Baali

Even monsters have their bogeymen, and Kindred are no exception. Sires often attempt to keep neonates
from growing drunk on their own power as vampires, and one method for doing so is to explain to them what
sorts of twisted, evil power awaits them in the dark.
The Baali are one such power.
History — or legend, perhaps — claims that the childe of an Antediluvian made a pact with forces beyond
human understanding in order to make war on the thirteen Clans. He took the name Baal-the-Destroyer,
and he led his apostles against the Second City. The battle was terrible, and none caught in its wake were
spared — Demon and Kindred alike perished. But the Baali and their unholy allies were routed and fled, and
over the millennia, they faded from memory, to legend, to cautionary tale.
The Baali do still exist, though. The Inquisition weeded out the stupid and the careless, but left the
clever and the patient. Some went into torpor, while others simply claimed membership in another Clan
and begged for sanctuary. Now, in modern nights, the bloodline sees more concentrated activity than it has
for centuries. Baali are explorers and seekers of secrets. They will do almost anything and sacrifice almost anyone
to gain access to occult mysteries. They squander the wealth they have accumulated, they make deals
they cannot possible hope to live up to, and they do so with no apology and no attempt at excuse.
They seem to know that they are in decline, and that their bloodline is disappearing into the mists
of time.
The bloodline has enemies, after all. Infernalists — those who call up and worship demons —
are one of the very few beings that can be called “common enemies” by most of the denizens of the
World of Darkness, Kindred and otherwise. Despite their small numbers and host of enemies,
the Baali are dangerous. They are not Faustian bargainers, looking for comfort or even
knowledge. They do not wish to reign in Hell. They believe — they know — that the world is
doomed. The End Times are here, and every sacrifice they make, every murder they incite, is one
more chink in the dam holding back the deluge of blood called Gehenna. If they have to die to break
that dam, so be it. They die knowing that what they do is what must be done.

Nickname: Demons

Sect: While individual Baali might pretend to membership in the Camarilla or, less commonly, the
Sabbat, the bloodline as a whole claims no Sect.

Appearance: Some neonates adorn themselves with Satanic paraphernalia. Some Baali dress in expensive
clothing, and some don’t bother. Some become so fixated that they neglect outer appearance. Older Baali
surround themselves with insects, rats, or other vermin.

Haven: Baali tend to nest in places of antiquity. Libraries, universities, and stately homes attract the Demons.
No matter where the Baali make their havens, though, the vampire’s very presence changes the place.
Vermin creep in first, and no amount of effort can keep them out.

Background: The Baali value temperament above profession. Teachers, defrocked priests, laborers, artists
— all have joined the ranks of the Baali. The bloodline even breeds their own recruits, drawing from ghoul families
raised over the years to produce offspring suckled on the unholy truths that the Baali recite as gospel.

Character Creation: Mental Attributes, especially Perception, are usually primary. A Baali’s ability to
tempt and entice depend on his insight into what a person truly wants. Social Attributes are also helpful,
as the Baali need both to keep their identities a secret and convince others to open up to them.

Clan Disciplines: Daimoinon, Obfuscate, Presence

Weakness: Baali cannot bear to look upon or handle objects of any faith. Demons must avert their
gazes from such objects, and touching them burns their flesh.
In addition, should a Baali run afoul of True Faith, any
hindering or damage effects are doubled. Organization: The Baali gather in cabals numbering
three to 13. Supposedly, these cabals answer to the bloodline’s founder. Any Demon is willing to die to
protect his cabal-mates; not out of any loyalty or affection for them, but because they’re all doomed anyway.

Stereotypes
Camarilla: Sooner or later, the masks have to come off. Take all the time you need. We’ll wait.
Sabbat: A honeycomb in which to hide. Just learn how the little bees dance first.
Followers of Set: They have the right idea. They’re just playing for the wrong team.

The View From Without
Camarilla: Satanists? They’re not… wait. You think they care about Satan?
Sabbat: There’s a reason we spend so much time ensuring loyalty, and it’s not because we think the
Camarilla Licks are going to infiltrate us.
Ravnos: You wouldn’t believe what I’ve seen.

Blood Brother

The Blood Brothers are Kindred only in a very loose sense. They are Sabbat shock troops, created by
Tremere and Tzimisce sorcerers in order for the Sword of Caine to have loyal soldiers that can still pass for
human. The process of creation (for the Blood Brothers do not undergo an Embrace) washes away any individuality
and personality, leaving only strong, savage, and near-mindless quasi-vampires. Blood Brothers are usually
created in small groups of three to 10. These groups — called “circles” — become family units
connected by a kind of hive mind. The Sabbat also usually arranges for a Tzimisce to fleshcraft
the circle’s faces so that they are identical. The Frankensteins are a secret weapon for the Sabbat
for several reasons. The Sabbat finds that while the loyalty of the Blood Brothers is beyond reproach,
they don’t possess much in the way of creativity. They aren’t capable of trickery, clever tactics, or improvisation,
and unless another vampire can direct them in the field in real time (which isn’t impossible, given modern communication
technology), they aren’t good for much beyond simple, direct missions. Second, they are difficult and risky to
create. Creating a circle of Blood Brothers means killing half a dozen people. While the Sabbat doesn’t have a
problem with that in itself, a pattern of disappearances can clue in mortal authorities and Camarilla watchers
alike that the Sword of Caine is up to something.
Finally, the Blood Brothers are more useful as a surprise attack, and survivors of those attacks run the risk of passing
along knowledge of the Brothers’ weaknesses. Creating too many, even if it were possible or practical, would
mean that eventually some Camarilla Tremere would figure out how to hurt them, or even how to reverse
the magic that keeps them mindless, loyal, and useful. Some rumors say that this has already
happened, but that the Tremere aren’t willing to share this knowledge with the Camarilla just yet.

Nickname: Frankensteins

Sect: The Blood Brothers belong to the Sabbat exclusively. A Blood Brother that comes through the
creation process with his individuality intact is destroyed.

Appearance: A Blood Brother often looks identical to the others in his circle, barring any burns or other
marks that he might have picked up in battle. They usually dress alike. The members of the circle grow agitated
when they see each other as “different.”

Haven: Blood Brothers stay in whatever haven is provided for them by the Sabbat. As long as the circle
is allowed to stay together, they don’t seem to care much about amenities.

Background: A Blood Brother’s mortal life is irrelevant. All that a person needs to do to become a Blood
Brother is cross the wrong vampire’s path on the wrong night. The Sabbat kills the target, removes his body
hair, smooths over his features, and places him with four or five others, and after that no trace of the manthat-
was remains.

Character Creation: Blood Brothers prioritize Physical Attributes and Talents. Nature and Demeanor are
usually the same; common choices are Conformist, Bravo, and Monster. Blood Brothers don’t usually have
much in the way of Backgrounds apart from Generation and Mentor (their handler or creator).

Clan Disciplines: Fortitude, Potence, Sanguinus

Weakness: Blood Brothers cannot Embrace. If they attempt it, the mortal simply dies.
In addition, the Frankensteins literally feel each other’s pain. When a Blood Brother suffers a wound penalty,
all members of the circle suffer the same penalty for the next turn. If two Blood Brothers are wounded,
only the greater wound penalty applies. Blood Brothers do not continually suffer these penalties unless one of
them suffers a new wound.

