Not all Kindred inherit the curse of one of the 13. Some don’t care what their lineage is. Certain bloodlines of Kindred have always been clanless, and sometimes childer of the clans are just born different. They’re often discarded, exiled, or choose to distance themselves from the clans that despise them. Pure vampires, the Caitiff make up for what they lose in respect and pedigree by flexible blood and the absence of a crippling bane. Proud or ashamed of their clanless nature as they may be, these creatures have no family and represents vampirism at its purest and most individualistic.
Many Kindred incorrectly assume all CAITIFF are created accidentally, that the clanless target no mortals for the Embrace. This view is outdated and ignorant. These nights, the clanless are increasingly becoming a force to be reckoned with. Though more disparate individualistic, and chaotic than their cousins, they are all survivors, and they have begun to gather, build alliances, and make childer of their own.
The Caitiff who seek out mortals to perform the Embrace generally target the strong-willed and those used to uncommon hardship. A Caitiff’s position in the hierarchy of Kindred is at the bottom, just above the thin-blooded who should not have been born at all, and they are forced to fight for their place or fall and be forgotten. The Caitiff see little point in Embracing mortals unlikely to make it through the night on their own.
While the Caitiff have begun to purposefully increase their numbers, most are still created when a fledgling Embraced into one of the clans does not form an attachment with their ancestral Blood and does not exhibit the tell-tale signs of their clan’s curse. When other Kindred talk of the Caitiff, they tell tales of Nosferatu abandoned for weeks on end without ever developing any hideousness, painfully sane Malkavians, and young Ventrue able to feed from whomever they want. Unwilling to accept such a childe as one of their own, the clan abandons them. Or the childe senses in their Blood that they do not belong, despite their sire’s protests. The creation of a Caitiff is not an exact science, and many abandoned childer still manifest some of the characteristics of their parent clan despite the absence of their bane.
THE CAITIFF BANE is social, rather than something that hides within their Blood. Untouched by the Antediluvians, the Caitiff share no common bane. However, due to their social status, all Caitiff are mistrusted by other Kindred and the sects they may or may not belong to.
caitiff archetypes.
RAISED ON THE STREETS
This Caitiff was brought up in the worst part of their city by parents who either did not care or were not able to protect them – if they had parents at all. It is likely they never had hope for a meaningful, prosperous life. For them, the Embrace was an escape, and their sire performed it out of respect for their perseverance against the odds.
ABUSE SURVIVOR
Caitiff habitually target abuse victims for the Embrance. The survivor caught the attention of their sire by attending a support group, appearing in the papers as the prosecuting victim in an aggravated assault case, or perhaps by writing a particularly striking blog post on the subject of their experiences. As the street kid, the survivor was “rewarded” with immortality and a chance to fight back against their abusers. Having been through terrible experiences already, they are judged to make a fine member of the clanless.
HELPLESSLY OVERESTIMATED
This Caitiff was Embraced by the clanless for all the wrong reasons. Perhaps they threw off a cruel boss’ yoke once, or dumped an abusive partner, but this behaviour was an exception in their life. They were chosen for their perceived strength, and now they are hopelessly lost and overwhelmed by their existence as one of the Kindred.
SECRET CAITIFF
This Kindred awoke as a Caitiff, but they managed to hide it from their sire. They are now a full member of their ancestral clan, attending the rituals and obeying the traditions of their kin in return for the protection of their elders. They have no desire to go through eternity alone, and they will do whatever it takes to keep their secret hidden.
UNWANTED CHILDE
The unwanted childe was Embraced into one of the clans, but cannot remember their sire and never bonded to the Blood. As the curse of their ancestors never manifested in their body, they avoided the bane of their clan. Without this marker, the Blood of their brothers and sisters rejects them – and they, it.
