Vampire Primer
Sep. 7th, 2011 07:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elegant_bastard posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
the_big_oocHistory of Vampires:
According to legend, the first vampire was Caine, cursed by God for the murder of his brother Abel. He began the second generation, and they the third, and so on. Today, most vampires one encounters are between the 8th and 13th generation. The further from Caine one grows, the less potent the blood. There are stories of 14th generation vampires, with blood so weak it barely makes one supernatural at all, but most have not encountered them.
The 3rd generation vampires were immensely powerful, and after slaughtering their sires (there are no more 2nd generation vampires), they founded clans. All vampires of the same clan can trace their lineage directly to their clan founder, and one’s clan brings with it strengths, associated vampiric powers or “disciplines”, as well as weaknesses. There are 13 clans of vampires. There are also a number of lesser clans, called “bloodlines,” which often spun off from one (or sometimes two) of the major clans. Bloodlines are uncommon, but not unheard of. Lastly, sometimes, blood gets so weak (most often at the least powerful generations) that one is created without a clan. These “caitiff” are the lowest of the underclass, for they have no clan willing to defend them – they are truly on their own.
At one time, Vampires walked among humanity openly, refusing to fear the weak day-dwellers. However, the Inquisition changed all that. Hundreds, if not thousands, of vampires were killed by the cleansing of the Catholic church. Yes, they killed innocent people too, by far the majority of their violent attacks, but they also rounded up true supernatural beings and put them to death.
In response to the Inquisition, elder vampires gathered and instituted a new society: the Camarilla. The Camarilla established laws and rules of vampiric society. First and foremost of these laws was the Masquerade: mortals should never learn of vampires. Vampires must remain hidden. In response, a second group, the Sabbat, formed. The Sabbat believes that mortals are vampire’s prey. Humans do not fear cattle; neither should vampires fear mortals. In recent years, a third major faction has arisen: the Anarchs. They do not believe rules or vampiric society has a place, and both the Sabbat and the Camarilla must topple for vampires to have true freedom. The Anarchs are mostly made up of castoffs and young punks, with clanless often drawn to their number.
Vampiric Nature:
Vampires are supernaturally powerful. They do not age, and they tend to be more durable and powerful than humans, able to heal from most wounds in minutes. All vampires have at least a few vampiric powers called Disciplines. Disciplines are broad categories of powers, and as one grows in strength within one’s Disciplines, one finds new abilities they can manage. For example, as one learns Obfuscate, one might only be able to initially hide in the shadows, but as one grows a little more skilled, one might learn to disguise their appearance as someone else entirely. Other vampiric abilities include Potence, supernatural strength; Celerity, supernatural speed; Fortitude, supernatural endurance; Protean, or shapechanging; Auspex, or supernatural senses; and much much more. Each clan or bloodline has three Disciplines for which it is well known, but in theory, any vampire can learn any Discipline. All Disciplines have several levels of abilities open to all vampires, while more potent blood found among only those closer to Caine allow even deeper explorations of power.
The commonly known Disciplines are:
Animalism: Empathy and control over beasts. At the lowest levels, one can tempt favors from animals; at the higher levels, one can force others to Frenzy. At Elder levels, one can share experiences with an animal with merely a touch.
Auspex: Supernatural senses. At the lowest levels, one gains heightened senses; at the highest levels, one can project their consciousness out of their body. At Elder levels, one can remain aware of events around them while asleep or even in Torpor.
Celerity: Supernatural speed. At its lowest levels, it allows a person to move at speeds of double a normal man; at its highest levels, one can move at five times the speed. At Elder levels, one can move even faster.
Dominate: The ability to control men’s minds. At the lowest levels, one can give a one-word command which can be obeyed instantly; at highest levels, one can possess a target completely. At Elder levels, one can make a target believe that the choices they make while Dominated are their own, and are right and proper.
Fortitude: Fortitude is a level of supernatural durability and toughness. High enough fortitude can even allow a vampire to briefly survive the light of day, or help survive fire. The higher one has explored Fortitude, the more damage they can withstand.
Obfuscate: This discipline allows one to hide. At the lowest levels, it allows one to hide within shadows; at the highest levels, it allows one to hide other people, vanishing from plain sight. At Elder levels, one can even disguise one’s very soul.
Potence: This is supernatural strength. At the basic levels, one gains a slight advantage, but at the highest levels, one can be insanely strong, capable of throwing motorcycles. Elder levels grow even more impressive.
Presence: This is the discipline of charisma, controlling emotions. At its lowest levels, one can make others become attracted to you; at the higher levels, one can create an aura of majesty about oneself that makes it difficult for others to be rude or crass to the vampire, much less attack them. At Elder levels, one can destroy emotional connections between two targets.
