Vampire Material: Our new and updated Vampire guide. What they are:

[Sam Akabara]

Everyone was all for it. So mweh.
If you have a TLDR attitude. I have two words for you. Buzz off.
Pretty much the WoD stuff, with balance tweaks for a SA-MP environment.


The vampire that walks our world is an Undead Creature. It is a former human being that has undergone the Embrace of a vampire, being completely drained of blood and then fed some by his sire.

Vampires need blood (which they call vitae) in order to sustain their undead bodies. It can be human, animal or vampiric blood (but animal blood is not as good, and vampiric blood has potentially troublesome supernatural properties — such as the ability to create a blood bond).

Vampire bodies do not function like the bodies of living organisms. They are (more or less) preserved in a life-like state, but they do not age or die from illness.Vampires are created through the Embrace; during the Embrace, a vampire drains a candidate of all their blood and replaces it with a small amount (generally a single drop) of their own. This causes the corpse to rise as a (very hungry) vampire, usually instantly. The vampire who initiates the Embrace is the Sire; the new vampire is the Sire's Childe.

When a vampire is Embraced, their internal organs wither away, and almost all their body fluids are replaced by blood. Vampires use blood (also called Vitae) for a variety of purposes; blood replaces most bodily fluids, so vampires will sweat blood and cry blood under certain circumstances. Blood is also used to get up and move; every night, vampires expend a certain amount of blood to rise. In addition, vampires can use blood to enhance their physical attributes and use supernatural powers called Disciplines. Blood is used to Embrace, as noted above, and also to create Ghouls. Finally, vampires can use blood to heal damage.

Blood is generally replaced by sucking it out of humans. While vampires can feed on animals, they do not enjoy the taste of it and older vampires will acquire no sustenance from it. The process of taking blood is euphemistically called the Kiss or feeding. Vampires do not have to completely drain a victim, although frenzying vampires are likely to do so. Vampires can hide the puncture marks of feeding by licking the wounds, making the process fairly subtle.

The Feeding process is highly pleasurable (arguably the only pleasure) for vampires, and is also extremely pleasurable for victims. Vessels that are drained regularly can become addicted to the Kiss.

Vampires change considerably after the Embrace. Physically, they are incapable of eating food, vomiting it up almost instantly, they have no need or interest in sex (although they can imitate the physical reactions if needed). As a result of these processes, the vampire is paler and generally thinner than they were before the Embrace. Certain clans have more extreme physical changes, discussed below.

Once embraced, vampires are locked into a form of stasis. Apart from wounds (healed with blood); vampires are restored to their condition at the time of Embrace every time they rise up for the night. This physical condition eventually extends to their mind-sets - old vampires find it very hard to learn new things.

In addition to the physical changes, vampires experience extreme intellectual and emotional changes. The vampire is now a predator, and has a raging inner animal called the Beast. The Beast reacts to a variety of stimuli, notably hunger, anger, fear. The Beast continuously assaults the character, and if the Beast's demands exceed the character's own capacity to control it, will react in a Frenzy or Rötschreck. Vampires can permanently lose control to the Beast, entering Wassail, a state of permanent Frenzy. In this condition, all humanity is lost and the vampire becomes a mindless killing machine.

Oh, and, vampires don't "Sleep" as living things do. when vampires "Rest" it is dreamless, they do not move and are for all intents and purposes a corpse.

Vampires from every bloodline have superhuman attributes but in certain clans one of each may be superior to other clans or even have magic such as tremere.

Vampires are highly vulnerable to a some physical threats, most importantly fire. Vampires burn easily, and will burn up almost instantly. Vampires can be quite tough to kill, their strength and speed making them more than a match for any human in close combat

When wounded, vampires can pass into a deathlike stasis called Torpor, which allows them to heal more extreme damage. Torpor can last for centuries depending on the circumstances, and as a vampire gets older, Torpor becomes a more attractive option. Some vampires have been in Torpor for millennia.


Strengths and Weaknesses:

Vampires fear fire more than anything else. They receive serious damage from it... Vampires are also vulnerable to so-called "True Faith", that is, the strength of a person's true religious conviction (which is, fortunately for vampires, very rare). Such faith need not be religious per se — one of the rulebooks mentions a yuppie repelling a vampire with his credit card, thanks to his faith in the power of money.

Driving a stake through a vampire's heart will not kill him but will paralyze him. Damage done to other parts of the vampire's body can be significant. If a vampire escapes death, however, they may heal extremely quickly after feeding.

Vampires are immune to most diseases, drugs and poisons, but can be affected by some if present in the blood of their victims.

Silly ways of harming vampires. Such as with Garlic and silver, will not work.

All Vampires have super-human abilities such as super strength and speed which improve with age but certain clans have even more strength and speed such as clan Brujah with their potency and celerity powers.