In their own eyes, only the Clan of Kings has the restraint, the wisdom, the control, and the pedigree to lead their kind through the night. Throughout their time as god-kings of ancient Babylon and lords and ladies of the Dark Ages to their contemporary roles as guardians of royal blood, majority shareholders, and campaign fund backers, they have been obsessed with the impulse to rule. They collect their tithes in the form of precious blood, ensuring the growth of their legacy. While many other clans claim positions of influence in politics and business, no one can rival the Ventrue in the game of pure power and wealth. But lately, their arrogant projections as divinely chosen rulers, better fit to lead than any other clan, have begun to falter. Time is running out. As they feel their privileges slipping through their fingers, the Ventrue tighten their grip and fight fang and claw to remain in control as the masters of their kind.
CLAN VENTRUE has long been the leaders of the Camarilla, holding more positions of power than any other clan, and they are loath to give that up. Even after losing their most prominent representative to a Brujah assassination, the Ventrue continue to maintain that they are destined to rule all Kindred, no matter the sacrifices involved.
The Ventrue believe in the strength of tradition and lineage. The Embrace is one of their most important rituals, and the choice of childe affects the way other members of the clan treat the sire. Ventrue therefore aim to Embrace overachievers, politically or financially powerful kine, or those with a talent that sets them apart from the masses.
These nights, the Ventrue are cautious. The talentless fall by the wayside, while the best blend in with humanity as bankers, shadow directors, reclusive moguls, and chiefs of staff. No longer can a Ventrue openly lead a board or take a prominent position in a mortal community They resent having to influence their surroundings from the shadows, but know that the risk of a fatal Masquerade breach is too high to risk anything else.
The Ventrue are the establishment. They set and maintain the rules, punishing those who break them, and occasionally rewarding those who follow. Their critics consider them tyrants or the jailers of other Kindred. The uncomfortable truth is that without them, the Masquerade, and the Camarilla with it, would have fallen long ago. The Ventrue are more loyal to their cause these nights than ever before, adversity only making them more determined to succeed and more certain that they have the right to do whatever it takes.
THE VENTRUE BANE shows itself through possession of rarefied palates. When a Ventrue drinks blood from any mortal outside their preference, a profound exertion of will is required or the blood taken surges back up as a scarlet vomit. Preference range greatly, from Ventrue who can only feed from genuine brunettes, individuals of Swiss descent, or gay people, to others who can only feed from soldiers, mortals who suffer from PTSD, or methamphetamine users.
ventrue archetypes.
COLD-BLOODED CORPORATE DIRECTOR
This Ventrue controls a successful corporation, perhaps as the eccentric and reclusive CEO or maybe as an influential silent partner involved in guiding the firm. This Ventrue is always several steps removed from dirtying their hands but will rarely hesitate over ethics if it means getting ahead of the competition.
MEMBER OF THE ORDER
The Clan of Kings are well suited visitors in secret societies such as the Freemasons and Rosicrucians. This Ventrue knows how to spin their words. They act as the reclusive leader or an important member of their society, whether it be an informal gentlemen’s club, a ladies’ guild, an alumni society for magnates and millionaires, or a gathering of concerned citizens clandestinely seeking to control their neighbourhood.
CONSERVATIVE POLITICIAN
The kings have always favoured conservatism and maintenance of the status quo. The politically inclined blue blood acts as the untouchable spin doctor, lurks in the wings of the party, or advises pundits and newsmen on how to dictate the story. Manipulating the media, they suppress Masquerade breaches with ease.
GODFATHER
The so-called godfather wields their power through organised crime, manipulating gangs and the path of cash that runs from the streets to the bankers and politicians. Other Ventrue may turn their noses up at such a shady character, but the godfather knows that to get things done, blood sometimes needs to be spilled.
HIGH PRIEST
The Ventrue have ever venerated their ancestors, both mythical Kindred such as Mithras, Tinia, and Tiamat and historical personages nearly as eminent. This ancestor worship ranges from a historian’s thorough study ot leading a cult in the ancestor’s name. Seeing the touch of their forebears in all that they do, the high priest seeks to repeat history, fulfill the goals of their ancestors, and spread the knowledge of their glory.