Organization: The bloodline as a whole has no organization. It is loyal to the Sabbat, and the members
are otherwise loyal to their circles. The Blood Brothers treat their handlers with complete loyalty, bordering
on sycophancy. They treat other Sabbat Kindred with quiet deference.

Stereotypes
Anyone Not Sabbat: Kill. Do not obey.
Sabbat: Obey. Do not kill.

The View From Without
Camarilla: I used to have a muse. He was lovely, chiseled, golden-honey hair. He vanished
one night. And then I chanced to pass through Detroit, and I saw him on the street. Six of him.
Sabbat: I know they’re creepy. Don’t think of them as Cainites.
Followers of Set: Why didn’t we think of that?

Daughters of Cacophony

The Daughters of Cacophony emerged as a distinct bloodline sometime during the 19th century. Before
that, of course, there were always Kindred who saw music and song as a way to remain sane. Kindred scholars
believe that the Daughters sprang from the blood of either Clan Toreador (for their passionate artistic pursuit)
or Malkavian (given their propensity for causing madness), but their supernatural powers point more
toward Clan Ventrue. It’s something of a moot point, as the “first” Daughter of Cacophony is unknown.
Regardless of their origins, the Sirens (as they are called in Kindred circles) are all singers, and the bloodline
has always been predominantly female.
Indeed, the Daughters of Cacophony base their unlives on song. They wander through eternity with
music always in their ears, and that makes them seem unfocused or flighty to other Kindred. This is one of
the reasons, along with their rarity, that neither major Sect of vampires considers them a threat or much more
than a diversion. Individual Kindred, however, might have occasion to meet a Siren and wonder why it is
that those who spend too much time listening to their songs always seemed changed by the experience.

Nickname: Sirens

Sect: Sirens might fall in with whichever Sect holds power locally. If asked, most Daughters either identify
as independents or claim membership in the Camarilla.

Appearance: A Siren might be a street musician dressed in thrift-store chic, a pierced and tattooed
punk rocker, or a high-class entertainer with money and prestige. Apart from the fact that the Daughters
are largely female, their appearance varies widely.

Haven: Most Sirens have a quiet room with good acoustics where they can sing without anyone listening.
As much as most Daughters love performing, they would prefer to be alone after the “show” ends, and so
the outward appearance of their havens isn’t as important as maintaining its secrecy.

Background: The majority of Sirens were singers before the Embrace as well. Very occasionally, a
Daughter Embraces someone who never developed her skill at singing, but these discover their talents
swiftly. The Daughters do not discriminate based on musical style. Jazz singer, nu-metal waif, opera diva, sultry
lounge performer — any chanteuse might be a Siren.

Character Creation: Social Attributes tend to be primary. Expression and Performance are almost always
high, and many have Fame. Sirens who die with a following reap the benefit of their fans (Herd).
Those less lucky often still have Contacts in show business.

Clan Disciplines: Fortitude, Melpominee, Presence

Weakness: The Daughters of Cacophony hear music constantly. This might be a form
of synesthesia, or it might be a hallucination. This constant song distracts the Daughters as much as
it guides them. The difficulties of all their Perception rolls increase by two. No Daughter of Cacophony may
have Alertness above 3 dots.

Organization: Their numbers are too small for them to be truly organized, yet sometimes the Sirens act as
one. Every so often, Sirens everywhere put on a performance on the same night. They don’t necessarily sing
the same songs, but all of the waking Sirens sing at exactly the same time.

Stereotypes
Camarilla: Would you like to hear another, my lord?
Sabbat: Very well. You don’t mind if I hum a bit, though?
Toreador: If only your art had real power, like mine.

The View From Without
Camarilla: It’s the Prince’s policy not to let fratricide go unanswered, even among the less
important Clans — would you please stop singing a moment?
Sabbat: If we can’t get ‘em our way, you get ‘em yours, sisters!
Giovanni: I don’t know what songs they’re talking about. I’ve got a nasty suspicion, though, that
I could listen in if I wanted to.

Gargoyles

The Tremere unveiled the Gargoyle bloodline in AD 1167, and the Slaves have been a steady, if infrequent,
part of Kindred society ever since. Gargoyles might, in fact, be one reason that the Tremere weren’t
exterminated entirely in their first few centuries of existence. These odd quasi-Kindred often look like
their stone namesakes — rocky-skinned, ugly, winged creatures that exist only to serve their masters.
Or such was the case for several hundred years. Recently, though, many of the Slaves have thrown off their
chains and joined the Camarilla. Why the Gargoyles choose to ally themselves with the Sect that also
protects their former masters is anyone’s guess. One of the going theories
is that it’s a slap in the Warlocks’ collective face, but most Kindred don’t give the Gargoyles credit for
being that sophisticated. More likely, the Rockheads simply realize that in the Camarilla, their talents
will be recognized and no one will try and order them around (at least not directly).
Gargoyles are created out of other Kindred, and this ugly fact makes their creation a seldom-discussed
topic in polite vampiric society. The Tremere start with a Gangrel, Nosferatu, or Tzimisce
vampire and perform obscene, bloody rituals using its blood, heart, and skin. Vitae from
another vampire (from one of the other two Clans) is used to provoke a violent mutation,
with the result that some Gargoyles look purely hideous (Nosferatu base), some look feral (Gangrel
base), and some look fleshy and sport bony protrusions (Tzimisce base). No Gargoyle can pass for
human.
The Tremere tolerate the Gargoyles’ presence in the Camarilla as best they can — it’s not as though they
can easily re-enslave them, after all. But relations are obviously strained. The Gargoyles’ revolt and induction
into the Camarilla has all but doomed the remaining slave Gargoyles, as their masters now monitor
them ruthlessly for any sign of betrayal. The Tremere also aren’t above planting hypnotic suggestions in their
Slaves’ minds, so that if they ever do rebel, they still serve a function for the Clan.

Nickname: Traditionally Slaves, though free Gargoyles have been known to crack heads over it. Other
common nicknames are Rockheads, Runaways, Freemen, and Grotesques.

Sect: Gargoyles usually join the Camarilla. It’s not impossible for a Slave to join the Sabbat, but the
bloodline as a whole frowns on this.

Appearance: Not all Gargoyles look like the stone grotesques found spitting rainwater over old buildings,
but all are nightmarish. Some have tufts of hair protruding randomly over their bodies, or odd, galloping
walks. Most Gargoyles have gray, rock-like skin. All Gargoyles have wings. These grow as the character’s
Flight (see p. 447) increases.

Haven: Slave Gargoyles sleep wherever their masters allow them — closets, basements, crypts,
cells. Free Gargoyles prefer sleeping in havens high above the ground. Bell towers and disused
high-rises are favorites. Gargoyles are often muscle for other Kindred, sometimes in exchange
for a bare-bones haven.

Background: Gargoyles creation rarely shows a discernible pattern. The Change tortures the new
Gargoyle’s body, as bones elongate and split to form the wings. The face warps, leaving nothing
to recognize the mortal or vampire by. They rarely remember their unlife or mortal existence.

