Never falter. Do not break. There is always another sunset.
—Beckett, Jyhad Breaker
Beckett
Few Kindred have written more, or indeed been written about more, than the wandering Gangrel. Hailing from early 18th century London, Beckett’s true sire was never revealed, and may not be known, even to him. What is known, however, is that Beckett prides himself on his intelligence and wealth of knowledge. Several subjects interest him, but none more than the Caine myth.
Unlike many Noddists, Beckett does not seek validation of a divine origin, but instead challenges the legends and various “sightings” of the first vampire. He undertakes his investigations clinically and with as little bias as possible. During these probings, Aristotle de Laurent discovered and spent much of his time researching alongside him. Beckett frequently performed the field work while Aristotle theorized and analyzed. As such, Beckett is often associated with the Mnemosyne, even though he is not of the actual bloodline. If Beckett has an obsession regarding Noddist information and relics, it is more likely of the colloquial variety. Still, his passion for his work remains his defining aspect; few can disprove his dedication to his global labors.
Most recently, Beckett travels the world, sharing experiences with other scholars or those who experience noteworthy events firsthand. He rarely operates without an extensive dossier on each of the personas he is to meet or interview. There are few circles who know nothing of Beckett, and he is truly famous among Noddist scholars and adherents. Most are wise enough to grant him an audience, for there are usually powerful groups and individuals monitoring Beckett’s activities, and one would not want to interfere with the Gangrel’s potent subject of choice.
As rumors of Gehenna increase in frequency, many come to regard Beckett’s arrival as portentous. He rarely travels without purpose, and his coming proves either the cause or effect of great upheaval. Those who have heard of him most often aid him in whatever way they can, then quickly offer assistance in his departure. Though most often a pleasant enough chap, Beckett became something of a dire omen in these uncertain nights. Many powerful elders and ancillae seek him out as an ally, while others more powerful still find him to be a rival or obstacle. Unlife is never uninteresting for Beckett, to be sure.
- Clan: Gangrel
- Generation: 7th
- Sire: Aristotle de Laurent (Adoptive)
- Embrace: 1704 CE
- Apparent Age: Early 30s
- Nature/Demeanor: Idealist / Loner
- Attributes:
- Abilities:
- Talents: Alertness (Eavesdropping) 4, Athletics 3, Awareness 3, Brawl (Dirty Fighting) 4, Empathy 2, Expression (Non-Fiction) 4, Intimidation 2, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 2
- Skills: Animal Ken 3, Etiquette 3, Firearms 2, Larceny (Misdirection) 4, Melee 3, Stealth 3, Survival (Tracking) 4
- Knowledges: Academics (History, Philosophy) 6, Finance 2, Investigation (Evidence) 4, Law 1, Medicine 1, Occult (Noddist Theory) 6, Politics 2, Science 2
- Willpower: 8
- Virtues: Conscience 4, Self-Control 4, Courage 4
- Morality: Humanity 7
- Health Levels (Dice Pool Penalties): ±0, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated, Torpor
- Armor Rating: 0 (11 soak dice total, 6 of which may be used to soak Aggravated damage)
- Blood Pool (Maximum/Per Turn): 20 / 4
- Disciplines: Animalism 4, Auspex 2, Celerity 1, Fortitude 6, Obfuscate 1, Potence 3, Presence 2, Protean 5, Thaumaturgy 3 (Path of the Father’s Vengeance 3, Movement of the Mind 2, Path of Blood 2, Elemental Mastery 1)
- Thaumaturgical Rituals: Blood Walk, Defense of the Sacred Haven, Domino of Life, Wake with Evening’s Freshness
- Backgrounds: Allies 5, Alternate Identity 2 (Cuthbert), Contacts 5, Domain 1, Fame 1, Resources 2, Retainers 1 (Cesare Contaldo)
- Merits/Flaws: Language (Arabic, French, German, Greek, Indian, Latin, Romanian, Russian, Turkish), Natural Linguist / Curiosity, Dangerous Secret 5 (Identity of Hardestadt the Younger)
- Beast Marks: Glowing, catlike eyes; claws; coarse hair on forearms
- Image: Well-dressed and well-traveled, Beckett composes himself appropriately for his environment. His clothing rarely presses beyond the simple or practical, though he does favor a pair of darkened spectacles and, occasionally, a wide brimmed hat. Perhaps these once served as a method by which he could travel incognito (or simply conceal his Beast Marks), but they have now become something of a signature. He wears his black hair down to his shoulders.
- Roleplaying Hints: Comport yourself with dignity and eloquence. Rare is the vampire who can match wits with you or trade barbs, and you enjoy reminding a room of this. You crave experience, and you do not suffer the dull or dim unless necessary. Your face only lights up when you discover something of great intellectual value. Far more frequently, you are scowling at foul circumstances or undue hardship. Nevertheless, you have a job to do, one far more important to the future of Kindred than the machinations of the sects or the scheming of Princes. Y Natural Linguistou, more than anyone, understand time to be a precious resource, a fact long forgotten by many elders and even a few brazen neonates.
Whatever dangers you face, you most likely survived worse, because you are prepared. Every situation has an exit strategy and every foe has a weakness, even one that can only be exploited for temporary advantage. Whatever the case, you always come prepared to face the absolute worst outcome, because it is the outcome you are most familiar with. Your breadth of Disciplines and wealth of knowledge allow you to improvise when situations change, and you are rarely put into a place where you have no agency. Perhaps your greatest asset in any dangerous scenario is your value as a source of information. Few canny Kindred would be willing to pass up the chance to bleed you for knowledge before they destroy you, and this provides an opportunity for escape or extraction by your well-trained ghoul, or bevy of temporary allies.
Cesare Contaldo
Though Beckett usually pities the unfortunate kine turned into ghouls by Kindred necessity, it doesn’t stop him from using them to his advantage when he needs to. When the realities of his globetrotting quest for information forced him to finally purchase a private jet, he found himself in need of a pilot. Enter Cesare Contaldo, an alcoholic, out of work pilot whose circumstances were most likely related.