A Hermetic mage in eight century Romania, Tremere was the leader of a cabal of magick users rightfully feared for their obsession with knowledge and power. Able to prolong hs life unnaturally for centuries, his powers eventually lessened and his grip on youth became shaky. Unable or unwilling to accept his own mortality, Tremere cast his eyes on the hallowed secret of immortality. In his greed, the mage instigated the most terrifying magickal experiments ever conducted, damning himself and his followers to a hell of their own making. Thousands f mortals were murdered and hundreds of Kindred vivisected and drained in ritual circles before Tremere and his cultists thought they had found the elixir of life. How surprised they were to have discovered the curse of Caine. Terrified, they died and woke again to an eternity of unlife and hunger, cut off from their craft. In a mockery of their former magickal rituals, now only fresh blood allows the Tremere to cast their thaumaturgic spells to twist reality.
After the Second Inquisition destroyed the Prime Chantry in Vienna in 2008, CLAN TREMERE fell from gray eminences to personae non gratae in many regions. The arrogance of the Pyramid had made the usurpers few friends. But the need for sorcery has not disappeared; if anything, it grows as the cursed Blood shifts in the veins of the Kindred.
Without the Pyramid ordering them into rank and value, the warlocks find themselves competing with their fellow Kindred and, increasingly, with each other for anything that might allow them to regain some of their former power. A clan-wide chase for artefacts and grimoires belonging to their ashen ancestors rival the social intrigues in ugliness, and the alliance with the Camarilla is an oft-used weapon between the houses of Clan Tremere.
Meanwhile, the term “mercenary magus” is becoming increasingly widespread, as warlocks who were formerly Bound by the will of their masters find themselves free to serve for whatever price they choose.
Tremere serve in three ways: the warlocks serve the other clans with occult expertise, they serve the Camarilla with Blood Sorcery, and they serve themselves with their missions to grasp power. Though more Tremere ascend to praxis these nights than ever before, they still claim fewer thrones worldwide than Clan Nosferatu. In truth, most warlocks acknowledge that becoming the Prince is only useful if it helps them expand their knowledge. Tremere see true power as knowing the ways of shaping the world, having access to the right blood, and owning the rarest of ancient artefacts.
As the Tremere ally with confused coteries seeking them out, hunt for well-protected relics and artefacts, or closely analyse fragments of lore relating to the Cainite mythos – all the while miserly guarding their secrets from each other — they are all united in their thirst for knowledge. A Kindred who wishes to understand a piece of their history will do well to approach the Tremere for answers, as long as they are at peace with sharing a few secrets of their own – knowingly or otherwise.
THE TREMERE BANE is that the clan was once defined by a rigid hierarchy of Blood Bonds reaching from the top to the bottom of the Pyramid But after the fall of Vienna, their Blood has recoiled and aborted all such connections. Tremere vitae can no longer Blood Bond other Kindred, though they themselves can be Bound by Kindred from other clans. A Tremere can still bind mortals and ghouls, though the corrupted vitae has less of a ‘take’ even then. Some theorise this change is the revenge of the Antediluvian devoured by Tremere, others attribute it to a simple mutation. Regardless, the clan studies their vitae intently to discover if the process can be reversed, and, indeed, determine if they would want to do so.
tremere archetypes.
PYRAMID LOYALIST
Until recently, the Pyramid hierarchy made the Tremere on of the most rigid clans. They still include a number of conservative loyalists, fiercely bound to the clan’s original order by will, if not by blood. A Pyramid loyalist might still adhere to the customs of responsibility between sire and childe, uphold the ranks and tutelage of a formal chantry, and seek to rebuild the clan’s prestige and notoriety. Some Pyramid loyalists wish to search Vienna for the remains of their clan’s information trove, though Tremere elders have declared the domain out-of-bounds.
