Amaros

Ishtar

The Amaros, also known as the Artists or the Degenerates, are a clan of vampires renowned for being the most artistic, beautiful, and sensual in the world. Infamous for being fueled by passion and fancy, the Amaros have inspired tales of vampires who seduce and beguile mortals with charm and beauty.

The Amaros are widely known as one of the pillars of the Masquerade, their staunch support of it a necessity, given that it enables the cultivation of vampiric culture and society that they so fervently cling to.

## Organization

### Guilds

The Amaros do not possess a strict formal hierarchy like some other clans do. However, that does not mean they utterly forgo organization and isolate themselves from each other. Instead, Amaros within a given city or county will typically group themselves into Guilds.

Guilds are regional groupings which most Amaros who reside in a particular area will be members of. Amaros who move to a new area typically seek out membership within the local guild, or, in the cases that the newcomer is so talented the Guild actively desires them to join, a member of the Guild will seek them out and extend an invitation. Once a Guild member moves out from its territory, they lose their membership, though many often retain connections they forged while there, and if they return, they will typically be treated as members once more.

While it is rare, some Guilds do forge for themselves actual names for themselves, such as "The New York Painters Guild" or "The Augustine Society", and selecting a particular art form to focus upon. However, such things tend to exclude other groups of Amaros within the city, which usually lead to them leaving or fostering division within the clan. Such practice often leads to secondary and tertiary guilds popping up within a city, composed of the group neglected artist types.

Guilds generally function as social clubs and conduits for networking, and rarely does an entire Guild rally to the defense of a single member. However, any friends that Guild member should happen to make while there do generally come to their aid if need be.

Guilds technically have no official leaders, but typically do have a few old (most likely talented) and influential leaders that others vie to impress. Their whims often dictate the most prominent art styles within the guild, and as such, young neophytes may rise and fall in prominence from night to night. Oftentimes, younger Amaros will seek to become apprenticed to their maiori or dolescii elders, in order to learn from them their craft, and in so doing, elevate themselves by bolstering their own skills.

#### Cliques

The term "clique" is one that has arisen within recent decades. It refers to small groups of Amaros within a Guild, who separate themselves into more distinct social groups. Cliques can include many different categories, such as a small circle of elders who have naught but age in common, a group of neophytes and dolescii who embrace the electronic arts.

### Affairs

Amaros hold fairly frequent gatherings known as "affairs". These may range from small meetings between a city's elders to Guild wide gatherings that include the humblest of neophytes. As a general rule, anyone who receives an invitation to or hears about an affair may attend if they choose, or abstain if they wish. However, there are certain more exclusive affairs where word is only given out only to certain clan members, who generally neglect to spread the word of them, meaning that a great deal are left out.

Affairs are generally occur whenever an Amaros sends out an invitation inviting others to attend. This individual, if they send out such invitations, will be expected to do their utmost as host to the affair, and provide their guests with entertainment, mortals to feed one, and places to display their artwork. The latter is absolutely essential, as not only do Amaros attend to mingle and gossip, but also to show off their talents, be it singing, paintings, or playing of an instrument. Hosts will most likely be expected to have places for paintings to be placed, or small stage areas where performers may ply their craft. As such, hosting an affair requires a considerable amount of wealth.

Affairs serve as an excellent place to gain prestige with fellow clan members. Whilst there, young Amaros can gain the attention of their elders by flaunting their social skills, showing their wit, simply allowing others to bask in their beauty, or most importantly of all, showing off their artistic talent.

In addition to being a place where Amaros may show off and gain prestige, they are also places where information and gossip is exchanged. Tales of how a young Vetala made a fool of himself may be made mock of by the entire gathering, or whispers of how a Torvic has made a deal with the werewolves outside the city may pass through hushed circles. All in all, affairs often serve as a dangerous web of rumors and gossip that can entangle the unwary, but also provide a path to power for those who know how to pull its strings.

Affairs also serve as political tools to use against rivals, both inside and outside the clan. Rarely are other Kindred invited to attend, and those that do and conduct themselves poorly can be used to slander whoever invited them, or manipulate the gullible outsider into inadvertently letting delicate secrets slip. Another common tactic is for two rivals to send out invitations for an affair on the same night, allowing whoever has more attendants the chance to mock their rival over their lack of popularity.

#### Balls

Balls are more formal affairs, generally only hosted by clan elders. Balls are only hosted about once a month, typically near the time of the full moon, though many elders enjoy altering the schedule to suit their whims, simply to flaunt their status.

Balls share many of the same traits as ordinary affairs, such as gossip and the chance to flaunt one's skills, but they often have a distinctly more formal air to them. Balls typically involve discussions regarding the guild's attention on art forms, promising artists in need of financial support, and other important matters of interest to the clan.

#### Grand Balls

Grand Balls are larger versions of balls, and entail coordination from multiple guilds, who work together to host a ball that includes members of Clan Amaros from across the continent, is held once every year, typically on Halloween. In olden nights, the city where the Grand Ball was to be hosted was determined in a long series of debates and offerings, but in modern times, Amaros around the world have settled for a random lottery to determine the city. This, however, often entails the local elders battling out among themselves who is to host, as other representatives of Guilds from around the continent converge on the city to assist in making preparations.

#### Carnivale

Since the late eighteenth century, once every twenty three years, Amaros from around the world converge on a single city for a single, massive gathering known as the Carnivale. In theory, all Amaros from around the world are able to attend, though in practice, only a representative or two from each Guild sends someone to this particular affair. Like Grand Balls, Carnivales are in modern nights selected randomly, and elders of the chosen city squabble even more fiercely among themselves to be the chosen host.