Also, blood is truly vital for vampires, because they can only have so much blood in their body and they continuously spend it to heal injuries, use their powers or even simply to make their dead body move. When a vampire does not have any more blood in its body, it falls into torpor and cannot be reanimated unless someone feeds it with blood or a period of time has passed. This period ranges from a few days to several years, depending on the individual vampire's humanity - a measure of how much the vampire has retained of his former self and how much he has given in to his "inner Beast".

Basic powers:

Superhuman strength: all Vampires have incredible strength and those with potence have even greater strength.

Superhuman speed: Vampires are very fast and agile

Immortality: vampires are dead or undead but as long as they are not killed, they will "live" forever and not age.

Enhanced durability: Vampires can be tough to kill. Only decapitation and fire will do the trick and being drained of blood by another vampire. That being said, if you pump them with enough bullets they'll go down like any human would.


Origin:

Vampires descend from Caine, the first murderer, cursed by God. Caine Embraced three childer (the Second Generation), who in turn Embraced thirteen (the Third Generation, called the Antediluvians). These were the beginnings of the 13 vampiric clans. With each subsequent Embrace, the childe is in a higher generation. Newly embraced vampires are generally of the 11th, 12th and 13th generations.

Society:

Nominally, every vampire is Embraced into a Clan, which is a line of vampires tracing their ancestry back to a common Antediluvian. Each Clan has specific strengths and weaknesses, as well as their own distinct history. A vampire without a Clan is Caitiff, generally a second-class citizen in vampiric society.

Vampires belong to one of two major Sects: The Camarilla and The Sabbat. The Camarilla consists of those clans who are dedicated to preserving the Masquerade and (generally) their Humanity. The Sabbat are dedicated to the coming Gehenna and the superiority of the vampire species over humanity. It should be noted that the distinction is not between Good Vampires and Bad Vampires as much as between Bad Vampires and Worse Vampires (which is which depends largely on who you ask). The Camarilla and Sabbat are violent enemies.

In addition to these two Sects, several lesser divisions exist. Vampires who reject both Sects in favor of more indepedence are grouped into a loose community called Anarch. Several Clans are loyal primarily to their Clans, and are independent of the major Sects. In addition, there is a group of mysterious elder vampires, the Inconnu, who eschew all politics in favor of their own projects.

[Sam Akabara]

A Blood Bond is a supernatural link of fidelity and dependency of one individual (the thrall) on a vampire (the regent), created and maintained by the repeated consumption of vitae. Virtually anyone can be enthralled through it, making the blood bond one of the most powerful vampiric tools. The strength of this link varies based on several factors, but it is incredibly difficult to break and likely will have many lasting effects on the thrall.

Someone becomes involved in a blood bond by drinking the vitae of the same Cainite on several occasions not excessively spaced in time. After the first sip of blood, the thrall begins to develop strong feelings for the regent, whether love or hate, though they are still free to act as they choose. Those in a one-drink bond may unconsciously seek out the regent, seemingly accidentally running into them on a frequent basis.

After the second sip, the regent becomes a very important person to the thrall, who may go out of their way to seek the regent's attention or please them. It becomes difficult for the thrall to do anything that would harm the regent, and the regent likewise finds it easier to convince the thrall of things. Though the thrall's craving for the regent's blood increases, they still retain their free-will.

After the third sip, the blood bond is complete. The thrall is now subject to the regent completely and loves them as much as they are capable of loving anyone. The regent is the most important person in the thrall's life and takes priority over all else; sufficiently weak-willed individuals will commit any act the regent asks of them. Furthermore, the regent may command the thrall with Dominate via voice alone. It may still be possible for the thrall to act against the regent, but only temporarily and after an extreme effort of will.

The strength of the blood bond is not influenced by the generation of the vampire, but continual drinks do reinforce it. The bond will become weaker over time if the thrall does not drink from the regent's blood and does not see them for a long time. However, due to the very nature of the bond, such avoidance may be extremely difficult for the thrall. The blood bond can be broken by the death of the regent, however, the effect on the thrall is variable: some feel relieved or even joyful; others experience pain and desolation; others yet fear their independence and look for a new bond. A few may even kill themselves.

All childer begin at least one step bound to their sire, and its normal for those that were ghouls to already be fully bound or for a fledgling vampire to be fully bound to their sire shortly after the Embrace. This was particularly common among the High Clans in the dark ages, when oaths of fealty to a liege were reinforced by some level of the blood bond. The Tremere have their own variation of this custom where all members of the clan are partially bound to their elders and the Tremere Inner Council of Seven.

[Sam Akabara]

Ghouls are created when a vampire feeds vitae to a living creature. For one lunar month, the ghoul has vampiric blood in his system and acquires all the benefits (and drawbacks) of ghouling. Ghouls can hold multiple blood points in their system, but if they try to hold more than a human capacity, it has unpleasant side effects until the vitae replaces their normal blood. As long as a ghoul has vitae in his system, he remains a ghoul: vitae is lost at the end of a month, and when used to power Disciplines. While a ghoul has blood in his system, he will not age.
They are also slightly stronger and faster.

