# [[88 Lore Sheets|Lore Sheets]] ## The Bahari [[39 Vampires|Vampire]] adherents of the Path of Lilith, otherwise known as the Lilin, Lilitu, or Bahari, revere the progenitor vampire as primal femininity. They believe Lilith is the first, usurped vampire, the mother who births the [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Vitae|vitae]], and that all [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] are her children. Stagnant, patriarchal vampire society perpetuates the lie of [[46 The Blood#Caine and the Second Generation Myths|Caine]] as progenitor. $\quad$The Bahari seek enlightenment through pain and conflict, turning this masochistic urge into the strength to endure and overcome. As Lilith rebelled against God’s commands and fought against her curse, her followers defeat the weaknesses and curses upon them to become something else. Some Bahari lead other Kindred to enlightenment, others become perfected predators. Bahari deprecate compassion in favor of fleshly pleasure, transient love, and strict parenthood over lesser Kindred. $\quad$As a Bahari, you fulfill the role of torturer, student, teacher, or lover to other Kindred. All evidence you have seen points to Lilith as the first, usurped vampire. Or perhaps you secretly adhere to the Church of Caine and gnaw at the Bahari from inside out. ### Lore ⬤ **Dangerous Reputation**: Bahari intimidate vampires not of their order. Vampire believers in the [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Cainite|Cainite]] mythos feel uncomfortable in your presence. Once per [[22 Time|story]], you may add two dice to Intimidation pools in tests against Caine-worshipers, assuming they know of your allegiance. ⬤ ⬤ **Ritual Scarification**: You know pain leads to enlightenment. Specifically, the Lilitu preach that bringing one’s physical shell to the extremes of sensation grants greater insight. Once per [[22 Time|session]], you may scar yourself with one point of Aggravated [[25 Conflicts#Damage|damage]] to recover a level of [[32 Core Traits#Willpower|Willpower]] damage: superficial or Aggravated. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Sacrifice the Children**: The Bahari believe both in [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Sire|siring]] [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Childe|childer]] and sacrifice. Faithful Bahari know the ultimate sacrifice is the murder of their own childe. If you diablerize your childe, you gain three extra dice in your [[49 Humanity|Humanity]] + [[46 The Blood#Blood Potency|Blood Potency]] dice pool to absorb [[52 Disciplines|Disciplines]] (see Diablerie, [[48 States of Damnation#Diablerie|p. 234]]). ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **The Womb’s Blood**: Bahari consider fertility and sex sources of strength, with some factions placing special prominence on blood or vitae taken from the womb. Once per story, after [[45 Slaking Hunger|drinking blood]] from the uterus, you receive an additional two dots in either [[32 Core Traits#Stamina|Stamina]] or [[32 Core Traits#Resolve|Resolve]] (thus increasing Health or Willpower by two) until the dawn. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **First-Cursed**: Lilith’s worshipers maintain that she was the first living being cursed by God, before Adam, Eve, or Caine. The Bahari strive to emulate Lilith’s lesser curse, and in so doing find their Cainite weaknesses lessened. You retain your clan bane, but you can now walk in the first hour of daylight and final hour of dusk; you can also engage in intercourse without [[44 Rousing the Blood|Rousing the Blood]]. However, you radiate danger: the equivalent of the Obvious Predator (⬤ ⬤) Flaw. All Social tests to ostracize or slander you have their [[23 Simple Tests#Difficulties|Difficulty]] reduced by one. Finally, any vampire assessing you with Auspex immediately suffers migraine-like headaches; their Resolve and Willpower drop by half your Resolve (rounded up) for one [[22 Time|scene]]. ## Theo Bell Long-seen as the [[06 The Camarilla|Camarilla’s]] loyal lapdog, Theo’s recent defection to the [[06 The Camarilla#The Anarch Movement|Anarch Movement]] triggered shockwaves still felt throughout Camarilla [[73 The Feudal System#Domains|domains]]. It was Theo Bell who served at the whims of the [[18 Ventrue|Ventrue]] [[88 Lore Sheets#Descendant of Hardestadt (Ventrue Characters Only)|Hardestadt]] and Jan Pieterzoon for years, even begrudgingly taking up arms for the Lasombra Marcus Vitel in recent years. It was also Theo Bell who fired the first shot at the Convention of Prague, ultimately causing Hardestadt’s and Pieterzoon’s deaths. $\quad$[[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] gossip these nights positions Theo Bell as an unwilling messiah among the Anarchs. He desires no position of leadership; he just got sick of bending over for blue bloods and snapped. His actions compelled hundreds of [[12 Brujah|Brujah]] to follow suit, taking out the [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Prince|Princes]] who long lorded over them and forming Anarch bastions alongside the [[13 Gangrel|Gangrel]]. $\quad$Despite his notoriety, Theo still acts as liaison between high-status Camarilla and Anarchs, for the sole reason that he brooks no shit at meetings. He short-circuits [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^TheSabbat|Sabbat]] ambushes, quells any Anarch riots, and shuts down Camarilla extortion and coercion. As a mediator, Theo’s judgement cannot be faulted. ### Lore ⬤ **Rebel Cell**: You command a pack of rebellious mortals and fuel their fire with something that keeps them fighting. Perhaps you feed them [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Vitae|vitae]] or maybe you embody their ideals. Either way, these rebels (a three-dot Ally group equivalent) perform a single dangerous task for you without your presence, before disbanding until the next [[22 Time|story]]. ⬤ ⬤ **True Anarch**: You were an Anarch before Bell led an army of Camarilla Brujah into the Anarch Movement, and you resent these tagalongs joining the Anarchs just as they grow popular. You have records, names, places, and dates about who the rebels were and are, fed to you by the Man or gathered personally. Either way, you get two automatic successes on any Investigation test concerning vampires who defected to the Anarch Movement. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Contact Information**: Whether by dead drop, messenger, or arcane means, you can get word to Theo. Whether he responds, or even listens, depends on the message and your earlier interactions, but if he likes what you have to say, he might be able to move mountains. The precise game effects of a message to Theo are up to the [[02 Roleplaying and Storytelling#The Storyteller|Storyteller]]. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Bell’s Circle**: Theo trusts you, perhaps because of your earlier revolutionary actions or because you manipulated your way into his good graces. Bell is equivalent to a five-dot [[35 Advantages#Mawla|Mawla]], but your association with him also has many drawbacks. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Sect Neutrality**: Following Theo Bell’s lead, you have a small contingent of a few Brujah loyal to your vision, and you can influence them in any direction: the Camarilla, the Anarchs, or even to form a smaller subsect neutral amidst the [[05 Jyhad|Jyhad]]. You may resent their existence or take pride in your following. Not mindless disciples, these Kindred keep track of favors granted. But until they rebel against you, you have five dots to spend among [[35 Advantages#Contacts|Contacts]], [[35 Advantages#Haven|Haven]] (safe houses), Mawla, and [[35 Advantages#Retainers|Retainers]]. ## Cainite Heresy At the beginnings of Christianity, Gnostic heretics and [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] exchanged information and [[46 The Blood|Blood]], creating the Cainite Heresy: the belief that [[46 The Blood#Caine and the Second Generation Myths|Caine]] was the true messiah, Christ was the Second Caine, and [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Cainite|Cainites]] are His angels on Earth, opposing the wicked Demiurge: the “God” of the Old Testament. [[88 Lore Sheets#The First Inquisition|The Inquisition]] burned the Heresy to its roots in the 15th century – but roots can grow back, if watered. $\quad$The antinomianism of the [[06 The Camarilla#The Anarch Movement|Anarch Revolt]] and the millenarianism of [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Gehenna|Gehenna’s]] rising fertilized the Heresy in the last century. [[39 Vampires|Vampires]] who use the Heresy to subvert human faiths and Cainites who truly believe in their divine mission evangelize the Heresy throughout Anarch circles. ### Lore ⬤ **Let He Who Hath Understanding**: [[02 Roleplaying and Storytelling#The Storyteller|The Storyteller]] will give you one clue freely to understand, investigate, or detect the Heresy’s actions or plans, now or in previous centuries. You can use this lore once per [[22 Time|story]]. ⬤ ⬤ **Hand of the Heresy**: Take a total of three dots from among [[35 Advantages#Allies|Allies]], [[35 Advantages#Herd|Herd]], [[35 Advantages#Mawla|Mawla]], or [[35 Advantages#Retainers|Retainers]] to represent your role in the city’s Heretical deaconate. For example, if you took Herd and Mawla, you might bless a small cult of human worshipers and have a renowned scholar of the Heresy as your teacher. You also have the Dark Secret Flaw (Heresy) in some domains. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Counter-Inquisition**: You can smell [[50 True Faith|True Faith]] on a human; if you need to test to do so, your pool is [[32 Core Traits#Resolve|Resolve]] + your highest rating in Cainite Heresy. You might also oppose the Heresy, and instead use this gift to know who to trust. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Red Celebrant**: You know the rituals and the specific dosages to induce the Red Pentecost in a human congregation: a kind of ecstatic religious version of the frenzy. During the Red Pentecost, humans act according to their worst natures. You can procure enough herbs and fungi for one ceremony per story; the Red Ceremony requires a Hunger check and may trigger frenzy in Kindred participants. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **The One Named in Prophecy**: You are a linchpin of the Heresy’s plans: perhaps they consider you an avatar of Caine, you possess the only copy of the Testimony of St. Panteleimon, or your vitae is the only effective sacrifice to Ialdabaoth to propitiate or distract the Demiurge. Every informed member of the Heresy, and many who simply want to curry favor with the Anarchs, know your role. Once per story, you can use this fact to dictate the winner of a Social [[25 Conflicts|conflict]] if you can give a plausible reason for that outcome. ## Carna Once Prince of Marseilles and Primogen of Milwaukee, Carna ultimately formed her own splinter cell from [[11 Clans|Clan]] [[17 Tremere|Tremere]]. House Carna (as other Tremere dub it) speaks for freedom from the [[48 States of Damnation#The Blood Bond|Blood Bond]] and against the tyranny of the Pyramid and the hard-coded misogyny present in the Tremere. Around the time the Pyramid’s head in Vienna intended to drop the axe on Carna and her band of rebels, the [[01 A World of Darkness#The Second Inquisition|Second Inquisition]] paid a visit to the Great [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Chantry|Chantry]]. $\quad$Without the shadow of the Pyramid, House Carna draws increasing numbers of [[06 The Camarilla#The Anarch Movement|Anarchs]] and disenfranchised [[06 The Camarilla|Camarilla]]. Carna seeks no followers, but she recognizes them for their value. Carna didn’t survive 600 years by ignoring possible danger; she believes it’s only a matter of time before Tremere himself appears to curse her to ash. Until then, she pushes as hard as possible for a modernization and feminization of Clan Tremere. ### Lore ⬤ **Embrace the Vision**: You are fully committed to Carna’s vision for a new Tremere clan and find yourself possessed of a greater sense of self-belief in the presence of your fellow sub-faction [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]]. When around other members of House Carna, you have one additional die for all [[32 Core Traits#Willpower|Willpower]] tests. ⬤ ⬤ **The Rebel Trail**: You followed Carna’s trail after her initial breakage from Clan Tremere, soaking up the feelings of rebellion and freedom. You resolve to never be a [[46 The Blood|Blood]] slave again. Whenever at risk of becoming Blood Bound, you may make a Willpower test (with a [[23 Simple Tests#Difficulties|Difficulty]] equal to the [[46 The Blood#Blood Potency|Blood Potency]] of the ingested [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Vitae|vitae]]) to ignore it. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Unorthodox Rituals**: Carna gives of her sanity or her soul to fuel her magic, instead of divesting her vitae in Hermetic orthodoxy. Your understanding of her process enables you to perform rituals in the same way. You can perform one known [[64 Rituals|ritual]] per [[22 Time|story]] without the need to expend Blood, but on a [[42 Hunger Dice#Messy Critical|messy critical]], you also become deranged in some way (typically becoming intensely paranoid or fearful of blood) until the end of the story. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Reimagined Bond**: You have studied Carna’s magic and her unusual method of reimagining the vinculum, and you can extend the effects of her ritual to others. Having sex with a target, mortal or undead, creates a Blood Bond between the partner, yourself, and Carna, despite Carna’s absence. Repeated sexual encounters strengthen the Blood Bond, as per the normal Bond. You can thus circumvent the [[17 Tremere#Bane|Tremere clan bane]], but the Bond only lasts until the conclusion of the story. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Book of the Grave-War**: According to rumor, the tome known as the *Book of the Grave-War* allowed Carna to break her Bond to Clan Tremere. You own a copy, granting you one automatic success on all [[32 Core Traits#Occult|Occult]] tests pertaining to [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Gehenna|Gehenna]], its prevention, and breaking the shackles binding vampires to their elders. The book makes you unbondable for as long as you retain it and follow its arcane teachings. However, Tremere seek to destroy you and the book; the Storyteller can also penalize you one die on any Social or Mental test affected by your ongoing paranoia. ## The Circulatory System The exploration of blood and its [[47 You Are What You Eat#Resonance|Resonances]] has spawned rings of [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] eager for knowledge, power, and profit. The international human trafficking network known as *the Circulatory System* smuggle important [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Vessel|vessels]] between [[73 The Feudal System#Domains|domains]] and [[79 Chronicles|chronicle]] the powers of the blood vintages they move. $\quad$The Circulatory System care little for the long-term well-being of their vessels, beyond the dip in profits they suffer when such [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kine|kine]] die prematurely. Many Kindred can look past such minor issues to the pioneering studies the System makes possible by unlocking new and valuable features of the [[46 The Blood|Blood]]. $\quad$Your relationship with the Circulatory System may be as a trafficker, a client, or even as a former mortal vessel turned [[39 Vampires|vampire]]. You may detest the faction’s exploitative practices or see their potential and crave a taste of their operations. ### Lore ⬤ **Tap into the System**: Once per [[22 Time|story]], you can request specific blood vessels from the Circulatory System to convey certain abilities – or to provide for a [[18 Ventrue|Ventrue]] who finds their feeding preference neglected in the domain. ⬤ ⬤ **Little Black Book**: You have come into the possession of one of the System’s little black books. These books contain records of blood experiments and theories on the power of select vessels’ blood. [[02 Roleplaying and Storytelling#The Storyteller|The Storyteller]] determines the book’s accuracy on specific matters; in general, it adds one die to [[32 Core Traits#Investigation|Investigation]], Alchemy, [[32 Core Traits#Medicine|Medicine]], or [[32 Core Traits#Science|Science]] tests to track down or test a specific vintage. It also cuts the time to research a new two-dot or three-dot [[65 Thin-Blood Alchemy|thin-blood Alchemy]] formula in half. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Farm Upstate**: You know where the System keeps a farm of valuable vessels: mortals with blood potent enough to convey benefits to Kindred drinkers. You can raid the farm, lease specific vessels at cost, or try to muscle your way in. These vessels are equivalent to four dots of [[35 Advantages#Herd|Herd]], but you can only feed from them once per week unless you overtly take over the farm. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Secure Transit**: The Circulatory System uses armored vans and armed ghoul drivers to transport vessels from A to B. These protected modes of transit are more than simple security vans; they bristle with weapons and sometimes contain incredibly valuable vessels destined for important buyers. You have access to one of these vans. Whether you’re riding up front as a legitimate driver or have successfully hijacked one of these vans, you may arrange secure travel for one or more Kindred with little effort. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Blood Sommelier**: You know the Circulatory System’s secret methods for taste, analysis, and refinement, and you can replicate them. Perhaps you own a blood laboratory, have an alchemist or blood sorcerer on call, or you just stay au courant on aficionado gossip. You can add two dice to any test to discover the Resonance of blood, and you can select three dots of [[35 Advantages#Contacts|Contacts]], [[35 Advantages#Allies|Allies]], or Haven [[35 Advantages#Merits|Merits]] to explain your knowledge. Once per story, you can ask the Storyteller the properties of the most valuable vessel’s blood. ## Convention of Thorns You are a scholar of the Convention of Thorns, at which vampires of all [[11 Clans|clans]] arranged the formation of the [[06 The Camarilla|Camarilla]]. Perhaps you descend from one of the most important participants who spoke up at the convention, voicing their proposals for the new [[06 The Camarilla#The Six Traditions|Traditions]]. Maybe you study this historical period avidly, in search of higher meaning or understanding of the laws that govern [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] society today. $\quad$You can recite the names of [[39 Vampires|vampires]] who attended, the iterations of the Traditions proposed at the convention, and even know some of the hidden proposals between clans that deigned not to join the Camarilla at that time. Knowledge of the Convention of Thorns can still be used to this night to apply pressure to Camarilla and [[06 The Camarilla#The Anarch Movement|Anarchs]] alike. ### Lore ⬤ **Thorns Historian**: The Convention of Thorns was a complex, moving beast of diplomacy. Hundreds of small meetings took place between representatives of this clan or that, forging pacts that lasted years, decades, or centuries in some cases. You possess an encyclopedic knowledge of the convention’s minor meetings, and you can call on this knowledge to apply legal pressures on the participants or their descendants, where pacts may still be in force but not practiced or revoked without consent of all parties. Once per [[22 Time|story]], you can ask the [[02 Roleplaying and Storytelling#The Storyteller|Storyteller]] for a piece of known information regarding the convention. ⬤ ⬤ **Tradition Master**: The six Traditions the Camarilla cling to tonight were first codified and agreed upon at the Convention of Thorns. Your knowledge of the convention extends to multiple apocryphal or proposed Traditions, some of which nearly passed. Once per [[79 Chronicles|chronicle]], you can exercise fringe laws in [[73 The Feudal System#Domains|domains]] where the ruling clans may still be sympathetic to the unaccepted Traditions of Thorns. Example pseudo-Traditions might include: Kindred in this domain are only permitted one [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^TheEmbrace|Embrace]]; all law enforcement is forbidden as feeding stock; combat in [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Elysium|Elysium]] is punishable by [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^FinalDeath|Final Death]]; [[48 States of Damnation#Diablerie|diablerie]] is permitted against any [[19 The Caitiff|Caitiff]] discovered in this domain; etc. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Convention Secrets**: The Ministry declined an invitation to join as the eighth pillar clan; the Lasombra rejected the Camarilla when it refused to acknowledge the existence of [[46 The Blood#Third Generation Antediluvians|Antediluvians]]. You have uncovered still-more obscure secret proposals from the Convention: the Cappadocian petition to join, the [[14 Malkavian|Malkavians’]] symbol draft, and more. You can drop enough hints to always take a one-die bonus to Social tests involving Kindred who were present at the convention. You also know a number of major secrets, each worth a [[70 Systems of the Blood#Boons|Major Boon]] to some powerful [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Cainite|Cainite]]. Once per story, you can ask the Storyteller for the name of a Kindred who needs your knowledge. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Prospective Justicar**: The Camarilla Justicars first received appointment during the Convention of Thorns. No matter your political allegiance, somehow you (or your sire, if you are far too young) have powerful support to become the next Justicar of your clan. If your clan is not one represented widely in the Camarilla, perhaps this appointment signals a sea change among the [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Sect|sect’s]] clans. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **New Traditions**: Your knowledge of the Convention of Thorns is such that you can compile enough evidence and support to propose a new Tradition, or an amendment to an existing one, to the Camarilla’s Inner Circle. This Tradition may be accepted if it sounds sensible and helps the increasingly strict Camarilla in the world tonight, or it may mark you as a firebrand and danger to the sect. Importantly, your voice will be heard without prior judgment. ## The First Inquisition You know what lit the fires of the First Inquisition that raged from the Middle Ages through to the Renaissance. Perhaps an ancestor spoke in fear of those nights. Maybe you own texts chronicling those terrible times or you have designs on recreating them by turning the church against your enemies. $\quad$Your knowledge of the Inquisition is such that you may have capacity to manipulate the [[01 A World of Darkness#The Second Inquisition|Second Inquisition]] of tonight, though their methods and some beliefs have changed. You know how best to evade the group and how to turn them against your foes. Such actions do not come without risk, just as your ancestors who attempted the same feat discovered. ### Lore ⬤ **Mistakes of the Past**: You know [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] history and can cite chapter and verse of the [[73 The Feudal System#Domains|domains]] and [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Prince|Princes]] the Inquisition destroyed in its original incarnation. You can educate any [[39 Vampires|vampire]] on the Inquisition’s historic dangers. Once per [[22 Time|story]], you can ask the [[02 Roleplaying and Storytelling#The Storyteller|Storyteller]] for one piece of information regarding the original Inquisition. ⬤ ⬤ **Names of the Guilty**: Your knowledge of vampire and Inquisition relations extends to include Kindred manipulators. Though most are dead by these nights, many of their descendants survive, and they are at risk of blackmail for their sires’ treacheries. Once per story, you can ask the Storyteller for the name of one descendant of these traitors in your domain, if there is one. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **The Sect of St. James**: You have contacts who consider themselves “old Inquisitors.” The Sectus Sancti Iacomi harbors a deep resentment for their fancy modern counterparts, acting with greater fanaticism and suicidal zeal than the more controlled Second Inquisition. Their abbé is a four-dot [[35 Advantages#Contacts|Contact]], whom you can contact once per story. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **The Second Act**: You have a Contact within the Second Inquisition or the local Catholic archdiocese: a file clerk, scout hunter, exorcist, armorer, etc. You have no power over them, but you know how to pump them for information – or prime them with disinformation – if need be. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Black Spot**: You have identified a location within your domain that the Second Inquisition fears to tread. Once per story, if you or anyone targeted by the Second Inquisition hides out at this location, the hunters call off the search. This anomaly seems to be a blessing, but it does throw up the question: What is so holy or unholy about this place that it deters the greatest threat to Kindred tonight? ## Golconda Most [[39 Vampires|vampires]] claim it’s a mythical state of enlightenment, but some few claim to have reached the fabled state of [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Golconda|Golconda]] or know of others who managed it. Supposedly discovered by an ancient vampire named Saulot, Golconda is a state of perfect equilibrium between [[49 Humanity|Humanity]] and the [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^TheBeast|Beast]]. A vampire walking Golconda’s path can temper their Beast’s outrage, subdue their [[41 Hunger|Hunger]], and even stand in the daylight, or so it is said. The gifts accompanying Golconda’s achievement are great, and so many vampires make the pilgrimage. Few succeed on the journey. $\quad$The route to reaching the state of Golconda has never been accurately recorded. Indeed, Saulot’s followers claim the journey is different for every vampire, dependent on their sins. What Golconda does to a vampire when they reach it is also disputed. Some claim it leads to a state of perfect serenity, while others say it makes a vampire into a cold-blooded shark of a predator, no longer susceptible to mindless rage, but just as hungry for blood. $\quad$You may be a disciple of Golconda, a follower of Saulot’s words, or a [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] who wishes to remove the misleading veil of Golconda from other vampires’ eyes. An elusive vampire named the Master of Ravens seeks to quash the myth of Golconda once and for all, and you may serve him in this task. ### Lore ⬤ **Seeds of Golconda**: You have heard of Golconda and can educate others on its nature without seeming like a total amateur. Once per [[22 Time|story]], you can ask the [[02 Roleplaying and Storytelling#The Storyteller|Storyteller]] for guidance before taking an action, and they will tell you if that action will jeopardize the chance of pursuing Golconda. ⬤ ⬤ **The One True Way**: You own a copy of the Master of Ravens-penned “One True Way:” a treatise on the supposed realities of Golconda. This piece of work tells you that Golconda is a method to become an apex predator, rather than a spiritually redeemed monster. Once per story, this pamphlet gives you three extra dice in any Social test involving the nature of Golconda. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Saulot’s Disciple**: You cling to the ideals of Saulot: the vampire who traveled to Asia and returned bearing a third eye and the enlightenment of Golconda. You believe in Saulot’s teachings that Golconda is the ultimate way in which a Kindred can overcome their curse. You practice a dual existence, allowing your Beast and Hunger off the reins occasionally, so you can achieve serenity at other times. Whenever you willingly succumb to frenzy, make a note; you can automatically succeed on your next frenzy test. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Satisfy the Hunger**: You do not need to feed as often as other vampires. Your Golconda focus is to suppress your constant Hunger, potentially at the expense of other [[23 Simple Tests#Traits|Traits]]. Your temperance acts as an inspiration to many other vampires. Once per [[22 Time|session]], you may lower your Hunger by one (but not below one) without [[45 Slaking Hunger|feeding]]. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Greet the Sun**: You know Golconda’s secrets. You may be incapable of walking the path forever, but for as long as you do, you can brave full daylight without suffering harm. However, the night after you walk in [[46 The Blood#Sunlight|sunlight]], you wake in a [[46 The Blood#Frenzy|Hunger frenzy]]. You can do this once per story. ## Descendant of Hardestadt (Ventrue Characters Only) To hear many [[18 Ventrue|Ventrue]] tell it, Hardestadt was the most important Ventrue for eight centuries, until his destruction by [[12 Brujah|Brujah]] rebels led by the betrayer [[88 Lore Sheets#Theo Bell|Theo Bell]] during the Convention of Prague in 2012. Hardestadt was the Ventrue founder of the [[06 The Camarilla|Camarilla]], alongside six peers from other [[11 Clans|clans]], and Ventrue credit him with the [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Sect|sect’s]] strength and survival since then. $\quad$Hardestadt did not [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^TheEmbrace|Embrace]] many mortals, and oddly for a Ventrue, he never confirmed his lineage back to a [[46 The Blood#Fourth and Fifth Generations Methuselahs|Fourth Generation methuselah]]. As far as Hardestadt was concerned, he was the be-all and end-all of the Ventrue. None who came before or after could hold a candle to his achievements. ### Lore ⬤ **Voice of Hardestadt**: Hardestadt shouted often, punctuating his remarks with fist blows to tables, walls, or unfortunate [[48 States of Damnation#Ghouls|ghouls]]. Your [[46 The Blood|Blood]] allows you to speak over any noise and draw attention, whether in a buzzing meeting room or at a rave. Something in your voice allows others to hear you. Whether they go on to pay attention depends on what you say. ⬤ ⬤ **Supreme Leader**: Hardestadt’s self-confidence as a leader was in many ways his undoing, but until his [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^FinalDeath|Final Death]], it saw him rise to greatness. You can convince others to follow you into deadly situations or command from the rear, and you can send subjects to their doom to better your position. Once per [[22 Time|story]], you suffer no penalty to your [[23 Simple Tests#Pools|dice pool]] for sending people into danger. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Ventrue Pillar**: Due to your prestigious lineage, other Ventrue look to you for guidance. Regardless of your [[35 Advantages#Status|Status]] with other groups, you always have three dots of Status (⬤ ⬤ ⬤) with Ventrue. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Line to the Founders**: Hardestadt ensured his entire line could reach him when endangered. He rarely answered communications unless the situation was dire, and he punished misuse severely, but his method still holds despite his death. Once per [[79 Chronicles|chronicle]], you can call, write to, or arrange a meeting with one of the Camarilla’s founders in lieu of Hardestadt. Whether they deign to respond depends upon the importance of your request ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Hardestadt’s Heir**: You hold in your possession a signed document in which Hardestadt names you as his successor. You’re not sure what you are a successor to: mere wealth and power, Ventrue kingship, or even the Inner Circle of the Camarilla. When you take the name of “Hardestadt,” the document claims that the Camarilla shall march to the beat of your drum – and ensures that the [[06 The Camarilla#The Anarch Movement|Anarchs]] will swarm to take you down. ## Descendant of Helena (Toreador Characters Only) Some claim she dwells in the Americas, constantly at war with a rival. Others say she runs the most popular vampire nightclub in the world. A few believe she is the [[11 Clans|clan]] founder’s lover, and that she is in the process of waking the [[16 Toreador|Toreador]] [[46 The Blood#Third Generation Antediluvians|Antediluvian]]. $\quad$Beautiful and gifted, it is said none can look away from Helena unless she wills it. Mortals have died to be the first to witness her artistic creations. Her descendants all display an immense level of talent, exemplifying the traditional Toreador role. It is a stereotype few Toreador resent; Helena is a clan icon. Toreador want to get to know you, so they can get a little closer to her. ### Lore ⬤ **Skin-Deep**: No matter your standing, dropping Helena’s name in conversation with a Toreador or a [[39 Vampires|vampire]] who knows of her effectively raises your [[35 Advantages#Status|Status]] by one dot. You can drop Helena’s name once per [[22 Time|story]] for this effect, or more often to make everyone sick of you. ⬤ ⬤ **Real Talent**: Unlike other vapid Toreador relying on their faces and bodies alone, you were [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^TheEmbrace|Embraced]] for your talent. Choose one Skill from [[32 Core Traits#Craft|Craft]], [[32 Core Traits#Etiquette|Etiquette]], or [[32 Core Traits#Performance|Performance]]. Increasing this Skill costs half the [[27 Experience and Improvement|experience points]] (rounded down) that such an increase would typically cost. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Embrace the Stereotype**: When the time comes, you can play the role of shallow Toreador, surround yourself with an entourage of sycophants, and throw a party that becomes legend. Once per story, you may host a party to increase your Status and/or Influence by two dots with an invited group; the increase lasts as long as the party does. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Divine Purity**: Unlike most within Helena’s extended family, your perfection is more angelic than devilish. You can commit any sin, but you will always look innocent. Add two dice to your dice pools when making tests to avoid blame for your actions. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Succubus Club Franchise**: Helena succumbed to the Beckoning in recent years, leaving the Succubus Club in Chicago to a manager once again. She bestowed a license upon you to establish a franchised Succubus Club in your domain. This rare honor guarantees the city’s Kindred respond to your call, as every vampire Embraced in the last 200 years has heard of the Succubus Club. As long as the club remains open, the [[36 Coterie Creation#Chasse|Chasse]] rating of your [[36 Coterie Creation#Domain|coterie’s Domain]] increases by two dots. You also have four dots to select among [[35 Advantages#Resources|Resources]], [[35 Advantages#Fame|Fame]], and Status among all [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]]. ## Sect War Veteran [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^TheSabbat|The Sabbat]] and [[06 The Camarilla|Camarilla]] have ever existed at odds, but the war for North America in the 1990s and early 2000s cemented the sects as eternal blood enemies. $\quad$In a move to exterminate their foes and cement their rule over the continent, the Sabbat slaughtered their way through Camarilla and [[06 The Camarilla#The Anarch Movement|Anarch]] [[73 The Feudal System#Domains|domains]], mercilessly slaying [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] and revealing their powers to the [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kine|kine]] without hesitation. The Camarilla realized it needed to take action, and it formed a strong, militant defense led by such icons as [[88 Lore Sheets#Theo Bell|Theo Bell]]. $\quad$Though more defensive than offensive, the Camarilla reclaimed several domains across the American South, but pockets of Sabbat control remain in a few major [[72 Cities|cities]] to this night. Every [[39 Vampires|vampire]] participant has a story to tell of their involvement and the horrors they survived. ### Lore ⬤ **Survivor**: Your domain, or the domain of a vampire close to you, was scourged during the [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Sect|sect]] war. You can recount how the Sabbat and Camarilla strategized, how they warred in the city without alerting mortals, and the names of the fallen vampires caught in the middle. Once per [[22 Time|story]], you can ask the [[02 Roleplaying and Storytelling#The Storyteller|Storyteller]] for a piece of information relating to the sect war in your domain. ⬤ ⬤ **Active Participant**: No matter the sect, the war pulled in many vampires. Even independents served as mercenaries or suppliers for one or both sides. You have the scars to show for your participation. Your own sect may regard you as a war hero; the other as a war criminal. Take three dots of [[35 Advantages#Status|Status]] or [[35 Advantages#Mawla|Mawla]] to reflect your position or that of one of your comrades. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Trophy Kill**: Many notable vampires fell in the sect war, and to the Archons and Templars participating in the war, taking down a “name” on either side became a matter of competitive pride. Whether by luck or design, you are responsible for one such vampire’s death. You may wear this badge with pride or stifle the rumors, but either way, the vitae coats your hands. Once per story, you can use this legend to bypass a [[24 Contests|contest]] where it might assist, just as the Storyteller can always use it to send enemies after your head. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **No Vampire’s Land**: Kindred hit-teams on either side of the sect war ranged from domain to domain and then back across old ground as the defenders rallied. This Great War-style push-and-pull of conflict led to some vampires obsessing over domains and their hidden sanctuaries, armories, tunnel networks, and side streets. You know all the best spots in your domain and two adjacent domains for launching an ambush, hiding from attackers, restocking a militia, or making contact with mercenaries. Add two dots to your [[36 Coterie Creation#Portillon|Domain’s Portillon]], and add two dice to relevant [[32 Core Traits#Streetwise|Streetwise]], [[32 Core Traits#Larceny|Larceny]], and [[32 Core Traits#Stealth|Stealth]] [[23 Simple Tests#Pools|pools]] in two neighboring domains. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Sect Agitator**: Some vampires exist only to cause bloodshed, and you count yourself among that number. Individuals such as Lucinda of the Camarilla and Francisco Domingo de Polonia of the Sabbat spoiled for war and were left hollow when it concluded. You know all the trigger points and the correct fuse to light in order to spark a new sect war. It may be localized to a single domain at first, but once the flames start, you can fan them to extend. Add two dice to all your pools for Social tests to inflame sectarian tension. ## The Trinity [[39 Vampires|Vampires]] of a certain age remind their peers and descendants of the Golden Age of Constantinople, where the Trinity of Michael, the Dracon, and Antonius held sway. These three philosophers, a [[16 Toreador|Toreador]], Tzimisce, and [[18 Ventrue|Ventrue]] respectively, organized and upheld the vampire utopia of Constantinople. A combination of the Crusades, a [[46 The Blood#Fourth and Fifth Generations Methuselahs|Methuselah’s]] mania, and Setite corruption tore the coterie apart. Ultimately, the Dream of Constantinople, in which all vampires of disparate beliefs and practices could exist in harmony, shattered. $\quad$Some still cling to the dream and hope for the Trinity’s resurrection in some form. You may still believe the Dracon can be brought back to his former enlightenment or that one of the new trinities of Constantinople or Istanbul hold the key to the domain’s growth and revitalization. Conversely, perhaps you study the disciples of the Trinity with wary eyes, preparing to take down a colossal threat to all Traditions. ### Lore ⬤ **Constantinople**: Outside the Ashirra, vampire tradition refers to Istanbul as “Constantinople.” You are one of the few who know why. Constantinople represented everything possible in a [[72 Cities|city]] where vampires shared ideas and discussed philosophy without falling to carnage. Once per [[22 Time|story]], you can ask the [[02 Roleplaying and Storytelling#The Storyteller|Storyteller]] a question about Constantinople’s past and be given an accurate answer. ⬤ ⬤ **Antonius’ Architecture**: Renowned for his architectural skills, both political and physical, the Ventrue Antonius built the structure that held Constantinople together. To some, he fathered the Primogen ideal. You study Antonius’ methods; you can add two dice to any [[32 Core Traits#Politics|Politics]] [[23 Simple Tests#Pools|dice pool]] when making a test involving [[73 The Feudal System#Domains|domain]] government. Once per story, you can mediate and calm any court debate, quashing violence with action or profundity. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **The Dream**: For a millennium, the Trinity practiced Michael’s Dream: a vision of vampire utopia. Michael encouraged all vampires in Constantinople to learn and seek enlightenment, grow distant from the [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^TheBeast|Beast]], and become something beyond mere predators. You are a modern exponent of the dream, recognized as a Speaker of the Dream in your city. You can add one die to any [[32 Core Traits#Insight|Insight]] dice pool when testing to gauge another’s Beast. You inspire and calm souls; once per story, you can [[32 Core Traits#Spending Willpower|spend a Willpower point]] to allow another vampire to re-roll up to three dice when resisting [[46 The Blood#Frenzy|frenzy]]. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **The Dracon**: Of the Trinity, only the Tzimisce known as the Dracon survived Constantinople’s fall. Passionate and wise, the lover of both Antonius and Michael, and spiritual guide for the Trinity, the grieving Dracon fell silent for many centuries following Antonius’ murder. Rumors whisper that the Dracon reemerges now, with unclear intent. You count yourself as one of his disciples, and likely know how to find him. He counts as a five-dot [[35 Advantages#Mawla|Mawla]], assisting with spiritual and [[52 Disciplines|Discipline]] matters. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **The New Trinity**: One night, Michael’s Constantinople will be reborn, and you shall assist at the birth. You know this not from fragile ego, but from certain prophecy. You, along with two others who complement your skills without mirroring them, will rebuild Constantinople in a new city – no matter what you must do. If you earned them on the path to bringing about the New Trinity, you can remove up to five Stains per story before making a Remorse test ([[49 Humanity#Remorse|p. 239]]). ## Jeanette/Therese Voerman Since its revival, Chicago’s Succubus Club has had only one rival for nightclub of the dead: The Asylum in Los Angeles. The Voerman sisters run the joint, or joints, as the Asylum franchise now appears in regnae across America, Asia, and Europe. $\quad$Famous for both their enterprising natures and combative personalities, the Voermans loathe each other despite their success. In L.A., to “do a Voerman” is to make a member of your own [[36 Coterie Creation|coterie]] a sworn enemy. Therese and Jeanette now run separate Asylums, one in Santa Monica, another in Hollywood. They never appear in the same club. $\quad$Only the [[14 Malkavian|Malkavians]] closest to the Voermans know that Therese and Jeanette are one vampire: two distinct personalities sharing the same body. Some say she bore this condition as a mortal, while others claim there were two sisters, but one killed the other. Other rumors whisper about *another* sister, who acts as an imprisoned thrall to the Malkavian. Highly volatile, the Voermans prove that Malkavians can be as inspired and prosperous as any [[16 Toreador|Toreador]] or [[18 Ventrue|Ventrue]], but many [[06 The Camarilla#The Anarch Movement|Anarchs]] anticipate the moment that Therese and Jeanette go to war with each other. ### Lore ⬤ **Asylum Membership**: You never need to wait in a queue for entry to the Asylum, you always have one of the best seats in the house, and as long as you don’t fuck up, you may hunt there once or twice per [[22 Time|session]] ([[23 Simple Tests#Difficulties|Difficulty]] 2) without any ruffled feathers. ⬤ ⬤ **Performing Monkey**: Jeanette and Therese know you as a reliable asset, and they frequently subject you to missions ranging from serious investigations to flights of insane fancy. Although dangerous, they are generous, and they repay any [[70 Systems of the Blood#Boons|boons]] incurred. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Jeanette’s Favorite**: Jeanette Voerman, the wild child of the Voerman family, adores you, pets you, and flirts with you. Though she arguably is the less stable of the sisters, she’s also the more generous one. You may stay in the day chamber of any Asylum club if you require (if Jeanette is there, she insists you do), use the club to host your own parties, and ask for favors small and large from the Anarch Baron. Jeanette counts as a four-dot [[35 Advantages#Mawla|Mawla]], but only for the purposes of Malkavian and Anarch dealings. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Therese’s Favorite**: Therese Voerman, the upright, strict member of the Voerman family, respects and values you. Her business-oriented mind does not allow her to expend the Asylum’s resources on your luxury, but she speaks up for you in any regnum where an Asylum is present, and can school you in business and finance if you require it. She counts as a three-dot Mawla. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Asylum Operator**: Jeanette or Therese permit you to franchise an Asylum club in your domain. As long as the club remains open, you have four dots to spend on [[35 Advantages#Haven|Haven]], [[35 Advantages#Herd|Herd]], [[35 Advantages#Resources|Resources]], or the [[36 Coterie Creation#Chasse|Chasse]] of your [[36 Coterie Creation#Domain|Domain]]; depending on your club’s focus, which may be changed over time. Whether the club is an [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Elysium|Elysium]] is up to you. ## The Week of Nightmares [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] debate when exactly the *Week of Nightmares* fell, with some claiming it landed just prior to the turn of the millennium, while others conflate it with the supposed commencement of [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Gehenna|Gehenna]]. In truth, the “Week” of Nightmares sprawled across years, sweeping up several thousand [[39 Vampires|vampires]] in its wave. During the Week, an impossibly ancient vampire arose and purged its own clan: the Ravnos. [[20 The Thin-Blooded|Thin-blooded]] vampires emerged with omens and portents as the Red Star, Anthelios, blazed in the night sky. $\quad$You witnessed the mania of the Week of Nightmares and survived it, manipulated the chaos to your own advantage, or you studied the actions of those who did. Now you watch for signs of dooms to come. ### Lore ⬤ **Oral History**: You have heard and told the tale of the Week of Nightmares countless times, and you know exactly what to embellish and which parts to conceal. Your telling of the tale is popular in [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Elysium|Elysia]], where you are sometimes invited to speak as historian and entertainer. Important Kindred from all over come to hear your retelling. Add three dice to [[32 Core Traits#Performance|Performance]] [[23 Simple Tests#Pools|dice pools]] to [[23 Simple Tests|tests]] to tell the [[22 Time|story]]. ⬤ ⬤ **Ravnos Remains**: Prior to the Week of Nightmares, the Ravnos were a [[11 Clans|clan]] – now, they are little more than a bloodline. You know some Ravnos remnants and perhaps share their grudge against the [[13 Gangrel|Gangrel]] who left them to annihilation. You have three dots of [[35 Advantages#Mawla|Mawla]] representing this group of contacts. They carry news and warnings to you, and can perhaps be convinced to cast mighty illusions once per [[79 Chronicles|chronicle]], but association with them is frowned upon, if discovered. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **I Was There**: You didn’t just hear about it, you were on the front line. Your reputation as a survivor and on-the-spot veteran of the Week of Nightmares grants you [[35 Advantages#Status|Status]] among Kindred historians, occultists, Ravnos, and Gehenna cultists alike. Once per story, you can use this Status to earn a [[70 Systems of the Blood#Boons|minor boon]] from one of those groups or from a prominent courtier in the [[73 The Feudal System#Domains|domain]] with a sudden interest. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **The Red Star**: Anthelios (NASA designation 28978 IXION), called Wormwood, harbinger of Gehenna, still glows in the sky – to your eyes, at least. You believe it looks back at you, changing you somehow. Once per story, you can either reduce your [[41 Hunger|Hunger]] to a rating of two or gain a die to the pools of one [[52 Disciplines|Discipline]] for a night by staring at the star for 10 minutes. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Blood of Zapathasura**: The Ravnos [[46 The Blood#Third Generation Antediluvians|Antediluvian]] met [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^FinalDeath|Final Death]] in July 1999 at the hands of parties unknown, armed with advanced weaponry and the power of the sun. Before he died, he drained [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Vitae|vitae]] from all his clan, driving them to [[46 The Blood#Frenzy|frenzy]] and cannibalism in his death throes. Thick, sentient ropes of his vitae stained the ground in Bangladesh where he fell. The noonday sun did not destroy it all. You own a small vial containing the Blood of the Ravnos Antediluvian. What you do with this vitae is up to you, and what it does to anyone who imbibes it is up to the [[02 Roleplaying and Storytelling#The Storyteller|Storyteller]]. ## Rudi A new player on the [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] scene, Rudi commands an impressive following as an [[06 The Camarilla#The Anarch Movement|Anarch]] representative for the oppressed and repressed minorities in [[39 Vampires|vampire]] society. Though his concerns extend to [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kine|kine]] as well, his recent entry into Kindred existence has shown him that the fights mortals must undertake for equality are just as pressing for immortals. $\quad$Rudi’s nightly life hasn’t changed much since the [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^TheEmbrace|Embrace]]. He still makes his haven in Copenhagen, still hangs with the same friends, and still attends the same clubs. He has only expanded his concerns; in addition to advocating for fellow mortal minorities, he now champions [[13 Gangrel|Gangrel]] kept out of havens and feeding grounds by sprawl, stands up for female Kindred in cities run by traditionally misogynistic [[46 The Blood#Sixth through Ninth Generations Elders|elders]], and encourages the adoption of progressive norms over tradition wherever possible. Some might think Rudi’s combination of practicing Islam and unabashed queerness contradictory, but few challenge the “Bear Gangrel” with this notion. $\quad$Fast becoming the animale du jour, Rudi wins fellow discontented Kindred over with his targeted approach against elitists and Camarilla hardliners. Some European Princes fear he will lead a crusade in years to come, in an attempt to level the establishment. ### Lore ⬤ **Newfound Rights**: Flush with the success of the Gangrel [[11 Clans|clan’s]] independence from the [[06 The Camarilla|Camarilla]], like Rudi, you find this freedom energizing. Once per [[22 Time|story]], when striking out against or decrying the establishment, you can re-roll any one Skill [[23 Simple Tests|test]] [[23 Simple Tests#Pools|dice pool]]. ⬤ ⬤ **Them and Theirs**: When supporting the disenfranchised or persecuted, you are the resolute champion. Perhaps you believe [[39 Vampires|vampires]] can only persist successfully when supporting each other, or you believe a pack is only as strong as its weakest member, but at great self-sacrifice, you defend others. When a [[33 Beliefs#Touchstones|Touchstone]] of any member of your [[36 Coterie Creation|coterie]] comes under threat, your ears prick up and your hair stands on end. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Gangrel Advocate**: As Rudi does in Northern Europe, many believe that you stand for Gangrel rights in your local domains, for good or ill. Gangrel react well to you; add one die to Social tests involving them. Although this reputation means that you speak for many, it also means that some hold you responsible for the actions of many. You can organize convocations and discreet truce meetings between Gangrel and Camarilla representatives with a successful [[32 Core Traits#Charisma|Charisma]] + [[32 Core Traits#Politics|Politics]] test ([[23 Simple Tests#Difficulties|Difficulty]] set by the [[02 Roleplaying and Storytelling#The Storyteller|Storyteller]]). ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **The Bear Pack**: You are, or were, a member of the Bear Pack: hardcore Rudista Kindred who double as howling orators and fierce combatants. (Consider your fellow Bear Pack a three-dot [[35 Advantages#Mawla|Mawla]] group that actually likes getting in fights.) Once per story, these modern revolutionaries, including yourself, gain one automatic success whenever attempting to rouse Anarchs and disenfranchised mortals against the establishment. Members of the Bear Pack are feared throughout Camarilla [[73 The Feudal System#Domains|domains]], which might be both bane and boon, depending on who you talk to, and if they recognize you. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Rudi’s Army**: Rudi’s Army comprises outsiders of all clans, all mortal colors, and creeds. You hold sway over an arm of this “paramilitary” force. You can call them to act against mortal or immortal governments in many ways, from staging peaceful protests outside a governor’s home to organizing rallies against the leaders of oppressive groups. Large, unwieldy, and potentially dangerous, your brigade of the army gives you six dots to split among [[35 Advantages#Allies|Allies]], [[35 Advantages#Influence|Influence]], and [[35 Advantages#Contacts|Contacts]], that can be directed – but never controlled. ## Descendant of Tyler (Brujah Characters Only) Every aspiring [[12 Brujah|Brujah]] rebel worships Tyler – once known as Patricia of Bollingbroke – and going by many names since. Her revolutionary violence against tyrant [[46 The Blood#Sixth through Ninth Generations Elders|elders]] and insidious [[46 The Blood#Fourth and Fifth Generations Methuselahs|Methuselahs]] irrevocably changed [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] society and inspired the [[06 The Camarilla#The Anarch Movement|Anarch Movement]]. Tyler herself doubts that her actions led to effective praxis, but her [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Childe|childer]] and clanmates compare her to everyone from Robin Hood, to Malcolm X, to Che Guevara, to Gavrilo Princip. $\quad$Tyler still exists: a quiet, studious rebel in these nights. With centuries of reflection, she struggles to reconcile her actions with the results of modern nights. Her descendants continue the fight with the hopes of uplifting her to her destined greatness one night. ### Lore ⬤ **Instigator**: Once per [[22 Time|story]], whenever you attempt to persuade a mortal crowd into violent action, your hot-blooded nature adds two dice to your [[23 Simple Tests#Pools|dice pool]] to do so. ⬤ ⬤ **Champion of the Cause**: When [[39 Vampires|vampires]] want a leader for a rebellion, large or small scale, they come to you for advice or leadership. They might even listen to your words, and providing your advice is not completely ridiculous, might even defer to your authority. You add two dots to your [[35 Advantages#Status|Status]] with them during such rebellions, but you might find the numerous contacts gained before a rebellion more valuable and certainly less dangerous. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Tyler’s Mercy**: You know when to stop. Tyler recognized when the [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^TheSabbat|Sabbat]] went too far with her Anarch ideals, and you likewise recognize the limits of violent revolution. Once per story, when [[46 The Blood#Frenzy|frenzying]], you may at any point take a Brujah Compulsion ([[43 Compulsions#Brujah *Rebellion*|p. 210]]) to immediately cease the outburst. You do not suffer any confusion or tiredness after an interrupted frenzy, abruptly snapping back to [[49 Humanity|Humanity]]. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **The Furores**: Tyler’s philosophies first emerged among a historic vampire group known as the Furores, dedicated to the destruction of all Kindred tyrants. This group still exists in secret, and you claim membership. When the time is right (once per [[79 Chronicles|chronicle]]), the Furores arm you, provide you with sanctuary in a regnum where they have influence, and activate assets in the target domain as surprise [[35 Advantages#Allies|Allies]] (available within one [[22 Time|scene]]). The Allies add up to five dots of Effectiveness; the rest depends on your collaboration with the [[02 Roleplaying and Storytelling#The Storyteller|Storyteller]]. Furore assets can only be used when attempting to take down a [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Prince|Prince]], unfit Baron, or vampire of higher station. Misuse makes you a target of the Furores and their unknown operatives. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Permanent Revolution**: You have already taken down one sect figurehead. You now lead an army of revolutionaries to sweep the board in the neighboring regnae. For as long as you keep fighting and are not found to be indulging in the luxuries of station, Anarchs stop to listen to your every word, and Brujah Anarchs do exactly as you say, including embarking on suicide missions. No rolls are required if your speech is strong and argument convincing enough. ## Descendant of Zelios (Nosferatu Characters Only) All of [[11 Clans|Clan]] [[15 Nosferatu|Nosferatu]] knows their great architect Zelios as a master planner, mason, and scholar of geomantic power. Though he disappeared beneath New York in the 1990s, he left behind libraries of books, plans, and treatises on the power of location and sacred geometry. $\quad$Zelios’ descendants continue his good work, instructing other vampires on the building of havens, dungeons, prisons, and labyrinths. They can supposedly sense ley lines and, for a price, advise [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Prince|Princes]] where to locate [[35 Advantages#Haven|havens]] at these epicenters to ensure both armor and power from the earth and stars. ### Lore ⬤ **Sanctuary**: Your haven is a wonder of modern design, possessing security in the form of secret passages, electronic security, and even a self-destruct button, all while looking stylish and comfortable. Split two dots between either or both of the [[35 Advantages#Haven Merits and Flaws|Haven Merits]] Postern and Security System, but someone, somewhere likely has all the details of the setup. ⬤ ⬤ **Saboteur**: You instinctively know where a building’s weaknesses are, and you don’t even require explosives to destroy it. With maul, crowbar, cable, and cold chisel, and as many nights on site as the difficulty the [[02 Roleplaying and Storytelling#The Storyteller|Storyteller]] sets for the building (i.e. four for a family home, six for a bank, eight for a prison, nine for a skyscraper), you can collapse an edifice like a house of cards. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **On Commission**: Other [[39 Vampires|vampires]] know you descend from Zelios and ask for advice on how best to build their own havens. This business ensures you often have a [[70 Systems of the Blood#Boons|boon]] or two to collect (roughly one minor boon per story) and that you know where a number of powerful vampires sleep – which, in the end, probably does you more harm than good. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **The Labyrinth**: You used Zelios’ work to construct a labyrinth beneath your [[73 The Feudal System#Domains|domain]], made in part with sewers, disused drains, cellars, basements, and maintenance tunnels. You added your own chambers, dead ends, and connections to form a true underground maze. Only those you tell know of your labyrinth. You cannot treat the labyrinth as a Haven, as it terrifies you, but if you reach it when chased, no one can pursue you. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Sense the Ley Lines**: You occasionally glimpse throbbing red tendrils snaking through the earth: ley lines. Vampires who make their havens where these vessels converge find their Hunger grows more slowly (when making a [[44 Rousing the Blood|Rouse check]] for [[46 The Blood#Awakening|awakening]], roll two dice and pick the highest) if they sleep there by day. Ley lines have other powerful magical effects – secrets you can research along lines the Storyteller indicates – and your fellow Sewer Rats harshly punish disclosing anything about such secrets. ## Descendant of Vasantasena (Malkavian Characters Only) Vasantasena and her [[14 Malkavian|Malkavian]] [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Sire|sire]] Unmada traveled the world throughout the Middle Ages, preaching against the [[48 States of Damnation#The Blood Bond|Blood Bond]]. They rejected the vinculum, traditional [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] hierarchy, and all loss of free will. Ultimately, they condemned the [[46 The Blood#Third Generation Antediluvians|Antediluvians]] for their cruel tyranny through [[05 Jyhad|Jyhad]], joining the [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^TheSabbat|Sabbat]] during its formation. $\quad$As the [[06 The Camarilla|Camarilla]] had, the Sabbat rejected her cause, instituting both hierarchy and ritual enslavement through [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Vitae|vitae]]. She eventually rejected them in turn, assembling a faction of Malkavians to embrace freedom from the Sabbat. $\quad$Vasantasena’s descendants are many and varied, and all of them followed her from the Sabbat before the sect’s recent, bestial devolution. Some joined the Camarilla, others the [[06 The Camarilla#The Anarch Movement|Anarchs]]. All possess the zeal and charm she wields like a knife. All fight for something. ### Lore ⬤ **Agent of Chaos**: You thrive while everything around you burns or spins into catastrophe. In turbulent situations, such as an unusually chaotic and unpredictable combat, a car chase through a crowded city, or when fleeing an exploding building, once per [[22 Time|session]], you may re-roll a single die without [[32 Core Traits#Spending Willpower|spending Willpower]]. ⬤ ⬤ **Hear My Words**: You carry your ancestor’s skills of persuasion, finding your voice speaks to the [[46 The Blood|Blood]] of others before it reaches their minds. Once per [[22 Time|story]], if you attempt to counsel others in a chaotic environment and they actually stop to listen, they may re-roll one [[23 Simple Tests#Pools|dice pool]] in one future test during the same situation. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Scent the Bond**: Vasantasena’s loathing of Blood Bonds was part of the reason she targeted the Antediluvians and the ties they maintained with their offspring. Such was her power that she could smell the Bond on individual vampires and recognize the same odor on the vampire Bonded to, or Bonding, them. Once per story, on a successful [[32 Core Traits#Resolve|Resolve]] + [[32 Core Traits#Awareness|Awareness]] [[23 Simple Tests|test]] ([[23 Simple Tests#Difficulties|Difficulty]] 4), you can do the same. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Destroy the Bond**: Vasantasena’s greatest act is the destruction of the Blood Bond. Some say she performed this act many times in recent years among the Sabbat, in part leading to their rapid degeneration. Once per story, you too can remove the Blood Bond imposed on a victim, if you drink a mouthful of the [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Thrall|thrall’s]] vitae and then ride out a [[46 The Blood#Frenzy|frenzy]]. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Sabbat Becomes Camarilla**: Vasantasena achieved the impossible and showed her descendants how it was done. Alien, inhuman philosophies locked most vampires into the Sabbat. Once per story, you can deprogram a vampire from their [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Sect|sect]] beliefs. To do so, you must completely isolate the subject and make an extended test ([[68 Extended Tests|p. 293]]) of either [[32 Core Traits#Intelligence|Intelligence]] or [[32 Core Traits#Charisma|Charisma]] + [[32 Core Traits#Insight|Insight]] in an atmosphere of specialized perfumes. Roll once per three nights of disputation; you win after achieving a number of successes equal to twice the subject’s [[32 Core Traits#Willpower|Willpower]]. ## High Clan Though formally abandoned with the rise of the [[06 The Camarilla|Camarilla]], some [[11 Clans|clans]] still consider themselves “High,” compared to their peers among “[[88 Lore Sheets#Low Clan|Low Clans.]]” You are a [[39 Vampires|vampire]] from a High Clan, convincing you that you have certain rights to bully and order those of Low Clans. These rights can only be pushed so far, of course. $\quad$Historically, the High Clans were Lasombra, [[16 Toreador|Toreador]], Tzimisce, and [[18 Ventrue|Ventrue]], though [[12 Brujah|Brujah]] and some of the Clan of Death clung to the epithet. In various parts of the world, the members of the High Clans change to include the Banu Haqim and Ministry, and rarely, the [[17 Tremere|Tremere]]. $\quad$As a High Clan vampire, your clan bane is, to your mind, less a curse than a blessing. ### Lore ⬤ **Peacock**: You are proud of your clan’s status as High, and you carry yourself with all the pomp and circumstance befitting a vampire of noble station. Once per [[22 Time|session]], you may re-roll a single die when attempting to command deference from one non-titled vampire in your [[73 The Feudal System#Domains|domain]]. ⬤ ⬤ **Sway the Low**: The High Clans once sat upon thrones, ordering Low Clan vampires to die for them on battlefields and to subjugate themselves in court. You still possess the ability to persuade vampires of Low Clans more easily than you do the vampires of High Clans. You have bullied the equivalent of three dots of [[35 Advantages#Mawla|Mawla]] into a loyal, abused retinue of Low Clan vampires. You gain three extra dice to [[23 Simple Tests#Pools|pools]] using [[32 Core Traits#Intimidation|Intimidation]] or [[32 Core Traits#Leadership|Leadership]] against those [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]]; if you ever roll a total failure on such a [[23 Simple Tests|test]] or [[24 Contests|contest]], you need to compensate them, or they turn on you. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Elevate the Low**: Some quirk of your bloodline or an ancient [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Prince|Princely]] decree allows you to proclaim the ascendancy of one Low Clan in your city to High Clan status. You can do this once per [[79 Chronicles|chronicle]], but of course, you can promise to do it “eventually” for quite a while first. Until then, add one die to Social tests against Low Clan Kindred when you allude to this possibility. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Embraced to Rule**: Vampires of the High Clans often opted to [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^TheEmbrace|Embrace]] mortals of noble birth or powerful ancestry. Your ancestors may not be kings and queens, but you were Embraced to rule. Add one die to pools for Leadership tests involving High Clan vampires who know your lineage. Once per [[22 Time|story]], other vampires of the High Clans defer to voting for you, or they allow you to take high responsibility (and power), unless you have created a personal grievance between you. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Blessed, not Cursed**: Like many vampires of the High Clans, you have convinced yourself that you bear no Curse of Caine. Rather, your clan weakness is a blessing that reveals more to you about your nature, your position on God’s Earth, and the areas in life you must strengthen. Once per session, you may [[32 Core Traits#Spending Willpower|spend one Willpower]] to ignore the burdens of your clan bane. ## Low Clan You come from one of the [[11 Clans|clans]] historically identified as “Low,” though in your [[73 The Feudal System#Domains|domain]], it’s less past than present-night fact. You labor under the weight of a heavy curse, heavier (you might argue) than those of [[88 Lore Sheets#High Clan|High Clan]] vampires. $\quad$Your geographical region determines which clans the eldest vampires still consider Low, but uniformly, the [[13 Gangrel|Gangrel]], [[14 Malkavian|Malkavians]], and [[15 Nosferatu|Nosferatu]] fill that bracket, with [[12 Brujah|Brujah]] and [[17 Tremere|Tremere]] also occupying that position in various domains. $\quad$Your status as a Low Clan Kindred marks you as less than your peers, but you are still a prominent source of rebellion and counter-culture. You have access to the bottom rungs of society, and all the benefits and drawbacks that come with it. ### Lore ⬤ **Thick Hide**: Often denigrated by those who name themselves “High,” your ambition and independence do not falter with belittling words and snubs. You do not respond easily to base provocations. Once per [[22 Time|story]], you can shrug off verbal barbs for a [[22 Time|scene]] without needing to make a [[23 Simple Tests|test]]. ⬤ ⬤ **Cursed with Pride**: In some cases, the Low Clans take great pride in the severity of their banes. For example, some Nosferatu believe their hideous appearances are a mark of glorious monstrosity, instead of something to be hidden. You have learned to use your clan bane as a weapon, gaining an automatic success on one roll per story when incorporating your bane into an action. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Uncanny Kinship**: Due to persistent persecution from the High Clans, vampires of Low Clans feel inclined to stick together. You often mediate between Low Clan disputants, and you see the merit of the underworld’s Kindred banding together against the hegemony of the High. You can select three dots from among [[35 Advantages#Mawla|Mawla]] or [[35 Advantages#Status|Status]] from other Low Clans in the domain. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Trade Among Equals**: For all their suffering, the Low Clans benefited from their adversity in one key way – they taught each other their powers. This collaboration may not be true in all domains, but this old tale still holds in yours. You may select one Low Clan’s [[52 Disciplines|Discipline]] and buy dots of that Discipline, using [[27 Experience and Improvement|experience points]] as if it was in-clan for you. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Criticality Incident**: Your influence among Low Clan vampires can let you tip the scales of power in your domain – if you choose. Add one die to all your [[23 Simple Tests#Pools|pools]] for Projects undermining High Clans in your domain. Once per [[79 Chronicles|chronicle]], you can sacrifice up to 10 of your own [[35 Advantages#Backgrounds|Background]] dots to bring down the same number of High Clan [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] in a coup. ## Ambrus Maropis Ambrus Maropis rarely leaves his opulent apartment in Cyprus to meet the public, yet his reputation as a trend-setter and [[06 The Camarilla#The First Tradition The Masquerade|Masquerade]]-protector spreads widely throughout Kindred society. The [[16 Toreador|Toreador]] who know that Ambrus is a [[15 Nosferatu|Nosferatu]] loathe the [[39 Vampires|vampire’s]] popularity. His disciples, akin to superfans, act as go-betweens to [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Prince|Princes]] and Barons while he remains forever hidden. $\quad$Ambrus has a reputation as a vampire on the cutting edge of technology and culture. [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^TheEmbrace|Embraced]] in his late teens, Ambrus is, at heart, an introverted fan of anime, gaming, and online roleplaying, with an elaborate online persona. Ambrus uses this persona to sell software and information he hacks; advise on the best security methods stolen from governments and corporations for [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] to utilize; inform [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Elysium|Elysia]] about emerging musicians, entertainers, and trends; and make himself an invaluable resource to [[06 The Camarilla|Camarilla]] and [[06 The Camarilla#The Anarch Movement|Anarchs]] who want to appear more human than human. ### Lore ⬤ **True Believer**: If Ambrus has taught you anything, it’s that the Camarilla is right and the Masquerade is essential. You follow his edicts on security and subterfuge religiously, granting you knowledge of the best shared Kindred hiding places in a [[72 Cities|city]], providing a one-die bonus to [[23 Simple Tests|tests]] to find such a place. You may not have access to this bonus if the [[73 The Feudal System#Domains|domain]] is typically opposed to your political or philosophical view. ⬤ ⬤ **Clandestine Information**: You can use a digital dead drop to request a hack from Ambrus’ fan community. Once per [[22 Time|story]], you can get one piece of information stored online about most mortals within two to 20 hours. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Taught by the Best**: As one of Ambrus’ disciples, you are provided with a ready supply of intel on topics from [[01 A World of Darkness#The Second Inquisition|Second Inquisition]] operations to the fashion in Harajuku tomorrow night. Ambrus can also time-lock information in the Dark Web or set you up with your own Ukrainian hacker at “friend prices.” Consider Ambrus a three-dot [[35 Advantages#Mawla|Mawla]] (⬤ ⬤ ⬤). ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Back Door Panopticon**: Ambrus hooked you up with a back door into PRISM/NUCLEON surveillance software, tracking and sorting online communications (including cell phone calls) for keywords and names. Or perhaps you stole it from him or found it on a machine in a safe house an Ambrusite abandoned in a hurry. Either way, you can only log in once per story for security’s sake, but it gets you two automatic successes on any [[32 Core Traits#Investigation|Investigation]] test involving anyone’s cell activity or online presence. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **On Another Grid Entirely**: Ambrus went all out with your false identity. You have two two-dot [[35 Advantages#Mask|Mask]] (⬤ ⬤) cover identities and have been Zeroed ([[35 Advantages#Mask|p. 192]]). You get three extra dice to resist attempts to research you online or uncover your activities in the mortal world. ## Carmelita Neilson Desperate [[46 The Blood#Sixth through Ninth Generations Elders|elders]] seeking ways of staving off [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Gehenna|Gehenna]] and the Beckoning increasingly seek out the Brazilian-Irish [[16 Toreador|Toreador]] archaeologist Carmelita Neillson. She unearths the past and interviews Kindred, chronicling a vast array of vampire history and conversations with [[39 Vampires|vampires]] as old as two millennia. [[06 The Camarilla|The Camarilla]] forbids her from archiving any of her findings electronically, so she has established several “Neillson Libraries” in discreet locations. $\quad$Her friendly manner, natural curiosity, and abilities as a polyglot make her a natural choice to debrief a [[46 The Blood#Fourth and Fifth Generations Methuselahs|Methuselah]] just awakening from [[46 The Blood#Torpor|torpor]], investigate a ruined temple, or interpret a captured [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^TheSabbat|Sabbat]] scripture. Believing that art need not be in a frame or museum to be admired, Carmelita strongly feels the greatest art, one ignored by [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] for so long, is the storytelling of their own kind. A gifted storyteller and writer, Carmelita’s skills appeal to many Toreador who wish to break the “pretty and talentless” stereotype. ### Lore ⬤ **The Art of Story**: You and Carmelita share the belief that storytelling is one of the lost art forms. Whenever regaling other vampires with historic lore or tales of myth and legend, Toreador naturally gravitate to hear your words, regardless of your standing toward each other. ⬤ ⬤ **The Art of Will**: A specific objet d’art or relic, entrusted to your safekeeping by Dr. Neillson, inspires and enthralls you. If you spend an hour meditating on this object (and make a [[32 Core Traits#Resolve|Resolve]] + [[32 Core Traits#Academics|Academics]] [[23 Simple Tests|test]] at [[23 Simple Tests#Difficulties|Difficulty]] 5) before resting for the day, you awaken with one extra [[32 Core Traits#Willpower|Willpower]] point. You can meditate in this way once per [[22 Time|session]]. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Neillson Library**: Carmelita Neillson’s small libraries dot the world in Camarilla [[73 The Feudal System#Domains|domains]], serving as hives of information used to prompt and support elder vampires’ memories. You are the curator or warden for one of these libraries, which counts as a two-dot [[35 Advantages#Haven|Haven]] (⬤ ⬤) with a two-dot Library (⬤ ⬤). Other vampires and Kindred historians meet there as well, which has both advantages and downsides. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Interview With the Methuselah**: You have obtained a recording of Carmelita interviewing an impossibly old vampire who divulges secrets about one of the [[11 Clans|clans]] in your domain. Once per [[22 Time|story]], you can ask the Storyteller to provide you with such a secret. Whether Carmelita knew of this recording and gave it to you or someone made the recording in secret, the information in the interview gives you an advantage over the vampire in the clip and the clan discussed. Interestingly, the voice following Carmelita’s at the end of the tape mentions further recordings. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Ancestor’s Tomb**: Carmelita has entrusted you to guard the supposed resting place of one of your ancestors. As long as you keep it safe, you can call upon her for a major boon once per story. Should you fail to keep it safe, there will likely be… other consequences. ## Fiorenza Savona When the Lasombra reasserted control over their old religious power centers, the [[18 Ventrue|Ventrue]] responded by expanding their influence in the new nobility: government and multinational corporations. With global political pull, Fiorenza Savona keeps the clan relevant and dangerous – at the center of global power. $\quad$Hard-nosed and unafraid to tell another [[39 Vampires|vampire]] to take a running jump, Fiorenza worked hard as a mortal and continues to do so as a [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] to ensure that wealthy and powerful vampires remain in their positions. Moving up through NGOs and the UN, she knows everyone worth controlling in the Davos elite. Her [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Sire|sire]] targeted her for her contacts list and discovered her Machiavellian political and business acumen. $\quad$A fresh power player in the [[06 The Camarilla|Camarilla]], many [[46 The Blood#Sixth through Ninth Generations Elders|elders]] and [[46 The Blood#10th and 11th Generations Ancillae|ancillae]] consider her a mere “new money” Ventrue. Their wiser clanmates know her actions sway councils, corporations, and individual mortals possessing real power. Where her predecessors focused on vampire politics, Fiorenza believes the key to Kindred longevity lies in the manipulation of the living. ### Lore ⬤ **On Fiorenza’s List**: Fiorenza knows who you are, which either means she thinks you’re an asset to the [[11 Clans|clan]] or a problem. Consequently, she has assigned a Gifted mortal ([[35 Advantages#Allies|p. 185]]) Retainer – bodyguard, driver, butler, etc. – to you, though they remain in her employ. They make no secret of spying on you and reporting back to Fiorenza, and they never drift far, even if dismissed. If the mortal is harmed or killed, Fiorenza makes a note that you’re not to be trusted, but if your conduct is good, you move further into her good graces. ⬤ ⬤ **Breakfast with Fiorenza**: Despite her high-profile role, once per [[22 Time|story]] Fiorenza will make a space in her busy schedule to meet with you. Maybe you have dirt on her or perhaps you are close friends. A meeting with Fiorenza can be lucrative and informative, if you ask her the right questions. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Friendly Benefits**: You were close to Fiorenza before she became "the next big thing" in Clan Ventrue, and this friendship pays dividends: she can smooth over ruffled Ventrue, provide you with insider trading tips, loan a Gulfstream equipped with polarized windows and pre-cleared flight plans, etc. If you overuse or misuse this connection, the equivalent of a three-dot [[35 Advantages#Mawla|Mawla]] (⬤ ⬤ ⬤), she cuts you off without hesitation. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **The Directorate**: The shadowy Ventrue Directorate approached you. Concerned about Fiorenza’s meteoric rise, they chose you to approach her, suborn her, and break her to their will. If you accept, you submit to a Blood Bond and have your memories of the Directorate’s identities erased – but you receive six dots to select from among [[35 Advantages#Contacts|Contacts]], Mawla, and [[35 Advantages#Resources|Resources]]. Of course, you could approach Fiorenza and offer to work as her double agent. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Government Motion**: Fiorenza owes you a favor – once per [[79 Chronicles|chronicle]], she agrees to influence a mortal political leader as you request. Her suggestions equal five dice to distribute as you like among any roll involving government action. If you create a major political disturbance or otherwise act to reinforce Fiorenza’s “suggestions,” the [[02 Roleplaying and Storytelling#The Storyteller|Storyteller]] may add other dice based on your plan and on how well you succeed at it. ## Descendant of Karl Schrekt (Tremere Characters Only) [[11 Clans|Clan]] [[17 Tremere|Tremere]] is a hollow reflection of its former glories. With the Pyramid decapitated and its leadership scattered, Tremere traditionalists look to one vampire for authority: former Justicar, Karl Schrekt. $\quad$A legend within his own clan and the [[06 The Camarilla|Camarilla]], Schrekt hunted [[39 Vampires|vampires]] before his [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^TheEmbrace|Embrace]] in 1235. For centuries, he acted as the Camarilla’s weapon against the [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^TheSabbat|Sabbat]], [[06 The Camarilla#The Anarch Movement|Anarchs]], and occult menaces. He suppressed or destroyed lore regarding [[46 The Blood#Third Generation Antediluvians|Antediluvians]], eliminated countless threats to the [[06 The Camarilla#The First Tradition The Masquerade|Masquerade]], and did it all without mercy. He earned his share of disciples, but few enemies. Those he got, he killed. $\quad$Now he’s one of the eldest Tremere remaining. $\quad$Schrekt’s descendants largely follow their ancestor’s hardline clan and sect views: enforce the [[06 The Camarilla#The Six Traditions|Traditions]], strengthen the clan, and hide the secrets of [[46 The Blood|Blood]] magic from other vampires. ### Lore ⬤ **Remember the House**: Once per [[22 Time|story]], you can ask the [[02 Roleplaying and Storytelling#The Storyteller|Storyteller]] for one piece of information regarding the activities of House Tremere or the clan before its grievous injury. ⬤ ⬤ **Hardliner**: Schrekt’s way is the only way forward for your clan. You follow Schrekt’s laws fanatically. With the Storyteller’s agreement, add two dice to any [[23 Simple Tests#Pools|dice pool]] when testing to resist attempts to sway you from Schrekt’s goals. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Ritual Preparedness**: Allegedly, Karl Schreckt prepares all of his rituals in advance and keeps several such pre-prepared [[64 Rituals|rituals]] about his person at all times. Once per story, you may perform one of your rituals in five minutes, without preparation, having done all the preparations beforehand. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Archon’s Bane**: You find Schrekt’s targeting of supernatural entities deplorable, and you have formed a tight bond with a member of another supernatural background. You have a four-dot [[35 Advantages#Allies|Ally]]: a mage, werewolf, wraith, changeling, or something even stranger. You must keep your friend safe, as they are being hunted. Once per story, they come to your aid within one to ten hours when called. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Know the World**: Karl Schrekt believes knowledge is power and that vampires who limit their learning to the study of fellow Kindred are fools. Whether Schrekt’s puppet or nemesis, you agree with his assessment and keep archives on werewolves, magi, wraiths, fae, and other weird entities. This collection equates to a three-dot [[35 Advantages#Haven|Haven]] Library (pick three suitable specialties of [[32 Core Traits#Occult|Occult]]), although you might not store your reference materials in your haven. Also once per story, you can ask the Storyteller to answer any simple question related to such creatures. ## Descendant of Xaviar (Gangrel Characters Only) Nobody, even fellow [[13 Gangrel|Gangrel]], listened to Xaviar the first time he spoke. It took marching into a convocation of the [[06 The Camarilla|Camarilla’s]] biggest players for other [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Kindred|Kindred]] to take notice of him. He spoke of interacting with one of the [[46 The Blood#Third Generation Antediluvians|Antediluvians]] and seeing his entire [[36 Coterie Creation|coterie]] eaten alive by this mythological creature. He accused the Camarilla of perfidy against its members and cast aside his role of Gangrel Justicar. $\quad$News travels slowly among the Gangrel, for a clan with little hierarchy and no effective communication network. Slowly, Gangrel followed Xaviar out of the Camarilla, some becoming [[07 The Autarkis|Autarkis]], while more ultimately joined the [[06 The Camarilla#The Anarch Movement|Anarchs]]. $\quad$Gangrel now share a communal guilt for their initial disbelief of Xaviar’s claims and slow reaction to his proclamation, as he met [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^FinalDeath|Final Death]] soon after. Few know if the Camarilla or some other agency slew the mighty Gangrel, but all know their ancestor was wronged. Now they take up his torch and attempt to bring the Gangrel into truth’s flickering light. ### Lore ⬤ **Martyred Ancestor**: Other Gangrel treat you with the respect they took too long to afford Xaviar. Despite any personal grievances, you can always find sanctuary with other Gangrel, if any are present in your current [[73 The Feudal System#Domains|domain]], at least until you insult them grievously. With them, you have two dots of [[35 Advantages#Status|Status]] (⬤ ⬤). ⬤ ⬤ **Where the Bodies Are Buried**: Xaviar’s experiences with [[62 Protean#Earth Meld|melding through earth]], blood, and [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Vitae|vitae]] left a mark on his lineage. Gangrel of his line can make a [[32 Core Traits#Resolve|Resolve]] + [[32 Core Traits#Awareness|Awareness]] test to detect whether a [[39 Vampires|vampire]] has merged with the earth or lays [[46 The Blood#Torpor|torpid]] beneath the soil. [[23 Simple Tests#Difficulties|Difficulty]] depends on the area you have to search. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Loyal Hound**: You resisted the winds of change, remaining with the Camarilla despite your [[11 Clans|clan’s]] actions. For your loyalty, the local Camarilla [[10 Lexicon of the Damned#^Prince|Prince]] awarded you status, feeding rights, and territory, amounting to four dots you can distribute among [[36 Coterie Creation#Domain|Domain]], [[35 Advantages#Herd|Herd]], and [[35 Advantages#Status|Status]]. Non-Camarilla Gangrel despise you, and even Camarilla vampires of other clans pity your solitude, but you guarantee yourself a voice among the Primogen, should any rebel Gangrel pass through your domain. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Monstrous Bat**: Xaviar’s preferred bestial form was once that of a bat, but following his encounter with the Antediluvian, he found his form capable of changing into a hybrid between human and bat. Once per [[22 Time|story]] when the moon is just right, you can take the same form. This man-sized bat has an extra dot in all [[32 Core Traits#Physical Attributes|Physical Attributes]] and can glide in the air from any height. [[45 Slaking Hunger#Bite Attacks|Biting]] in this form adds +1 Aggravated [[25 Conflicts#Damage|damage]] to mortals and vampires alike. ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ ⬤ **Experienced the Antediluvian**: Xaviar was not the only Gangrel to sink into the ground and find himself inside his clan founder’s vast, inhuman form. You have done the same, and the experience changed you. You are now a little mad, likely suffering from paranoia or claustrophobia. Whenever you call your encounter to mind, you feel your veins rooted to the ground, connecting to every other Gangrel in the world. Once per story, you can sense any Gangrel’s location and drain a thimbleful of vitae from them to reset your [[41 Hunger|Hunger]] level to 2. You must be touching open ground, not concrete, to use this ability. [[87 Items|⬅️ Previous Section]] | [[Vampire - The Masquerade 5th Edition Core Book#Structure|Table of Contents]] | [[89 Appendix I - Standard Feats|Next Section ➡️]]