Like so many servants of vampires, Cesare has cultivated formidable skill in lying, as his quick thinking and slick tongue are often required to protect his master, or to get him into sensitive areas where the quest for information might take him. As the objective usually only involves getting Beckett himself to said sensitive areas, along with his master’s penchant to make enemies, it’s not uncommon for Cesare and Beckett to be separated for days or weeks at a time. Despite this, Beckett tries to treat Cesare better than the average vampire’s ghoul, and he remains unflinchingly loyal to Beckett in return, especially when his master offers him the opportunity to indulge his old habit.
- Clan: Ghoul (Gangrel)
- Domitor: Beckett
- Apparent Age: Early 30s
- Nature/Demeanor: Fanatic / Chameleon
- Attributes:
- Abilities:
- Willpower: 4
- Virtues: Conscience 2, Self-Control 4, Courage 3
- Morality: Humanity 8
- Health Levels (Dice Pool Penalties): ±0, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated
- Armor Rating: 0 (4 soak dice total, 1 of which may be used to soak Aggravated damage)
- Disciplines: Potence 1, Fortitude 1
- Backgrounds: Contacts 5, Influence 3
- Merits/Flaws: - / Addiction (Alcohol)
- Image: Cesare wears common working class clothes and usually appears clean-cut. His years of alcoholism can sometimes lend him a tired, haggard countenance, especially if he hasn’t had a drink in a while.
- Roleplaying Hints: You are professional and respectful, especially to “Mr. Beckett.” You’re able to think quickly on your feet and can usually convince strangers you have everything under control, even if you have a tendency to panic slightly to your master in private.
Aisling Sturbridge
More details on Aisling Sturbridge can be found in New York by Night. Since the earliest days of her meteoric rise through the post-Victorian occult scene, Aisling Sturbridge has never been afraid to confront problems head-on. She has tangled with mystical luminaries of all stripes, from fraudulent pigs like Aleister Crowley to the mighty Kolduns of the Tzimisce, and always emerged the victor.
Her life has always involved walking a razor’s edge between conflicting loyalties. Between her family and her occult scholarship, between clan and sect, or between obedience to the upper echelons of the pyramid and obligation to those under her command; these conflicts have defined her for over a century. They are both her greatest strength and her biggest weakness.
Her field promotion to the Regency of the Chantry of the Five Boroughs might have been her downfall, but she has handled the responsibility with great skill, guiding the chantry through the heightened Sabbat aggression at the turn of the century, fighting the Sabbat in the street and corruption within her own chantry, even rooting out and terminating a plot by one of Goratrix’s treasonous brood attempting to manipulate the Camarilla to his own ends.
If Beckett is correct and the Tremere are under as much threat as his journal would indicate, Sturbridge’s loyalties may once again come into conflict. Indeed, for many Warlock neonates, she might provide the only port of safety they can rely on.
- Clan: Tremere
- Generation: 10th
- Sire: Lucien de Maupassant
- Embrace: 1911 CE
- Apparent Age: Early 20s
- Nature/Demeanor: Deviant / Traditionalist
- Attributes:
- Abilities:
- Talents: Alertness (Fine Details) 4, Athletics (Acrobatics) 4, Brawl (Dirty Fighting) 4, Empathy 2, Intimidation 2, Leadership 3, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge (Impeccable Lies) 4
- Skills: Disguise 3, Drive 1, Etiquette 3, Firearms 3, Melee 2, Stealth 3, Survival 1
- Knowledges: Academics (History) 4, Computer 3, Investigation (Evidence) 4, Law 1, Occult 5, Politics 2, Science (Chemistry) 2, Technology (Security) 3
- Willpower: 9
- Virtues: Conscience 3, Self-Control 4, Courage 4
- Morality: Humanity 7
- Health Levels (Dice Pool Penalties): ±0, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated, Torpor
- Armor Rating: 0 (6 soak dice total, 2 of which may be used to soak Aggravated damage)
- Blood Pool (Maximum/Per Turn): 13 / 1
- Disciplines: Auspex 5, Celerity 2, Dominate 3, Fortitude 2, Obfuscate 2, Thaumaturgy 5 (Elemental Mastery 3, Movement of the Mind 5, Path of Blood 5, Lure of Flames 4, Spirit Manipulation 2, Technomancy 4), Thaumaturgical Countermagic 3
- Thaumaturgical Rituals: As Regent Primus of one of the largest and most well-defended chantries in the US, Aisling Sturbridge can reasonably be assumed to know any ritual available to Clan Tremere, and even those of lower levels outside of her clan. Given that her chantry has known war and siege for years on end, rituals relating to defense, stealth, and warfare are especially appropriate.
- Backgrounds: Allies 4, Contacts 3, Influence 3, Mentor 5, Resources 4, Retainers 1, Status 3
- Merits/Flaws: Language (Arabic, Cantonese, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin, Portuguese, Romany, Sanskrit, Spanish, Yiddish), Natural Linguist, Time Sense / -
- Image: Aisling is a slender woman of medium build. When out of her chantry, she prefers to dress in conservative suits, although she dresses more casually when ‘at home.’ No matter the setting, she prefers slim gloves, under which she wears a small gold band with the word ‘Faith’ engraved in it. She keeps her long, dark hair pulled back, usually in a simple ponytail, and frequently adds a pair of glasses for the image they project.
- Roleplaying Hints: There are only three kinds of people to you: those you have a responsibility to, those you are responsible for, and those who are obstacles to be overcome or circumvented. You’ve learned the hard way to trust absolutely no one. You work diligently at every task you set yourself to until it is completed to your satisfaction. If you fail to gain something from each encounter, even something as simple as knowledge or experience, you consider the job undone.
You handle conflict the same way you handle social interactions: direct and with no nonsense. You have no time for showboating or toying with an enemy; if you need to flee, flee, and if you need to destroy something, do it with as much efficiency and decorum as possible.
Anatole
Born the eldest son of a City Watch Commander, and expected to follow in his father’s footsteps, Anatole instead found himself called to the higher purpose of serving God. His carriage and beliefs drew the attention of a particularly religious vampire who thought Anatole could further the cause of Christianity. The creature Embraced him, giving him only a brief education as to his purpose and nature, then leaving the fledgling to navigate the world on his own.