Character Creation: Created to be slaves, Gargoyles specialize in Physical Attributes, Talents,
and a few select Skills (Melee, for instance). All Gargoyles start with a free dot of the Flight
Discipline. Appearance is always zero. Gargoyles created by the Tremere are at the same Generation
as the Kindred that act as their “base.”

Clan Disciplines: Flight, Fortitude, Potence, Visceratika

Weakness: The Slaves are hideous. That grotesquery takes different forms, but always results in an Appearance
of zero. They are also highly susceptible to mind control from any source. A Gargoyle’s Willpower score
(current or permanent) is considered two points lower when used to resist such powers.

Organization: Gargoyles have a strong sense of community. They often keep communal havens. Sometimes
Gargoyles petition the Prince for the release of slave Gargoyles, but more often they just tear slave
owners to pieces. With no community, Gargoyles are likely to Embrace and build their own.

Stereotypes
Camarilla: Our new home. Here, no one shouts or strikes us or burns us with mirrors and light.
Here, they ask politely, and we are free to ask for payment in blood. Paradise.
Sabbat: They are so brutal. And they love each other so. And yet, when I think of them, my eyes
begin to burn. Why should this be?
Tremere: I will never be a slave again. Never.

The View From Without
Camarilla: Fuck you, Merlin. They belong to all of us now.
Sabbat: Where d’ya think they get the raw materials to make those monsters? Oh, the civilized
Camarilla.
Ravnos: You headed into the city? Good luck! Don’t forget to look up!

Harbingers of Skulls

The Harbingers of Skulls are a small bloodline that emerged from the mists of the past and threw their lot
in with the Sabbat. The Harbingers are alleged to all be elders, and frighteningly powerful. While their sudden
appearance suggests a long bout of torpor, they don’t behave like recently-awakened vampires. Indeed, they
claim they have been dead these past five centuries.
The Harbingers of Skulls resemble rotting corpses, much like the Samedi. Indeed, vampires that know of
both bloodlines suggest a common origin, but since neither the Samedi nor the Harbingers discuss their
origins publically, it’s just speculation.
The Harbingers have only been members of the Sabbat for a short time, but during that time they have
made themselves invaluable. The Sword of Caine, lacking Giovanni members, has difficulty dealing with
ghosts. This can lead to problematic hauntings, since the Sabbat kills enough people that ghostly visitation
can become an issue. The Harbingers can exorcises these vengeful shades, or, better yet, turn them into
incorporeal spies and slaves. And for all of this, the Harbingers ask nothing except for favors to be repaid
at a later date.
The Sabbat, for its part, isn’t usually given to the favor-trading that one finds in the Camarilla,
but what the Harbingers bring to the table is too valuable to miss. And besides,
whether one believes the fairy tale about noble origins and “revenge on the traitorous
moneylenders” that the Harbingers sometimes spin, their passion is palpable. That kind of
murderous zeal is always welcome in the Sword of Caine.

Nickname: Lazarenes

Sect: The Harbingers of Skulls belong entirely to the Sabbat. That said, given that the bloodline
obviously has many secrets buried, it’s impossible to know if any Lazarenes claim membership in the
Camarilla or remain independent.

Appearance: The Harbingers prefer to stay hidden in their havens, or at least remain among Kindred,
and for good reason. They resemble emaciated, shrunken corpses. Their skin grows taut and white,
and the gums recede, giving the impression of a bleached, grinning skull. Most Harbingers wearing
flowing garments or burial shrouds, the better to highlight their affinity for death.

Haven: Unlike most Sabbat Kindred, the Harbingers of Skulls do not join packs, and therefore do not
use communal havens. They usually choose lairs away from mortal interference, but close enough to the living
that they don’t want for blood (or fresh corpses for their horrific arts). Crypts, disused laboratories, and
slaughterhouses are common choices.

Background: The background of a “typical” Harbinger is impossible to know. They are all elders, and who
they were in life has been lost to time. They do seem to show evidence of a classical education, and one survivor
of a battle between a Harbinger and a gang of Camarilla Brujah mentions that the Lazarene used a style
of fighting that originated in Florence. Beyond those sparse clues, however, the Harbingers’ true identities
are unknown.

Character Creation: The Harbingers of Skulls tend toward morbid and somewhat violent concepts. They
are obsessed with revenge, death, and the horrors beyond the grave. Social Attributes and Abilities aren’t a
priority. Mental Attributes and Knowledges are generally highly rated, but their status as elders means that
they are formidable across the board (and imply a significant amount spent on the Generation Background
to boot).

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Fortitude, Necromancy

Weakness: No matter how much blood a Harbinger consumes, her skin remains deathly pale. Moreover, all
Harbingers look like shriveled corpses. They have Appearance ratings of 0 and automatically fail Appearance
rolls.

Organization: The Harbingers have some kind of internal organization, and they do keep in contact and
even meet with one another occasionally. They keep in touch using ghostly messengers, and they travel to
meet each other using methods that other Kindred cannot match. Most of the Sabbat doesn’t quite know how
many Harbingers exist or what they might be doing.

Stereotypes
Camarilla: The more things change….
Sabbat: They can’t win. But we don’t want to win.
Giovanni: Payback is coming very soon, and on that day all of your money will mean nothing.

The View From Without
Camarilla: What do I have to do, spell it out for you?
Sabbat: You should have seen the look on the goombas’ faces when their ghosty slaves all turned
around and jumped on ‘em. I love these guys!
Giovanni: How many times do I have to say it? The Cappadocians are dead. We killed them. Period.

Nagaraja

A bizarre bloodline of flesh-eating witches, the Nagaraja are legends, feared by Kindred on all sides of the
Jyhad. As a result of their hideous appetites, the Nagaraja have been hunted to near extinction in the modern
nights by political enemies and the ghosts upon whom they prey. A few of these vampires still prowl
the darkness, however, continuing their subtle plans. Although not particularly forthcoming with their
origins, the Nagaraja supposedly hail from the Middle East. They are associated with a death cult in that
region that ritually consumed human flesh and opened gateways into the lands of the dead.
How these cultists became vampires is lost to history, but those few Kindred that have met the Nagaraja have
theories: maybe a wandering Giovanni trader Embraced them, perhaps they tried to follow in Tremere’s
footsteps, or they could be the last surviving Cappadocians. The Nagaraja refuse to confirm or deny
such speculations, however, so the truth and rumor continue to entwine around these mysterious
Kindred.
Some of the Flesh- Eaters belong to a Sect of vampires called the Tal’Mahe’Ra or the “True Black Hand,” apparently
distinct from the Black Hand of the Sabbat. What the Tal’Mahe’Ra is doing in the Deadlands isn’t clear, nor why
they war with the Restless Dead, but their city in the Underworld is home to a number of the Nagaraja. Those
in the land of the living are independent, now seeking to eke out whatever unlife they can.

Nickname: Flesh-Eaters

Sect: The Nagaraja as a whole refuse membership in either the Camarilla or the Sabbat, but in
Camarilla cities they follow the rules as well as they can (given their weakness).