All this power comes with several weaknesses. Vampires are creatures of the night, and exposure to sunlight will cause a vampire to erupt in flames. Fire is also a dangerous thing – vampires are somewhat more flammable than humans, and damage from fire is not easily healed. But most of all… a vampire must feed. Regular food does not sustain one, and indeed even attempting to eat any food will quickly lead to rather violent vomiting. Use of powers, including their potent regeneration, often will drain a vampire’s blood supply, requiring them to feed even more, but they will digest roughly a pint of blood a day. Some vampires choose to go several days without feeding, while others drink a tiny amount daily to avoid killing. After all, too much killing, and one loses one’s grip on humanity – which is what most vampires use to stave off the Beast inside them.
The Beast is not a physical thing, but a concept. It rages inside a vampire’s breast, calling for blood, for mindless ravaging. A vampire can enter a frenzied state – as the Beast takes over – and enter a berserker rage, or sometimes into a frenzy of fear to escape sunlight, fire, or some other great danger, but vampires prefer to avoid letting the Beast take control. Some vampires lose whatever control they had on the Beast and descend into madness and animalistic frenzy. Most such creatures are put out of their misery when they are found. It is also said that some vampires manage an enlightened state called Golconda, in which a vampire loses the Beast forever, but even if such legends are true, no one is sure how one achieves this state.
All this said, not all myths of vampires are true. Most vampires can enter any house, invited or not, and have no difficulty with running water. Silver does not damage them any more than any other weapon, garlic does not repel them, and mirrors will reflect a vampire’s image. Crosses and other holy symbols have no power on their own, but if wielded by one with powerful faith, they can work as legends stated. A stake does not kill, but merely paralyzes the vampire until the stake is removed. All that said, some vampires seem to have been created with one or two of these weaknesses, though the cause for those vampires to have those weaknesses is unknown.
Feeding in secret is easier than one might think. Fangs are retractable, allowing a vampire to look mortal easily enough. The bite is extremely pleasurable, and a mortal caught in the Kiss, as it is called, cannot resist. A simple lick of the bite wound will heal it after the feeding is complete, leaving no evidence of the vampire’s bite. To create a new vampire, the would-be sire must drain the very heart’s blood from the victim – then feed the new vampire a portion of the blood. Even a small amount of blood is enough to raise the new vampire.
The blood is also potent to those who are still living. A mortal who is given a small portion of the vampire’s blood every week ceases aging as long as they maintain their supply of vampiric blood, and gain a small portion of the vampire’s powers. In this way, a vampire’s “ghoul” is able to handle some of the vampire’s business by day. However, vampire blood is potent in one other way: if one drinks a vampire’s blood three times on three different nights, no matter how far apart those nights are, they become loyal to that vampire, unable to take any act that would harm them. This “Blood Bond” is permanent, and once a vampire has been bound, they can never be bound to another. Some vampires take “blood lovers” among other vampires, becoming blood-bound to each other in an act of loyalty and love akin to sex among vampires – for while vampires can control their blood flow and thus are capable of sex, they have no physical drive for anything save blood.
On the other hand, if a vampire slays and drinks the heart’s blood of an elder vampire, they can artificially “lower” their generation, becoming one step closer to the clan founders and Caine in power. This is known as Diablerie, and it leaves a mark on one’s soul for some time. The Camarilla (see below) has outlawed this act on pain of death.
Organizations and Clans:
Among the vampires, there are three primary organizations struggling for power. The most powerful organization is the Camarilla, which controls most of Europe and the United States.
The Camarilla was formed by 7 of the clans:
The Brujah: Rebels and malcontents. Brujah are known for their young punks – but also for their elder idealists. Brujah discipline specialties are Celerity, Potence, and Presence.
The Gangrel: Animalistic shapeshifting wanderers. Many Gangrel seem to have several animal-like features, such as furry pointed ears, wolf-like eyes, or so forth. Gangrel discipline specialties are Animalism, Fortitude, and Protean; Protean is held mostly by their clan, and allows them shapeshifting abilities, including (at the higher levels) to transform into mist.
The Malkavians: Vampires who do not merely embrace their insanity – they have united in their insanity. Their clan discipline specialties are Auspex and Obfuscate, and either Dominate or Dementation; Dementation is a rare discipline which enables a vampire to drive others mad.
The Nosferatu: Hideously ugly sewer dwellers, the Nosferatu are some of the most accomplished spies in vampire society. Their clan disciplines are Animalism, Obfuscate, and Potence.
The Toreador: A clan of artists and social manipulators, the Toreador are known for their political clout. Their clan disciplines are Auspex, Celerity, and Presence.
The Tremere: A clan which enforces loyalty among its members, the founders were once sorcerers who gave up their magical powers in exchange for immortality. They have discovered the secrets of blood magic, but they do not give it out easily. Their clan disciplines are Auspex, Dominate, and Thaumaturgy; Thaumaturgy is a blood-magic discipline with many different forms, allowing for a wide range of sorcerous effects.
