Re: Vampires: The Masquerade Information

[Renji]

Ventrue

The Kindred of Clan Ventrue have a reputation for being honorable, genteel and of impeccabke taste. From time out of mind, Ventrue has been the clan of leadership, enforcing the ancient traditions and seeking to shape the destiny of the Kindred. In nights of old, Ventrue were chosen from nobles, merchant princes or other wielders of power. In modern times the clan recruits from wealthy "old money" families, ruthless corporate climbers, and politicians. Whatever their origin, Ventrue vampires preserve stability and maintain order for the Camarilla. Other Kindred often mistake this for arrogance or avarice, but to the Ventrue, their shepherd's role is more burden than honor. Ventrue support the Masquerade wholeheartedly, feeling that under its auspices the best existence for all vampires may be obtained. To the Ventrue mind, other clans are brash and impetuous. Too concerned with their short-term comfort, other vampires gladly give up an eternity tomorrow for a bit of vitae tonight. Without the Ventrue, there would be no Masquerade; without the Masquerade, there would be no vampires. Thus, the Ventrue have the weight of Atlas upon their shoulders. They bear their burden with a stiff upper lip and just a hint of noblesse oblige. No other clan could lead the Children of Caine in the nights of imminent Gehenna - or so the Ventrue are apt to say. After all, their reputation rests on it.

Ventrue see themselves as nobles in the classical sense of the word, fighting to uphold the station of those below them. They are the kings, knights and barons of the modem night. Although the struggle has moved from battlefields to boardrooms and from jousting lists to voting districts, Clan Ventrue continues the duel. Young Ventrue rally and lead the troops with their cellular phones and limousines, while the clan elders watch the horizons for threats that loom like storm clouds. Many holdings under Camarilla control are overseen by Ventrue, and the Blue Bloods are loath to relax their grip over endeavors they so desperately struggle to maintain. Reputation and achievement take a Kindred far in the Ventrue clan, but none of that counts if the vampire cannot maintain his influence.

Other vampires often cast aspersions on the Ventme, vilifying them as sanctimonious, pompous or even tyrannical - and yet it is the Blue Bloods to whom those other vampires turn when something goes wrong. Ventrue cultivate, influence and - when they can - control the kine's media, police, politics, health and medicine, organized crime, industry, finance, transportation and even the Church. When another vampire requires aid, the Ventme can, often provide it - for a price.

Naturally, Ventrue gravitate to the upper crust of kine society, where their sophistication serves them in good stead. Although Ventrue move in the same social circles as the Toreador, they do not fritter away their existences in frivolity and idle chatter. The Ventrue proudly wear the privileges of leadership, and stoically bear its burdens. Thus has it always been; thus shall it always be.

Nickname: Blue Bloods

Sect: Elegant, aristocratic and regal, the Ventrue are the lords of the Camarilla. It was Clan Ventrue that provided the cornerstone of the Camarilla, and it is Clan Ventrue that directs and coaxes the Camarilla in its darkest hours. Even in the modem age, the majority of princes descend from Clan Ventrue. The Ventrue would, of course, have things no other way.

Appearance: Ventrue cultivate classical, traditional appearances. Set in their ways, Ventme vampires often affect the styles of their breathing days, and one may frequently guess a Ventrue's age by determining from which period of history her clothing dates. Young members of the clan tend toward fashions ranging from "preppy" styles to omnipresent suit-and-tie wardrobes. Ventme are elegant and stylish, but rarely on the cutting edge of couture or haberdashery trends. After all, one must stand out, not stick out.

Haven: Only the best will do. Ventrue commonly make their havens in mansions or valuable estates. Ventrue vampires often come from wealthy families, and their havens may even be ancestral homes. An old Ventme tradition holds that any member of the clan may take sanctuary with any other member of the clan, and cannot be refused. This tradition is rarely invoked, for the vampire seeking refuge subsequently owes a great debt to the vampire who provided succor. Nonetheless, the custom has saved the unlife of more than one Blue Blood.

Background: Ventrue traditionally hail from professional or high-society stock, though in modern nights the clan may claim any noteworthy person. Age, wisdom and experience play great parts in Ventrue Embraces, and a Blue Blood never Embraces capriciously. Some Ventme create neonates exclusivelt along family lines, in a twisted progression of gentrification. Other Kindred joke that the Ventrue are inbred, while the Ventrue themselves maintain that only the cream of the crop is suitable for membership in their clan.

Character Creation: Social and Mental Attributes are equally important, and illustrious members of the clan cultivate both aspects. Skills and Knowledges share similar importance, as the clan places great emphasis on being well-rounded and capable. Ventrue Kindred greatly prize Backgrounds, and high levels of Fame, Influence, Mentor, Resources, Retainers and Status go far toward establishing a Blue Blood's precedence.

Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Fortitude, Presence.

Weaknesses: Ventrue taste is rarefied to the point of exclusivity, and each Blue Blood may partake of only a certain type of mortal blood. This type is chosen at character creation. For example, a particular Ventrue might feed exclusively from virgins, blond men, naked children or clergy. The character will feed on no other type of blood, even if starving or under duress. Ventrue may feed on vampire blood normally.

Organization: The Ventme in a given region meet often, though their convocations resemble salons or debates and tend to result in more talk than action. Of course, this ponderous discourse is the only "civilized" way to resolve an issue, and impulsive or rash Kindred often chafe under the clan's rigidity. Younger, impatient Ventrue have been known to mount direct challenges to an "old boy's" holdings and position, which is considered the height of treachery and rudeness - unless, of course, the upstart wins.

Bloodlines: Heritage is prized among the clan, and the childer and grandchilder of luminaries are held in esteem (or envy) by the rest of the clan. On a darker note, the Ventrue antitribu of the Sabbat have no foes so hated as the Kindred of their parent clan. Sabbat Ventrue are dark knights of that sect sworn to atone for their line's failings by upholding the tenets of the Sabbat. They are most commonly found among the Sabbat's templars and paladins.

Quote: The guidance of the Damned is my burden to bear, not yours. You would do well, however, to ask yourself whether your unlife is one of benefit to the Children of Caine, or a detriment. I have already made my judgment.

Stereotypes

Assamite: Nobility once belonged to this clan, but they have cast aside their honor in pursuit of wanton diablerie.

Brujah: Old wounds scar the Rabble. These hotheads cultivate buried hatreds better than the harpies do. Still, we must be tolerant - centuries of failure must surely be difficult to bear.

Followers of Set: Their association with serpents is more than appropriate, for their poison infects all whom they taint with their presence. Do not allow them in your domain.

Gangrel: They are as trustworthy and useful as well-bred dogs. We send them forh when it is time for hunting, then call them back to the kennel when more subtle tasks beckon. In this way does everyone fulfill their role.

Giovanni: There are none so base as those who would raze the pillar of stability to further their own twisted interests.

Lasombra: For time out of mind have we dueled with these self-styled Keepers. It is a small comfort to see they cannot achieve for their Sabbat what we have garnered for the Camarilla. All the capering and blood-sports in the world cannot disguise inadequacy.

Malkavian: The price they pay for their supposed enlightenment far exceeds its benefice. Still, learn from them what you may.

Nosferatu: These pitiful creatures still pay the debt earned by their sires so many nights ago, though through no fault of their own.

Ravnos: Exercise the wisdom of the ancient kings when dealing with these vulgar deceivers.

Toreador: Truly, their great passion must be a curse, for Kindred lack the ability to create what they may only impotently observe.

Tremere: It is good that they favor stability, otherwise their depredations might outweigh their utility.

Tzimisce: Are there any left? How quaint!

Caitiff: One can choose neither one's parents nor one's sire, so bear them no ill will unless they earn it.

Camarilla: This is both our honor and our penance.

Sabbat: Infantile and unruly, the Sabbat abandons any hope of redemption.

[Renji]

The Sabbat

The Camarilla's archenemy is the monstrous sect known as the Sabbat. Perceived as mindless savages and bloodthirsty fiends by the Camarilla and independent clans alike, the Sabbat is vilified among the society of the Damned, and for good reason. They're just not the reasons other Kindred claim. While the "Kindred" of the Camarilla espouse concealing themselves among mortals and maintaining the tattered vestiges of their Humanity, the Sabbat favors a different philosophy. Not content to cower like beaten dogs from humans, nor to act as pawns in the schemes of their elders, Sabbat vampires instead prefer to revel in their undead nature.

As the Sabbat reasons, vampires are a cut above mortals, who are merely food or diversion. Isn't Kindred vitae more powerful than mortal blood? Don't vampires have unnatural powers with which to assert themselves over the bovine masses? Who needs petty mortal morality when one is a blood-drinking, immortal monster? The Sabbat, though, involves far more than a simple carte blanche to behave as abominably as one chooses. Sabbat vampires are inherently alien, and their behavior reflects this.

Sabbat vampires wish no place among humans or those who pretend to be humans. They loathe humankind except as sustenance, and they lack the ability to relate to vampires who cannot accept their natures. They even rebel against their own solitary unlives, traveling in wild nomadic packs instead of eking out secretive, isolated existences. For this reason, tensions run high in the Sabbat, and the sect's surroundings often suffer for it. Cities held by the sect are some of the most violent places in existence, challenged for this dubious honor only where Sabbat and Camarilla vie for supremacy. Mexico City, Detroit, Miami and Montreal are all under the purview of the Sabbat. Cities in contention include New York; Washington, DC; Buffalo; and Atlanta. A city under Sabbat control or conquest is an explosive, volatile place; murders occur nightly, and rape and robbery are to be expected at every turn. In the World of Darkness, these cities have themselves grown toward the alien and away from the human, abandoned as they are to the depredations of the monsters who prowl their alleyways.

Thus, the Sabbat threatens every city it touches, creeping like a cancer into communities that remain oblivious until the war packs tear the city down around them. Though it is arguably no more "evil" than the degenerate elders of the Camarilla, the Sabbat is almost universally more blatant, terrorizing the kine populace with insidious games and premeditated destruction.

Now more than ever before, the Sabbat has the Camarilla on the ropes. Many Camarilla neonates, frustrated by the unattainable power and stagnant ineffectiveness of their elders, have joined the Sabbat in open protest. Numerous cities that were once bastions of Camarilla strength now exist in stalemate or contention. Camarilla princes fear the swelling tide of the Sabbat, and with good cause: Their unlives and those of the Kindred in their cities are on the line. Accordingly, Sabbat members in a Camarilla city can expect no quarter if exposed, as princes and primogen ruthlessly quash agents of the infernal insurrectionist sect. Many neonates, still wishing to please their sires and build a place for themselves in the Camarilla, aid their elders in Sabbat persecution. It would seem they prefer the evil they know to the one they've heard so many horror stories about.

Practices and Organization

Sabbat culture revolves heavily around the twin principles of loyalty and freedom. Vampires, as superior beings, are free to do as they please, but they must also remain tme to the Sabbat, lest their freedom be jeopardized by the machinations of the elders. Above all, the Sabbat refuses to be placed under the yoke of the Antediluvians; many of the sect's schemes involve means of frustrating, or at least surviving, Gehenna. The sect's two founding clans,, the Lasombra and Tzimisce, are said to have diablerized and destroyed their progenitors, and the other Sabbat vampires follow their lead, hoping that they may one night do the same.

Internal rivalries, power plays and ancient vendettas rend the sect from within, however, and the Sabbat often takes two steps back for every three it takes forward. The sect has no true, all-encompassing guidance; it is a hydra, doubling back to bite itself and its foes even as it gains in membership and influence.

Sabbat vampires themselves, with the exception of the Lasombra and Tzimisce shepherds of the sect, mockingly claim to be "anti-clans," or antitribu, of their parent clans. Some Sabbat vampires openly involve themselves in Satanism, paganism or other deviant faiths to spite the propriety of those who stand against them. Perversion and brutality are the Sabbat's tools, and the sect uses them with merciless cunning.

The nucleus of the Sabbat's organization is the "pack," a loose confederation of vampires nominally united toward a single goal. Sabbat packs may be nomadic, traveling from city to city leaving death and fire in their wakes, or they may settle in one location on a permanent basis. Because vampires are primarily solitary predators, forcing themselves into each other's company for prolonged periods of time certainly takes its toll on the individual Kindred who make up the packs.

Rituals

Sabbat vampires, upon their Embrace, are unceremoniously buried in the ground. The subsequent rite of having to claw her way out of the cold, blind earth after having her head dashed open with a shovel strips away much of a Sabbat neonate's Humanity. She is then ready to join her Sabbat sectmates as a monster rather than as a feeble, mewling kine.

The Sabbat corrupts and distorts many conventions of the institutions that stand against it. Many of the rituals and practices of the sect stem from the Catholic Church, including partaking of the VauLderie, a corruption of the Eucharist in which vampires drink from a chalice of their commingled vitae to strengthen loyalty.

The vampires of the Sabbat also participate in numerous other rituals, of which there are a seemingly endless number. The sect regularly makes use of fire, serpents, violence and blood at its rituals, which may take the form of fire dances, snake-handling, torture, ceremonial killing or other debased practices. The rituals' purpose is to create solidarity in the packmates, who lead tense, hostile unlives and are prone to fractiousness and mistrust.

Offices

The Sabbat, for all its disorganization, maintains numerous positions for its members. Each pack usually has a priest, who leads the pack in its rituals and sometimes its other affairs. The offices of archbishop (the vampire who oversees Sabbat activity in a given city) and bishop (a vampire who assists the archbishop and carries out her will) command great respect among vampires in a city where these Kindred are encountered. Above these offices are those of the cardinal, who coordinates Sabbat influence over a given region; and the prisci (singular priscus), who act as advisors to the "supreme" leader of the sect, the regent. The martial arm of the governing body comprises the templars and paladins, who serve as assassins and bodyguards for the regent, prisci and cardinals Worrisome references are made to a "sect within the sect" known as the Black Hand, but these are often simply confused references to the sect itself, which has used that moniker before.

[Renji]

The View from Without

The Camarilla

I heard that the Sabbat drink each other's blood and bum their sires to cinders at their coven meetings. I've been to Sabbat cities before, and they're the most rundown, violent hellholes in the First World. Did you know they handle snakes, practice black magic and bury each other alive! As if being a vampire isn't curse enough - these guys have to raise the Devil on top of it!

- Pentangellis, Tremere neonate

The Independents

They're insidious, those Sabbat. At least with the Camarilla, you know they're going to stab you in the back. Those maniacs in the Sabbat sell you insurance while they're setting your haven on fire and hanging your sister upside down in the basement. Don't give on inch, though, because if they respect you, they're more likely to burn down someone else's house.

- Zander, Ravnos black marketeer

[Renji]

Lasombra

The Lasombra clan has fallen from grace - and its members enjoy it. Simultaneously graceful and predatory, the Lasombra guide - and, when necessary, whip - the Sabbat into an implacable force. Turning their backs upon the humans they once were, Lasombra give themselves wholly over to the dark majesty of the Embrace. Murder, frenzy, predation: Why fear these things, many Lasombra ask, if one is meant to be a vampire ? In contrast to the Tzimisce, though, Lasombra generally seek not to reject all things mortal, but to shape, them for their own pleasure.

The Lasombra have been involved with the Church since its inception, and some Kindred whisper that the clan was instrumental in the spread of the Christian faith. In modern nights, however, Lasombra have turned their backs on that divine institution. There are exceptions, of course, but for the most part, Clan Lasombra bears only contempt for the notion of salvation. In fact, the Lasombra brought many of the Church's rites and rituals into the Sabbat sect, twisting them into mockeries of Christian doctrine. The Lasombra ordained many of the sect's auctoritas and ignoblis ritae, so that the vampires of the Sabbat might never forget who and what they are. Lasombra are best known for their Discipline of Obtenebration, a means by which they call forth a tangible "living" darkness, manipulating it at their whim. Clan doctrine holds that this "darkness" is in fact the stuff of the vampiric soul, which has been simultaneously strengthened and corrupted by the Embrace. Through the Curse ofCaine, some Lasombra believe, God has cast them out, and thus it is their duty to build a new order on Earth via the Sabbat. More scientific Lasombra scoff at this superstition, but even they tend to believe that, as vampires, they represent a new and more advanced breed of sentience, one unconcerned with petty human notions of ethics. Let the milksops of Clan Ventrue burn in the solar fires of martyrdom; the Lasombra are happy with what they are.

Naturally, this villainous outlook is not universal among the clan, but many newly Embraced Sabbat Lasombra take great glee in the wanton destruction and vulgar depravity that such a philosophy allows. In striking contrast, some elder Lasombra still maintain their ties to the Church, though even they seem to consider themselves "tools of the Devil." The two groups do see eye to eye on one matter: Members of Clan Lasombra, as consummate manipulators themselves, adamantly refuse to submit to the antiquated whims of the Antediluvians. They fight the Jyhad proudly, but unlike many Kindred, they firmly believe they can win.

The typical Lasombra possesses a gift for manipulation, as well as keen leadership skills. Lasombra are the most common leaders of Sabbat packs, as their motivational and Machiavellian natures make them ideal for orchestrating the movements of the sect. Unfortunately, pride goes hand in hand with this dark nobility, and very few Lasombra acknowledge other vampires as equal, let alone superior.

Nickname: Keepers (as in "my brother's...")

Sect: The Lasombra are the ruling clan of the Sabbat, as much as any clan can be said to "rule" that chaotic body. A few elder Lasombra hold membership in the Camarilla or Inconnu, but such creatures lead lonely and perilous existences.

Appearance: Many Lasombra of elder generations hail from Spanish or Italian stock, and some still show their Moorish or Berber heritage. Lasombra neonates and ancillae, however, run the gamut of cultures and ethnicities. Almost all Lasombra are reasonably attractive, with well-bred, aristocratic features - blue-collar Lasombra are rare, and one hardly sees the callused hands or broken noses of the working class among the Keepers.

Haven: Many young Lasombra disdain private havens, sleeping with the pack and maintaining communal lairs "for the good of the sect." Old habits die hard among the Keepers, though; certain elders maintain ancestral manses or other osten- tatious havens.

Background: Lasombra may come from any background, but are typically professionals, politically inclined or well educated. Lasombra tend to be aggressive., both physically and socially; the clan has little interest in weaklings and: does not, hesitate to cull unworthy vampires from its ranks. Lasombra are universally skilled at social discourse and pulling the strings of others - coarse manners are viewed poorly, for the Lasombra are refined monsters.

Character Creation: A Lasombra may have any Demeanor (the better to hide her true Nature!). Most Lasombra favor Social Attributes, though Mental Attributes are prized almost as greatly. Many Keepers cultivate extensive Influence, Status (Sabbat) or Resources, and favor Backgrounds more than additional Disciplines or Abilities. Lasombra founded the Path of Night, and this Path has a number of followers in the Keepers' clan (though many choose to follow other Paths of Enlightenment, and some Lasombra keep vestiges of Humanity).

Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Obtenebration, Potence

Weaknesses: Lasombra vampires cast no reflections. They cannot be seen in mirrors, bodies of water, reflective windows, polished metals, photographs and security cameras, etc. This curious anomaly even extends to the clothes they wear and objects they carry. Many Kindred believe that the Lasombra have been cursed in this manner for their vanity. Additionally, due to their penchant for darkness, Lasombra take an extra level of damage from sunlight.

Organization: Clan Lasombra's structure is simultaneously formal and open. Respect and homage are afforded to the elder warriors who helped found the Sabbat, but younger members operate with almost no guidance from the clan as an entity. Quarterly meetings, known as conventicles, serve to keep the Lasombra informed as to each other's status, and blood-drinking rituals are performed at these meetings. While no Lasombra is ever told "You may not do that" (at least not publicly), almost all Keepers have a profound respect for tradition. A secret Lasombra coterie known as Les Amies Noir is rumored to hand down "death sentences" on those Keepers who bring undue shame, attention or ignominy to the clan or its members.

Bloodlines: Lasombra antitribu are among the staunchest supporters of the Camarilla, though the sect largely distrusts them. Some of the eldest members of Clan Lasombra hold the Sabbat Lasombra in contempt. Naturally, the Sabbat Lasombra greatly fear these powerful Kindred who oppose them, and nothing rallies rival Lasombra like the rumor of an antitribu in their midst.

Quote: Shadows? Hah! I wield Darkness itself, not mere shadows! Tell me - could a shadow do this?

Stereotypes

Assamite: Useful tools, though a bit too... independent of late.

Brujah: Their fiery passion, once harvested, makes a wonderful means through which to use them toward your own ends.

Followers of Set: Hmm... How best to keep them in Egypt?

Gangrel: Easily excited; terrible, monstrous foes. Agitate them and turn them loose on your enemies.

Giovanni: The tree that does not branch hides rot within.

Malkavian: Madness sometimes offers insight, but usually simply obstructs those who would glean its benefit.

Nosferatu: Useful as flies on the wall when you need them, but Nosferatu tend to draw too many flies themselves. Ravnos: Rather than deal with them directly, it's best to goad them somewhere else and let whoever dwells there address the problem.

Toreador: They possess the most tortured of unlives, and devious minds often lurk under their flighty facades.

Tremere: Inelegant, yet effective in their own way. Their continued existence certainly keeps the Fiends' attentions constructively channeled.

Tzimisce: Valorous allies and venomous rivals, often simultaneously.

Ventrue: Their potential is dissipated by their weakness. They squander their curse by lurking among mortals.

Caitiff: I find it unimaginable that any of these survive past the initial disappointment of learning what they are.

Camarilla: Acceptable, if you're talking about a kine institution. If you're a blood-sucking devil of the night, though, why hide train those upon whom you prey?

Sabbat: If it would merely listen a little better, it would almost lie worth the effort we invest in it.

[Renji]

Tzimisce

If Clan Lasombra is the heart of the Sabbat, Clan Tzimisce is the soul. Even other vampires grow uneasy around these eerie Kindred, and the clan's nickname of "Fiends" was given to it in nights past the horrified Kindred of other lines. The Tzimisce's signature Discipline of Vicissitude is the subject of particular dread; tales speak of crippling disfigurements inflicted on a whim, of ghastly "experiments" and tortures refined beyond human - or vampiric - comprehension or endurance.

This fearsome reputation often seems unwarranted at first. Many Tzimisce are reserved and perspicacious beings, a far cry from the howling war packs that compose much of the Sabbat. Most Tzimisce appear to be rational creatures, formidably intelligent, possessed of an inquisitive and scientific bent, and unstintingly gracious to guests.

Kindred who treat with the Tzimisce, though, realize that the Fiends' human traits are the merest veneer over something... else. For millennia the Fiends have explored and refined their understanding of the vampiric condition, bending their bodies and thoughts into new and alien patterns. Should it prove necessary, enlightening or simply enjoyable, Tzimisce do not hesitate to bend victims in similar fashion. While younger Fiends might be described as merciless or sadistic, elders of the line simply fail to comprehend mercy or suffering - or perhaps they do comprehend, but no longer consider the emotions relevant.

In nights past, the Tzimisce was among the most powerful clans in the world, dominating much of the region now known as Eastern Europe. Potent sorcerers, the Fiends dominated the region's mortals as well, in the process inspiring many of the horror stories about vampires. Clan after clan conspired to uproot the Tzimisce, but it was the sorcerous Tremere who finally succeeded. Indeed, as some tell the tale, the Tremere used captured Tzimisce vitae in their experiments to become immortal. For this, the Tzimisce hate the Tremere unrelentingly, and Tremere who fall into the Sabbat's clutches typically suffer a hideous end at the talons of the Fiends.

During the Great Anarch Revolt, the Tzimisce clan turned on itself, as younger members of the clan discovered mystic means of breaking the blood bonds ensnaring them in the service of their elders. In the ensuing struggle, the younger Fiends destroyed many of their elders and demolished what was left of their power bases. Certain Sabbat whisper that the clan managed to find and destroy its own Antediluvian progenitor, though the Fiends will neither confirm nor deny this tale.

Now the Tzimisce serve the Sabbat as scholars, advisors and priests. Many of the sect's practices originated in the customs of the clan. By exploring the possibilities and limits of vampirism, the clan hopes to discover the greater purpose of the Kindred as a whole. If this means the wholesale destruction of the archaic Antediluvians, the razing of the Camarilla, and the vivisection of millions of kine victims, well, all experiments have their consequences.

Nickname: Fiends

Sect: Most Tzimisce serve the Sabbat. A few powerful Tzimisce elders retain their independence; these are believed to be Inconnu. Almost no Tzimisce are in the Camarilla; even those Fiends unsympathetic to the Sabbat find the Camarilla's skulking among the masses to be distasteful.