ETERNAL SCHOLAR
This Tremere was a dedicated researcher before their Embrace, and death does nothing to stop them from their obsessive pursuit of knowledge. Even if the clan has always looked to the arcane, the scholar does not need to be a former occultist, but might as well have been a groundbreaking surgeon, a theologist with a taste for sacrilegious texts, or a collector of rare books. Often this Kindred is preoccupied with understanding their own nature, and it is possible they have become an expert on the history of their kind.
PAGAN NONCONFORMIST
Other Kindred often style Tremere followers of Carna as “new agers,” failing to understand the depth of magical exploration, feminine worship, and liberty these warlocks practice. Whether actually a former Wiccan or Satanist, a prior member of Clan Tremere who has aligned with Carna’s rebellion, or just someone who in life was downtrodden and longed for personal autonomy and authority over those who would hurt them, something about this blood witch goes against the grain of the clan’s traditions. They speak of change, and excitedly pursue their dreams of forbidden magick.
AMBITIOUS OUTSIDER
The new willingness to Embrace from outside the traditional ranks of academics and occultists brings forth an array of individuals with ideas for the clan and the practice of Thamaturgy. The ambitious outsider may be a white witch or a rebel destined for the Anarchs. It is likely such a Tremere would struggle to gain respect in the clan, but with a lot to prove and the nominal support of House Carna, the ambitious outsider could go far.
CHIEF OF SECURITY
The Tremere are more than scholars and librarians. The gifts they possess allow them to identify threats, manipulate minds, and destroy aggressors – even after the dissolution of the Pyramid, many other Kindred still regard the usurpers with mistrust, remember them as the clan of killers and torturers. The Tremere sheriff or chief of security likely inherited their specialised skills from a former life as an enforcer of some kind.
Cursed by their unbridled sensuality, the divas are obsessed by aesthetic perfection. A fashion model overdosing on a bad batch of heroin, a YouTube clip of a perfectly executed beheading, the dazed eyes of a child who has seen too much, or the reflection of the moon in a pool of blood – these are the kinds of things that make a Toreador lose themselves. They say the first diva finally died in front of their looking glass, unable to tear their gaze away from the image of their face touched by the reflected dawn. But, to dismiss the Toreador as wanton perverts or shallow artists is the last mistake a Kindred will ever make. Beauty is power, and love can make anyone do just about anything. And that is the promise of the Toreador. They can make even the dead feel something raw, something real.
CLAN TOREADOR has ever preached selectiveness in its rituals of the Embrace. The clan elders stress time and again that the clan requires pioneers among the arts and every kind of avant-garde. The clan is at its strongers when comprised of the freshest thinkers and those who desire experimentation and aesthetic discovery. For this reason, many Toreador emerge from the ranks of accomplished artists, both new and faded. But not all artists need wield a brush: to the Toreador, art encompasses all forms of entertainment and stimulation. The clan courts the greatest actors, singers, writers, dancers, and even sex workers, if the degenerates believe such mortals will offer something new to their clan.
Despite the custom of Embracing only the best, the Toreador fixation on beauty and innocence has caused many a diva to make a fledgling in haste. Many a moonlit night, new clan members have merged as shallow hedonists, one-hit wonders, or just a stunning body with nothing else to offer. The greatest mistakes are erased and forgotten. Still, the clan is diverse, its members considering the ensemble as a kaleidoscope of talent and beauty.
THE TOREADOR BANE is that they exemplify the old saying that art in the blood takes strange forms. They desire beauty so intensely that they suffer in its absence.
toreador archetypes.
L’ARTISTE
The Toreador indulge in the beauty of all art forms and strive to be creators themselves. Whether competent on the strings of the violin, weaving notes as lustrous as the subtle glow of the crescent moon, or wielding a spray-can to form harsh prismatic lines on back-alley walls, this Kindred is an artist revered intensely by their clan.
STAGE MANAGER
Without a puppeteer to pull the strings, the puppet would not know how to dance. This diva’s finger is constantly on the pulse of the night. They know every happening at every club and bar worth a visit, and likely have great influence over several such places and the people who go there. Deeply connected to a city’s social atmosphere, they have the knowledge to help others gain or lose the spotlight as they please.