After his sire released him, Anatole wandered Europe, finding his own way to worship on the Road of Heaven. During the course of these travels, he met Lucita. Their friendship lasted longer than their mission, and Lucita taught Anatole much about the curse of vampirism. They were also together when Anatole discovered the tablets which predicted the end times, which influenced his decision to become a prophet of Gehenna.
During the Middle Ages and the following years, Anatole spent much of his time negotiating difficult situations, many of which threatened his unlife and dedication to his faith. His visions frequently shook him to the core, especially when he saw the events from the tablets and his mind play out in the real world. After several attempts to stop the events he saw from happening, he stopped believing these mental images were signs of God. He instead found them dark prophecies of the end times sent from God to Anatole. His fervent beliefs and intense need to support them through discovery or share them though ministration brought him into the company of Gangrel Beckett, and into conflict with the Fiend Vykos.
- Clan: Malkavian
- Generation: 6th
- Sire: Pierre l’Imbecile
- Embrace: 1193 CE
- Apparent Age: Early 20s
- Nature/Demeanor: Visionary / Penitent
- Attributes:
- Abilities:
- Talents: Alertness 3, Brawl 2, Empathy (Emotions) 4, Expression (Conversation) 4, Intimidation 3, Leadership 2, Subterfuge 3
- Skills: Animal Ken 2, Archery 2, Crafts 3, Drive 1, Etiquette 1, Melee 3, Riding 1, Stealth 3, Survival 4
- Knowledges: Academics 3, Computer 2, Enigmas (Deciphering Madness) 4, Investigation 2, Law 1, Occult (Kindred Lore) 5, Theology (End-Times Theology) 5
- Willpower: 6
- Virtues: Conscience 3, Self-Control 2, Courage 5
- Morality: Road of Heaven 5
- Health Levels (Dice Pool Penalties): ±0, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated, Torpor
- Armor Rating: 0 (8 soak dice total, 4 of which may be used to soak Aggravated damage)
- Blood Pool (Maximum/Per Turn): 30 / 6
- Disciplines: Animalism 1, Auspex 6 (Sybil’s Tongue), Celerity 2, Dementation 6 (Babble), Dominate 4, Fortitude 4, Obfuscate 6 (Mind Blank, Scrawl), Potence 2
- Backgrounds: Herd 2, Retainers 4
- Merits/Flaws: Language (German, Romanian, Spanish), True Faith 1 / -
- Derangements: Visions. Anatole frequently has visions. While his most prevalent are those of Gehenna and the end times, he also sees indications of future events, including deaths, wars, and other events of which he can barely comprehend the nature of. These visions frequently interfere with his ability to separate reality from his thoughts, and Anatole often exists as a fragment separate from time, unable to completely grasp what has already happened, what is happening, and what will happen.
- Image: For a very long time, Anatole would only wear the tattered robes of a mad, traveling prophet. It was only when Lucita intervened and forced him to dress in more modern clothes that he chose worn jeans and t-shirts. He has fevered, passionately bright blue eyes and long blonde hair that he twists into dreadlocks.
- Roleplaying Hints: You only have truly known your passion and dedication to God. He blessed you, making you his prophet, and these visions haunted you during your entire unlife. They drove you to places across the world, seeking artifacts and remnants of ancient texts in order to support all of the things you saw in your head. They brought you against some of the darkest powers to still walk the Earth, leading you to question everything about yourself on a regular basis.
Fatima Al-Faqadi
Many a target has lured Fatima al-Faqadi into an ambush, mistakenly believing that an assassin deprived of the element of surprise is an easy target. While their logic is sound, their fatal miscalculation is believing Fatima al-Faqadi to be an assassin. Before she was taken by the Children of Haqim to become the Hand of Vengeance, she was no skulking killer, but a warrior. She was a soldier defending her land and people from Christian Crusaders, and her righteousness and battlefield prowess were so mighty that the Assamites broke with their long tradition of not embracing female warriors.
In the centuries since, she covered herself in glory more times than her elders can count. She believed, with the fire-in-the-belly devotion of the priests and clerics of old. For nine hundred years, she wrote her devotionals in the blood of the corrupt, the false, and the faithless.
Only one mark stayed her hand: the Lasombra Lucita de Aragón, who proved Fatima’s equal on the field of battle. Seeing in one another something which both attracted and repelled, the two women were both enemies and lovers across the years. Both sought to kill the other at times, and both saved the other from death by turns. Despite this one failure, there were few in the Mountain as trusted or well-regarded as Fatima al-Faqadi.
When her personal role model was found wanting by Ur-Shulgi, and his blood was reclaimed by the eldest of Haqim, it cast the foundation of Fatima’s life into doubt. If the elders she walked in the footsteps of were declared false and outcast, what would be her own judgement? Fatima chose to walk her own path for a time, while she considered her loyalties, but the fanatics of Ur-Shulgi made her decision for her: if she would not stand with them, then she stood against them.
Thus the Hand of Vengeance became an outcast of the mountain. If this was intended to send a clear message to the clan, it utterly failed to do so. Her ostracism was the catalyst for many warriors to join Al-Ashrad’s Schismatic faction. Many more chose to follow Fatima’s example and joined the ranks of the Dispossessed. It seems unlikely the followers of the Mountain will leave her be, as potent of a symbol as she is. Despite her wishes for a period of quiet contemplation, circumstances beyond Fatima’s control may force her into a figurehead position whether she wishes it or not
- Clan: Assamite (Warrior)
- Generation: 6th
- Sire: Thetmes
- Embrace: 1102 CE
- Apparent Age: Mid 20s
- Nature/Demeanor: Fanatic / Loner
- Attributes:
- Abilities:
- Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics (Acrobatics) 5, Brawl (Boli Khela) 5, Leadership 1, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge (Masquerade) 5
- Skills: Crafts (Repair) 1, Drive 1, Etiquette 2, Firearms (Rifles) 4, Larceny 3, Melee (Short Blades) 5, Performance (Acting) 3, Riding 2, Stealth (Shadowing) 4, Survival (Desert) 3
- Knowledges: Academics 3, Investigation 3, Medicine 3, Occult (Vampire Lore) 5, Politics (Vampire) 4, Science (Toxicology) 1
- Willpower: 6
- Virtues: Conviction 4, Self-Control 2, Courage 5
- Morality: Path of Blood 7
- Health Levels (Dice Pool Penalties): ±0, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated, Torpor
- Armor Rating: 0 (6 soak dice total, 2 of which may be used to soak Aggravated damage)
- Blood Pool (Maximum/Per Turn): 30 / 6
- Disciplines: Auspex 1, Celerity 4, Fortitude 2, Obfuscate 4, Potence 3, Quietus 6 (Purification)
- Backgrounds: Alternate Identity 3, Contacts 3, Resources 2
- Merits/Flaws: Language (Fatima knows over a dozen languages, and can know any the Storyteller requires) / -
- Image: Fatima is lean and muscular, without a mote of fat on her, and has exceptionally dark skin and eyes. Her stance and motions are that of a dangerous predator, and it has been a long time since she was remotely humane in her comportment. She wears tight, conservative athletic wear, with a minimal amount of adornment.