Appearance: As masters of the Vicissitude Discipline, Tzimisce often have striking appearances - whether strikingly beautiful or strikingly grotesque depends on the whim of the Fiend in question. Younger Tzimisce, seeking to explore their inhuman natures, perform all manner of body modifications on themselves. Their elders, though, often affect flawless, symmetrical forms; the body is merely a passing useful machine, after all. Tzimisce faces often resemble masks of blank perfection, and the Fiends typically laugh little, though some have been known to chuckle during particularly elaborate experiments.

Haven: Tzimisce are exceedingly private beings, placing great value on the sanctity of the haven. In fact, the elan has an entire series of elaborate protocols based around hospitality. Guests invited into a Fiend's haven are protected with the host's unlife; trespassers are pursued to the ends of the Earth and punished in gruesome and lingering fashion. Surprisingly, Tzimisce havens, or "manses," are not necessarily comfortable or well-kept in the manner of Ventrue or Toreador dwellings. The amenities of mortals matter little to the Fiends.

Background: Tzimisce rarely Embrace capriciously; choice of childer reflects on the sire, and thus Fiends choose only those mortals who they feel have the capacity to improve the clan as a whole. "Brilliance" and "insight" are particularly prized; whether a childe's brilliance and insight manifest in scientific theory or serial murder is a trifling:distinction.

Character Creation: Mental Attributes are most prized among the clan. Although descended from a background of nobility, the typical Sabbat Fiend is unconcerned with petty social interplay; thus, Social Attributes (with the notable exception of Appearance) are rarely primary. Knowledges are favored, and Tzimisce are as likely to follow a Path of Enlightenment (see p. 286) as they are to retain Humanity. Tzimisce often have Status (in the Sabbat), Resources and Retainers (ghouls).

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Vicissitude.

Weaknesses: Tzimisce are very territorial creatures, maintaining a particular haven and guarding it ferociously. Whenever a Tzimisce sleeps, she must surround herself with at least two handfuls of earth from a place important to her as a mortal - perhaps the earth of her birthplace or the graveyard where she underwent her creation rites. Failure to meet this requirement halves the Tzimisce's dice pools every 24 hours, until all her actions use only one die. This penalty remains until she rests for a full day amid her earth once more.

Organization: Despite the Tzimisce's pride in their heritage and customs, little organization exists among the clan. Sires and childer remain closer than most Sabbat vampires do, but in general each Fiend makes her own way in the world. One among the Fiends' number bears the ancestral title of Voivode; the Voivode is nominally the clan leader, though in practice he acts more as a "priest" or rite leader than a temporal ruler.

Bloodlines: Many Tzimisce are descended from specialized "ghoul families" who have long served the clan as minions. Tzimisce descended from the ghoul family Bratovitch replace Auspex with the Clan Discipline of Potence, but suffer +1 difficulty on any roll to avoid frenzy. Certain Tzimisce are koldun, or sorcerers. These Kindred replace the clan Discipline of Vicissitude with Thaumaturgy, but suffer +1 difficulties to resist magic as well.

Quote: Welcome; a thousand welcomes! I am honored that we could put aside the Jyhad's foolish rivalries for a night, that you might come under my eaves in the spirit of - eh? You start? Ahh - that noise! A trifle! Nothing that need concern you, sweet guest!

Stereotypes

Assamite: Once again the Turks howl outside the gates. The Final Nights must surely be nigh.

Brujah: Like ourselves, they have been unjustly toppled. Unlike ourselves, they have not adapted well at all.

Followers of Set: A worm, some say, can be cut in two, or even minced, yet each piece will wondrously grow whole once more. Can the Setites do likewise, I wonder?

Gangrel: Already the hunting hound paces its kennel. Soon it shall come and lick the feet of its old master.

Giovanni: Why do they obsess over states of being that, as immortals, we need not deign to trouble ourselves with?

Lasombra: They are shadows in truth - menacing but ultimately ephemeral. Still, ofttimes it is easier to accomplish tasks under cover of cloaking darkness.

Malkavian: The aphorism that genius and madness lie close at hand was assuredly coined by a Lunatic wretch who wished to concoct an excuse for his infirmity.

Nosferatu: No matter how one twists, they always return to their original state. Fascinating.

Ravnos: No one merits fiercer punishment than the uninvited guest.

Toreador: So lovely, so pliable, like dolls! Their most charming gift, though, is in the screaming.

Tremere: They wished for immortality; now they have it. Realize, upstarts, that agony properly administered can make an instant seem like an eternity, and that an eternity of eternities is a long time in which to suffer.

Ventrue: If one chooses, improperly, one can at least uphold one's error with dignity. The Ventrue embody much that is noble about the Damned, and so, when the time to destroy them comes, we will allow them to die the long way, with honor.

Caitiff: Most were created rashly; as such, few are of any use save as objects of study.

Camarilla: The cauldron in which the Ancients hope to cook a bloody stew. When it is tipped over, the others will see, and thank us.

Sabbat: Flawed, but our greatest - and only - hope nonetheless.

[Renji]

The Independents

Since the close of the Middle Ages, the dangerous pavanne danced by Camarilla and Sabbat has shaped the face of Kindred society. The bloody conflict has broken millions of human lives and shaped the secret history of cities across the world.

Of course, there are some clans that watch both sects leap at one another's throats in the name of the Jyhad - and prefer to have none of that, thank you very much. Although they certainly have the pedigree of true clans (as opposed to the mongrel bloodlines that occasionally surface), the four independent clans share a powerful disinclination to "take sides" in the Jyhad. Of course, some of the younger members of each clan can be found in both Camarilla and Sabbat. However, the elders of the independent clans plot toward their own inscrutable purposes, purposes that would be delayed by such nonsense as sect allegiance.

It would be foolish to assume that the average member of an unaligned clan is somehow possessed of an absolute allegiance to her clan's ideal. Like all other Kindred, the independents are, vampires first and clan members second. Most of these Cainites are concerned with their personal goals first and foremost, whether or not they coincide with (or serve) those of their clans. This fact serves only to aggravate outside observers further; an independent vampire is often a true wild card, with neither sect politics nor clan law as a guideline for predicting her behavior.

And yet...

And yet, rumor has it that the elders of the independent clans are awake in greater numbers than those of any other bloodline. One clan has thrown off an ancient spell that kept it in check, presumably due to the direct intervention of its forebears. Another, the youngest of the clans, allegedly has enjoyed the unceasing patronage of its founder since the Renaissance. The terrible and merciless Methuselahs of a third are said to be throwing off the earth of the ages and summoning their childer to them. And the fourth...

But despite such talk, the childer of each independent clan continue their activities as if all is well, offering as much loyalty to their clans as they did before. If they are indeed pawns of their Antediluvian sires, they are apparently ignorant of the fact - or worse, fully cognizant, and quite acquiescent.

The Unaligned Clans

The four independent clans have little in common, save their disdain for sects. Each pursues its own goals, and each defines its role in the Jyhad differently. Diffident even to each other, they keep their own laws amid the Camarilla's Traditions and the Sabbat's chaos.

- The Assamites are a predatory clan of vampires based in the Middle East. For ages, they have served as independent contractors. assassins for hire to any who provided them with blood. Now, with the ancient curse lifted again, they are proving themselves enemies of all clans as they seek to slake their botomless thirst for Canreite vitae.

Of all the independents, the Assamites are most feared by the others. Their role in the Jyhad, formerly that of mercenaries alone, has abruptly changed. None can say where the Assamites' loyalty will lie in the next decade or so - or how their new practices will alter the Jyhad itself.

- The Followers of Set disdain sects for different reasons. They claim to be heirs to a tradition far older than both Camarilla and Sabbat, and scorn the idea of setting aside their hereditary tasks for a passing fad of mere centuries or so. The tenets of the clan's shadowy faith allegedly date back to the first nights of civilization, and this ancient pedigree takes precedence cover matters of mere politics.

The "Setites," as they also call themselves, aren't above playing a fairly mercenary role between the two sects. The clan coffers hoarded knowledge and sinister favors to any vampire... for a price. Many elders of other clans look askance on the Setites' bartering; it seems all too possible that with every deal struck, the Clan of the Serpent takes another step to whatever goal its Antediluvian founder has set for it.

- The Giovanni are as much a family as they are a clan; the majority of their neonates are Embraced from clan members' mortal descendants. The insular Necromancers avidly pursue two goals: accumulating material wealth and power, and learning the secrets of Death itself.

The Giovanni, frankly, see no need for sects. They effectively police their own ranks, and managed to survive the Inquisition quietly, without requiring the help of other Kindred. They have all the allies they need in the form of their family, and can sternly enforce such aid when necessary. All they require is to be left alone to achieve their own ends - and the prospect of their success is frightening indeed.

- Finally, the Ravnos are driven by a clanwide compulsion for larceny and deception, as well as a powerful wanderlust. These masters of illusion, primarily of Indian and Gypsy stock, owe allegiance to themselves first, their clan second, and to no one else at all. Certainly the most loosely organized of the unaligned clans, the nomadic Ravnos are scattered across the world. They travel freely between Camarilla and Sabbat territory, for most princes have learned that it is more trouble to attempt to keep a Ravnos from one's city than to wait for the wastrel vampire to become bored and move on.

The Ravnos are flatly indifferent to sect politics, and most vampires have dismissed them as incapable of playing any great role in the Jyhad. They seem too chaotic and undisciplined to br of any use even to Methuselahs - and the Ravnos enjoy that reputation. The clan has happily lasted the past millennium or so without responsibility or duty, and sees no reason to change However, the near future may see the Ravnos working toward a common purpose after all....

[Renji]

The View from Without

The Camarilla

As if we didn't have enough to worry about, these vipers insist on playing both sides against one another. It's certain they're up to no good; what else could convince them they could survive without aiiies? They are perfectly capable of shifting the balance of the Jyhad, and they know that full well. I would pray that they malic the proper choice - if I believed anyone would listen to me.

- Anne Bowesley, Prince of London

The Sabbat

They are too weak to threaten our power - but also too strong to crush easily beneath our boots. Sometimes we lose a pack, or more, to idiocy; only a fool tries to wrest a Serpent from its den, or beat one of those damn Giovanni at his own game. But we learn from such things. We learn where the so-called "free clans" are strong, and where they are not so strong. And they will be not so strong when the earth cracks open and the sun goes red. That I guarantee.

- Cicatriz, Bishop of Tijuana

[Renji]

Assamite

From the desert wastes of the East come the Assamites, and they bring with them a miasma of terror. The Assamites are known throughout vampire society as a clan of murderous assassins, working for whoever can pay their price. The price they charge for their work is the vitae of other Kindred; for the Assamites, diablerie is the greatest sacrament. Assamites tend to avoid the affairs of the Camarilla and the Sabbat, working for either or both sides in pursuit of their goals. They do circulate among sect-held cities; other Kindred find them useful for slaying rivals, enforcing blood hunts, scourging undesirable childer, and infiltrating rivals' power bases. However, Assamites rarely form true alliances with other Kindred, for they consider other Children of Caine to be of inferior stock. Unlike the other clans, the Assamites do not claim to have a founder of the Third Generation. Rather, they believe their founder to be a member of the Second Generation, making all other Cainites flawed copies of themselves.

In nights prior to die formation of die Camarilla and the Sabbat, the Assamites practiced diablerie widely, always looking to bring themselves closer to "the One," as they referred to their mythical founder. As the Anarch Revolt ensued, and the Sabbat and Camarilla rose from the ashes, many powerful elders grew uneasy at the cannibal assassins stalking their ranks. Calling upon the Tremere to curse the Assamites' blood, the Camarilla placed a yoke on the clan that rendered its members unable to consume the vitae of other Kindred. Unable to face the unified front the Camarilla represented, die Assamites submitted to this indignity. Those few who did not accept the curse went into hiding and joined the Sabbat.

Those who deal regularly with Assamites have sensed great upheaval among the clan. The greatest sign of this is the clan's recent circumvention of the Tremere blood curse. Freed from the mystic shackles preventing it from engaging in diablerie, the clan has begun a campaign of murder and cannibalism once again. Assamites now kill other Kindred without provocation - indeed, without sanctioned contracts.

The clan as a whole has assumed a more aggressive disposition. Whereas once the Assamites would take no further contracts on a victim who bested their assassins, the clan may now pursue that victim, and often does with unparalleled fervor. Similarly, Assamites no longer honor the age-old custom of tithing to their sires. In these nights of impending Gehenna there is no place for lazy Assamites who rest on their laurels.

Precisely what the Assamites want, though, is unknown. Certainly, Assamites have flexed their muscle in both the physical and the political arenas, and hidden agents of the clan have come out of cover in cities where the ruling vampires have become lazy and fatuous. Their hold in the cities of India and the Middle East is much stronger than other Kindred had previously guessed. Whereas other Kindred once viewed the Assamites as honorable (i.e., relatively impotent), useful functionaries, they now hold the clan in dread.

Nickname: Assassins

Sect: The Assamites hold Sabbat and Camarilla in equal contempt. Some Assamites remain among the Sabbat, and a scattered few exist as loners in the Camarilla. Appearance: Assamites tend to dress stylishly but practically. Aquiline noses, dark hair and slim, graceful builds dominate the clan's membership, though African members obviously bear more Nubian characteristics. Recently, a number of Westerners have been introduced into the clan, though they remain in the minority. These individuals may have almost any appearance, as they are chosen for their skill, not their looks. Also, Assamites' skin grows darker as they age (as opposed to other vampires, whose skin gets paler with age); particularly ancient Assamites are almost ebony in complexion.

Haven: Most clan elders make their homes at Alamut, the clan stronghold, which is located high atop a mountain thought to be somewhere in modern Turkey. Neonates and operatives abroad typically select remote, inaccessible locations to ensure that they receive no unexpected guests.

Background: Many Assamite fida'i (newly Embraced apprentices) hail from Asia Minor or northern Africa. Most members of the clan have been involved with assassination, wet work or terrorist activities for some portion of their mortal lives, though this is less true among the Assamite vizier bloodline. Recently, the clan has Embraced many neonates from the Western stock among which it moves, particularly soldiers, criminals and street gangsters.

Character Creation: Assamites favor Physical Attributes, with Mental Attributes a close second. The Assassins favor Skills and Talents equally. Assamites typically have similar Natures and Demeanors, as subterfuge isn't their style, but rarely are they the exact same. Popular Backgrounds include Mentor, Contacts and, of course, Generation.

Clan Disciplines: Celerity, Obfuscate, Quietus.

Weaknesses: In light of their recent circumvention of the Tremere blood-curse, the Assamites have reacquired their appreciable taste for vitae, particularly that of either Kindred. Having been forced to rely on alchemical, blood potions for much of its modem history, the clan, is easily addicted to the blood of other vampires. Anytime an Assaaaite drinks or even tastes the blood of another Kindred, shie must made a Self-Control rill (difficulty equal to the number of blood points ingested +3). If this roll is failed, she addicted, and she must make another Self-Control roll the next time she comes in contact with Kindred vitae. Failing this roll sends the vampire into a sanguinary frenzy, in which she will do anything physically possible to partake of as much blood as possible. When (not if) the character's addiction manifests, the consuming heed for blood should be roleplayed - Clan Assamite no longer sees the need to hide its vampiric nature.

Organization: Elders of the clan still orchestrate the Assassins' movements from the Eagle's Nest at Alamut, but more and more Assamites have been dispatched throughout the world, killing Kindred with or without sanction or contracts. Many of the clan's former "rules of engagement" - such as the prohibition against hunting an opponent who'd already bested another Assamite - have been discarded. To those outside the clan, it appears as if the Assamites are running rampant.

Assamites organize themselves into units similar to Sabbat packs; these bands are known as falaqi. A falaqi typically consists of two or three Kindred who infiltrate a city and gain a foothold there. Assamites in a city engage in activities common to many Kindred (establishing power bases, cultivating herds), but also weaken rival Kindred through selective assassinations, for they do not see the Sixth Tradition as applying to them.

Bloodlines: The Assamite vizier bloodline specializes in the study of Thaumaturgy and Middle Eastern magic. Viziers almost never leave the confines of Alamut, and certainly never engage in assassination activities. They instead refine their - and accordingly, the clan's - knowledge of blood magic. Assamite viziers forsake Celerity, instead learning Thaumaturgy as a clan Discipline, but must spend an extra blood point on all Thaumaturgical invocations. Assamite antitribu of the Sabbat differ very little from their independent counterparts, their only variance being their nominal allegiance to the sect. Assamites and their antitribu relate very well. particularly since the parent clan's breaking of the Tremere curse.

Quote: Save your breath, weak one - no one will hear your screams. Now aid me on my journey back to Haqim's grace...

In Nights Past

Storytellers who wish to set their games in nights prior to 1998 should make a few adjustments to Clan Assamite as presented. As they have only recently shaken off the blood curse, pre-1998 Assamites bear a different clan weakness. Assamites must tithe 10 percent of the blood they garner in contract payments to their sires. Additionally, they may not imbibe the vitae of Kindred. Should an Assamite ingest vampire blood, each point so taken inflicts one automatic health level of lethal damage to the Assamite.

Stereotypes

Brujah: Whatever gods we shared in the past, we have nothing in common now.

Followers of Set: To sup with snakes is to invite their poison to your table.

Gangrel: I would almost forsake the tainted blood of animals, but my need is great.

Giovanni: Let them traffic with their dead, but never suffer than to stain pair domain with their debased presences.

Lasombra: Untrustworthy and vulgar - but they are nonetheless game of our best employers.

Malkavians: Their blood brings madness when it stains our lips. Avoid them, lest you be tainted with their derangement.

Nosferatu: Their hideousness hides a semblalace of honor and, thus, they are fools.

Ravnos: I find the sounds of their exsanguination more musical than their ugly Gypsy songs.

Toreador: A pursuit of beauty is luxury and, therefore, wasteful.

Tremere: We shall never again bear the indignity of their sorcery. The only good Tremere is the one you kill on the road back to Haqim's bosom.

Tzimisce: I am surprised that our mutual hatred for the Warlocks doesn't make us better bedfellows. It is irrelevant, however, as these relics mean nothing to the modern night.

Ventrue: Though they give us leave to practice our rites in cities they control, it was nevertheless the Blue Bloods who contrived to place us under Clan Tremere's curse.

Caitiff: Worthless chaff, fit only to be separated from the wheat. They are rarely missed, though their weak blood does us little long-term good.

Camarilla: Their nights are numbered, and we shall never forget the shackles they placed upon us.

Sabbat: Too callous and classless, and so dead-set against heeding their elders' advice that they remind one of adolescent children.

[Renji]

Followers of Set

The Followers of Set, more commonly referred to as "Setites," are mistrusted perhaps more than any other clan. Their ties with the archetypal Serpent of myth are well-known, and bolstered by their disturbing powers. They are custodians of knowledge that, according to their claims, predates even the First City. When they enter a city, the Cainite power structure almost inevitably erodes. But most unnerving of all, they share a dark and powerful faith as a clan - a faith that the blood of gods pulses in their cold veins.

Of course, the clan's very name is proof of such faith. According to most Setites, their clan founder was none other than the dark god of ancient Egypt, a hunter without equal in the desert night. Other tales state that Set was an Antediluvian - at feast - who enshrined himself as a god among the Egyptians. In either case, Set's rule went unquestioned until he was challenged by a being named Osiris - whom some call a vampire, and others something else. Their war lasted for centuries, but ultimately Set was cast out of Egypt, into the darkness. And yet, his followers claim, it was in the darkness that wise, ancient Set began his rule in earnest. Although great Set has vanished from the world, his childer work to ensure that the world will be in a suitable state for his return - advancing their own schemes in the process, of course.

To achieve their goals, Setites master several potent tools. To their thinking, the weapons of addiction, seduction and decay are the oldest and finest of means to an end. Setites use drugs, sex, money, power - even vitae and supernatural lore - to draw others into their coils. To date, the Followers' methods have proved terribly effective. Kindred and kine alike succumb to the Setites' charms, gladly doing whatever their new masters bid in return for the Serpents' reptilian patronage. Indeed, in some cities, entire subcultures and economic strata are under one or more Setites' sway.

The Followers of Set cryptically refer to themselves as the "eldest among clans," whatever that phrase may mean to them. Cainite historians dismiss this as groundless braggadocio, citing Set's rise as well past the time of the First City. However, those who listen carefully to the Setites' whispering are somewhat less flippant, as the Snake Clan seems to have access to hoary lore that, some worry, might date back to the first and longest nights of all. A few Serpents have even hinted that Set was thrown into the darkness before Caine himself received his own curse - a theory that most Kindred dismiss, but one with frightening implications nonetheless.

Whatever the clan's origins, it is a fact that its influence is widespread indeed. Although they are rare in "traditional" vampiric haunting grounds such as Europe, the Followers of Set prowl many other areas of the world. They have a potent presence in Africa, particularly in Cairo and the sub-Saharan area of the continent. They nest in India, just on the edge of the Cathayan hunting grounds, pursuing the wisdom of destroyer gods and gathering cults to themselves. They sleep under Middle Eastern sands and rule the Caribbean night. And they go unafraid into the worst urban hellholes in America. Their web stretches from continent to continent, and the other clans have yet to realize just how much of the world the Setites have in their clutches.

Nickname: Serpents

Sect: Neutrality is far too valuable for the Followers of Set to bother with sects. They find the Camarilla pretentiously idealistic, and the Sabbat exactly the same. Setites prefer to barter their secrets to both sides, but reserve their truly significant finds for the clan's exclusive use Appearance: Most elder Setites are of Egyptian, North Afri- can or Middle Eastern blood. However, the Snakes have adopted a more egalitarian approach in recent years, and have Embraced men and women of all ethnicities. Red hair is considered a mark of Set's favor, and some neonates are not above hennaing their hair nightly to prove their devotion. Setites usually have impeccable taste in clothing and accessories, and have an inviting, command- ing demeanor that transfixes onlookers.

Haven: Although many younger Setites aren't above snatching the most practical crashspaces possible, the elders of the clan treat haven-building as a reverential process. Many use ancient alchemical rituals to consecrate their havens, be they temples, hidden libraries or simple crypts. Most train cadres of ghouls for the "sacred duty" of guarding the master's haven, and some are fond of letting various snakes roam the interior of their lairs. Their havens are often decorated in ancient Egyptian fashion, but the Followers of Set have become quite multicultural in recent years. An individual Setite may adorn his haven with Ghanan sculpture, Moroccan rugs or Hopi kachinas - whatever suits his tastes or background.

Background: Many Setites served as retainers to other Followers of Set prior to receiving the Embrace. In former nights, the clan chose only those of Egyptian descent, but pragmatism has led them to include those from all ethnicities of late. The Serpents tend to select childer who prove themselves manipulative and; mentally resilient - the former to better sway mortals into: the clan's service, the latter so that the childe can safely learn the knowledge kept by the Followers. The Setites choose only the best; those who are anything less cannot hope to rise above the status of pawn.

Character Creation: Setites tend to focus on Social and Mental Attributes, but their Abilities vary, with the character concept. The Occult Knowledge is common among the clan. Their Natures can be scholarly or bestial, while their: Demeanors are whatever they find appropriate for the occasion. Many have great networks of Contacts, Herd (cultists), Retainers and other pawns willing to do their bidding; exactly what the Setite offers for such service may vary greatly, from blackmail to simple friendship.

Clan Disciplines: Obfuscate, Presence, Serpentis.

Weaknesses: The Setites, as creatures of the most ancient darkness, have a severe allergy to bright lights of all sorts, and sunlight in particular. Add two health levels to any damage inflicted by exposure to the sun. Followers of Set also subtract one from all dice pools while in overly bright light (spotlights, magnesium flares, etc.).

Organization: Individually, Followers of Set act much like other vampires, maintaining herds, acquiring power and suborning rivals. Nor is one Setite automatically immune to the predation of a rival - the clan takes a Darwinian approach even among its own ranks. Communally, though, Serpents usually organize themselves into temples where they can exchange lore and practice their rites. Their hierarchy tends to be organized by age, with the eldest and wisest among them officiating. Rumor has it that somewhere in Africa exists the Grand Temple of Set, the dwelling place of the clan's Dark Hierophant. This Methuselah is said to be the most powerful of Set's personal childer and the first vampire Embraced into the clan; if rumor is correct, his knowledge has no equal, and his authority over the clan is absolute.