GADABOUT
With charisma, social intellect, and a cunning smile, the world is yours to conquer. The gadabout hedonist masters the art of manipulation, attraction, and empathy so well that even shy Cainites desire their attention or take pleasure in watching as they effortlessly mingle into every clique and category. This Toreador fits into any profession in which handling customers, patients, or clients is key, and they use every trick in the book to get their targets exactly where they want them.
PATRON OF THE ARTS
The patron is a collector of raw talent and promising beauty that just needs a guiding hand. They shape not clay or glass into intricate forms but people, and they see it as their gift to the world to pick out the best before they wither. The patron may pose as an eccentric heiress whose home is open to struggling poets and painters or they may take on the role of the talent scout or critic, aiding their pupils with funding and guidance in return for their blood.
THESPIAN SPY
The Toreador love a performance, and the one who plays at being a spy knows how to pry valuable chunks of information from a target, often taking more time than they need to properly enjoy the game. Perhaps over-dramatic, yet rarely suspected due to an affable nature, the thespian spy inserts themselves in multiple domains to entertain, observe, and compile libraries of information to exchange for other pleasures.
A deteriorated breed, a portent of the end times, or a vampire for a brave new world? Balancing at the midpoint between life and death, the ever-changing nature of the DUSKBORN evokes pity, jealousy, and fear in equal measure. Survivors of the last decades of pogroms, prejudice, and ostracisation, the thin-blooded are here to stay. Their messy street-alchemy and ability to pass as human makes them uniquely suited to thrive outside Kindred society and make their own fate in the post-modern nights.
Sires tell their childer of the 13th and 14th generation never to attempt the Embrace as their Blood is too far removed from Caine. They say it will bring nothing but death and sorrow. But, be it by mistake or design, this edict is not always followed.
A 14th generation Kindred, who only by miracle avoided the flaw of thin blood themselves, drain a mortal in a fit of frenzy and guiltily feed them a mouthful of vitae, hoping against hope that it might reanimate the broken body; a Ventrue from a long line of liars thinks herself closer to her progenitor than she really is, and believes she is creating a worth member for her clan; a prince’s great-grandchilde attempts to force their diluted vitae into the mouth of their ancestor’s executed, treacherous ghoul just to get back at the old tyrant; a Tremere, often overlooked by his clan for his weakness of Blood and spirit, experiments with the Embrace to prove himself as good as them.
In all these cases, a duskborn may awaken, if the Blood wills it.
Kindred who intend to sire thin-bloods often target individuals they already have a pre-existing relationship with, such as a trusted ghoul or a human family member they cannot forget, or they seek out vessels who demonstrate specific traits or rare talents that make them better equipped to survive as the weakest of predators. Many Kindred view the thin-bloods as a threat to the Masquerade and will destroy them, if given the chance.
The thin-blooded can be of any mortal origin and are not affected by their parent clan’s curse nor by their preferences in the same degree as their sire. If they are allowed to rise, they will likely be turned away, gaining the luxury of freedom and the danger of solitude.
In 2009 the Inner Circle of the Camarilla issued an edict that all thin-blooded must be branded or tattooed with the “mark of the crescent moon.” Inked by a Tremere tattoo artist or scorched with a beam of sunlight, the brand is irreversible. Even Anarchs and unbound think twice before associating with a marked mercurian.
THE THIN-BLOOD BANE is a curse of the Blood, yes, but not like Kindred of the clans. They sustain damage like mortals but mend like vampires, and impalement with a stake doesn’t paralyse them but instead causes massive physical trauma, likely sending them into torpor. While they suffer the Hunger like any other vampire, their Beast is less overt, and thin-bloods usually don’t frenzy unless provoked by supernatural means. Additionally, sunlight effects them less; while immediately fatal to any vampire, thin-bloods take superficial damage over the course of minutes, allowing them to traverse in direct sunlight in short bouts, and actually survive in indirect sunlight (e.g., under heavy clouds or if masked and protected by clothing or thick sunscreen).
thin-blood archetypes.