- Roleplaying Hints: You are currently lost in contemplation regarding the truth of your service to both Allah and Haqim. Although you still believe in the teachings of both, you’ve begun to doubt the men who you placed your faith in to interpret those teachings. You are lost in a crisis of faith nearly a millennia in the making.
You are a vicious combatant. Against a dangerous or worthy adversary, you’re a terror of skill and cruel imagination, always holding back at least one dirty trick to even the odds in your favor. When lesser foes are foolish enough to attack you, you sometimes fall into temptation to toy with your enemies like a jungle cat. The only time you flee is when you value your enemy too much to slay them; it’s been centuries since an enemy made you retreat.
Hesha Ruhadze
More information on Hesha Ruhadze can be found in Clanbook: Followers of Set (Revised), the Clan Novel series (particularly Clan Novel: Setite), as well as the Victorian Age Vampire trilogy. More than four hundred years ago, Ruhadze was attracted to a blood cult out of poverty-driven desperation. He impressed the Setite who used the cult with his intelligence and charisma. The predatory cult leader was so satisfied with his decision to embrace the Nubian man that in the centuries since, he changed his own name to honor his childe.
There are few scholars within the Followers of Set who can match Hesha in cunning. In places where art and history were lost or hidden, he’s there, sifting through the remaining clues to find the secrets others discard, conceal, or steal. He assembles a more complete picture of early Kindred history, to serve and awaken his clan’s founder.
Hesha does not appear to belong to any organized branch of Theophidian doctrine. Rather, he works for the betterment of the clan as a whole, while holding the various factions in familial contempt, much as one would an aunt or cousin who is uncomfortably enamored of a mildly embarrassing political figure. The fact that his discoveries are often immediately fought over by greedy, contentious temples and shortsighted priests is not lost on him.
If there are any who can claim to enjoy the Dark God’s favor, it would be Hesha. His wealth is extensive, although not in any ostentatious way. He owns several properties in locations remote enough to ensure security and privacy while remaining in the height of comfort. He is on a first name basis with art historians, restorers, and auction houses throughout the world, and is one of the first people called when a clerk stumbles across a rare or unique item of eldritch significance. He employs a team of specialists who range in skills from counselors and chefs to trained assassins. His plans are meticulous to the point of over-preparation, and he is rarely caught by surprise.
- Clan: Followers of Set
- Generation: 8th
- Sire: Abu Ruhadze (“Father of Ruhadze”)
- Embrace: Late 1600s CE
- Apparent Age: Mid 30s
- Nature/Demeanor: Visionary / Conniver
- Attributes:
- Abilities:
- Talents: Alertness (Fine Details) 4, Athletics (Rock Climbing) 5, Awareness 3, Brawl 3, Empathy 3, Intimidation 3, Leadership (Compelling) 4, Streetwise (Fencing) 4, Style 3, Subterfuge (The Long Con) 5
- Skills: Animal Ken 2, Crafts (Appraisal) 4, Demolitions 3, Drive 1, Etiquette (Correspondence) 4, Firearms 2, Larceny (Sleight of Hand) 4, Melee 1, Performance (Acting) 4, Riding 1, Stealth (Concealment) 4, Survival 2
- Knowledges: Academics (Humanities) 5, Computer 1, Enigmas (Codes and Ciphers) 4, Finance (Appraisal) 4, Investigation (Archaeology) 4, Law 1, Medicine 2, Occult (Setite Lore) 5, Politics (Setite) 4, Science 1
- Willpower: 8
- Virtues: Conviction 4, Self-Control 4, Courage 5
- Morality: Path of Typhon 8
- Health Levels (Dice Pool Penalties): ±0, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated, Torpor
- Armor Rating: 0 (6 soak dice total, 1 of which may be used to soak Aggravated damage)
- Blood Pool (Maximum/Per Turn): 15 / 3
- Disciplines: Animalism 2, Auspex 1, Fortitude 1, Obfuscate 3, Potence 1, Presence 3, Serpentis 5
- Backgrounds: Alternate Identity 1 (Mr. Raymond), Fame 1, Herd 5, Influence 3, Resources 5, Retainers 5, Status 3
Note: Hesha has access to more occult relics and artifacts than many highly-ranked Tremere, and his contacts, both within Kindred society and beyond it, are extensive beyond measure. He knows and knows about supernatural creatures of various types, and has canonically rubbed shoulders with all manner of vampires as well as the things that hunt them. He can access and use a range of enchanted items and magics to achieve effects from locating and negating potent artifacts to raising the dead with their memories and abilities intact — a feat he used in a decades-long plan to destroy the Aswan Dam, which may be coming to fruition any day now. He’s got access to a great deal of arcane tricks, and should never be without a trick or two up his sleeve to deal with overconfident PCs.
- Merits/Flaws: Language (Hesha is fluent in dozens of languages, and conversational in dozens more, including long dead tongues; there is no reason for him not to know a language unless it is narratively convenient for the Storyteller), Natural Linguist / -
- Image: Hesha has cultivated an aura of worldliness and charm that puts most people at ease. He conveys himself as educated, professional, and reasonable man with his voice, his mode of dress, and his body language. He maintains a calm and a grace that emanates that he is prepared for anything and everything. He prefers dark grey suits or turtlenecks, and often wears a monocle, which he does not need. His eyes are dark amber, and he has a tattoo of twining serpents atop his shaved head which he usually conceals via Obfuscate.