Bloodlines: The Serpents have several offshoot bloodlines, most of which derive from alternate interpretations of the dark faith of Set. The Path of the Warrior is one of the most dramatic; these stalkers glorify Set as hunter and warrior, and learn Potence in lieu of Obfuscate. Similarly, the Path of Ecstasy glorifies the pleasures of the flesh offered by the Serpent itself; such vampires seek to master Presence above all other Disciplines. Finally, the Serpents of the Light are a splinter bloodline that nests among the Sabbat. These Cainite? differ from other Setites only in outlook, but practice a code of conduct that the rest of the clan considers heresy punishable by Final Death.

Quote: Please. I'd thought you above such abysmal Judeo-Christian fallacies. "The serpent is not to be trusted." "Knowledge is the source of all evil. " Why do you think parents instill such beliefs in their children - or that your sire reared you in like fashion? Why would they balk at sharing wisdom! Ah. You begin to understand. Would you like to sit and speak with me now?

Stereotypes

Assamite: It seems that our brothers have forgotten all their teachings at the merest taste of a drop of vitae. And what implications this has....

Brujah: They have forgotten more lessons than they've learned. Once worth a touch of respect, now... nothing, really.

Gangrel: Cunning in a savage sort of way, but lacking even the common sense of a wild dog. They have nothing we require, and are valuable only as an,abject lesson in control.

Giovanni: Dangerous rivals, although they balance such crassly material priorities along with their search for enlightenment.

Lasombra: Children of the void, though still fresh from the mother's teat and new-weaned on stolen vitae. Only the eldest among them have any idea of exactly what power they evoke.

Malkavian: Dangerous. They are the keepers of truths perhaps even older than we. Fortunate that the other clans are foolish enough to dismiss the mad ones' prophesying as delusion and rambling; were they wise enough to listen, Set's time might well have come before we were ready.

Nosferatu: A not-so-subtle reminder of what we all are, and why it is pointless to play at anything else.

Ravnos: Concern yourself not with the wandering adolescents of this clan; they are foolish and ignorant of their true lineage. It is the head of the rakshasa that bears watching, and its eyes have opened again.

Toreador: Such ardor is... admirable. I could become drunk on a Toreador's passion, and might drain him dry trying to fill myself with it.

Tremere: How like a precocious child, with spectacles perched so seriously on his nose and a heavy book in his lap! Ah, but this little darling might eventually prove dangerous, and so requires a patent's gentle guidance....

Tzimisce: Self-titled dragons who nonetheless crawl nightly on their bellies and feast on dust. They are crafty, but not so crafty as we.

Ventrue: They dislike us and spread slander against us, for they cannot accept that we are elder and of greater birth than they. Abide a while yet, and their rule will stop persecut- ing us soon enough.

Caitiff: Like the others, save more easily led. Their thin blood betrays the Cainites' essential weakness.

Camarilla: For all its skill at Grafting Masquerades, it cannot see through its own veils.

Sabbat: A frightful mask does not a monster make. It simply makes a victim easier to spot.

[Renji]

Giovanni

The Giovanni are respectful, genteel and well-mannered. Affluent beyond imagination, Clan Giovanni traces its roots back to before the Renaissance, to a family of merchant princes. The clan still maintains its original home in Venice, in a thousand-year-old loggia just outside the heart of the city. No other clan makes such a spectacle of humility and propriety as does the Giovanni. And no other clan hides its blasphemous secrets as well.

According to tales whispered in Camarilla salons and Sabbat esbats, the Giovanni's money spoiled the family, and the Venetians turned to nigrimancy out of perverse boredom. Surprisingly enough, the family demonstrated a great aptitude for trafficking with the dead, and their newfound abilities caught the eye of a forgotten Antediluvian. The vampire Embraced the head of the family, Augustus Giovanni, and brought him into the world of the Damned. This particular Antediluvian, the legends say, had a profound interest in death, and the Embrace of Giovanni and his family was intended to further the vampire's knowledge of what lay beyond the wall of mortality.

The Ancient's plan worked better, albeit differently, than he'd intended. Augustus, a cutthroat and mercenary merchant, saw the opportunity to seize his doddering sire's power and did so, hunting and killing all of the Antediluvian's descendants as well. After drinking the Ancient's blood, Augustus became a member of the Third Generation and founded his own clan, the Giovanni.

Other vampires reacted in horror, and, for a century, the "Devil Kindred" Giovanni were rooted out and destroyed wherever they went. Finally, the Giovanni sat down with the newly formed Camarilla and formed a mutual truce. This truce guaranteed the Giovanni would not participate in the Jyhad and would leave other vampires to their affairs. The Giovanni agreed, thus averting the genocide they surely would have otherwise met.

Taking advantage of other vampires' lack of involvement with them, the Giovanni quietly continued to amass wealth and power, practicing their Discipline of Necromancy all the while. Few believe the clan is engaging in either practice for altruistic purposes, and recent global movements by the Giovanni have many Kindred worried. With all that money and all those harvested souls, something is on the horizon; it is an ill wind that blows out of Venice.

Members of the Giovanni clan are also members of the Giovanni family, and those not Embraced often serve their Kindred relations as ghouls. This familial tie - members of the clan are related by blood twice - ensures complete loyalty on the part of the Giovanni. While concentrated primarily in Europe, the Giovanni have recently been expanding into, the world market, and the clan seems to be more prolific in recent nights.

Nickname: Necromancers

Appearance: Giovanni vampires typically maintain airs of presentability and respectability. Most Giovanni, hailing as they do from the Italian branch of the clan, bear European features, including fair-to-dark complexions, dark hail and solid statures, Giovanni tend to dress well but not lavishly, preferring subtle accouterments of affluence to ostentatious displays.

Haven: Giovanni favor havens befitting their wealth. Mansions, palatial homes and well-appointed apartments suit the Giovanni best, though uncommon is the Necromancer who doesn't keep a backup haven in a sewer or graveyard. Some Giovanni involve themselves in medical power structures and make their havens in hospitals, where plenty of coyer exists and precious blood may be taken at a whim.

Background: Most Giovanni come from the ranks of the Venetian family and have spent much of their mortal lives as ghouls in service to another family member. As closely knit as the family is, rivalry and treachery are rampant among the clan, as each member tries to assert his superiority over others. Amazingly versatile for having such a finite pool from which to draw new Kindred, the Giovanni may Embrace any individual who shows particular promise, but only after a "trial period" of ghouldom known as the Proxy Kiss.

Character Creation: Giovanni typically have professional concepts, the better to fund the clan's endeavors. Their Natures and Demeanors tend toward the crafty and selfish, though perversity festers in the incestuous family, and many are Deviants. Mental Attributes and Knowledges are primary, and Backgrounds are greatly prized. Almost all Giovanni possess a comfortable level of Resources, and many claim Retainers, Contacts and Influence.

Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Necromancy, Potence.

Weaknesses: The Giovanni Kiss causes excruciating pain in mortals who receive it. In fact, the bite of a Giovanni vampire often kills its mortal victim from shock before the poor soul has a chance .to die from blood loss. The Necromancers do twice as much damage as any other vampire to mortals (and only mortals) who suffer their Kiss. Thus, if the Giovanni in question took one blood point from a mortal vessel, that vessel would suffer two health levels of damage. As such, Giovanni vampires are quite likely to feed from already dead corpses or from resources like hospital blood reserves.

Organization: Giovanni clan affairs are handled in Venice, in a vast loggia colloquially known as the Mausoleum. As is to be expected, the clan has a familial structure. Incest, necrophilia, favor-currying, ancestor worship and carefully cultivated guilt riddle the family; by the time most Giovanni Kindred are Embraced, they've seen more than enough to inure them to the vagaries of undead existence. The clan's nonintervenrion in the Jyhad allows members to focus on their own vendettas and better their knowledge of Necromancy. The Giovanni Antediluvian, Augustus Giovanni, reportedly still maintains direct control over the clan, though none outside the clan is known to have seen him in the past 400 years.

Bloodlines: The Giovanni do not have antitribu - they are all loyal to the family as a whole, if not individual members. However, the clan has brought several other families into its fold. These include the Pisanob (Central and South American witches), the Dunsirn (Scottish bankers who practice cannibalism), the Milliners (a prominent New England family dating back to the turn of the 20th century) and a host of minor families. Not all Giovanni are surnamed Giovanni.

Quote: Consider taking a different tone with me. You are, after all, worth as much to the Giovanni dead as you are undead.

Stereotypes

Assamite: Their recent change in disposition makes me nervous.

Brujah: So much noise, and yet so little signal.

Followers of Set: Although they hail from the lands of the dead, there is little we can glean from them without tainting ourselves in the process.

Gangrel: Ultimately forgettable; we rarely cross paths.

Lasombra: They'll stab you in the back, but that's because they know how Kindred games are played.

Malkavian: The insight they offer is rarely worth the excruciating company they provide; I wonder if the "madness" is a simple sham to reduce their foes' defenses.

Nosferatu: This blighted clan has proved dangerously adept at uncovering secrets. Make no enemies among them, lest: you became the subject of their attentions.

Ravnos: No good can come of a Kindred who claims lies as his sire.

Toreador: Effete and indolent, the Toreador nonetheless wield appreciable assets.

Tremere: Slippery as eels, the Tremere are guilty of the same crime as we, yet they mire themselves in the same politics that damn them.

Tzimisce: An arcane, if outdated, evil.

Ventrue: They spend too much time cultivating their image as martyrs to get involved with something that truly matters; they lack direction.

Caitiff: Inconsequential and poorly bred; they are more mosquito than vampire.

Camarilla: Large, foolish and predictable. Like American government.

Sabbat: Smaller, more foolish and less predictable. Like Italian government.

[Renji]

Ravnos

If ever a clan was renowned for a wickedly black sense of humor, the Ravnos would be that clan. These Cainites are deceivers of the first order, weaving illusion and lies into elaborate schemes to part the foolish from whatever it is the Ravnos might fancy - be it wealth, blood or even their victims' freedom. Like Mephistopheles or Old Scratch, the Ravnos ply their devil's deals with whomever they choose, be it human or Kindred, and woe to those who wind up unable to pay the hidden costs.

Although many Ravnos see themselves as great tricksters, the generally benevolent tricks of Coyote and Raven aren't so much their style. Instead, they draw on a tradition of illusion and deceit inherited from the rakshasas and ghuls of the Middle and Far East. A Ravnos is a highly dangerous being with whom to sup or bargain. And these devils have been making their wagers and bargains for a long time indeed The Ravnos are nomadic to the core and care little for permanent havens or positions in a city's established power structure. Even those who have chosen a given city for their home tend to establish and abandon havens as the mood strikes them, taking whatever lairs they like, doing as they please, and moving on when bored. This habit infuriates princes across the world, who resent the Ravnos' disregard for the Tradition of Hospitality. Few punish violators, though, for fear drawing the malice of the clan as a whole.

Although the clan has long-standing ties with the Gypsies, few Ravnos enjoy the hospitality of their mortal kin. Perhaps the Gypsies know these vampires' true natures too well, and are loath to offer friendship to the undying. Perhaps the Ravnos themselves alienate their mortal families through their dangerous tricks. Whatever the reason, a Ravnos typically has no allies he can rely on regularly. His charm may win him a few temporary companions, and clan loyalty may draw fellow Ravnos to his side in times of dire need, but the vampire's path ultimately lies alone

Naturally, the princes of many cities are leery of allowing such tricksters free rein in their domains. The Ravnos' eccentric code of honor is strong, but rarely coincides with another Kindred's definition of the term. A Ravnos may break her word at will, unless she's spit in her palm and shaken on the deal. She'll defend her "good name" for all it's worth - depending on what she considers slander. And she'll usually come to the defense of a clanmate, and vice versa; the Ravnos may take advantage of one another, but they consider it their privilege. Outsiders aren't allowed the same.

Perhaps the most worrisome thing about the Ravnos is that as a clan, they managed to survive for centuries in Asia, where most Kindred are quickly hunted down and devoured by the ruthless Cathayans. No other Cainites know exactly how they managed this - but now a possible reason is emerging. Rumors filter back to Europe and the Americas of elder things awakening, of ancient vampires shrugging off the earth of millennia and throwing the Cainite courts into disorder. These elder Ravnos - if rumor speaks correctly - have demonstrated terrifying mystical powers, including a talent for illusions so powerful they can affect the physical world. Time can only tell what part the reemergence of these "demon kings" will play in the Jyhad.

Nickname: Deceivers

Sect: The Ravnos go where they will and deal with whomever they will, and sects be damned. The elders of the clan, particularly those centered in India, scoff at the Camarilla and Sabbat as temporary social clubs at best, hollow institutions where paranoid vampires can gather in numbers and reassure themselves that they are the apex of the food chain. The younger ones simply rejec idea of giving any outsider even a fraction of authority Most Ravnos look at the Sabbat's promises of freedom and the Camarilla's offer of protection as nothing more for the trap, and politely (or not so politely).

Appearance: Many younger Western descent, usually of dark complexion, with darker Slightly rarer are those with Asian, African or Nordic rarer still are those without even a trace of Gypsy European Ravnos do not Embrace gorgio (non-Gypsies).

The Eastern half of the clan is mostly of Indian blood, members have Embraced promising men and women ethnicities. Like their Western cousings, they favor colorful and beautiful clothing, and enjoy practicing their allure on mortals.

Haven: Ravnos are nomadic by nature; even their Eastern childer feel the wanderlust upon them from time to time. Members of the clan often travel in vans or RVs, taking shelter wherever they may. Those with mortal relatives, particularly Gypsies, often stay with their families for a while. But when the local Kindred start getting uncomfortably curious, the Ravnos are on the road again.

Background: The nomadic vampires Embrace despite the swelling herds of humanity. The youngest however, are fairly indiscriminate in siring childer, and generations have seen Ravnos from all cultures and ethnicities.

Those Ravnos neonates without Indian or Gypsy blood typically demonstrated great facility for misdirection, barter and mischief in life. The Devil has a sharp eye for his own.

Character Creation: Ravnos typically have concepts, and their Demeanors can change as required by the situation. They tend toward primary Social as well as primary Talents. Many have high either in the form of ancestral treasures or as accumulated hoards of ill-gotten rare goods and objects of art.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Chimerstry, Fortitude.

Weaknesses: The Ravnos have indulged in their particular vices so long that they have become addicted to them. Each Ravnos has a weakness for some form of trickery, deceit or mischief, whether it be gambling, lying, theft, blackmail or even cleverly framed murder. When the opportunity to indulge presents itself, a Ravnos must make a Self-Control roll (difficulty 6) or succumb to her compulsion.

Organization: Most Ravnos trust nobody, not even their own clanmates, but work together when necessary to bilk, rob or topple an outsider enemy. They often make grandiose pledges of family loyalty to one another, although neither party expects very much to come of the vows.

The recently awakened clan elders, however, are beginning to contact Ravnos on all continents. Although the typically chaotic clan structure has yet to see any real change, it may be only a matter of time before the Ancients' will becomes manifest through the younger Ravnos.

Bloodlines: The Ravnos are divided among family lines, mimicking the family lineages of their Gypsy kin. Among their families are the Phuri Dae, who often focus on Auspex rather than Fortitude; the Urmen, who claim their blood is more eldritch than most and focus primarily on Chimerstry; and the Vritra and Kalderash, who are said to maintain black pacts with the deadly Cathayans.

Quote: If it'd been me stealing the sun, I wouldn't have given it to the humans to keep them warm. I'd have drowned it in the ocean and started buying the kine's souls by setting them fire.

Stereotypes

Assamite: They've become even worse ghuts than ever before. The only good thing about them is that now the other clans hate and fear them so much that you can easily get plenty of cold bodies between yourself and one of these devourers.

Brujah: Go ahead and let them rattle their cages. If they bend the bars, we'll follow them out - and if the zookeeper shows up, they're the first to go.

Followers of Set: What is everyone so afraid of? Even a deal with the Devil isn't so bad if you read the fine print. Snakes can't poison me, and I don't have a soul to lose. Then again, if thought the same as me, I wouldn't have "preferred customer" status. So let 'em cringe.

Gangrel: Ourpoor cousins, if that's possible. They dig themselves holes in the mud and drag their matted asses into the city only when the Camarilla whistles 'em up. Lapdogs gone feral, and who needs that kind of pet? Giovanni: A family as much as a clan, same as us. Give 'em space, and maybe they'll do the same. If they don't, pack 'em off to hell. They'll be happiest there, anyway.

Lasombra: They look pretty soft, but these are some hard bastards, that's for sure. They ain't the new kid on the block, and they don't play kid games. (shrug) You gotta respect that.

Malkavian: They see too damn much and don't buy into anybody's delusions but their own. Don't like them, not one bit.

Nosferatu: Their eyes and ears are just too damn sharp for their own good. Be a shame if something... happened to those catacomb crawlers.

Toreador: Poet shirts, wine and roses, leather jackets, artsy tattoos. Kill me if I ever start acting like one of those limpdicks.

Tremere: Our fellow sorcerers, conjuring up solid results to own hadows. Of course, they haven't half the edge we do - I'd be more afraid of my cousin's ghost-fire than the clumsy pyrotehnics of a Warlock.

Tzimisce: There are some real impurities in these bitches' blood. I say Caine took a shine to a monster some time ago, and the Tzimisce are the result.

Ventrue: Bow if you have to, scrape if you must, and slit their throats for the blood if you can.

Caitiff: Like suckers, there seems to be one born every minute.

Camarilla: Everything we need, boxed up like a Christmas present.

Sabbat: They claim to love their existence. Amazing, then, how much their actions smack of self-loathing.

[Renji]

Traits and Characteristics

There's blood on the windowsill. That wouldn't be too bad, if the window in question weren't nine stories up, but as things stand, it might be a bit of an oddity. The police are going to look at that, notice the distinct lack of a fire escape and of a body in the alley below, and start asking questions. Then, when the coroner reports that the body on the sofa has been sucked dry, more questions are going to be asked. Someone will eventually put two and two together, and get fangs, and then my ass is going to be in a sling because it's my childe who's responsible for this whole mess. So I've got to be the one to clean it up, otherwise Prince "I've got a stick shoved so far up my ass it ought to paralyze me" LeClercq is going to use this as an excuse to turn both my kid and me into ash. And while at this point I could give a rat's ass about what happens to my errant Embracee, I sure as hell don't want to get crucified because he's a binge eater.

So first things first. I smash the place up as quietly as I can. There's some blood left in the body, so I splash that around as evenly as possible, taking care not to leave bootprints. Whatever valuables I find in the process, I scoop up - hopefully some bored homicide detective will write this off as another case of a crackhead knocking over an apartment and finding the resident home. The fix won't hold up to intense scrutiny, but at least it will take the cops down the wrong road if they actually mount an investigation.

Then I take the body and toss it out the window. I wait a second for that wet "thump" I know and love from way too many of these cleanup jobs, then I concentrate for a second and slough off my human shape like - well, screw the metaphor. If anyone's looking for where the body in the alley came from, all they ' re going to see is a bat heading up into the night.

Mind you, I'm one very pissed-off bat, but it's hard to tell that kind of thing from a distance.

As a player of Vampire: The Masquerade, you must create a character - an alter ego through which you interact with the game world and take your part in the story. Like a character in a novel or movie, this character becomes a protagonist in the stories you tell. Rather than making up a new character for each session, you create a single richly detailed character, then assume the role of that character every time you play. As your troupe tells its stories, you watch your character grow and develop. Ultimately, the character you create becomes as real and as timeless as a great hero (or villain) in a literary work.

This chapter describes how to create a vampire character, beginning with a general concept and translating that concept into the Traits and statistics that are used in the game. Though the process is relatively simple, and players can undertake it on their own, it is best to create characters under the Storyteller's supervision, so that she can answer questions and guide the creation process.

Traits

Much of a character's life comes from the way you describe and roleplay him. For example, your vampire's general disposition and attitude toward feeding, as decided by you, might all contribute toward his overall role in the story. However, certain aspects of a character - his physical prowess, his looks and his vampire powers, for example - are described in numerical terms and used in conjunction with the systems of the game. These features are called Traits. Traits quantify your character's particular strengths and weaknesses, which guide the character in his interactions with other players' characters and the characters the Storyteller creates. For example, your character might have high Mental Traits, making him invaluable when brains and cunning are required. However, he might have low Physical Traits, forcing him to rely on a friend's character when violence or brute force is called for.

Traits are commonly described in numerical terms with ratings between 1 and 5. (Humanity/Path scores and Willpower are exceptions to this guideline, and some particularly ancient and powerful vampires are rumored to have other Traits exceed- ing 5...) These numbers represent the quantity and quality of the character's prowess with a given Trait. One dot is considered a poor rating, while five dots indicate superiority. Think of Trait ratings as similar to the stars with which restaurants and hotels are rated - one is dismal, while five is excellent. Trait ratings become important when rolling dice to perform actions (see Chapter Five for specifics).

Common Traits and Terms

Vampire characters comprise the following Traits:

Name: The character's name - this may be anything from the character's birth name to a pseudonym. Some ancient vampires are known by many names, while others are no longer known by names at all.

Player: This is the name of the player portraying the character in question.

Chronicle: This is the series of linked stories in which the character participates. Your Storyteller will provide you with the name of the chronicle (though he may need your help in deciding!).

Attributes: Attributes define your character's inborn aptitudes and potential.

Advantages: A catchall term for the numerous benefits a vampire has over "normal" folk, Advantages refers to a collection of three other Traits. Disciplines refer to the vampiric powers a character possesses as a result of her Embrace. Backgrounds define the character's material assets and social network. Virtues show the character's spiritual and moral fiber - or lack thereof.

Willpower: This Trait reflects your character's inner drive and desire to succeed at tasks she undertakes.

Blood Pool: Your character's blood pool dictates how well-fed she is, or, conversely, how hungry.

Experience: Your character's Experience Trait represents how much she has learned since her Embrace. All characters begin the game with an Experience Trait of zero. Experience is spent to purchase new Traits.

Nature: This is the "true" personality of your character - who she is deep down.

Demeanor: This is the personality your character presents to the world. More often than not, Nature and Demeanor are different, especially given the deviousness of the vampire mind.

Clan: Your character's clan defines her lineage and her relationship to Caine, the progenitor vampire. Clan dictates your character's vampiric powers and weakness.

Generation: Closely related to clan, your character's generation defines the potency of her blood and how many steps removed she is from Caine.

Concept: Your character's concept is a one- or two-word "sketch" of who your character was prior to the Embrace - any- thing from Crazed Vigilante to Porn Star.

Abilities: Abilities are those proficiencies your character possesses intuitively or has learned.

Humanity/Path: These Traits define your character's outlook on unlife. A character has either a Humanity rating or a rating in a specific Path, never both (though a character may pretend...). Humanity is the "default" Trait, but Paths are presented in the Appendix.

Health: Although a vampire is no longer "alive," her corpse-body may still suffer sufficient trauma to incapacitate her, and a sufficient quantity of damage can even "kill" the vampire anew (forcing you to create a new character). The Health Trait measures how much injury the character has suffered.

[Kaito]

I think, Copying the whole rulebook is a bit much.. o.ò

[Renji]

Worth it though!

[Renji]

Getting Started

The Vampire: The Masquerade character-creation system is designed around five basic precepts. Keep these in mind while generating the persona you will assume in the World of Darkness.

- You may create a character of any age, from any culture and from any nation, subject to the Storyteller's approval. However, all characters begin the game as neonate vampires who have only recently left the safety of their sires' protection. All players' characters are assumed to have no more than 25 years of experience as Kindred. They know relatively little of Kindred society, other than what their sires have told them. This allows characters to experience the World of Darkness as it unfolds before them in all its malignancy and mystery, rather than having the lore of ages already under their belts. A character's apparent age is the age at which she was Embraced and became one of the Kindred.

- The character-creation system is intended more as a persona development device than as a strict system of mechanical codification. Who wants more rules at the expense of an interesting character or a good story? The character cannot exist as mere dots on a page - roleplaying is always more important than numbers.

- Players have a certain number of points to spend on Traits they would like their characters to have. Players also get "freebie points" at the end of character creation; they may spend these to round out their characters, add personality and further differentiate their characters from those of other players.

- A Trait score of 1 is poor, while a score of 5 is excellent. Thus, a character with a single dot in a Trait is either not very good with that Trait or is a beginner. Don't think that your character sucks because she's only got one dot in Manipulation. The experience system presented on p. 141 allows characters to grow and improve their Traits. Traits are rated according to a human scale (except vampiric Traits like Advantages and blood pool, which are rated on a Kindred standard).

- It is your responsibility to take on a role not endemically detrimental to the coterie. Vampires are solitary creatures, so there has to be some reason you've joined up with your Kindred companions (the other players' characters). Despite the fact that the hostile World of Darkness forces coteries together, Kindred don't just hang out for the hell of it.

