Ventrue

**Nickname:** Blue Bloods

## Sect

To hear the Ventrue tell it, the very idea of the Camarilla
originated with them. Every other Clan realized what an invaluable
proposition it was and flocked to their banner.

Throughout history, while the other Clans have skulked about their
petty intrigues, the Ventrue have curried favor with Caesar, whispered
into the ear of Charlemagne, bankrolled the Age of Exploration, and even
 swayed policy in the Holy See. Theirs is a legacy of rulership, from
Ventrue fledglings starting their climb to the top to the mightiest
elders whose influence spans the world. Long have they played kingmaker
in the shadows in the mortal world, and long have they been the Clan of
Kings among the Kindred.

 Other Clans, of course, find all this insufferably pompous at best,
 punishably tedious at worst. Someone has to lead, surely, but why does
it always have to be some long-winded, self-aggrandizing Ventrue? The
Blue Bloods try to bear the criticism of their lessers with a sense of
noblesse oblige -- ever heavy hangs that head that wears the crown --
but even the most munificent of Kindred leaders occasionally succumbs to
 tyranny and bloody rage.

 Tonight, the Ventrue are a synthesis of the modern and the ancient,
 often in stark contrast within the Clan and among one another. Theirs
is money of old, from the vaults of Croesus, but their young manipulate
stock markets and influence currencies. Elders may command armies or
even whole governments, while neonates conjure their assets from a
website or smartphone app. But for all their wealth, their distinguished
 history, and their status among the Damned, each and every Ventrue must
 still seek that one resource that makes Kindred society egalitarian:
Precious blood.

Clan Disciplines:
DOMINATE, FORTITUDE, PRESENCE

## Appearance

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

## Havens

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

## Background

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

## Character Creation

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

## Clan Weakness

The Ventrue have rarified tastes, and they find only one specific type
of mortal blood palatable and vital for them. When a player creates a
Ventrue character, he should decide with the Storyteller what specific
type of blood suits the character, and this choice is permanent. Blood
of other types (even animals) simply offers the vampire no blood pool
increase, no matter how much he consumes -- he simply vomits it back up.
 This refined palate may be very narrow or very broad -- say, the blood
of younger sisters, or the blood of debased clergy. Vampiric blood is
exempt from this restriction.

## Organization

The Clan-wide organization of the Ventrue is localized and feudal, with
various universally understood peerages, vassalages, oaths of fealty,
and sworn boons taking the place of a rigid hierarchy. Many Ventrue
style themselves as secret masters of their domains, consolidating power
 in long-standing networks and forming conspiracies. The Ventrue greatly
 value propriety and honor, and use many forms of address and respect --
 their Laws of Decorum are complex and rigid, and could fill several
volumes. The Ventrue in a given region meet often, though their convocations
resemble salons or debates and tend to result in more talk than action.
Of course, this ponderous discourse is the only "civilized" way to
resolve an issue, and impulsive or rash Kindred often chafe under the
clan's rigidity. Younger, impatient Ventrue have been known to mount
direct challenges to an "old boy's" holdings and position, which is
considered the height of treachery and rudeness - unless, of course, the
 upstart wins.