- Roleplaying Hints: You withhold much of what you know, not out of greed but out of kindness. The knowledge you accrued carries a heavy price, and you would not force it on someone who doesn’t understand what they are being made to pay. To casual acquaintances, you’re the epitome of friendliness and charm. You are capable of an icy cold, murderous demeanor, but the truth is you prefer jovial professionalism even when murdering someone.
You strongly prefer reason to violence. There is rarely a situation which cannot be negotiated out of, if everyone is willing to be rational. If things turn violent, withdraw if you have nothing to lose. After all, an enemy slain is one who cannot be converted later. If you have an asset in danger, such as a valued retainer or possible acquisition, you are willing to show your enemies the strength that Set granted you in brutal fashion.
Lucita de Aragón
Lucita is the Lasombra. She appears in Clanbook Lasombra Revised, Clan Novel Lasombra, Dark Ages Clan Novel Lasombra, to name just a few. Throw a stone in the general direction of the Keepers, she’ll turn up at some point. Born in 1170 to King Alfonso II of Aragón, Lucita was thrust into a world of noblesse oblige from her earliest memory, and she loathed every minute of it. Her resentment for her station bred within her a deep-seated defiance, and she tried several times to escape her father’s clutches and the shackles of her birthright. Eventually, Alfonso gave her over to the Church, trusting the light of God and good old-fashioned Catholic penance to drive the spark of rebellion from his daughter’s heart.
There she met with Archbishop Ambrosio Luis Monçada, a powerful Lasombra elder, and her indomitable will and fierce independence earned her the Embrace instead. Though Lucita served her sire dutifully, she had no more love for her second father than her first, seeing in him only another yoke to escape.
Lucita is a trained warrior, as many Dark Ages Lasombra were. Over the years, her allegiance has shifted several times. She served the Camarilla as an Archon, asserted herself as a lone wolf Autarkis, and now, after assisting in an attack that resulted in the death of Cardinal Monçada, she finds herself among the warrior zealots of the Sabbat.
- Clan: Lasombra
- Generation: 7th
- Sire: Ambrosio Luis Monçada
- Embrace: 1190 CE
- Apparent Age: Early 20s
- Nature/Demeanor: Rebel / Soldier
- Attributes:
- Abilities:
- Talents: Alertness 2, Athletics (Acrobatics) 4, Awareness 3, Brawl (Dirty Fighting) 5, Empathy 3, Expression 2, Intimidation 3, Leadership (Nobility) 4, Streetwise 1, Subterfuge (Impeccable Lies) 4
- Skills: Animal Ken 2, Drive 2, Etiquette (Sabbat Protocol) 4, Firearms (Marksmanship) 4, Larceny 1, Melee (Swords) 4, Performance 3, Stealth (Silent Movement) 4
- Knowledges: Academics 3, Computer 3, Investigation 3, Occult (Noddist Lore) 4, Politics (Camarilla) 5, Technology 3
- Willpower: 7
- Virtues: Conscience 3, Self-Control 3, Courage 4
- Morality: Humanity 5
- Health Levels (Dice Pool Penalties): ±0, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated, Torpor
- Armor Rating: 0 (9 soak dice total, 4 of which may be used to soak Aggravated damage)
- Blood Pool (Maximum/Per Turn): 20 / 4
- Disciplines: Animalism 2, Celerity 3, Dominate 5, Fortitude 4, Obfuscate 3, Obtenebration 6 (Shadow Step), Potence 3, Protean 2, Serpentis 1
- Combination Disciplines: Extended Abyssal Arms
- Backgrounds: Allies 2, Contacts 5, Influence 5, Resources 5
- Image: Tall, lithe, and raven haired, Lucita was Embraced in the prime of her life and still appears as the young 20-something she was at the time of her Embrace. She prefers dark clothing that favors ease of movement.
- Roleplaying Hints: You are independent, intelligent, and confident in your skills. When the situation calls for combat, you prefer ambush and surprise, but can hold your own in a fair fight if the need arises, even against opponents much tougher than you. Take what you need to get the job done and ask neither forgiveness or permission. You don’t take orders well, but you’re loyal to those who’ve earned it, and willing to work with others for the common good.
Okulos
Embraced in 1665, near Salisbury, Okulos is an anomaly amongst the Kindred. He has taken to new technology with a fervor uncommon to most vampires. He and Beckett have been at odds as often as they have allied over the years, and they consider each other colleagues. Until the late 20th century he was frequently ‘in the field’ but the advent of the Internet sent him to ground for several years. He was a major influence on the SchreckNet. He’s known to have sired at least once, but may have other childer in the world as well.
Of course, that was before Okulos was left to fend for himself within Kaymakli. Since he’s changed his outlook to some degree having become more detached and acerbic. He is a staunch Autark, like his associate Beckett. Also, he learned a thing or two while he was locked away in the foreboding walls of the Cappadocian prison.
- Clan: Nosferatu
- Generation: 13th
- Sire: Unknown
- Embrace: 1665 CE
- Apparent Age: Unclear
- Nature/Demeanor: Explorer / Curmudgeon
- Attributes:
- Abilities:
- Talents: Alertness 2, Athletics 3, Awareness 3, Brawl 2, Intimidation 3, Leadership 2, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 3
- Skills: Animal Ken (Feral Animals) 4, Drive 3, Firearms (Flare Guns) 4, Larceny (Safecracking) 4, Melee 2, Stealth (Hiding) 4
- Knowledges: Academics (Research) 5, Computer (Servers) 5, Investigation (Internet Research) 5, Technology 3
- Willpower: 7
- Virtues: Conscience 2, Self-Control 3, Courage 3
- Morality: Humanity 5
- Health Levels (Dice Pool Penalties): ±0, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated, Torpor
- Armor Rating: 0 (4 soak dice total, 0 of which may be used to soak Aggravated damage)
- Blood Pool (Maximum/Per Turn): 10 / 1
- Disciplines: Animalism 3, Celerity 1, Necromancy 2 (Ash Path 2, The Corpse in the Monster 1), Obfuscate 4, Potence 3, Protean 2
- Backgrounds: Allies 4, Contacts 5, Resources 3, Retainers 2
- Equipment: Flare Guns +2 Lethal (Aggravated to Vampires)
- Merits/Flaws: Language (Latin, Greek, Turkish, Arabic, Hebrew, Swahili) / -
- Image: It’s rather amazing that Okulos can speak, with the way his mouth and teeth make him look like a putrid lamprey. He’s still got shards of red hair that seems to continue to grow in strange patches around his head. Since his time in Kaymakli, his physical motions have become much more controlled. His bulging green eyes are still as active and twitchy as ever, though.