LIVE ONE
This thin-blood is deeply connected to the mortal world, perhaps more so than the Kindred one. They still maintain a family and attempt to hold a job; paying the bills is more important than the whim of some baron they have never met. Ironically, to maintain their human façade, they likely have to lean heavily on the powers in their Blood.
WEAPON OF CONVENIENCE
A former occultist, ghoul, or blood doll, they were close to the Kindred before joining their ranks and knew some of their secrets. This thin-blood was Embraced out of their sire’s desperation when backed into a corner, and they were meant to take part in some war or pursue a vengeful dream. Whether they choose to do so or not is up to them. The Embrace released them from their former slavery, and now there is nothing forcing them to do their sire’s bidding.
GUILTY EMBRACE
This thin-blood was not Embraced as part of some elaborate plan. A party-goer, a late-night worker walking home alone, or just someone in the wrong place at the wrong time – a vampire fed from them and drank a little too much. Perhaps the Embrace was performed by the drinker as an act of desperate guilt, or perhaps their sire was an onlooker who couldn’t bear to watch them die.
NATURAL VAMPIRE
This thin-blood was destined to become one of the Kindred. As a mortal hunter or a member of Arcanum, they studied the lore of the clans and the myth of Caine and became too fascinated for their own good. Meaning to kill, question, or request the Embrace, they tracked down one of the Kindred. But their sire was not what was expected by the childe, who is now bitter at the weakness in their veins.
REDEMPTION SEEKER
This thin-blood was turned against their will and refuses to accept a place in a world of streetlights and blood. They are recently turned and desperately look for a way to cure their “condition,” seeking out rumours of others who have done it as well as weird legends of Golconda and blood transfusions. There is indeed a way, but before they figure it out this thin-blood will try anything and is easy to manipulate by callous Kindred.
For the Nosferatu the Embrace is a journey through abjection, as the Blood of the horror gradually deforms the struggling tissues of the human body into grotesque abominations. Weeks of pain result in deformities similar to terrible birth defects, cancer growths, crippling injuries, and leper-like sores. Those who endure it find themselves as monstrous echoes of Murnau’s silver-screen vision. But perhaps pain and humiliation teaches compassion. The Nosferatu, as they jokingly call themselves, are the most humane of the Kindred, wearing their curse on the outside rather than the inside. To blend in, some call on the blood to wear the borrowed faces of their victims or disappear from sight, while others rely on prosthetics and heavy make-up.
REPORT #197 “NOSFERATS” AND COLLATERAL DAMAGE — The purpose of this report is to highlight the collateral damage that often occurs when attacking the blankbodies calling themselves “Nosferats.” It is worth noting that they maintain company despite their appearances. This company often consists of vagrants, the destitute, illegal drug users, the deformed, and in general, the meek. Too many of our operations have led to the premature expiration of the living among these groups.
The company kept by the Nosferats complicates our operations. The living outcasts tend to show compassions towards this particular strain of the the blankbody virus, heightening the risk that many of them will become infected in the future. Yet, we are tasked with defending those who cannot defend themselves.
The Nosferats are undoubtedly bottom feeders in the post-mortal hierarchy and associate with those of similar status among the living for this reason. It is my recommendation that we, for the time being, reserve our firepower for greater threats not surrounded by defenceless victims. As there are clear signs that the Nosferats provide their living companions with guidance and protection, we should investigate whether they could provide us with information and weapons for use against their oppressors.
Reports show that Nosferat blankbody communities consists hugely of spies, outcasts, deviants, and those who live on the fringes of society. Their information and communication networks are by all standards impressive, and since the failure of their ARPANET rogue station named “SchreckNET” (see Report $45), they seem to have taken to communicating in code, dead languages and through intermediaries, so far defying our attempts to find their largest common hideouts. Be wary of apprehending those they use as communication relays. Often a Nosferat will pay a living vagrant to act as messenger, but not provide the vagrant with any usable information that could reveal them. Many innocents expired under enhanced interrogation before we concluded that they would not be able to add to our intel.