Animals can also be ghouled, a tactic particularly favored by the Nosferatu. Animal ghouls tend to grow larger and mutate, the result being a somewhat horrifying parody of the original creature. In addition, almost all ghouled animals develop a taste for blood, regardless of their original diets.

Enough of the benefits, now the drawbacks. Ghouls are prone to frenzy, although not as strongly as a vampire. In addition, they are addicted to vitae - apart from the deleterious effects of the blood bond, Ghouls are subject to horrible side effects when the supply dries up. Without vitae, a ghoul will rapidly age physically to his actual chronological age, and ghouls over a century will crumble to dust quickly.

As Slaves:
Ghouls are addicted to blood, and the control of blood is the primary way that ghouls are managed by their domintors - in addition to more traditional techniques like Dominate. The nastiest part of being a ghoul, of course, is that one is a slave to an inhuman monster that treats humans as chesspieces or the occasional light snack.

Various clans have different needs (and consequently treatment) for ghouls. The Ventrue make extensive use of ghouls, many of whom are only marginally aware of this fact. The Tzimisce are also fond of ghouls, although they tend to use them as one might use modeling clay, and such ghouls are almost invariably deformed. Tzimisce ghouls used as bodyguards or shock troops are called szlachta; others are combined into the gigantic, gestalt war ghouls called vozhd. Some unlucky ghouls are even shaped into architecture for Tzimisce havens.

Factions

Ghouls tend to fall into three major factions: Vassals, who are the stereotypical blood-addicted servant of a vampire; independent ghouls, who eke out an existence trading favors for blood, and revenants, the hereditary ghoul families. Largely associated with the Tzimisce, revenants actually manufacture their own weak vitae. If they weren't all insane cannibalistic freaks, they might even be a new form of humanity. There also exists a fourth faction composed of roving gangs of independent ghouls who hunt down vampires. They don't hunt the vampires for altruistic reasons or for revenge. They hunt vampires for two reasons: to get their fix of vitae, or because they think it's fun.

((Ingame mechanics a Ghoul has the Equivalent of Rank 1 Vampire Speed and Vampire Strength.))

[Sam Akabara]

The basics of the Masquerade are enforced through self-policing and harsh penalties. When a breach (colloquially, an "oops") occurs, the methods of repairing may vary, but somebody is going to be punished — and while it would be nice for that somebody to be whoever caused the breach in the first place, Princes are known to prefer an early morning dusting over a long thorough search.

Generally, a breach consists of any evidence of vampiric powers: feeding on blood, obvious use of Disciplines, regeneration in plain sight and the like. Certain things (such as ghouls) are considered potential breaches all the time — although in this case, its assumed that the domitor will take necessary steps.

Camarilla vampires are taught to blend in and to cultivate their Humanity in order to make imitating living people easier. However, when something severe happens, the Camarilla usually calls on the Ventrue, who have made Masquerade-patching something of a science. The Ventrue will apply whatever resources are necessary — cash, judicious use of Dominate, machine guns — to make the problem go away.

While the Sabbat does not itself have a Masquerade, it survives primarily through the Masquerade enforced by the Camarilla, and a similar "patch squad" managed by the Grimaldi ghoul family.

While...Repeat offenders who continually break the Masquerade for no good reason are usually staked and killed...Those who are generally first time offenders or those who have due reason are not killed. Instead, the Camarilla dedicates time and resources into making the problems that arise....Dissapear...

[Sam Akabara]

All Cainite's trace their ancestry according to how far removed they are from Caine, how many generations down their cursed line they are. When Caine sire in Enoch, he sired the second generation, who in turn sired the third and on and on until the present night. Cainites use generation to describe their heritage as Caine' children. Those of low generation, two or three times removed from Caine, are accorded more respect than those nine or ten times removed.

You may only RP 6th and 7th Generations and after. Anything other than that is TOO POWERFUL.

Caine

Caine has the dubious honor of being the first among the damned, the malignant seed from which all other Cainites claim their heritage.

2nd Generation

Caine is said to have embraced only three childer - the mythical second generation and sires of the 13 Antediluvians. Like Caine, little is known about the three, who most likely all met their end in the Great Flood or in the upheavals of the Second City. Even the mighty Antediluvians are hesitant to speak of their sires, beings of incredible beauty, but also tyrants and demigods.

3rd Generation

It is with the third generation that myth and legend meet reality. The Book of Nod claims that only 13 vampires belong to the third generation and that each are the progenitors of one of the 13 clans. Only Caine and the Three, however, know how many of the third generation were actually created. They are quite literally "Antediluvians," having survived the biblical flood by slumbering under the waters to hide from the sun. They are so ancient it is said they can exist only in torpor, that state of dark slumber that affects all Cainites of advanced age.