The Ventrue: A clan of old money, old blood, and rulers, the Ventrue are some of the most important leaders of the Camarilla. Their clan disciplines are Dominate, Fortitude, and Presence.
The Camarilla also accepts members from other bloodlines and even, rarely, from the other clans, provided those individuals are willing to obey the rules of the Camarilla. Foremost among the Camarilla’s rules is the Masquerade. The elder vampires rule things among the Camarilla, and democracy is not widely used. A single Prince (male or female) will rule a city, but even a Prince has to answer to regional representatives of the Camarilla.
The Sabbat regards the Camarilla as their mortal enemy. Established almost in direct response to the Camarilla, they are seen as violent and dangerous brutes. They place no importance on the Masquerade, and they are known to be blatant in their use of supernatural powers – particularly in Camarilla-held territory. The Sabbat has some territory spread across the world, including in parts of the American Southeast, but most of their power is concentrated in Mexico. It is believed that they have some other method, rather than maintaining their humanity, to hold the Beast at bay, for the Sabbat revels in its inhumanity.
The Sabbat has two of the 13 clans as members:
The Lasombra: shadowy manipulators from the background. They are said to manipulate the shadows and the darkness to maintain their grip on power, and they regard Machiavelli as an infant. Their clan disciplines are Dominate, Obtenebration, and Potence; Obtenebration is a discipline which allows one to manipulate the very shadows and darkness around them.
The Tzimesce: pronounced SHA-ma-say, or sometime tse-ME-say, cruel fleshcrafters who embrace some of the darkest aspects of undeath. Their clan disciplines are Animalism, Auspex, and Vicissitude; Vicissitude allows them to reshape flesh and bone of others – or sometimes even themselves.
In addition, there are members from most of the other 13 clans found among the Sabbat, offshoots of their own clan, with only the Giovanni not found in any real numbers.
Lastly, there are the Anarchs. Mostly younger vampires, with Brujah and Caitiff as the most common members found among their number, the Anarchs believe in no laws, no rules, and no vampiric society. They have managed to carve out some territory in California, and a few isolated pockets here and there, but they are feared by many elders, who see them as merely seeking power through lawless diablerie – elder vampires, after all, must defend their power against the younger vampires who can, in theory, drink their very soul for power.
There is another organization out there, called the Inconnu. The Inconnu are made up entirely of ancient vampires with a great deal of power. No one knows their true motives or goals, but they seem content, at this time, to simply observe – watching what occurs across the world. To what end? No one knows.
The vampire sects war with each other, and some say they are merely pawns in a greater game between the clan founders – though the Sabbat claims to reject those ancient powers and are the only force for true independence. This ancient war is called the Jyhad, an eternal struggle between unknowable powers.
There are also a few independent clans, who deal with the different organizations of vampires equally:
The Assamites: assassins who take their payment in blood, Assamites are feared killers. Their clan disciplines are Celerity, Obfuscate, and Quietus; Quietus supports their ability to engage in quiet murder, from creating zones of silence to using one’s own blood to damage others.
The Followers of Set: they revel in their corruption, and no one trusts a Settite – but they always seem to be able to provide just what someone needs in a given situation. As such, no one is too eager to cross them, either. Their clan disciplines are Obfuscate, Presence, and Serpentis; Serpentis allows them to gain various serpent-like effects, with elders able to use this to directly corrupt a target’s soul.
The Giovanni: equally necromancers and crimelords, the Giovanni keep their bloodline entirely within their mortal family line. Their clan disciplines are Dominate, Potence, and Necromancy; Necromancy enables them to control the dead in various fashions.
The Ravnos: wanderers, thieves, and often associated with gypsies, the Ravnos are also known for being incredibly skilled with illusion. Their clan disciplines are Animalism, Fortitude, and Chimerstry. Chimerstry enables a vampire to create illusions, fooling any or all senses.
Other bloodlines, which may be associated with the Sabbat, the Camarilla, the Anarchs, or may remain independent, include (but are not limited to) the Gargoyles, stonelike ugly mercenaries; the Samedi, rotting corpses who specialize in necromancy; and the Daughters of Cacophany, beautiful singers with the power to drive men insane. Dark legends whisper of an infernalist bloodline of vampires called the Baali, who seek to summon dark demonic forces to this plane, or soul-stealing vampires called the Salubri, with a third eye in their forehead, but many consider these far-fetched.
There are other supernatural creatures, of course. Vampires are most concerned with the Lupines – werewolves. Lupines seem to have an unreasoning hatred of vampires. They are powerful killing machines, and young vampires have much to fear should they encounter even a single Lupine. Even powerful Elders should grow concerned should they run afoul of a Lupine pack – and they do travel in packs. There are rumors of Lupine vampires, known as Abominations, but such things are put down whenever they are encountered – for who could trust one?