Be warned. The Nosferats are killed in the arts of deception, and may pose as harmless homeless individuals, but their bite is as deadly serious as that of any other blankbody. They are not to be trusted.
THE NOSFERATU BANE is that they are hideous and vile, though most Nosferatu don’t breach the Masquerade by just being seen. They are perceived by mortals to be grotesque and often terrifying, but not always supernaturally so.
nosferatu archetypes.
INFORMATION HUB
When the Second Inquisition found SchreckNET, many of the Toreador secretly proposed a toast to the collapse of Clan Nosferatu. The clan lost credibility and many members, but those who endured and flourished had mastered the arts of secure archiving, physically and online. They bolstered their existing bonds with contacts and clients, and steadily regained the trust of Kindred who value a central information hub for research and the exchange of secret messages. In an era when contact and movement between domains grow more precarious by each night, Nosferatu like these have become invaluable. If they can guarantee privacy, they can name their price.
DOMAIN GUMSHOE
Nosferatu make superb investigators as long as they stick to the shadows and wear plenty of layers. The gumshoe is comfortable stalking the streets, darting from doorway to doorway in the rain, and shows no qualms about breaking into homes, havens, or vaults for that precious last piece of the puzzle. Sometimes recruited as domain sheriffs, this Nosferatu emphasises research and investigation, preferring to take the thinker’s route to most answers over violent means. The domain gumshoe likely comes from law enforcement, was an amateur sleuth, or has an academic background.
MORE ANIMAL THAN MAN
This Nosferatu identifies more closely with the creatures scurrying beneath the city or flying through the suburbs at night than with the kine wandering the streets. Maybe a former pest controller, vet, or simply an antisocial individual, this Kindred speaks to animals, controls them, and likely acts like one. Some Nosferatu do not limit their animalistic urges to behaviour but become literal hives for bugs and nests for rats. They reason that their stomach and lower abdominal cavities were being used for little before, and at least the infestation benefits from the vitae.
HUNTER OF MONSTERS
Having for so long been associated with animals and isolation, many forget that the Nosferatu can smash through a wall, break a spine, or rip a door off its hinges with minimal effort. With many of the Brujah and Gangrel gone from the Camarilla, Nosferatu now exercise their capacity for brutality at much higher rates. Often Embraced from criminal or survivalist stock, such Nosferatu suffer little conscience over beating an enemy to ash.
RAT
The comparison of Nosferatu to rats goes further than sewer-dwelling and extending incisors. History reveals repeated instances when horrors turned on their masters for their own preservation, betrayed their own for a little extra, or attempted to play both sides of a conflict. The rat may be involved in corporate espionage or claim to be Anarch but scurry to their Camarilla prince at the first sign of trouble. Some rats do what they do just to stay alive and are not beyond sympathy.
Tracing their lineage from the Egyptian would-be god of deception and chaos, the clan formerly known as the FOLLOWERS OF SET has a reputation as motley as their history. As much cult as clan, most of the Ministry adheres to a uniquely disruptive system of beliefs, fighting a war of morality and ideas against the legacy of Ra and the One God. Known and abhorred as tricksters, enticers, and outright liars, the clan has had a history of playing all sides in conflicts of the great sects. Their entry to the Camarilla rejected, many have joined the Anarch Movement and are now arming their twin weapons of temptation and subversion to bring spiritual liberation to all descendants of Caine.
Vampires of the Ministry typically Embrace from the ranks of the irreligious, the heretical, and the corrupt. Criminals are common targets, as are con-artists, stage fraudsters and self-help gurus. Likewise, the clan approaches those who seek to destroy or subvert religion. Proselytising atheists, iconoclasts, professors and students of philosophy, and historians who seek truth behind myth are all desired by the Ministry. The clan are drawn to those who know their way around human desires and falsehoods. The Ministry does not seek to corrupt them – this is a common misnomer – but they do seek out those who know how to handle debasement, fraud, and erosion of blind belief.