Appearance: Nagaraja have pointed, irregular teeth, rather than the usual retractable fangs. This means
that they seldom smile, and they tend to speak quietly around mortals — unless they plan to eat them.

Haven: The Nagaraja take havens where they can. One thing that the Flesh-Eaters do try to incorporate
into their havens, when they can, is a means for disposing of bodies. They do not have the luxury of
merely sipping a bit of blood the way other Kindred do.

Background: Most Nagaraja are well-educated, and many have some medical knowledge (either from
their mortal lives or acquired post-Embrace). The bloodline’s small numbers make further assertions difficult
to support. Some Nagaraja were priests or cultists before the Embrace, some antiquarians, and some exorcists
or ghost-hunters.

Character Creation: Nagaraja usually have solitary or selfish concepts and Natures, though their Demeanors may
be practically anything. Mental Attributes are usually primary, as are Knowledges. The most common Backgrounds
for Nagaraja are Contacts, Resources, and Retainers, though a few twisted Mentors sometimes Embrace childer.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex , Dominate, Necromancy

Weakness: The Nagaraja require raw flesh in addition to blood to survive. For every night a Nagaraja goes without
consuming flesh, he loses one cumulative die from all his Physical dice pools. Eating one point worth of flesh restores
one die to these pools until the vampire has “caught up.” A human body has 10 “flesh points,” which work just like
blood points: A Nagaraja consuming one flesh point increases his blood pool by one. Unlike blood points, however,
taking a “flesh point” from a vessel does one health level of unsoakable lethal damage to that vessel. The flesh the Nagaraja
consume must be relatively fresh, though not necessarily “alive.” Indeed, some Nagaraja keep stores of
ritually preserved corpses in their havens. This weakness does not allow them to eat food or consume other
liquids.

Organization: While some claim this bloodline belongs to the Tal’Mahe’Ra in its entirety, there are
ample exceptions. A given Nagaraja might keep contact with another, but the bloodline as a whole has no
organization.

Stereotypes
Camarilla: An umbrella, until the drops grow heavy enough to break it.
Sabbat: Perhaps we can kill enough of them? No. The contagion has taken root.
Giovanni: You think you’re so powerful and decadent? How quaint.

The View From Without
Camarilla: Ghost problem? Go out to that busted-down house on 65th and follow the smell.
You’ll find a guy that can help you. Bring along a mortal you don’t like.
Sabbat: These guys have backup you can’t see or touch. Beyond that, no idea.
Giovanni: Hey, when did we pick up a bunch of towel-heads?

Salubri (Healer)

The Salubri were once a true Clan. Their Clan founder, Saulot, was said to be a superlative warrior
as well as a fair-minded judge. It was also said that he grew progressively more disgusted with Kindred affairs
over time, and weary of the constant, bloody cycles of violence and betrayal. He left his home for lands far to
the east. When he returned, he was changed. He was tranquil and contemplative, but also somewhat fatalistic.
Most surprisingly, though, he had developed a third eye in his forehead. Saulot Embraced new childer, and
his Clan slowly split into two distinct lines — the “warrior” and “healer” Salubri. For centuries, they acted as
advisors, bodyguards, and sages to other Kindred and, to a lesser extent, mortals.
And then came the diablerie of Saulot. The mages of the newly created Tremere line found
Saulot’s torpid body, and drained his blood and soul. They usurped the power of the one of the Clans of
Caine, and sent the Salubri into a downward spiral from which they never really recovered. Tonight, rumor has
it that only seven members of the once-respected line exist at any given time.
The rumors die hard, however. Modern Kindred know of the Salubri as diablerists who consume their
own sires (and do it openly — patricide is hardly unknown among the other Clans, but they don’t admit to
it) and remove the souls of other Kindred. The Soulsuckers are, supposedly, a Clan of defilers and liars from
centuries past, possibly involved with demon worship, and demonstrably part of the Sabbat (see Salubri antitribu,
p. 431). They ask, quite reasonably, how the Salubri are able to achieve Golconda with any regularity.
They wonder how any line can sustain itself with so few members. And, finally, they pose this question:
even if these first two notions are taken as given, why would the Salubri need to submit to diablerie? Why do
their childer need to consume their sires’ souls, if not for some defect in the bloodline itself?

Nickname: Cyclops, or, less kindly, Soulsuckers

Sect: The Salubri are independent, though they do sometimes masquerade as other Clans and blend in
with the Camarilla. The Salubri, however, are just trying to survive long enough to reach Golconda and pass
along their blood. Sectarian politics mean nothing to them.

Appearance: Each Salubri has a third eye in the center of their forehead. Otherwise, the Salubri are too
few in number for any generalization about their appearances to be possible. Their ranks in modern nights
have included children, the elderly, and adults of all races.

Haven: Salubri are unwelcome in most cities, and that means their havens are situated in isolated environments.
They also usually have multiple escape routes, and only have what possessions the character can carry in a backpack.
Quick departures are not uncommon for the members of this bloodline, so Salubri don’t get attached to their havens.

Background: The Salubri Embrace people whom they feel can find Golconda. Healers, teachers, empaths,
and other people with high Humanity ratings are good choices, although occasionally Salubri Embrace
evil people in hopes of seeing them redeemed (or, at least, setting them on that path).

Character Creation: Social or Mental Attributes are often primary, as are Knowledges. Most Salubri also
have decent ratings in Empathy. All Salubri must take five dots of Generation (to represent their diablerie of
their sires), and most have at least a dot of Herd as well.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Fortitude, Obeah

Weakness: Salubri have difficulty feeding on unwilling vessels. If a Cyclops attempts it, she loses a point
of Willpower.

Organization: The Salubri are not, as a bloodline, organized. In fact, when Salubri do meet, it tends to
be on the instruction of their sires — the dying wish Quote: I say this and mean it truly — no burden I have
ever carried is heavier than what this new eye has seen. of a given Cyclops to her childe might be to seek out
another member of the bloodline and deliver a message or pay respects.

Stereotypes
Camarilla: Judge a man by the company he keeps.
Sabbat: Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, warriors gotta make war.
Tremere: The enemy. For them, there can be no forgiveness.

The View From Without
Camarilla: Yeah, yeah. I’ve heard the same things you have. Consider the source.
Sabbat: We’ve got some open slots, any time you folks wanna man up.
Giovanni: Hey, Tremere. I feel your pain.

Samedi

If the Nosferatu are repulsive and the Harbingers of Skulls are hideous, a word hasn’t yet been invented to
describe the Samedi. Resembling nothing so much as walking, rotting corpses, these odd vampires take their
name and their origin from the Caribbean and the religion of vodoun (popularly known as voodoo). Baron
Samedi, in legend, was a loa of death and ancestor worship.
The vampires that bear his name and visage (for Samedi is often portrayed as a corpse, albeit not one
so disgusting as the Stiffs) also often share his rude, blunt demeanor. In fact, a vampire going by the name
of “Baron Samedi” seems to be the founder, or at least the oldest extant member, of the bloodline.
The Samedi might seem to be an offshoot of the Nosferatu, but their powers of Thanatosis — a Discipline
dedicated to manipulating dead flesh — speak of a connection to the Giovanni or their doomed predecessors,
the Cappadocians. If that is the case, though, the Samedi and the Giovanni went their separate ways
long ago, for neither has anything good to say about the other. The reason for this enmity is not something
that members of either line discuss in public, but the Giovanni apparently have a history with Baron Samedi
himself. The Baron, still active in the bloodline’s affairs, refuses to discuss the “deal” that he had with
Augustus Giovanni, but it must have been something of gravity for the mutual dislike to persist.
Samedi take the roles of enforcers and assassins in Kindred society. They don’t do it on ideological
grounds, like the Assamites, and thus they find work with Kindred who want to get what they paid for.
The Samedi do not take contracts against Nosferatu or, strangely, Giovanni Kindred without a heavy
fee, speaking to some regard or fear of these Clans. As with so many other facts about their line, the
Samedi have nothing to say on the matter.