- Roleplaying Hints: Be skeptical about anything and everything, because doing so helps you to discover the fantastic behind the mundane. You don’t want to trust Beckett some days, but you can’t stop yourself from seeing what is on the other side of the mountain, or around the next corner.
Ramona
Toughened by the cruelty of Los Angeles, Ramona nevertheless fell prey to the ultimate predator. When she awoke, she found herself alone and starving. She managed to extricate herself from the city that raised her before her uncontrollable urges could harm her family. She hit the road with a few other fledgling undead, and with some luck and a lot of wits, managed to make it all the way to New York. It was there that Ramona’s unlife truly began.
Tanner, the Kindred that turned Ramona, finally revealed himself in the Big Apple. He saved her from the Final Death and decided to play the part of the responsible sire. In response to the major threat posed by Leopold, known as the bearer of the Eye of Hazimel, Tanner organized the Gangrel of New York. He was strict and controlling, but he provided stability to the young Kindred, especially after the second deaths of her friends from L.A. For a short time, Ramona knew peace.
The levy always breaks for Kindred, eventually. The bearer of the Eye reemerged and destroyed her new family. Ramona and her grandsire survived, but the neonate did not stay with her last remaining blood kin. She ran and ran, until fate again caught up to her. She was given the chance to help avenge her fallen brethren and quiet the memories of that night. Through pain and strife, she managed to cut the Eye from the face of the bearer and cause his Final Death at last.
These nights, Ramona has wandered back to the city that made her, L.A. She’s joined with Anarchs, having felt the volatility of the Sabbat and the callousness of the Camarilla. Still, the wandering Gangrel has not put down roots, and continues to seek her place in these hectic nights.
- Clan: Gangrel
- Generation: 11th
- Sire: Tanner
- Embrace: 1998 CE
- Apparent Age: Late Teens
- Nature/Demeanor: Rogue / Rebel
- Attributes:
- Abilities:
- Talents: Alertness (Animals) 4, Athletics (Parkour) 4, Awareness 1, Brawl 3, Empathy 2, Leadership 1, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 1
- Skills: Drive 2, Firearms 1, Larceny 1, Stealth 3, Survival 3
- Knowledges: Academics 1, Investigation 1, Law 1, Medicine 1
- Willpower: 5
- Virtues: Conscience 4, Self-Control 2, Courage 3
- Morality: Humanity 6
- Health Levels (Dice Pool Penalties): ±0, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated, Torpor
- Armor Rating: 0 (5 soak dice total, 2 of which may be used to soak Aggravated damage)
- Blood Pool (Maximum/Per Turn): 12 / 1
- Disciplines: Animalism 1, Fortitude 2, Protean 3
- Backgrounds: Allies 1, Contacts 2, Status 2
- Merits/Flaws: Language (Spanish) / -
- Image: Ramona sports fashionable, yet also meaningful, tattoos on her arms and chest. Her dark curly hair is sometimes hidden by a hoodie. Her eyes, whether red or brown, seem to hold wisdom beyond her years of life or unlife, and she carries herself with a solid confidence.
- Roleplaying Hints: You’re a firebrand from the mean streets of L.A., now transplanted to the chaotic sprawl of San Francisco, after a tour in New York City. You channel urban ferocity and teen rebelliousness like rivers of intensity through your words and deeds. Throw in a little Spanish here and there, especially when things get heavy. You’re smart enough to know your audience and you speak to them with purpose.
When the fur flies, you play it smart and hit hard. You’ve learned the value an ally can bring to a fight, so don’t be afraid to rely on needed assistance. Bring out the claws quick, or use the very earth to set up ambushes. You’re tough and unafraid, but you aren’t dumb. Live to fight another day if need be.
Sascha Vykos
Monster, sadist, Priscus, lover, scholar, general: the enigmatic creature referred to in hushed whispers by Sabbat neonates as The Vykos has played as many roles during their unlife, changing names and faces as often and easily as others change their clothes.
Given to the Order of Hermes so long ago they can scarcely remember, they moved among greatness early. When they obtained the attention and jealousy of the great Goratrix, the Tremere sacrificed Vykos to the Tzimisce in hopes of removing a potential rival. The youth instead thrived among the Fiends, who found them possessed of a boundless passion for knowledge and a creativity that was particularly suited to the Tzimisce clan’s talents.
The favored childe of their sire, Vykos soon found a new mentor in the Toreador Michael, who imparted in Vykos a vision of his masterpiece, of what Constantinople was always meant to be. For centuries Vykos carried this dream of Michael’s, as well as the unknown seed of the eldest of the Tzimisce. When the young Vykos joined the Anarch Revolt, they soon emerged as one of the most canny and vicious of the sect’s early leaders, and they would eventually be instrumental in the monstrous assaults on the East Coast at the turn of the last century.
Only now does Sascha face the horrific truth: nothing is as it seems and they were never the architect of their own future. They have always been the pawn of powerful men who sought to violate them or use them as nothing but a disposable tool: first the Order of Hermes, then Symeon, the Eldest, Michael, and even Monçada. Over a thousand years passed, and never once was Sascha Vykos in control of their own destiny.
Those few who have seen Vykos since their illumination have come away with the impression that the Fiend has become dangerously unpredictable and is on the verge of being unhinged. The Vykos may indeed be profoundly disturbed by these revelations, but they have come through a psychological horror which would shatter a lesser will.