4th & 5th Generations

Known as Methuselahs, the vampires of the fourth and fifth generations are almost as powerful as their sires. Although they are old, some who have escaped the call of lasting torpor, and even those who have failed are only condemned to slumber a few centuries at a time. Their power lies in the their advanced Disciplines and age. Few vampires of subsequent generations can match a Methuselah's power. It is said they can erupt and command the legions of Hell itself. Their age is also their greatest weakness, though.

6th & 7th Generations

Younger than the Methuselahs and Antediluvians, many of the vampires of the sixth and seventh generation are still elders of Cainite society. While few Cainites ever cross paths with a fourth generation vampire, most encounter the self-styled lords of the sixth and seventh generations. Although they are not as powerful as the Methuselahs, these Cainites are still formidable opponents, who gladly sacrifice mystical and spiritual power for temporal influence. These Cainites rule over vast kingdoms, donning the crown of monarchs and commanding armies of younger Cainites and mortal thralls.

8th & 9th Generations

Achieving a delicate balance between age and generation, these vampires are the most visible ones of the 13th century. Although they are young, the blood of Caine flows strong through their veins, usually enough to give them an edge over those of higher generation. They are nowhere near as old as most Cainites of lower generation, however, which places them in a delicate position. Most Cainites of eighth and ninth generation overcome this disadvantage by siring large covens of childer.

10th & 11th Generations

While they are comparatively young, most vampires created within the last few centuries belong to the tenth and eleventh generation. The blood of Caine still flows through them, but they have only recently overthrown the shackles of their sires and become powers in their own right.

12th Generation & Beyond

Fledgling and neonates, these vampires are seperated by blood and millennia from Caine. Nonetheless, all are powerful creatures by virtue of their damned nature. Although they lack the powers of the lower generations, the vampires of the 12th generation stand above men, capable of besting the strongest mortal knight in battle and weilding influence over barons, merchants and courts. The last generations are known as thin-blooded vampires and are heavily crippled, almost to the point of being mortal. During the dark ages the Thirteenth Generation was believed to be the last, but in the modern nights this is comprised of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Generation.

The weakening of power from earlier to later generations is typically considered to be a natural dilution of the Curse of Caine. However, the Erciyes Fragments suggests that it is a result of a curse Caine placed on the Antediluvians after the Second Generation was killed, in the hopes that by ensuring childer were less powerful than their sires, they would be less likely to rebel and upset the patriarchal rule.

[Sam Akabara]

Camarilla Clans
Brujah: Originally warrior-philosophers, the Brujah are now rebels and political activists. The Brujah are powerful combatants and charismatic speakers, but are more prone to succumbing to Frenzy.

Gangrel: The Gangrel are nomadic vampires, and the only ones who regularly travel outside of cities. The Gangrel are also shapeshifters, which has left them with a tendecy to acquire animal features as they frenzy.

Malkavian: The Malkavians are all insane; this doesn't mean that they aren't also insightful and highly intelligent, but they are controlled by madness from the moment of their embrace (if not before).

Nosferatu: Nosferatu are hideously deformed by their embrace, every Nosferatu is horrifyingly ugly. Eschewing other Vampires, they live in sewers and generally keep to themselves. Nosferatu are information brokers par excellence.

Toreador: The Toreador are obsessed with art and beauty, and are the clan that spends the most time around humanity. Toreador tend to get lost in art, becoming enraptured by beautiful things.

Tremere: The Tremere are a Hermetic order (originally from Ars Magica) who turned themselves into vampires to preserve their magic. It didn't quite work out as planned. Since the 11th century, the Tremere have risen from outcasts to one of the pillars of Camarilla society. Tremere are the most powerful practitioners of Thaumaturgy, but are also tightly bound to their highly organized and incredibly paranoid clan.

Ventrue: The Clan Of Kings. The Ventrue are the leaders of the Camarilla, and are businessmen, aristocrats, monarchs, captains of industry, crime leaders, and any other profession where control and power are required. They are the clan from whom the majority of Princes come. Ventrue are choosy who they embrace and who they feed from: every Ventrue feeds from a specific type of Vessel, and only from that type of vessel.

Sabbat Clans
Lasombra: The leaders of the Sabbat, the Lasombra slew their own Antediluvian during the Anarch Revolt and then led the Sabbat against the nascent Camarilla. The Lasombra are elegant, powerful, cruel and predatory espousers of a social darwinist approach towards control and leadership. The Lasombra are also masters of shadow, able to manipulate darkness in bizarre fashions; this power has a cost however, Lasombra cast no reflection.

Tzimisce: The Tzimisce hail from Eastern Europe, and are the former absolute masters of their nightmare domains. The Tzimisce are the least human vampires in VtM, casually cruel and more than a little mad, and possessing the most potent shapeshifting powers of any Vampire. Tzimisce can shift not only their shape, but mold flesh and bone like it was clay. The Tzimisce crave stability - they cannot find peace at night without some of their grave earth.