There are reality-shapers, sorcerers, and mages, but they run in different circles, and their issues are not a vampire’s. Still, feeding from such a mortal would be dangerous, so a vampire should be careful with their feeding. The last thing a vampire wants when seeking a few pints of blood is a fireball in the chest.
It is said there are faerie-kind, but most vampires have never encountered one. Who knows what the blood of a faerie would do to a vampire who drank it?
Lastly, as the necromancers among the vampires can attest, there are ghosts, but they exist on a totally different plane of reality.
There are also mortals who still hunt vampires. Some are independent, while others are organizations. Some, such as the Arcanum, are entirely scholarly, seeking only to understand them, but they still are a massive security risk and endanger the Masquerade. Others, such as the modern descendants of the Inquisition, seek to destroy every supernatural being in the world.
Gehenna:
Legends claim that the eldest of vampires – the Antideluvians – will someday awaken from their deepest of sleeps. These vampires will no longer be sated by mortal blood, but will only feed from other vampires. The vampires will be wiped out, and Caine will face his final judgment. These end-times, called Gehenna, are upon us, many believe – the legends spoke of the time of thin blood, and the many Caitiff seem to fit this prophecy. Other signs seem to indicate it could happen soon – perhaps even in the next few years.
Some vampires do not believe these legends – the Anarchs, for example, believe it to be a scary story to frighten young vampires into behaving. Others believe that the times are here, and the only defense is to gather power, to make the Methuselahs unable to get to them. Officially, the Camarilla does not believe that Gehenna is coming, but the stories still persist among its members. Regardless of the truth of the legends, many vampires believe that time is running out to gather as much power as one can to oneself – for only by making yourself powerful can you hope to withstand the ancient powers that may or may not be rising soon.
New Orleans:
In the early days of New Orleans, when it was a major trade hub, the Ventrue had control of the city. For many years, the Ventrue ran the city unchallenged. During the rise of the slave trade, the Settites moved in, establishing enough of a presence to be worrisome, but they were always too useful to destroy.
In the mid-1800s, the Toreador moved in, in droves; by the later 1800s, they had completely taken control of the city through sheer numbers. Still, the Ventrue elders were well-established, and were hardly moving anywhere. The Camarilla held control of the city, and while the Anarchs whined, the Sabbat attempted the occasional raid, and the Settites (and later, Giovanni) stuck to the outskirts of vampire society, the Camarilla’s control was well-established. Samedi and Daughters of Cacophany, while never as populous as the clans, were more populous here than in most other places in the country. The Settites found their power waning after the slave trade ended, but they never left completely.
When people began discussing the possibility of a hurricane hitting the city, the elders ignored the discussion – they had been well-established for hundreds of years. A little rainstorm was hardly going to worry them. When the hurricane hit and the flood waters rose, it was the poorer areas harder hit – the well-established elders had nothing to worry about. It was the younger vampires, and especially the anarchs, who were hardest hit.
But then something changed. Vampires invaded the havens of the elders, slaughtering and diablerizing them. Elders who had been a staple in the city for hundreds of years were gone in the space of a couple days. A small selection of the Elders, realizing that they were in danger, went to the Giovanni, surviving only by owing the independent vampires some rather significant favors. Overnight, the long-established Camarilla control of the city gave way to total anarchy.
The chaos lasted a month. During that time, the Sabbat managed to establish a strong presence, carving out a portion of the city for themselves, and to this day, the Camarilla lacks the strength to push the invaders out. When the Camarilla attempted to reestablish control, the Anarchs, emboldened and more powerful than ever, slowed the process, making it more difficult whenever possible. A single Caitiff with a great deal of charisma, named Gustave, stepped forward and organized the local vampires, whipping them into shape. The Anarchs calmed somewhat under Gustave’s leadership, and while there were many who did not appreciate a Caitiff’s leadership, the majority of powers in the area approved of his leadership. During this time of rebuilding, the Camarilla sent several Archons and Justicars to discover who was responsible for the deaths of the Elders; the official explanation is that the Sabbat killed them as they moved into the city. Some are unsatisfied with that answer, but for the time being, the explanation stands.
The Camarilla did not want to see a Caitiff Prince, and they worried that Gustave would be declared so in short order. So before Gustave could be formally recognized, the Camarilla assigned the city a new Prince: a Tremere named William Johnson. Recognizing that Gustave was powerful locally, Johnson established Gustave as his senechal -- his second-in-command.
Officially, Gustave is loyal to Johnson – they are all Camarilla, after all. But exactly how this will fall out is anyone’s guess. In addition, the Giovanni seem to have gained a stronger foothold, while the Sabbat have carved out territory of their own in the city, and the Anarchs seem more powerful than ever.