The Storyteller and Character Creation

The Storyteller must guide the players through character generation, not only to ensure their understanding of the process, but also to get a feel for the characters they're creating. Character creation can provide Storytellers with some wonderful plot ideas - ones they would likely never have considered on their own. Likewise, if the players are unfamiliar with the rules, the Storyteller should use character generation as an introduction to the game as a whole, informing the troupe how the rules work and giving them examples based on the personas they're creating.

As the Storyteller, start by photocopying and handing out the character sheet from the back of the book. Take the players on a "tour" of the sheet, explaining what each section is for. Let players ask questions along the way, and help them through the process rather than letting them fend for themselves.

After the players are familiar with the character sheet, give them a few guidelines as to what types of characters will be appropriate for the chronicle. For example, Storytellers running games in Camarilla-held cities might forbid Sabbat or independent vampires outright. Sometimes a player will attempt to portray a character wholly unacceptable to your plotline, and you should feel free to disallow this in favor of a character who won't disrupt the game.

Storytellers are advised to spend an entire session simply creating characters and running preludes (see p. 108) with the players. Exceptionally complex characters or secretive chronicles might even warrant an entire session for each individual player. Spending an adequate amount of time on character generation ensures that the players create realistic characters and not vapid, colorless laundry lists of Traits. After the mechanics of creation are done, take each player aside and lead him through a prelude. This one-on-one storytelling is the player's introduction to the chronicle as well as the means by which the player adds final details to her character, so use it to its greatest effect.

Character Creation Process

Step One: Character Concept

Choose concept, clan, Nature and Demeanor.

Step Two: Select Attributes

Prioritize the three categories: Physical, Social, Mental (7/5/3). Your character automatically has one dot in each Attribute.
Rate Physical Traits: Strength, Dexterity, Stamina.
Rate Social Traits: Charisma, Manipulation, Appearance.
Rate Mental Traits: Perception, Intelligence, Wits.

Step Three: Select Abilities

Prioritize the three categories: Talents, Skills, Knowledges (13/9/5).
Choose Talents, Skills, Knowledges.
No Ability higher than 3 at this stage

Step Four: Select Advantages

Choose Disciplines (3), Backgrounds (5) and rate Virtues (7). Your character automatically has one dot in each Virtue.

Step Five: Finishing Touches

Record Humanity (equal to Conscience + Self-Control), Willpower (equal to Courage) and Blood Pool.
Spend freebie points (15).

Sample Concepts

Criminal - jailbird, mafioso, drug dealer, pimp, carjacker, thug, thief, fence
Drifter - bum, smuggler, prostitute, junkie, pilgrim, biker, gambler
Entertainer - musician, film star, artist, club kid, model
Intellectual - writer, student, scientist, philosopher, social critic
Investigator - detective, beat cop, government agent, private eye, witch-hunter
Kid - child, runaway, outcast, urchin, gangbanger
Nightlifer - clubgoer, skinhead, punk, barfly, raver, substance abuser
Outsider - urban primitive, refugee, minority, conspiracy theorist
Politician - judge, public official, councilor, aide, speechwriter
Professional - engineer, doctor, computer programmer, lawyer, industrialist
Reporter - journalist, news reporter, paparazzo, talk-show host, 'zine editor
Socialite - dilettante, host, playboy, sycophant, prominent spouse
Soldier - bodyguard, enforcer, mercenary, soldier of fortune, Green Beret
Worker - trucker, farmer, wage earner, manservant, construction laborer

Clans

Assamite - (Independent) Dreaded killers and diablerists on a terrible quest for Kindred vitae, the Assassins have perfected the art of the silent kill.
Brujah - (Camarilla) The Rabble are rebels and insurgents, fighting passionately for their disparate causes. The Brujah dream of a perfect society - for vampires.
Followers of Set - (Independent) Corrupting and deadly, the Serpents are feared for their evil, yet sought out for their arcane knowledge and sinister gifts.
Gangrel - (Camarilla) The nomadic Outland' ers are feral and wild. These solitary wanderers are the source of much of the lore that likens vampires to dark beasts.
Giovanni - (Independent) Insular and incestuous, the Necromancers ply their trade in blood, money and the souls of the dead.
Lasombra - (Sabbat) The shadowy, wicked Keepers nominally lead the Sabbat. Clan Lasombra serves itself first and its inner darkness second.
Malkavians - (Camarilla) Dangerously deranged and psychotic to a member, the Lunatics nonetheless possess uncanny insight.
Nosferatu - (Camarilla) Disfigured and skulksome, the hideous Sewer Rats are forever barred from human society, but gather secrets from die darkness that hides them.
Ravnos - (Independent) The nomadic Deceivers are masters of illusion and guile, malevolently working their tricks as they travel from city to city.
Toreador - (Camarilla) Lovers of art and the aesthetic, the Degenerates are trapped in the stagnancy of undeath. The Toreador are passionate and decadent, surrounding themselves in excess to stave off their encroaching malaise.
Tremere - (Camarilla) A clan of sorcerous blood magicians, the Warlocks are widely distrusted... and just as widely feared.
Tzimisce - (Sabbat) A clan of fallen nobles from the Old Country, the brilliant but monstrous Fiends now serve the Sabbat. They wield the fearsome Discipline of fleshcrafting.
Ventrue - (Camarilla) The reluctant aristocracy of the Kindred, the Blue Bloods atone for their damnation by enforcing the Traditions and the Masquerade.

Archetypes (Nature and Demeanor)

Architect - You build a better future.
Autocrat - You need control.
Bon Vivant - Unlife is for pleasure.
Bravo - Strength is all that matters.
Caregiver - Everyone needs nurturing.
Celebrant - You exist for your passion.
Child - Won't somebody be there for you?
Competitor - You must be the best.
Conformist - You follow and assist.
Conniver - Others exist for your benefit.
Curmudgeon - Nothing is worthwhile.
Deviant - You exist for no one's pleasure but your own.
Director - You oversee what must be done.
Fanatic - The cause is all that matters.
Gallant - You're not the showstopper, you're the show!
Judge - The truth is out there.
Loner - You make your own way.
Martyr - You suffer for the greater good.
Masochist - You test your limits every night.
Monster - You're Damned, so act like it!
Pedagogue - You save others through knowledge.
Penitent - Unlife is a curse to atone, far.
Perfectionist - Nothing is good enough.
Rebel - You follow no one's rules.
Rogue - Those who can, win. Those who can't, lose. You can.
Survivor - Nothing can keep you down.
Thrill-Seeker - The rush is all that matters.
Traditionalist - As it has always been, so it shall be.
Trickster - Laughter dims the pain.
Visionary - There is something beyond all this.

Disciplines

Animalism - Supernatural affinity with and control of animals.
Auspex - Extrasensory perception, awareness and premonitions.
Celerity - Supernatural quickness and reflexes.
Chimerstry - The Ravnos ability to create illusions and hallucinations.
Dementation - The ability to pass madness on to a victim.
Dominate - Mind control practiced through the piercing gaze.
Fortitude - Unearthly toughness, even to the point of resisting fire and sunlight.
Necromancy - The supernatural power to summon and control the dead.
Obfuscate - The ability to remain obscure and unseen, even in crowds.
Obtenebration - Unearthly control over shadows.
Potence - The Discipline of physical vigor and strength.
Presence - The ability to attract, sway and control crowds.
Protean - Shapechanging from growing claws to melding with the earth.
Quietus - The Assamites' arts of assassination.
Serpentis - The reptilian Discipline of the Followers of Set.
Thaumaturge - The study and practice of blood-sorcery.
Vicissitude - The Tzimisce art of flesh-shaping.

Backgrounds

Allies - Human confederates, usually family or friends.
Contacts - The number of information sources the character possesses.
Fame - How well-known the character is among mortals.
Generation - How far removed from Caine the character is.
Herd - The vessels to which the character has free and safe access.
Influence - The character's political power within mortal society.
Mentor - The Kindred patron who advises and supports the character.
Resources - Wealth, belongings and monthly income.
Retainers - Followers, guards arid servants.
Status - The character's standing in undead society.

Freebie Points

Trait Cost
Attribute 5 per dot
Ability 2 per dot
Discipline 7 per dot
Background 1 per dot
Virtue 2 per dot
Humanity 1 per dot
Willpower 1 per dot

Step One: Character Concept

Concept is the birthing chamber for who a character will become. It need only be a general idea - brute; slick mobster; manic Malkavian kidnapper - but it should be enough to ignite your imagination. If you choose, a concept may be quite complex - "My character is a streetwise Tremere, Embraced as a child but with a precocious level of maturity. Being a Kindred scares him, but he knows that the alternative is Final Death and he's not ready for that yet." This stage involves the selection of the character's concept, clan, Nature and Demeanor.

Concept

A character's concept refers to who the character was before becoming a vampire. Many Kindred cling desperately to any salvageable aspects of their former selves - their self-image, their occupation, how they lived, what was unique about them. In their new nocturnal world, echoes of their mortal lives are all that stand between many Kindred and madness.

Concept is important because it helps a vampire relate to the world. It's not a numerical Trait, and it has very little mechanical effect on the game. Its benefit is that it allows you to formulate a personality for your character, and it provides an anchor for a vampire who wishes to preserve her dwindling Humanity - or to rail against it.

Some sample concepts are presented on p. 103. If you don't see a concept you like, make one up! Who are we to tell you who you can or can't be?

Clan

A character's clan is her vampire "family," the undead legacy into which she was Embraced. Vampires are always of the same clan as their sires, the vampires who Embrace them. Go back to Chapter Two, look at the templates, and decide which clan you'd like your character to be. As previously mentioned, the Storyteller may disallow members of certain clans based on the sect the chronicle involves. Many beginning chronicles, for example, allow only vampires from the seven Camarilla clans.

If a player wishes, she need not choose a clan at all. Many vampires in these modern nights have blood so diluted that they can truly claim no clan. Unwanted and scorned, these clanless "Caitiff' are increasingly common. If you wish to play such a character, simply write "Caitiff under the Clan heading on the character sheet.

Nature and Demeanor (Archetypes)

After choosing concept and clan, a player should choose her character's Nature and Demeanor. These behavioral Traits, known as Archetypes, help players understand what kind of people their characters are. Nature and Demeanor are not required to play Vampire: The Masquerade, but they sometimes help players pin down their characters in their minds.

Demeanor is the way a character presents herself to the outside world. It is the "mask" she wears to protect her inner self. A character's Demeanor often differs from her Nature, though it might not. Also, Demeanor refers to the attitude a character adopts most often - people change Demeanors as often as they change their minds. Demeanor has no effect on any rules.

Nature is the character's "real" self, the person she truly is. The Archetype a player chooses reflects that character's deep-rooted feelings about herself, others and the world. Nature need not be the only aspect of a character's true personality, merely the most dominant. Nature is also used to determine a character's ability to regain Willpower points (see p. 136).

For a complete list of Archetypes from which to select Nature and Demeanor, see pp. 112-115.

[Renji]

Step Two: Select Attributes

Players must now assign numbers. The first step in determining a character's numeric Traits is to prioritize his Attributes. Attributes are the natural abilities and raw "stuff" a character is made of. How strong is a character? How attractive? How quick? How smart? Attributes take all these questions and more into account. All Vampire characters have nine Attributes, which are divided into three categories: Physical (Strength, Dexterity, Stamina), Social (Charisma, Manipulation, Appearance) and Mental (Perception, Intelligence, Wits).

First, the player must select which group of Attributes is his character's strong suit (primary). The player then selects the group in which the character is average (secondary). Finally, the remaining group is designated as the character's weak point (tertiary). Is your character tough but antisocial, or gorgeous but a complete airhead? Character concept and clan may suggest certain ranks for these priorities, but feel free to decide upon any scheme you please. Nothing's worse than playing a boring stereotype. Playing an interesting stereotype, though...

All Vampire characters start with one dot in each Attribute, reflecting the basic capabilities of the mortals from which they're drawn. (The exception is the Nosferatu, who have zero dots in their Appearance Attribute.) A character's priorities determine how many dots the player may allocate to that cluster of Attributes. A player may distribute seven additional dots to his character's primary group, five additional dots to the second- ary group and three dots to the tertiary group. For example, a tough, athletic character will likely allocate seven dots to his Physical category, while a clever, wise character will place seven dots in her Mental category.

Step Three: Select Abilities

Abilities are also divided into three categories: Talents, Skills and Knowledges. Talents are intuitive Abilities that are inherent or learned "in the field." Skills are Abilities learned through rigorous training or determination. They may be learned with careful practice, but can also be studied or learned through training. Knowledges are just that - "book learning" and the like. Knowledges are typically mental pursuits or studies learned through schooling or books.

Like Attributes, Ability groups are also prioritized during character creation. Players should select primary, secondary and tertiary groups for their Abilities. The primary group receives 13 dots, the secondary group gets nine and the tertiary group receives five. Note that, unlike Attributes, characters do not begin the game with automatic dots in any Ability. Note further that no Ability may be purchased above three dots during this stage of character creation - even among the undead, experts in a field don't grow on trees. You may raise Abilities higher with freebie points, but that comes later.

Step Four: Select Advantages

Now comes the part of character generation during which the vampire truly becomes unique. Advantages are Traits that make the vampire a contender in the hierarchy of the night. Advantages are not prioritized; a set number of dots may be allocated to each category. Though this number is fixed, additional Advantage dots may be purchased with freebie points.

Disciplines

When vampires are Embraced, their sires teach them certain blood-based mystical powers, known as Disciplines. Each character begins with three dots of Disciplines, which may be allocated as the player chooses. For example, she may spend all three dots on one Discipline or spend a dot each on three Disciplines. Disciplines purchased with Advantage dots must be from the three clan Disciplines all clans possess. Each clan description in Chapter Two lists the Disciplines practiced by that clan, along with bloodline variations, if any. If the character is a clanless Caitiff, she may purchase whatever Disciplines she wants, subject to Storyteller approval. (Note: Disciplines purchased with freebie points need not be clan Disciplines.)

Backgrounds

A beginning character has five dots worth of Backgrounds, which may be distributed at the player's discretion. Background Traits should fit the character concept - a destitute Gangrel street preacher isn't likely to have Resources, for example - though the Storyteller may disallow, or encourage players to take, certain Backgrounds for their characters.

Virtues

Virtues are very important to Vampire characters, for they provide the moral backbone for the characters and determine how readily they resist the temptations of the Beast. A character's emotional responses are very closely tied to her Virtues; these Traits define how well the character resists frenzy and how keenly she feels remorse. Virtues are essential in resisting the urges of the Beast and the Hunger, and most vampires lose points in their Virtues as they grow older and more callous.

A Vampire character has three Virtues. Conscience governs a character's sense of right and wrong, while Self-Control determines how readily she maintains her composure and contains her Hunger. Courage measures the character's gumption and ability to withstand the proximity of fire, sunlight and other things that vampires dread.

Every character starts out with one dot in each Virtue, and the player may then distribute seven additional dots among the Virtues as she sees fit. These Virtues play instrumental roles in determining a character's starting Humanity and Willpower levels, so be careful how you spend the points.

Alternative Virtues: Conviction and Instinct

Vampire: The Masquerade is fundamentally about coming to grips with one's monstrous nature and, hopefully, overcoming it. As such, we strongly encourage beginning players to select the Virtues of Conscience and Self-Control for their characters. However, certain Kindred, particularly the vampires of the Sabbat, adhere to different ethical outlooks. For these vampires, the Virtues of Conviction and Instinct may replace the Virtues of Conscience and Self-Control, respectively. (All vampires have the Courage Virtue.)

Conviction and Instinct are presented on p. 287. If you decide that your character is sufficiently inhuman to warrant these Virtues, and if the Storyteller permits you to take them, you may circle the appropriate Virtues on the character sheet. Be warned that in taking these Virtues, you have effectively designated your character as a monster.

Step Five: Last Touches

At this stage, the player may spend 15 freebie points to personalize his character. First, however, a bit of bookkeeping needs to be done.

Humanity

A character's starting Humanity score equals the sum other Conscience + Self-Control Traits, yielding a score between 5 and 10. Players are also encouraged to increase their Humanity scores with freebie points, as too low a score indicates that the Beast lies in close proximity.

Note: Characters on Paths other than Humanity may use different Virtues to determine their initial Path scores. Consult the Appendix (p. 286) to determine which Paths use which Virtues.

Willpower

A character's beginning Willpower score equals her Courage rating, and thus ranges from 1 to 5. Players are encouraged to raise their starting Willpower scores with freebie points, as the Trait is critical to dealing with a Kindred's dangerous emotional situations. Willpower is also used to resist frenzy (p. 228), undertake especially daunting tasks and power certain Discipline effects.

Bloodpool

The crowning touch to character creation is determining the vampire's starting blood pool. This part is simple - roll a 10-sided die. The number is the number of blood points a character has in his system at the beginning of the game. This is the only die roll that is made during character creation.

Freebie Points

The player may now spend 15 freebie points to purchase additional dots in Traits. These points may be spent however the player chooses - thus the term "freebie." Each dot has a variable freebie-point cost based on which type of Trait it is - consult the chart on p. 104 for freebie-point costs of Traits. Remember that Disciplines purchased with freebie points need not come from the character's clan Disciplines (although purchase of some Disciplines may require explanation about how she acquired them).

Spark of Life

If you go through the motions above, you will have a character - at least in the purely technical sense. All the dots are on the paper; you can interact your piece of paper with the mechanics of the game, and roll all the right combinations of dice at the appropriate times.

Frankly, though, for your trouble, you might as well play checkers, because at this point your character's not much more detailed than a featureless piece on a gameboard. Now's the time to take the skeleton you've mechanically built with the rules and flesh it out into a living, breathing (well, formerly living and breathing) person. Take a good long look at your Traits and numbers. Why are they there? How will they come across in the story? What parts of the character don't you know yet? Like a novelist building a literary figure, decide on all the physical, psychological and background details that make your character one of a kind, even among the undead.

Sure, your character has an Appearance of 3 - but what does that mean? Does she have a smile that could launch a thousand ships, or does she simply exude a challenging self-confidence? What color are her eyes and hair? If she's skilled in Performance, or Etiquette, or Firearms, how did she acquire her skill? Did she always want to be a movie star? Is her polished veneer a reaction against growing up in a trailer park? Did she just, for whatever bizarre reason, walk onto a firing range and discover a natural aptitude for plugging holes in targets? Is her Ally actually her ex-lover, who works for the FBI and with whom she maintains an uneasy, tension-laced friendship? Does he suspect what she's become, but help her out for now in an effort to observe her more closely?

This last phase of character creation, while the least "necessary," is the most important. Otherwise, your Brujah with the Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3 will be just like all the other Brujah with Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3 - and believe us, there are a lot of such cardboard "characters" out there. And that's a shame, because characters - especially vampires - should be unique, fascinating, passionate and memorable.

[Renji]

Questions and Answers

The following questions are meant to be used as a springboard to fill out the character's background as much as possible. Even if there isn't time for a detailed prelude, you should try to answer as many of these questions as possible - write them out if you like, or talk about them with your Storyteller. The more you know about your character, the more real she'll seem when the game begins.

- How old are you?

When were you born? How old were you when you were Embraced? How long have you existed as a vampire? How old do you look? Are you more mature than you seem? Less?

- What was unique about your childhood?

How did you spend your early years? How were your basic motivations and attitudes forged? Where did you go to school? Who were your immediate family? What is your clearest childhood memory? Did you go to high school? Did you have a hometown, or was your family constantly on the move? Did you go to college? Did you run away from home? Did you play sports? Did any of your childhood friendships last to adulthood?

- What kind of person were you?

Were you a decent person, or were you an asshole? Were you popular? Did you have a family? How did you earn a living? Did you have any real friends? What kept you going from day to day? Will anyone miss you?

- What was your first brush with the supernatural?

When did you realize you were being stalked? Did you believe in the occult before your Embrace? When did you first meet a vampire? Were you afraid? Disbelieving? Angry? What frightened you most?

- How did the Embrace change you?

How did your sire catch you? Was the Embrace painful? Did you get a kinky pleasure out of it? Did the Hunger tear at you? Did it frighten you? Did it feel right? Are you grateful to your sire? Do you want to kill him for what he did to you?

- Who was your sire, and how did he treat you?

What do you know of your sire? Was he abusive, arrogant, cryptic or open? Why do you think he chose you? Did you even know your sire at all? How long did you stay with your sire? Did he teach you anything at all? How long was your "apprenticeship"? Where did you stay? Where did you go? Did you meet any other vampires during that time? Do you judge other vampires in general by your opinion of your sire? When did he teach you the Traditions?

- Were you presented to the prince?

Did the prince welcome you? Was she reluctant to accept you? Did she need to be bribed or threatened? Did your sire have permission to create you? Are you on the run from the prince? What do you think her opinion of you is?

- How did you meet the others in your coterie?

Were you brought together by chance or design? Are you all of one sect? Are you united in purpose and attitude? How long have you been together in the city? Did you know any of the others before the Embrace? Are your sires in cooperation, or are they rivals? What holds your coterie together when things get their worst?

- Where did your haven?

Where do you hide during the day? Do you have a permanent home at all? Do you stay in the place you inhabited in your mortal life? Do you hide in an abandoned building? The sewers? Do you have anyone to protect you during the day?

- Do you retain any connections to your mortal life?

Are you presumed dead? Do you still watch over relatives from afar? Do you pretend to be still alive? Did you abandon your mortal existence entirely?

- What are your habitual feeding grounds?

Whom do you feed upon, and where? Do you have a territory that you consider exclusively yours? Is your favorite hunting ground used by others? Do you compete with others? What is your preferred prey? Do you ever kill when you feed? Do you have a specific herd? Do you seduce your prey? Kidnap them? Assault them on the street? Do they come to you7

- What motivates you?

Do you seek revenge on any enemies? Do you long to return to your mortal life? Do you have ambitions in Kindred society? Ifyou could achieve anything in the world, what would it be?

A Final Note

A character without motivation might as well not have survived the Embrace. Knowing what drives your character is central to understanding who she is. A vampire's values are often very different from those of a normal human; the death and rebirth of the Embrace can work a great change on an individual's personality. Think about where your character has been and where you'd like to see her go (or where she would like to go). Consider her Nature and Demeanor - do they suggest an ultimate goal? Once you have an idea of what it is your character wants to achieve, you're one step closer to making her a full-fledged personality of her own.

[Renji]

NOTE: I have no Idea why its written from a female point of view.

Ok so now we go onto character creation. Those who want to play PM me and I will go through the creation with each of you separately.

[Renji]

Personality Archetypes: Nature and Demeanor

Everyone plays a role, often several, every day. Every individual displays multiple layers of personality, varying from the contrived to the sincere. Each of these roles defines how we interact with the people and places around us, and we choose which parts of ourselves we wish to show.

It is the same with Kindred. The concept of Nature and Demeanor corresponds directly to the different masks we wear when we interact. A Vampire character's Nature is her true self, her innermost being - the person she truly is. It is dangerous to show this, though, as it lets others know who we are and what is important to us. Thus, characters also have Demeanors, faces they show to the world. By choosing how we relate to the world, we are able to choose how it relates to us as well, as we guide the responses others give us.

Philosophy aside, personality also has an effect on the mechanics of Vampire. A character may regain her drive and sense of purpose by acting in accordance with her Nature. Every time a character fulfills the requirement of her Nature Archetype (see below), that character becomes eligible to regain a point of spent Willpower (see p. 136). If the Storyteller allows, the character regains the point.

Archetypes allow players to build a sense of personality for their characters, and to define a bit of what makes the character "tick." It is worth noting that Archetypes are not rigid; characters need not slavishly devote themselves to their Natures and Demeanors. Rather, the character should act as the player reasonably or emotionally believes she would act in a given situation. Eventually, players and Storytellers should come up with their own Archetypes that more closely define how the character in question responds to her surroundings. After all, every character is an individual, and customized Archetypes should be a logical outgrowth of a well-rounded character.

Here are some basic character Archetypes, suitable for beginning play.

Architect

The Architect has a sense of purpose even greater than herself. She is truly happy only when creating something of lasting value for others. People will always need things, and the Architect strives to provide at least one necessity. Inventors, pioneers, town founders, entrepreneurs and the like are all Architect Archetypes.

- Regain a point of Willpower whenever you establish something of importance or lasting value.

Autocrat

The Autocrat wants to be in charge. He seeks prominence for its own sake, not because he has an operation's best interests at heart or because he has the best ideas (though he may certainly think so). He may genuinely believe others are incompetent, but ultimately he craves power and control. Dictators, gang leaders, bullies, corporate raiders and their ilk are Autocrat Archetypes.