### Artistes and Poseurs

Members of the Amaros Clan can usually be divided into two categories: Artistes and Poseurs. Artistes are those gifted with talents of a traditional art forms, such as sculptors, writers, singers, and painters. Such individuals often believe themselves to be the true inheritors and upholders of the clan's legacy. Poseurs, on the other hand, are often those of lesser artistic talent, or those who were Embraced due to wit, physical beauty, or simply due to the passing fancy of their sire. Poseurs must find other ways to advance themselves, often taking to Kindred politics, or become patrons and critics of the arts they themselves cannot produce.

## Culture

### Embrace

The most common reason one of the kine is Embraced into the Amaros clan is due to artistic talent. A sire with no skills in the arts themselves may still gain prestige from being the one to bring a promising young artist into the clan. Such Artistes are both blessed and cursed, as they are far more secure in the attention and interest of their sires, which can be both boon and a bane.

Those who end up as Poseurs are less secure than their Artiste brethren. They will typically be Embraced from the ranks of businessmen, critics, or those who are simply blessed with good looks. Oftentimes, such individuals are brought into the clan in a simple fit of passion or obsession by their sire, who, after going through the effort to secure permission from whoever rules their city to Embrace them, may find they have suddenly grown bored of their new childe, and seek to be rid of them as soon as possible. Such cases are not always guaranteed, but many among the Amaros are whimsy and capricious, which is often the result of the constant struggle to retain one's humanity.

### Social Relations

#### Vampires

Among their fellow Kindred, the Amaros are renowned as socialites. The reputation is not undeserved, as with their gifts of both Auspex and Presence, the Amaros are more suited than any other Kindred to both interpret and manipulate the moods and deeds of others. Due to the social mastery so many of them possess, they, more than any other clan, serve as Keepers of Elysium across the world.

Amaros are often regarded as vain and ridiculous by other vampires, and this suits most of them perfectly well, whether they wish to be avoided due to their perceived traits, or trick other vampires into underestimating them. Many other Kindred, especially experienced ones, are quite privy to the manipulative mastery held by many Amaros, and know to be especially wary around them.

#### Humans

Of all the clans, the Amaros are among the most in touch with their humanity. They, unlike many other Kindred, often mingle frequently with mortals, attending parties and art galleries, often forging public identities for themselves to allow them to move through mortal society. Such things allow many Amaros to bask in the adoration of mortals, but also brings with it the complication of having to fake their deaths every few years, or otherwise withdraw into seclusion.

The Amaros are so attracted to mortals mainly due to the passion and inspiration they possess, which helps remind an old vampire what it was to be alive, and instill within them reasons to continue their existence.

While it is rare, some Amaros end up keeping their own mortal families. If they were recently Embraced, this could be composed of their biological relatives, while older ones may take mortal lovers and even adopt mortal children. Such things hold many struggles, however. The choice between keeping one's family in the dark about one's nature, lying to and deceiving them, and revealing one's identity and risking exposure is a hard one. Another choice which often arises is whether or not to feed on one's relatives. Most agree that to do so would be horrific, a sure step towards the slide into depravity, whilst others view the ecstasy of the Kiss as something they'd wish to share with their mortal lovers.

### Beauty and Art

Beauty is the cornerstone of the Amaros clan. The obsession with it lies within their very blood. Each Amaros finds that beauty inspires their passions, and passions allow them to remain close to their humanity. For most members of the clan, art is the beauty which they obsess over. As such, love of art is pervasive throughout the clan, and one's ability to create it is often pivotal towards gaining status.

Art within the clan takes a variety of different forms. Prestigious, crafty art forms such as sculpting and painting are the most commonly revered, but the clan boasts a great number of writers, poets, singers, and even martial artists within its ranks who are highly valued. Within recent decades, there has been a great deal of debate among the clan on what should be considered art, with many elders staunchly refusing to accept modern electronic arts and the like (to the exasperation of the neophytes), while a rare few throw themselves into these new forms with rapt fascination.

## Clan Curse

The curse of Clan Amaros is their lack of reflection. Supposedly, this the result of the blinding vanity of their Antediluvian founder, who according to ancient legend would spend long hours gazing at his own reflection. Due to his pride and self obsession, his descendants have no such luxury.

For creatures so lovely as members of the Amaros Clan, this curse seems particularly monstrous. To be so beautiful, yet unable to gaze upon oneself. In ancient days, this prompted many Amaros to commission sculptures and paintings of themselves, simply so they could gaze upon their own faces. With the advent of the photograph, however, there came a new and exciting way to view oneself.

Due to their inability to see what they look like, many Amaros utilize ghouls and other servants to maintain their appearance, whilst others relish the challenge of being able to try and make oneself presentable without the use of a mirror.

## Clan Disciplines

### Auspex

Auspex is used by the Amaros for its massive social benefits. Going beyond the basic use of Auspex, enhancing one's senses, it can be employed to read the emotions, and, at higher levels, the very thoughts of other people, a skill which many Amaros make full use of in order to gain insight into the minds of those they seek to manipulate.

### Celerity

Celerity, the gift of supernatural speed, as one might expect, has tremendous combat applications. It is the primary line of physical defense for any Amaros who is threatened, allowing them to either flee before their attackers can react, to gracefully avoid attacks, or to unleash their own rapid flurry of destruction. However, Celerity is often additionally employed by the Amaros in their art, allowing them to make rapid drawings, or to perform feats of athleticism that would otherwise be impossible.

### Presence

Presence is the signature ability of the Amaros. Whilst other clans do possess proficiency with it, it is the Amaros who are its true masters. With their use of Presence, they can enthrall the masses, make themselves revered and worshiped as the divine. They also may use it to instill absolute terror in their enemies, causing those who rise against them to out of the jealousy that so many non-Amaros display to flee in fear or crumple into shivering heaps upon the ground.