Nickname: Stiffs

Sect: Samedi occasionally join the Camarilla or the Sabbat, but for the most part they consider
themselves independent.

Appearance: Saying that a Samedi resembles a rotting corpse is, sadly, in no way a euphemism. Their flesh is soft and
tends to leak fluid if poked too hard. Their ears and noses rot away (but still function normally),
and tiny bits of their skin tend to slough off and regrow. Skin retracts from the eyes and teeth, giving them the
appearance of grinning skulls, but too much meat clings to the cranium for them to achieve the cleaner horror
of the Harbingers of Skulls. Some Samedi are leathery and dry, like unwrapped mummies. These Stiffs still
stink, but their stench is more reminiscent of rotted flowers and old decay than fresh putrescence.

Haven: The Samedi make havens in places where a moldering corpse and its stench aren’t out of place.
Morgues, mortuaries, graveyards, and meat packing plants house the occasional Samedi. Some members of
the bloodline choose to dwell below ground like the Nosferatu, but this does lead to conflict between the
Stiffs and the Sewer Rats.

Background: The Samedi are a relatively young line. No Samedi older than 250 years is known to exist.
Most of the older ones hail from the Caribbean islands or the southern United States. Neonate Samedi don’t
always share this connection to vodoun, but frequently were close to death (one way or another) before the
Embrace.

Character Creation: While Physical Attributes are a priority for those Samedi working as killers and enforcers,
many Samedi lean toward Mental Traits. Samedi rarely have the Herd or Resources Backgrounds, and
their standoffish and solitary nature means that Mentor and Allies are equally rare.

Clan Disciplines: Fortitude, Obfuscate, Thanatosis

Weakness: The Samedi, as mentioned, are putrid beyond words. Samedi characters have Appearance
ratings of 0, and automatically fail Appearance rolls.

Organization: The Samedi are too rare to be organized. They might cross each other’s paths occasionally
and trade stories, but no plan or schedules exists for these meetings, at least as far as anyone outside the
bloodline can tell.

Stereotypes
Camarilla: Careful. These jokers have a built-in reason to set us on fire, and they aren’t afraid to use it.
Sabbat: They’re more honest than the Camarilla, anyway. But I smell like a dead asshole already;
I don’t need to actually be a dead asshole.
Giovanni: Just because you’re older than me don’t mean I give a fuck what you think, dago.

The View From Without
Camarilla: We’re all agreed that our continued survival rests on the mortals not knowing about
us, right? How about we get rid of the walking, talking, Masquerade breach?
Sabbat: They follow the Baron, I prefer to dance with Erzulie. But it’s nice to know that the family still talks.
Giovanni: So they can stuff shit into their dead stomachs. That’s not Necromancy. That’s, like, biology.

True Brujah

The Clan Brujah that most Kindred know in the modern nights is not, according to legend, the true
lineage of the Antediluvian known as “Brujah.” The strange bloodline known as the True Brujah claim that
Brujah’s childe, Troile, committed diablerie upon him and stole control of the Clan. Brujah, it is
said, was not the hot-blooded warrior/scholar that many vampires associate with the Rabble, but rather a staid,
passionless introvert. Why, then, he chose to Embrace a maniac like Troile in the first place is a mystery that will likely
never be fully explained.
The True Brujah were never subject to a massive purge as the Salubri or the Cappadocians were, but they
don’t Embrace often and never recovered from the theft of their Clan status. Their city — the Carthage of Kindred myth,
in which vampires openly ruled over mortals — supposedly died out due to the treachery of Troile’s childer
(though other stories suggest demonic influence).
From there, the bloodline faded from history. A few notable members of the bloodline appear throughout history,
but by the modern nights only Kindred historians or those who chance to meet them can speak of their existence.
Whatever the truth of their origins, the True Brujah have remained a small but constant presence in Kindred society.
Sometimes they wear their true nature openly, while other times they claim membership in other Clans (stating their Clan
as “Brujah,” for example, and not bothering to correct the misapprehension that ensues). Their primary focus
is the pursuit of knowledge, and to that end they have made some strange alliances. The True Brujah occasionally
ally with the Followers of Set, and sometimes even provide services as consultants to the Sabbat in exchange for access
to secrets and locations normally closed to them.

Nickname: Sages

Sect: The Sages have become more or less independent. They follow the Camarilla’s rules when in their
cities, and avoid the Sabbat lest they become pressed into service or destroyed. While it isn’t impossible for a
True Brujah to join the Sword of Caine, most of them can’t summon up the necessary fervor.

Appearance: In nights past, the True Brujah were predominantly of Greek or North African descent. As
the centuries wore on, though, the Sages Embraced progeny from across Europe and, eventually, the New
World. In modern nights, True Brujah tend to dress professionally, the better to fit in with the academic
settings they prefer.

Haven: Some True Brujah maintain multiple havens around the world, which they use as they travel
pursuing whatever kind of knowledge they find most fascinating. Others stay closer to a given city, generally
with a centuries-old university or other center of learning nearby. In either case, their havens tend to be
clean, well-maintained, and austere.

Background: It’s not entirely accurate to say that the True Brujah only Embrace academics and scholars,
but it’s fairly rare for them to do otherwise. Sages sometimes Embrace out of curiosity or even spite, but
for the most part they choose people whose capacity of learning and accumulated knowledge will benefit their
sires.

Character Creation: Mental Attributes and Knowledges are usually primary. True Brujah sires instruct
their childer in the basics of Occult and some form of combat (it’s just not practical to be unable to fight).
Nature and Demeanor are often similar, if not identical, and never anything forceful or passionate.
Common Backgrounds include Resources, Contacts, and Herd.

Clan Disciplines: Potence, Presence, Temporis

Weakness: True Brujah lose much of their emotional capacity when they are Embraced, and their ability for
sympathy continues to deteriorate as they grow older. All Conscience and Conviction rolls are made at +2
difficulty (maximum 10), and ratings in Conscience, Conviction, Humanity, and Paths of Enlightenment
cost double the normal experience costs.

Organization: While their rarity precludes frequent meetings, the bloodline comes together twice a century
to discuss matters that affect them all. The eldest members of the bloodline determine the location and
specific time of the meeting. Outside of these larger meetings, many True Brujah stay in contact via letters,
whether handwritten or online.