- Regain a point of Willpower when you achieve control over a group or organization involving other individuals.

Bon Vivant

The Bon Vivant knows that life - and unlife - is shallow and meaningless. As such, the Bon Vivant decides to enjoy her time on Earth. The Bon Vivant is not necessarily irresponsible. Rather, she is simply predisposed to having a good time along the way. Most Bon Vivants have low Self-Control scores, as they are so given to excess. Hedonists, sybarites and dilettantes are all examples of the Bon Vivant Archetype.

- Regain a point of Willpower whenever you truly enjoy yourself and can fully express your exultation. At the Storyteller's option, a particularly fabulous revelry may yield multiple Willpower points.

Bravo

The Bravo is a tough and a bully, and often takes perverse pleasure in tormenting the weak. To the Bravo's mind, might makes right; power is what matters, and only those with power should be respected. Naturally, physical power is the best kind, but any kind will do. The Bravo sees overt threats as a perfectly reasonable means of gaining cooperation. The Bravo is not incapable of pity or kindness, he just prefers to do things his way. Robbers, bigots, thugs and the insecure are all Bravo Archetypes.

- Regain a point of Willpower any time you achieve your agenda through brutishness or intimidation. This need not be physical, as many Bravos verbally or socially cow their victims.

Caregiver

Everyone needs comfort, a shoulder to cry on. A Caregiver takes her comfort in consoling others, and people often come to her with their problems. Vampires with Caregiver Archetypes often attempt, as best they may, to protect the mortals on whom they feed. Nurses, doctors and psychiatrists are examples of potential Caregivers.

- Regain a point of Willpower whenever you successfully protect or nurture someone else.

Celebrant

The Celebrant takes joy in her cause. Whether the character's passion is battle, religious fervor, foiling her rivals or reading fine literature, it gives the Celebrant the strength to withstand adversity. Given the chance, the Celebrant will indulge in her passion as deeply as possible. Unlike the Fanatic (p. 114), the Celebrant pursues her passion not out of duty, but out of enthusiasm. Crusaders, hippies, political activists and art enthusiasts are Celebrant Archetypes.

- Regain a point of Willpower whenever you pursue your cause or convert another character to the same passion. Conversely, lose a point of temporary Willpower whenever you are denied your passion or it is badly lost to you.

Child

The Child is still immature in personality and temperament. He wants what he wants now, and often prefers someone to give it to him. Although he can typically care for himself, he would rather have a caretaker-type cater to his bratty desires. Some Child Archetypes are actually innocent rather than immature, ignorant of the cold ways of the real world. Children, spoiled individuals and some drug abusers are Child Archetypes.

- Regain a point of Willpower whenever you manage to convince someone to help you with no gain to herself, or to nurture you.

Competitor

The Competitor takes great excitement in the pursuit of victory. To the Competitor, every task is a new challenge to meet and a new contest to win. Indeed, the Competitor sees all interactions as some sort of opportunity for her to be the best - the best leader, the most productive, the most valuable or whatever. Corporate raiders, professional athletes and impassioned researchers are all examples of Competitor Archetypes.

- Regain one point of Willpower whenever you succeed at a test or challenge. Especially difficult victories may, at the Storyteller's discretion, allow you to regain multiple Willpower points.

Conformist

The Conformist is a follower, taking another's lead and finding security in the decisions of others. She prefers not to take charge, instead seeking to throw in with the rest of the group and lend her own unique aid. The Conformist is drawn to the most dynamic personality or the individual she perceives to be the "best." Being a Conformist is not necessarily a bad thing - every group needs followers to lend stability to their causes. Groupies, party voters and "the masses" are Conformist Archetypes.

- Regain a point of Willpower whenever the group achieves one of its goals due to your support.

Conniver

Why work for something when you can trick somebody else into getting it for you ? The Conniver always tries to find the easy way, the fast track to success and wealth. Some people call him a thief, a swindler or less pleasant terms, but he knows that everybody in the world would do unto him if they could. He just does it first, and better. Criminals, con artists, salespeople, urchins and entrepreneurs might be Connivers.

- Regain a point of Willpower whenever you trick someone into doing something for you.

Curmudgeon

A Curmudgeon is bitter and cynical, finding flaws in everything and seeing little humor in life or unlife. He is often fatalistic or pessimistic, and has very little esteem for others. To the Curmudgeon, the glass is always half-full, though it may be damn near empty when other people are involved. Many elder vampires and Generation Xers are Curmudgeons.

- Regain a point of Willpower whenever someone does something stupid, just like you said they would. You must predict this failure aloud (though you may simply whisper it to the Storyteller if you wish).

Deviant

The Deviant is a freak, ostracized from society by unique tastes that place her outside the mainstream. Deviants are not indolent rebels or shiftless "unrecognized geniuses"; rather, they are independent thinkers who don't quite fit in the status quo. Deviant Archetypes often feel that the world stands against them, and as such reject traditional morality. Some have bizarre tastes, preferences and ideologies. Extremists, eccentric celebrities and straight-out weirdoes are Deviant Archetypes.

- Regain a point of Willpower any time you are able to flout social mores without retribution.

Director

To the Director, nothing is worse than chaos and disorder. The Director seeks to be in charge, adopting a "my way or die highway" attitude on matters of decision-making. The Director is more concerned with bringing order out of strife, however, and need not be truly "in control" of a group to guide it. Coaches, teachers and many political figures exemplify the Director Archetype.

- Regain a point of Willpower when you influence a group in the completion of a difficult task.

Fanatic

The Fanatic has a purpose, and that purpose consumes his existence. The Fanatic pours himself into his cause; indeed, he may feel guilty for undertaking any objective that deviates from his higher goal. To the Fanatic, the end justifies the means - the cause is more important than those who serve it. Players who choose Fanatic Archetypes must select a cause for their character to further. Revolutionaries, zealots and sincere firebrands are all examples of Fanatic Archetypes.

- Regain a point of Willpower whenever you accomplish some task that directly relates to your cause.

Gallant

Gallants are flamboyant souls, always seeking attention and the chance to be the brightest stars. Gallants seek the company of others, if only to earn their adoration. Attention drives the Gallant, and the chase is often as important as fulfilling that pursuit. Nothing excites a Gallant so much as a new audience to woo and win. Performers, only children and those with low self-esteem are often Gallant Archetypes.

- Regain a Willpower point whenever you successfully impress another person. Ultimately, the Storyteller is the arbiter of when you dazzle someone, even in the case of other players' characters.

Judge

The Judge perpetually seeks to improve the system. A Judge takes pleasure in her rational nature and ability to draw the right conclusion when presented with facts. The Judge respects justice, as it is the most efficient model for resolving issues. Judges, while they pursue the "streamlining" of problems, are rarely visionary, as they prefer proven models to insight. Engineers, lawyers and doctors are often Judge Archetypes.

- Regain a point of Willpower whenever you correctly deduce a mystery by assembling the clues presented, or when one of your arguments unites dissenting parties.

Loner

Even in a crowd, the Loner sticks out, because he so obviously does not belong. Others view Loners as pariahs, remote and isolated, but in truth, the Loner prefers his own company to that of others. For whatever reason, the Loner simply disdains others, and this feeling is often reciprocated. Criminals, radicals and free thinkers are all Loner Archetypes.

- Regain a point of Willpower when you accomplish something by yourself, yet which still benefits the coterie in some way. For truly impressive success, or achievement in spite of strong opposition, the Storyteller may choose to let you regain two Willpower points.

Martyr

The Martyr suffers for his cause, enduring his trials out of the belief that his discomfort will ultimately improve others' lot. Some Martyrs simply want the attention or sympathy their ordeals engender, while others are sincere in their cause, greeting their opposition with unfaltering faith in their own beliefs. Many Inquisitors, staunch idealists and outcasts are Martyr Archetypes.

- Regain a point of Willpower when you sacrifice yourself or your comfort for your ideals or another's immediate gain.

Masochist

The Masochist exists to test his limits, to see how much pain he can tolerate before he collapses. He gains satisfaction in humiliation, suffering, denial and even physical pain. The Masochist defines who he is by his capacity to feel discomfort - he rises each night only to greet a new pain. Certain extreme athletes, urban tribalists and the clinically depressed exemplify the Masochist Archetype.

- Regain two points of Willpower whenever you experience pain in a way you never have before.

Monsters

The Monster knows she is a creature of darkness and acts like it. Evil and suffering are the Monster's tools, and she uses them wherever she goes. No villainy is below her; no hurt goes uninflicted and no lie remains untold. The Monster does not commit evil for its own sake, but rather as a means to understand what she has become. Many Sabbat, degenerate Kindred elders and unstable individuals display characteristics of the Monster Archetype.

- Malignant deeds reinforce the Monster's sense of purpose. Monster characters should pick a specific atrocity, regaining Willpower whenever they indulge that urge. For example, a tempter regains Willpower for luring someone into wickedness, while an apostate earns back Willpower for causing another to doubt her faith. Pick a destiny and fulfill it.

Pedagogue

The Pedagogue knows it all, and desperately wants to inform others. Whether through a sense of purpose or a genuine desire to help others, the Pedagogue makes sure his message is heard - at length, if necessary. Pedagogue Archetypes may range from well-meaning mentors to verbose blowhards who love to hear themselves talk. Instructors, the overeducated and "veterans of their field" are all examples of Pedagogue Archetypes.

- Regain one point of Willpower whenever you see or learn of someone who has benefited from the wisdom you shared with them.

Penitent

The Penitent exists to atone for the grave sin she commits simply by being who she is. Penitents have either low self-esteem or legitimate, traumatic past experiences, and feel compelled to "make up" for inflicting themselves upon the world. Penitent Archetypes are not always religious in outlook; some truly want to scourge the world of the grief they bring to it. Repentant sinners, persons with low self-esteem and remorseful criminals are examples of the Penitent Archetype.

- Regain a point of Willpower whenever you feel that you have achieved absolution for a given grievance. This redemption should be of the same magnitude as the transgression - the greater the crime, the greater the penance. The Storyteller is the ultimate arbiter of what constitutes a reasonable act of reparation.

[Renji]

Perfectionist

Perfectionist Archetypes simply demand the best. A half-hearted job gives the Perfectionist no satisfaction, and she expects the same degree of commitment and attention to detail from others that she demands from herself. Although the Perfectionist may be strict and exacting, the achievement of the end goal drives her - and often those for whom she is responsible. Prima donnas, artists and conceptual designers exemplify the Perfectionist Archetype.

- Regain a point of Willpower whenever you accomplish your goal without any demonstrable flaw or impediment.

Rebel

The Rebel is a malcontent, never satisfied with the status quo or the system as it is. He hates authority and does everything in his power to challenge and undermine it. Perhaps the Rebel truly believes in his ideals, but it is just as likely that he bears authority figures some ill will over a misunderstanding or "wrong" done to him in the past. Teenagers, insurrectionists and nonconformists all exemplify the Rebel Archetype.

- Regain a point of Willpower whenever your actions adversely affect your chosen opposition. Rebels may oppose the government, the Church, a vampire prince, whatever. The player should choose whom or what his character rebels against when he adopts this Archetype.

Rogue

Only one thing matters to the Rogue: herself. To each his own, and if others cannot protect their claims, they have no right to them. The Rogue is not necessarily a thug or bully, however. She simply refuses to succumb to the whims of others. Rogues almost universally possess a sense of self-sufficiency. They have their own best interests in mind at all times. Prostitutes, capitalists and criminals all embody the Rogue Archetype.

- Regain a point of Willpower when your self-centered disposition leads you to profit, materially or otherwise. At the Storyteller's discretion, accumulating gain without exposing your own weaknesses may let you regain two points of Willpower.

Survivor

No matter what happens, no matter the odds or opposition, the Survivor always manages to pull through. Whether alone or with a group, the Survivor's utter refusal to accept defeat often makes the difference between success and failure. Survivors are frustrated by others' acceptance of "what fate has in store" or willingness to withstand less than what they can achieve. Outcasts, street folk and idealists may well be Survivor Archetypes.

- Regain one point of Willpower whenever you survive a threatening situation through tenacity, or when another persists in spite of opposition due to your counsel.

Thrill-Seeker

The Thrill-Seeker lives for the rush brought on by danger. Unlike those ofarguably saner disposition, the Thrill-Seeker actively pursues hazardous and possibly deadly situations. The Thrill-Seeker is not consciously suicidal or self-destructive - he simply seeks the stimulation of imminent disaster. Gangbangers, petty diieves and exhibitionists are all examples of the Thrill-Seeker Archetype.

- Regain a point of Willpower any time you succeed at a dangerous task that you have deliberately undertaken. Thrill-Seekers are not stupid, however, and the Storyteller may choose not to reward a player who heedlessly sends her character into danger for the sole intent of harvesting Willpower.

Traditionalist

The orthodox ways satisfy the Traditionalist, who prefers to accomplish her goals with time-tested methods. Why vary your course when what has worked in the past is good enough? The Traditionalist finds the status quo acceptable, even preferable, to a change that might yield unpredictable results. Conservatives, judges and authority figures are all examples of Traditionalist Archetypes.

- Regain a point of Willpower any time the proven ways turn out to be the best. Also, regain a point of Willpower any time you successfully resist change for its own sake.

Trickster

The Trickster finds the absurd in everything. No matter how grim life (or unlife) may become, the Trickster always uncovers a kernel of humor within it. Tricksters cannot abide sorrow or pain, and so they strive to lighten the spirits of those around them. Some Tricksters have even higher ideals, challenging static dogma by exposing its failures in humorous ways. Comedians, satirists and social critics are examples of Trickster Archetypes.

- Regain a point of Willpower any time you manage to lift others' spirits, especially if you are able to deny your own pain in the process.

Visionary

The Visionary is strong enough to look beyond the mundane and perceive the truly wondrous. Visionaries test accepted societal limits, and seek what few others have the courage to imagine. The Visionary rarely takes satisfaction in what society has to offer; she prefers to encourage society to offer what it could instead of what it does. Typically, society responds poorly to Visionaries, though it is they who are responsible for bringing about progress and change. Philosophers, inventors and the most inspired artists often have Visionary Archetypes.

- Regain a point of Willpower each time you are able to convince others to have faith in your dreams and follow the course of action dictated by your vision.

[Renji]

Poor = 1*
Average = 2*
Good = 3*
Exceptional = 4*
Outstanding = 5*


Attributes

Every Vampire character has Attributes; they represent the basic potential of every person in the world, as well as most other living (and unliving) things. Most people have Attribute scores between 1 (poor) and 3 (good), though exceptionally gifted individuals may have scores of 4 (excellent) or even 5 (peak human capacity). Some vampire elders, those of strong Blood, are rumored to have scores higher still.

Physical

Physical Attributes define the condition of a character's body. They indicate how strong, agile and resilient a character is. Physical Attributes should be taken as the primary category for an action-oriented character.

Vampires may use ingested blood to supernaturally augment their Physical (and only their Physical) Attributes. For more on this, see p. 138.

Strength

Simon winced as blow after blow landed on the other side ofthe hotel door. His sire was right: The war packs of the Sabbat were terribly tenacious. Unless he managed to keep the door held against them while Josephine called the police, Simon was as good as gone. Envisioning himself and Josephine torn to ribbons under the Sabbat's talons, Simon braced himself against the door for another hail of blows.

Strength is the raw, brute power of a character. It governs how much weight a character can lift, how much he can physically push and how hard he can hit another character or object. The Strength Trait is added to a character's damage dice pool when he hits his opponent in hand-to-hand combat. It is also used when a character wishes to break, lift or carry something, as well as when a character tries to jump a distance.

Specialties: Iron Grip, Powerful Arms, Reserves of Strength, Fists Like Anvils

Poor: You can lift 40 lbs.
Average: You can lift 100 lbs.
Good: You can lift 250 lbs.
Exceptional: You can lift 400 lbs.
Outstanding: You can lift 650 lbs. and crush skulls like grapes.

Dexterity

A sheer layer of blood-sweat glistened on Serina's forehead. Her prey knew he was being followed, so her ability to strike quickly and with surprise was paramount. Serina managed to climb the fire escape almost silently, knowing that the man would seek refuge in this alley. Ah, there he was! Baring her fangs andclaws, Serina erupted from her ill-lit perch as her prey panted for what would soon be his last breath.

The Dexterity Attribute measures a character's general physical prowess. It encompasses the character's speed, agility and overall quickness, as well as indicating the character's ability to manipulate objects with control and precision. Also included under Dexterity's heading are hand-eye coordination, reflexes and bodily grace.

Specialties: Lithe, Swift, Feline Grace, Lightning Reflexes

Poor: You are clumsy and awkward. Put that gun down before you hurt yourself.
Average: You're no clod, but you're no ballerina, either.
Good: You possess some degree of athletic potential
Exceptional: You could be an acrobat if you wished.
Outstanding: Your movements are liquid and hypnotic - almost superhuman.

Stamina

Simon awoke to find himself bound to a chair with heavy chains, the prince's enforcer looming over him.

"It seems your little Sabbat friends left you high and dry, no?"

"They're not my friends. They came after me and Josephine," Simon spat through tattered lips.

"Why would you lie to me, Simon?" crooned his captor. "Just tell me the truth, and this will all be over...." The brute pushed up his sleeve and hammered Simon in the face, cracking bone and spattering blood.

Hang in there, Simon thought to himself. They can't beat it out of you if you don't let them.

The Stamina Trait reflects a character's health, toughness and resilience. It indicates how long a character can exert herself and how much punishment she can withstand before suffering physical trauma. Stamina also includes a bit of psychic fortitude, indicating a character's grit and tenacity not to give up.

Specialties: Tireless, Determined, Tough as Nails, Resolute

Poor: You bruise in a stiff wind.
Average: You are moderately healthy and can take a punch or two.
Good: You are in good shape and rarely fall ill.
Exceptional: You can run - and perhaps win - any marathon you choose.
Outstanding: Your constitution is truly Herculean.

Specialties

Some characters are especially good at particular applications of their Traits. For example, a painter might be particularly good at portraits, a baseball player might be adept at catching fly balls, and a brawler might be infamous for his low blows. To represent this, characters with scores of 4 or higher in Attributes or Abilities may choose specialties for those Traits.

A specialty is a particular subcategory of an Attribute or Ability - thus, a character with a Strength 5 might choose to be especially adept in "deadlifting," while a character with Investigation 4 might be a whiz at "ballistics." Whenever a player makes a die roll involving an activity in which her character has specialized, she may take any die that comes up "10," tally the success normally, then reroll that die in an attempt to accumulate extra successes. If the rerolled die also comes up "10," she may continue to reroll for still further successes. This process continues until no further "10s" are rolled.

Example: Victoria has Performance 4 with a specialty in singing love songs. She is performing in front of a live audience, and she begins her hit song "4Ever I." To gauge the audience's reaction, the Storyteller has Victoria's player, Katie, roll Victoria's Charisma (4) + Performance (4) versus difficulty 6. The dice pool is 8, and Katie scores three successes - but two of those successes are "10s. " Katie takes the two "10" dice and rolls them, scoring 9 and 7 - two extra successes. She may not continue to try for further successes, but the five-success total indicates that the crowd absolutely loves Victoria's rendition.

Social

Despite their solitary predilections, vampires use human society like building blocks to advance their schemes. Social Attributes delineate a character's appearance, charm and ability to interact with society. These Traits are paramount in determining a character's first impressions, personal dynamics and relations with other individuals.

Charisma

The prince pushed the curtain aside and walked out before the assembled council of the city's primogen. Their petty side conversations and guarded whispers stopped as the prince took his place at the head of the table, smiling at them with the look of a predator. Despite their differences of opinion, personal vendettas and centuries-oid hatreds, they still accepted the prince as their superior. None could contest the ancient vampire's overwhelming force of personality.

"See how they love me, even in their hate?" commented the prince to his childe, who stood behind the chair next to him. "Let them know who's in charge, and you'll have them drinking out of your hand."

Charisma is a character's ability to entice and please others through her personality. Charisma comes into question when a character tries to win another character's sympathies or encourage others to trust her. Charisma does not indicate necessarily a silver tongue or a skill with bullying. Rather, it is the simple power of a character's charm and influence. Charisma delineates a character's ability at convincing others to see her point of view.

Specialties: Smooth Talker, Genteel, Urbane, Witty, Eloquent Speaker, Graceful

Poor: Stop picking your nose.
Average: You are generally likable and have several friends.
Good: People trust you implicitly.
Exceptional: You have significant personal magnetism.
Outstanding: Entire cultures could follow your lead.

Manipulation

Daphne looked at Lucasz as if he were the only Kindred in the city who could heIp her. He already trusted her, the foot, and now alt she had to do was convince him that he needed to go talk to that bastard Barzeski.

"Lucasz, you're the only one who can do it. I'm on such bad terms with them that Barzeski won't even listen to me anymore. Plus, if you start leaning on them now, they'll be too intimidated to come after you later."

Lucasz' face softened a bit - she had him! Now, with any luck, he and Barzeski would kill each other while they were at the table, and she'd be rid of two thorns in her side.

Manipulation measures a character's ability for self-expression in the interests of getting others to share her outlook or follow her whims. In short, it's getting others to do what she wants. Manipulation comes into play when a character tries to influence or subtly guide another's behavior. Manipulation is used to trick, bluff, fast-talk and railroad other characters. Whether or not the characters in question actually like the manipulator is irrelevant (this is why Manipulation differs from Charisma); a skilled motivator can even employ the talents of people who hate her.

Manipulation is a dangerous affair, especially among the Kindred (though it is their coin of the realm). Failed attempts at manipulation often earn the ire of the would-be patsy. Botching a Manipulation roll may add a name to the character's list of enemies.

People are manipulated every day, and typically ignore it. ("Would you run to the store for me?") If the fact is brought to their attention, however, most people get quite defensive. Manipulation can be the most powerful tool in a Kindred's repertoire, but failure can be disastrous. Characters with high Manipulation ratings are often distrusted by those around them.

Specialties: Persuasive, "Damn I'm Smooth," Seductive, Well-Reasoned

Poor: A person of few (often ineffectual) words.
Average: You can fool some of the people some of the time, just like anybody else.
Good: You never pay full price.
Exceptional: You could be a politician or cult leader.
Outstanding: "Of course I'll tell the prince it was I who tried to stake him!"

Appearance

"Well, Harrick, let's see who the Toreador have pulled from the bottom of their collective shoe to discuss this matter with us, shall we?" Jervis Graves pulled a fat Cuban cigar from his desk drawer and struck a match, flinching instinctively from the tiny flame. "Bring them in!" Graves bellowed at his attendant, ashes tumbling from the cigar's tip.

The cigar hit the table at the same time Graves' jaw hit the floor. In walked the ugliest woman ]ervis had ever seen - and he'd even seen some of the Nosferatu.

"Caine's blood, creature, that face could send me into torpor."

"Yes, sir, " replied the Kindred calmly. "And now shouldn't we discuss the matter of..."

"No, not at all, " Graves cut her off. "Tell the 'artistes' that if they want to do business with Jervis Graves, they need to send someone who still looks human."

The Appearance Attribute is a measure of a character's attractiveness. More than simple looks, however, Appearance is the sum of a character's visible grace, beauty and the indefinable je ne sais quoi that makes people desirable.

Appearance is both more and less than words - it appeals to the lower levels of the psyche, so it shapes first impressions and the nature of memories thereafter. No matter how open-minded a person is, no matter how vehemently he claims, "Her personality is more important than her looks," a person still thinks of another in relation to the subject's appearance.

This Trait is used for more than getting potential vessels to heed your beckon across a crowded dance floor. In situations in which first impressions are paramount, or that involve people who view Appearance as very important, a character may have no more dice in a Social dice pool than her Appearance score. Thus, it is critically important to either look your best or get to know people before you start trying to convince them to firebomb the justicar's haven.

Poor: Ugly as a mud fence.
Average: You don't stand out in a crowd, for better or for worse.
Good: Strangers offer to buy you drinks at bars.
Exceptional: You are appealing enough to be a model, and people often go out of their way to tell you so.
Outstanding: People react to you with either insane jealousy or beatific awe.

Mental

Mental Attributes define a character's cerebral capacities, including such aspects as memory, intelligence, awareness of one's surroundings and the ability to think, learn and react.

Perception

Lucasz sat on the leather divan, jacket unbuttoned, hands in his lap, waiting for his odd host to enter the room. Above the musky scent of the leather, Lucas? caught a whiff of.. .poppies?... and heard the clink of glass on glass.

