Hounds of Actaeon

**Parent Clan**: Gangrel

**Disciplines**: Animalism, Obfuscate, *Protean*, Resilience

## **Bloodline Weakness: Obligate Hunter**

May use Wits + Survival – Awarenss to hunt humans. The vitae received from the above roll can sustain Hunters with Blood Potency 3 or higher.

When first joining the bloodline, the Hound may choose to drop their Humanity by 1 and take a Bane for “killing human prey in the name of the Hunt”. They may take this custom bane:

In game terms, a Hound of Actaeon suffers a few restrictions on feeding:

* They must use +hunt/half if they are hunting using the “Sandman” technique on sleeping victims.
* They use +hunt/half when feeding from their Herd or Blood Bank.
* They can spend at least 1 downtime per 4 Vitae to gain the full amount when feeding from their Herd or Blood Bank. The Hounds get around the issue by releasing their blood dolls from captivity in order to pursue and hunt them. This process costs time, similar to a normal +hunt roll.
* In an IC scene, only regain half the Vitae that you normally would if feeding from a target that was not actively hunted.

## **Bloodline Gift: Artemis's Bow**

The crescent moon is a sign of Artemis. When the crescent moon is visible in the sky, the Hounds gain a +3 roll to tracking and pursuing prey. When using range weapons, their range penalties are reduced by half.

## **Devotions: The Most Dangerous Game**

### **Stalker**

*Animalism • 1XP*

**Dice Pool**: –

**Cost**: –

Apex predators have a built-in instinct to stalk their prey. A Hound of Acteon can spend a number of turns prowling after their quarry, waiting for an opportune moment to strike. Stalking gives the Hound a +1 bonus to Initiative per turn, with the bonus limited by the Hunter's Survival skill.

Stalking is an instant action. While stalking, the character can move her speed per turn and take reflexive actions. The rolls for hiding and perception are made as usual, and if there is a surprise attack, it is resolved as usual. When combat begins (whether initiated by the prey or the predator), “stalking” ends and the bonus accumulated is added to the Hunter's Initiative.

### **Prey Instinct**

*Protean •• 1XP*

**Dice Pool**: Presence + Intimidation + Protean vs. Resolve + Composure

**Cost**: 1 Vitae

**Modifiers**: Target has Bestial Condition (+2)

The Hound takes on another Predatory Aspect, triggering the “prey instinct”. This Devotion forces mortals to react to the predatory aura of the vampire. The targeted mortal has three choices; fight, flight, or freeze. Fight, by initiating combat; flight, by fleeing the scene immediately; freeze, by losing a turn, standing motionless like a deer in headlights. The mortal must be made aware of the presence of the vampire for this to work.

### **Camouflage**

*Protean •• Obfuscate •• 2XP*

**Dice Pool**: Stamina + Stealth + Protean - (Awareness)

**Cost**: 1 Vitae

**Modifiers**: Awareness of territory

By concentrating for a single turn, the Hound assumes the shapes and colorations of his surroundings. Every success on the roll incurs a -2 penalty to any Perception rolls (Wits + Composure or Wits + Investigation) made to spot the Gangrel.

Please note that under new rules, heightened senses is not under the purview of Auspex. Roll Wits + Skill + Blood Potency in order to detect the Gangrel using Kindred Senses (p. 90 Blood and Smoke). Roll Clash of Wills (Auspex + BP vs. Discipline + BP) if using Auspex.

### **Unleash the Hounds**

*Animalism ••• Resilience ••• 3XP*

**Dice Pool**: Stamina + Animal Ken + Animalism

**Cost**: 1 Vitae for multiple Size 2 animals or 1 Vitae per animal for Size 3 or larger animals

**Modifiers**: Animals have tasted the blood or Vitae of the victim (+3)

This devotion allows the Hunter to command predatory animals to track, pursue, and corner prey. The affected animals are imbued with a supernatural resistance, and will pursue the victim for a number of days/nights equal to the Blood Potency of the Hunter. The animals gain a +2 to Composure and Stamina (giving them +2 to Willpower, Initiative and Health). They also ignore wound penalties in the course of the pursuit.

The hunting pack can be given instructions as to what to do after they have cornered the prey. They may surround the prey, barking or swooping in to keep the prey at bay. They may be instructed to engage and take down the prey, or to harry the prey towards a specific location.

### **Game Reserve**

*Animalism ••••• Obfuscate ••••• 5XP*

**Dice Pool**: –

**Cost**: As Animalism 5

With this Devotion, the Gangrel is truly the Lord of the Land. His Vitae seeps into the ground, absorbed by trees, consumed by insects. This devotion allows the Hunter to combine the effects of Animalism 5 (Lord of the Land) and Obfuscate 5 (Oubliette) in the same area for one cost. Additionally, for those investigating in the area, Information and Awareness is automatically -5.

The Game Reserve may have a Feeding Ground Merit associated with it. In that case, poachers who feed in the area without permission suffer a penalty of -5. The owner of the territory will automatically be notified of the trespass once he enters the area. The earth recognises its master; an unwelcome intruder leaves behind a trail of disturbed soil, broken branches, and a scent of blood in the air.