Stereotypes
Camarilla: After a certain point, a system becomes self-sustaining, and even if it no longer has
any resemblance to its original purpose, it is too large to dismantle.
Sabbat: I strongly suspect that the future of all Kindred can be found in this Sect. I also hope I
am wrong.
Brujah: A misguided, angry thief is still a thief.

The View From Without
Camarilla: Yeah, they seem all smart and shit. My sire told me stories. Don’t trust ‘em, just
stake ‘em.
Sabbat: I spent a very pleasant evening conversation with one of their number some years back.
I lament that their temperament doesn’t induce them to join us. At least they are tactful.
Followers of Set: Our newest friends. We are still, I admit, at a loss for how best to tempt them.
They don’t seem to want anything.

Anda

The Anda were a Gangrel offshoot, created by a Methuselah called Dobrul the Brave. Dobrul, a wanderer
with great respect for the Mongol hordes, Embraced several of their warriors. These vampires became the
spirit warriors of the steppe, following the nomadic Mongol tribes and protecting them from outward
threats.
The Anda had intricate rites governing the Embrace of new Kindred. Once a candidate was selected, any
Anda in the area met for a discussion on that candidate’s qualities. The prospective Tartar had to be an
impressive warrior, but tempered enough in nature to understand that only by protecting his tribe
from outward supernatural threats could he keep it healthy enough to feed from. Once the decision
was made, the prospective sire would wash the candidate in a river, a ritual funerary bathing in the
Mongol tradition. He would then drain and Embrace the new vampire.
This kind of ritual and observance governed much of the Anda’s existence. Long and lonely nights wandering
the steppe, either with the Mongols or alone (and they did wander alone, sometimes even into Western
Europe), the Anda’s Beast was the only company. Small wonder that these Kindred viewed themselves as
spiritual warriors, their brutal ethos the only bulwark against madness and depredation.
The Anda made war against a variety of foes. They would join their nomad tribes against whatever enemies
they chose (as far as they could, since not all battles were fought at night). They also clashed with
native Chinese shapeshifters and vampires, and it was this latter group that proved the undoing of the Anda
in the 14th century. The bloodline’s heyday was the reign of Kublai Khan, and during this time they could
be found openly celebrating their undead nature in China. When Kublai died, the Anda fell into decline,
and in the modern nights none are known to exist.

Nickname: Tartars

Sect: Wandering Anda might join a particular vampire’s court, at least for a time, but their irresistible
push to keep moving prevented them from becoming permanent fixtures anywhere in Europe. In their own
lands, they watched over Mongol tribes called yasun, parasitically protecting and feeding from the mortals.

Appearance: The Anda Embraced exclusively from the Mongol tribes, so they were short, stocky, and bowlegged
from a lifetime of riding. The skin of an Anda faded to an odd brown-yellow following the Embrace.

Haven: The Anda dwelled on the steppe, far enough away from their yasun to avoid discovery, but close
enough to catch up with them when night fell. The truly monstrous or depraved among them did not protect
a tribe, but led a solitary unlife, feeding as opportunity permitted. These poor souls typically fell to torpor
from hunger, and if any Anda still exist, it is likely one of these horrors, sleeping buried in somewhere in
China.

Background: The Anda did not Embrace capriciously. They chose their candidates carefully, since
this choice made a statement about who would protect their people. All Anda were skilled horsemen, trackers,
warriors, and, to some degree, shamans.

Character Creation: Unlife on the steppe was harsh. Physical Attributes were generally primary, with Talents
and Skills sharing priority (especially martial ones — all Anda had some facility in Melee, Brawl, and
Survival). All of the Anda’s Disciplines were important, but neonate Anda generally found that learning
Earth Meld was a matter of survival.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Fortitude, Protean

Weakness: Like the Gangrel from which they were descended, Anda gained animal features from frenzying.
Unlike the Gangrel, though, Anda gained such a feature once every other frenzy. However, the Anda suffered
a further weakness — for each day after the third that an Anda slept within the same one-mile area, all
dice pools were halved (to a minimum pool of one).

Organization: On the night of the new moon, all Anda within a given radius met to discuss the movements
of their yasun and what kinds of threats might require their collective attention. The eldest Anda in
such a gathering was called the khan, and all others were expected to submit to his authority.

Stereotypes
High Clans: Strange tribes. Strange khans.
Low Clans: Some truly do seem low — diseased, mad, weak. And others I would glad call
brother.

The View From Without
High Clans: Savages that ride with the Tartars. The low-born know their own.
Low Clans: They wander the world, drinking only blood, sleeping in the dirt. They are closer to
Caine than I, then, and I thank them for it.

Cappadocians

The story of Clan Cappadocian is tragic, but illustrative of the parasitic cycle of Kindred existence. Nothing
lasts forever in vampiric circles, but nothing ever truly dies.
The Cappadocians were a Clan that focused on death and undeath. Their founder, an ancient known simply
as “Cappadocius” (“of Cappadocia”), did not attempt to rule his Clan. He asked only that they continue the
search for truth and the secrets of life and death. The Clan’s ancestral roots were rumored to be somewhere
in Asia Minor, but by the end of the Dark Ages they had spread throughout Europe. Known as scholars,
mystics, and necromancers, the Cappadocians were as firmly entrenched in the Cainite society of their time
as any of the Clans of the Camarilla are tonight. The Graverobbers expanded their knowledge base
by Embracing members of important families or promising scholars. By the 13th century they had inroads
across Europe, in monasteries, universities, and in the courts of royalty, but also members and ghouls among
the working classes. Everyone must eventually die, the Cappadocians realized, and every death was
potentially a lesson.
Their inclusive attitude may have spelled the Clan’s doom. They accepted a Venetian merchant
family called the Giovanni (the family’s propensity for summoning up and controlling ghosts had as much to do
with their Embrace as their skill with finance).
Over the following centuries, the Giovanni worked their way into the hierarchy of the Clan, until Augustus Giovanni
committed diablerie upon Cappadocius. Over the next few centuries, the Giovanni systematically destroyed the
remaining Cappadocians. In modern nights, only small remnants survive, such as the Harbingers of
Skulls. The lineage of these remnants is largely unknown.

Nickname: Graverobbers

Sect: The Cappadocians did not survive long enough to take a side in the Camarilla/Sabbat divide.

Appearance: The Graverobbers were pale and corpse-like, even for vampires. Their hair often darkened
slightly after the Embrace, giving them even more of an ethereal appearance. The Cappadocians dressed
appropriately for their station and role.

Haven: Cappadocians preferred a measure of solitude when choosing their havens. Although they had to stay
close enough to mortals to feed, they often chose quiet locales to make their homes — monasteries, crypts,
and even sewers or cisterns. The Cappadocians acting as scholars or advisors enjoyed a better standard of unlife,
but even they often chose places that mortals had no interest in exploring.

Background: As a general rule, the Cappadocians were not concerned with ethnicity or nationality when
Embracing, meaning that it wasn’t uncommon to find Moors, Jews, or even pagans brought into the Clan.
The Graverobbers were more inclined to Embrace people with an interest in death. That didn’t necessarily
mean causing death (though certainly they Embraced their share of soldiers and hunters), but scholars of the
afterlife and religion, gravediggers, priests, and hermits all found their way to Clan Cappadocian.