Independent Clans
Assamites: The Children of Haqim are a cult of assassins located in the mountain fortress of Alamut in the middle east. Descended from Caine's judge, the Assamites accept assassination contracts against vampires while fulfilling their clans own (more obscure) goals. The Assamites are practically a sect unto themselves, with three castes, each of which has its own weakness.

Giovanni: The Giovanni are a clan of Venetian businessmen and necromancers who entered the scene in the 15th century; originally an offset of the more sedate Cappadocians, Augustus Giovanni diablerized his sire and purged the clan of all Cappadocians. Since that time, the Giovanni have become a very rich, powerful and incestuously twisted family with tentacles throughout the world. The Giovanni do not feed lightly - Feeding is a nightmare for their Vessels, causing excess damage and intense pain.

Ravnos: The Ravnos are Vampires from the Indian subcontinent, where they are engaged in a genocidal war with India's Cathayans. The first Ravnos seen in the west were Gypsies and were generally assumed to be charlatans and rogues (which isn't that far off, since many Ravnos are charlatans and rogues), however the Ravnos adhere to a complex philosophy of enlightenment through destroying Maya. Each Ravnos has a vice, from gambling to plagiarism.

Setites: Descendants of the Egyptian God Set, the Setites are a Gnostic cult dedicated to overthrowing the rule of the tyrant gods who oppress all creatures. This makes them inconceivably evil to almost every other life form in the universe, as the Setites seek liberation through vice and by confronting the darkest corners of the soul. The Setites are creatures of Darkness, light does even more damage to them.

Dead Clans
Salubri: The Clan of Saulot, discoverer of Golconda. The Salubri were a clan of healers and demon-fighters. After the Tremere became vampires, the Founder Tremere sought out Saulot and diablerized him, they then launched a campaign against the clan, branding them as demon-worshippers and soul-stealers. There are pathetically few Salubri today.

Cappadocians: The original Clan of Death, the Cappadocians were a monastic order of vampires who studied death, the soul and the Embrace. They were destroyed by Augustus Giovanni in a coup d'etat. The Cappadocians were noted for their corpselike appearance, even more so than most Vampires.

Clan quick guides:
http://whitewolf.wikia.com/wiki/Clan_(VTM)

[Sam Akabara]

Fledgelings
Fledgelings are named after young birds, those who are still in the nest and have yet to test their wings. Very young vampires are in a similar predicament. They are still learning about the World of Darkness: how to hunt and feed, what their powers are, and what responsibilities they have.

After the immediate Embracing of a mortal, the victim will become a Fledgling. The newly turned vampire must be able to stablize The Beast within before gaining status. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the Sire to ensure that the Childe is even worthy of the Embrace. When the vampire has at least passed through the initial stages of vampiric existence and no longer needs the protection of the Sire, the Fledgling will often be viewed as a Neonate

Each sect, Clan, and sire has different expectations of their fledgelings. Typically, the Camarilla expects fledgelings to follow the rules and not draw attention to themselves. If any of the Traditions are ignored or broken, both the fledgeling and sire are held accountable. In the Sabbat, fledgelings are nicknamed "shovelheads" - the joke being that someone just hit them over the head with a shovel. Many Sabbat vampires don't survive beyond this stage, as they are used as cannon fodder and pawns in the games of their elders.

Assamite Neonates are usually Embraced for their skills based on what the Clan or Elders decide is needed at that time. The stereotypical Assamite is a combat oriented Muslim soldier. Since the return of the powerful Ur-Shulgi many Muslim members have been forced to renounce their religion and swear an oath to the clan's founder, while many Neonates have been looked over, many others have fled to the Camarilla as Ur-Shulgi did not account for the Islam's history of religious Martyrdom. All recruits go through a few(supposedly) years of training as ghouls, though most are never embraced and kept around as ghouls for their skills. The few that are Embraced go on to extensive training in either Thaumaturgy, Martial Skills or Lore at the Alamut, as well as in the Clan's history and ways (the Path of Blood) before they are ready to be sent out on missions.

Brujah fledgelings are some of the more passionate vampires. They have not yet let go of their humanity, but now have vampiric powers at their disposal. Some become uncontrollable, Embracing their friends and cronies and becoming a serious threat to the Masquerade. Others simply dedicate themselves to their chosen cause, doing everything their new vampiric status allows them to do in order to advance it.

The Followers of Set encourage their fledgelings to become part of the full Clan as soon as possible, the better to accomplish their goals. They are tutored by their sires or other mentors, but at the same time are expected to establish themselves as individuals by undertaking an important task or quest. Success is rewarded, but failure is punished by any one of several messy ways.