To further complicate things, ever since the flood, vampires have been vanishing. It’s usually only one every week or so, but unbeknownst to anyone, something has been stirred up by the flood – something that has begun hunting the hunters…
According to legend, the first vampire was Caine, cursed by God for the murder of his brother Abel. He began the second generation, and they the third, and so on. Today, most vampires one encounters are between the 8th and 13th generation. The further from Caine one grows, the less potent the blood. There are stories of 14th generation vampires, with blood so weak it barely makes one supernatural at all, but most have not encountered them.
The 3rd generation vampires were immensely powerful, and after slaughtering their sires (there are no more 2nd generation vampires), they founded clans. All vampires of the same clan can trace their lineage directly to their clan founder, and one’s clan brings with it strengths, associated vampiric powers or “disciplines”, as well as weaknesses. There are 13 clans of vampires. There are also a number of lesser clans, called “bloodlines,” which often spun off from one (or sometimes two) of the major clans. Bloodlines are uncommon, but not unheard of. Lastly, sometimes, blood gets so weak (most often at the least powerful generations) that one is created without a clan. These “caitiff” are the lowest of the underclass, for they have no clan willing to defend them – they are truly on their own.
At one time, Vampires walked among humanity openly, refusing to fear the weak day-dwellers. However, the Inquisition changed all that. Hundreds, if not thousands, of vampires were killed by the cleansing of the Catholic church. Yes, they killed innocent people too, by far the majority of their violent attacks, but they also rounded up true supernatural beings and put them to death.
In response to the Inquisition, elder vampires gathered and instituted a new society: the Camarilla. The Camarilla established laws and rules of vampiric society. First and foremost of these laws was the Masquerade: mortals should never learn of vampires. Vampires must remain hidden. In response, a second group, the Sabbat, formed. The Sabbat believes that mortals are vampire’s prey. Humans do not fear cattle; neither should vampires fear mortals. In recent years, a third major faction has arisen: the Anarchs. They do not believe rules or vampiric society has a place, and both the Sabbat and the Camarilla must topple for vampires to have true freedom. The Anarchs are mostly made up of castoffs and young punks, with clanless often drawn to their number.
Vampiric Nature:
Vampires are supernaturally powerful. They do not age, and they tend to be more durable and powerful than humans, able to heal from most wounds in minutes. All vampires have at least a few vampiric powers called Disciplines. Disciplines are broad categories of powers, and as one grows in strength within one’s Disciplines, one finds new abilities they can manage. For example, as one learns Obfuscate, one might only be able to initially hide in the shadows, but as one grows a little more skilled, one might learn to disguise their appearance as someone else entirely. Other vampiric abilities include Potence, supernatural strength; Celerity, supernatural speed; Fortitude, supernatural endurance; Protean, or shapechanging; Auspex, or supernatural senses; and much much more. Each clan or bloodline has three Disciplines for which it is well known, but in theory, any vampire can learn any Discipline. All Disciplines have several levels of abilities open to all vampires, while more potent blood found among only those closer to Caine allow even deeper explorations of power.
The commonly known Disciplines are:
Animalism: Empathy and control over beasts. At the lowest levels, one can tempt favors from animals; at the higher levels, one can force others to Frenzy. At Elder levels, one can share experiences with an animal with merely a touch.
Auspex: Supernatural senses. At the lowest levels, one gains heightened senses; at the highest levels, one can project their consciousness out of their body. At Elder levels, one can remain aware of events around them while asleep or even in Torpor.
Celerity: Supernatural speed. At its lowest levels, it allows a person to move at speeds of double a normal man; at its highest levels, one can move at five times the speed. At Elder levels, one can move even faster.
Dominate: The ability to control men’s minds. At the lowest levels, one can give a one-word command which can be obeyed instantly; at highest levels, one can possess a target completely. At Elder levels, one can make a target believe that the choices they make while Dominated are their own, and are right and proper.
Fortitude: Fortitude is a level of supernatural durability and toughness. High enough fortitude can even allow a vampire to briefly survive the light of day, or help survive fire. The higher one has explored Fortitude, the more damage they can withstand.
Obfuscate: This discipline allows one to hide. At the lowest levels, it allows one to hide within shadows; at the highest levels, it allows one to hide other people, vanishing from plain sight. At Elder levels, one can even disguise one’s very soul.
Potence: This is supernatural strength. At the basic levels, one gains a slight advantage, but at the highest levels, one can be insanely strong, capable of throwing motorcycles. Elder levels grow even more impressive.
Presence: This is the discipline of charisma, controlling emotions. At its lowest levels, one can make others become attracted to you; at the higher levels, one can create an aura of majesty about oneself that makes it difficult for others to be rude or crass to the vampire, much less attack them. At Elder levels, one can destroy emotional connections between two targets.