Character Creation: Mental Attributes and Knowledges were often primary, and rare was the Cappadocian
without at least a few dots of Occult. The Clan included warriors as well as scholars and priests, and
a Cappadocian who chose to be a tyrant could be a frightening creature indeed. For the most part, though,
the Clan tended more toward intellectual and spiritual pursuits, and choices of Abilities and Backgrounds reflected
that.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Fortitude, Necromancy

Weakness: As mentioned, the Cappadocians exhibited a deathly pallor, and this only worsened as the
vampire grew older. Young Cappadocians were able to pass for human (though mortals that knew what to
look for could pick them out easily), but elder Cappadocians showed shriveled skin and a much more withered
countenance.

Organization: Clan Cappadocian was, in its heyday, an important Clan historically. It claimed domain in
several important cities across Europe, and it wasn’t uncommon for Graverobbers to act as spiritual or mystical
advisors to other medieval Princes. Internally, the Clan had little strict hierarchy, though as the years
wore on the Clan’s core became more localized around the founder (which, in turn, allowed the Giovanni to
take it over).

Stereotypes
High Clans: We have seen the death of kings, and it is much like the death of peasants. But the
final resting places are grand, and maybe that makes the difference.
Low Clans: When towers have fallen and kings are thrown down, who will remember us? It will
be the low-blooded, and I hope they are kind in their eulogies.

The View From Without
High Clans: Noble and wise Cainites, though perhaps a bit too curious. Not every door need be
opened.
Low Clans: Pretenders. Do you want to know what death can really do? Come to my domain
and listen to the death-rattles.

Lamia

The Lamia were a bloodline of Cainites devoted to defending Clan Cappadocian. The founder of the
bloodline, Lamia, claimed to be a daughter of Lilith, Adam’s first wife. According to legend, a Cappadocian
elder named Lazarus found her performing sacred rites to Lilith, the Dark Mother. Impressed by her skill and
perhaps taken with her fierce beauty, he Embraced her. While she died and the Change took her, Lilith gave
her a vision, a deep understanding of her future and that of the Cappadocians. When she recovered, she
whispered something to Lazarus, and the Cappadocian elder fled in terror.
Lamia did find her way back to the Clan, though, and her bloodline became the guardians of the Cappadocians.
They were never very numerous, but important Graverobbers often had at least one Gorgon
standing at their side. The Lamia learned to feed sparingly, since their bite carried disease, and developed
their own path of Necromancy based on the four humors.
Over the centuries, they became an important resource for the Cappadocians. And yet, behind their
loyalty was perhaps a greater dedication to the Dark Mother and to the vision of their founder.
The Revelation of the Dark Mother seems to have led the line to tragedy, however. The Lamia died defending
the Cappadocians when the Giovanni subsumed the Clan. Augustus Giovanni murdered Lamia
herself following his diablerie of Cappadocius, and the last known member of the bloodline was destroyed in
1718 as part of a Camarilla blood hunt.

Nickname: Gorgons

Sect: The Lamia were somewhere between the High and Low Clans. They were not a Clan, but were considered
part of Clan Cappadocian in most Cainites’ understanding. Other Cainites, however, treated them
respectfully as servants or soldiers, both out of deference to their skills and to their patrons.

Appearance: The Lamia did not share the Cappadocians’ pallor. Many of them were of Mediterranean
or Semitic descent, though as the Cappadocians traveled across Europe with their Gorgon
bodyguards, other nationalities came into the bloodline as well. The bloodline was predominantly female,
but it wasn’t uncommon for Lamia to dress as men (usually armed and armored).

Haven: The Lamia shared havens with their Cappadocian patrons. When they made their own, they often chose
crypts and sarcophagi, preferring to be alone among the dead (feeding on the recently dead
also minimized their chance of starting an outbreak of plague).

Background: Since the Lamia Embraced women almost exclusively, they seldom had the chance to
Embrace trained warriors. Instead, the Gorgons often chose women who had some experience with death.
Women who had attempted or contemplated suicide, or had recently committed murder, were common
choices. Likewise, women with a pronounced interest in black magic or scholarly pursuits in general were
candidates for the Lamia Embrace. Training in combat could come after the gift of immortality.

Character Creation: All Lamia had some combat training, usually from their sires. Physical or Mental
Attributes might be primary, as were Skills. The Lamia also tended to have some familiarity with Occult, both
from the rites taught to them by their own bloodline and simply by proximity to the Cappadocians.

Clan Disciplines: Fortitude, Necromancy, Potence

Weakness: The Lamia carried the “Seed of Lilith,” a wasting disease spread by their bite. Anyone the Lamia
fed upon was required to make a Stamina roll (difficulty 6 for women, 8 for men). If the roll failed, the
victim contracted a Black Plague-like pox that was fatal within several days. Any vampire that consumed
Lamia blood became a carrier of the disease until all of the Lamia vitae had been purged from his body.

Organization: The sire-childe relationship in the Lamia was very strong, as most Lamia had to remain with
their sires for at least a year to achieve the necessary combat skill to be of use. Lamia remained the leader
of the bloodline until her destruction, but her first and most important order to her daughter was to serve the
Cappadocians.

Stereotypes
High Clans: Our masters’ fellows cannot be trusted. Bow, but with one hand on your blade.
Low Clans: Their humors are purer. Sometimes far too pure.

The View From Without
High Clans: The Graverobbers have their own class of bodyguards. Hmm. It’s sad that they
need them.
Low Clans: Something is horribly wrong with these plague-bringers.

Lhiannan

The Lhiannan boasted a strange creation story. They claimed that their founder — a vampire simply known
as the Crone — became bonded with a spirit of the forests. This spirit was a desperate, jealous being that
could apparently see that people would destroy the forests and burn the trees that comprised them. Joining
with an undying predator, then, was apparently the spirit’s attempt at dodging this fate. Whether or not
any of that is true, the Lhiannan did have a connection to the natural world that no other vampire, not even
the Gangrel, can equal.
Whenever a Lhiannan Embraced, a shard of that original spirit broke off and empowered the new Cainite.
This spirit-shard allowed Lhiannan to use their Ogham Discipline, which, in turn, enabled the style of unlife
that the Lhiannan enjoyed. It also made the Lhiannan territorial above all else, and the Druids were quite
limited in their mobility. The Lhiannan, much like the Telyavelic Tremere (see p. 438) found common cause
with the pagan peoples of Europe. This, unfortunately, put them into conflict with Cainites and mortals who
followed the Christian faith.
The bloodline was never numerous (especially since creating a new Lhiannan meant that the sire grew
weaker), but the fires of the Inquisition and the spread of the Christian religion took a harsh toll on the Druids.
By the end of the 14th century, they had all been destroyed. In modern times, though, Gangrel trade
rumors of powerful Kindred in European forests decorated with strange, bloody symbols, so perhaps some
of them survived — or perhaps the forest spirit that initially created the bloodline has resurfaced.

Nickname: Druids

Sect: The Lhiannan did not survive to see the dawning of the Sabbat or the Camarilla. In historical
nomenclature, they were decidedly on the Low Clan side of the social divide, and most Cainites
probably wouldn’t have known them from the Gangrel. Lhiannan rarely joined coteries, limited
as they were in mobility.