Sascha Vykos may be the single most frightening Cainite in the modern nights. They know more than many elders twice their age, have vast resources at their disposal, the broad respect of the largest vampiric sect, and powers that neonates can only dream of. With all of this might, they have been gifted a rare and precious chance to start over, to choose who and what they will become, with no obligations or preconceptions to tie them down.
- Clan: Tzimisce
- Generation: 6th (through diablerie)
- Sire: Symeon
- Embrace: 1002 CE
- Apparent Age: Vykos can appear as any age they wish, but their current preferred form appears to be late 20s.
- Nature/Demeanor: Monster pre-Dreams and Nightmares; Questor post-Dreams and Nightmares / Visionary
- Attributes:
- Abilities:
- Talents: Alertness (Fine Details) 4, Athletics 3, Awareness 2, Brawl (Strikes) 4, Empathy 1, Intimidation (Interrogation) 7, Leadership 3, Subterfuge (Impeccable Lies) 6
- Skills: Animal Ken 2, Archery 2 Etiquette 3, Melee (Knives) 4, Performance 2, Riding 3, Stealth 2, Survival 3
- Knowledges: Academics (Geography, History) 6, Investigation (Occult Research) 6, Law (Vampiric) 3, Medicine (Body Crafts) 7, Occult (Cainite Lore) 5, Politics (Cainite) 5
- Willpower: 8
- Virtues: Conviction 5, Self-Control 4, Courage 5
- Morality: Path of Death and the Soul 9
- Health Levels (Dice Pool Penalties): ±0, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated, Torpor
- Armor Rating: 0 (6 soak dice total, 3 of which may be used to soak Aggravated damage)
- Blood Pool (Maximum/Per Turn): 30 / 6
- Disciplines: Animalism 4, Auspex 4, Celerity 2, Dominate 5, Fortitude 3, Presence 4, Thaumaturgy 5 (Path of Blood 5, Lure of Flames 5, Movement of the Mind 2), Vicissitude 7 (Chiropteran Marauder, Cocoon)
Note: Vykos has been shown to be on the cutting edge of Vicissitude use and is capable of feats of fleshcrafting that would put other Fiends to shame. In the past, they documented modifying their flesh without their hands, of grafting and rebuilding limbs, and creating independently speaking mouths across their body. The Storyteller should stretch the limits of their imagination in this regard.
- Combination Disciplines: Flaying Touch, Flesh of Wind and Water
- Thaumaturgical Rituals: Vykos studied with the same mages who would become the Tremere and studied the occult for centuries. They can reasonably know any rituals the Storyteller desires.
- Backgrounds: Allies 3, Contacts 3, Herd 5, Resources 5, Retainers 6, Rituals 5, Status 5
- Merits/Flaws: Language (Vykos is fluent in virtually all surviving European languages and can reasonably be expected to know any others the Storyteller requires) / -
- Derangements: Astoundingly, none. The fact that Vykos has emerged from the trauma of discovering every formative event of their long life has been a lie is a testament to the strength of their person.
- Image: In the past, Sascha Vykos’s appearance varied wildly from night to night. They have appeared as a tall, ethereal creature of alien proportions and beauty; as a tattooed mystic whose body markings opened and spoke like mouths, and as a militaristic recreation of Elizabeth Bathory. Their form is limited only by their time and imagination. For centuries, they have deliberately chosen forms that will unnerve or inspire those around them, and they are one of the preeminent masters of Vicissitude.
After their separation from the Dracon, they shifted to an androgynous version of their original form; tall and slender, with delicate features and hazel eyes. They have a handful of silver piercings, including a labret ring and gauges in their ears, and they favor clothing that wouldn’t be out of place in a modern club.
- Roleplaying Hints: Never. Again.
You still haven’t decided what path to take. Will you be a savior, a warlord, or a recluse? The possibilities are endless, but first you need to decide what you want. This time, you’ll be making the decisions, not some deceitful man disguised as a mentor, a lover, or a friend.
The one thing you will never be is mundane. Ethereal, demonic, otherworldly, beatific, monstrous perhaps, but everyone who ever meets you should come away with the certainty they have never met a creature like you before and that they never will again.
You’re not afraid of a fight, but neither are you afraid to withdraw from a pointless conflict. You vastly prefer to incapacitate your enemies rather than kill them, so that you might decide with time whether to execute them, punish them, or gift them with a new form and role entirely.
Talley the Hound
More details on Talley can be found in the Clan Novel Saga. Talley is a skilled warrior who has had hundreds of years to perfect his technique. Such was his skill in the art of conflict, he was appointed as a Templar of the Sabbat, serving directly under Cardinal Ambrosio Luis Monçada.
As their assignments (and the intrigues of Monçada) often put them at cross purposes, he found himself a frequent rival to Monçada’s childe Lucita de Aragón. After their first encounter, Lucita was inclined to acknowledge Talley as one of her most fearsome opponents, and perhaps a perfect match for her abilities. He has served as both assassin and bodyguard in turns over the course of his career, and his track record has caused even the Amici Noctis to take note, as he emerges successful more often than not.
He was a vocal dissenter to the amount of contention and conspiracy amongst the bickering factions of the Sabbat. Despite this, Talley became a Bishop within the Sabbat before he joined up with Sejanus, after gaining renewed purpose from Theo Bell when he caused a deliberate Masquerade breach to test the Archon’s dedication to the Camarilla’s most prized tenet. When not on assignment, Talley spends his free time hunting Lupines for fun in Germany’s Get of Fenris dominated Black Forest.