As they’re inducted into the vampiric condition (or often before), clan recruits are brought into the cult of Set. To the Ministry, the clan and their secret belief are intimately entwined, though their faith takes many forms. Equal part religion and memetic instrument, it can insert itself into any creed, organised or personal, and bring it down from within. Usually taking the shape of a subtle alternative to, or outright heresy against, its parent belief system, its ultimate purpose is to erode whatever faith it clings to, liberating (as the Ministry tells it) the believer from their former chains. It is no coincidence that the rise of the Cainite Heresy follow the growing Ministry presence in vampire domains. Many of the clan keep vast libraries of philosophical and theological tracts for this very purpose, in some cases making it a nightly occupation to hunt for ancient writings and artefacts to bring home to the cult. Others take a more improvisational route, seeking out to liberate subjects, vampires and mortals alike, on a more personal level, not limited to the breaking of strictly religious convictions. Many months can be sunk into simply observing their mark, in order to deduce exactly what forbidden vices will yield the greatest temptation.
In vampire domains, the Ministry comfortably serves two purposes. On one hand they are suppliers unafraid to dirty their hands with drugs, vessels, and anything else on the desperate side of the tracks. On the other, they are the spiritual core of many coteries. This dichotomy does not pass the Ministry by. They dance with the devil and preach spiritual purity. Though some licks consider them hypocrites for this mixed message, the Ministers claim the role of martyrs: They fraternise with sin so others need not. In this way, they retain plausible deniability. Most vampire accept this explanation, as the Ministers’ usefulness outweigh most lingering suspicions.
THE MINISTRY BANE is that their Blood abhors the light. When exposed to direct illumination – whether natural or artificial – members of the clan recoil.
ministry archetypes.
FAITH HEALER
This Minister has always found it easiest to heal people through the power of words and faith. As a mortal, they were an evangelist, therapist, or homeopath convincing others with their kindness and strength of conviction that all ills can be believed away. As one of the Damned, they aren’t too different. Now, the sin they preach against is the Beast instead of simple mortal urges. This kind of Minister acts as the spiritual guide for other members of their coterie.
LIFETIME FRAUD
The Ministry prizes its frauds, con artists, and charlatans, both as the front of house for the clan and for their aptitude for relieving other vampires of burdensome guilt and deviancies. As a mortal this Minister likely had a fake name, a job for which they weren’t qualified, and told more lies to their partner than truths. A real enigma who found it easy to move from city to city with just a suitcase in hand.
CONSPIRACY DEBUNKER
Considering they are the Clan of Lies, the Ministry has an unkind opinion of others who would deceive the masses. This Minister was dedicated to removing the veil from over the eyes of the people by debunking fake mediums, blowing holes in conspiracy theories, or using reason to combat the logical fallacies of religion. The Ministry values such a lick for their perception, and prizes them highly when they buy the clan line.
MOUTH OF THE GODS
This Minister was able to hear the voice of God before the Embrace. Ardent
in their belief and skilled in channelling visions into action, they succeeded in life, raising a family, running a business, and were well-regarded throughout their hometown. Now Embraced, the voice of God has multiplied. Maybe it’s schizophrenia, maybe it’s the Beast and the Blood, perhaps it’s Sutekh and his family; this vampire believes all of them can be heard.
ENTREPRENEURIAL ARCHAEOLOGIST
Genuine archaeologists seldom get much money out of their profession. This Minister was once one, or at least an amateur enthusiast, and stumbled upon a trove of history they kept for themselves, leading their future sire to their doorstep. While they still pursue their passion for archaeology to keep up a legitimate front, many pieces go missing for study, trade with other enthusiasts, or just to be added to their personal collection.