All this power comes with several weaknesses. Vampires are creatures of the night, and exposure to sunlight will cause a vampire to erupt in flames. Fire is also a dangerous thing – vampires are somewhat more flammable than humans, and damage from fire is not easily healed. But most of all… a vampire must feed. Regular food does not sustain one, and indeed even attempting to eat any food will quickly lead to rather violent vomiting. Use of powers, including their potent regeneration, often will drain a vampire’s blood supply, requiring them to feed even more, but they will digest roughly a pint of blood a day. Some vampires choose to go several days without feeding, while others drink a tiny amount daily to avoid killing. After all, too much killing, and one loses one’s grip on humanity – which is what most vampires use to stave off the Beast inside them.
The Beast is not a physical thing, but a concept. It rages inside a vampire’s breast, calling for blood, for mindless ravaging. A vampire can enter a frenzied state – as the Beast takes over – and enter a berserker rage, or sometimes into a frenzy of fear to escape sunlight, fire, or some other great danger, but vampires prefer to avoid letting the Beast take control. Some vampires lose whatever control they had on the Beast and descend into madness and animalistic frenzy. Most such creatures are put out of their misery when they are found. It is also said that some vampires manage an enlightened state called Golconda, in which a vampire loses the Beast forever, but even if such legends are true, no one is sure how one achieves this state.
All this said, not all myths of vampires are true. Most vampires can enter any house, invited or not, and have no difficulty with running water. Silver does not damage them any more than any other weapon, garlic does not repel them, and mirrors will reflect a vampire’s image. Crosses and other holy symbols have no power on their own, but if wielded by one with powerful faith, they can work as legends stated. A stake does not kill, but merely paralyzes the vampire until the stake is removed. All that said, some vampires seem to have been created with one or two of these weaknesses, though the cause for those vampires to have those weaknesses is unknown.
Feeding in secret is easier than one might think. Fangs are retractable, allowing a vampire to look mortal easily enough. The bite is extremely pleasurable, and a mortal caught in the Kiss, as it is called, cannot resist. A simple lick of the bite wound will heal it after the feeding is complete, leaving no evidence of the vampire’s bite. To create a new vampire, the would-be sire must drain the very heart’s blood from the victim – then feed the new vampire a portion of the blood. Even a small amount of blood is enough to raise the new vampire.
The blood is also potent to those who are still living. A mortal who is given a small portion of the vampire’s blood every week ceases aging as long as they maintain their supply of vampiric blood, and gain a small portion of the vampire’s powers. In this way, a vampire’s “ghoul” is able to handle some of the vampire’s business by day. However, vampire blood is potent in one other way: if one drinks a vampire’s blood three times on three different nights, no matter how far apart those nights are, they become loyal to that vampire, unable to take any act that would harm them. This “Blood Bond” is permanent, and once a vampire has been bound, they can never be bound to another. Some vampires take “blood lovers” among other vampires, becoming blood-bound to each other in an act of loyalty and love akin to sex among vampires – for while vampires can control their blood flow and thus are capable of sex, they have no physical drive for anything save blood.
On the other hand, if a vampire slays and drinks the heart’s blood of an elder vampire, they can artificially “lower” their generation, becoming one step closer to the clan founders and Caine in power. This is known as Diablerie, and it leaves a mark on one’s soul for some time. The Camarilla (see below) has outlawed this act on pain of death.
Organizations and Clans:
Among the vampires, there are three primary organizations struggling for power. The most powerful organization is the Camarilla, which controls most of Europe and the United States.
The Camarilla was formed by 7 of the clans:
The Brujah: Rebels and malcontents. Brujah are known for their young punks – but also for their elder idealists. Brujah discipline specialties are Celerity, Potence, and Presence.
The Gangrel: Animalistic shapeshifting wanderers. Many Gangrel seem to have several animal-like features, such as furry pointed ears, wolf-like eyes, or so forth. Gangrel discipline specialties are Animalism, Fortitude, and Protean; Protean is held mostly by their clan, and allows them shapeshifting abilities, including (at the higher levels) to transform into mist.
The Malkavians: Vampires who do not merely embrace their insanity – they have united in their insanity. Their clan discipline specialties are Auspex and Obfuscate, and either Dominate or Dementation; Dementation is a rare discipline which enables a vampire to drive others mad.
The Nosferatu: Hideously ugly sewer dwellers, the Nosferatu are some of the most accomplished spies in vampire society. Their clan disciplines are Animalism, Obfuscate, and Potence.
The Toreador: A clan of artists and social manipulators, the Toreador are known for their political clout. Their clan disciplines are Auspex, Celerity, and Presence.
The Tremere: A clan which enforces loyalty among its members, the founders were once sorcerers who gave up their magical powers in exchange for immortality. They have discovered the secrets of blood magic, but they do not give it out easily. Their clan disciplines are Auspex, Dominate, and Thaumaturgy; Thaumaturgy is a blood-magic discipline with many different forms, allowing for a wide range of sorcerous effects.