- Clan: Lasombra
- Generation: 7th
- Sire: Leopold Valdemar
- Embrace: 1335 CE
- Apparent Age: Late 20s
- Nature/Demeanor: Idealist / Soldier
- Attributes:
- Abilities:
- Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics (Extreme Endurance) 4, Awareness 3, Brawl (Dirty Fighting) 4, Intimidation (Veiled Threats) 4, Leadership (Friendly) 4, Streetwise (Gangs) 4, Subterfuge 2
- Skills: Drive 3, Etiquette 3, Firearms (Quick Draw) 5, Melee (Improvised Weaponry) 5, Stealth (Shadowing) 5
- Knowledges: Academics 3, Investigation 3, Occult (Rituals) 4, Politics (Sabbat) 4
- Willpower: 10
- Virtues: Conscience 3, Self-Control 4, Courage 4
- Morality: Path of Honorable Accord 7
- Health Levels (Dice Pool Penalties): ±0, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated, Torpor
- Armor Rating: 0 (11 soak dice total, 6 of which may be used to soak Aggravated damage)
- Blood Pool (Maximum/Per Turn): 20 / 4
- Disciplines: Auspex 2, Celerity 4, Dominate 5, Fortitude 6, Obtenebration 6 (The Darkness Within), Potence 4
- Backgrounds: Resources 4, Status 4
- Image: A thin, bony caucasian with an angular face, usually impeccably dressed. His short hair is completely white, but he appears no older than 30.
- Roleplaying Hints: You are a cocky bastard and you’d mock Caine himself if he were to appear in front of you this moment. You will push buttons, and then push them again. You’ll run before you fight, if you have the chance.
Theo Bell
Theo was born a slave in the early 19th century, under the thumb of the Bell household. He lived to see his father killed and the women of his family brutalized before escaping to the north and assisting others through the Underground Railroad. During this time, a powerful Kindred named Don Cerro noticed the young man’s resolve and cunning, and offered Theo the chance he would not refuse: an opportunity to destroy his former master. Theo made the sacrifice and received the strength of the undead, then took his revenge swiftly, though he succumbed to the Beast in the process and killed slave and master both throughout the plantation. He took his master’s surname to remind himself of the tragedy and the yoke of slavery that would continue to plague him and his people. Never again would he be ruled by cruelty, and with Cerro’s guidance, Theo became the leader he was meant to be.
At the turn of the 20th century, Theo found himself losing touch with mortal society, but he never forgot his mortal family. Even when difficult, he has watched over his father’s family throughout the decades, intervening when necessary to keep them safe. This vigilance was tested further when Cerro was made Justicar and Theo Archon. Duty became his primary virtue, though he often butted heads (literally, in some cases) with Camarilla leadership. He felt a sense of kinship with the Anarch Movement, but never joined them. He was Camarilla, through and through, and retained his post as Archon even when his sire stepped down.
In these nights, Theo Bell is a name that evokes fear and respect beyond immortal society. Even werewolves think twice about raiding Kindred strongholds when the Brujah Archon is involved. His loyalty to the Camarilla has not wavered, and he labors dutifully to sort out trouble spots around the country that need a particular touch. In the D.C. suburbs, Bell combats the Sabbat presence while trying to ascertain the truth regarding the former Prince of the city, Marcus Vitel. Theo swears that Marcus met Final Death at his hands, so whoever claims to be the former Prince must be an imposter. To those ends, he continues to actively monitor D.C., going so far as to participate in operations within the city limits when necessary or opportune.
- Clan: Brujah
- Generation: 9th
- Sire: Don Cerro
- Embrace: 1857 CE
- Apparent Age: Early 30s
- Nature/Demeanor: Rebel / Judge
- Attributes:
- Abilities:
- Talents: Alertness (Warning Signs) 4, Athletics 2, Brawl (Bar Fights) 5, Empathy 1, Expression 2, Intimidation (Physical Coercion) 5, Leadership (Field Leadership) 4, Streetwise (Illegal Weapons) 4
- Skills: Crafts (Mechanics) 1, Demolitions 3, Drive 3, Etiquette 3, Firearms (Shotguns) 5, Melee (Improvised Weaponry) 5, Stealth (Crowds) 5, Survival (Street Life) 4
- Knowledges: Academics 2, Finance 1, Investigation (Ballistics) 4, Law 3, Occult 3, Politics 3, Science 1
- Willpower: 10
- Virtues: Conscience 3, Self-Control 5, Courage 4
- Morality: Humanity 6
- Health Levels (Dice Pool Penalties): ±0, ‒1, ‒1, ‒2, ‒2, ‒5, Incapacitated, Torpor
- Armor Rating: 0 (7 soak dice total, 2 of which may be used to soak Aggravated damage)
- Blood Pool (Maximum/Per Turn): 14 / 2
- Disciplines: Auspex 2, Celerity 4, Dominate 3, Fortitude 2, Obfuscate 2, Potence 4, Presence 4
- Backgrounds: Allies 5 (Mortal Family), Contacts 5, Mentor 4, Resources 3, Status 4
- Equipment: Ithaca M37 (Stakeout) Shotgun, Dragon’s Breath rounds; 8 damage dice (Aggravated to Vampires)
- Merits/Flaws: Language (French, German) / -
- Image: Theo’s scars across his shoulders and back, souvenirs from the overseer’s lash, are the only legacies of his slave days. Typically sporting a neatly trimmed mustache (and sometimes a bit of beard), Bell dresses well when at peace and efficiently when doing battle. A New York Yankees baseball cap, reflective police-style sunglasses and a Dragons Breath-loaded shotgun are Bell’s trademarks; Anarchs and Sabbat alike know his visage and fear it. As an ironic mockery of his unliving condition, Bell occasionally plasters a Breathe-Rite™ strip across his nose, particularly when engaged on a mission of war. He prepares himself for every endeavor; always with two parts practicality and one part style. When he needs to appear imposing (which is often), he looms over foes and rivals, using his Presence to accentuate his stature.
- Roleplaying Hints: You’re the biggest, baddest guy in practically every room. Since you know that you’re likely to fly off the handle at any moment, you try to keep your emotions off your face. Still, you’re always ready for a fight, be it verbal sparring or a shootout. Bristle at particularly nasty slights, but otherwise speak with the wisdom of your years and experience. You’re a competent leader who does so from the front, and shows disdain for those who do the opposite. Even though you are loyal to the Camarilla, you keep its other leaders in check as often as possible.
When it’s time to kick ass, you rely primarily on your trusty shotgun, always loaded with Dragon’s Breath rounds. Your Celerity lets you shoot first and strike true, and your Potence keeps you in the fight even when your rounds run out. When facing true horrors, don’t be afraid to retreat. Even Methuselahs can be brought down with enough preparation and the precise application of strength. You just have to fight off the Beast long enough to do so, and you’re no stranger to frenzy.