Malifician (Bloodline)

#### The Official History

A splinter group from methuselah Dionysian’s hedonistic cult, what would become the Maleficians rejected the methuselah's persecution of the baali in their supposed search for knowledge. The splinter group, led by Dionysian’s childer, eventually fell under the sway of a mysterious force styling itself as a familiar roman deity. The group quickly grew in power, as they became akin to acolytes for the mysterious creature, and exchanged their service for deeper knowledge. Unfortunately, such a group at the height of baali/kindred tensions was doomed to be short-lived. Out of fear for the power, they were rumored to hold over time itself, and the creature they served, the Maleficians were supposedly wiped out by their fellow Malkavians and their allies, at the insistence of the High Clans.

In modern nights, almost none remember the blip in Cainite history that were the Maleficians. But those who do, look to them as a grim reminder of what happens to those foolish enough to toy with the strings of reality, and kindred society…

#### The Real History

Ambrosios clutched at the statue as he stumbled out of the crumbling temple, his beast roaring in panic and terror at the lapping flames that had engulfed their sanctuary. Their screams had died down, gone silent, though the laughter and jeers of their murderers carried on the Mediterranean breeze.

He alone had been spared, thanks to the small idol clutched in his scorched and blackened arms. Thanks to his master, his god. The pain, the dull anguish of loss gnawed as he stumbled down the embankment and into the forest. But as the scent of smoke grew fainter and fainter still, the pain grew to a dull ache, instead of a searing burn.

The idol was warm to the touch, oddly comforting for the icy cold kindred. As he slowly sank to his knees, clutching the stone to his chest, a sense of new purpose began to grow in his battered heart.

They would build again. In the silence and solitude and safety of the forests far from prying eyes, they would build again. He would replace the souls they had lost, he would ensure their sacrifice was not in vain. He would not give up on their dream. He would build anew.

#### Practices

##### The Ritual of Eyes

Novices in the study of Maleficia are inducted into study through a ceremony of branding the kindred with a crude eye-shaped mark. The mark later will serve to lessen the pain of one’s first “eye” as the path physically manifests the practitioner’s knowledge of time and fate. As practitioners become more advanced, they will receive more eye-like brands or tattoos to signify their mastery, and channel their power. However, sometimes eyes will force themselves onto the kindred’s flesh if the cult has not properly prepared a practitioner, often leaving much more noticeable markings when the path is not being used.

##### The Feast of Eyes and Mind

During the Moirai’s traditional feast days, the Maleficians celebrate through sacrifices of eyes and even brains to their patron. Such sacrifice is symbolic of giving over knowledge and vision to their patron, in an effort to thank them for their guidance over the previous year. The event often harkens back to the bloodline founder’s Dionysian roots, with evenings ending in merriment, debauchery, and bloodshed in true Dionysian fashion.

#### Weakness

When presented with an intriguing situation or puzzle, Malificians become enthralled and must find the solution at all costs. This compulsion frequently causes the Malefician to lose interest in the situation at hand, which can often be dangerous for their allies and themselves.

A Malefician may make a Self-control or instinct check (difficulty 6) to resist this compulsion. If the Malefician fails during this roll, the compulsion overtakes them.

Once a Malefician is overtaken by this compulsion, they must drop everything to ponder what triggered it. It is up to the Storyteller to determine when this time of pondering is concluded. Generally, the Malefician may only break away from their train of thought once the puzzle has been solved. When it comes to a rubix cube or riddle, a successful wisdom or intelligence check may end the trance-like state. However, a Malefician pondering complex astrophysics equations or philosophical dilemmas may take days or even months to fully puzzle things out. In these cases, the Malefician might feed or travel, but only in an effort to further their quest to solve such a puzzle.