Gangrel fledgelings have the highest chance of becoming caitiff - vampires with no knowledge or guidance of their Clan, sire, or being Kindred. Upon Embracing their childe, a Gangrel sire will usually abandon them in some sort of hostile environment - the deep woods, the downtown of a city, or even on the front lines of a battle between the Camarilla and Sabbat. Depending on how well they survive, they are either inducted into the Clan and taught its ways, or left alone to eventually become little more than animals.

The Giovanni make high demands of their fledgelings. Being part of the "family" carries with it all the expectations of a young child (to learn, to obey, to not make a mess) and of a valued employee (to turn a profit, to expand the company, to not make a mess). Add into this the fact that the "family" is a group of diablerizing, power-mad necromancers, and you understand why only the best of the best are even aware that the Giovanni exist.

There are two kinds of Lasombra childer: those Embraced as shovelheads, with nothing expected of them other than to die gloriously for the Sabbat, and those Embraced with the hope they will become "True" Lasombra. These will become part of the Clan proper, with all the dangers and rewards that entails. There is a little leeway - the rare shovelhead will survive long enough to become True Lasombra, and sometimes a promising fledgeling will disappoint their sire so badly that there is no choice but to diablerize them.

Malkavian fledgelings may not even realize they are vampires at first. Depending on exactly how mad they were to begin with, their Embrace either calms them down significantly (as in, they used to kill whole families in homicidal mania; now they only kill the children), or completely snaps their minds. The rest of Kindred society can deal with the former, but the latter are lucky if they can survive at all. Malkavian sires are often unable or unwilling to spend the time making sure their childer have adjusted properly.

The Nosferatu pay very close attention to their childer, but this can be either a very good thing, or a very bad thing. The favored fledgelings receive an excellent education in such areas as cryptology, hacking, negotiation, and generally being sneaky. "Cleopatras", on the other hand, are ostracized and derided by their fellow clanmembers, and their best performance receives barely a nod of approval from the brood-master. Fortunately, both kinds of fledgelings are almost guaranteed to survive to "Ancillae" status, though some may wish otherwise.

Depending on whether their sire was an "eastern" or "western" Ravnos, a fledgeling of the Clan can hope for many things: for westerners, this is priviledge, notoriety, influence, and in some cases, wealth. For easterners, this is religious validation, self-empowerment, and the chance to learn from the oldest and wisest Ravnos in existence. Both seem fairly content with their lots, though each side antagonizes the other incessantly.

Toreador are captivated by beauty, and as such tend to Embrace those who are either beautiful in and of themselves, or can create beauty. If this infautation lasts, fledgelings can accumulate quite the influence over their social peers. If becoming a vampire destroys their artistic talent, or their beauty becomes passe, then they were probably better off never being born, as these poor fledgelings become the subject of constant gossip and sniping at the hands of the Clan's harpies.

The Tremere almost universally Embrace those who are intelligent, thoughtful, and knowledgeable in the occult arts. Fledgelings spend almost all of their time performing research, studying, or aiding their sire in the same pursuits. Failure of any degree is simply not tolerated, and the pressure has driven more than one fledgeling to suicide. If they can survive both the crushing weight of the Pyramid and their own magical experiments, fledgelings can receive regular promotions and new knowledge.

The Tzimisce attitude about fledgelings has changed quite a bit since the Dark Ages. Then, fledgelings were regarded as the future of the Clan, the next generation of nobles, magicians, and warlords. In the Final Nights, however, Tzimisce fledgelings typically have to claw their way up the power structure by any means necessary. Most Tzimisce are Embraced as shovelheads, like the Lasombra, but with an even lower survival rate. It takes a certain kind of person to be able to look on Tzimisce elders and not grow sick with fear or loathing. These are the fledgelings that have a chance to succeed in the Clan.

It is helpful for Ventrue fledgelings to regard the Clan as a very exclusive club: you start at the bottom, but if you do well, you can someday make it to the top. Competition is fierce, but sires also tend to support their fledgelings until the investment is no longer cost-effective. It is perfectly alright for Ventrue fledgelings to lord their vampiric status over mortals, so long as they always keep in mind their place within the Clan (and don't get carried away with their own ambitions).

Neonate
A neonate is a freshly Embraced vampire. Informally, a neonate has passed through the initial stages of vampiric existence and is sufficiently conversant in vampiric society to be expected not to embarass themself or their sire.

Neonates are generally only lightly involved in the true machinations of undead society. They aren't powerful or experienced enough to make a name for themselves, and are consequently used primarily as pawns by their Elders. Conversely, they still have an investment in the mortal world and are less likely to adhere to the feudal character of vampiric society.

Ancillae

"Ancillae" is the name given to vampires who are no longer watched over (directly) by their sires, but have not gained the power and status of an elder. They are individuals in their own right, and are generally free to pursue their own interests while obeying the strictures of their sect. If fledgelings are children, and elders are adults, then ancillae are "teenage" vampires.