A stooped man with a beaklike nose - probably Barpeski's ghoul servant - limped into the room, a fluted glass on a service in his hand. "An aperitif while the lord dresses, sweet guest?" the ghoul rasped.

"If it's all the same toyou, I prefer my vitae without laudanum," answered Lucasz.

The ghout blanched.

Perception measures a character's ability to observe his environment. This may involve a conscious effort, such as searching an area, but it is more often intuitive, as the character's keen senses notice something out of the ordinary. Perception is a sensitivity to the character's surroundings, and is seldom present in the cynical or jaded (who have seen it all before).

Perception is used to determine whether or not a character understands a given situation or detects an environmental stimulus. It can warn a character of ambushes, help a character identify a metaphor, distinguish a clue from a pile of refuse or uncover any other hidden or overlookable detail, whether physical or otherwise.

Specialties: Attentive, Insightful, Careful, Discerning, Experienced

Poor: Perhaps you are absurdly self-absorbed, perhaps merely an airhead; in any event, even the most obvious details elude you.
Average: You are oblivious to the very subtle, but aware of the bigger picture.
Good: You perceive moods, textures and minuscule changes in your environment.
Exceptional: Almost nothing evades your notice.
Outstanding: You instantly observe things almost imperceptible to human senses.

[Renji]

Intelligence

Aisling stared at the fragile manuscript, wondering why it refused to make sense. The symbols were all in order, the invocations were clearly defined, and the motions were even illustrated correctly. Why wouldn't the damn thing work, then? It was as if whatever backward magician had scrawled this thing had left out some basic but vital element.

Backward...

Aisting toughed oioud as she heid the book before a mirror. There were the symbols. Working through the alphabet in reverse, she transcribed the proper verses from the page, and practiced the motions in opposite order. She had broken the primitive code.

The Intelligence Attribute refers to a character's grasp of facts and knowledge. More importantly, however, it governs a character's ability to reason, solve problems and evaluate situations. Intelligence is almost a misnomer, as the Attribute also includes critical thinking and flexibility of thought.

Intelligence does not include savvy, wisdom or common sense, as those are properties of the character's personality, not Traits. Even the smartest character may be too foolish to keep her mouth shut or too daft to assume the thugs who want her car keys are up to no good.

Characters with low Intelligence aren't necessarily stupid (though they might be), they are just uneducated or simple thinkers. Likewise, characters with high Intelligence aren't all Einsteins; they may be better at rote memorization or have particularly keen judgment.

Specialties: Book Knowledge, Creative, Analytical, Problem Solver, Subject Authority

Poor: Not the sharpest knife in the drawer (IQ 80).
Average: Smart enough to realize you're normal (IQ 100).
Good: More enlightened than the masses (IQ 120).
Exceptional: You're not just bright, you're downright brilliant (IQ 140).
Outstanding: Certified genius (IQ 160+).

Wits

Fire!

Lucasz leaped from the divan as the first waves of hot smoke wisped through the floorboards. First poison, and now this!

Looking to the door, Lucasz figured it must be bracedfrom the outside. The window overlooked the bay, and using that exit would mean a fall of a few hundred feet. The ventilation ducts were far too small for Kindred to crawl through.

Lucasz looked up. The crawlspace. The Fiend surely couldn't have compartmentalized the thin gap between the floors. Simply crawl up there, burst back through above the hallway, and bolt out the front door.

Lucasz turned the divan on its side, climbed atop and hammered his way through the plaster ceiling with his fists. Now it was only a question of what remained outside.

The Wits Trait measures the character's ability to think on her feet and react quickly to a certain situation. It also reflects a character's general cleverness. Characters with low Wits scores are thick and mentally lethargic, or maybe gullible and unsophisticated. By contrast, characters with high Wits Traits almost always have a plan immediately and adapt to their surroundings with striking expedience. Characters with high Wits also manage to keep their cool in stressful situations.

Specialties: Getting the Jump on Others, Snappy Patter, Changes in Strategy, Ambushes

Poor: Pull my finger.
Average: You know when to bet or fold in poker.
Good: You are seldom surprised or left speechless.
Exceptional: You're one of the people who make others think, "Ooh, I should have said..." the next day.
Outstanding: You think and respond almost more quickly than you can act.

[Renji]

Novice: 1*
Practiced: 2*
Competent: 3*
Expert: 4*
Master: 5*

Abilities

As mentioned before, Abilities are the Traits used to describe what you know and what you've learned to do. Whereas Attributes represent your raw potential, Abilities represent the ways you've learned to use that potential. You may not need anything but brute strength to smash through a door - but if you're trying to use sheer muscle power to force an engine part into place without breaking anything, you'd better know something about mechanics. When rolling dice, you'll probably have to pair an Ability with an appropriate Attribute, in order to properly depict the combination of potential and know-how that's necessary for getting things done.

There are 30 Abilities: 10 Talents, 10 Skills and 10 Knowledges. Each Ability typically covers a broad range of aptitudes. For certain Abilities (Expression, Crafts, Performance, Academics, Science), it is best to pick a specialty (p. 117), even if the character's rating in the Ability is not yet 4 or higher. Thus, a character with the Crafts Skill is generally versed in handiwork of all sorts, but might be particularly adept at auto mechanics.

Talents

Talents describe what you intuitively know, what you can do without coaching or instruction. The only way to improve your Talents is through direct experience - with the exception of a very few cases (such as studying a text on Jeet Kune Do to learn a dot or so of Brawl), these things can't be learned from a book or mail-order course. If you try an action involving a Talent your character doesn't possess, there's no penalty to your basic Attribute dice pool; these Abilities are so intuitive that virtually everyone has some degree of capacity in each one.

Alertness

Kincaid held up a finger, and the other vampires whispering in the darkened foyer immediately fell silent. "Lady Anna is coming, " he murmured. He cupped one hand to his ear, then nodded. "She's maybe two blocks away, and there's no other traffic on the street." He smiled a smile with razored edges. "That custom Rolls of hers, there's no mistaking it. Now shut up and get ready to welcome her in, you idiots."

This is your basic knack for noticing things that go on around you, even when you're not actively looking for them. Alertness describes the attention you pay to the outside world, whether otherwise occupied or not. This Talent is typically paired with Perception, and is best used when sensing physical stimuli (as opposed to moods or clues).

Novice: You're no mindless drone.
Practiced: Habitual eavesdropper
Competent: You keep a sharp eye on your surroundings.
Expert: Whether from paranoia or good sense, you are rarely caught off guard.
Master: Your senses are on par with those of a wild animal.

Possessed by: Hunters, Bodyguards, Security Personnel, Journalists, Burglars

Specialties: Noises, Eavesdropping, Ambushes, Hidden Weapons, Crowds, Forests, Animals

Athletics

Ronnie took a running leap and hit the chain-link fence climbing. He could still hear the hooting and laughter of the gang behind him, and the sound shot more adrenaline into his aching muscles. But he'd done this a thousand times, and he was over the fence in record speed. As he raced further down the alley, he tried to clear his head, reassuring himself that there was no way those muscleheads could climb as quickly as he could. He'd bought himself a little more time; it was just a matter of putting it to use.

Then he heard the gut-wrenching sound of metal wire being torn apart...

This Talent represents your basic athletic ability, as well as any training you might have had in sports or other rigorous activities. Athletics concerns all forms of running, jumping, throwing, swimming, sports and the like; however, it doesn't cover basic motor actions such as lifting weights, nor does it govern athletic feats covered by another Ability (such as Melee).

Novice: You had an active childhood.
Practiced: High-school athlete
Competent: Professional athlete
Expert: Top-notch in your sport
Master: Olympic medalist

Possessed by: Athletes, Enthusiasts, Park Rangers, Jocks, Kids

Specialties: Swimming, Rock Climbing, Acrobatics, Dancing, Endurance Running, specific sports

Brawl

Lucita neatly snapped her knuckles into the prince's neck - one - then plunged her fingers precisely into his eyesockets - two. One-two, quicker than a child could draw breath and harder than any mortal could strike.

She smiled tautly as the formerly regal Canute clawed in panic at his ruined eyes and crumpled windpipe. No sight, no voice - and no chance to invoke his otherworldly, hypnotic majesty. Now she could do the rest at her leisure.

The Brawl Talent represents how well you fight in tooth-and-nail situations. This Talent represents skill in unarmed combat, whether from formal martial-arts training or simply from plenty of experience - either type can make you a dangerous adversary. Effective brawlers are coordinated, resistant to pain, quick, strong and mean; the willingness to do whatever it takes to hurt your opponent wins plenty of fights.

Novice: You were picked on as a kid.
Practiced: You've seen the occasional barroom tussle.
Competent: You've fought regularly and routinely, and generally walked away in better shape than your opponents.
Expert: You could be a serious contender on a boxing circuit.
Master: You can kill three men in four seconds.

Possessed by: Military, Police, Roughnecks, Thugs

Specialties: Boxing, Wrestling, Dirty Fighting, Kicks, Karate, Judo, Muay Thai, Throws, Submission Holds

Dodge

Beckett cursed as the bullets struck the wall over his head, sending hot chips of brick into his hair. He launched himself sideways, rolling behind the dumpster just as the rounds cut into where he had been standing. Typical, he thought. Saguryev's minions are as subtle as he is. He flexed his fingers and growled as the black talons glided out of his fingertips. Let's see if they're slower.

As it turned out, they were.

The first rule of self-preservation, this Talent covers your ability to avoid blows, missile fire or even oncoming cars. Dodge entails taking cover, ducking punches or any other methods of getting out of harm's way.

Novice: You can reflexively duck and cover your head.
Practiced: You've weathered a self-defense class.
Competent: You can evade thrown rocks, maybe even knives.
Expert: It'd take a skilled brawler to land a punch.
Master: You can virtually sidestep bullets on open ground.

Possessed by: Police, Criminals, Brawlers, Boxers, People in Bad Neighborhoods

Specialties: Cover, Sidestep, Footwork, Leap

Empathy

"I mean," the young woman gesticulated, "how the hell was I supposed to take care of that baby? How could I?" She dabbed at her eyes with her napkin, then stared guiltily into her cup. "Oh my God. Look at me, breaking down right in the coffeehouse. You've got to think I'm so stupid."

"No, no," her companion said gently. "Please, don't. Here." He stood and offered her his hand. "Why don't we go somewhere a little less public, and you can get it all off your chest there?" She looked up and smiled a little at that, and the smile he returned her was nothing short of dazzling.

You understand the emotions of others, and can sympathize with, feign sympathy for, or play on such emotions as you see fit. You are an easy hand at discerning motive, and might be able to pick up on when someone's lying to you. However, you may be so in tune with other people's feelings that your own emotions are affected.

Novice: You lend the occasional shoulder to cry on.
Practiced: You can sometimes literally feel someone else's suffering.
Competent: You have a keen insight into other people's motivations.
Expert: It's almost impossible to lie to you.
Master: The human soul conceals no mysteries from you.

Possessed by: Social Workers, Parents, Actors, Psychologists, Detectives, Seducers, Mediums, Best Friends

Specialties: Emotions, Personalities, Motives, Gaining Trust

Expression

"By the Blood, Laveaux, compose yourself. Victoria's little ditty hardly merits consideration, let alone a blood hunt - notwithstanding lyrics which could indeed be interpreted as... satirical. A bit...tawdry for my tastes," the prince sniffed, "but scarcely a violation of the Masquerade."

"Billboard #8?!? Millions of kine are mocking me - in their automobiles, in their nightclubs, on their damnable electronic phonographs. I shall be a laughingstock in..."

"Elysium, Laveaux. Elysium. Hardly the place for such histrionics. Remember where you are! Anyway," the prince said airily, the faintest of smiles creasing his visage, "it can hardly be true, can it? That stanza about you and the..."

Laveaux stormed away, gnashing his fangs in fury, as the harpies tittered behind him.

This is your ability to get your point across clearly, whether through conversation, poetry or even email. Characters with high Expression can phrase their opinions or beliefs in a manner that cannot be ignored (even if their opinions are misinformed or worthless). They might also be talented actors, skilled at conveying moods or feigning emotion with every gesture. Additionally, this Talent represents your ability for poetry, creative writing or other literary art forms.

Novice: Your talent has matured past crude poetry on notebook paper.
Practiced: You could lead a college debate team.
Competent: You could be a successful writer.
Expert: Your work is Pulitzer material.
Master: A visionary such as yourself comes along only once in every generation.

Possessed by: Actors, Writers, Poets, Politicians, Journalists, Instructors, Rabhle-Rousers

Specialties: Acting, Poetry, Fiction, Impromptu, Conversation

Intimidation

Lucita audibly drew a breath, and something seemed, to gather around her. Something.. .palpable. Her gaze settled on one of the black' clad bodyguards, then the other, but lingered for no more than a second on each. Both men grew very pale; one tried weakly moving his hand toward his shoulder holster, but stopped almost instantly at the sound of her voice.

"I said this conversation was private. Leave. Now."

Intimidation takes many forms, from outright threats and physical violence to mere force of personality. You know the right method for each occasion, and can be very... persuasive.

Novice: Crude teenage bully
Practiced: Mugger
Competent: Drill sergeant
Expert: Your air of authority cows casual passersby.
Master: You can frighten off vicious animals.

Possessed by: Bullies, Executives, Military Officers, Thugs, Bouncers, Gangsters, Sahbat

Specialties: Veiled Threats, Pulling Rank, Physical Coercion, Blackmail

[Renji]

Leadership

Kincaid stomped across the makeshift stage and shook one fistabove his head. "Are you going to go to one knee and offer your neck to your butcher, just because he says Father Knows Best? Are you going to pour your heart's fire between the decayed lips of the ancients? " Enthusiastic, powerful cries of "No!" shook the stage, but Kincaid went on as if he couldn't hear them. "Who will inherit this world, this night, this future? Those who have already seen a millennium or two - or those who can do something with their immortality? ARE YOU WILLING TO FIGHT FOR YOUR FREEDOM?"

The answer was a chorus of bone-rattling shouts. Kincaid screamed more fiery words into the crowd, but his heart was cold as ice, except for a growing flame of gloating satisfaction - and anticipation.

You are an example to others and can inspire them to do what you want. Leadership has less to do with manipulating people's desires than it does with presenting yourself as the sort of person they want to follow. This Talent is usually paired with Charisma rather than Manipulation.

Novice: Captain of your Little League team
Practiced: Student body president
Competent: An effective CEO
Expert: Presidential material
Master: You could be the lord and master of a nation.

Possessed by: Politicians, Princes, Managers, Executives, Military Officers, Police

Specialties: Oratory, Compelling, Friendly, Open, Noble, Military, Commands

Streetwise

In full daylight, the spraypaint would have had a distinctly neon glare. In the dim light of the streetlight's periphery, it was dull and heavy. Nonetheless, the young man in gang colors was studying it intently. "Yeah, I know that tag," he finally said. He shook his head. "That's a badass marker. The Green Nails. Vietnamese. The kind of gang you never hear about on the damn cop shows, but the ones nobody in their right mind fucks with."

The older man, his impeccable suit very out of place in the alleyway, merely nodded. "Yes, precisely. And very, very suitable for our purposes."

The streets can provide a lot of information or money to those who know the language. Streetwise allows you to blend in unobtrusively with the local scene, pick up gossip, understand slang or even dabble in criminal doings.

Novice: You know who sells drugs.
Practiced: You're accorded respect on the street.
Competent: You could head your own gang.
Expert: You have little to fear in even the worst neighborhoods.
Master: If you haven't heard it, it hasn't been said.

Possessed by: Criminals, Homeless People, Reporters, Detectives, Vice Squads, Sabbat

Specialties: Fencing, Illegal Drugs, Illegal Weapons, Rumors, Gangs, Pickpocketing, Local Slang

Subterfuge

"I mean - I can't promise anything, and I have too much respect for you to give you the usual BS. Who can tell what the future holds?" David looked up, met Linda's gaze across the low table. "But it is different when I'm with you. To be honest..." David's voice almost cracked with emotion, "I don't know if I ever have been in love, really, but this feels like it could, well...."

Wordlessly, Linda slid across the couch, took David's hand in hers, and pressed her forehead to his shoulder.

Ah, the kine are even more unchanging than we, despite their vaunted "progress." David - Dar-lnku in another time - recalled other, similarly meaningless phrases, spoken in Greek, in Aramaic and Chaldean, in the baths of Rome and among the pillars of ruined Nineveh. A true master of the Jyhad, he mused, needs no mind-tricks to beguile a vessel.

You know how to conceal your own motives and project what you like. Furthermore, you can root out other people's motives, then use those motives against them. This Talent defines your talent for intrigue, secrets and double-dealing; mastery of Subterfuge can make you the ultimate seducer, or a brilliant spy.

Novice: You tell the occasional little white lie.
Practiced: Vampire
Competent: Criminal lawyer
Expert: Deep-cover agent
Master: You're the very last person anyone would suspect.

Possessed by: Politicians, Lawyers, Vampires, Teenagers, Con Men, Pick-up Artists

Specialties: Seduction, Impeccable Lies, Feigning Mortality

[Renji]

Skills

Skills are Abilities learned through training, apprenticeships or other instruction. If you try to perform an action involving a Skill in which you have no rating, your difficulty is increased by one. An unskilled worker just isn't as effective as someone who might have lower Attributes but an understanding of what the procedure entails.

Animal Ken

The two men by the limousine were engrossed in their conversation, and never saw the movement in the shadowy alley behind them. They didn't see the hideous creature in the tattered trenchcoat kneel by the sewer grating, nor did they hear the low, susurrant call that drifted down below the street.

But when the rats came boiling out of the alley by the hundreds, thy noticed.

You can understand an animal's behavior patterns. This Skill allows you to predict how an animal might react in a given situation, train a domesticated creature, or even try to calm or enrage animals.

Novice: You can get a domesticated horse to let you pet it.
Practiced: You can housebreak a puppy.
Competent: You could train a seeing-eye dog.
Expert: Circus trainer
Master: You can tame wild beasts without benefit of supernatural powers.

Possessed by: Farmers, Animal Trainers, Zookeepers, Park Rangers, Pet Owners, Domitors

Specialties: Dogs, Attack Training, Big Cats, Horses, Farm Animals, Falconry

Crafts

Jutes gestured with unconcealed pride at the wall hanging. "Look there. The original Bayeux Tapestry, stolen away from Britain and replaced with a common forgery. Oh, how the mortals would panic, if we let them discover the truth!"

"Yours is the forgery," Carmelita said quietly, hiding all but a hint of her smile. Jules' normally ashen face paled into eggshell-white, but she continued. "Double-check the edges, Jules. The threads are tied in severalplaces in knots thatare distinctly 13th'century, and the dyes have been chemically faded." Then she looked at his stricken expression, and laughed. "Oh, poor dear! I'm so sorry. Here, pretend I didn't say anything."

This Skill covers your ability to make or fix things with your hands. Crafts allows you to work in fields such as carpentry, leatherwork, weaving or even mechanical expertise such as car repair. You can even create lasting works of art with this Skill, depending on the number of successes you achieve. You must always choose a specialization in Crafts, even though you retain some skill in multiple fields.

Novice: High-school wood shop
Practiced: You're starting to develop your own style.
Competent: You could make a living at your work.
Expert: Your work might be featured in college-level textbooks for your field.
Master: Your artistry is virtually without peer.

Possessed by: Mechanics, Artisans, Artists, Designers, Inventors, Back-to-the-Land Types

Specialties: Pottery, Sewing, Home Repair, Carpentry, Appraisal, Carburetors

Drive

Karl slammed hard on the brakes, twisting the wheel around as he did so. The Thunderbird's tires squealed as the vintage car slid into the classic bootlegger's reverse - thankfully, they didn't blow out in the process. The black cars behind him weren't so lucky; as Karl poured on the gas, he could hear the passengers' threats turn into screams, followed by the grinding percussion of crumpling metal.

So far, so good...

You can drive a car, and maybe other vehicles as well. This Skill does not automatically entail familiarity with complicated vehicles such as tanks or 18-wheelers, and difficulties may vary depending on your experience with individual automobiles. After all, helming a station wagon doesn't prepare you for controlling a Lotus at 100 miles per hour.

Novice: You know how to work an automatic transmission.
Practiced: You can drive a stick shift.
Competent: Professional trucker
Expert: NASCAR daredevil or tank pilot
Master: You can make a Yugo do tricks out of a James Bond movie.

Possessed by: Cabbies, Truckers, Race Car Drivers, most 20th-century residents of affluent Western nations

Specialties: Off-road, Wheelies, Curves, Stick Shift, Sudden Stops, Heavy Traffic

Etiquette

Carmelita waited until the two men had turned the corner two blocks down, then clutched at her companion s arm. "Those two - Hesha, were they...?"

"Yes, dear. Assamites." His face was expressionless basalt under the street lamps. "And they have agreed to leave us to our affairs while they scrutinize Vlados' chantry instead." He affably patted her hand. "You see, my dear! Clan matters little - theirs, or mine. So much rests on mere civility."

You understand the nuances of proper behavior, in both mortal society and Kindred culture. Your specialty is the culture with which you are most familiar. This Skill is used during haggling, seduction, dancing, dinner etiquette and all forms of diplomacy.

Novice: You know when to keep your mouth shut.
Practiced: You've been to a black-tie event or two.
Competent: You know your way around even obscure silverware.
Expert: Her Majesty would consider you charming.
Master: If the right people came to dinner, you could end wars - or start them.

Possessed by: Diplomats, Travelers, High Society, Executives

Specialties: Formal Dinners, Business, Street Culture, Kindred Society

Firearms

Valentine hissed a low, contemptuous sigh. His hand flickered ever so briefly - and instantly a gun appeared in his fingers, a lusterless, heavy revolver. Before the hired security couldeven gasp for breath, the room shook with four thunderclaps, one right after the other.

Valentine neatly stepped over the nearest spreading pool of scarlet, proceeding directly for the oak door.

Executing a mortal with a sword starts investigations. Clawing someone to ribbons shakes the edges of the Masquerade. So Cainites adapt, and many have devoted their energies to learning how to kill with guns. This Skill represents familiarity with a range of firearms, from holdout pistols to heavy machine guns. Of course, this Skill doesn't include heavy artillery such as mortars or tank guns. However, someone skilled in Firearms can clean, repair, recognize and, of course, accurately fire most forms of small arms. This Skill is also used to unjam guns (Wits + Firearms).

Novice: You had a BB gun as a kid.
Practiced: You while away the occasional hour at the gun club.
Competent: You've survived a firefight or two.
Expert: You could pick off people for a living.
Master: You've been practicing since the debut of the Winchester.

Possessed by: Sabbat, Policemen, Military Personnel, Survivalists, Hunters

Specialties: Fast-Draw, Gunsmithing, Pistols, Sniping, Revolvers, Shotguns

Melee

Even as the .44 round tore through her shoulder, Fatima pivoted like a ballerina, bringing the Damascene scimitar directly down on the gunman's neck. The carefully honed blade sheared neatly through collarbone, dead flesh and vertebrae, and the head came free almost instantly.

Her expression was aloof as she shifted her gaze to the gunman's panicking partner. "What do they teach you childer these days?" Her English was as flawless as the grace with which she shifted her grip. "Guns against Kindred? No, no. You must do things in the proper fashion." Her grip tightened. "Like so."

As the Kindred maxim runs, Guns mean nothing to a lifeless heart. A blade is often worth far more, as is the skill to use it properly. Melee covers your ability to use hand-to-hand weapons of all forms, from swords and clubs to esoteric martial-arts paraphernalia such as sai or nunchaku. And, of course, there is always the utility of the wooden stake...

Novice: You know the right way to hold a knife.
Practiced: You may have been in the occasional streetfight.
Competent: You could make a college fencing team.
Expert: You could keep order in the prince's court.
Master: Your enemies would rather face a SWAT team than your blade.

Possessed by: Assassins, Gang Members, Martial Artists, Police, Duelists, Medievalist Buffs

Specialties: Knives, Swords, Improvised Clubs, Stakes, Disarms, Axes

Perfomance

There was nothing but silence around the bonfire as the last notes of Nikos' tune drifted off into the pine forest and night sky. Then there was cheering, whistling, laughing. Nikos, with a laugh of his own, looked over to the stranger. "How's that, hey?" He proffered the fiddle, and the stranger quietly accepted it. "I tell you," Nikos continued, "the man hasn't been born that can outplay me. Go ahead and try, but...." He let his words trail off into a chuckle.

The stranger lifted the fiddle to his shoulder, tucked it neatiy under his pointed chin, smiled like a cat, and began to play. And in that moment, Nikos' laugh died in his throat, for he knew he'd lost the wager - and far more than that.

