Vampyre (Race)

## Notes

Undead

Past Earth

Races of Earth

Earth

Vampyres were created by Cain, who was said to have been cursed by God with a vampiric state for murdering his brother.

It is said that Cain was able to pass on his cursed state to others, thereby, making them like himself only somewhat weaker. These first childer, known as the second generation, were said to have been made to keep him company, and they in turn made the third generation. The third were numbered thirteen and are the founders of the thirteen original clans. All of these vampires lived in peace under Cain's rule in the legendary city known as Enoch, or the First City. When God caused the Great Flood, however, the city was destroyed and Cain disappeared, leaving his Childer to fend for themselves. The third generation eventually rose up and slew their sires.  These myths are collected in the Book of Nod. According to Noddist mythology there are claims that Cain will return at the end of time to judge his descendants: the Antediluvians and all vampires descended from them. This event is known as The Reckoning, the end of all vampiric races.

Differing interpretations of the myths divide vampire society. The Sabbat, for example, take the myths quite literally and believe that it is their purpose to defend vampires from the depredations of the ancients. The Camarilla is more dismissive, either claiming that Cain is nothing more than a myth or metaphor or outright suppressing the myths and their study. Contentions between the different societies surrounding the origins of vampires and Reckoning are important motivations for the Jyhad that color the vampyre's understanding of their world.

Fledgling

Ancilla

Elder

Methuselah

The Sects...

* The Camarilla — Nicknamed the "Ivory Tower", the Camarilla strictly adheres to a set of ancient laws known as the Traditions. The Camarilla was created as a reaction to the Inquisition and sees its purpose as maintaining the Masquerade as a means of ensuring the survival of all Kindred. The Traditions are enforced and order in each jurisdiction (usually one city in the mortal world) maintained by a powerful leader known as a Prince. It is the Prince's duty to interpret the Traditions and act as judge, jury, and executioner. The Camarilla describes itself in idealistic terms suggesting it is a genteel society of undead peers but harbors a vast, complex, and rigid hierarchy that breeds ancient rivalries and vicious political machinations. The Camarilla actively denies or suppresses myths about The Reckoning and the race's legendary ancient founders.Camarilla vampires refer to themselves (and all other vampires) as "Kindred" as a means of reminding themselves of their origins in humanity. Camarilla vampires often refer to humans as 'Kine', an archaic term for cattle.
* The Sabbat — Nicknamed the "Sword of Cain", the Sabbat was formed during the Anarch Revolt in response to the oppressive rule of the Elder vampires. The Sabbat do not openly follow the Traditions but instead adhere to a system of self-rule, freedom, and interdependence as outlined in the Code of Milan. The Sabbat actively believe that The Reckoning is real and it is their duty to protect Cainites. The Sabbat believe themselves superior to humans and ultimately believe that they should rule over the human world rather than hide from it. Many have a flagrant disregard for human life which is evinced in the brutal tactics they use in the Jyhad. While anyone may ostensibly claim membership in the Camarilla the Sabbat have brutal initiation rites where characters must prove their loyalty. They also practice cult-like rituals and a form of ceremonial group Blood Bonding, called Vaulderie, to ensure loyalty.
* *The Independents* — The Independent Clans operate outside of the Camarilla or the Sabbat. Many of them function like small-scale Sects, such as the Followers of Set or the Giovanni, with specific agendas in mind. Others, such as the Ravnos are more individualistic. The Assamites lie between these extremes, having a centralized hierarchy in the Middle East, but generally operating as freelance mercenaries. These are the only four proper Clans to be regarded as independent.
* A vampire who rejects all associations with any sect and clan is known as "Autarkis".

The Thirteen Clans...

