoul
A Vampire who feeds some of his vitae to a human (and in some cases an animal) can potentially create a Ghoul. A Ghoul is in most cases completely loyal to his Vampire master, will not age and is even to a degree augmented by his sires’ power. Ghouls are addicted to their master’s vitae overtime solidifying their loyalty even more. To create a Ghoul the Vampire must feed some of his blood to a human. If successful than the Ghoul must be feed continuously once per week. Ghouls follow their own rules which have their own sub class. If the Ghoul remains in one Vampire’s service for over a year than he will develop a single discipline possessed by his master (Single Dot discipline only). If the Ghoul cannot get any more vitae from his master, or another Kindred, for over a month than in a course of a week his actual age will catch up to him.- Type: Ritual
- Tag: Physical, Spiritual and Mental
- Range & Targets: Affects a single mortal who must feed from the Vampire.
- Cost: 1 Rouse Check initially and 1 Rouse Check each time the Ghoul is fed.
- Conditions: The Vampire must be able to convince or force a human to partake in his vitae. This power cannot be attempted twice on the same target in 24 hours if it already failed once.
- Risk: The act of feeding a mortal your blood is very obvious to an onlooker, however once the Ghoul is fed the effects of the power is only visible to someone who is able to see someone’s aura/spiritual essence.
- Test: Willpower Roll
- Resistance Roll: Willpower Roll
- Duration: If the human succeeds in his resistance roll than the effect does not take. If it is a draw than the effects are temporary and only last for 1 day. If the Vampire wins than he has created a Ghoul although some semblance of individuality remains. If the Vampire losses by 3 successes than he cannot blood bond the human for 1 month. If the Vampire wins by 3 successes than he creates an incredibly loyal servant with the human’s old individuality being second to their loyalty to their new master. If the Vampire forgoes feeding his Ghoul than the bond will weaken each week and if the Ghoul is not feed for a month than the bond between master and servant is broken.
Blood Bonding
A Vampire may blood bound another Kindred to his service by feeding them his vitae. If the initial test proves successful, the bound Kindred will carry out any orders given by his new master but can voluntarily perform Willpower checks (vs your Willpower) when ordered to do something that would outright endanger the Kindred or goes against his morals. The Kindred cannot attack the Vampire it is Blood Bonded to under any circumstance short of being manipulated by a 3rd party. If the bond is to be maintained the Vampire must feed its Kindred on a regular basis depending on the targets Willpower rating.- Type: Ritual
- Tag: Physical, Mental and Spiritual
- Range & Targets: Affects a single Kindred who must feed from the Vampire.
- Cost: 1 Rouse Check initially and 1 Rouse Check each time the Kindred is fed.
- Conditions: The Vampire must be able to convince or force another Vampire to partake in his vitae. This power cannot be attempted twice on the same target in 24 hours if it already failed once.
- Risk: The act of feeding another Kindred your blood is very obvious to an onlooker, however once the Kindred is fed the effects of the power is only visible to someone who is able to see someone’s aura/spiritual essence.
- Test: Willpower Roll
- Resistance Roll: Willpower Roll
- Duration: The strength of this Ritual depends on the targets base Willpower level. If the test is failed the ritual does not take effect. Willpower 1-3: no further feeding is required to stabilize the bond and the target needs to be feed once per week to maintain the bond.
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Willpower 4-6: the target needs to be feed the vitae on at least two more occasions for the next 2 days to stabilize the bond and then feed once per week to maintain it. While the bond is not stabilized the other Vampire can ignore commands on a successful Willpower check (5).
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Willpower 7-10: the target must be feed blood daily and the Vampire can ignore commands on a successful Willpower check (3).
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Note: vampires who are voluntarily blood bonded are treated as being willpower 1 for the purposes of the blood bond.
Blood Potency
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