The Performance Skill governs your ability to perform artistic endeavors such as singing, dancing, acting or playing a musical instrument. You are almost certainly specialized in one field, although true virtuosos may be talented in many forms of performance. This Skill represents not only technical know-how, but the ability to work an audience and enrapture them with your show.

Novice: You could sing in the church choir.
Practiced: You could get a leading part in a college production.
Competent: You're in demand at the local clubs.
Expert: You have the talent to be a national sensation.
Master: You are a virtuoso without peer.

Possessed by: Musicians, College Students, Actors, Ballerinas, Mimes

Specialties: Dancing, Singing, Rock and Roll, Acting, Guitar Solos, Drunken Karaoke

Security

The orderlies burs t out of the front door, then skidded as a group to an unruly halt. Just ahead of them was John Doe #244, absent-mindedly wandering the lawn,his discarded straitjacket lying crumpled on the walk. "What!" hissed the newest among them. "How'd he...?"

"Never mind that, " replied the shift overseer in a low, worried tone. "Just hope he doesn't have any thing sharp with him this time."

This Skill entails familiarity with the tools and techniques for picking locks, deactivating car or burglar alarms, hot-wiring automobiles or even safecracking, as well as countless forms of breaking and entering. Security is useful not only for theft, but also for setting up "the unbeatable system" or deducing where a thief broke in.

Novice: You can pick a simple lock.
Practiced: You can hot-wire a car.
Competent: You can bypass or disable house alarms.
Expert: You can crack a safe.
Master: You could get a bomb out of - or into - the Pentagon.

Possessed by: Burglars, Security Consultants, Policemen

Specialties: Safecracking, Hot-wiring, Electrical Alarms, Pressure Plates, Deadbolts, Cars

Stealth

Lucita suddenly froze - then threw herself down and to the right. There was a sudden, dull noise as the book she'd been holding was bisected by the razored metal blade that sliced through the air. She came up in a roll, muscles bunched, and growled - or was it a purr? - one word: "Fatima."

The woman facing Lucita grinned, her teeth startlingly white against her dark skin. "Lucita. It seems I still give myself away to your ears. " Her voice was smooth as the silks she wore, and her hands shifted their grip on the scimitar. "I suppose this will be a challenge, then. As always."

This Skill is the ability to avoid being detected, whether you're hiding or moving at the time. Stealth is often tested against someone else's Perception. This Ability is, for obvious reasons, highly useful in stalking prey.

Novice: You can hide in a darkened room.
Practiced: You can shadow someone from streetlight to streetlight.
Competent: You have little difficulty finding prey from evening to evening.
Expert: You can move quietly over dry leaves.
Master: Nosferatu elder

Possessed by: Burglars, Assassins, Kindred, Spies, Reporters, Commandos

Specialties: Hiding, Silent Movement, Shadowing, Crowds

Survival

"Here, kid," Emmett grunted, tossing a reeking bundle into the ditch. The ragged Caitiff flinched away at first, then gratefully accepted the noisome wad of blankets. "You wanna get most of the way into that culvert, " Emmett continued, " 'cause the sun's gonna be mostly on this side for the day. Go fetal, too, 'cause you'll be able to cover more of yourself that way.

The skinny vampire blinked back up at Emmett. "But wouldn't it be safer in the sewers! I mean, there's no..." He stopped short when he saw the look on Emmett's hideous face. "Oh. I see."

"Ain't no sunlight down there, " Emmett scowied os he straightened up and turned away. "Don't mean it's safe."

Although vampires have little to fear from starvation and exposure, the wilderness can still be dangerous to a Cainite. This Skill allows you to find shelter, navigate your way to civilization, track prey and possibly even avoid werewolves (although this last is exceedingly difficult). When you use Stealth in the wilderness, you cannot roll more dice for your Stealth rating than you have in Survival.

Novice: You can survive a five-mile hike.
Practiced: You "roughed it" on a regular basis.
Competent: You know poisonous mushrooms from edible ones.
Expert: You could live for months in the wilderness of your choice.
Master: You could get dropped naked into the Andes and do all right for yourself.

Possessed by: Scouts, Soldiers, Outdoors Enthusiasts, Survivalists, Hunters, Park Rangers

Specialties: Tracking, Woodlands, Jungle, Trapping, Hunting

[Renji]

Knowledges

Knowledges involve the application of the mind, not the body; consequently, Knowledge Abilities are most often paired with Mental Traits. (It's possible to roll Charisma + Academics, or even Stamina + Medicine, but such things are pretty rare.) The following descriptions speak of Knowledge levels in collegiate terms, although formal schooling is j ust one way to improve a Knowledge.

If you don't have any dots in a Knowledge, you cannot even attempt a roll involving it unless the Storyteller gives explicit permission (such as where common trivia is concerned). If you don't know Spanish, you can't try holding a conversation in espanol on your wits alone.

Academics

"Little fool," Hesha hissed in disgust. "You babble of your ruined 'Carthage,' yet the term means no more to you than a parroted lyric from one of your shrill, oh-so-important 'alternative' screeds. What do you know of Carthage - or of Rome, for that matter? Did your sire tell you of the Sabines' sacrifices to Tanit and Moloch? Of the screams in the streets as infants vomited forth their blood for the Brujah's sustenance? Of women and children dragged naked to the block and given over to the caresses of foreign mercenaries - who yet defended the 'Utopia' when your noble line was too blood-glutted to stir?

"Go away, whey-blooded Iconoclast. Speak to me again in a century, when your vitae is less tainted with heroin and ignorance. Hesha waved a finger in dismissal.

The anarch's frenzy was sudden and, as the attack was a clear violation of the Sixth Tradition, Hesha suffered no repercussions for the subsequent slaying. Naturally, taking over Morningside Homes was the simplest of matters thereafter.

This catchall Knowledge covers the character's erudition in the "humanities": literature, history, art, philosophy and other "liberal" sciences. A character with dots in Academics is generally well-rounded in these fields, and at high levels may be considered an expert in one or more areas of study. Not only can this Knowledge impress at salons and other Elysium functions, but it can also offer valuable clues to certain past - and future movements in the Jyhad.

Student: You're aware that 1066 is something more than a Beverly Hills area code.
College: You can quote from the classics, identify major cultural movements, and expound on the difference between Ming and Moghul.
Masters: You could get a paper published in a scholarly journal.
Doctorate: Professor emeritus
Scholar: Scholars worldwide acknowledge you as one of the foremost experts of your time.

Possessed by: Professors, Literati, Trivia Buffs, Elders

Specialties: Poststructuralism, Impressionist Painting, Imperial Rome, American Realism

Computer

Emmett couldn't resist a phlegmy chuckle. It had taken some time to rig up his system in the sewer, to say nothing of getting a power line set up. But it was all about to be worth it.

It wasn't tricky, hacking into Laveaux's S&L institution. It would've been simple to rewrite a few numbers. But Emmett was a pro, and that meant he played hardball. Once the JRS got through checking Laveaux's artfully embellished numbers, there wouldn t be enough left of the self'righteous nancyboy's money or credentials to buy a Taco Bell combo meal. So much for "superior influence."

This Knowledge represents the ability to operate and program computers, as well as the savvy to keep up with the latest technology.

Student: Point and click.
College: You can process data with relative ease.
Masters: You can design software.
Doctorate: You can make a very comfortable living as a consultant.
Scholar: You're on the bleeding edge.

Possessed by: Hackers, Office Workers, Programmers, Data Processors, Students

Specialties: Computer Languages, Internet, Codebreaking, Viruses, Data Retrieval

Finance

The vampire set down the newspaper with a deliberate cough. "Were you under the impression that undeath brings effortless, unending power! Did you suppose that our influence and wealth are magically granted to us at the moment of the Embrace? I did not select you for your naivete, childe." He drummed long, exquisitely manicured nails on the mahogany desktop. "I entered this century with nothing more than a handful of coins. I shall see the millennium turn with billions to my name. And all that I have, I achieved through my own savvy and determination."

He touched one finger to his cheek, and his burning gaze grew pensive. "It seems you need a practical lesson in how to make money do your bidding. I will apply my skills to bringing about the financial ruin of a person, and you will watch me - and then demonstrate what you've learned." The corner of his mouth crooked upward. "What was your ex-husband's name again?"

You know the ins and outs of commerce, from evaluating an item's relative worth to keeping up with currency exchange rates. This Knowledge can be invaluable when brokering items, running numbers or playing the stock market. Sufficiently high levels in Finance allow you to raise your standards of living to a very comfortable level.

Student: You've taken a few business classes.
College: You have some practical experience and can keep your books fairly neat.
Masters: You'd make a fine stockbroker.
Doctorate: Corporations follow your financial lead.
Scholar: You could turn a $20 bill into a fortune.

Possessed by: Executives, Upper Class, Stockbrokers, Accountants, Fences, Drug Dealers, Smugglers

Specialties: Stock Market, Laundering, Appraisal, Foreign Currencies, Accounting, Fencing, Corporations

Investigation

Lucita and Anatole walked calmly into the darkened office, then stopped and quietly scanned the opulent surroundings. No more than a minute had passed before Anatole spoke: "There - the right bookend, three shelves down on the south wall."

Lucita strode to the bookcase and lifted the grotesque Olmec statue from the shelf. She turned it over to inspect the base, nodded, then sank her fingers into the stone and putted. The statue split apart with a crack, and a tiny phiat tumbled to the floor in a shower of rock dust and broken hingework.

You've learned to notice details others might overlook, and might make an admirable detective. This Knowledge represents not only a good eye for detail, but also an ability to do research and follow leads.

Student: You've read your share of Agatha Christie.
College: Police officer
Masters: Private detective
Doctorate: Federal agent
Scholar: Sherlock Holmes

Possessed by: Detectives, Mystery Buffs, Policemen, Stalkers

Specialties: Forensics, Shadowing, Search, Discolorations

Law

"What did you expect me to do?!?" The chained vampire's voice rose in a desperate shriek, almost falsetto at the very end. "My pack was slaughtered! They tore Diego to ribbons without breathing hard!" His eyes snapped to one side, to the metal brewing vat half-visible in the shadows. "I had to warn you!"

"The law is the law," intoned the robed creature before him. "Cowardice is unforgivable." The older Cainite's vestments rustled as he extended his palm in mock benediction. "The sentence is as it must be. Death by acid."

The chained vampire screamed at that, and didn't stop screaming for some time.

With all the lawyers and lawmakers out there, this Knowledge can prove very useful. Law can be useful for filing suit, avoiding lawsuits or getting out of jail. What's more, even the Kindred keep their own laws, and more than one vampire has saved his own unlife by deftly exploiting a loophole in one of the Traditions.

Student: You've watched your share ofcourtroom dramas.
College: You're either studying for or just passed the bar exam.
Masters: Ambulance chaser
Doctorate: Major public figures have your number just in case.
Scholar: You could find the loopholes in the Devil's contract.

Possessed by: Lawyers, Police, Judges, Detectives, Legislators

Specialties: Criminal, Suits, Courts, Contracts, Police Procedure

Linguistics

As Anatole raised his face to the broken rose window, his voice lifted into song, echoingin the corners of the chapel. "Pange, lingua, gioriosi/Corporis mysterium/Songuisque pretiosi...."

Lucita shook her head, artfully drowing one finger across her wine-dark lips to daub away an errant drop of blood. "'Of the Blood, all price exceeding.' How appropriate."

Anatole finished the stanza, then slowly turned to face her. "'O wondrous gift indeed! The poor and lowly may/Upon their Lord and master feed.'" He chuckled, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Communion is a sacred business. It Joys me that you have always understood this."

You begin play with the native language of your choice for free, but if you want to speak any other languages, whether modern or ancient, Linguistics is a must. This Ability allows you to understand additional languages, but at high levels also offers a more general understanding of linguistic structure. Linguistics may allow you to recognize accents or decipher word puzzles.

Student: One extra language
College: Two extra languages
Masters: Four extra languages
Doctorate: Eight extra languages
Scholar: 16 extra languages

Possessed by: Diplomats, Ambassadors, Travelers, Ancient Vampires, Cryptologists, Scholars

Specialties: Romance Languages, Kanji, Idioms, Hieroglyphics, Written Expression, Ciphers

Medicine

"Yaroslav! Idiot!" The horribly distorted ghoul cowered as his master spoke, shrinking back against the stone wall in abject terror. Shaking its head in contempt, Vykos knelt over the bleeding man and began molding his wounds closed. "This one must be kept intact for a time," the vampire coldly continued. "I shall punish you tomorrow evening. "

Vykos shook its head, ignoring the now-piteous whimpering of the ghoul in the corner. Finally, its hands stopped moving. "There," it crooned to the unconscious man. "I have granted you life again. Come, let us see what you are willing to make of it."

You have an understanding of how the human body, and to a lesser extent the vampiric body, works. This Ability entails knowledge of medicines, ailments, first-aid procedures, and diagnosis or treatment of disease. Medicine is of great use to those Kindred with an interest in repairing, damaging or reworking the human body.

Student: You've taken a CPR course.
College: Premed or paramedic
Masters: General practitioner
Doctorate: You can perform transplants.
Scholar: You are respected by the world's medical community as a modern-day Aesculapius.

Possessed by: Med Students, Doctors, Lifeguards, Parents, Paramedics, Tzimisce

Specialties: Organ Transplants, Emergency Care, Poison Treatments, Pathology, Pharmaceuticals

Occult

"'Of the mad ones, the wild ones, I say first, drink not of their blood!'" Beckett opened his eyes and sat up straighter in his chair. "That's the first part of that passage in The Book of Nod, and lean cite plenty of Kindred since then who've voiced more or less the same sentiment. The fae, if that's what you want to call them, are probably very real and likely very dangerous." He frowned. "I hope you know what you're doing, Anatole."

The Malkavian only smiled.

You are knowledgeable in occult areas such as mysticism, curses, magic, folklore and particularly vampire lore. Unlike most other Knowledges, Occult does not imply a command of hard, factual information; much of what you know may well be rumor, myth, speculation or hearsay. However, the secrets to be learned in this field are worth centuries of sifting legend from fact. High levels of Occult imply a deep understanding of vampire lore, as well as a good grounding in other aspects of the occult; at the very least, you can discern what is patently false.

Student: You've paged through the New Age section of a Waldenbooks.
College: There seems to be some unsettling truth to some of the rumors you've heard.
Masters: You've heard a lot and actually seen a little for yourself.
Doctorate: You can recognize blatantly false sources and make educated guesses about the rest.
Scholar: You know most of the basic truths about the hidden world.

Possessed by: Occultists, The Superstitious, New Agers, Tremere

Specialties: Kindred Lore, Rituals, Infernalism, Witches

Politics

Hesha's skin shone like mahogany in the candlelight as he shook his head and spoke into the receiver. "I think you overestimate Bianca's strength in this situation. The recent embarrassment she suffered from her childe's actions has called the harpies' attention to her, and she dare not risk further loss of status. Further, her soldiers - what few she has - are largely occupied in the defense of Lighten Ferry. No. She won't make a move."

He nodded, and a small light came into his eye. "Of course. You have my number if there's anything else you require."

You are familiar with the politics of the moment, including the people in charge and how they got there. This Knowledge can aid you in dealing with or influencing mortal politicians, or even offer some insight into the local Cainite power structure.

Student: Activist
College: Political science major
Masters: Campaign manager or talk-radio host
Doctorate: Senator
Scholar: You could choose the next President of the United States.

Possessed by: Activists, Politicians, Lawyers, vampires of all sorts

Specialties: City, State, Federal, Bribery, Dogma, Radical, Camarilla

Science

"Douglas, look here!" The young ghoul's eyes shone as she backed away from the microscope. "The circulatory damage is considerable, but there are some signs of repair - clotting, even cell regeneration as usual."

Dr. Netchurch stared through the microscope lenses for a full minute before replying. "Yes. You're right, the deceased most definitely made a conscious attempt to repair the hemotoxin's damage - but to no avail. " His smile was taut and without humor. "It seems I've succeeded beautifully."

You have at least a basic understanding of most of the physical sciences, such as chemistry, biology, physics and geology. This Knowledge can be put to all forms of practical use.

Student: You know most of the high-school basics.
College: You're familiar with the major theories.
Masters: You could teach high-school science.
Doctorate: You're fully capable of advancing the knowledge in your field.
Scholar: Your Nobel Prize is waiting for you.

Possessed by: Scientists, Students, Researchers, Teachers, Engineers, Technicians, Pilots

Specialties: Chemistry, Biology, Geology, Physics, Astronomy

[Renji]

Backgrounds

These Traits describe advantages of birth (or rebirth), circumstance and opportunity: material possessions, social networks and the like. Backgrounds are external, not internal, Traits, and you should always rationalize how you came to possess them, as well as what they represent. Who are your contacts? Why do your allies support you? Where did you meet your retainers? How exactly do you make enough money to justify your four dots in Resources? If you've put enough detail into your character concept, selecting appropriate Backgrounds should be easy.

Although it's uncommon to make rolls involving Background Traits, your Storyteller might have you do so to see if you can obtain information, goods or favors. For example, you might have to roll Wits + Resources to keep your stock options healthy, or Manipulation + Contacts to wheedle that extra favor from your smuggler "associate."

Allies

"Damn." The middle-aged man set down his fork and dabbed at his lips with his napkin. "I had no idea that the Nash girl was related to you. And your family wants it kept pretty hushed up?" He stifled a belch, then sipped at his wine. "Well, I dunno if I can get away without printing updates, but..."

His companion, who hadn't touched a bite of her linguine, raised a hand to cut him off. "Please, there's no need to endanger your position. I'm not asking you to deny her disappearance, or even to ignore it - simply run your case updates in a less conspicuous area of the paper." Her half-smile was a masterpiece of struggling with grief. "Keeping the affair less public... for the family's sake."

Allies are humans who support and help you - family, friends or even a mortal organization that owes you some loyalty. Though allies aid you willingly, without coaxing or coercion, they are not always available to offer assistance; they have their own concerns and can do only so much in the name of friendship. However, they might have some useful Background Traits of their own, and might provide you with indirect access to their contacts, influence or resources.

Allies are typically persons of influence and power in your home city. They can be of almost any sort, pending your Storyteller's permission; you may have friends in the precinct morgue, or perhaps even the mayor's ear, depending on how many dots you spend on this Trait. Your allies are generally trustworthy (although they probably don't know that you're a vampire, or even that vampires exist). However, nothing comes for free; if you wind up drawing favors from your friend in the Cosa Nostra, he'll probably ask you to do him a favor in kind in the future. This often leads to the beginning of a story....

One ally of moderate influence and power
Two allies, both of moderate power
Three allies, one of whom is quite influential
Four allies, one of whom is very influential
Five allies, one of whom is extremely influential

Contacts

"Hey, my friend. No offense meant, okay?" The dread locked man spread his hands wide. "Can't blame me for being a little curious. You just picked up two crates of some very sweet AK action, and pay so generously for the Dragonsbreath ammo that I know you ain't about to resell it to someone eke. No way would some sucker pay so much that you'd turn a profit on this stuff." He tapped a finger under his nose speculatively. "I never hear tell of you doing this kind of dirty, brother. What, are you just stowing diings away for a rainy day?"

Kincaid's smile was electric as he gently placed the automatic rifle back in the crate. "Not at all. I never buy things I don't intend to use."

You know people all over the city. When you start making phone calls around your network, the amount of information you can dig up is almost terrifying. Contacts are largely people whom you can bribe, manipulate or coerce into offering information, but you also have a few maj or contacts - friends whom you can rely on to give you accurate information in their fields of expertise. You should describe each major contact in some detail before the game begins.

In addition to your major contacts, you also have a number of minor contacts spread throughout the city; your major contact might be in the district attorney's office, while your minor contacts might include beat cops, DMV clerks, club bouncers or even hot-dog vendors. You need not detail these various "passing acquaintances" before play; instead, to successfully get in touch with a minor contact, you should roll your Contacts rating (difficulty 7). You can reach one minor contact for each success; of course, you still have to coerce them into telling you what you need to hear.

One major contact
Two major contacts
Three major contacts
Four major contacts
Five major contacts

Fame

"Jesus, I'm sorry if I'm getting in your face, but I just had to come over here and say, uh...well, Jesus! What a show!" The teenager's grin split her face almost in half. "I mean, I drove all the way out from Alabama to see you play, and I just wanted to say it was worth it. Really, man!"

Karl feigned sipping from his beer, the better to keep from bursting out laughing. "Yeah? That's really great ofyou." He looked around, then leaned forward with a conspiratorial air. "Tell you what. Me and the guys are having a little bash back at my place after the show. Why don't you get directions from Renee - the redhead in the bustier over there - and drop by?"

You enjoy widespread recognition in mortal society, perhaps as an entertainer, writer or athlete. People may enjoy just being seen with you. This gives you all manner of privileges when moving in mortal society, but can also attract an unwanted amount of attention now that you're no longer alive. The greatest weapon fame has to offer is the ability to sway public opinion - as modern media constantly proves.

This Background is obviously a mixed blessing. You can certainly enjoy the privileges of your prestige - getting the best seats, being invited to events you'd otherwise miss, getting appointments with the elite - but you're also often recognized when you'd rather not be. However, your enemies can't just make you disappear without causing an undue stir, and you find it much easier to hunt in populated areas as people flock to you (reduce the difficulties of hunting rolls by one for each dot in Fame). Additionally, your Storyteller might permit you to reduce difficulties of Social rolls against particularly starstruck or impressionable people.

You're known to a select subculture of the city - local clubgoers or the Park Avenue set, for instance.
A majority of the populace recognizes your face; you're a local celebrity such as a news anchor.
You have statewide renown; perhaps you're a state senator or minor star of local interest.
Nationally famous; everybody knows something about you.
You're an internationally famous media icon.

Generation

Ruyter took a step back, baring his ivory teeth in a grimace. His brow was furrowed, but no sweat came. "Damn you! " he hissed. "I know your lineage, creature! You are the childe of that weak-blooded fool Pierre L'Imbecile! How is it that you..." He broke off abruptly, and leaned back as if trying to find shelter. But his neck would not shift away, and his gaze remained locked with - almost impaled by the Malkavian's cold stare.

"Communion brings one closer to our Dark Father," Anatole said in a quiet tone. His eyes flaredwithashroudedglow. "Through his Blood, steadfastness - and insight. Here, allow me to share such glory with you."

Plain and simple, this Background represents your generation - the purity of your blood, and your proximity to the First Vampire. A high Generation rating may represent a powerful sire or a decidedly dangerous taste for diablerie. If you don't take any dots in this Trait, you begin play as a 13th-generation vampire. See p. 139 for further information on generations and what part they play.

12th generation: 11 blood pool, can spend 1 blood point per turn
11th generation: 12 blood pool, can spend 1 blood point per turn
10th generation: 13 blood pool, can spend 1 blood point per turn
Ninth generation: 14 blood pool, can spend 2 blood points per turn
Eighth generation: 15 blood pool, can spend 3 blood points per turn

Herd

The susurrant chanting slowly grew louder as the candles burned lower. Finally, as if responding to some inaudible cue, the indigo-robed man kneeling at the head of the throng rose to his feet and turned to face the other supplicants. "Hear us, Mother Without Mercy, Dark Lady of the Envenomed Fang, Moon of the Earth! Come to us and choose thy consort! Our will is thine!"

Then the packed-earth floor cracked, and crumbled, and a dark-skinned woman literally rose through the soil, welcomed by an ecstatic cry from the gathering.

You have built a group of mortals from whom you can feed without fear. A herd may take many forms, from circles of kinky clubgoers to actual cults built around you as a god-figure. In addition to providing nourishment, your herd might come in handy for minor tasks, although they are typically not very controllable, closely connected to you or even highly skilled (for more effective pawns, purchase Allies or Retainers). Your Herd rating adds dice to your rolls for hunting; see Chapter Six for further details.

Three vessels
Seven vessels
15 vessels
30 vessels
60 vessels

Influence

"Don't think this story won't get out if I disappear, either."The pudgy, sweating reporter did his best to look smug, but fear shone in his eyes nonetheless. "You can't just kill people and expect the American justice system to sit on its ass, buddy."

Hesha chuckled over steepled fingers. "I believe you overestimate your fellow mortals' integrity, Mr. Laurent. Calls have already been made. " He shook his head, an expression of grave sorrow in place on his features. "I'm afraid your autopsy will reveal a sudden but fatal heart attack - how tragic." Serpentine shadows began uncoiling from the comers of the room, and a low hissing began echoing in the chamber. "We are nothing if not thorough. Wouldn't you agree?"