The Ventrue: A clan of old money, old blood, and rulers, the Ventrue are some of the most important leaders of the Camarilla. Their clan disciplines are Dominate, Fortitude, and Presence.
The Camarilla also accepts members from other bloodlines and even, rarely, from the other clans, provided those individuals are willing to obey the rules of the Camarilla. Foremost among the Camarilla’s rules is the Masquerade. The elder vampires rule things among the Camarilla, and democracy is not widely used. A single Prince (male or female) will rule a city, but even a Prince has to answer to regional representatives of the Camarilla.
The Sabbat regards the Camarilla as their mortal enemy. Established almost in direct response to the Camarilla, they are seen as violent and dangerous brutes. They place no importance on the Masquerade, and they are known to be blatant in their use of supernatural powers – particularly in Camarilla-held territory. The Sabbat has some territory spread across the world, including in parts of the American Southeast, but most of their power is concentrated in Mexico. It is believed that they have some other method, rather than maintaining their humanity, to hold the Beast at bay, for the Sabbat revels in its inhumanity.
The Sabbat has two of the 13 clans as members:
The Lasombra: shadowy manipulators from the background. They are said to manipulate the shadows and the darkness to maintain their grip on power, and they regard Machiavelli as an infant. Their clan disciplines are Dominate, Obtenebration, and Potence; Obtenebration is a discipline which allows one to manipulate the very shadows and darkness around them.
The Tzimesce: pronounced SHA-ma-say, or sometime tse-ME-say, cruel fleshcrafters who embrace some of the darkest aspects of undeath. Their clan disciplines are Animalism, Auspex, and Vicissitude; Vicissitude allows them to reshape flesh and bone of others – or sometimes even themselves.
In addition, there are members from most of the other 13 clans found among the Sabbat, offshoots of their own clan, with only the Giovanni not found in any real numbers.
Lastly, there are the Anarchs. Mostly younger vampires, with Brujah and Caitiff as the most common members found among their number, the Anarchs believe in no laws, no rules, and no vampiric society. They have managed to carve out some territory in California, and a few isolated pockets here and there, but they are feared by many elders, who see them as merely seeking power through lawless diablerie – elder vampires, after all, must defend their power against the younger vampires who can, in theory, drink their very soul for power.
There is another organization out there, called the Inconnu. The Inconnu are made up entirely of ancient vampires with a great deal of power. No one knows their true motives or goals, but they seem content, at this time, to simply observe – watching what occurs across the world. To what end? No one knows.
The vampire sects war with each other, and some say they are merely pawns in a greater game between the clan founders – though the Sabbat claims to reject those ancient powers and are the only force for true independence. This ancient war is called the Jyhad, an eternal struggle between unknowable powers.
There are also a few independent clans, who deal with the different organizations of vampires equally:
The Assamites: assassins who take their payment in blood, Assamites are feared killers. Their clan disciplines are Celerity, Obfuscate, and Quietus; Quietus supports their ability to engage in quiet murder, from creating zones of silence to using one’s own blood to damage others.
The Followers of Set: they revel in their corruption, and no one trusts a Settite – but they always seem to be able to provide just what someone needs in a given situation. As such, no one is too eager to cross them, either. Their clan disciplines are Obfuscate, Presence, and Serpentis; Serpentis allows them to gain various serpent-like effects, with elders able to use this to directly corrupt a target’s soul.
The Giovanni: equally necromancers and crimelords, the Giovanni keep their bloodline entirely within their mortal family line. Their clan disciplines are Dominate, Potence, and Necromancy; Necromancy enables them to control the dead in various fashions.
The Ravnos: wanderers, thieves, and often associated with gypsies, the Ravnos are also known for being incredibly skilled with illusion. Their clan disciplines are Animalism, Fortitude, and Chimerstry. Chimerstry enables a vampire to create illusions, fooling any or all senses.
Other bloodlines, which may be associated with the Sabbat, the Camarilla, the Anarchs, or may remain independent, include (but are not limited to) the Gargoyles, stonelike ugly mercenaries; the Samedi, rotting corpses who specialize in necromancy; and the Daughters of Cacophany, beautiful singers with the power to drive men insane. Dark legends whisper of an infernalist bloodline of vampires called the Baali, who seek to summon dark demonic forces to this plane, or soul-stealing vampires called the Salubri, with a third eye in their forehead, but many consider these far-fetched.
There are other supernatural creatures, of course. Vampires are most concerned with the Lupines – werewolves. Lupines seem to have an unreasoning hatred of vampires. They are powerful killing machines, and young vampires have much to fear should they encounter even a single Lupine. Even powerful Elders should grow concerned should they run afoul of a Lupine pack – and they do travel in packs. There are rumors of Lupine vampires, known as Abominations, but such things are put down whenever they are encountered – for who could trust one?