* Assamite: A cult of undead assassins based in the middle east. They kill for hire and possess a specialized Discipline called Quietus, which aids in stealth and killing. Assamites are largely independent of sects.
* Brujah: In ancient times, the Brujah were a clan of noble philosophers and warrior-poets. Since the loss of their city of Carthage, which was their crowning achievement, they have become a clan of malcontents, rebels, rogues, and anti-authoritarians. Brujah possess great passion, but this same passion makes it harder for them to resist the Beast. Brujah are one of the seven founding clans of the Camarilla.
* Followers of Set: A clan of cultists who worship their Antediluvian progenitor, the Egyptian snake god Set. They are masters of secret and forbidden lore and foster corruption and desperation in the world as part of their worship of their god. Their signature Discipline is Serpentis which allows them to take on aspects of snakes. Setites are especially sensitive to light and take twice as much damage from sunlight as other Kindred. Followers of Set independent of the sects considering themselves a sect unto themselves.
* Gangrel: A clan of animalistic shape-shifters who shun the cities for the wilderness beyond. Independent and more interested in their own survival the Gangrel prefer to run with wild animals rather than play politics with others of their kind. Gangrel are masters of the Discipline Protean which allows them to change their bodies into bestial shapes. When Gangrel frenzy they begin to resemble the Beast taking on animal features and disfigurements. Gangrel are one of the seven founding clans of the Camarilla.
* Giovanni: The Giovanni originate from a wealthy Venetian merchant family of necromancers whose patriarch, Augustus Giovanni, was embraced into clan Cappodocian. Giovanni exterminated the parent clan, Diablerized its founder, and founded a new clan but in doing so gained the enmity of the larger Kindred community. Branded "Devil Kindred" the Giovanni were able to make peace with the rest of the clan by swearing to remain neutral in the Jyhad. The Giovanni are tight-knit, highly organized, and embrace only within certain mortal families. The Giovanni appear to be only interested in wealth and necromancy but these are simply a means to an end.
* Lasombra: Darkly aristocratic vampires who see power over others and self-mastery as their noblesse oblige. As one of the two founding clans of the Sabbat they gained notoriety for allegedly destroying their Antediluvian founder. The Lasombra practice a Discipline known as Obtenebration that allows them to manipulate shadows and darkness. Perhaps as a result of their signature Discipline they do not appear in mirrors or on film that uses mirrors in its development.
* Malkavian: A clan of lunatics whose madness grants them strange insight. Their Discipline of Dementation allows them to spread their insanity like a plague (prior to the third edition, knowledge of this Discipline was suppressed within the Camarilla). All members of this clan are insane in one manner or another. They are one of the seven founding clans of the Camarilla.
* Nosferatu: Clan Nosferatu are doomed to wear their bestial nature on the outside. The Embrace turns its victims into hideous and deformed monsters who are marginalized by their appearance and forced to dwell in the shadows of the sewers. Their lives on the fringes and their stealthy abilities allow them to learn secrets others would rather keep hidden; and as a result, they often traffic in information. All Nosferatu are hideously ugly and obviously monsters to the point that appearing openly would break the Masquerade. They are one of the founding members of the Camarilla.
* Ravnos: Clan Ravnos have reputations as outcasts and troublesome thieves and charlatans. While some among them follow Indian spiritual beliefs of cycles of incarnation others are simple opportunists taking advantage of whatever chaos can be had. Ravnos rarely embrace those not of Eastern European Romani backgrounds. They practice a special Discipline known as Chimestry which allows them to create illusions. All Ravnos indulge in a particular vice as their clan weakness. The Ravnos are independent.
* Toreador: A clan of sensitive, artistic, and sometimes debauched hedonists fascinated by the mortal world and its artistic creations. The Toreador are enthralled by the ever-changing mortal world and are one of the few clans, as a whole, to seek to keep up with it. Toreador often Embrace for beauty or to preserve some artistic talent. Beauty can utterly captivate them causing them to become immobilized and unable to act for a period of time. They are one of the founding seven clans of the Camarilla.
* Tremere: A clan of blood sorcerers and mages originally belonging to the Order of Hermes. The Tremere gained their immortal status by experimenting with Tzimisce Vitae. Their ambitious founder Diablerized the Antediluvian of the former clan Salubri, solidifying the Tremere's status as a clan.
* Tzimisce: Otherworldly and scholarly, the Tzimisce ruled over their lands in Eastern Europe for centuries. Like the Lasombra, the Tzimisce also claim to have destroyed their founder and are pillars of the Sabbat. Alien but mystical, the Tzimisce use their unique flesh and bone shaping Discipline of Vicissitude to transform themselves into superior beings. The Tzimisce are deeply tied to the lands where they were Embraced. If they do not rest within proximity of at least two handfuls of the land where they were born or Embraced they become increasingly debilitated.
* Ventrue: The aristocrats and king of vampires having historically played a leadership role among the clans. Clan Ventrue seek power and wealth to support their legacy of rulership over Kindred and Kine. Ventrue, as a clan, may only feed from a specific kind of vessel.
* Independents are known as Antitribu

## Heroes

Blade

Vampirella

## Villains

Cain

Dracula

Lillith

### The Thirteen

Dracula

Lillith

### The Ventrue

Dracula

Lillith