You have pull in the mortal community, whether through wealth, prestige, political office, blackmail or supernatural manipulation. Kindred with high Influence can sway, and in rare cases even control, the political and social processes of human society. Influence represents the sum of your political power in your community, particularly among the police and bureaucracy.

Some rolls may require you to use Influence in place of an Ability, particularly when attempting to sway minor bureaucrats. It is, of course, always easier to institute sweeping changes on a local level than a worldwide scale (e.g., having an "abandoned" building demolished is relatively easy, while starting a war is a bit more difficult).

Moderately influential; a factor in city politics
Well-connected; a force in state politics
Position of influence; a factor in regional politics
Broad personal power; a force in national politics
Vastly influential; a factor in global politics

Mentor

Ramon bounded through the woods, dropping at times to all fours in his haste. "Tibur! " His voice was raised, but not yet a shout. "Tibur!" His nails gouged the soil, sending tiny showers of dirt into the evening air. "Please, sire, I needyour help! Tibur, are you here?"

At last he was answered by a voice that seemed to well up out of the earth, a voice with the growl of a bear and the age ofworn stone. "I am here, Ramon. What would you know? Speak quickly, for I am hungry and would hunt."

This Trait represents an elder - or possibly even more than one - who looks out for you, offering guidance or aid once in a while. A mentor may be powerful, but his power need not be direct. Depending on the number of dots in this Background, your mentor might be nothing more than a vampire with a remarkable information network, or might be a centuries-old creature with tremendous influence and supernatural power. He may offer advice, speak to the prince (or archbishop) on your behalf, steer other elders clear of you or warn you when you're walking into situations you don't understand.

Most often your mentor is your sire, but it could well be any Cainite with a passing interest in your well-being. A high Mentor rating could even represent a group of like-minded vampires, such as the elders of the city's Tremere chantry.

Bear in mind that this Trait isn't a "Get out of Jail Free" card; your mentor won't arrive like the cavalry whenever you're endangered. What's more, she might occasionally expect something in return for her patronage (which can lead to a number of interesting stories). A mentor typically remains aloof, giving you useful information or advice out of camaraderie, but will abandon you without a thought if you prove an unworthy or troublesome "apprentice."

Mentor is an ancilla of little influence.
Mentor is respected; an elder, for instance.
Mentor is heavily influential, such as a member of the primogen.
Mentor has a great deal of power over the city; a prince or archbishop, for example.
Mentor is extraordinarily powerful, perhaps even a justicar or Inconnu.

[Renji]

Resources

Kincaid smiled as he turned the key, enjoying the shudder of the Porsche's engine as it turned over flawlessly. It suited the others to take whatever they needed and discard it once they were done. Not him. In a half-remembered, long gone life he'd thirsted for all the trappings of wealth, and it amused him no end to regularly shuck his "champion of the Sabbat" duties and dabble in the upper-class circles for all they were worth. Certainly, he couldn't enjoy the food and drink, and the savor of a beautiful woman had changed entirely - but luxury is luxury, even to the unliving.

Besides, he mused to himself as he roared out of the garage and into the night street, a car like this makes hunting so much easier.

This Trait describes your personal financial resources, or your access to such. A high Resources rating doesn't necessarily reflect your liquid assets; this Background describes your standard of "living," your possessions and your buying power. No dots in Resources is just that: You have no permanent haven and no possessions save a few clothes and possibly a weapon or pocketful of coins.

You receive a basic allowance each month based on your rating; be certain to detail exactly where this money comes from, be it a job, trust fund or dividends. After all, your fortune may well run out over the course of the chronicle, depending on how well you maintain it. You can also sell your less liquid resources if you need the cash, but this can take weeks or even months, depending on what exactly you're trying to sell. Art buyers don't just pop out of the woodwork, after all.

Small savings: a small apartment and maybe a motorcycle. If liquidated, you would have about $1,000 in cash. Allowance of $500 a month.
Middle class: an apartment or condominium. If liquidated, you would have at least $8,000 in cash. Allowance of $1200 a month.
Large savings: a homeowner or someone with some equity. If liquidated, you would have at least $50,000 in cash. Allowance of $3000 a month.
Well-off: a member of the upper class. You own a very large house, or perhaps a dilapidated mansion. If liquidated, you would have at least $500,000 in cash. Allowance of $9000 a month.
Ridiculously affluent: a multimillionaire. Your haven is limited by little save your imagination. If liquidated, you would have at least $5,000,000 in cash. Allowance of $30,000 a month.

Retainers

Vykos clutched the edge of its fluttering cloak with one long-fingered hand, drawing it closer around itself. It strode quickly from the study, and the misshapen creatures in the hallway scurried quickly to its side as it walked. "No," Vykos hissed, glaring at the hideously resculptured monsters. "No, no, no. I require none of you. Where is Anya? Bring me Anya."

"I am here, lord." The voice was pure velvet, and yet the woman's face and form put it to shame. She slid from the shadowy arch of an antechamber, dropping to one perfect knee and bowing her angelic head before her domitor. "What, or on whom, would you have me perform this evening?

Not precisely allies or contacts, your retainers are servants, assistants or other people who are your loyal arid steadfast companions. Many vampires' servants are ghouls (p. 275) - their supernatural powers and blood bond-enforced loyalty make them the servants of choice. Retainers may also be people whom you've repeatedly Dominated until they have no free will left, or followers so enthralled with your Presence that their loyalty borders on blind fanaticism. Some vampires, particularly those with the Animalism Discipline, use "hellhounds" (ghouled dogs) or other animal ghouls as retainers.

You must maintain some control over your retainers, whether through a salary, the gift of your vitae or the use of Disciplines. Retainers are never "blindly loyal no matter what" - if you treat them too poorly without exercising strict control, they might well turn on you.

Retainers may be useful, but they should never be flawless, A physically powerful ghoul might be rebellious, inconveniently dull-witted or lacking in practical skills. A loyal manservant might be physically weak or possess no real personal initiative or creativity. This Background isn't an excuse to craft an unstoppable bodyguard or pet assassin - it's a method to bring more fully developed characters into the chronicle, as well as to reflect the Renfieldesque followers for which the Kindred are notorious. Don't abuse it.

One retainer
Two retainers
Three retainers
Four retainers
Five retainers

Status

Silence greeted the newcomer as she entered the chamber. The sole movement, apart from hers, was the flutter of thin cloth blown by the ventilation currents - cloth that outlined, shroudlike, the lean forms of the vampires who stood motionless in the gloom. Only their eyes moved, and even then just to follow the newcomer as she strode to stand, fists on hips, before the master of the manse. At last, it was the prince who spoke.

"Lucita."

She bowed her head only a millimeter, enough to let one midnight lock fall across her face. Her smile was that of a shark circling its prey. "I see my reputation precedes me."

You have something of a reputation and standing (earned or unearned) within the local community of Kindred. Status among Camarilla society is often derived from your sire's status and the respect due your particular bloodline; among the Sabbat, status is more likely to stem from the reputation of your pack. Elders are known for having little respect for their juniors; this Background can mitigate that somewhat.

High status among the Camarilla does not transfer to Sabbat society (and will most likely make you a notorious target for your sect's rivals), and vice versa. Similarly, anarchs can be considered to have zero Status, unless they have somehow garnered so much power and attention that they must be taken seriously. You may have occasion to roll your Status in conjunction with a Social Trait; this reflects the positive effects of your prestige.

Note: Caitiff characters may not purchase Status during character creation. Caitiff are the lowest of the low, and any respect they achieve must be earned during the course of the chronicle.

Known: a neonate
Respected: an ancilla
Influential: an elder
Powerful: a member of the primogen (or bishop)
Luminary: a prince (or archbishop)

[Renji]

Virtues

The Virtue Traits define a character's outlook on unlife - they shape a character's ethical code and describe his commitment to his chosen morality. Virtues exist to help give a character a sense of being, not to force players to portray their characters in a given way. However, Kindred are passionate creatures, and sometimes an act or situation may force a character to consider exactly how she should react to a given stimulus. Virtues come into play when a character faces an impending frenzy, does something ethically questionable (according to the character's morality), or confronts something that terrifies or disturbs her.

A vampire's Virtues are determined by his Path, the particular code of ethics he follows. Most Camarilla Kindred maintain their mortal values and follow the Path of Humanity (referred to simply as "Humanity"), but other vampires often subscribe to radically different philosophies. These alternate Virtues and Paths are detailed in the Appendix, while Humanity is covered below.

Conscience

Conscience is a Trait that allows characters to evaluate their conduct with relation to what is "right" and "wrong." A character's moral judgment with Conscience stems from her attitude and outlook. Conscience is what prevents a vampire from succumbing to the Beast, by defining the Beast's urges as unacceptable.

Conscience factors into the difficulty of many rolls to avoid committing a transgression. Additionally, Conscience determines whether or not a character loses Humanity by committing acts that do not uphold her moral code (see "Degeneration," p. 221). A character with a high Conscience score feels remorse for transgressions, while a character with a lower Conscience may be a bit more callous or ethically lax.

Some vampires replace the Conscience Virtue with the Virtue of Conviction (p. 287); unless your Storyteller tells you it's desirable to do this, assume Conscience is used.

Uncaring
Normal
Ethical
Righteous
Remorseful

Self-Control

Self-Control defines a character's discipline and mastery over the Beast. Characters with high Self-Control rarely succumb to emotional urges, and are thus able to restrain their darker sides more readily than characters with low Self-Control.

Self-Control comes into play when a character faces her Beast in the form of frenzy (p. 228). Self-Control allows the character to resist the frenzy. Note: A character may never roll more dice to resist or control a frenzy than she has blood pool - it's hard to deny the Beast when one's mind clouds with hunger.

As with Conscience, Self-Control can be replaced, in this case by the Virtue of Instinct (p. 287). Again, unless the Storyteller specifically says it's all right to do so, assume Self-Control is used.

Unstable
Normal
Temperate
Hardened
Total self-mastery

Courage

All characters have a Courage Trait, regardless of the Path they follow. Courage is the quality that allows characters to stand in the face of fear or daunting adversity. It is bravery, mettle and stoicism combined. A character with high Courage meets her fears head-on, while a character of lesser Courage may flee in terror.

Kindred use the Courage Virtue when faced with circumstances they endemically dread: fire, sunlight, True Faith. See the section on Rotschreck (p. 229) for mechanical systems dealing with character fear.

Timid
Normal
Bold
Resolute
Heroic

Humanity

The Trait of Humanity is integral to the underlying theme of Vampire: The Masquerade. It is a moral code that allows Kindred to retain their mortal sensibilities in the face of their transformation into parasitic monsters. In essence, it is what keeps a vampire from becoming a mindless animal, enslaved by her thirst for vitae.

Humanity, unlike most other Traits, is rated on a scale of 1 to 10, as it is more complex than a 1-to-5 quantification allows for. Also, just because a Kindred follows the Path of Humanity doesn't mean she is a friendly, congenial saint. Vampires are predators by nature, and Humanity only gifts them with the ability to pretend they're not. It is an inward charade that protects a vampire from herself, much as the Masquerade protects vampires from the mortals outside.

Unfortunately, the very nature of existence as a vampire is anathema to one's Humanity. As the centuries wear on, the Beast takes hold, and Kindred become less and less concerned with the well-being of mortal "kine" (after all, they'll die eventually, anyway). As such, characters are likely to lose Humanity over the course of the game.

Mortals also typically follow the Path of Humanity, though this is largely out of ignorance: They don't know they can be anything else. As such, this mechanical system for morality rarely comes into play for them. Certainly, some mortals - rapists, murderers and the like - have low Humanity scores, but they have no Beasts roiling within them, as do the Kindred. It is possible for a vampire with a high Humanity score to be more human than some mortals are!

X Monstrous
0Horrific
00Bestial
000Cold
0000Unfeeling
00000Distant
000000Removed
0000000Normal
00000000Caring
000000000Compassionate
0000000000Saintly

Effects of Humanity

A Kindred's Humanity score reflects how much of a character's mortal nature remains despite the curse of Caine. It influences how well a character may deny her vampiric state, as well as how closely she may pass for mortal.

- Vampires sleep unnaturally deeply and are loath to rise even if presented with danger. Vampires with higher Humanity rise earlier in the evening than vampires with lower Humanity scores. Also, if a Kindred is forced to act during the day, the maximum dice pool he may employ for any action equals his Humanity score.

- Humanity also affects a character's Virtues. Whenever a certain Virtue is called into question, a player may not roll more dice for a Virtue than her character has dots in Humanity. Obviously, as the character sinks ever more deeply into the arms of damnation, questions of morality and self-preservation mean less and less. As Humanity depletes, the character creeps slowly toward the night when she loses all self-control.

- The length of time a Kindred spends in torpor (p. 216) relates directly to his Humanity score. A vampire with low Humanity remains in torpor for a longer time than a vampire with a higher Humanity score.

- Humanity determines how, well, human a character appears and how easily she may pass for human among the populace. Vampires with low Humanity acquire unnatural and disturbing features like sunken eyes, perpetual snarls and bestial countenances.

- If a character's Humanity score ever drops to zero (what kind of game are you playing?), that persona is no longer suitable for use as a player's character. Completely controlled by his Beast, the character is a mindless force of unnature, and falls under the Storyteller's control.

Humanity scores fluctuate based upon the Hierarchy of Sin - if a vampire accidentally or purposefully commits an act rated lower than her Humanity score, she must roll her Conscience Trait to see whether she accepts the act (and thus loses Humanity) or feels remorse and maintains her current level. Humanity may be raised only by spending experience points on it. See the Degeneration section (p. 221) for more information on Humanity loss and the Hierarchy of Sin.

The Downward Spiral

Vampires are monsters, have no doubt, and even a Kindred with the highest of Humanity scores is nothing more than a wolf in sheep's clothing. Nonetheless, as Humanity erodes, vampires not only become capable of, but also actively pursue, ever more depraved acts. It is in a vampire's nature to hunt, and to kill, and eventually every vampire finds himself holding the corpse of a vessel he had not intended to murder.

It is important, then, to know how vampires change as their Humanity scores deteriorate. Vampires' behavior, even under the auspices of Humanity, may become so utterly depraved and alien that the very thought of her causes discomfort in others. After all, a low Humanity score indicates that very little connects the Kindred with her mortal origins.

Humanity 10-8

Kindred with Humanity scores this high are, ironically, more human than human. Many fledgling vampires sometimes adhere to codes more rigorous than they ever held in life, as a reaction against becoming a predator. Older Kindred scoff at this practice, taking great mirth at the thought of newly whelped neonates cowering beneath fire escapes and subsisting on the foul blood of rats, vainly rebelling against their murderous natures. Oh, the humanity!

In truth, vampires who maintain high scores in Humanity are rare, as every Kindred must kill sooner or later. Vampires with high Humanity are almost unbearable by their peers, who find frustration in their perceived naivete and self-righteousness; most Kindred prefer to suffer the slings and arrows of unlife without belaboring themselves. High Humanity scores indicate aversion to killing and even distaste for taking more vitae than is necessary. Though not necessarily passive or preachy, Kindred with high Humanity uphold excruciatingly exacting standards, and often have very clearly defined concepts of moral right and wrong.

Humanity 7

Most human beings have Humanity scores of 7 or so, so vampires at this level of Humanity can usually manage to pass for mortals. Vampires with 7 Humanity typically subscribe to "normal" social mores - it's not acceptable to hurt or kill another person, it's wrong to steal something that another person owns, but sometimes the speed limit is just too damn slow. The vampire is still concerned with the natural rights of others at this stage of morality, though more than a little selfishness shines through. Just like everyone else in the world...

Humanity 6-5

Hey, people die. Stuff breaks. A vampire below the cultural human norm has little difficulty with the fact that she needs blood to survive, and she does what needs to be done to get it. Though she won't necessarily go out of her way to destroy property or end a victim's life, she accepts that sometimes that's what fate has in store for some folks. Not automatically horrid, Kindred at this stage of Humanity are certainly at least mildly unpleasant to be around. Their laissez-faire attitudes toward others' rights offend many more moral individuals, and some minor physical eeriness or malformation may show up at this stage.

Humanity 4

Hey, some people gotto die The vampire begins an inevitable slide into urge indulgence. A Humanity of 4 indicates that killing is acceptable to this Kindred, so long as his victim is deserving (which is, of course, quite subjective). Many vampire elders hover around this level of Humanity, if they haven't adopted some other moral code. Destruction, theft, injury - these are all tools, rather than taboos, for a vampire with Humanity 4. Also, the vampire's own self and agenda become paramount at this point, and devil take whoever gets in the way. Physical changes become quite evident at this stage; while not hideous in the sense of the Nosferatu or certain Gangrel, the vampire acquires a pallid, corpselike and noticeably unwholesome aspect.

Humanity 3-2

The lives and property of others are irrelevant to a Kindred this far gone. The vampire likely indulges twisted pleasures and aberrant whims, which may include any manner of atrocity. Perversion, callous murder, mutilation of victims and wickedness for its own sake are the hallmarks of a Kindred with very low Humanity. Few vampires maintain scores this low and lower for very long - their damnation is all but certain at this point. Vampires at this stage may be physically mistaken for human, but don't bet on it.

Only nominally sentient, Kindred with Humanity 1 teeter on the edge of oblivion. Little matters at all to vampires this far gone, even their own desires outside of sustenance and rest. There is literally nothing a vampire with Humanity 1 won't do, and only a few tattered shreds of ego stand between him and complete devolution. Many who attain this stage find themselves no longer capable of coherent speech, and spend their nights gibbering blasphemy among their gore-spattered havens.

Humanity 0

Must sleep. Must feed. Must kill. Players may not run characters with Humanity 0. Vampires at this stage are completely lost to the Beast.

[Renji]

Willpower

Willpower measures a character's inner drive and competence at overcoming unfavorable odds. Unlike other Traits, Willpower has both a permanent "rating" and a temporary "pool." The rating is rolled or tested, while the pool is "spent." When a player spends a point of a character's Willpower, she should cross off the point from the Willpower pool (the squares), not the Willpower rating (the circles). The rating stays constant - if a character needs to roll Willpower for some reason, she bases the roll on the permanent rating. The pool is used up during the story.

A character's Willpower pool will likely fluctuate a great deal during the course of a story or chronicle. It decreases by one point every time a player uses a Willpower point to enable his character to do something extraordinary, like maintain self-control or gain an automatic success. Eventually, the character will have no Willpower left, and will no longer be able to exert the effort he once could. A character with no Willpower pool is exhausted mentally, physically and spiritually, and will have great difficulty doing anything, as he can no longer muster the mettle to undertake an action or cause. Willpower points can be regained during the course of a story (see below), though players are advised to be careful and frugal with their characters' Willpower pools.

Like Humanity, the Willpower Trait is measured on a 1-10 scale rather than a 1-5 scale.

0Spineless
00Weak
000Unassertive
0000Diffident
00000Certain
000000Confident
0000000Determined
00000000Controlled
000000000Iron-willed
0000000000Unshakable

Other Paths

Not all vampires follow the principles of the Path of Humanity. Many Kindred outside the Camarilla, particularly the vampires of the Sabbat, see no need to continue to subscribe to moral codes akin to Humanity. These vampires do, however, have different ethical systems in place, as complete amorality is an open door for the Beast.

The "default" morality for Vampire characters is Humanity, as control and the Beast are such major themes of the game. It is best that beginning players run characters adhering to this Path. Players may, however, choose different Paths should they so wish (at the Storyteller's discretion). After all, it just doesn't make sense to play a malicious Tzimisce torturer who can't hurt people without suffering crippling pangs of conscience.

If a player chooses a vampire clan that has a different moral outlook from that of Humanity, he should select the Path that makes the most sense for the character. Otherwise, the player should circle Humanity on the character sheet and continue the character-creation process.

For more information on the following Paths, see the Appendix.

- Path of Blood - Followed almost exclusively by Assamites, the Path of Blood governs revenge, diablerie and bringing oneself closer to the First Vampire.

- Path of the Bones - This code governs the study of death and its relation to the vampiric state. The Giovanni are its most ardent supporters.

- Path of Metamorphosis - This uniquely Tzimisce Path operates on the principle that, as vampirism lies beyond humanity, something lies beyond vampirism.

- Path of Night - The Path of Night opens the vampire's soul to eternal darkness. It is predominantly practiced by Lasombra.

- Path of Paradox - The Ravnos code of ethics, the Path of Paradox centers upon changing reality for the betterment of oneself.

- Path of Typhon - Corruption and sin pave this Path's way. It is supported by the Followers of Set.

Spending Willpower

Willpower is one of the most active and important Traits in Vampire: The Masquerade. Because there are so many ways to expend, regain and use Willpower, it fluctuates more than any other Trait (besides blood pool) in the game. Willpower is a very versatile Trait, so make sure you understand how to use it.

- A player may spend one of her character's Willpower points to gain an automatic success on a single action. Only one point of Willpower may be used in a single turn in this manner, but the success is guaranteed and may not be canceled, even by botches. By using Willpower in this way, it is possible to succeed at a given action simply by concentrating. For extended rolls, these extra successes may make the critical difference between accomplishment and failure.

Note: You must declare that you are spending a Willpower point before you make an actual roll for a character's action; you can't retroactively cancel a botch by spending a Willpower point at the last minute. Also, the Storyteller may declare that a Willpower point may not be spent on a given action.

- Sometimes, the Storyteller may rule that a character automatically takes some action based on instinct or urge - for example, stepping back from a chasm or leaping away from a patch of sunlight filtering through a window. The Storyteller may allow a player to spend a Willpower point and avoid taking this reactive maneuver. It should be noted that the instinct may return at the Storyteller's discretion; a player may need to spend multiple Willpower points over the course of a few turns to stay on task. Sometimes the urge may be overcome by the force of the character's will; at other times, the character has no choice but to follow his instinct (i.e., the character runs out of Willpower points or no longer wishes to expend them).

- A Willpower point may be spent to prevent a derangement from manifesting, with the Storyteller's permission. Eventually, if enough Willpower points are spent (as determined by the Storyteller), the derangement may be overcome and eliminated, as enough denial of the derangement remedies the aberration. Malkavians may never overcome their initial derangement, though Willpower may be spent to deny it for a short period of time.

- By spending a Willpower point, wound penalties can be ignored for one turn. This allows a character to override pain and injury in order to take one last-ditch heroic (or villainous) action. However, an incapacitated or torpid character may not spend Willpower in this manner.

Regaining Willpower

Willpower may be recovered as well as spent. The following situations earn the character back a point or more of Willpower, though a character's Willpower pool may never exceed her Willpower rating. The only way to increase a character's Willpower rating is through experience-point expenditure.

Generally, a character's Willpower pool may be replenished whenever the character fulfills a goal or has an opportunity to restore her self-confidence. Ultimately, specific instances of Willpower restoration are up to the Storyteller. For this reason, Storytellers are advised to be prudent in allowing characters to regain Willpower; it is a powerful and versatile Trait, and permitting players to rely on it too much strips much of the challenge from a story.

- Characters' Willpower pools replenish fully at the end of a given story (and that's story, not session). The Storyteller may restrict this by requiring that the characters achieve (or partially achieve) a goal or otherwise boost their self-esteem. For example, if the story ends in a stalemate for the characters, who didn't destroy a powerful and corrupt elder, but did manage to obstruct his immediate plans, allow them to replenish their Willpower pools.

- (Storyteller's Option) Characters regain one Willpower point each night when they first rise. This is easy on the bookkeeping, and allows a steady stream of Willpower replenishment (not to mention the fact that players are already writing on that part of the character sheet when they mark off their nightly blood consumption). By way of example, when the players rise for the evening in a communal haven, they all replenish a Willpower point then and there.

- (Storyteller's Option) If a character attains some extraordinary goal or fulfills an outstanding objective, the Storyteller may reward her with a point of Willpower pool. For example, if a character manages to deter a team of vampire-hunters from her sire's haven, the Storyteller may award a Willpower point to that character.

- (Storyteller's Option) If a character behaves in a manner that fulfills her Nature Archetype, the Storyteller may reward the character with one to three Willpower points (as stated in the Archetype descriptions). For example, if a Rebel character rabidly opposes a powerful elder, and that elder is later revealed to be a Sabbat spy, that character may be given a point of Willpower.

Storytellers are encouraged to create their own systems or modify our systems to suit their troupe's style of play. Indeed, the manner in which a Storyteller allows, or refuses to allow, Willpower replenishment can determine the overall mood of the chronicle. A word of caution: Give Willpower rewards judiciously, as Willpower can destroy a story if the Storyteller lets the Trait fall to abuse.

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