There are reality-shapers, sorcerers, and mages, but they run in different circles, and their issues are not a vampire’s. Still, feeding from such a mortal would be dangerous, so a vampire should be careful with their feeding. The last thing a vampire wants when seeking a few pints of blood is a fireball in the chest.
It is said there are faerie-kind, but most vampires have never encountered one. Who knows what the blood of a faerie would do to a vampire who drank it?
Lastly, as the necromancers among the vampires can attest, there are ghosts, but they exist on a totally different plane of reality.
There are also mortals who still hunt vampires. Some are independent, while others are organizations. Some, such as the Arcanum, are entirely scholarly, seeking only to understand them, but they still are a massive security risk and endanger the Masquerade. Others, such as the modern descendants of the Inquisition, seek to destroy every supernatural being in the world.
Gehenna:
Legends claim that the eldest of vampires – the Antideluvians – will someday awaken from their deepest of sleeps. These vampires will no longer be sated by mortal blood, but will only feed from other vampires. The vampires will be wiped out, and Caine will face his final judgment. These end-times, called Gehenna, are upon us, many believe – the legends spoke of the time of thin blood, and the many Caitiff seem to fit this prophecy. Other signs seem to indicate it could happen soon – perhaps even in the next few years.
Some vampires do not believe these legends – the Anarchs, for example, believe it to be a scary story to frighten young vampires into behaving. Others believe that the times are here, and the only defense is to gather power, to make the Methuselahs unable to get to them. Officially, the Camarilla does not believe that Gehenna is coming, but the stories still persist among its members. Regardless of the truth of the legends, many vampires believe that time is running out to gather as much power as one can to oneself – for only by making yourself powerful can you hope to withstand the ancient powers that may or may not be rising soon.
New Orleans:
In the early days of New Orleans, when it was a major trade hub, the Ventrue had control of the city. For many years, the Ventrue ran the city unchallenged. During the rise of the slave trade, the Settites moved in, establishing enough of a presence to be worrisome, but they were always too useful to destroy.
In the mid-1800s, the Toreador moved in, in droves; by the later 1800s, they had completely taken control of the city through sheer numbers. Still, the Ventrue elders were well-established, and were hardly moving anywhere. The Camarilla held control of the city, and while the Anarchs whined, the Sabbat attempted the occasional raid, and the Settites (and later, Giovanni) stuck to the outskirts of vampire society, the Camarilla’s control was well-established. Samedi and Daughters of Cacophany, while never as populous as the clans, were more populous here than in most other places in the country. The Settites found their power waning after the slave trade ended, but they never left completely.
When people began discussing the possibility of a hurricane hitting the city, the elders ignored the discussion – they had been well-established for hundreds of years. A little rainstorm was hardly going to worry them. When the hurricane hit and the flood waters rose, it was the poorer areas harder hit – the well-established elders had nothing to worry about. It was the younger vampires, and especially the anarchs, who were hardest hit.
But then something changed. Vampires invaded the havens of the elders, slaughtering and diablerizing them. Elders who had been a staple in the city for hundreds of years were gone in the space of a couple days. A small selection of the Elders, realizing that they were in danger, went to the Giovanni, surviving only by owing the independent vampires some rather significant favors. Overnight, the long-established Camarilla control of the city gave way to total anarchy.
The chaos lasted a month. During that time, the Sabbat managed to establish a strong presence, carving out a portion of the city for themselves, and to this day, the Camarilla lacks the strength to push the invaders out. When the Camarilla attempted to reestablish control, the Anarchs, emboldened and more powerful than ever, slowed the process, making it more difficult whenever possible. A single Caitiff with a great deal of charisma, named Gustave, stepped forward and organized the local vampires, whipping them into shape. The Anarchs calmed somewhat under Gustave’s leadership, and while there were many who did not appreciate a Caitiff’s leadership, the majority of powers in the area approved of his leadership. During this time of rebuilding, the Camarilla sent several Archons and Justicars to discover who was responsible for the deaths of the Elders; the official explanation is that the Sabbat killed them as they moved into the city. Some are unsatisfied with that answer, but for the time being, the explanation stands.
The Camarilla did not want to see a Caitiff Prince, and they worried that Gustave would be declared so in short order. So before Gustave could be formally recognized, the Camarilla assigned the city a new Prince: a Tremere named William Johnson. Recognizing that Gustave was powerful locally, Johnson established Gustave as his senechal -- his second-in-command.
Officially, Gustave is loyal to Johnson – they are all Camarilla, after all. But exactly how this will fall out is anyone’s guess. In addition, the Giovanni seem to have gained a stronger foothold, while the Sabbat have carved out territory of their own in the city, and the Anarchs seem more powerful than ever.
To further complicate things, ever since the flood, vampires have been vanishing. It’s usually only one every week or so, but unbeknownst to anyone, something has been stirred up by the flood – something that has begun hunting the hunters…