Ancillae are only beginning to develop their own power bases, whether it be personal power or social. There is no set age for ancillae - it is more of a social distinction than a chronological one, though the younger a vampire is, the less likely they are to have accumulated wealth and respect. Ancillae serve as basic citizens among the hierarchy of the Camarilla, serving as troops in times of war but generally left to their own devices (unless they break one of the Traditions). Sabbat ancillae are usually inducted into a pack and sent to secure the goals of their elders, and are treated as little more than pawns - albeit pawns that can diablerize those who give them orders.

Several Clans have names they sometimes use instead of "ancilla", particularly if they are enemies of the Ventrue, who coined the term.

Assamite: shakar; hassashiim; hassayyin. All these words loosely translate into "assassin", and are typically only used with Warrior Assamites

Gangrel: [first name] + [name of sire] + "-childe"; various
Ex: "Ramona Tanner-childe", "Aileen Brock-childe"
Though this naming convention seems demeaning and possessive, it is used in the same fashion as the last name "-son", "-sen", "-dottir", etc - marking the person's lineage, but not ignoring them as an individual. This name is usually granted at a Clan gathering, and bestowed by the ancilla's sire or a prominent member of the Clan (ex: Ramona was recognized as an ancilla by Xaviar, the Gangrel Justicar, through his use of the name). They also accumulate additional titles and qualities, which they will state when introducing themselves (ex: "I am Ratface. I know all the towns and citites of New York. I am smarter than the lupines, swifter than the Sabbat." (Clannovel: Gangrel, pg. 185))

Lasombra: sophomoro/a

Toreador: guild-member; [title of art style]
"Painter Amerigo", "Sculptor Jean", etc. Only Toreador who have distinguished themselves in the appropriate art field will gain such a title, and it might carry over even after they achieve the status of an elder

Elder

An Elder is a vampire of both advanced age and status. While there is no strict definition, one normally must be at least a century or two old and far removed from their human past to qualify.

There is a long standing cycle of hate and resentment between Elder and younger vampires, being especially pronounced between sires and their childer. Elders often use their greater power and influence to oppress those younger than them out of fear of their greater numbers and because most vampires of such age believe they know what's best. Younger vampires naturally chafe under such treatment and grow jealous of the Elders' positions.

[Sam Akabara]

The Beast

The Beast refers to the innate demonic predator that awakens in each and every vampire upon their Embrace. The Beast stands in direct opposition to a vampire’s Humanity (and in some cases the Paths of Enlightenment) and is responsible for many of the debased urges Cainites feel on a nightly basis. In times of extreme distress the Beast can overwhelm a vampire forcing them into a state of pure animalistic fight or flight, which is referred to as Frenzy or Rötschreck.

Things which can cause Frenzy:

Smell of Blood (When hungry):Easy to resist.
Sight of Blood (When hungry):Easy to resist.
Being Harassed: Easy to resist.
Life Threatening Situation: Easy to resist.
Malicious Taunts: asy to resist.
Physical Provocation: Moderately Difficult to resist.
Taste of blood (When hungry): Moderately Difficult to resist.
Loved one in danger : Very difficult to resist.
Outright Humilitation Very difficult to resist.

Roleplaying Frenzy:

Characters in frenzy are not themselves - or, more accuratley, reveal more of themselves than they normally would. They will do anything to sate their hunger or destroy the source of the frenzy, even attacking other players characters. Characters in frenxy generally attack their enemies first, but if no enemies are present, friends are perfectly acceptable fodder for their bases instincts. Even lovers and familiy can fall victim to Vampires in frenzy. The character might feel remorse and hideous guilt later, but while frenzy occurs, nothing matters save the immediate gratification of the characters desires.

Rötschreck: When a vampire is confronted with a close, and dangerous, fire source. The beast enters what is called Rötschreck. This , is a vampires single, irrational fear of fire. The beast will attempt to take control to get away from the source. It is desperate, fleeing, but attacking anything that may stop it. Resisting Rötschreck is difficult. (Will power roll: Requires three /coin's landing on heads to resit.) The player can resume normalcy once they get away from the fire.


Humanity

Humanity is a measure of how closely a vampire clings to the morality and values of her life as a mortal human being, and consequently how well they are able to resist the urges of the Beast.

Since every Kindred was a human before their Embrace, their most natural response in resisting the Beast's feral, predatory nature is to cling to their humanity. This is generally represented by the strength of their conscience and self-control, virtues common to Kindred and mortals alike.

A Kindred's humanity has a direct effect on the strength of the vampiric curse; those who lose ground to the Beast and lose their humanity find it more difficult to interact with mortals, to be active during daylight hours, and to awaken from long periods of torpor.

Humanity is universally adopted by the vampires of the Camarilla, but even among the Sabbat it is the "natural" and most common way of dealing with the Beast. Some vampires however reject the mores of mortal existence and adopt an alien Path of Enlightenment, in which they learn or construct a wholly different standard of morality. These often incorporate different virtues - conviction instead of conscience, and instinct instead of self-control - and establish a very different relationship with the Beast. Replacing the morality of one's human life is a daunting task, not to be taken lightly, and generally impossible without the tutition of one who already follows the alternate path.

