Brujah Ghouls

The Brujah Clan’s quick-tempered reputation often leads other Clans to wonder how they retain any semblance of control over their ghouls. Brujah ghouls tend to be at the mercy of their domitors, and their treatment is often governed by ideology more so than their individual actions.

Some Brujah vampires avoid the blood bond altogether, because they are philosophically opposed to the removal of their free will. This, however, isn’t true among all members of the Clan, and it has not stopped them cultivating ghouls as they see fit. For example, some Brujah domitors might groom candidates for Embrace, while others feel that tactic is especially cruel as it forces a potential childe into a form of slavery.

Though the treatment and selection of ghouls tends to be more varied in this Clan than in any other, all Brujah domitors tend to share one common trait: a need to connect, through their ghouls, to their individual causes. While no vampire would treat their ghouls as their equals, they might give off that impression. In fact, Brujah domitors often pretend to share the burdens of oppression with their prospective ghouls by championing causes alongside them. A Brujah domitor doesn’t always choose the side of the weak or defenseless, as both he and his ghoul could be found demonstrating support for a dictator just as well as siding against police brutality. In the midst of a crowd of protesters, both ghoul and domitor might stand shoulder-to-shoulder, holding signs or whipping the mob into a frenzy. Or a domitor might swoop in as a benevolent financial backer or mysterious donor to help fund her ghoul’s efforts.

The other commonality that Brujah domitors tend to share is based on vampiric age. Younger Brujah domitors, regardless of Generation, often get wrapped up in trying to control their tempers and their passions. The fires that rage in their blood make it difficult for new Brujah to master their impulses, and this is reflected in how they treat their ghouls. Some domitors, such as those among the wild Brujah antitribu, don’t bother teaching self-control techniques to their ghouls, while others are obsessed with the idea. In general, Brujah domitors tend to worry more about their Clan weakness if they’ve tasked their ghouls with protecting their havens or blending into vampire society to feed information back to them. After all, Brujah ghouls who cannot maintain control over their tempers are less useful than those who can.

Despite any illusions of loyalty, ghouls might mistake their domitors’ interest as a sign of their shared connection or even love. However, while a Brujah ghoul might dedicate his entire life to overthrowing an oppressive government or trying to institute fair wages for the working class, his master might lose interest, especially if a cause cannot be championed due to mounting opposition or hazy solutions to the original problem. Of course, if a purported rival is involved, such as a Ventrue lord, a domitor has another reason to rebel and keep up the good fight that goes beyond any feigned sentiment the vampire might profess to have.

While Brujah ghouls may be treated respectfully, they are also the most likely to feel betrayed by their masters when their attention wanes. Thus, it is not uncommon for Brujah ghouls to become independent. This, too, depends upon a variety of factors ranging from the strength of the blood bond to the domitor’s allegiance to the rest of the Clan or Sect. When a Bound ghoul’s domitor becomes more embroiled in vampire politics, for example, a union leader ghoul who had spent years devoted to his cause may be forced to obey his master. Some Anarch Brujah domitors may set their ghouls free, giving them the opportunity to find their own way as independent ghouls. Other masters will conveniently shift their ghouls’ attentions to their own fights, and slowly stop giving their servants the freedom they once enjoyed.

Brujah ghouls are employed in a variety of roles, similar to how they might be used in other Clans. For most Brujah domitors, however, they tend to be selfish with their ghouls and think about how they might best serve them as opposed to the Clan as a whole. An Anarch Brujah who often travels doesn’t have the same concerns as an elder who has an estate to maintain. Thus, the tasks a ghoul performs may be specific to a domitor’s wishes, but it is not uncommon to find ghouls who have been trained to multi-task and run a variety of errands.

**Appearance:** Regardless of which background or culture Brujah ghouls hail from, they tend to favor clothing reflective of their local counter-culture. Typically, Brujah ghouls might adorn themselves in confrontational slogans or symbols designed to provoke whomever they’re fighting against. Since Brujah domitors don’t select ghouls based on any one particular cause, their ghouls might also wear uniforms, suits, or other clothes that denote their career choices.

**Character Creation:** Brujah ghouls might be gang leaders, radical activists, and sociopolitical professors just as easily as they might be government agents, police officers, and talk radio pundits. Though the Brujah might give the impression that they select ghouls based on sheer passion alone, they are far more selective than they’re given credit for. Thus, when creating a Brujah ghoul, think about what the character did prior to becoming one. Vocal ghouls might favor Social Attributes and Talents, whereas more hands-on ghouls favor Physical Attributes and Skills. Allies and Contacts, however, are common backgrounds.

**Weakness:** Brujah blood carries with it the same inflammation of passion that the Clan is well-known for. Brujah ghouls suffer from the Short Fuse Flaw on page 486 of V20.

**Quote:** “Get up off your ass and protest with me! Apathy is for the weak.”