Appearance: The Druids resembled the native people of the regions of Europe that they called home —
the British Isles, for the most part.

Haven: The Lhiannan made their havens in the forests of Europe, constructing simple dwellings or
finding natural shelter. They would sometimes find a man-made haven and kill or enslave the inhabitants,
or very rarely eke out an existence on the periphery of human civilization by taking the role of a shaman or
wise woman.

Background: Since performing the Embrace meant growing weaker, the Druids only created childer out
of sheer loneliness or when they found someone who truly impressed them. A pagan spirit-speaker with real
devotion to her craft, or a woodsman with impeccable respect for the forests might be enough to get a Lhiannan’s
attention. The Lhiannan refused to Embrace Christians, Jews, or Muslims.

Character Creation: All Lhiannan were capable of surviving in the wilderness, and so Physical Attributes,
Skills, and Talents were important. A Lhiannan acting as a counsel to a mortal settlement was likely to have
higher Social Attributes and appropriate Abilities. Herd and Retainers (animals) were common Backgrounds.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Ogham, Presence

Weakness: The Lhiannan were part nature spirit, and the mark of their inhumanity ran strong within
them. All difficulties to detect their nature via Auspex were reduced by two, and even normal humans felt
vaguely uncomfortable in their presence. Additionally, any Lhiannan who left her territory became agitated
— all dice pools were reduced by one die per week (to a minimum of the character’s Stamina) that she was
gone. Once she re-entered her territory, her dice pools returned to normal within a few hours.
The rumors surrounding the Lhiannan and their desperation likely formed from their inherent weakness.
Every Lhiannan, from the moment of the Embrace, feels the shard of spirit within her. The sire feels the weakness as she
shares her own spirit with her newly-made childe. When a Lhiannan Embraces, her Generation raises by one at the
conclusion of the Embrace. For example, if a Ninth Generation Lhiannan Embraces a childe, her blood becomes Tenth
Generation blood. The newly-Embraced childe also carries Tenth Generation blood. The sire becomes a generational
sibling with her new childe. The eldest known Lhiannan wonder how the bloodline propagated in spite of this flaw,
but if any have the answer, they’re not sharing. Lhiannan draw strength from nature, and their power
diminishes within urban areas. For each week a Lhiannan spends outside of the wild, her dice pools are reduced by
one. These penalties are cumulative, but can never reduce a dice pool lower than her unmodified
Stamina. The Lhiannan must sleep a full day in the wilds to remove all the penalties upon waking.

Organization: Once a Lhiannan Embraced a childe, she generally kept the new vampire around for a few
years until that childe was ready to fend for himself (and the novelty of having someone else around wore off).
The sire would then send the childe away to find his own haven and territory. The Lhiannan were generally
aware of members of their bloodline whose territories were adjacent, but there was no system of communication
in place. This, of course, may have contributed to their eventual destruction.

Stereotypes
High Clans: No one who wears such heavy, false robes or who shies away from blood is a
leader to me.
Low Clans: By accepting the title of “low,” they show it to be accurate.

The View From Without
High Clans: Watch, my childe. This is history happening before your eyes.
Low Clans: Hunt as you please, but spare the mad, the women heavy with child, and anyone
who lives near the eastern forests. And stay far from those woods, especially as you wear the
cross.

Noiad

Few Kindred have ever beheld the Northern Lights. The trek to the far reaches of the world, in a place inhospitable
to man, beast, or vampire, with no reliable way to feed is enough to put even the most curious
Cainite off the idea. And yet, a bloodline of vampires managed to dwell close enough to see these lights on
a regular basis. This line — the Noiad — felt it was their sacred duty to witness the Northern Lights and
interpret the will of the gods. Their mortal charges, a nomadic tribe called the Samí, lived in fear
and awe of their godlike protectors.
The Noiad defended the Samí from outside threats, both natural and supernatural,
and acted as shamans and teachers for these wanderers. In return, the Samí gave of
their blood and kept the Noiad safe during the long months with no darkness.
Of course, the touch of the Kindred corrupts everything. The Noiad protected the Samí from monsters
from the wastes, and their blood allowed the mortals to survive times of famine, but the Wanderers
also refused to allow their mortal herds to change or improve. Interlopers were turned aside
or killed, regardless of their intentions. When it became clear that the march of Christianity (and
Lasombra working within the Church) could not be stopped, the Noiad pushed the Samí further
north, away from the herds that would sustain them and away from the dawning of a new
era. Whether the Noiad saw something in the Northern Lights that spurred them to this decision,
or whether it was simply fear of change, is not important in the end. The Noiad drove the
Samí almost to destruction.

Nickname: Wanderers

Sect: The Noiad never belonged to a Sect, and were largely apart from the vampire politics of the day (at
least until war pushed far enough north to inconvenience them). As a Gangrel offshoot, other Cainites
would have considered them a Low Clan, on the rare occasion that other Cainites learned enough about
them to have opinions at all.

Appearance: The Noiad dwelled openly among the Samí, and Embraced exclusively from this population.
Most Noaid were dark-haired and strongly built from their demanding lifestyles pre-Embrace. Their skin
tone, of course, tended to be lighter than their stillliving comrades.

Haven: The Samí constructed mobile “havens” that could be dragged behind them as they traveled by day.
If terrain or numbers made this impossible, the Samí would watch in awe as their heavenly protectors sank
into the earth, only to rejoin them the next night.

Background: The Samí selected for Embrace tended to be those with talent for divination, as well as dream
and star interpretation. The Noiad also watched children descended from families that included at least one
vampire, looking for the traits they favored. Physicality was not a primary concern, but only because Samí that
were not physically capable of thriving in the harsh climates didn’t live long enough to be considered for
the Embrace anyway.

Character Creation: Physical Attributes weren’t necessarily primary, but tended to be no worse than
average. All Noiad had good ratings in Survival and Animal Ken, and at least a dot or two in Athletics, and
Melee. Finally, all Noiad had at least a dot of the Herd Background.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Protean

Weakness: The Noiad were so intrinsically tied to the Samí and to their role as the divine protectors of
the tribe that one of the legends about them came true. The Samí’s protectors, it was said, could not sup from
animals, but could only take sustenance from the blood of the chosen (that is, the Samí). The Noiad, in fact,
could not drink from animals, though they were capable of drinking from any mortal or Cainite, regardless
of nationality or ethnicity.

Organization: The Noiad usually saw one another when they came to witness the Northern Lights (this
also gave them the opportunity to make sure the gods were all telling them the same things). The Noiad also
used animals, either ghouls or those controlled by the Animalism Discipline, to keep in some kind of contact.

Stereotypes
High Clans: They can pretend to know of their god’s mind all they want. They wrote the book,
and they want to claim their god did it. I know this trick.
Low Clans: Too many have already been fooled. The ones that haven’t know to leave us
alone.

The View From Without
High Clans: They know more of the truth than they realize. I have no doubt that God speaks to
them in the lights at the end of the world. I just doubt they truly hear Him.
Low Clans: The wolf that hides in the flock must remember that it is not, itself, a sheep.