Paths, while commonly used in the Sabbat are generally out of place in Camarilla society.
Some older vampires, however, may still follow one of the roads. As in, atleast a 1000.

The roads are:

The Road of the Beast (Via Bestiae), which embraces the Beast.

The Road of Heaven (Via Caeli), which teaches that vampires are a apart of God's plan and must act accordingly.

The Road of Humanity (Via Humanitatis), which teaches that vampires are akin to humans in mind and soul.
The Road of Kings (Via Regalis), which focuses on the aquisition of power.

The Road of Sin (Via Peccati), which teaches that vampires should give into their nature as damned beings.

The road of the beast:

Via Bestiae, commonly called the Road of the Beast, is one of the major Roads that kindred may choose to follow. Followers of Via Bestiae control their Beast through the primal concepts of survival, strength, and individuality. Many members of the Road of the Beast choose simple, animalistic existances to best serve the beliefs of Via Bestiae, while others follow it by living simplistic existances, akin to barbarians. Followers of this Road are known as the Feral.

Fighting for the right to exist is the number one rule of Via Bestiae. To the Feral, there is no mercy or compassion, no helping others; there is only themselves and their needs. They are expected to make themselves able to survive in any situation, and so strength and wile are strongly desired and respected among the followers of the Road of the Beast. However, followers of the Road are also not to kill unless needed to feed, or to take silly risks. They may ally themselves with their Beast, but are never to be controlled or manipulated by it; to succumb to its will would be to fall in with the wretches of Via Peccati.

Hierarchy of Sins

10 – Taking foolhardy risks
9 – Leaving the weak unchallenged
8 – Killing without need
7 – Avoiding the wilds
6 – Tormenting others needlessly
5 – Making unbidden sacrifice
4 – Failing to kill when necessary
3 – Not defending your territory
2 – Showing your enemies mercy
1 – Failing to feed your Hunger

The Road of Heaven

Via Caeli, commonly called the Road of Heaven and known as Tariq el-Sama' to Islamic Cainites, is one of the major Roads that kindred may choose to follow.Followers of Via Caeli attempt to control their Beast through religious devotion. They are frequently referred to as Noddists or the Faithful.

Although the primary examples of the Road of Heaven come from Christianity, any Cainite devoted to their religious beliefs can follow the Road. Islamic kindred who follow Via Caeli are usually members of the Ashirra; especially devoted Jewish and pagan kindred are also commonly on this Road.

To follow the Road of Heaven basically means that any Noddist will love and serve God, follow and obey the rules already laid out by Him (the Ten Commandments being a prime example), and will not act in ways that empower the Devil. Other rules (and gods), depending on the religion, may be substituted for the above, but the general idea is the same.

Road of Humanity

Via Humanitatis, commonly called the Road of Humanity, is one of the major Roads that kindred may choose to follow.Followers of Via Humanitatis use the human condition to fight their Beast, remembering that they were ordinary mortals before being bestowed with Caine's curse. They place an emphasis on human virtues, such as freedom, the human heart and soul, and on reason and intellegence as a separator of man from beast. Followers of the Road of Humanity are known as Prodigals.

Followers of this path essentially attempt to cling onto their humanity, acting as they would in life and following the same moral code they did before the Embrace.

Road of Kings

Via Regalis, commonly called the Road of Kings, is one of the major Roads that kindred may choose to follow. Followers of Via Regalis control their Beast by ruling over others. Mortals are inferior, promises will be fufilled, and power is everything. Those who follow the Road of Kings are known as Scions.

Many Cainites consider themselves superior to humanity, but none so much as the Scions. However, while some Cainites view humans as playthings or objects to be used and abused, many followers of Via Regalis recognize that without humans, there is nothing to rule over. With exceptions, Scions do their best to be fair and just to humans so that thier flocks remain happy and content under their rule. To upset humans without justification is to not only create chaos, but to show weakness to the Beast.

Road of Sin

Via Peccati, commonly called the Road of Sin, is one of the major Roads that kindred may choose to follow. Followers of Via Peccati control their Beast by indulging their whims and desires, regardless of who they hurt. Failure to do as they please makes their condition worse, which means morals, ethics, and laws usually fall by the wayside as they make their way along this Road. Note that followers of Via Peccati are not evil per se; just completely self-indulgent. Followers of the Road of Sin are known as Sinners.

To follow the Road of Sin means that a Cainite will put himself first and foremost. No pleasure is to be denied, no law is to restrain the kindred as long as it is for their benefit. As Sinners see themselves as already damned because of the curse of Caine, they figure that nothing they do can make their situation any worse. Followers of Via Peccati also seek to not so much control their Beast as dominate it and manipulate it.

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